DISCLAIMER: Not mine but I wouldn't mind having some time with Tommy.
SUMMARY: Jason convinced Tara to go to their parents house for Thanksgiving dinner and, when Mom started in on Tara, she ran off. Can Tommy catch her and protect her from her own impulsiveness?
Tommy had been sent out on the porch with David and Sam Trueheart while Marissa Oliver finished up the Thanksgiving dinner.
Tommy was glad to see his brother and Sam. He didn't get to spend time with them very often.
A familiar six-tone signal interrupted the conversation and Tommy had to fight himself to keep from looking at his wrist. Smiling apologetically at the pair, the young man picked up his cell phone. "What's up, Jase?"
"Tara's gone. Mom started in on her almost the moment we got here."
"Where in the world would she have gone?" Tommy felt his heart lodge in his throat as he stepped off the porch.
"Kim said she was heading toward the park. That means she'll more than likely run right past your place."
"I'll keep an eye open for her. If I catch her, I'll call you."
"Cool. Man, we have to find her. Kim's kind of going crazy worrying about her. But Mom's almost cold about the whole thing. She keeps saying that Tara will come back and there's nothing to worry about."
"Don't worry, bro. If I don't see her soon, I'll go look for her." Tommy knew what was running through Jason's mind. The creep stalking the girls could have followed them here and made a move on Tara.
Tommy hung up shortly after that and turned to see David standing almost right behind him. "What's wrong, Tommy?"
"It appears our noble Falcon has been tethered," Sam smiled as he stepped up beside David.
But before anyone could say anything else, rapid footfalls approached. Tommy shoved the cell phone in his pocket and stepped out onto the sidewalk.
That the slight form barreling toward them wasn't looking in front of her was obvious when she crashed into the former Ranger. His hands settled on her shoulders, the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground.
Her head whipped around to see who was holding her. Tommy's chocolate brown eyes gazing down into her terror-filled blue ones made her knees go weak with relief.
Her arms wrapped around Tommy's waist as she sagged against him. Tommy bent his head over the slender trembling form desperately clinging to him as his arms went around her back. "You're safe, Tara. I'm right here and you're safe."
That was how Marissa found her son when she came out to announce that dinner was on the table. David and Sam had resumed their places on the porch in order to give the young man some privacy.
"Tommy?" she asked, stepping off the porch and approaching her son.
Tommy looked up at his mom as she walked toward him. Tara lifted her eyes to see the woman approach and cringed further into Tommy's embrace. "It's okay, Tara. This is my mother. She's not like your mother."
"Why don't you introduce me to your friend, Thomas?"
"Mom, this is TaraLynn Scott, Jason's little sister. Tara, this is my mother, Marissa Oliver."
"N-n-nice to m-m-meet you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tara." Marissa slowly held out a hand to the young lady in her son's arms. Tara's fear was almost palpable. She was trying not to scare the girl anymore than she already was. "Would you like to join us for dinner? Do you think your mother would mind?"
"I'm sure it would be fine," Tommy said, rubbing Tara's back when she tensed against him. "I just need to call Jason first."
When Marissa nodded and headed back inside, Tommy flipped out his cell phone. Jason and Kim were seriously relieved to hear that Tara was okay and safe with Tommy. When he finished talking to his friend, Tommy noticed that David and Sam had headed into the house.
"Shall we go eat?" he asked, looking down into the deep blue eyes. She nodded and walked into the house with him.