DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine.

SUMMARY: Tara is safely tucked away with Tommy at his mother's house. Is she okay or will Tommy discover another piece of the puzzle that is Tara?

Tara sat next to Tommy quietly all through the meal just listening to the conversation and wishing her family had been more like that.

Every family meal had been eaten in silence. The only exception was to ask for something to be passed.

"Tara, would you like pumpkin or pecan pie?" The question startled her from her memories.

"P-p-pecan. Thank you." Marissa nodded as she handed Tommy the slice for her.

Pushing back from the table after she'd finished the piece of pie, Tara realized with a small burp just how much she had eaten. She put her hand over her mouth and bowed her head in embarrassment.

"Tara?" Shaun Oliver asked.

As the young woman stood up, so did Tommy. He put a hand on shoulder in order to keep her from running away. "It's okay. You don't have to leave the table." Wrapping an arm around her, he turned to his mother. "Awesome meal, Mom, as always. I'll just go sit on the front porch and get a little fresh air. Tara, would you like to come with me?"

She nodded, following Tommy out of the dining room.

"Tara, did your mother punish you for little things like burping at the table?"

Tara stepped away from Tommy with her head bowed. She couldn't help remembering the last time she had eaten with her parents without her brothers around.

FLASHBACK

Tara was due to head back to school the next day and her brothers had already left. She was sitting at the table with her parents.

As soon as she had finished eating, Tara looked at her mother. "May I p-p-please be excused?"

"Of course. Make sure your things are packed."

Tara pushed away from the table but before she could get up from the chair, a small burp escaped her. She spun to see her mother storming toward her. The next thing Tara knew, she had been flung from her chair and the side of her face stung.

She woke up the next morning to find that she'd been dumped on her bedroom floor. Her wrist was broken and her cheek hurt.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Tara didn't realize that she had told the story out loud until she heard a gasp from behind her, alerting her to the fact that she and Tommy had company.

Turning, she found Kimberly's shocked, tearful face standing next to her brother's stunned and outraged face. Bowing her head, she let the tears fall as she mentally kicked herself for revealing that secret.

"You never told me," Jason whispered.

"I-I-I never intended t-t-to either. I-I-it was the only t-t-time she ever d-d-did it."

"That doesn't make it right, sissy." Jason was trying hard to control his temper. He didn't want Tara running off into the dark.

"I-I-I know but I w-w-was scared. She c-c-could have done w-w-worse, Jase."

Tommy couldn't stand her tears any longer. He walked over and wrapped the trembling young woman in his embrace, shielding her from everyone else's eyes.