The trip back to Reefside was made in a somber silence. Jason and Kimberly sat in the front seat wondering what kind of mother could dote on her two sons while treating her daughter as if she was unwanted.
Tommy sat behind Kimberly with his attention on Tara. His teacher's aide was curled up close to the door watching Angel Grove pass away.
She had isolated herself from everyone else in the car. Still upset with herself, she vowed not to cry again over something she couldn't change.
She glanced over at Tommy once they had left the Angel Grove city limits. Seeing the look on his face, she slid across the seat and lay down with her head in his lap.
Tommy draped an arm over her as the other hand combed through her hair. At the same time, she reached up and took the hand Kimberly reached out to her.
The four traveled the rest of the way in that fashion.
Jason pulled up in front of Tommy's house and turned to look at his old friend. Tommy had fallen asleep with his head slumped against his chest. One hand was still draped across Tara while the other rested on her hair.
Tara herself had fallen asleep with tear tracks down her face. Jason felt his heart clench. She had been so afraid to tell him, worried that their mother would hurt her again.
Kimberly also slept, with one hand clutched tightly in Tara's. Jason hated the thought of waking them up but he knew that Tommy had to be seriously uncomfortable like that.
"Tommy. Tommy, man."
Tommy's head moved a little as a moan escaped him. His hand went to the back of his neck where he rubbed at the stiff muscles.
"Where are we?" he asked as he soon as he managed to straighten his neck.
"Outside your house. I figured you'd want to take Tara inside. And you'd probably have killed me if I had tried to take her from you."
Tommy nodded. He opened the door and set Tara off to one side as he swung his legs out of the car. Jason hopped out of the car and ran around to make sure that his friend didn't fall flat on his face.
Climbing out of the car, Tommy found himself clinging to the car door while he got his legs straightened out under him. Jason stayed right beside him as he loosened up his leg muscles.
Finally getting everything worked out, Tommy bent over and took Tara's shoulders in hand, sliding her out until he could scoop her into his arms.
Having done that without waking her up, he turned toward his house only to find Kira and Connor standing at the open front door. As he started toward the door, Jason lay a hand on his friend's arm. "Tommy, after you lay her down, can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure, Jase. I'll be right back down."
As Tommy headed up the stairs, he wondered what Jason wanted to talk to him about. Could he have heard Tara crying last night?
FLASHBACKMarissa had asked them if they intended to stay the night or head back to Reefside.
"We were thinking about getting a hotel room for the night, Mrs. Oliver," Jason admitted.
"Not tonight you won't. Tommy, you can stay in your room and Tara can have the guest room next to you. Jason and Kimberly can take the two across the hall." When Tara clutched desperately at his arm, Tommy knew he had to say something.
"Mom, we can't leave the girls alone. There's a man that's been stalking them." Marissa's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing on her son.
"What do you suggest, Thomas?"
"Tara can stay in my room with me. I'll sleep in my sleeping bag on the floor. Jason can do the same with Kimberly in the next room."
"Tommy," Marissa began.
"Mom, I know you're old fashioned and I wouldn't suggest this if it weren't for the fact of the girls being stalked. I promise you, nothing will happen."
Marissa noted the look on Tara's face and nodded. "Okay. But only because of this stalker."
Everyone settled in for the night. Tommy spent a few minutes tucking Tara snuggly into his old bed. "Everything's fine, Tara. I'm going to be just over there in the sleeping bag."
"I know. I g-g-guess I just g-g-got used to sl-sl-sleeping next to you," she chuckled.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. "I'm not far away. I promise."
Tommy went and lay down in the sleeping bag. He was asleep in moments. Or so Tara thought.
Tara, on the other hand, was finding it hard to get to sleep. The wind was picking up outside and making branches brush against the house. A storm was brewing.
She got out of bed and padded softly to the window to look out. As she stood at the window, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky followed almost immediately by a loud clap of thunder.
Jerking back from the window, she turned and ran to Tommy, laying down near the sleeping bag. She huddled in a little ball, trying to muffle her cries against her hand until Tommy sat up and pulled her into the sleeping bag with him.
Tara's shaking form buried her face in Tommy's chest, quickly soaking through his t-shirt with her tears.
Tommy's heart broke with every sob that she tried to muffle against him, trying hard not to disturb anyone else.
FLASHBACK ENDSHad he heard her crying despite her efforts to stay quiet?
Tommy hoped not because then he might have to deal with a lecture from his best friend reminding him of the penalty if he ever hurt Tara. The lecture from his mother about her being curled up in his arms this morning had been more than enough.
Laying the woman he loved on his bed, he kissed her forehead before tucking her in.
He had reached the door and was about to pull it shut behind him when the sleepy voice reached his ears.
"Tommy?"
A few strides put him right back beside the bed. "I'm right here, Tara. I just need to go downstairs for a bit. Jason wants to talk to me."
"Don't let him get to you. He's a rough tough teddy bear."
Tommy chuckled at her words, the deep timber of his voice making her feel safe and comfortable. She rolled over and reached up one hand to cup his cheek. "He won't hurt me, Tara. He's my friend and he only wants to make sure that you're okay. I'm sure that's all it is."
She smiled up at him sleepily before pulling her hand back and tucking it under her head. Her eyes drifted shut and she fell asleep before he left the room.