DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. I can still dream though.

SUMMARY: Tommy has brought Tara back from Angel Grove and Jason wants to talk. What happened and why is Jason so insistent about talking to his old friend?

Tommy walked down the stairs, wondering what Jason could possibly want to talk about

Tommy walked down the stairs, wondering what Jason could possibly want to talk about. He stepped out onto the porch where Jason was sitting in one of the chairs. His friend had his head in his hands.

"Jason, you wanted to talk to me?"

"Tommy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put Tara through that. I didn't realize that Mom hated her that much. Mom made me promise that I'd come back for Christmas but I don't want to take Tara back into that situation. Can she stay with you?"

"I'm going to my parents' house for Christmas but Mom's already said that she can stay with us. She had that talk with me today before we left. She told me to make sure that Tara understood that she would be happy to have an extra person at the table for Christmas, especially due to the fact that she makes me happy."

"Your mother saw that?"

"She sees everything. Somehow, she saw the fact that I'm so much happier with Tara than I have been recently. Not that I've been trying to hide it from anyone." Tommy smiled. He realized just how right his mother was: Tara made him happier than he had ever been.

"Tommy, do you love my sister?"

"I love her. I really do." Tommy was amazed at how easily that fact came out of his mouth. He had never been one to talk easily about his feelings to anyone.

"That's good to know. I know that you'll protect her. She's always been so fragile."

"Of course I will. You know me."

"I know you. You and your white knight complex." Jason laughed. Tommy joined him the relieved laughter. They didn't realize just how much that would come into play before Christmas.

Just a week after that, Tommy and Tara were working with the last class of the day when four men walked into the room with guns. One of the men attempted to hit Tommy in the head to knock him out. That started a fight between Tommy and three of the men while one slipped to Tara and wrapped an arm around her neck, putting a gun to her temple.

When Tommy spun to see Tara in such a position, his heart sunk. He stopped fighting. "Tara, look at me." Tommy knew that she understood sign language very well. She used it occasionally when she got too scared to talk. "Use sign to answer me. Do you remember what Kimberly told you about me?" Yes. "Do you believe that I will protect you?" Yes. "I want you to keep that in mind. But you also need to remember that I need you to stay conscious for me. Can you do that?" Yes. Tommy nodded and she breathed a sigh of relief. Tommy wouldn't let this guy hurt her.

"She's going to go with me. We're going to make a little trip." Tara's eyes flew open wide and she started to hyperventilate.

"You aren't taking her anywhere. I made her and her brother a promise. I promised to protect her."

"That's too bad because she IS coming with me. You can't stop me."

Tommy?

Stay with me, Tara. You know that I won't let him leave here with you. He's not taking you out of this room.

I'm scared. Really scared.

I know. Just hold on. I WILL protect you. I promised. Tommy saw no reason to remind her of just how deep his protective side ran.

Suddenly, Tara went limp, fainting in the man's grip. As she went down, the man's attention left Tommy for just an instant. It was all the former Ranger needed. He lunged.

Within seconds the man was down and out cold. Tommy picked Tara up and carried her to the corner farthest from the door.

Brushing the hair from her face, Tommy almost didn't notice when the door opened for Jason and Kimberly. The two dropped to their knees beside the couple just as Tara opened her eyes. She scrambled into Tommy's lap, wrapping her arms around his chest and holding him tight.

"Sissy?" Jason asked. Tara timidly lifted her eyes to meet her brother's. "Are you okay?"

Tara opened her mouth but no sound came out. Kim put a hand on her young friend's shoulder. "It's okay, Tara. Just take it easy. You're safe. We're here and you're safe." Tara just turned into Tommy as Kim stroked her hair. She didn't move until she had to give a statement to the police. Even then though, she stayed right next to Tommy.

Once they were finished, Tommy turned to Elsa. "Principal Randall, may we go? I need to take Tara home. She's really shaken up."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Oliver. But someone needs to here until the students are finished."

"Principal Randall, one of the men threatened to rape her," Tommy whispered harshly. Unfortunately, both Kim and Jason heard.

As a growl came from Jason's throat, Tara went pale and cringed away from him, turning her head as if ashamed. "Jason, cool it." Tommy pulled the petite frame into his side. Tara burrowed into him, clinging tightly. He could feel her trembling and simply turned so that she had her face buried against his chest. "She's scared enough as it is."

Kim had turned to Jason and wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling her head against his chest. "Easy, Rex. Easy."

Jason wrapped his arms around Kimberly and closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths to try to calm down a bit. He held the young woman tight, thankful that it hadn't been Kimberly in that position while still wanting to kill the man who had threatened his fragile baby sister that way.

"Bro, take her home. If it's alright with Principal Randall, I'll stay with the kids as long as Kim stays with me."

Elsa approved and Tommy led Tara out of the room.