DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.
SUMMARY: Tara and Tommy are trying to recover from the attack at the school.
Tara steeled herself as she walked toward the school. She couldn't believe that she was walking back into this place.
"Tara, I'll understand if you would rather not be here today," Tommy said from her left side.
"I-I-I have to do this. I-I-I'll never get o-o-over it if I d-d-don't." Tommy took her hand and squeezed gently.
"I'm right here with you," he told her. Then, he leaned in and whispered into her ear. She looked up at him and smiled. Impulsively, she went up on her toes and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered in his ear. Suddenly, whoops and laughter broke out around them with the occasional yell of "Way to go, Dr. O!" A fearsome blush stained Tara's cheeks. She ducked her head as Tommy let out a real laugh for the first time in days.
As he folded her into his arms, she found herself almost insanely proud of the fact that she had been so bold in public.
"Alright, everyone. Let's get to class. No need to watch the good doctor macking on my little sister." Jason's voice rang above the din. Students scattered before him like leaves on a breeze.
"Jason, I don't think you saw correctly. Your little sister was the one macking on me. Not the other way around."
Laughter broke out among the friends and tension was banished for the moment.
It felt strange to see the teenagers so quiet as they walked through the hallways. Boyfriends didn't stray far from their girlfriends unless they had to. Friends walked in groups from class to class. Even the students who didn't really have any friends were watched over. No one was left out.
In the first class they had that morning, Tommy and Tara watched as two of the bigger students pulled desks in front of the door and sat down. It was a trend that they saw throughout the day.
Kim, Jason, Kira and Connor came up to the classroom for lunch with Kim carrying a picnic basket.
"Are you guys ready for lunch?" she asked as she started setting everything out. She had brought some of everyone's favorites, including their favorite smoothie flavors.
Eventually, the quiet got to Tommy and he spoke up. "Connor, have you been here all day?"
"I decided to keep an eye on Kira today. I'm not going to let anyone hurt her."
Kim decided to make a confession of her own. "I've been sitting by the phone all day just hoping that I wouldn't get a call telling me …" She couldn't finish the sentence.
Jason wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, pulling her in tight. "Not going to happen, Firebird. Not today."
Kim buried her face in Jason's chest and Tara felt bad for her as she watched the young woman's form start to shake. In response, the raven-haired woman snuggled in closer to the man beside her. Tommy held her close as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
The final class of the day came as a great relief to everyone in the school. Everyone was more than happy to see the end of such a traumatic day. The final bell was greeted with a sigh. Tommy and Tara stood next to each other as they watched the kids filter out of the room and head off to their many activities.
"Ready to go home?" Tommy asked, looking down at his girl.
She nodded and linked her arm with his as they walked out of the room.