Well I'm glad she is calling Myles....I hope he responses well!!!!

Tina, this is a little spooky!!!

Ack!!!!! I can't get to the computer for a couple of days (relative - imposed exile!!!) and I come back to be scared witless! That dream was awful, absolutely chilling. I'm so glad that she feels she can call Myles for support on this one, after what she's just 'seen' she's going to need a lot of hugging and TLC, isn't she Tina - hint hint!!

Just ask Yoda - or is it Darth Maul?!?!? (You know who you are!!)

Wow, creepy, creepy!! Keep it up, Tina! Your story is definitely alive and kicking!

Ok, the creepiness continues...I hope Tara gets a lead soon to help her figure out who this mysterious chick is!

Thanks for the feedback! Here's a bit more...

November 1st
11:07 pm

“Why are we doing this again?” Myles asked as he and Tara walked along the dimly lit sidewalk outside her apartment. She had been very cryptic on the phone, simply telling him that she needed his help with something and asking him to hurry. When he had arrived at her apartment, she hadn’t even invited him in, meeting him outside the building instead. She had raced outside, telling him that they were going to the park where she and Stanley had been the night before. “Not that you told me why in the first place, but I would appreciate knowing exactly what I’m being dragged into,” he added.

“If I don’t do this, I’m going to go insane,” Tara informed him, her eyes desperately pleading for him to cooperate and go along with this.

“I highly doubt that,” he said skeptically.

“Myles, the dream I had tonight was so terrifying. Even more than what I saw last night, actually. I feel like it was a sign of some kind,” she said seriously.

“You believe in signs?” he asked in a surprised voice.

“I guess I do now,” she replied wryly. “The point is, maybe by going back, I’ll find something or see something that will help me figure out who this girl is and how she died. And I didn’t want to go into the park alone, armed or not,” she admitted.

“Well, I’m flattered that you would think to bring me along as protection,” Myles joked. “I would have thought Jack or Bobby to be a more natural choice.”

“Don’t be silly, Myles. You’re the one that I want,” Tara insisted, then blushed as she saw the look on his face and realized how that must have sounded. “You already know the story---you’re the only one who does,” she added quickly. “It only made sense that I drag you along with me,” she said, smiling for the first time in hours.

Myles grinned back at her and motioned to the entrance of the park. “Lead the way, Milady,” he told her. “I’ve got your back,” he added, giving her arm a squeeze.

Tara nodded and led the way into the park, her heart racing as she wondered fearfully what she would see this time.

* * *

Wow, fantastic job!! I loved the lighthearted feeling in it, but at the same time, there was an eerie mood. Keep it up, Tina! It's wonderful.

I starting to wonder if maybe it was a premention(?). There are a lot of possiblities. Great job!!

that was a great post, fun but series

and i love the way Myles and Tara are developing

Yes, that would be me! And I agree with Pam...I think Tara will need some TLC from the very Special Agent Leland before this is over! What? A girl can dream!

Myles is so...Myles...in this scene. He wants to help, but he has to grumble and be sarcastic about it. Of course, he's secretly thrilled that she called him!

Hehehe! Love how she stumbles here and then tries to cover it up. It won't work, Tara! You might as well admit that you're falling for him! And I loved the way you worked in "the line", Tina.

awwww.... myles is her knight in shining armor

J/S stories are great, but they get old after a while

myles and tara make a cute couple too...

Hmmm...I'm wondering what or if they'll find anything in the park. Oh, Tina...let's just say that I think I see rerio's influence on you!

I'm glad Myles went with her...

Great line...loved her blush and Myles slight change in attitude...very sweet.

Here's another small bit. I'll be posting another scene soon--just as soon as I'm finished the scene that follows it! I need to leave myself some sort of cushion to ward off writer's block...

Chapter 5

November 1st
11:45 pm

“What are you hoping to find?” Tara sighed and shot Myles a defeated look as he watched her expectantly. They had been wandering around the park for nearly half an hour and hadn’t seen or heard anything out of the ordinary. Tara felt frustrated and foolish, wondering why she’d ever thought coming back to the park would help.

“Answers,” she said softly. “If nothing else, I thought maybe the girl would appear again, and this time I wouldn’t be the only one to see her. Then at least I wouldn’t be alone in this.”

“You’re not alone,” Myles assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Tara gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks, Myles,” she said. He still hadn’t removed his hand from her shoulder, and Tara noticed his eyes had that same look she’d seen in the restaurant earlier. There was no doubt that this was not just her imagination. “It means a lot to have your support,” she added.

Myles’ response was cut short by an ear piercing sound. Someone was screaming, and it was a scream of terror that cut like a knife. In a decision that took only a split second to make, Myles took Tara’s hand, leading her in the direction of the sound.

* * *

Okay, I know it's not just about the M/T fuzzies, but since it's my birthday, I can pretend that it is! M/T fuzzies all around!!!!!!!!!!

And then of course the creepy scream: "a scream of terror that cut like a knife" Ack! You leave it THERE?

Great job, Tina!

* * *

The screams became muffled cries as the pair moved toward them. Looking around, Tara realized they were nearing the spot where she had seen the girl. Myles stopped suddenly, putting a finger to his lips, and together they listened. For a moment they heard nothing, and then came the sound again. It was much fainter this time, more a whimper than a cry. Myles let go of her hand, pulling out his gun, and quickly left the path to follow the sound.

Tara moved to follow, reaching for her own gun, when she was suddenly grabbed from behind. Her gun was knocked to the ground as a hand clamped over her mouth, preventing her from crying out. As cold metal pressed against the skin of her throat, her mind shouted out for Myles to turn around and see what was happening before it was too late. But if he had noticed that she wasn’t with him, he was too intent on finding the source of the scream to worry about it. A low voice murmured in Tara’s ear, warning her not to struggle, and she shuddered as she felt his warm breath against her skin and caught the strong smell of alcohol. Hopelessness and fear surged through her, but they were overwhelmed by a fierce will to live. At that moment, Tara decided that if she was to die right now, it wasn’t going to happen without a fight.

* * *

FIGHT, TARA, FIGHT!!!

TURN, MYLES, TURN!!!!

POST, TINA, POST!!!!

Ugh! You cannot leave it like that.

Come back here young lady and finish this scene. This kind of behavior (cliffhanger) is not appropriate nor acceptable. I'm using my best mean mom voice. Is it working?

How about if I beg? Please, please come back and write more. Please.

Ok, Mom--I mean, Michelle! What can I say, you really sounded like her! Here's some more...

* * *

Red-hot rage filled Tara as her assailant began to drag her away from the path. At the same time, her stomach began to feel queasy as she realized what his intentions likely were. As an FBI agent, she’d had plenty of self-defence training, but it was difficult to put it to use when she could feel the cold edge of a knife pressing against her throat. Her gun was useless to her right now, having been picked up by the man who now had her tightly in his grip. Evidently the knife was still his weapon of choice, and Tara sucked in her breath as she felt the sharp blade threatening to break her tender skin. She remembered the vision in white, the blood pouring from her wound, and wondered if perhaps it had been some strange premonition of her own demise.

Taking her to an area where the bushes were a little more substantial, he pushed her to the ground, allowing Tara to get a good look at him. She couldn’t help but let out a small gasp at his appearance. Apparently still dressed up for Halloween, his face was covered with red makeup, matching his red pants and shirt. His strange look made him appear all the more frightening to Tara. His dark eyes were cold and angry as they bore into Tara’s, and she suppressed a shudder as she realized that her small frame would be no match for his much larger one. She would have to wait for him to make a mistake. The opportunity came sooner than she had hoped, as he dropped the knife and began to tear at her clothing. Knowing she only had one chance to get this right, Tara managed to free one of her hands. Her hand was small, but her aim was true, and she clawed at his eyes, causing him to cry out in agony. The distraction was momentary, but it was enough. Her next target left him on the ground writhing in pain, and when he looked at her again, she had her gun pointed in his face.

* * *

Alright Tara!!!! We still don't know who they heard screaming. Hmmmmm.....

I love the way you tied in Tara's vision here, where she wonders if perhaps she saw her own death. I don't think that's where you're taking us, but it was a neat moment. And the guy's creepy red costume...not sure what that's about, but it's giving me the shivers!

These two lines really scared me, perhaps because they were so realistic to the character. I thought you portrayed Tara very accurately here; she's so analytical that she would be thinking the entire time. She would realize and process what he was trying to do; there would be no hiding from the facts.

Then, of course, she would kick his...butt:GO TARA!!!!!!

I like that Tara came to her own defense! What is Myles going to think when he comes running to her rescue only to find she has the situation under control? And who is this guy?...am I crazy for thinking it's an unbalanced Stanley reeling from her rejection of him earlier? You've gotta keep it coming!
Kav

Wow, fantastic job! Obviously, Tara's got the upperhand in this one. I'm afraid that despite the seriousness of the situation, I may laugh when Myles runs up, and Tara's already got the situation under control. Anyway, keep up the awesome work! This is a very compelling story.

Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me here...life has really gotten in the way of writing this story, so I'll have to make up for it today! Here's the first of what will be a few posts today.

* * *

She heard Myles before she saw him, his voice filled with concern as he called her name. He raised his brow in surprise as he caught sight of her and the man in red. Tara imagined that the two of them must have made quite a sight. “Tara?” Myles’ gaze went from the man to Tara’s torn blouse, the alarm in his eyes showing quite clearly as they rose to meet hers.

“I’m fine. I just made a call on my cell; DCPD is on the way to pick up this guy,” she said firmly. “Luckily I happened to have a set of handcuffs in my pocket,” she added with a weak smile, the strength in her voice beginning to falter slightly as the shock of what had happened, not to mention what could have happened, began to sink in.

“Yes, they do come in handy once in awhile, don’t they?” Myles quipped, but he saw the change in her immediately and moved toward them. Tara shakily put her gun away, happy to let Myles take over. A definite sense of relief settled over her, but the comforting warmth she was feeling in Myles’ presence was shattered as a low female voice brought her gaze to the person who was standing at the edge of the path.

* * *

Ack!!! Just when I thought things were settling down, coming to a safe conclusion...you leave me hanging in suspense again?!
Isn't it a drag when life get's in the way of your creative endeavours?
Kav

I know I'm completely hopeless, but I really do love the way Myles is so concerned for her. You do a wonderfully subtle job of describing it, too. There are lots of little things in this post that give the M/T parts of my heart warm fuzzies! And then...

I was just getting all happy about "the comforting warmth" when this unknown female shows up...I'm thinking the girl from the vision, maybe? And what's up with the guy in red?

Chapter 6

Tara stared in shock, wondering if her eyes were deceiving her. A quick glance in Myles’ direction told her that wasn’t the case. “Is this the man who was stalking you?” Myles asked, looking pointedly at the young woman. Tara’s mind was spinning as she tried to process what she was seeing and hearing.

“It’s him,” the girl answered in a small voice. “Did he hurt you?” she asked Tara. Tara swallowed, her throat gone suddenly dry as she looked at the girl whose image had been haunting her for the past twenty-four hours, clearly very much alive. She shook her head, unable to process her thoughts into words.

“Well, he won’t be hurting anyone now,” Myles said confidently. “We can add attacking a Federal agent to your list of delinquent activities,” he informed the young man who scowled at the tall agent before focussing his gaze on the girl in white.

“All I wanted was to be with you, Laura,” he told her. “We could have been so happy together. You just had to make it difficult, didn’t you?”

“You’re sick, Kyle. You need to get some help,” Laura told him. Before any of them could say anything more, a trio of officers from the DCPD arrived on the scene.

For Tara, the next half hour was a blur. She watched Kyle being escorted away by two of the officers, and then found a park bench to sit on, no longer feeling like her legs would support her. Myles sat down and put an arm around her, providing her with a much-needed shoulder to lean on. She listened as Laura gave her statement to the police, telling of how Kyle had been pursuing her for the past couple of months. The two had gone out on a handful of dates, but when Laura had told Kyle she just wasn’t interested in him, he wouldn’t accept it. He had continued to call and send her flowers. While she had found it annoying, there had been nothing threatening in his behaviour—until tonight. “What exactly happened tonight?” the officer asked her.

* * *

* * *

“Today is my friend Stacey’s birthday, so we had a Halloween/Birthday party for her. I was dressed as an angel,” she explained, indicating her white dress. “It’s just a short walk across the park for me to get home, so I left the party on my own. I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly, but I never thought he would try and hurt me,” she said softly. “I’d just entered the park when he jumped out of the bushes and grabbed me. He was dressed in a devil costume, so I guess he’d been spying on me; the devil and the angel must be his idea of a sick joke,” she said with a shudder.

Tara knew exactly how frightening that must have been for Laura. “I had wondered why he was dressed that way,” she said softly, remembering the terror she had felt when Kyle had thrown her onto the ground. Myles gave her a squeeze, and she managed a small smile as she looked up at him. “What happened to the rest of his costume?” she asked.

“I guess it must have come off while we were struggling. It’s hard to remember everything,” Laura explained. “I do remember him ripping off my wings and pulling out a knife. That’s when I screamed.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she shivered, pulling the blanket she'd been given more tightly around her.

“Tara and I heard the screaming and came closer to investigate. Then we got separated,” Myles added.

“I managed to get away from Kyle and took off running,” Laura continued, her voice shaking slightly. “I was hiding in the bushes when Agent Leland found me. If you two hadn’t come along, I’m sure Kyle would have found me, and who knows what he might have done to me then?” she said, looking at Myles and Tara gratefully.

Tara shivered. She knew. Though the terrifying vision of Laura was slowly beginning to fade from Tara’s mind, she had no doubt that if she and Myles hadn’t been in the park that night, Laura wouldn’t be alive to tell this story.

* * *

Very, very creepy, and I wasn't expecting a stalker at all! I honestly thought Tara's ghostly vision was some poor woman who had been killed long ago. I certainly wasn't expecting her to have seen a crime that was yet to happen. And I positively shiver when I think that Tara almost had to take Laura's place!

Now...a nice, warm, happy ending? Please?

I'm with Rerio. I did not expect a stalker. Nice twist! It took me completely by surprise and I like being surprised.

So, do we get a happy ending, perhaps a kiss or two?

Wow, great job!! Awesome job with the tension and every aspect. I'm glad that Myles is there for Tara, and they could be there to help Laura... despite Tara's scare. Keep it up!

I'm with Ami and Michelle here, most definitely. Sent shivers up my spine to think about what could have happened ..... and also what did happen too. Fantastic!

I'm sensing Yoda has been practising her Jedi mind tricks!!!!!!!

* * *

After both Laura and Tara had finished giving their statements to the police, the group left the park. Laura declined an offer to get a hold of her parents, saying that receiving a phone call like this in the middle of the night would only scare them. “I just want to go home,” she insisted. “My roommate is there. Besides, I feel safe knowing that Kyle is in jail.” She agreed to let them take her home and turned to Myles and Tara. “Thank you both so much for showing up in the park when you did. Someone was obviously watching over me tonight, and I’m so grateful.”

“Think nothing of it,” Myles insisted. “We were happy to help.” Tara just smiled, truly at a loss for words as she considered the magnitude of what had happened tonight. As Laura got into the squad car, she gave the officers her address, causing Tara to gasp softly. Myles looked at her, the look in his eyes matching the surprise that Tara felt. The address Laura had given was for the same apartment that Tara called home. Slipping an arm around her waist, Myles steered Tara toward the sidewalk, setting a leisurely pace. “Will wonders never cease?” he asked softly. “She’s the one you saw, isn’t she? The ghost?”

* * *

Wow, Tina Lynne that was a great twist! I wasn't sure if I could get into this at first, when I was looking for more of J/S and not finding them. But I have to say after reading this, you are an amazing writer and I was even enjoying the T/M relationship. Rerio is realing rubbing off. :laughs:

I wasn't sure, either, Anne...and believe me, no one is more shocked than I am that Jack and Sue have been completely absent from this story! Thanks for the comments, everybody---here's a bit more...

Chapter 7

Tara sighed and looked up into his questioning hazel eyes. “Yes,” she confirmed. “I guess my shock was pretty obvious, wasn’t it?”

“Actually, you did an admirable job of hiding it. It was just a certain look that came into your eyes when you saw her. It was only obvious to me because I know you so well,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers for a moment.

Tara smiled at him, realizing that right now, she felt closer to Myles than to anyone. “You do know me pretty well,” she agreed. “I just hope that you don’t think any differently of me now, Myles. I’m still not sure what to think of this—it’s all so strange…and creepy,” she added.

“I think very highly of you, Tara…you should know that by now,” he said gently. “And after tonight, I admire you even more than I did before.”

Tara heart lurched at his words, and she couldn’t help but wonder at their true meaning, but she shook her head in disbelief just the same. “I’m not sure why…what happened tonight was insanity. I told you today that I’ve never believed in ghosts…well, I’ve never believed in psychic ability, either. I feel like a bit of a nut right now,” she admitted.

“You got yourself out of a very bad situation, with no help from anyone. And if you hadn’t followed your instincts, Laura would probably be dead right now. What you did tonight was…utterly amazing. You most certainly are not nuts,” Myles told her, his eyes serious.

“Thank you,” she said modestly. “For supporting me in my insanity,” she added with a grin. “And for just being here.”

Myles rolled his eyes and reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. “You’re not insane. For whatever reason, you were given a gift…you could have just ignored it and forced yourself to forget about it. Instead, you did everything you could to figure out what it meant, and you saved a life as a result. Of that I have no doubt. You’re amazing, Tara.”

* * *

* * *

Tara blushed as she saw the look in his eyes. On top of everything else she was feeling, she felt as though the friendship between her and Myles had grown into something more. Part of her was eager to explore that, find out exactly how he felt about her, but she was already feeling too overwhelmed by all of the revelations of the evening to focus on her feelings for Myles. “I can’t believe Laura lives in the same building as I do,” she said suddenly, hoping to quell the awkwardness she was feeling.

“In the apartment right above you, no less,” Myles added, the amazement in his voice evident. “Yet you’ve never once crossed paths…well, until last night, that is. At least we know that there is a connection between the two of you, however small.”

Tara nodded, and the two of them walked in silence the rest of the way to her apartment. Tara knew that it was going to take a while for everything that had happened to sink in, and she was truly looking forward to falling asleep without worrying about anything haunting her dreams. Myles walked her to the door of her building and waited as she unlocked it. “Shall I walk you to your apartment?” he asked.

“No, that’s ok,” Tara replied “It’s already so late, Myles; go home and get some rest...I’ll see you at work in a few hours,” she added with a smile, wondering if things would be different between them at work after what they’d gone through together. “Thanks again for everything. I’m glad I wasn’t alone tonight.”

“Anytime, Tara,” Myles told her, giving her hand a squeeze. He grinned at her, and Tara could feel herself being pulled in by the warmth and kindness in his eyes. She wondered why she had never noticed until now what nice eyes he had. Before she knew what was happening, he was leaning down, his lips softly brushing hers.

* * *

Great work! Loved the relationships b/w M and T!

Looking forward to more from you!
Cassie

Great job. I'm looking foward to a nice fuzzy ending.

I'm with Lady N...bring on the warm fuzzies!

Seriously, this is such a great story. I love how Tara saw a possible future that she was then able to prevent, and it's very like her to be unsettled by what happened. I imagine that she'll struggle with this for a bit...sequel, perhaps? Just kidding; don't strangle me! This was an awesome short story that delivered a powerful, scary punch...

...now all it needs are those nice ending fuzzies to wrap it up.

So, you all want a nice fuzzy ending, huh? Oh all right! I was pressured into this! Those darn Jedi mind tricks... Seriously, I need to thank Ami for beta-reading this for me--it was much appreciated!!!

* * *

It was just a whisper of a kiss, but it sent a shockwave through Tara, and she knew that this was right. Myles pulled away from her, and she thought that his eyes appeared almost surprised as he gazed down at her, as though he wasn’t the one who had instigated the kiss--as if he had been guided by outside forces somehow. Tara smiled softly at him and reached up, putting her hands on the back of his head and bringing his lips to hers again, kissing him firmly. The kiss started out tentatively, but by the time it had ended, both of them were breathless from the passion it had invoked.

Tara smiled shyly at him, a contrast to the assertiveness she had shown just moments before. Her cheeks flushed as Myles smiled back at her, and she let go of him, realizing that their close proximity would only lead them in one direction. “It’s getting late,” she said again, blushing even more deeply as Myles chuckled at her.

He reached over and put a hand on her cheek, stroking it softly. “Good night, Tara,” he said, turning away from her and walking across the street to his car.

“Good night!” she called after him. Tara watched him walk away, noting a bounce in his step that hadn’t been there earlier. He turned to look at her before he got in the car, smiling widely. They waved to each other as he drove away, and Tara walked inside, feeling both amazed and elated at how much had happened in just twenty-four hours. It had been a Halloween like no other, and she knew that after tonight her life would never be the same.

The End

Happy Halloween!!

Hey...you talk me into writing warm fuzzies; I return the favor. And I was more than glad to beta it for you, even if it was difficult. I mean, who wants to read about Myles and Tara kissing?

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the extremely happy, warm-and-fuzzy rerio."

Lead! I don't mind a bit; I promise!

Great job, Tina! Thank you so, so much for writing this and for ending it the way that you did. Seriously, above and beyond the thrill of the M/T romance...the story itself was wonderful. Very original, very creepy, and completely unexpected.

And one final note:Psst! Michelle! Good job on combining our powerful mind control forces on Myles! I say we keep it up...these Jedi powers could cause a revolution on the board! :whistle:

Great wrap up TinaLynne! Nice warm fuzzies for M/T! Now I expect some sizzling J/S for your next story! :laughs:

Fabulous job, Tina!!! Loved your Myles/Tara so much that I almost didn't even miss Jack and Sue (almost)! But, like Anne...I am expecting some more J/S out of you, and you can feel free to throw M/T in there as well, I certainly won't mind! LOL

Fantastic story!

Very nice warm fuzzies. Hmmmmm....maybe I should start using the force too. I love your little ghost. It's too cute. I can't wait for you to start your next story.

I have caught up on it again

wow so it wasnt a haunting it was a premonition!

that was a great twist...

and I loved the M/T warm and fuzzies...I think they make a great couple!

Okay, can I just say that I loved that...

Wonderful story...I'm so glad the girl was alive and Tara saved her vs. finding her killer
Wonderful romance...whether you know it or not, you write M/T very well. Hope it's not the last we hear about them from you
Wonderful spookiness...you had us going the whole way...not knowing the woman's fate until the end...excellent twist.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...Tina, definitely worth the effort.

Wonderful story, Tina! I most certainly didn't expect that twist...that the girl would be found alive (thank goodness!) and wasn't a ghost. And yes, I most definitely see rerio's influence in your writing. But I don't mind a bit, because it's so well written! GREAT JOB, TINA!

I'm with you Ami. I say we continue using the power of the force to influence Tina to write another M/T story since she obviously does a terrific job writing them.

Tina, you will write a Christmas story about Myles and Tara.

Did it work? I sure hope you weren't able to resist my mind control powers. The force is strong in me and with Ami's additional powers, you should not be able to resist us.

Great ending to your story. Beautifully written. You left us with just enough of a kiss to lead us to believe that there will be others in the future for Myles and Tara.

Michelle, what a great idea!! I'm just waiting for the go ahead to post the Christmas Challenge later today .......... oh Tina, we've got a little job for you to do!!!

I am such a wimp. But now that I know everything is ok... read the story. GREAT job tina! Wow. You have the touch. Specially liked your characterization of Tara. Could see her quite clearly!

Also loved your descriptions. And the action scene with the knife was too clear, I mean, very real. Keep it up!