Shadows and Light

By Sonia


Timeframe: Where does this fit into the series? It is an offshoot of the main series starting just after Rachel's funeral. Previous installments were Breathe, When Tommy Met Emma and Genesis. The prologue to this series is my fic "The Cutter Bar"

Disclaimer: Okay, let’s see if I remember the drill correctly. These characters aren’t mine. I’m not making any money off of them, nor am I using them for any other sort of personal gain. In fact, they’re probably taking up way too much of my time. I’m only borrowing them for a bit in the hopes of scratching that strange writer’s itch I’ve been having recently and to perhaps provide entertainment for my friends for a short while.

Author's notes: The lyrics are from Live's "Dolphin's Cry" and a special thank you to all the guys from Live for writing such a beautiful song.



Today was a special day for Tommy Tavita and Emma Woods.

By some sheer fluke of rostering their days off coincided. The only thing bad about the day was that it was raining heavily.

That meant one thing - a movie and lots of popcorn. Deciding what movie to see was another matter entirely. As the pair walked through the shopping complex on Broadway to get to their favourite cinema, shopping centre patrons were treated to some animated discussions.

"Woodsie, there is no way on earth or any other planet that you can con me into seeing yet another chick flick.

"Tommy, what is wrong with a happy ending every now and then?

"Life isn't like that. I'm not sure that I believe in happy endings these days.

"And a rag tag army shooting up an entire space fleet to save America from hordes of rampaging aliens is a happy ending? As far as I'm concerned Tommy, we get precious few happy endings in our job so what is wrong with treating ourselves to the occasional one at the movies every so often?"

"Okay sweetheart, you win this round but I really do have to go to the bank and grab some cash. Want to go to dinner afterwards? Damn it, the queue for the ATM is a mile long. Looks like we're going inside."

"It's lucky for you that I'm easily convinced." Woodsie laughed as she pushed Tommy through the doors of the bank.

Tommy had always thought standing in a bank queue was the easiest way to cure insomnia. He liked being around Emma and really cared for her. Some times he found himself thinking of her at the strangest times, like three in the morning when he was walking out of the Cutter Bar with Syksie and even now, standing in the world's most boring bank queue.

Woodsie leaned on one of the side counters and thought she was really at a good place in her life right now.

A man carrying a sports bag entered the bank. He set the bag down on a chair and started to rummage in it. He stood up with one of his arms behind his back.

"This is a robbery, get down on the floor before I blow your fucking heads off," The man brandished his gun as though it was a natural extension of his arm.

The frightened customers dropped to the ground as only Tommy and Emma remained standing. They glanced at each other, Emma moved forward a little to ensure the offender and Tommy remained in her line of sight. They would have to subdue this man before things started getting out of hand.

The safety screens protecting the tellers slid into place. Tommy turned slightly to give himself a better line of sight. The offender swung his gun towards Woodsie. She sucked in a breath, debating whether to try and tackle the man.

"Okay slut, get on the ground with the rest of them before I blow ya fucking brains out and take ya darkie boyfriend with ya!"

"OKAY MISTER, THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Tommy launched himself at the man, his shoulder hitting the man's midsection at the same time a gunshot echoed through the bank. Emma's scream was shrill enough to shatter every pane of glass in the building.

The offender stashed the gun in the sports bag and ran.

Shaking, Emma willed herself to carry out first aid on Tommy who was clutching his leg. So often she had told people that in an emergency minutes could seem like hours. Now she knew it was the truth.

She continued to try and stop the blood coming from Tommy's thigh until she was led away by the paramedics. The paramedics scurried around Tommy like white shirted ants, preparing him for the trip to hospital and eventually the operating theatre.

The ambos started moving around the other bank customers, who were mainly suffering from shock at their ordeal and some were asking after Tommy.

Someone tapped on Emma's shoulder. She whirled around to find a rather intense looking woman gazing at her. Media crews were starting to arrive and one of the officers from the Media Unit was starting to brief them.

"You and the man who tried to tackle the robber are off duty police aren't you?"

Emma raised an eyebrow at the young woman who had a notebook tucked under her arm.

"And you are?" All Emma needed was to find out how Tommy was doing and what hospital he had been taken to.

"Kate Spicer from the Daily Telegraph."

"You'll have to speak with the officer from the Media Unit over there," Emma gestured towards the rest of the media scrum and hurried off towards the car park. She had to get to the hospital.

Emma joined the stream of traffic on the exit ramp from the car park. She really hated driving in Sydney. The stop-start, almost schizophrenic nature of the traffic just about drove her insane. Give Woodsie an open highway any day.

She needed music, something loud and raucous to take her mind off the shooting. Damn, why was it when she needed a decent tape there was never one in the car?

Turn on the radio? No, that was probably not a good idea. No need to hear the entire afternoon replayed in glorious FM stereo.

Woodsie drove to the hospital by remote control, her mind somewhere in the intensive care ward or operating theatre with Tommy. A wry smile crossed her lips.

"Hey Rachel, if you're floating about somewhere, check in on Tommy will you? I don't want to lose him now."

At various points in her career, Emma had sworn she had seen the last of hospital walls and copped her last nostril full of that hospital smell. Jeff and Helen met her at the hospital entrance and took her through to a nearby waiting room.

Jeff went get them something to eat and drink, leaving Emma with Helen. Helen gave the younger woman a hug and told her they had taken Tommy into surgery about half an hour ago.

"How are you?" Even though Woodsie did not spend an awful lot of time in the station she had developed a genuine liking and respect for the older woman.

"I'm really not sure Helen, I guess it hasn't hit me yet."

Helen told her mall security staff had tackled the offender outside a newsagency, as he fled from shopping complex.

Woodsie accepted the tea and sandwiches from Jeff and set them to one side. She really didn't feel much like eating anything at the moment.

After a while Helen and Jeff left the hospital. Jeff to return to the station and Helen to catch up with Tayler and assure her Woodsie and Tommy were going to be okay.


Emma curled up on the hard plastic hospital waiting room chairs, lost in thought, what had happened there today?

Why had she screamed? All her training was aimed at keeping calm during far deeper shit than this. Every day she hit the water there was always the potential for something to go wrong. Touch wood that it didn't, she thought.

All those near death situations she had escaped including the bloody shark taking the body from her grasp didn't leave her shaking like she was now.

Emma thought about that afternoon on the Nemesis and Tommy's kiss. It had really knocked the wind out of her and caused her temperature to rise. The fact she was recovering from the flu at the time had nothing to do with it.

A small part of Emma's brain acknowledged someone had just sat down beside her.

"Hey Woodsie, you okay?

"Oh, Dave hi. Yes, no and I don't bloody know.

"How's Tommy and have they taken your statement yet?

"I don't know, he's still in surgery. As for my statement, if the locals were any quicker off the mark in that regard they'd be running the 100m at the Olympics. His dad was by earlier but he had to get back to his trawler for the evening run.

"How are you doing?"

Emma looked across at her friend and boss. Next to Tayler, Dave was probably her closest friend. You didn't spend the amount of hours together they did without learning a little something about each other.

Dave McCall was not an overly affectionate sort of bloke but Emma's distress was heart wrenching to watch. He draped an arm across her shoulders and gave her a hug. Woodsie started to cry. Her tears sparked by shock and fear - a fear of losing a man she had grown to love.

"Dave, it could have been me. The bloody gun was aimed straight at me and Tommy dived at the shitbag to distract him. Hmph, distracted him all right - to the point of a bullet and an express lane to the operating theatre. Now, I'm sitting here feeling vulnerable in about 10 different ways.

"Why do you feel that way?

"Because Dave, for the first time in possibly my entire life, I am completely and utterly in love with someone.

"Does Tommy know how you feel?

"While we've both admitted to caring for each other quite deeply, I've sort of sensed he wasn't quite ready to hear that from me just yet.

"Because of what he went through with Rhonda?"

Emma nodded, a little but not completely surprised at Dave's perceptiveness when it came to matters of the heart. While he might not share his feelings with everyone, Dave was an observant man, a skill that served him well in and out of the water.

"Woodsie, I've watched you and Tommy during the last few months and have seen how close the two of you have become. While I know your career is important to you, it's great seeing you happy because from time to time I've worried that you'd turn out to be married to the job for the rest of your life. You're both still alive and that means you both still have a chance at something good outside of this circus we all call a job. Life is too short to settle for second best emotionally and you deserve the best. Believe me, if I was 10 years younger, Tavita wouldn't have a chance."

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Emma giggled and took a friendly swipe at Dave.

The moment was interrupted by the arrival of the surgeon, theatre mask pushed down and a half smile on his face at the sight of the previously distressed young woman now laughing at the antics of her friend.

"Miss..., Mr Tavita is out of surgery.

"Is he.? Can I see him?

"He's still with us and you can see him once he is moved back into the ward. Mr Tavita will be pretty out of it for a while.

"It's okay, I just want to sit with him for a while. "

Emma tip toed into the hospital room. The room was dimly lit, casting a strange glow over Tommy's face. The only noises were the muted bleeps of the monitor and the hushed murmuring of the medical stuff as they walked by.

She sat down near the bed and started stroking one of Tommy's hands. Emma closed her eyes and rolled her neck around a couple of times to work out some kinks.

"Hey you, I'm so glad you're still here. I'm not sure what I would have done if you'd, well.died. I'm probably.nah,. I am more than a just little fond of having you around. You have really gotten under my skin, I don't know how you got there but you did."

She leant forward, resting her face in her hands.

"I heard that Woodsie."

Emma smiled. Things were going to be okay.

Three weeks later Tommy had been released from hospital and was totally immersed in getting back into shape so he could return to work as soon as possible. His leg still ached occasionally - especially after he and Emma had returned from the gym. When that woman was focused on something, there was nothing that would get in her way.

She was still paying out on him about the movie and dinner he owed her. Emma's wisecracks about getting shot being a really extreme way of getting out of taking her to dinner were almost becoming a trademark between them.


Tonight all bets were off, Tommy and Emma were going to take in a movie and have dinner. In this case, it meant a video and take away at Emma's flat. Neither of them could quite face the memories of a cinema just yet. In time, just like the scars on Tommy's leg, that wound would heal too.

The rest of the Crown Lager six pack was stowed safely in the fridge and the Thai take away containers had been pitched into the garbage. Emma and Tommy had hired a video after listening to Gavin rave about how good it was. Lying on the lounge, they were now planning revenge against him for such a dodgy choice - cleaning the Nemesis with a toothbrush was looking pretty good.

Tommy pulled Emma back towards him and wrapped his arms around her. He started running his finger along the neckline of her top, slowly moving lower until he reached the lace edging on her bra.

She could feel one of the straps being nudged to one side and a series of nibbling kisses snaking their way across her collarbone and along her neck. Moaning softly, Emma made no move to stop him - this felt almost too good. She was content and, for the first time since Tommy was shot, at peace.

~~~~~~~~

the way you're bathed in light
reminds me of that night
god laid me down into your rose garden of
trust
and I was swept away
with nothin' left to say
some helpless fool
yeah I was lost in a swoon of peace
you're all I need to find
so when the time is right
come to me sweetly, come to me
come to me


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



It was a time for hearts and hands, to touch and be touched and to free the undercurrent of passion that had always been threatening to break since that afternoon on the Nemesis.

Emma rolled over so her face was close to Tommy's, her finger traced his lips. His tongue dragged Emma's finger across his teeth. They were lying half on and half off the lounge.

"Unless you fancy carpet burn, might I suggest the bed?"

"Who says you'll always get to be on top?"

"Well, you've only been out of hospital a few weeks and I'd hate to try and explain a massive case of carpet burn to the physios.

"Should I indulge my macho instincts and carry you to bed?

"Why is it that Scotty is never around to beam you into bed at a time like this?"

"Emma?

"Mmmm.." Emma's reply stopped as Tommy began to tease her. His hands fondled and caressed her toned physique, learning the touches that made her squeal with delight or purr with pleasure. Tommy pulled her into his embrace, brushing his entire body against hers. Desire, passion, compassion and sensation merged into one addictive feeling.

"Would you stop talking and start doing?"

They fell onto Emma's bed, pillows scattering like ducks on a pond. This was more than just physical chemistry at work. There was heat and light, shadows and tenderness as they brought out the hottest and best in each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
oh yeah, we meet again
it's like we never left
time in between was just a dream
did we leave this place?
this crazy fog surrounds me
you wrap your legs around me
all I can do to try and breathe
let me breathe so that I
so we can go together!


love will lead us, alright
love will lead us, she will lead us
can you hear the dolphin's cry?
see the road rise up to meet us
it's in the air we breathe tonight
love will lead us, she will lead us


~~~~~~~

The morning sunshine streamed through Emma's window. She had always liked the early mornings. Glancing across at Tommy, she knew there would be no 'morning after' regrets. He looked so peaceful lying there in the soft light. Since the shooting there had been an almost intuitive closeness between them. So often, Woodsie would be thinking about ringing Tommy and her phone would ring. It would be Tommy on the other end of the call.

Woodsie couldn't resist the temptation again, those dark curls of Tommy's were just made to run ones fingers through. Whoops! Sprung!

Tommy stirred and rolled over to glance at a smiling Emma.

"I love you."

"I know, I love you too."

~~~~~~~~~~~


life is like a shooting star
it don't matter who you are
if you only run for cover, it's just a waste
of time
we are lost 'til we are found
this phoenix rises up from the ground
and all these wars are over