Passion Bearers

The spat

Tommy and Tess fight...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

" Why in the bloody hell did you do that for?", Tess screamed at Tommy, who was standing over an unconscious Randy.

After not seeing her for more than a week, it was as if Tommy had forgotten what Tess looked like. He remembered first seeing her, demure, shy, but strangely magnetic. Her curls, which she always half up and half down, spilled down her back, longer than ever. It was fashionable to cut hair short for ladies these days but Tommy found that he preferred Tess' long, luscious hair. Her eyes were the color of dark earth, blazing with fire. The constellations of freckles that he traced by hand had gotten more numerous since he's last seen her, peppering her face.

It made Tommy's blood boil to see Randy touch his wife. He was never really there jealous type, since he understood well enough that his wife was not kind to be infidele. But, Randy was another case. Knowing that once upon a time, it could've been Randy that Tess married made Tommy more possessive than ever.

" He fucking proposed to my bloody wife! I hit men for lesser things than that!", Tommy shouted, fury convulsing through him.

" You know I wouldn't have said yes", Tess countered, her eyes narrowing.

Tommy tensed, wiping the blood away from his face. He had been hit by Zachary earlier, after he saw Tommy around the encampment. Tommy was not surprised, he expected it. A full fledged fight didn't erupt, however, thanks to the efforts of his Aunt, who calmed the Boswells down. It all had been part of the plan that Tommy prepared for the whole week before he drove off to Cornwall with his family.

Already fresh out of a scuffle, seeing Randy and Tess together sent Tommy's nerves off the chart.

" But, I don't really know that, do I?", Tommy asked her viciously, " You up and left me with our children, Tess. I don't know what to expect of you anymore".

Tess looked hurt for a moment making Tommy regret what he said. He never came here to fight with her but already, that seemed to be failing.

" Well you up and got yourself a bloody mistress, Tommy", Tess bit back, " I saw you and Grace through the window, I saw how you kissed her, the way you've never kissed me".

Tommy felt his heart drop when he heard that Tess saw him and Grace but instantly, in desperation to make her feel what he did, he cornered her to a tree and planted his lips on hers. He kissed her softly, tenderly, at first, which slowly escalated in its' passion, causing Tess to let out a gasp into his lips. Tommy didn't want the kiss to end, pulling her closer to him, feeling as if he had gotten a taste of paradise.

But, instead, Tess pushed him away, slapping him.

Tommy pulled back startlingly, staring wide-eyed at Tess.

" Whatever was that for?", he yelled, rubbing his aching cheek.

Tess fumed.

" You think you can get me to forget what you did with a few kisses, Tommy? Don't act as if I am a fool. You love Grace", she spat, " I don't know why you are here but it's high time for you to leave me and my family alone".

Tommy stilled, not expecting such harsh words from Tess. He had forgotten how fierce she was over the years. He had forgotten how, when they were both very young, she protected little Terrance, her brother, from their elder cousins who teased him to no end. She stood proud and tall against their malicious eyes, making Tommy admire her more than he admired anyone in that encampment.

" I don't love Grace", he said calmly, his eyes fixated on his wife, " She worked for the Crown and she betrayed me. I came here because I want my family back, because I love you".

Tess' breath hitched and she softened, her shoulders dropping their proud gait, her mouth softening. She looked so hurt and vulnerable, just as she did often these past few months.

" You lie. You say that only because Grace betrayed you now", she choked out, emotion thick in her voice.

Tommy shook his head.

" I never told you this because I never knew it for myself. Not truly", he said, " I loved you since we were both little children. When I found out that you'd be marrying Randy Young, I couldn't help but feel possessive and jealous. I've always wanted to you to my own. When I found out you were pregnant, I never hesitated to marry you, not because your brothers were threatening me. I lost my way during the war, that's true. But, my love never wavered. I want our family back together again".

Tess stayed silent for what seemed like an eternity. She watched the trees behind Tommy with a lost expression on her face, her eyes with a fairway look in them. She looked like those illustrations of wild faeries in the forest, frolicking about, leading strangers into wild dances. Tess donned no angel mask like Grace did. Tommy had always known she was wild and clever, kind and loyal. He saw who Tess truly was right from the start.

" I am pregnant again, Tommy", she said in a soft voice, " I left because I wanted my child to grow up in a place of kindness and not of betrayal. I cannot risk to give you my love and loyalty when you've betrayed me so many times. You must prove yourself to be true".

Tommy raised a brow.

" How would you have me do that?", he asked her.

Tess shrugged, beginning to walk away from him, her curls swaying behind her.

" You figure it out for yourself", she said as if through a smile.

Tommy cursed, dropping on a stone. Fucking great. Whatever courting he skipped before marrying Tess would have to be made up for twice more.

Notes:

I really hope you like the way this is unfolding. You see, I was presented with a great challenge of trying to keep Tommy's character and make him apologise. It was not easy. Tommy is not a soft kind of man. So, if you expected a grand apology with a huge surprise, just know that it's not the kind of man Tommy is.