The Distance

The First Fight

The next morning, Tara was thinking about what Noah said to her last night and after thinking so much, she made her decision. Then Noah woke up and cuddles her. "Morning, babe.", he replied with a yawn and kisses her neck. "Hey.", Tara sighed, holding his arm.

"So, what you thought about what I said last night?", he asked. "I have actually, I thought about it a lot and I think I made a decision.", Tara replied. "Ok, what is your answer?", Noah asked. Tara turn to face him. "I'm sorry Noah, but I can't move in with you. Not just yet.", Tara replied.

Noah was surprised when she decline his offer. "I feel like we're rushing into things.", Tara replied. Noah overreact to her words. "Rushing into things?", he asked. Then things became chaotic. "Are you serious? I asked you to move in with me and you reject me?!", Noah yelled.

"No, I'm saying that I can't move in, because I'm not ready just yet. I mean, we've only been together for a year and we're moving in already?", Tara asked in a loud tone. "I'm ready!", he yelled. "Well, I'm not, Noah! Not just yet! I'm sorry!", Tara cried.

"Tara, please. I want us to live together and I think it will be amazing!", Noah cried. "I know, Noah, I know. But I'm not ready to move in with you just yet. I need time!", Tara replied. "But I gave you all the time you need!", Noah cried. "I need more time than that, Noah.", Tara sighed.

The fighting took its toll on Noah and Tara, as they packed up their stuff and drove back home. Both of them were silent during the entire car ride, and none of them spoke on the way back. Noah drops Tara off back at her apartment.

Noah tries to give her a kiss goodbye, but she brushes him away, still upset. "I can't be near right now.", Tara replied. Noah respects her decision and she gets out of his car and Noah drives off after she shuts the car door closed. Tara looks as his car drove away, in tears.

Harlow and Roxy, were having breakfast as Tara enters inside the apartment. "Hey, T! Back already?", Roxy asked. Tara however didn't answer Roxy, as she walks back to her room and shut the door. Both Harlow and Roxy knew something was wrong. Tara was lying in her bed, crying.

Then there was a knock on the door. "Tara, it's Harlow and Roxy.", Harlow replied. "Can we come in?", Roxy asked. Tara didn't answer and the door opens. The two girls saw her, curled up in bed. The girls walk up to her and notice her crying. "Tara, what's wrong?", Roxy asked.

"Noah and I had a huge fight.", Tara cried. "Oh, T!", Roxy sighed, pulling Tara into her arms and comforts her. Tara rest her head on Roxy's shoulder and hugs her tight. Harlow rest her read on Tara's shoulder and wrap her arms around Roxy and Tara, forming a group hug, as Tara continues to cry.

That night, Tara was on her phone, wondering if she should call Noah or not. "You should call him, T.", Harlow replied. "What if he doesn't answer?", Tara asked. "He will, he will.", Roxy sighed. Then there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it.", Roxy replied, going to the front door to answer it.

"It's going to be ok, T.", Harlow replied, comforting her. Then Roxy came back. "Uhh, T!", Roxy replied. "Yeah?", Tara asked. "It's for you.", Roxy replied. Tara gets up from her bed and walks to the front door. It was Noah. "Noah?", she asked. "Can we talk?", he asked. "Sure.", Tara replied.

They both went outside of the apartment and went downstairs to talk. "Ok, what is it?", Tara asked. "I thought about what you said, and you were right.", Noah sighed. Tara remain silent, as Noah does the talking. "I know I shouldn't have taken it out on you, it wasn't cool and I'm sorry.", Noah sighed.

"But, it would be nice if you move in with me.", Noah replied. Tara rolled her eyes with annoyance. "Uhh, here we go again. Like I said, I am not ready to move in with you. Don't you understand what "not ready" means?", Tara asked.

"I do understand!", Noah cried. "Clearly, you don't!", Tara yelled. "T, I just want us to move in, that's all.", Noah cried. "Noah, I'm not ready, you're not ready, we're not ready!", Tara cried. "Tara, please!", Lee begged. Tara has had enough. "Noah, enough. Just go home.", Tara replied.

Then Lee and Tori appeared, and heard them arguing. "Hey, what's going on?", Lee asked. "Noah doesn't understand what I'm trying to say.", Tara replied. "Trying to say what?", Tori asked. "Never mind!", Noah replied.

"Noah please, just go home!", Tara yelled. "T...", Noah sighed. "Go!", Tara yelled in a loud tone. Noah sighs with a scoff. "Fine!", Noah replied as he went to his car and drove off. "I hope he doesn't do anything stupid!", Tori replied.

"I'll go after him.", Lee replied, as he jump into his car and follow Noah. Then Tori turns to Tara. "What's going on?", she asked. On the road, Noah was driving, listening to sad music on the radio and crying hysterically, as he began to remember what Tara said to him.

He grab his phone and tried to call Tara, who refuses to answer his calls, so he left a heartbreaking voice message to her.

"Tara, I know you're still mad at me, but I do understand why you said no to moving in with me. But it secretly hurts me when you said it, and the real reason why I want us to move in together is because...", he replied, before pausing for a moment.

Noah took a deep breath as tears came down from his eyes. "...is because I love you. I want us to live together, because I love you, T. I hope you understand why I did it. Goodnight, Tara, and I love you...", Noah sighed as he ends the voice message on his phone, before turning the music back on, turning the volume to max.

Meanwhile, Lee was behind him, driving his car. He tried to call Noah, to tell him to pull over, but Noah refuses to answer the phone, because the volume of his radio was very loud, so he couldn't hear Lee calling him. "Come on, Noah!", Lee cried, who tries to reach out to his brother.

Suddenly, a car appeared, and Noah who wasn't looking to his left, drove forward. "Noah!", Lee screamed and the car collided into Noah's car and his car spun around and crash into a light pole. Noah was horrified of what he saw.

"Noah!", Lee cried, as he stopped his car, got out and ran to Noah's car. Lee saw Noah, unconscious with his head up and his face covered in blood. Lee check for a pulse and he felt it, he sighed in relief.

Lee went to the other car to check on the other driver, who is saved by an airbag from her steering wheel. "You ok, miss?", Lee asked. "Yeah, I'm fine.", she replied. "Ok, don't move and don't get out of the car.", Lee replied, as he runs back to Noah, who is in a bad shape.

"Don't worry, Noah. I'm here. I'm going to call an ambulance.", Lee cried, as he pulls out his phone to call for an ambulance and held Noah in his arms, and shaking uncontrollably.

Moments later, Noah and the female driver was taken to the hospital, and Lee calls Tara, Tori and his mother about the incident. Noah was immediately taken into the ER, and was operated by Frank. Once the girls arrived with his mother, Lee informs them everything what had happened.

The female driver only had minor injuries from the accident, so she was discharged after being checked by the doctor. But for Noah, he was badly injured, so he remained in the hospital, with a bad head injury, and remain unconscious, and hasn't woken up from the crash yet.

After surgery, Noah was placed in his room, where Lee watched him from the window of his hospital room. Then Tori and Tara came by and watched with him, as Tara tearfully watched Noah, lying there.

Tara and Tori both looked at Lee, who then hug the two girls in his arms, and they all cry in each other's arms.