Destruction of the Pink Ranger
Part 2
Written by: Cheryl Roberts

Disclaimer: See Part One

Chapter 10

Dawn was breaking as Kim returned to Stranger's Rock. She was tired, sore, singed, and still coughing on smoke. Fortunately the fire had been detected early, and they were able to get everyone out of the building. She had a feeling it was arson, and she suspected Black Jack was behind it. Her first day as the White Stranger had been eventful. She hadn't really minded; just seeing the relief on the faces of the townsfolk when she rode by made it all worth it. She did think it odd that for someone who was such a hero to Angel Grove, no tales survived.

Kim slipped out of the saddle and walked White Lightning into the cave. Upon entering, she found Thomas waiting up for her. He had made breakfast.

"Bless you, Tommy --I mean, Thomas-- you're a sweetheart," she declared with a yawn.

" 'Twas no trouble, Miss Kim; it's the least I can do," he said as he handed her a tin cup full of coffee and a plate of something lumpy and white. Kim didn't care if it was oatmeal, mush or mashed potatoes. She was famished.

"Busy night?" Thomas queried. His concern grew as he smelled the smoke that had permeated her clothes.

"The miserable bastards set the dry goods store on fire. We were lucky we caught the fire before it spread," she mumbled around a mouthful of food. "We got the Masons out all right, and the rescue helped establish that the White Stranger is alive and well." Kim finished her meal then stripped off her sooty clothes before Thomas could avert his eyes. To his relief, she wore her chemise underneath.

"I owe you a lot, Miss Kim --first you saved my life and now this," Thomas said, struggling with the words as Kim sat down next to him and snuggled in close. She leaned up against him and fell asleep almost instantly. He noted that she smelled of sweat, smoke, and horse, and somehow he found that much more appealing than Miss Karen's scents or Missy's home cooking. Thomas put a check on his thoughts. Miss Kim was already spoken for, but he couldn't put the memory of her kiss out of his mind. He'd never experienced anything like it before. The way she had talked, the way she had sat on him ... the way she looked in his clothes ... recalling her outrageous pink costume ... and seeing her in her present little slip of a garment brought heat to his cheeks and to his loins.

Kim shifted position slightly, and Thomas' arm dropped around her shoulder. He was about to pull it away when Kim grabbed his hand. She drew it over until his fingers brushed her bosom. Thomas swallowed hard, and Kim giggled in her sleep.

"Oh Tommy!" she gasped.

Thomas found himself envying his kinsman in the future. He didn't want to wake Kim, so he carefully reached around to adjust his rampant anatomy.

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Kimberly woke to the sound of bells frantically pealing in the distance.

"What is it?" she asked as she shook off her drowsiness and her dreams of black flames.

"Those are the school bells," Thomas reported as he tried to get up. "It means trouble."

"Stay put; I'm on it," she directed him. She quickly dressed and led White Lightning from the cave. She swung herself into the saddle and set the steed thundering down the hillside toward town. As she reached the main thoroughfare, she noticed that the citizens were rushing to the western end of town.

"What's up?" she queried, reining White Lightning in.

"One of the students has gone missing at the school!"

Kim urged White Lightning towards the sound of the bell. When she arrived at the schoolhouse, there was quite a gathering of people, and she belatedly realized that she had put her charade in serious jeopardy. In the gathering she spotted William, Billy's ancestor. She dismounted and sought him out.

"What's going on?" she queried. William hadn't heard her approach and jumped when he heard a low voice behind him.

"The White Stranger! Am I ever glad to see ... wait a minute. You're not the ...."

"Sh!" Kim hissed, clapping her hand over his mouth. "It's me, Kim." William's eyes went wide as she tilted the brim of her hat up so he could see her face. "The real White Stranger is recuperating from a gunshot wound, but keep it under your hat. What's happened here?"

"My cousin Johnny wandered off from the school yard, the young uns say, then he started hollering and carrying on. They saw a man in black carrying him off. They think the varmint carried him out to Stone Canyon Gorge and tossed him over the side," William explained. "Can you use your Pink Ranger Powers to get him out?"

"There is no more Pink Ranger, William, merely plain ol' Kimberly Hart, but let's go have a look. Can you get me to the edge of the gorge without anyone else getting a good look at me?"

"Follow me. There's a trail down the way a piece." William and Kim hurried away from the school and found the trail. It led them to the gorge about a hundred yards from where the townsfolk were gathering.

"I see him," Kim murmured, spotting a huddled shape curled up on a narrow ledge. "Poor little guy, it looks like his foot's caught or something. See how he's tugging at it?" Kim peered over the edge of the canyon rim to see what lay below her. "The ledge runs all along the cliff. Find a rope and lower me down."

"Are you sure? That ledge can't be more than four inches wide," William noted. Kim smiled at that.

"I can walk that with my eyes closed," she said confidently. "I'll fetch the rope from the school bell," William offered, and hurried off. While Kim waited for him to return, she wondered why no one else had ventured down with a rope to rescue the boy. Simply lowering a line wouldn't do with his foot caught. There had to be something else that she wasn't aware of.

"Here you go, Miss Kim," William panted. He dropped the line over the edge and braced it around his body. Kim kicked off Thomas' boots; she'd have better luck in her bare feet than in the oversized clod hoppers.

"I'll go down here, but have the rope waiting over where Johnny's stuck. I'll pry him loose then tie the rope around him and send him back up," Kim instructed.

"How will you get back up?" William wondered.

"I'll figure something out once the crowd has thinned out."

Kim started her slow climb down the canyon wall. William kept the rope secure. The ledge was a good fifteen feet below her, and Kim wondered how Johnny survived the fall, if indeed he had fallen. It was possible that he was deposited via another route. She was half way down the rope when she heard a gun shot. Seconds later a bullet sheared through the rope. Kim quickly tucked herself into a somersault position so she could better control her fall. Even so, she hit the ledge hard and nearly fell. She maintained a hold of the edge and quickly scrambled back up. Another shot rang out; there was her answer: a sniper.

Kim lay flat on the ledge and tried to spot the gunman. The bullet that had snapped the rope had come from Johnny's direction. Kim took that to mean the villain was probably concealed somewhere nearby. She stayed on her belly and crawled closer to the child. She covered nearly half the distance, waiting all the while for a third shot to ring out, and she was not disappointed. This time she caught a glimpse of sunlight off metal. There was a clump of bushes up the trail from Johnny; she'd have put her money on the gunman being hidden there. Her hand slipped back to the gun in Thomas' holster. The cold, metal butt sent a shiver running through her. No, that wasn't the answer. She had never fired a gun; she didn't even know if the gun was loaded. Kim had to figure out another way to stop the gunman; if a gun fight ensued, Johnny might be hit by a stray bullet. Kim wished she had her power bow.

Kim continued forward. Another shot rang out. This one was high, ricocheting off the cliff face. The bullet knocked several rocks loose, sending them cascading down on her head.

"Ow!" she yelped, covering her head with her arms. They were good sized stones --approximately baseball sized. They gave her an idea. She carefully got to her knees and hefted one of the rocks. Her throw wouldn't have won any baseball games, but at least the rock reached the bushes. She scrambled a few feet closer and launched a second missile. She kept up the barrage until she heard what she'd been waiting for: a groan. She had finally hit her unseen target. Even more gratifying, she was rewarded by the sound of a gun careening off the side of the canyon. She watched carefully and caught a glimpse of a fleeing black clad form.

With a sigh of relief she hurried along the ledge to where Johnny was trapped.

"The White Stranger!" the boy sniffled. Kim guessed him to be around six or seven years old. He wiped his eyes furtively, and Kim pretended not to see.

"Hang on, Johnny; I'll have you out in a jiffy," she murmured, careful to keep her face shadowed.

"You won't tell the others I was crying, will you?"

"That'll be our secret. You sure are wedged in here real tight," Kim grunted as she reached down into the crack in the ledge. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain on the back of wrist. "Ow! Something bit me." She freed Johnny's leg and glanced at the marks on the back of her hand. They looked rather like a spider bite. After the initial sting, the discomfort wasn't bad, so she paid it no further attention. She glanced upward and spotted William leaning over the edge of the canyon. Next to him was Doc Hart. "Send the rope down, William!"

"Now, when they start pulling you up, you can help by sort of walking up the side of the cliff," Kim directed as she fastened the rope around Johnny's waist. "You let Doc Hart have a look at that ankle of yours, all right."

"What about you? How are you going to get back up?" Johnny wondered. "And how come your voice sounds so high? You sound like a girl."

"I inhaled too much smoke at Mason's store last night," Kim fibbed. "You tell William that I've gone to see if I can find the guy who was shooting at me, all right."

"Sure. Thanks."

"Up you go, Johnny."

Kim waited until William and Zachariah had hold of Johnny before she wandered further up the ledge. She approached the bushes carefully, but no one was there. The bushes concealed a narrow gap in the cliff. Kim followed the hidden trail. It meandered quite a ways; when she emerged from the miniature canyon, she found herself on a hillside overlooking the school. There were several large trees on the hill, and Kim dragged herself over to one of them to sit and rest.

Kim felt drained, overheated, and a little lightheaded. She looked at the back of her hand again; it was slightly swollen and tender to the touch. She didn't feel real good. Of greater concern to her was the burning in her veins. She recognized the sensation; she could no longer deny that Tommy hadn't fully cured her. She was back to the first stages of fever induced by Zedd's spell. What was she going to do? Tommy wasn't simply miles away; he was separated from her by 110 years or more.

Kim had to get back to the cave. She roused herself to check the schoolyard. She watched as William and Doc helped Johnny over to a wagon; no doubt they intended to take him to Doc's surgery. With their departure, the rest of the crowd gathered in the yard dispersed. Kim waited until everyone was gone before venturing down the hill. White Lightning was patiently waiting by Thomas' boots. It was all Kim could do to get herself up in the saddle; she had never felt so weak and nauseous under the spell before. She nudged White Lightning.

"Come on, boy, take me home."

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"Miss Kim, is something wrong?" Thomas queried as Kim returned. She all but fell out of White Lightning's saddle and staggered drunkenly across the floor. "What happened?"

"The Black Seven gang snatched William's cousin and dropped him down Stone Canyon Gorge. I think he was the bait so they could take potshots at the White Stranger," Kim related as she sat down exhaustedly. Her face was flushed, and she was sweating profusely. She cradled her hand in her lap as she settled down next to the fire. "I got him out all right; thank goodness I'm a gymnast or I'd have never have made it across that ledge even without the sniper."

"What's wrong with your hand?" Thomas asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing much; I think something bit me."

"Those are teeth marks," Thomas said as he dragged himself over to examine her hand; he gently probed the punctures. Her hand was red and puffy. Thomas placed his hand on her brow. Kim was burning up with fever.

"I felt something when I reached into the crevice ...."

"You had better lay down," Thomas recommended. There was no telling what the critter had been or what sort of poison it may have injected into her system.

"Sounds good to me, I'm beat," she agreed. She stripped off everything but her chemise and curled up on a blanket by the fire. "Mm, that feels good. Why am I so cold?"

"Just rest, Miss Kim," Thomas said. She had drifted off almost as soon as her head hit the blanket. Thomas was concerned. She really needed to see Doc Hart and get some medicine, but there was no way either of them could ride. He thought a moment longer then recalled he had something on hand that might be of use. He dragged himself over to his footlocker and rooted through the items until he found a small leather pouch. It had been a gift to him from Soaring Falcon, the medicine man to the local Indian tribe.

Thomas had met Soaring Falcon the afternoon when he had first encountered the Black Seven gang; they had been molesting a young Indian woman. He helped her escape from them. Shining Crane was Soaring Falcon's granddaughter. Thomas and the shaman hit it off; Soaring Falcon named him One Who Seeks and offered to help him find what his soul was searching for. He also began teaching him the ways of his people's mysticism. Thomas wasn't sure he believed in everything Soaring Falcon had to say, but some of his words brought him comfort, and the shaman's herb lore had proven useful on many occasions.

Thomas sorted through the herbs in the pouch until he spotted the sprig he was looking for. According to Soaring Falcon, the dried flower was good for treating poisoned bites. Thomas set about to making a pot of tea. Once the water was almost boiling, he crushed the sprig into the water and stirred it until it dissolved. He held Kim's head in his lap and poured the brew into her mouth. Her fever sleep was so deep that she didn't even budge as he forced the contents of the cup down her throat. Now for the worst part: waiting.

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"Tommy," Kim moaned in her sleep. It had been several hours since Thomas had administered the herbs. Kim seemed to be doing no better. Presently, she was tossing and turning. Thomas tried to keep her brow wiped, but she was perspiring too much. She had worked off the covers he had thrown over her, and at the moment she was tugging fitfully at her undergarment.

"Settle down, Miss Kim," Thomas urged her. It wouldn't do to have her undress herself in her sleep.

"Tommy, please, the flames are back. I'm not all better!" she whimpered piteously.

"It'll be all right," Thomas said soothingly.

"Make it stop hurting, Tommy," Kim pleaded frantically.

"You've had medicine. What else should I do?"

"Make it stop like you did before! I need you, Tommy."

"All right, Kim, I'll help you," Thomas agreed. What would it hurt to assume the role of her beau as long as he got her to settle down? "Just tell me what to do."

"Take me, Tommy; take me now!" Kim sat up suddenly; her eyes were opened but glazed with fever. She was not awake. Her hands caught her chemise and all but ripped it from her body. Thomas swallowed hard as he tried not to look at her, but it was impossible to tear his eyes away. Kim's expression wavered between agony and appetite as she advanced towards him, crawling slowly, like an animal stalking its prey.

"I need you inside me now, Tommy," she said beseechingly. "Make me feel so good it won't hurt any more!" Thomas had no clue what to do, and he wasn't prepared for Kim's strength or the ferocity of her desire. She pounced on him, pinning him to the cave floor. Her mouth savaged his as her hands tugged at his shirt. Once his chest was bared, she kissed her way down his chest and stomach. Upon reaching his belt buckle, she gave a cry of frustration and whipped the belt off. In no time, she had his trousers and drawers pulled down around his ankles. With one fluid move, Kim straddled his hips and impaled herself on his cock. Thomas groaned in disbelief and pleasure, and the ride was only beginning.

Kim moved herself hard and fast on his organ. She had her hands braced on his chest as she rode him. Her head whipped up and down, and her hair flew hither and thither in her frenzy. Thomas had given up trying to disengage her; he settled for trying to hold on to her, his hands digging into the soft flesh of her buttocks. His eyes went wide as Kim sat up straighter and began playing with her breasts. The pain was ebbing slowly from her face to be replaced with a sort of glow. Thomas had never seen anything so exciting in his life.

"Please, Tommy," Kim whimpered. "I need to come, Tommy. Make me come!" Her frenetic actions were beginning to slow, but her hips were pounding against him harder than before. Her back arched sharply, thrusting her breasts forward. In spite of himself, Thomas released his grip on her haunches and reached for one of her bouncing mounds. He found her breasts surprisingly soft and her nipples surprisingly hard.

"Yes, oh yes!" Kim's moans were becoming throaty growls as she worked him harder. He felt the warmth of her fluids bathing his cock, and felt the velvety walls of her pussy contracting, hugging his rod tighter than anything he had ever felt. It was both excruciating and exhilarating.

"Fuck me, Tommy! Oh God, fuck me! Make the fire stop!" she screamed. Thomas nearly screamed himself as the walls of her vagina clamped about him with vice-like strength. Pleasure exploded through every nerve ending in his body. Kim's body began to shake, and she literally pounded against his hips. Kim screamed long and loud as her climax hit. She continued to writhe about like a wild woman as ecstasy rippled through her. At last she began to settle down. With an exhausted sigh, she kissed him then collapsed on his chest. As she fell forward, Thomas' cock slipped out. He lay there gasping with relief for several moments before he realized that he, too, had come.

Suddenly, Kim began stirring, and Thomas felt his heart go cold in his chest. What if she woke up now? What would she think? Thomas didn't know what to do; he hadn't the strength to lift Kim off his body.

"I'm sorry, Tommy," she murmured sleepily. "I didn't mean to lose it like that. It's just that the flames were back ... I was so scared .... Please tell me you didn't lose your powers this time." Thomas was startled to see that she was crying, but she was no more in her right mind than when she had ridden him.

"Don't cry, Kim; everything will be all right," he assured her, and Kim snuggled down next to him, drifting back to sleep.

Thomas' mind was in a whirl. Never had he experienced anything like what had just happened. He had never been with a woman before, but he always thought that a lady would be as genteel in bed as she was in public. He never dreamed that a woman, much less Kim, would be so raw and wild. Yet, when he looked down at her as she pressed against him, there was no trace of the wantonness. There was no trace of the tormented shadows that had darkened Kim's face. She was at peace. Thomas groaned softly. It was too much for him to handle at the moment. He had dozens of questions --about her actions and about his reactions-- but they would keep for now. He allowed himself to pull Kim closer and drift off to sleep.

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Chapter 11

Thomas woke the next morning to White Lightning's whinnying. At first he wasn't quite sure where he was. His head was humming from the dreams he had had. He felt like the morning after smelling too much of Soaring Falcon's pipe tobacco. Slowly, the evening's activities came back to him. Thomas gazed down at Kim; her head was nestled comfortably against his chest, and her soft body was pressed close to him. He felt as if he could lay there forever with her. Then he recalled that Doc Hart was due out to change his bandages. It wouldn't do for Doc to see them together like this.

Thomas grudgingly slipped out of Kim's embrace. She didn't even budge as he tried to dress her in her undergarment. Being unsuccessful with that, he put her shirt back on her. As Thomas buttoned her up, he couldn't help but take one last caress. His descendant was sure a lucky fellow --a thought which stirred his guilt. What was he doing? What was he thinking? He had just made love to another man's woman!

It wasn't his fault. Kim was the one who had jumped him, but he could have tried a little harder to fend her off. Kim really wasn't at fault either; she had been a victim of a fever dream. She probably wouldn't know what had happened when she woke up. Thomas resolved not to say anything; he didn't want to embarrass her or anything, but he did want to ask her about some of the things she'd been saying. It sounded an awful lot like there was more going on than simply the desire to fool around with her beau.

He checked Kim's forehead; her fever had broken. Soaring Falcon's medicine must have worked after all. He pulled the covers up over her and let her sleep a little longer as he got himself dressed and put breakfast on.

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Kim woke up to the smell of coffee and food. She felt positively ravenous. As she sat up, she was puzzled; the last thing she clearly remembered was retrieving White Lightning from the schoolyard. She had no memory of returning to the cave; White Lightning was one smart horse. She stood, stretched, and noticed that her shirt was buttoned wrong. Thomas must have undressed her and put her to bed, but why was she wearing only her shirt? She had worn her chemise under her clothes yesterday, but now she was naked under her shirt. She looked around for Thomas, but he wasn't in the cave. Concerned, Kim went outside. Shading her eyes against the glare, she spotted Thomas struggling to make his way back up the hillside.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kim admonished as she hurried forward to assist him.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Thomas questioned in return. His expression was anxious, and Kim thought the color in his cheeks was a little high. She noticed that he had her chemise, which was soaking wet, draped over his arm.

"I'm fine, but a little confused. What happened last night?" she queried as she helped him back to the cave. Thomas looked decidedly uncomfortable.

"Well, when you got back from rescuing the boy, you were burning up with fever," Thomas began.

"That bite I received ... was it poisoned or something?"

"I think so. You were out of your mind. I gave you some herbs to try and bring the fever down, but you kept on babbling and stuff ...." Thomas was torn. How could he tell her that she had been intimate with him?

"I remember having this dream ... wow, and what a dream! It was pretty intense," Kim said. It had been a dream of her and Tommy making love in Thomas' cave back in their time period. Kim noticed Thomas' discomfort and embarrassment. "Thomas, what sort of things had I been saying in my sleep?"

"You kept calling out to Tommy, saying really personal things; I think you thought you and he were ...." Thomas stammered, grateful for having an out. If Kim thought she had been talking in her sleep, he wouldn't have to tell her what she had done. It was Kim's turn to blush.

"I'm really sorry, Thomas. I didn't mean to embarrass you. You should have tried to wake me up or something."

"I did, but it didn't help. Don't worry about it, Kim; it was the fever talking." Thomas observed her gaze at her undergarment. "You had soaked it clean through, and ...."

"... and you were only trying to help. Thanks for taking care of me, Thomas." Thomas handed Kim a dish of oatmeal.

"I wonder if Tommy knows how to cook," Kim murmured around a spoonful of the lumpy paste. She glanced over at Thomas who was looking rather pensive. "What is it?"

"Could ask you something kind of personal," Thomas began.

"I don't see why not."

"It's about some of the things you were saying last night. I got the impression that you and Tommy were being intimate but that there was more going on. You kept asking him to make it stop hurting, and then you asked him if he had lost his powers. How did you lose your powers? Was it because you were intimate with your Tommy?"

"There was more to it than that," Kim answered with a sigh. She told Thomas the story from the time she took Sagitteros' arrow to the minute she wound up at Stranger's Rock circa 1882. Thomas took several minutes to digest the information.

"I'm real sorry, Kim" he said at last.

"So am I, Thomas, but there's nothing to do about it now."

"You don't even know if you're cured?"

"Not for certain, but I think I am. For a bit there while I was waiting in the schoolyard, I thought I might be having a relapse, but it turns out it was just the poison from that bite. I don't know what I'd do if I was to relapse now. Zordon said that since the spell had been tailored to Tommy, he was the one who had to have sex with me in order to provide me with the proper hormones or whatever to counter the spell. I suppose it could have been worse; at least I had to sleep with Tommy. The spell could have been tailored to someone else --like Bulk or Skull. Gross! I won't really know if I'm cured until Zordon can run a scan on me."

"Kim, I know I'm not your Tommy and all, but if you do need that sort of help while you're here ... I mean, I'd sure hate to see you suffer a relapse. I don't know if I could do any good or not, but since I seem to be a lot like Tommy ...." Thomas fumbled. He couldn't meet Kim's eyes.

"Thomas, that's sweet of you," she said, kissing his cheek. "Let's hope I don't have to take you up on your offer. I'd really hate for you to have see that side of me, and how would I explain it to Tommy?"

"If Tommy is any thing like me, he would want you to do whatever you had to in order to stay alive and come back to him safely," Thomas said with conviction.

"From all I can tell, Thomas, you and he are a lot alike, and not just in appearance. I'm really lucky to have found you."

"Think nothing of it." In the awkward silence that followed, the two finished their morning meal.

"I suppose now that you're on the mend, I should start trying to figure out a way to let

Tommy and Billy know where I'm at," Kim said at last. "Since I no longer have my powers and my communicator, they're going to have a really hard time of tracking me through the timestream."

"There was something else I was wondering about," Thomas interjected. "I thought you said being intimate robbed you of your powers; if so, how is it that you lost your powers and Tommy did not?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I was the one needing the sex and he was just giving of himself to save me. The only thing that matters is that Tommy has his powers; he's still a Ranger."

"What about you? I always had the feeling that you were proud of being a Ranger, too. Won't you miss it?"

"Being a Ranger meant a lot to me, and yes, I'll miss it. It'll be hard having to stay behind while the others go off to battle Zedd's monsters and not being able to share the danger with Tommy. But I'll be able to help out in other ways. Once a Ranger, always a Ranger," Kim replied. She gave a small laugh. "We said that when Tommy lost his Green Ranger Powers and when Jason, Zack and Trini left; I never appreciated how true it could be. I mean, look at what I've accomplished here. I helped rescue people from a burning store, took out a sniper and rescued Johnny from Stone Canyon Gorge --all without my powers. Tommy said once that it wasn't only our powers that made us Power Rangers but who we were inside and the knowledge of what was right and true. I still have that, and I have my gymnastic skills. I'm far from helpless."

"That's the spirit, Kim. This Zedd character may have taken your powers away, but as long as you still believe in yourself, he will never beat you."

"You're right. If I let Zedd keep me down, he really will have won," Kim concluded. She got to her feet, a look of determination flashing in her eyes.

"What are you going to do?" Thomas wondered.

"Take a bath."

"Excuse me?" The sudden shift of topic had Thomas completely lost.

"I am all sticky, sweaty, I feel completely gross, and I haven't washed my hair since Friday," Kim admitted with a grimace. "I intend to go take a soak in the lake, relax, and think. I do my best thinking in the shower."

"The lake is awfully cold," Thomas pointed out, "but there's a grotto not too far down from here. It has a tiny waterfall, and the water is warm. I think it comes from a hot spring."

"That's just what the doctor ordered!"

Kim stripped off her shirt and waded out into the cool water. She swam out a ways and let herself float on the surface of the lake, reveling in the feel of the sun on her face and the feel of the water gently caressing her. After several minutes of lazing about, she went in search of Thomas' grotto. She found it just beyond a rocky outcropping. The stones formed an archway, and at the back of the small inlet was the cascade of water. Sometime during the century to follow, the formation must have collapsed because there was no inlet by the lake in her day. The water splashed down from a height of about six feet; there was a shelf of rock at the base that had been worn smooth.

"Oh, does that feel good!" Kim sighed as she pulled herself out of the shallow water and stood under the torrent. The temperature was perfect, and the pulse of the cascade reminded her of the shower massager back home. She let the water pound on her back, easing the knots in her muscles. As she stood under the stream of water, Kim felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Her talk with Thomas had done her a world of good. The despair was gone. Powers or not, she was still a Ranger; she could still contribute to the team. It would take some getting used to, but she'd show Zedd that he hadn't beaten her. She couldn't wait to see Tommy again to let him know that she was going to be all right.

That wasn't the only reason she couldn't wait to see Tommy. Images from her dream came back to her; during parts of it, she had been suffering a relapse and was desperately in need of Tommy. However, there were other parts where the two of them were simply making love--slow and gentle. Thinking of those moments sent a chill down Kimberly's spine. Remembering the feel of his hands on her body, the way he played with her hair, his kisses, his mouth on her breasts ... his tongue between her legs ... she wanted to make love to Tommy again. She wanted to feel all those things again now that she was cured. She had no doubt about that now; there were no more dark flames eating at her soul. She could think of Tommy making love to her without experiencing the hot knives. She could picture how he looked, his strong, tanned body, his long, sexy hair ....

Her hands skimmed down her wet body the way she imagined Tommy's hands would touch her. Her hands glided up over her breasts, cupping them, softly squeezing them. She thought of the shine in Tommy's eyes as he played with them. She gently rolled her nipples against her palms. She felt the warmth building within her as she played with herself. It felt so good not to have to be afraid of those sensations. In the back of her mind, she still felt a little uncertain at the strength of her emotions. After all, she was only seventeen; she and Tommy had shared a really powerful experience. Were they ready for a sexual relationship? They couldn't undo what was done, but should they continue?

That was a question she couldn't answer on her own. It could wait until she was back. For now, all she wanted to do was fantasize. She had spent the last six months coming to terms with her sexuality; it hadn't been easy, but she had finally been able to accept her desires as a part of herself and not something to be ashamed of. Knowing that Tommy shared those desires had certainly helped. Right now, she wanted Tommy so badly that her body ached to feel his touch.

As Kimberly stood under the spray of the waterfall, a slow smile spread across her face. She wanted Tommy, and she could have him --in a way. It was the way she had had him countless times over the last six months. Kim eased herself onto the rocks and positioned herself so that the water splashed directly against her throbbing pussy. How many times had she sat in the bathtub, the water pounding against her sex while imagining Tommy between her legs? Before, she had no idea how good Tommy's mouth on her pussy would feel; she did now, and it added a dimension to her fantasy. The water lapped at her clit, reminding her of Tommy's tongue. She closed her eyes and could see Tommy's face buried between her legs.

"Mm, yes, Tommy," she murmured, falling deeper into her daydream. Her back arched as she thrust her hips at the water, trying to find a way to grind against it. It felt so good; the water was taking her to the brink slowly, steadily, just like Tommy's mouth.

"Make me come," she moaned as her hips continued to snap back and forth. Her right hand played with her breasts, and her left slipped down between her legs. She rubbed her clit harder. She could feel the orgasm coming. She slid a finger into her vagina and began working herself into a frenzy. She tossed her head from side to side; her torso twisted this way and that as she writhed under the power of the water, her hands, and her fantasy. She pumped her hips furiously in the spray, begging, sobbing for release. Her body was as taut as a bow string. Her whimpers echoed off the rocks. The cheeks of her ass slapped the slippery stones.

"Now, Tommy! Now!" she urged her phantom lover, and suddenly her body exploded with her orgasm. The power of her climax rocked her body for several minutes, and when the moment passed, she collapsed, weak as a kitten. She lay under the spray nearly senseless. She basked in the warmth that flooded her veins. The steady pounding of the cascade threatened to send her hurtling to the pinnacle of pleasure a second time.

Kim rolled out from underneath the water to recover. When she had collected herself, she dove back into the water and swam out of the inlet. She swam to shore even though it was a ways down from Stranger's Rock and boldly walked along the shoreline. There was no one about, and there was something incredibly delicious in walking naked on the beach in broad daylight. The warmth of the sun soaked through her, reaching into her bones. The kiss of the breeze on her body was like Tommy's caresses. The whole experience was so sensuous that Kim had a hard time keeping her hands away from her breasts and pussy.

Kim opened her arms and spun around for sheer delight. She glanced up at the entrance to the cave and thought she saw Thomas; strangely, she was not bothered by the thought. Nothing could spoil her present euphoric mood. She scampered up the sandy stretch to where she had left her shirt. As she was getting dressed, she heard the call of a bird. She squinted up at the sky as a majestic bird of prey swooped down towards the bluff across the lake.

A falcon, Kim mused. The bird landed and seemed to stare down at her from its lofty perch. As she gazed up at the falcon, Kim detected the sleek, silent form of a wolf as it approached the falcon. The wolf did not strike at the falcon, nor did the falcon take flight in fear. The pair regarded her in silence. As Kim continued to stare in dry-mouthed wonder, a third animal lumbered up: a bear.

Kim ran down the slope of the beach and splashed into the water, her heart beating wildly. She had to get a closer look. A frog ... there had to be a frog up there too. The appearance of those specific animals had to mean something; they were the spirit animals of her friends. As she swam towards the bluff, she noticed a trail that she had never seen before. It was not so much a path but an arrangement of foot holds and hand holds.

Though not a strong swimmer, Kim crossed the narrow stretch between the two shores quickly. Her heart was all but soaring with excitement as she began climbing the steep face of the cliff. Her mind was not on where her hands and feet needed to be; she was focused solely on those animals. Her heart was filled with thoughts of her friends, and she only had eyes for the dark brown gaze of the falcon.

At last she clambered over the edge of the cliff. Had she looked down at herself, she would have noticed that her knees were skinned and bloody, as were her feet and hands. Her shirt was torn, and her face was smudged with dirt, blood, and sweat, but Kim's attention was riveted to where the animals watched and waited. Her hand flew to her mouth, and tears stung her eyes. With the three animals she had seen from below, there sat a frog, and although it was but a trick of the heat, Kim could have sworn she had glimpsed the hulking form of the ape. The only figure missing was the crane. That didn't matter as she stepped forward; however, the animals suddenly vanished. Kim raced forward as if to intercept them, but there was nothing there. Kim returned to the edge of the bluff, searching the sky for any sign of the falcon, certain that it had been real.

"Thanks, you guys," Kim whispered to her friends more than a century away. This was a sign that they were still with her, that they were still there for her in spite of everything. As she blinked away her tears, she spotted the falcon again. He was heading straight for her. Unconsciously, she lifted her arm to offer it a perch. The bird flew past her. She turned and saw the falcon land on the arm of a wizened Indian. His coppery, sun weathered skin was lined with wrinkles. His silver grey hair hung in long braids; he regarded her with piercing black eyes.

"Powerful friends you have," he said in a low, clear voice.

"My friends are watching out for me," she replied as she walked towards him.

"You are not One Who Seeks, though you wear his clothing," the Indian noted.

"I'm his friend." Kim assumed that he was Soaring Falcon whom Thomas had mentioned.

"So I have seen. You honor his name and his cause." Soaring Falcon peered more closely at her. "You are not a warrior but a maiden."

"Where I come from, a maiden can be a warrior."

"It must be so. Many warriors from my people have tried to climb this bluff to find their spirit guides. Thomas Who Seeks has tried and failed many times. Yet you have the nobility of spirit and the courageous heart to succeed where so many others have failed."

"I wasn't looking for my spirit guide; I saw the spirit animals of my friends. My spirit animal wasn't with them," Kim sad with a touch of sadness. "That's okay, though. It means more to me to know that they're still out there for me."

"Just as you are here for them. Your spirit will soar with them again."

"Thanks, Soaring Falcon." The shaman regarded her with a curious expression.

"My spirit guide, the winged lord of the skies, told me that this day I would meet a warrior like none I had ever seen. To this warrior I should give this." Soaring Falcon held out a bow carved of white wood that was ornately painted. He also presented her with a quiver of arrows. "These arrows' fletchings are special to my people. They come from my granddaughter's namesake: a bird of great beauty, grace and agility ...."

"The crane," Kim murmured in awe. Tears glistened on her cheek as she accepted the bow from him. Then she flung her arms around the medicine man. "Thank you!" Her display of affection took the shaman by surprise.

"For those who have touched the spirits, this bluff is a place of great magic," he informed her. "If your heart is free of darkness and your spirit strong, you may touch the soul of the one you seek."

"I can reach Tommy?" she asked, biting her lip nervously.

"If you truly believe, then all things are possible."

"Just to be able to tell him I'm all right and that I'm trying to get back to him ... Soaring Falcon, that's wonderful! What do I have to do?"

"Stand at the summit and look to your heart. It will know."

Kim scampered back to the edge of the bluff, when she turned to ask Soaring Falcon another question, she saw that he was gone. Kim quickly dismissed the medicine man from her thoughts. Her heart and mind had room for only one person: Tommy. To tell him she was all right. To tell him she was sorry for running off. To tell him she loved him and was trying to find her way back to him. She did not doubt she could touch him; after all their minds were linked already, a bond forged of life and death, love and pain--all those things that had given her nobility of spirit and a courageous heart. It would take more than a few decades to keep her and Tommy apart. Kim stood at the edge of the precipice with her arms outstretched. A faint breeze ruffled her hair and her shirttails. In her mind, she cried out with all her might, "Tommy!"

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Tommy woke with a start; for a moment he didn't recall where he was. He was surrounded by darkness, dampness and cold. He was in a cave. Then he remembered; he was in the cave at Stranger's Rock waiting for ... what? A sign? A flicker of the time hole? Anything that would bring him closer to finding Kimberly. They had been searching for her since she disappeared in the wee hours of Monday morning. It was Wednesday, and there was still no sign of her.

He'd been less than useless at school, and even with Billy's monitoring devices, Tommy felt the need to stake out the cave. Zordon and Alpha were scanning the time stream for her bio-signature; everyone was doing all that could be done. Still, he was determined to camp out in the cave for as long as it took to find Kimberly. He had the feeling that something was going to break soon.

Tommy lit the kerosene lamp he had brought and glanced at his watch. He had been up all night and pretty much had slept the day away. There was no sense in going back to sleep. The others would be by as soon as school was out, so he had some time to kill. He decided to finish checking out the contents of the footlocker. He had begun sorting through the paraphernalia last night while he had been bored and trying to stay awake. He had found some clothes, utensils, and some old photographs. He wondered how long the stuff had been sitting in the cave. At the very bottom of the locker was a book of some sort. Upon opening it, Tommy discovered that it was a journal. The handwriting was a little difficult to decipher, but Tommy managed to make it out.

Tommy quickly became absorbed in the diary. He was so engrossed that he didn't hear the hum of incoming teleportees. He had been correct in thinking that something was going to break soon. However, what broke was his friends' patience. Billy had found a way to punch the teleportation signal through the cave's natural shielding, and he, Aisha, Adam, and Rocky, materialized in a ring around Tommy.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Tommy asked, setting aside the diary.

"Grab him," Billy directed. The four pounced on him, each grabbing a limb.

"What's going on! Put me down!" Tommy shouted as he struggled to break free.

"All right, Alpha, teleport us out," Billy radioed. In the blink of an eye, the quintet was taken from the cave and deposited on the shore line. Before Tommy could wriggle free, Billy said, "Dump him." The four heaved, tossing Tommy into the lake. Tommy quickly resurfaced, choking on the water.

"Again, Alpha, farther out," Billy requested. The teleportation ray caught Tommy a second time, dumping him further out in the water. To the others, Billy said, "You'd better get going. Tommy is likely to be quite angry when he finally gets back to shore."

"All right, Billy," Rocky agreed.

"Are you sure you can handle him?" Adam wondered.

"I've got first watch," Aisha said, heading up the slope.

Billy sat down and waited for Tommy to swim ashore, and he tried to remain unflappable in the face of Tommy's indignation.

"What has gotten into you guys!" Tommy sputtered as he thundered up to where Billy sat. He was a towering figure of dripping wet fury, and Billy had to bite the side of his cheek to keep from laughing.

"Look at yourself," Billy instructed him. "You've barely slept in the last three days; you haven't eaten hardly at all, and you haven't changed clothes since Monday. Running yourself into the ground isn't going to bring Kim back or do us any good if we have to go rescue her. We're all concerned about Kimberly, but worrying ourselves sick isn't going to help." Tommy realized the truth of Billy's words and sank down in an exhausted heap.

"You're right; I'm sorry, man."

"We understand how you must feel. Things have been pretty rough for you lately." The two sat quietly for a moment, staring out across the choppy, grey waters.

"Billy, I think I ...." Tommy began awkwardly.

"Needing someone to talk to?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you might. That's why I volunteered to be the one who greeted you after your dunking."

"By the way, why'd you guys toss me into the lake?"

"To insure that you'd leave the cave long enough to get some dry clothes. Do you want to change before we start?"

"I suppose I should, but considering the dream I had last night, maybe I'm better off cold and wet," Tommy murmured.

"A dream about Kim?" Billy prompted.

"A doozie! In it, she wasn't cured yet. She had a relapse. She came to me in the cave and jumped me but good. Afterwards, she was really afraid that she might have caused me to lose my powers again."

"Could your dream have been an attempt by Kim to reach you through your link?"

"I don't know, but it really scared me, Billy; we don't know if Kim was cured or not. What if she has a relapse and I'm not there for her?"

"Judging from the length of time it took her to reach the critical stage from the initial infection, as it were, she should be in no immediate danger."

"But what if the second time around, things happen a lot faster? I just wish we knew where she is and how she is. I sort of wish she was back in Angel Grove in 1880; at least we know she has access to our ancestors there."

"That was the first era we tried. Kim did not return to Angel Grove in 1880, and even if she had, how would having access to our ancestors help her if she was suffering a relapse?"

"Maybe my ancestor --what'd Kim call him-- the White Stranger could have helped her out. If he looked exactly like me...."

"I follow you. If he is your physical duplicate, perhaps he is your genetic duplicate as well and would have compatible seminal fluid to assuage Kimberly's condition," Billy concluded.

"I know it sounds weird, but if she does suffer a relapse, I'd rather she try and get help wherever she can, even if it means she has to have sex with my great-great-great grandfather, than risk her life by trying to wait until she gets home."

"It's not weird; it's very understanding of you."

"I just want Kim home safe and sound."

"We'll find her, Tommy; it's just taking a little longer because she doesn't have her communicator."

"I know."

"Is the thought of her having a relapse the only thing preying on you mind?" Billy queried, knowing full well it wasn't.

"No, there was more to my dream than that," Tommy admitted. "In parts of it, I was reliving some of the saner moments from Saturday and Sunday. Man, Billy, that was incredible. When she was in control, making love to her was ... wow! The rest of my dream was spent fantasizing about what I want to do to her when she gets home."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"Don't you get it? Kim's lost somewhere in time without her powers. She could be hurt or anything, and all I can think about is getting her into bed again!" Tommy said bitterly.

"Tommy, being preoccupied with sex goes hand in hand with being a teenager. It doesn't mean you aren't concerned about Kimberly's well-being; your actions these past three days clearly demonstrate that you are deeply concerned. You and Kimberly shared a very intense experience, and you haven't had the opportunity to work things out between yourselves yet, much like what happened six months ago."

"You saw how angry Kim was when she stormed off. She may not want to have anything to do with me. I mean, we had sex to save her life; for a while, things were pretty painful for her, but for me ...."

"You couldn't help but enjoy what you were doing, and you feel guilty about it," Billy said. "From what I observed, during the saner moments, Kimberly seemed to derive just as much enjoyment out of what you two were doing." Billy winced inwardly at his faux pas. He still hadn't told Tommy he had watched him and Kimberly making love. Tommy didn't say anything but cocked an eyebrow at him, and Billy hastened to explain further. "Well, when she was pursuing me as part of her somnambulant state, she seemed to take a great deal of pleasure in her activities."

"Yeah, she did go after you hot and heavy," Tommy remarked with a grin. At the time, he had been rather amused by the scene and more than a little aroused. "That was pretty powerful."

"Indeed, she merely established a purchase on my bottom and kissed me, and I was so aroused that my vision was momentarily skewed," Billy confessed. He took a deep breath to steady himself, a pause that did not go unnoticed by Tommy. He sympathized with Billy; he would have been more surprised if Billy hadn't been aroused by Kim's coming on to him. It was his own reaction to the scene that Tommy had to consider. If Billy's embarrassment and distress hadn't been so painfully obvious, Tommy wouldn't have stopped Kim. He had enjoyed watching Kim as she attacked Billy. It had been as exciting as anything he and Kim had done together. Tommy wasn't sure he was comfortable with that or not, but he knew he'd love to see it again.

"I wonder what Kim would have done if I hadn't stopped her," Tommy mused aloud, more to himself than to Billy.

"I have found myself pondering that same question," Billy murmured as he tried to rein in his rampaging hormones.

"We'll probably never know."

It was Billy's turn to experience amazement at Tommy's comment. Billy wasn't quite sure what emotion he would have ascribed to Tommy, but he definitely had not expected the tone of regret. Tommy sounded almost as disappointed as Billy felt.

"You know," Tommy continued, shying away from the more difficult topic, "I wish Kim hadn't taken that arrow for me. Look what her sacrifice has cost her: her virginity, her powers, and who knows what else. All she's had for the last month is pain and suffering that should have been mine. It would have been better if Sagitteros' arrow had hit the right target."

"No it wouldn't; your troubles would only be greater."

"What do you mean?"

"Say that the arrow had struck its intended target. You would have fought the effects as long and as hard as Kimberly did, and you wouldn't have said anything to anyone else either. Unlike Kimberly, I suspect you may not have been restricted to a single individual for relief; however, upon hearing what was required to save you, Kimberly wouldn't have let you seek assistance elsewhere. She would have given of herself as unstintingly and as gladly as you had. After a month build up, your intercourse with Kimberly would have been just as frenzied and out of control as it already was but with more disturbing consequences. Consider Kimberly as the aggressor. Her primal lust fueled her strength, but was she capable of seriously hurting you even at her most uncontrollable stage?"

"You saw the way she took Goldar down."

"She had more than aggravated lust behind her at that point. She had rage and a host of darker emotions fueling her adrenaline rush. Did she at any time hurt you while you were having sex? Did you ever feel as if she would hurt you?"

"No. She got a little rough but nothing I couldn't handle."

"What of your feelings about the way she went at you? Did you feel used or violated?"

"No, Kim needed me. What she took, I gave freely."

"She would have offer you that same generosity, but the first time you hurt her ...."

"I couldn't hurt her!" Tommy protested.

"Yes, you could, by virtue of simple biology. You're bigger and stronger than she is. If you had been as wild as she was, your superior size and strength would have been no match for her." Billy could see that Tommy was not convinced. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for what he had to say next. "Tommy, when I dropped off the food and clothing ... I saw Kimberly lose control. I saw her pounce on you, pinning you to the mat, the way she was growling ... she was rather like a wild animal, but she did not have the physical capability of pounding you into submission if you had refused her or demonstrated the slightest hesitation. Had your positions been reversed, you would have been just as wild and out of control.

"Even when you are in full command of your faculties, I would rather not have to face you when you're angry. Gripped in a mindless, lustful frenzy, you'd have been just as animalistic as Kimberly had been, and if Kimberly had shown the least sign of fear or hesitancy, you'd have taken what you needed, and once you hurt her, the process would have kept repeating itself --Kim hesitating and you taking what you needed-- until you had burned the spell out.

"You'd have been cured, but you would then have had to deal with the fact that you had brutalized Kimberly, and she would have had the scars of virtually being raped by you. Intellectually, she might know you had not intended to hurt her, that you were not in control and that you were sorry, but I don't know if she would ever be able to relax in your presence again."

"I can't believe I could do something like that to Kim."

"Not intentionally. Didn't you say you couldn't believe some of the acts Kimberly performed while under Zedd's influence? She did things to you that you never dreamed she knew about --things she had told me that she had never imagined ever doing. You don't know what you would have been capable of, but you have the size and strength advantage. That makes you capable. Personally, I would rather cope with the present scenario than one where I was responsible for brutalizing my girlfriend. Her pain now is inconsequential to what it would have been if that had happened. And what of your own trauma, knowing what you had done to her?"

"I hate it when you're right," Tommy muttered. "That's a pretty frightening scenario."

"Consider the source."

"So, what do I do, Billy? I'd really like to make love to Kim again and see what it's like without the spell."

"Talk it over with Kimberly, and whatever happens, happens."

"What about our powers? Ninjor and Zordon seem to think I didn't lose mine because of the purity of my motives. I wasn't seeking sexual gratification for selfish reasons. But what about Kimberly's? She had no choice. Why did she lose her powers and I didn't? And if we pursue a sexual relationship, could I lose my powers as well?"

"That's a choice you'll have to make, if and when the time comes. In my opinion, so long as the two of you are coming together out of love, your motives will always be pure. Sometimes I think that your relationship with Kimberly is the backbone of this team. Perhaps that's why Zedd and Rita are trying so hard to destroy it."

Another extended silence ensued as Tommy considered Billy's words. Tommy aimlessly tossed stones into the grey, choppy water. The breeze had picked up, and he shivered slightly. Billy waited patiently, sensing there was more to come.

"So, you --uh-- really saw us having sex?" Tommy ventured.

"Yes," Billy answered, his face flushed. He kept his gaze on the bluff across the water. "I hadn't meant to ... Zordon had me take the picnic hamper and overnight bag to the infirmary myself; he didn't want to disturb your rest with the teleportation beam. While I was in there, Kim woke up. I didn't want her to see me, and I couldn't get to the door. My teleporter was jammed, then you woke up and she asked you to make love to her. I tried not to watch, but I just couldn't help it."

"So, what'd you think?"

"That it was the most incredible thing I had ever witnessed," Billy replied frankly. Tommy sank into a thoughtful silence that made Billy anxious. "Does it bother you to know I was there? I wasn't sure I should tell you, but I couldn't withhold such information for long."

"It's funny, but it doesn't bother me," Tommy admitted. "I'm not sure how I would have reacted had I known it at the time, but I'm okay with it now." Actually, Tommy found the notion very exciting, and he found this excitement somewhat perplexing. "I'm not sure how Kim will take it, though."

"Please don't tell her."

"I won't bring it up if she doesn't," Tommy promised. "Thanks for everything, Billy, including the dunking."

"I wish you could have seen your face when you got back to shore," Billy said with a chuckle.

The word was like a whisper carried on the breeze. Tommy and Billy exchanged startled glances.

"You heard it too?" Tommy queried.

"Affirmative. It sounded like Kimberly's voice."

"Where's it coming from?"

"The bluff ... look," Billy directed, pointing across the water. A mini whirlwind danced atop the cliff. "I've never seen a phenomenon quite like this." The two teleported and reappeared down slope from the atmospheric disturbance. Billy had expected turbulent winds, but only the breeze ruffled his hair. He and Tommy edged closer, and it appeared as if a figure was taking shape within the unusual funnel cloud.

"Tommy!" the voice called again. It seemed to be originating from within the swirling maelstrom. The image became sharper; it was Kimberly. Her back was to the two Rangers, and her arms were outstretched.

"Kimberly!" Tommy exclaimed. At his gasp, Kim turned.

"Tommy, it's you! It worked!" she squealed with delight, bouncing with joy and clapping her hands.

"Kimberly, where are you?" Billy asked.

"Oh, Tommy, I'm so sorry for everything," Kim gushed. Already her image was fading. "Don't worry; I'm all right, and I'll help you guys find me. I'll be home soon; I'm sure of it."

"Kim, wait!" Tommy pleaded, reaching out to her. She reached back, but before their fingers could touch, the whirlwind dissipated, and Kimberly was gone.

"Damn," Tommy swore, pounding his fist on the ground. "Why didn't she tell us where she was?"

"Her communication seemed hurried, as if she wasn't certain that her message would get through."

"Could you pick up any clues from her surroundings?"

"Nothing extraordinary. She was standing on the bluff; that tells us she is in or near Angel Grove in whatever time period. She was dressed in an ordinary white shirt that was too large for her, which would seem to indicate that she found assistance of some sort. The only other thing I noted was that she was in good spirits and did not seem to be angry anymore."

"I know. For a moment, I touched her through our link. There was no darkness in her, no pain or flames. She's cured, Billy; I could feel it," Tommy declared happily.

"And she promised to help us find her," Billy added, patting Tommy's shoulder. "Now, aren't you glad we dragged you out and dumped you in the lake?"

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Chapter 12

The following day, Kimberly rode out from the cave with a heavy heart. After contacting Tommy, she had returned to the cave to tell Thomas. She had found him and Soaring Falcon discussing her vision.

"How far away is this Tommy?" Soaring Falcon had asked. "The magic was the most powerful I have ever witnessed."

"Tommy isn't miles away; he's years --over a hundred years in the future," Thomas had answered.

I could have crossed over, Kim mused. She hadn't known it at the time, but even if she had, she probably wouldn't have gone yet. She wasn't ready; that was why she hadn't told Tommy where she was. Thomas still needed her. He had told Soaring Falcon that Doc Hart had recommended he stay "in bed" as it were for another week. Soaring Falcon had left some herbs with Thomas. "If you believe, the herbs will help."

When she and Thomas discussed the matter over breakfast, he had been surprised when she told him that she would have stayed even had she known.

"Don't you see? I can't leave you to be killed by the Black Seven gang. Besides, seeing you hurt is like seeing Tommy hurt. This is as much for you as for Tommy." And hurting Thomas was just as painful as hurting Tommy. She couldn't say precisely how they had gotten on to the topic, but Thomas had mentioned Karen. Kim had seen the warmth in his eyes and remembered what her grandfather had said. Damn Doc for not being man enough to do it himself, but she had to be the one to break Thomas' heart.

"Thomas, Karen is married. She isn't Grandpa Zach's daughter; she's his daughter-in-law. She's married to Joshua Hart." She poured out the story of Karen and Joshua before she lost her nerve. It ripped her heart out to see the anguish in Thomas' expressive eyes. Watching him struggle to hide his disappointment and hurt brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Thomas, but it has to be this way. Your family and mine are never joined by marriage --at least, not yet. If they were, Tommy and I couldn't ...." Thomas had closed himself off at that point. He had struggled to his feet and limped out of the cave. When Kim had emerged astride White Lightning, she spotted Thomas down at the water's edge.

The emotional strain left Kim in a foul mood as she rode into Angel Grove. She felt like hitting something or someone and found herself hoping that Black Jack would try something. She was rewarded as three desperados came racing out of the bank, their guns blazing. Frightened citizens cleared the street. The thieves had mounted their horses and were well on the way to making a clean getaway as Kim spurred White Lightning forward.

She gave White Lightning free rein as she nocked an arrow into her bow. She had examined the contents of the quiver last night and had been surprised and delighted to discover that each arrow had been designed for a specific function. The arrow she selected had a barbed head and a long, thin cord attached. She aimed and fired, not at the bandits but at the bulging sack of money. Once the arrow was securely anchored, Kim reined in White Lightning and pulled on the cord with all her might. She succeeded in unhorsing the man clutching the sack. His companions raced forward, heedless of his plight. Kim rode over to where the thief struggled to get up; she had White Lightning rest a hoof on the man's chest.

"Move and I have the horse start counting your ribs," she warned him. She hopped down and disarmed him. While she was busy, she observed the arrival of Sheriff Jefferson's posse. Kim collected her arrow and swung herself up into the saddle again.

"He's all yours, Sheriff. I'll see if I can catch up to the other two." Kim rode off, following their trail of dust, but the duo had too much of a head start. They lost her down one of the ravines. Kim halted White Lightning and sat there for a moment, swearing. Her mood was not getting any better.

In the end, Kim decided to visit her grandfather. She left White Lightning in the back of Doc's surgery and made her way to his office. She had a considerable wait. The housekeeper was muttering in the hall that Doc was out on a house call. Kim made herself comfortable in Doc's chair, propping her feet up on his desk. When Doc finally arrived, he was surprised to see her.

"Nice piece of work bringing down that bandit," Zachariah said by way of greeting. Kim simply scowled at him.

"I told him, Doc; Thomas knows all about Josh," she reported, her tone bitter. "Next time, do your own dirty work. I won't hurt him again." Kim felt tears stinging her eyes, and she wiped at them angrily.

"I really am sorry, Kim," Doc said contritely.

"It was like hurting my Tommy."

"It was for Thomas' own good."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Kim sighed. Having said her piece, she couldn't hold onto the anger. "Do you really think it'll take another week to get Thomas back on his feet? I can't keep this up much longer. I've got to get back to my own time; my friends are really worried about me."

"No one expects you to continue pretending to be Thomas."

"I can't leave him high and dry with Black Jack on the loose. Jack isn't One-Eyed Bulk or Doc Skullovitch."

"I'll come out and take another look in the morning," Zach assured her. Kim nodded and started to take her leave. "Wait a moment. I have something for you." He pulled a pair of brown boots out from the bottom drawer of his desk; they appeared to be Kimberly's size. "These are Karen's old riding boots. I've noticed how awkward walking in Thomas' boots is for you, and Johnny Mitchel told me how the smoke made the White Stranger talk like a girl and that he had really small feet. William thought it best to tell Johnny the truth so he wouldn't spread his observations around. I wasn't sure about telling the boy, but William seemed to think he could keep a secret."

"I trust William's judgment about his cousin," Kim murmured. She slipped the footwear on gratefully. "Thanks, Grandpa Zach."

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With trepidation, Kim returned to Stranger's Rock, calling it an early day. She doubted Jack would cause much mischief for the rest of the day after the failed robbery attempt, but she did not doubt he would use the time to come up with some other scheme. As she left Doc's surgery, Kim had the uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching her. She took the precaution of taking a very roundabout way back to Indian Lake. She never saw anyone, and she chalked it up to nerves. She wasn't sure she was ready to face Thomas again.

As she rode up the hillside to the crescent, Kim noted that Thomas was no longer by the lake. He seemed to be able to get around fairly well. She doubted he would need the week Doc prescribed. When she entered the hideout, she found Thomas sitting by the fire lost in thought.

"Another one bites the dust," she said with a brave smile.

"Excuse me?" Thomas murmured.

"Another of the Black Seven gang has been apprehended. With the two you left for Sheriff Johnson Sunday night, that leaves Black Jack and three others."

"You're doing a fine job, Kim; you should be proud of yourself."

"Thanks." Kim couldn't read his mood very well; her own emotions were getting in the way. Thinking about Tommy so much and seeing him yesterday had made her a little homesick.

"Want some coffee?"

"I'm not very hungry or anything right now." Kim sat down across the fire from Thomas and wrapped her arms around her knees. She ducked her head. She was tired and could feel the tears gathering in her eyes. She wanted to cry, but she didn't want to do it in front of Thomas. She wished Tommy could have been there to hold her for a while.

"I'm sorry, Kim," Thomas said. He had moved over next to her. "I shouldn't have taken my disappointment out on you; you were just looking out for your Tommy. Doc's the one I should be angry with for not telling me the truth sooner. I thought you were a very special lady when I first met you, and I had hoped I might find someone just like you. When Miss Karen arrived ... well, that doesn't matter now. Your Tommy is a really lucky fella to have a gal like you."

"Thomas, would you hold me for a little bit," Kim requested with a sniffle. Thomas draped an arm awkwardly around her shoulder, and she leaned into him, letting herself cry.

"Don't worry, Kim; we'll find a way to get you back to Tommy," Thomas said as he stroked her hair.

"You know, you're pretty special, too, Thomas. I'm really glad I got the chance to know you," Kim said as she started recovering herself. "Don't you worry about finding someone special. You will. How else would Tommy have been born?"

"You have a point there," Thomas admitted.

"I only wish I knew more of his family history so I could tell you more."

"Maybe it's for the best that you can't. You've already told me more about the future than I probably ought to know. It'd be best if I find out some things for myself. I'm glad I got to know you, too; I doubt I'll ever forget you."

"Me either. I'll always have a special place in my heart for you."

-------------------------------------

The following morning, Doc Hart came out to check Thomas' progress and was amazed to find Thomas up and around. When he inspected the wound, he found it healing ahead of schedule.

"This is the most incredible thing I've ever seen," Zachariah murmured. "I've never seen anyone recover from a gun shot wound so quickly."

"All it took were a few herbs and some positive thinking," Thomas said flippantly.

"You mean that awful smelling stuff Soaring Falcon left you?" Kim queried, wrinkling her nose.

"You let that old kook give you something? That was foolish and dangerous, Thomas."

"Doc, he's my friend. I trust him."

"Besides, the herbs helped, didn't they," Kim pointed out.

"That they did."

"Now that I'm almost as good as new, we can try and figure out a way to get you back to Tommy," Thomas declared.

"I think I know just how to do it," Kim said thoughtfully. "Grandpa Zach, can you help me get a safety deposit box?"

* * * * * *

"Everything is all set, Kim. Your letter is safely tucked away with your instructions," Zachariah said as he met Kimberly in his surgery later that morning. "Mr. Denton was pleased to donate the box as the reward for foiling the bank robbery."

"Great! Now it's all up to Billy and Tommy," Kim replied.

"Are you sure this will work?"

"I saw it in a movie once." She smiled at Doc's puzzled expression. "Once Billy knows where to look for me, he'll be able to get me back. He has access to the necessary technology."

"Doctor Hart! Something terrible has happened!"

Kim was about to duck out of sight when William came bursting into Doc's office.

"What's wrong, William?" Zachariah queried.

"The Black Seven gang have kidnapped Miss Karen and Miss Alicia," William reported. Zachariah sank weakly into his chair.

"Why? Why Karen?" he muttered in disbelief.

"Did they leave a ransom note or anything?" Kim queried.

"Miss Kim, am I ever glad to see you," William sighed. "Yes, there was a message for you. It said that if you wished to see the two women ever again, you would meet the "boss" at three o'clock in the center of town. One hostage will be released if you show; you're to duel for the other."

"Damn," Kim muttered. "I thought someone was watching me the other day when I left here. Jack must have figured out that the White Stranger was on friendly terms with the doctor and kidnapped Karen as bait."

"What are we going to do?" William wondered.

"I'm going to meet Jack at three o'clock," Kim said.

"You can't," Zachariah protested. "Jack'll slaughter you."

"I have to. Thomas isn't ready to face the Black Seven gang, and we both know that he couldn't kill Black Jack even if he wanted to. You said it yourself, he's not a killer."

"Are you?"

"I'm a survivor, Grandpa Zach; I'll think of something. I can't let Thomas or Karen be killed because more than just their lives will be destroyed. The whole time stream would be disrupted."

-------------------------------------

There was an air of excitement at the First Bank of Angel Grove. For 113 years, the bank had kept a safety deposit box in the vault. The instructions handed down from bank president to bank president informed subsequent generations that the box was not to be opened until November 7, 1995. That day was finally here. Photographers and reporters were assembled in the lobby as bank officials brought out the mysterious box. A hush fell over the assemblage as Mr. Thompson, the current bank president, turned the key.

Inside the safety deposit box were three things: a gun, a sheaf of papers, and an addressed envelope. Judith Wayne, a representative from the Angel Grove Historical Society, came forward to examine the artifacts. Her eyes lit up as she scanned the contents of the papers.

"These were written by Dr. Zachariah Hart in January of 1883," Judith began. "The handwriting will have to be authenticated, of course, but being familiar with the doctor's many birth and death certificates, I would say that it appears to be his handwriting." Then, she began reading:

The room was abuzz with the names. White Stranger? Miss Kim? According to local history, Black Jack Wilson was brought to justice by Sheriff Jefferson. For the most part nobody had ever heard of the White Stranger, although a few admitted that there were old family tales of a vigilante who operated in the Angel Grove of the Old West, but nothing had ever been recorded or proven. Certainly, even those who had heard the scarce tales of the White Stranger had never heard of a Miss Kim.

"The doctor writes the tale in full," Judith continued, shushing the hubbub. She skimmed through the brittle pages. "From a cursory glance, the particulars listed here match what is known of the incident of the capture of Black Jack Wilson, except for the mention of the White Stranger and Miss Kim. The Historical Society will do everything it can to authenticate this document and verify the facts before the story is made public. There is a post script to the tale, which I shall read:

"I assume the doctor was referring to this," Judith said as she held up the envelope, yellow and brittle with age. The handwriting on the outside was the doctor's: Urgent! Deliver to Tommy Oliver, Angel Grove High School, before 3:00 p.m., November 7, 1995.

-------------------------------------

Tommy sat in his seat in last period, totally engrossed in the diary. It was the only thing that was keeping his mind off Kimberly. It had been two days since she had contacted him, and they had heard nothing further. Zordon was still scanning the timestream for her, but had not been successful yet.

"What's that you're reading?" Billy queried of Tommy. Billy had never seen him take such an interest in any form of literature, and he had observed Tommy pouring over the volume on many occasions over the past two days.

"It's a diary. I found it in the cave under Stranger's Rock," Tommy explained. "It's written by the White Stranger."

"Really? That's incredible!"

"Yeah, this is really fascinating stuff. Right now, I'm at the part where Kim first went back in time and met him. It sounds as if my great-great-great grandfather really liked her." Tommy handed Billy the century old journal.

"Better put that up," Billy said, noting that Ms. Appleby had finally arrived for class. She was accompanied by Mr. Caplan and another gentleman in a suit.

"Mr. Oliver," Mr. Caplan began. Tommy didn't respond; he was busy reading about Kim's visit to 1880. Billy had to nudge him to get his attention.

"What?"

"Something's up. Mr. Caplan is asking for you."

"Yes, Mr. Caplan?"

"Could you come here for a moment, Tommy?"

"Sure." Exchanging puzzled glances with Billy, Tommy headed to the front of the classroom.

"This is Mr. Thompson from the First Bank of Angel Grove," Mr. Caplan introduced.

"You are Tommy Oliver?" Mr. Thompson queried.

"Yes, sir."

"Since 1882, our bank has kept a safety deposit box with the instructions that it not be opened until today. Along with several articles which were turned over to the Historical Society, there was a letter which was to be delivered to you."

"To me?" Tommy glanced back at Billy, in bewilderment.

"Mr. Caplan assures me that you are the only Tommy Oliver presently enrolled in Angel Grove High School; therefore, this letter belongs to you." The bank official handed him the century old envelope. Tommy stared at the instructions on the front of the stationary blankly. Then, the date Mr. Thompson mentioned sank in. Tommy's eyes lit up and a smile touched his face as he fumbled to break the wax seal.

"This is it, Billy!" he gasped excitedly. "Angel Grove, November 1882!" It was all he could do to rein in his excitement. Billy left his seat and came over to read the letter over Tommy's shoulder.

"Could this really be from her?" he whispered anxiously.

"We're about to find out."

"What is it Tommy?" Ms. Appleby queried. "Can you tell the class what is in the letter?" Tommy seemed not to hear her.

"We have to get back to the cave," he said excitedly.

"What cave?" Ms. Appleby wondered. Billy had to nudge Tommy to get him to remember himself.

"I'll be able to tell you more about it Monday, Ms. Appleby; first I have to pay a visit to Stranger's Rock." The bell rang, and Tommy and Billy raced out of the classroom.

-------------------------------------

Chapter 13

"She did have a relapse," Tommy murmured as he skimmed through the diary. He was trying to see if he could find anything of use to Billy in locating Kimberly, but after that last passage he had to set the diary down.

"She did?" Billy queried, looking up from where he was re-calibrating the teleportation mechanism. Alpha was working on pulling Kimberly up in the viewing globe. He noted that Tommy's face was a little pale. "What happened?"

"She was out of her mind with the fever and jumped the White Stranger, but he writes that she had no memory of it in the morning," Tommy related. "He did write that she never experienced any symptoms after that one time. Oh man, Billy, I knew she wasn't cured. I just knew it!"

"At least she got the help she needed to survive."

"I know, and I'm glad, but it's really weird reading about it in a 75 year old diary."

Just then the other three arrived in the Command Center, and Tommy and Billy shelved the discussion.

"Anything yet, Billy?" Aisha asked eagerly.

"I almost have the teleporter re-aligned. Alpha, try the viewing globe," Billy directed.

The viewing globe filled with static, then the picture flickered into focus. The streets of downtown Angel Grove were deserted, but people peeped out from behind doors and curtained windows. People lined the roof tops, and all eyes were focused on the south end of Main Street where two figures faced off.

"That must be the White Stranger," Adam realized, glimpsing the white garbed figure. "Who's the other guy?"

"Black Jack Wilson," Rocky supplied. "His Black Seven gang terrorized all the small towns in these parts in the early 1880s."

"Tommy, didn't Kim tell us that the White Stranger was your duplicate?" Aisha wondered.

"Yes."

"Then that isn't the White Stranger. He's too short, and the hair isn't the right color."

"That's Kim!" Tommy gasped. "She had said in her letter that she wasn't ready to leave before today, and the diary said that Kim was helping out while the White Stranger was laid up with a gun shot wound. She was filling in for him!"

"It looks like they're getting ready to have a gun fight," Adam observed.

"Kim in a gun fight?" Rocky murmured in disbelief.

"She'll be slaughtered. Zordon, we've got to get her out of there!" Tommy said.

"My portal isn't properly calibrated yet," Billy objected.

"We cannot remove her just yet, Tommy. Innocent lives are at stake. Behold, Black Jack Wilson has a pair of hostages." The globe showed where Jack's cohorts were holding Miss Alicia and Miss Karen prisoner.

"That's Kim's double," Rocky gulped.

"And mine," Aisha added.

"What can Kim do? She's not a killer," Tommy protested.

"Kimberly will do what she must," Zordon said. "The life of her great-great-great grandmother depends on her fighting Black Jack Wilson; if her ancestor dies, Kimberly will never have been born."

"Billy, can you get me down there? I've got to help her somehow," Tommy insisted.

"Even if we could activate the time hole, it would dump you by Stranger's Rock. You wouldn't be able to get to her in time," Billy explained. "Be patient, Tommy, and trust Kimberly. She's an intelligent, resourceful fighter. Besides, what does the diary say about the gun fight?"

"I forgot about that," Tommy muttered, even though the book was tightly clenched in his fists. Even so, he could not tear his eyes off the viewing globe to read the journal.

-------------------------------------

"All right, Jack, I'm here as you requested. Let the hostages go," Kim demanded as she stood her ground, trying not to let her nervousness show. She still hadn't come up with a way to stop Jack. He was going to be shooting to kill; Kim couldn't say the same for herself, but merely wounding him wasn't going to solve the problem either. She knew Doc Hart was watching from the surgery window; Kim wished William wouldn't have rushed off. She could have used his moral support.

"What's going on here? You trying to put one over on ol' Jack --and how do you know my name?" the outlaw sneered.

"I have my sources."

"You ain't the White Stranger."

"I'm the White Stranger who has foiled all your plans for the past four days. Let the women go, Jack," Kim demanded.

"I said I'd release one. You have to fight for the other."

"Get on with it then."

"Let the nigger go," Jack spat.

"Why I never ...." Miss Alicia sputtered indignantly.

"Alicia, get out of here now," Kim ordered as Alicia was thrust towards her. She pushed Alicia out of the way. Kim had had the feeling that Jack would hang on to Karen as his trump card. "It's your show, Jack."

"When the clock strikes the hour, draw --if you're man enough to shoot me. I think you're too yellow to use a gun."

"I don't need to prove myself to the likes of you," Kim declared, a feeling of pride making her stand taller. "Worse men than you have tried to kill me, and guess what. I'm still here."

The clock struck three. Jack and Kim both went for their guns. Jack reached his gun first, but Kim dropped to her knees as she drew hers. Jack's shot missed. Instead of firing, Kim threw her gun at Jack, knocking his weapon out of his hand. As her gun hit the ground, it went off. The bullet grazed Jack's right leg.

"Come quietly, Jack," Kim said as she advanced on him. "I'd hate to have to hit a wounded man." Jack merely smiled at her, and too late Kimberly realized she had been suckered. Fortunately her reflexes were well honed; she was able to dodge so that the blow to her head was a glancing one.

"Finish him, boys," Jack said as he was helped up by two of his men. He kicked out at Kim, and she rolled. Kim heard the click of their revolvers and held her breath. As they were about to fire, they heard the pounding of hooves and saw a cloud of dust bearing down on them.

"Injuns! Let's go. This isn't finished, Stranger; we'll meet again," Jack muttered, deciding that escape was the preferred option. "Grab the girl!" The fourth bandit grabbed Karen and threw her onto Jack's horse. He was helped into the saddle. The four thundered off on their horses as Kimberly struggled to her knees.

"That did not go well," she groaned. "Come on, Lightning, we've got a rescue to finish." However, someone held her back.

"No, you're hurt, and you've done enough already." Kim squinted long and hard at the face behind the voice. It took her a minute to realize it was Thomas. He had stained his face red and braided his hair so that he resembled a Native American. William was still in the saddle. So that's where he had disappeared to. Doc must have sent him after Thomas.

"This is my fight to finish," Thomas continued.

"That's my great-great-great grandmother he has slung over his saddle," Kim insisted. "I'm going whether you like it or not. If you handle White Lightning, I think I can get Jack." She fixed him with her most determined expression and retrieved her bow and quiver from White Lightning's saddle.

"Don't let her go, Thomas," Doc Hart objected as he emerged from his office.

"You want to argue with her, then be my guest. I know what that look means. Come on, partner, let's go save Miss Karen."

Thomas was able to climb into the saddle unaided and reached a hand down to help Kim up. The two galloped off, leaving Zachariah and William coughing in the dust cloud. As they stood there recovering, the afternoon stagecoach rolled into town.

"Get a horse, Doc; we have to go after them," William said.

"Sounds like you had a bit of excitement here," Abraham remarked as he hopped down from the seat. Rocco handed down the trunk from the storage area atop the coach.

"You could say that," William said curtly. "Black Jack made of with Miss Karen, and the White Stranger is chasing him." Abraham and Rocco hadn't been around to know that Miss Kim was back. "Doc Hart and I are going after them."

"Why would he have taken Karen Hart?" a new voice queried. The man who emerged from the stagecoach wore the uniform of an army officer, and he was the spitting image of the doctor.

"Joshua!" Zachariah gasped as he rode up on his horse.

"The reunion can wait, father; we've got to help Karen," Josh said as he swung up behind his father. William was already in the saddle, and as they rode out of town, they were joined by Sheriff Jefferson and his deputy.

-------------------------------------

"He's heading for Stone Canyon gorge," Thomas informed Kim as they charged after the outlaws. They were still a goodly distance behind the quartet.

"That means he'll have to follow the river and all the twists and turns," Kim realized. "If we take the high road, we can get around Jack at Snake Turn." Thomas nodded and urged White Lightning to the route that led past the school. As they rode on, Kim kept her eyes trained on the cloud of dust as it rolled along the canyon floor. They made the turn before Jack and his men; however they lost some time in cutting down the trail to the canyon's base. When they emerged from the side ravine, they were directly behind the desperados.

"Hold White Lightning steady," Kim said as she nocked an arrow into her bow. Her first shot went a little ahead and to the right of Jack's horse, startling the rider next to him.

"Injuns!" the bandit gasped as he veered away from the slender missile. In doing so, his horse stumbled over a fallen rock, and the rider was thrown.

"One down, three to go," Thomas said. Kim stood in the saddle and let loose another arrow. This one had the barbed hook on the end and the cord. She aimed so that the arrow caught in the man's clothes. When it was anchored, she gave a sound jerk and pulled the man out of the saddle.

"That's two!" she cheered. After the second man went down, the third bandit pulled his gun and started firing. Kim had to duck back down in the saddle to avoid being shot. She wasn't going to be able to raise up for a shot.

"Wait a bit," Thomas recommended. "He's nearly gone through six shots. You'll have a quick shot when he trades guns." Kim waited, and when the bandit discarded his weapon and went for the other, Kim fired. The arrow was covered with a bulbous sack. It struck as the bandit turned to resume firing. When it hit, the sack burst, covering the outlaw in powdered paint. While he was blinded, Thomas caught up with him and with his good leg kicked him out of the saddle.

"That only leaves Jack," Kim said grimly.

"There's not much we can do; he's using Karen as a shield," Thomas pointed out.

"Then Karen's going to have to help us save her," Kim said, as she reached for yet another arrow. This one had a blunt end, but it was solid. "Can we get within shouting distance of Jack?"

"We'll give it our best shot." Thomas spurred White Lightning forward. Jack was still outstripping them. "Whatever we do, we'd better do it soon; Lightning is beginning to tire."

"I think we're close enough. Karen, get down!" Kim shouted in French. Jack's prisoner turned her head to see who was behind her. Kim was standing in the saddle, her bow held ready. Karen nodded in response to Kim's command. "Now, Karen!" Karen not only ducked, she threw herself off the back of Jack's horse. Kim fired as soon as Karen moved. Her blunt-tipped arrow caught Jack in the back of the head.

"Keep after Jack, I'll see to Karen," Kim directed. Before Thomas could protest, Kim leaped off White Lightning's back. She flipped and twisted and landed on her feet as Thomas sped off. Kim raced over to where Karen had landed. She wasn't moving.

"Come on, Karen; you have to be all right," Kim said as she gently rolled Karen over. Her face was pale and lined with pain. Kim noted that Karen's hands were tied, and she quickly undid the cruel knots. "Wake up, Karen. You have to tell me where you're hurt." Karen's eyelids fluttered open. Kim did her best to keep her face under the shadow of her hat.

"The White Stranger?" Karen murmured. "You saved me?"

"Actually, you helped save yourself. I'm just glad you understood French," Kim said. "You're hurt. Where?"

"My arm." Kim touched it gingerly; Karen winced at the slight contact. She had landed on her right arm.

"I bet it's broken. Let me see if I can make a splint to keep it immobile until Doc can have a look at it."

* * * * *

While Kimberly was tending to Karen, Thomas chased after Jack. The blow from the arrow had knocked the outlaw for a loop. Since he was no longer in control of his mount, the exhausted horse began to slow. Thomas was able to overtake him easily.

"That's enough, Jack. I'm taking you in," Thomas said as he dismounted. Jack stirred in his saddle and kicked out at Thomas. Thomas blocked the move, grabbed Jack's leg, and flipped him out of the saddle.

"You're taking me nowhere, Injun," Jack growled, struggling to his feet. He needed a few minutes so his head could clear.

"I'm going to see to it that you pay for your crimes at long last," Thomas continued.

"What crimes?" Jack laughed. "You can't prove I've done anything; you can't place me at the scene of any so-called crime, and there were never any witnesses."

"Half the town of Angel Grove saw you kidnap Karen Hart," Thomas pointed out. "But that's not what I'm talking about. You see, there was a witness, Jack. Someone was at the scene when you murdered Tad White three years ago. And that someone is going to see to it that you answer for that crime."

"Who the hell are you, Injun," Jack spat. His thoughts were a little clearer, and he went for his second gun. Thomas snap kicked it out of his grasp.

"I'm Thomas White, and this is for my brother Tad," Thomas said as his fist connected with Jack's jaw with all the power of three years worth of pent-up emotions.

"If you were man enough, you'd avenge your brother by putting a bullet through me," Jack sneered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Tad wouldn't have wanted that; he believed in the law, and I've bent it enough by turning vigilante," Thomas said. He took the rope from White Lightning's saddle and tied Jack securely, then he tossed the outlaw across his horse's saddle. Leading Jack's horse, Thomas doubled back to Kim and Karen.

"There," Kim said at last. Karen's right arm was bandaged with strips taken from her petticoats (Kim's garments proved too thick for her to tear) and strips of sagebrush Kim had scavenged. Unthinking, she removed her hat to wipe her brow. She realized her error when she heard Karen's gasp.

"You're me!" Karen squeaked out, then her eyes rolled back and she fainted. Kim couldn't blame her; after all, she had fainted the first time she had seen Thomas. She heard the sound of approaching horses and looked up. She smiled broadly when she spied Thomas leading Jack's horse.

"You did it!" Kim cheered as she ran forward to meet him. Thomas slid out of the saddle and gave her a jubilant hug.

"We did it," he responded. He realized self-consciously that he was still holding onto Kim and released her. "How is Miss Karen?"

"I think she broke her arm," Kim answered.

"Poor thing must have fainted from the pain," Thomas murmured sympathetically, observing Karen's prone form.

"Not exactly. She caught a glimpse of my face," Kim answered.

"Well, if it isn't the coward who calls himself the White Stranger," Jack grumbled. "Too yellow to fire a gun!"

"Oh, put a sock in it, Jack," Kim said boredly. "I didn't need a gun. My arrows did just fine." She removed her hat and favored him with a mocking smile.

"A woman!" Jack roared.

"Yep. You got your butt kicked by a little slip of a girl and a lame rider. Doesn't say much for you, does it, Jack?"

"And you're not going to tell anyone about her, are you Jack," Thomas interjected. "After all, who would believe you?"

"Speaking of who would believe ... we've got riders coming hard and fast," Kim said, spotting an approaching cloud of dust. "It's probably Sheriff Jefferson. Maybe you'd better change clothes." Kim handed Thomas his hat and coat and slipped out of his trousers. She kept the oversized shirt and Karen's boots.

"What about you?" Thomas wondered as he collected his wardrobe. He sought out a rock to change behind.

"Toss me your Levi's and let me rub a little of this red clay on my face. I'll braid my hair, and this little Indian will high tail it back to the bluff. I need to return the bow and quiver to Soaring Falcon. I'll meet you back at the hideout."

"What about Miss Karen? What if she comes to and says something?" Thomas wondered. Kim glanced over at her great-great-great grandmother. A grin tugged at her lips as she caught Karen closing her eyes and playing opossum.

"Tell her it was a trick of the heat or something," Kim suggested. "Let's get Jack off his horse so I can ride it back."

-------------------------------------

"She did it! Kim stopped Black Jack without her powers or killing him!" Aisha cheered back in the Command Center. Tommy's shoulders sagged with his relief.

"I think I have something on the time hole; I just need to make a few adjustments ...." Billy reported.

"Great!"

"Maybe it's not so great," Billy cautioned. "I can open the time hole but only for a short period of time. Kim would have to be standing at the precise co-ordinates in order to be swept into it. If we missed, it'd take at least two hours for the machine to recharge and be recalibrated. If I open the portal a second time, the duration of the opening would be even shorter than the first. A third attempt would be impossible."

"Too bad Kimberly doesn't have her communicator; you could open the portal and we could punch a teleportation signal through," Alpha sighed.

"What if I were to go through the time hole to Kimberly," Tommy suggested. "I could take her her communicator and make sure we're both at the co-ordinates in time. Then you guys could teleport us together."

"I don't know, Tommy. It's pretty risky. What if I can't get you guys back?" Billy asked.

"I'd rather be stuck in 1882 with Kimberly, than go on in the present without her." Tommy looked to Zordon expectantly.

"Let him go, Billy," Zordon said. "Granted, there is great risk, but Tommy's presence will enhance your chances for successfully retrieving Kimberly."

"All right, but be careful," Billy cautioned. "It's nearly 5:30 now. Teleport to the cave. Make sure you are at that precise location by 7:25."

"I will. I'll see you guys in two hours."

-------------------------------------

Chapter 14

Thomas squinted up at the bluff. Kim was still up there with Soaring Falcon. When he returned to the cave, he found her shirt by the water's edge, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he had heard the voices wafting down from the top of the cliff. Apparently the two had much to discuss.

Thomas had received quite a surprise when Doc and William had arrived in the canyon with Doc's son Joshua. They were followed by Sheriff Jefferson's posse, who had rounded up the other three desperados. Black Jack didn't say a word as Thomas turned him over to the sheriff. Thomas also requested the sheriff not to mention his part in Jack's capture. Knowing that he was going to testify against Jack, Thomas didn't want to risk a lawyer finding a loop hole in the law for Jack to slip through.

Now that Tad was finally avenged, Thomas was at a loss. For almost three years he had been the White Stranger. He wasn't sure he wanted to go back to living a normal life. One thing he did want to do was talk to Soaring Falcon again. He no longer felt a great weight pressing down on himself. His heart felt lighter somehow. Maybe now that his heart was free of the need for revenge he could scale the cliff face and find what it was his soul was searching for.

Without the need for a hideout any longer, Thomas had made a fire outside the cave in the crescent. He limped over to where he had a pot of chili simmering over the flames. He all but collapsed next to the blaze; he had overdone it this afternoon with all the riding and such. As he tasted his concoction, he noticed a rainbow-like halo of light glimmering in the sky just down the slope from where he sat. Even more astonishing, a body came falling through the ring and landed in a groaning heap, then the light vanished. Thomas knew that the phenomenon had to be the time hole Kim had described to him. He pulled himself to his feet and went over to see who had landed on his doorstep this time. It was a young man dressed in cut off denim pants and a white undershirt. His long hair was gathered back in a ponytail that seemed familiar somehow.

"Let me give you a hand, partner," Thomas said, offering his hand to his guest.

"Thanks." The stranger rolled over, and Thomas suddenly found himself staring at his own face. He experienced a sensation not unlike having all the wind knocked out of oneself.

"You must be Tommy," Thomas forced out, regaining his equilibrium faster than his counterpart.

"Uh, yeah."

"Kim has told me a lot about you."

"Man, this is too weird," Tommy muttered. "I mean, I saw you in the viewing globe. I knew what to expect, but this is just too much."

"It does take some getting used to," Thomas agreed. "Now I know how Kim felt when she first saw Miss Karen. By the way, I'm Thomas."

"I know; I read part of the journal you left in the footlocker," Tommy answered. Thomas had no idea what Tommy was talking about.

"Have you come to take Kim home?"

"Yeah. Billy will open the time hole again in two hours," Tommy explained. "I don't mean to be rude, but where's Kim?"

"On top of the bluff."

The two looked to the cliff. Kim stood at the edge of the precipice, a silhouette against the vibrant crimson and purple sunset. She stood there with her arms outstretched, basking in the fading light.

"She looks so happy," Tommy murmured. Thomas studied his descendant; his face was lit with a joy Thomas had rarely ever experienced. "I can feel her through our link. She's so full of life and hope and joy ... it's almost as if these last six months had never happened. I wasn't sure I'd ever see her this happy again." As they watched, Kim backed away from the edge only to approach it at a run. With a spirited "yee-ha!" Kim flung herself into the air and dove into the grey-black waters below.

"Looks like fun," Thomas said, noting his other self's shining eyes and expression of longing. "Knowing Kim, she won't stay out on the lake too long. She'll probably head for the grotto just beyond the bend over yonder. It's fairly secluded. Dinner won't be ready for a while yet; why don't you go join her." Nothing more needed to be said; the two kinsmen understood each other perfectly.

"Thanks for taking care of her."

"It's no more than she did for me. She's a special gal, Tommy. Take good care of her."

"I'll do my best."

Tommy scrambled down the sandy incline, stripping off his shirt as he went. He deposited his shoes and the rest of his clothes next to Kim's. With powerful strokes he propelled himself out to where Kim had dove in, but as Thomas had predicted, Kim was no longer there. Tommy looked around to find the grotto Thomas had mentioned. As he was searching in the fading light, he heard a familiar "Mm!" It sent the blood racing right to his groin.

Tommy swam in the direction of the moan, and found the alcove. He spied Kim laying on the rocks with her hips canted upwards directly beneath a cascade of water. The expression on her face was one of utter bliss. Tommy was intrigued as she uttered a soft moan. Her hips rocked back and forth under the water. It suddenly occurred to Tommy that Kim was using the water to masturbate! Tommy had to bite back a moan. He had watched Kimberly play with herself while they made love, but he had never really seen her masturbate. The thought had his hormones percolating.

Kim's hips thrust at the water more sharply as she tugged at her nipples. Her body writhed as she emitted a needy whimper. Tommy could sense her frustration. The water wasn't taking her to the heights she wanted to reach fast enough. Kim's right hand slipped between her legs. Tommy stifled another groan of his own. He propelled himself closer to where Kim lay twisting and humping on the rock. Her movements grew more frenzied. Her moans crescendoed. Tommy felt no fire within her as he felt a tickling at the back of his mind. Kim was fantasizing; in her mind, Tommy's face was buried between her legs.

"Tommy!" she gasped. "Oh please make me come!" Tommy nearly came as she begged for release. He almost lost his restraint; oh, how he wanted to turn her dream into reality! Her hand continued to stroke her clit fast and furiously. He observed the tremors in her taut muscles. Her back arched. Her head tilted back. Her breath came out in heavy gasps. Tommy held his breath as she teetered just on the verge of orgasm. If she didn't come soon, he was going to have to intervene. He couldn't take it any longer.

"Now, oh now!" Kim shrieked as her body was flooded with waves of orgasmic pleasure. She moaned and whimpered throughout her climax. She did nothing to stifle her exclamations, and they reverberated about the grotto. They were probably audible all the way back to Stranger's Rock. She continued fingering her clit and massaging her breasts until her body no longer quaked with climactic tremors. Kim lazily drew her hand up her body and sucked her come covered fingers into her mouth.

"Mm," she purred indulgently, her face lit with a satisfied glow. "That felt so good!"

"Mind if I try?" Tommy asked, unable to stand by any longer. Watching her lick her juices off her hand had been too much.

"What? Who ... Thomas?" Kim yelped, sitting upright. Confusion, embarrassment, and anger rippled through her. Tommy merely smiled at her. Something in his expression gave her pause, for she peered at him more closely. "No, not Thomas. Tommy?"

"Hello, Beautiful."

"Tommy!" With a cry of joy, Kim flung her arms around him. Her mouth frantically sought his. Her hands wander all over his body, even as his traversed her curves. Their passions were quickly reaching the boiling point. Finally, they had to break for air.

"Kimberly Ann Hart, if you ever run away like that again, I'll ...." Tommy suddenly realized that he was shaking her by her shoulders. When he couldn't come up with a dire enough threat, he settled for smothering her with a hug. "I thought you were gone for good."

"Even after I contacted you?" she teased. Tommy simply glared at her. "I'm sorry, Tommy."

"It doesn't matter any more. I've come to take you back."

"How'd you get here?"

Tommy explained about receiving her letter and how Billy was able to access the time portal.

"I'll be home in under two hours? That's great!"

"If the procedure works," Tommy cautioned her. "We could be stuck here in 1882."

"That wouldn't be so bad now that you're here," Kim said. "Actually, getting dumped here was probably the best thing that could have happened to me."

"How do you figure?"

"Being here, I didn't have time to wallow in anger and self pity. Thomas needed my help, and helping him made me learn things about myself --that I'm stronger than I thought, that my friends will always be watching out for me regardless of what happens, that I love you too much to let Zedd's schemes destroy what we have, and that as long as I believe in myself, I'll always be a Power Ranger. I can't change what happened to me, but I can build on it and look to the future."

"That's powerful stuff," Tommy admitted. "I wish I could say I had as profound thoughts as you. Mostly, I had two things on my mind: worrying about you and wanting you."

"Wanting me?" Kim reiterated with a gulp. Tommy felt like kicking himself. He hadn't wanted to be so blunt; he had wanted to wait and test Kimberly's mood, but the words were said. He wanted to look away from her, but his eyes kept coming back to her lithe body. The water they were standing in only came up to her waist. Water droplets beaded on her fair skin, making Tommy's mouth water as he watched a drop slowly meander down from the hair draped over her shoulder. It coursed over the swell of her breast and continued down to her navel. Tommy took a deep breath and forced himself to look Kim in the eyes.

"When I wasn't busy being frantic over not knowing where you were, whether or not you were cured, and whether you were okay, I was wishing you were back because ....

"I want to make love to you, Kim. I want to make you feel good without Zedd's spell hanging over us, and I want you to do the same to me. I want us to make love because it's what we want for ourselves and not something forced on us by others."

Tommy looked away at last, feeling slightly weak kneed after his confession. He hadn't realized it, but he had been holding Kim's hand as he spoke. For a long while, Kimberly said nothing. Tommy found her silence maddening. Her expression seemed distant, perhaps thoughtful. However, she reached up with her free hand, and with a shy smile, stroked his wet hair. Tommy pulled her to him in a fierce, joyous hug.

"I want to make love to you, too," she whispered as Tommy's mouth began nibbling at her throat. "I've wanted to so badly!"

Driven by his pent-up emotions, Tommy lifted Kim out of the water and guided her legs around his waist. He eased his aching cock into her pussy. Kim moaned with delight then gasped with surprise as he thrust his hips forward with the urgency of his desires. She matched those thrusts with a driving need of her own. She leaned back over his arms, which supported her back, pressing her breasts towards him. He accepted her invitation, and closed his lips around her hard, sweet nipple, licking and sucking to their mutual delight. However, Tommy was barely able to savor her soft mounds as she began riding him hard. Their bodies pounded together, churning the water around them, and their moans echoed throughout the alcove. Tommy came first. Kim glued her lips to his, cutting off his exclamation. While her tongue danced with his, she reached her climax.

"I'm sorry," Tommy panted, collapsing against the rocky shelf. "I just couldn't hold back any longer."

"Me either," Kim said just as breathlessly. She wriggled out of Tommy's embrace and lay down next to him on the rocks. Unexpectedly, she began laughing.

"What's so funny?" Tommy wondered.

"Nothing. Everything. I'm just so happy. It felt so wonderful not to hold back. It didn't hurt or anything. Can we do it again?"

"Sure, but give me a minute or two to recover."

"Let's walk back to the beach." Kim reached over the side of the rocks and grabbed her chemise. She made no move to dress.

"You don't want to go skinny-dipping?" Tommy teased.

"I don't want to be too pooped to fool around. Besides, there's something kind of sexy about walking around the lake with no clothes on."

"I always kind of wanted to make love to you outside and afterwards just lie naked under the stars," Tommy admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

"That's so sweet."

Hand in hand they walked along the water's edge, mostly in companionable silence. Neither wanted to spoil the moment. However, there were other matters preying on Tommy's mind; there were questions that needed to be answered.

"Kim, do you know for certain that you lost your powers?" Tommy ventured. "You may not have; I didn't lose mine. Ninjor said it was because my motives were not based on appetite."

"I don't know; I just assumed that they were gone after what happened. I never tried morphing, but I can't see how I could have kept them. The desire to have sex with you was there already; Zedd's spell just blew it out of proportion."

"I brought your Morpher ...."

"I'd rather wait until we get home. If my powers are really and truly gone ... I don't want to spoil our evening."

As they reached the beach and their abandoned clothing, Kim paused and looked up at Stranger's Rock. She could see Thomas' shadow splayed against the formation in the firelight.

"You know, he is you, and he isn't," she murmured thoughtfully. "He's ... I don't know, more innocent. I could make him blush without even trying. The first day or so I had some trouble with calling him Tommy, but after that I began to see Thomas as his own person."

"Tuesday night I had this really wild dream," Tommy began carefully. "It was a dream, and yet it wasn't. It was like something we shared through our link. You were suffering a relapse from the spell and had come to me for help, only I was me and I wasn't me. We were going at it in the cave under Stranger's Rock."

"Tuesday night?" Kim queried nervously. "I had the same dream, but that was the night I was strung out from a poisoned bite. I couldn't have reached you through our link; I couldn't touch you at all once I fell through the time hole."

"Kim, could you have had a relapse?"

"That afternoon I thought I felt the black flames, but it was only the fever induced by that bite."

"Did you feel the flames at any other time?"

"No, I don't think ... wait a minute. I did! When Doc first came to patch Thomas' bullet wound. I was still a little disoriented from falling through the time hole. I was sitting on Thomas, trying to hold him still so Doc could remove the bullet. I remember stroking his hair, trying to keep him calm. He had a major erection; I could feel it rub against me every time his body spasmed. It felt so good and at the same time ...." The words died on Kim's lips. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide. She reminded Tommy of a frightened rabbit poised to flee. "Oh my gosh, Tommy, I did have a relapse, but after I had that dream, all the symptoms were gone. That means when I was dreaming of making love to you, I ...."

"You sought help from Thomas," Tommy finished for her.

"Oh no!" she gasped, burying her face in her hands. "How could I have done that to him ... to you? That explains why he was so uneasy and embarrassed the following morning and why he asked all those questions. He never said a word ... Tommy, I could just die!"

"It's all right, Kim. You needed the help; you did what you had to, to survive," Tommy said consolingly.

"You're not angry?" Kim asked, surprised.

"Actually, I had hoped that you were somewhere near one of my ancestors. I had hoped that if you did have a relapse and needed help, one of them would have been able to help you out. I didn't want you to die because I couldn't be there for you."

"What about Thomas? What must he think of me?"

"He was a little embarrassed and guilty at first, but once he knew the reason for your actions, he was glad he was able to save your life as you saved his. He didn't tell you because he didn't want you to feel badly."

"How do you know that? Did he tell you?"

"While I was in the cave in our time, I found a footlocker. In it was Thomas' diary. I read about it in there."

"Really? Does his diary say if he found what he was looking for? Did he find someone special?" Kim asked eagerly. Tommy saw that the question really mattered to her.

"I only read up to the part where he mentioned you jumping him. I did peek at the last page, though; the diary covers up to his final days, so if he did find himself a girl, it'll be in there."

"Oh, I hope he found someone really special," Kim said earnestly. "He's been through so much, he really deserves to find some happiness."

"I kind of got the impression that he does." Tommy gave Kim a reassuring hug, his hands smoothing down the length of her body. She responded with a purr of contentment. As he stood there holding her, a mischievous grin tugged at Tommy's lips. "So, how was it making love to my great-great-great grandfather?"

"Tommy!" Kim squealed in protest. "It'd serve you right if I said he was better in bed than you were." Tommy simply laughed. Kim scowled at him but couldn't keep from smiling.

"I guess I'll just have to refresh my memory." With that, she slid her fingers over his abdomen and up around his neck.

Tommy lifted her off the ground to kiss her. His kiss was gentle, his tongue probing hers with a soft, lingering caress. As his mouth engaged hers, Tommy lowered Kim to the cooling sand. He let his mouth roam, teasing and tasting all of her body. His oral attentions had Kim wriggling most deliciously. As he swirled his tongue over her nipples, she pressed his head deeper into her bosom. Her fingers romped through his hair as he nuzzled her soft mounds. She whimpered pleadingly when he drew back, but her complaint became a sigh of contentment as he dusted her body with his hair. When he had tantalized her from head to toe, Tommy lay down beside her, then lifted her on top of himself, placing her so that she was straddling his cock.

"Would you mind ...." he began awkwardly. The only other time he had made this request was in the heat of Kim's spell induced frenzy. He wasn't sure how she'd respond under ordinary circumstances.

"What?" she prompted, curious about his hesitancy.

"I really like watching you touch yourself," he confessed. Kim regarded him through half closed eyes. When she smiled, it was both loving and lustful. Then, she sat up straight. She started by running her hands up around her neck and head. She lifted her hair and slowly let it fall from her fingers. Caressing her face, she sucked a finger into her mouth. She drew the moistened digit out and traced a glistening trail down her neck to her chest and between her breasts. She felt Tommy's growing excitement as his manhood twitched between her legs; she could see it in the flush in his face, and hear it in the sound of his quickening breath.

His obvious enjoyment spurred Kimberly on. She cupped her breasts and squeezed them gently, kneading the soft flesh. She outlined her areolas and pinched her nipples. She pulled at them and rolled her palms over them, making them harder. She wet her finger and coated her tits. She was getting into playing with herself. She felt the heat building between her legs. Her hips were starting to grind against Tommy's imprisoned cock. She felt so sexy playing with her body while Tommy watched. Her hands wandered lower until her fingers brushed her light brown curls. She paused, stopped by a momentary twinge of self-consciousness.

"Please?" Tommy requested. He reached for one of her hands and placed it on her pussy. He parted her lips so that her fingers could find the hot wetness between her legs.

A shudder racked Kim's body as her fingers slid up and down the length of her slit. As they reached beneath her, her fingers grazed Tommy's cock so that he, too, shuddered. Her hips rocked against her own hand. When at last she touched her clit, her head dropped back, and a moan rumbled up from deep within her chest. Her hips thrust with greater urgency as she stimulated the hardened knob. Tommy's hips began moving with her. The tremors that shook her body grew in intensity. She was on the verge of coming.

"Not yet," Tommy said suddenly, pulling her hand away.

"Tommy, please!" she pleaded.

"As much as I want to watch you make yourself come, I'd rather eat you instead." So saying, he grabbed her hips and pulled her forward until she was sitting directly over his mouth.

"Oh!" she squeaked as he thrust his tongue into her slit. He lapped at the juices already trickling from her gash. His tongue tormented her throbbing clit with teasing licks. There was nothing tentative in the way Kim played with her body as she rode Tommy's face. She ground her hips hard against his chin, forcing his tongue deeper into her. Tommy had his hands full of her ass cheeks; it was the only way he could leave enough room so he could breathe. He felt it in the tightening of her muscles; she was close again, but he wasn't ready to let her come. With a strong, fluid move, Tommy forced Kim off his face and onto the ground. Then, he was on top of her, easing his cock into her eager pussy.

"I want this to last a good, long while," he said as he slowly pumped his rod into her.

"No fair!" she gasped, but Tommy's mouth silenced further protests. His hands wandered her writhing body; with alternating gentle and rough strokes, he played with her breasts. His hands combed through her hair.

"Tommy, please!" she pleaded. He continued with his slow, easy strokes while she wriggled under him. He bent his head to her breasts, licking and nibbling gently. It was too much for Kim to take. "Well, if you won't make me come, I will!" As Kim reached a hand between their bodies, Tommy sat back, spreading her legs wide. He continued pumping and stroking her inner thighs as her fingers massaged her clit. Kim started going wild. She moaned and whimpered with abandon. She tossed her head from side to side. Her back arched sharply. Tommy's eyes snapped wide open as the walls of her pussy clamped tightly around his organ. The grip grew stronger and stronger as her moans grew more and more intense. Tommy had to stop his thrusts as her orgasm hit. He couldn't have moved his cock if he wanted to, Kim clutched him so tightly. She wrapped her legs around his waist as all the tension in her body exploded into ecstatic gyrations.

After such an intense release, Tommy expected Kim to be exhausted, but her orgasm only served to fuel her fires. The moment she recovered, she smiled up at Tommy hungrily. Directing Tommy's hands to support her, she sat up, keeping his cock securely in place. When she could reach his mouth, she attacked it savagely.

"Oh wow," Tommy whimpered helplessly when Kim finally let him up for air.

"It's your turn to be teased," she warned him. Her filthy cute predatory grin turned Tommy into a quivering mass of hormones. The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back. "Let's see how you like being brought to the brink without being allowed to come."

She started with his hair, burying her face in his locks. She found his ear lobe and bathed it thoroughly with her tongue, and then she licked her way around the outer rim of his ear. From there she kissed his eyes, his cheeks, his mouth again, and then licked her way down his neck, pausing to swirl her tongue in the hollow of his throat. She continued her tongue bath down his chest, outlining his pectorals, then descending upon his nipples. Tommy sighed deeply as her tongue flickered across the sensitive flesh. From there she made her way down the ripples of his abdominal muscles, but she stopped before she reached his groin. Kim raised herself up over him, favored him with an evil grin, then shook her hair down.

It was Tommy's turn to experience the exquisite softness of her hair as it brushed across his hot body. He gave a sudden jerk as she draped her hair across his engorged cock. The feathery light caress felt indescribably delicious, and he whimpered in helpless ecstasy as her locks tickled his balls.

"Do it some more," he groaned when she continued to work her way down his legs.

"You hush," Kim chided him. She had something else in mind, but she did use her hair to dust her way back up to his crotch. She licked her lips as she contemplated his cock. It was achingly hard and a shade of reddish purple. It was sticky with her come. If Tommy really got off on watching her play with herself, he was going to love this. "Aw, your poor cock is all sticky. It looks like I made a real mess when I came all over you. I don't want to play with a dirty dick, so I guess I'll just have to clean it up."

"What are you going to ... oh man ...!" Kim swallowed his cock with a swift bob of the head. Her tongue danced round and round, licking up every trace of her come from his organ. It was almost enough to make Tommy shoot his load down her throat.

"Mm, much better," she murmured, carefully licking her lips. Tommy felt another hormonal rush shoot through his body. Kim commenced giving him a blowjob that was torturously slow but exacting in detail. Her tongue left no part of his cock untouched. She even licked her way down past the root until she reached the curve of his ass. She hollowed out her mouth and sucked his cock in, being careful to keep her teeth and tongue off his rod. As her head worked him up and down, she hummed a little tune to keep her rhythm. Her fingers reached down to play with his ass, and she managed to slide a digit down the length of his crack. Just when Tommy thought it couldn't get any better, Kim changed positions. She knelt between his legs and swallowed his cock head on. On the downward stroke, she shook her head so that her hair danced across his skin.

"I can't take much more of this," Tommy growled.

"Good," Kim giggled and immediately ceased the blowjob.

"Kimberly!"

"Why do you want to fuck my mouth, when you can fuck my pussy instead?" she queried. She reversed herself and presented her bottom to him.

"You are wild when you're horny," Tommy said as he sat up. He ran his hands over her smooth, rounded cheeks in a lingering caress. While he was busy admiring her ass, Kim reached between her legs and guided his prick into position. With a sharp, backwards thrust, she sat back on his shaft.

"I can't help it," she replied around a moan.

"Don't be sorry; I like it." Tommy eased Kimberly up until she leaned back against his chest. She reached up to anchor her arms around his neck while he reached around to play with her tits. His fingers danced down her body until they petted the curls covering her mound. Tommy slipped a finger between the swollen lips and gently stroked her clit. As he played with her body, Tommy relaxed his mind, opening himself to their link. Kim acknowledged his presence by releasing her guard. They were completely open to each other, touching each other's thoughts and emotions and feeling each other's pleasure.

Together, they both said recognizing that their bodies were close. Tommy shifted position one last time, so that he could better hold Kim. With mind and body locked together, they rocked together harder and faster. When their orgasms hit, it was like their senses were flooded with white fire. Their cries of joy echoed in their minds as their mouths smothered them with a kiss. They held each other tight as their bodies trembled with the power of their mutual explosion.

Slowly, sanity seeped in. Both experienced a moment of disorientation upon finding themselves back in their own heads. They lay on the beach, gasping for breath, their bodies coated with sweat and sand.

"Wow," Kim sighed. She felt as if she could fall asleep even though all 167 pounds of Tommy lay heavy atop her.

"Double wow," Tommy groaned. He rolled off her. The two lay side by side staring up at the November sky. Tommy pulled Kim into his arms and lay cuddling with her for several minutes.

"So," Tommy ventured at last. "Do you still think Thomas was better in bed than me?"

"I don't know," Kim teased. "Why don't we get him down here so I can fuck him and compare notes." Tommy gaped at her in utter disbelief.

"You should see your face!" Kim tittered. Although Kim was joking, Tommy wasn't sure if she was really serious or not. Still, he played along.

"You couldn't handle the two of us."

"It'd be fun to try." They both burst out laughing, which quickly dissolved into a kiss. Their embrace was interrupted by the clanging of a bell. Kim sat up, instantly alert.

"Trouble," she said, quickly getting to her feet.

"Actually, I think it's the dinner bell," Tommy remarked. "Thomas said he was cooking a pot of chili."

"Yum! I'm starved." Kim reached for the clothing Thomas had left her. As she unfolded the shirt, she sighed heavily. "You know, this will probably be our last time for a while."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't risk you losing your powers. We'll just have to restrain ourselves until Zordon retires you from the team."

"But ...."

"You know I'm right, Tommy. What if Zordon somehow finds a way to regenerate my powers? I don't want to risk losing them a second time."

"I know. If this was the last time we get to have sex for a while, at least we have something pretty special to remember."

"Yeah, it was that." Kim sighed again and brushed at the sand on her arms. "Gross, there's sand everywhere; I hate that."

"Maybe you need another bath." Quick as a wink, Tommy scooped Kim up and tossed her out into the water. She landed with a scream and a splash. Tommy was doubled over with laughter as Kim surfaced. He took a step backwards as she advanced towards him menacingly. He grabbed her clothes and threw them at her, hoping to slow her down. She caught them in stride. Tommy had no choice but to flee up the hill with Kim in hot pursuit.

The two reached the clearing in the crescent, breathing hard and laughing. Much to Thomas' amazement, Tommy was only half dressed, his shirt sort of tucked into his waistband and flapping out behind him. Kim wasn't wearing a stitch. Tommy dashed around Thomas, trying to keep him between Kimberly and himself.

"You're dead meat when I get my hands on you," Kim glowered, trying to circle around him.

"You can kill me later. Right now, don't you think you should go get dressed," Tommy recommended, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice. Kim scowled at Tommy and glanced over at Thomas. His face sported a scarlet blush. Kim felt the heat race into her cheeks, too; however, she pulled herself up with every ounce of dignity she could muster and approached Thomas.

"I know what you did for me, Thomas, when I had my relapse. I wanted to thank you." Before Thomas could demure, Kim pulled him to her by the lapels, flung her arms around him, and kissed him passionately. Thomas nearly toppled over, and his flailing arms wrapped themselves around Kim's naked body. Tommy stood back, watching in amazement and amusement. Kim kissed Thomas long and hard, and when she finally let him up for air, she fixed Tommy with an imperious glare that dared him to say anything. Then she marched back into the cave.

"Damn," Tommy murmured, letting out a long, slow breath. He noticed that Thomas looked a little unsteady. Recalling that he was recovering from a bullet wound, Tommy moved over to help him.

"You okay?" Tommy queried.

"I think so," Thomas said, sucking in a deep breath. "What was that all about?"

"I've no idea, and I don't think it'd be wise to ask," Tommy said. He sat down next to Thomas and accepted a bowl of chili. "By the way, your timing was perfect with the dinner bell."

"Actually, your voices carried quite a ways," Thomas confessed uncomfortably. Tommy merely smiled.

"Whoa, this stuff is good but hot!" Tommy yelped, washing down the chili with some water. It was Thomas' turn to smile.

"It's my own recipe. While I was traveling, I learned all sorts of different ways to make chili, so I just combined the parts I liked from each recipe. One fella told me his recipe had been handed down for generations in his family."

"This one is definitely worth passing down," Tommy said.

"The family must not have done a very good job of sharing it, since you don't know about it," Thomas remarked. The two sat quietly for a moment. "Kim said you didn't know much about your family history. I was sort of wondering why."

"I'm adopted," Tommy explained. "My mom is a nurse; she told me that my natural parents died in a car wreck when I was just a couple of months old. She was working at the hospital the night it happened. The authorities tried to track down some family but couldn't find anyone, so I was put up for adoption. I never said much about it because it's no big deal. I never felt like I was missing out or anything like that."

"I lost my folks when I was a baby, too; only, I had my brother and gran to look after me," Thomas added.

"This keeps getting weirder and weirder," Tommy concluded.

"Hey, did you guys save me any chili?" Kim queried brightly as she emerged from the cave. She still wore Thomas' whites, but she had the pants rolled low on her hips and fastened with a rope. The shirt was tied under her breast bone and was barely buttoned. Both men were staring at her in undisguised appreciation. "I hope you don't mind that I'm still wearing these. I meant to put my chemise back on, but it's still wet, and when it's wet it's practically see through."

"No problem, Kim," Thomas choked out. "You're welcome to keep the clothes if you like. I won't be needing them now that there's no longer a need for the White Stranger."

"There will always be a need for people who stand up for what's right and protect the innocent," Tommy said.

"I guess that's why your time needs the Power Rangers."

"Hey you two, we've got company," Kim hissed. In the darkness came the sound of approaching hooves. Kim and Tommy got to their feet, poised in defensive stances. Thomas also stood, impressed with his companions' responses and the way they moved together. His night vision was much keener than either Tommy or Kimberly's, and he was able to make out the riders' faces.

"At ease, you two. It's only Doc and William," Thomas reported. As they drew nearer, a third rider was visible. Thomas limped forward to greet them. "What brings you all out here at this hour?"

"I didn't get a chance to thank Miss Kim earlier," Doc said. He looked at Kim; his eyes went wide. He had gotten used to seeing her in Thomas' clothing, but not as she was presently wearing them. Unbelievably, he felt himself blushing. Then he caught sight of Tommy, and his mouth dropped open.

"Tommy, I'd like you to meet my great-great-great-great grandfather Zachariah Hart. That's William Mitchel, Billy's great-great-great grandfather, and behind them is ... Joshua?" Karen Hart's husband had the same features as his father and the descendants that Kimberly knew.

"Father told me a little of what was going on, but I didn't believe it when he told me that you and Karen ...." Joshua was too stunned to continue.

Tommy had shaken hands with Zachariah, but he felt somewhat at a loss when he greeted William.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw Miss Kim and Miss Karen together, and now seeing you and the White Stranger ...." William stammered.

"Same here. I look at you and see Billy, and I keep wanting to ask how you got back here when you're supposed to be at the Command Center operating the time portal," Tommy said.

"What was it you wanted, Grandpa Zach?" Kim wondered.

"I just wanted to tell you that you did a real fine job today and that I'm real proud of you. I was wrong about what I said to you a few days ago."

"Thanks, Grandpa Zach, that really means a lot to me."

"How's Karen, Doc?" Thomas queried.

"Her arm was broken. She's at home resting. She had quite an afternoon," Zachariah reported. "She mentioned that the White Stranger looked exactly like her, so I told her it was a trick of the sun."

"I only hope that this whole adventure hasn't proved too unsettling for her," Joshua spoke up. "I was really worried about her coming out to such raw territory, even though I knew she was going to be staying with my father. She was bred to be a lady, not a homesteader."

"Don't sell Karen short," Tommy said. "If she's anything like Kim, she has more spirit and strength of will than the three of you put together."

"I am inclined to agree," Thomas added. "Kim and I couldn't have brought Jack down without her cooperation."

"You don't know Karen as I do," Joshua objected. His words faltered as Tommy suddenly walked past him. Tommy extended his hand to someone lurking beyond the horses.

"Hi there; you must be Karen," he said. The others turned as Karen emerged from her hiding place. She accepted Tommy's hand hesitantly. Her eyes were wide as she looked him over.

"Karen, what are you doing here?" Zachariah queried.

"How did you get here?" Joshua asked.

"I followed you," Karen said. Her eyes continued to drift from Tommy to Thomas; her expression was one of astonishment.

"Whatever for?" Josh queried.

"I wanted to prove that I wasn't seeing things. I know what I saw this afternoon." She fixed her husband and father-in-law with a defiant glare, much like the one Kim had given Tommy after she had kissed Thomas. Tommy favored her with a warm grin but held his laughter in check. With a swish of her skirts, Karen walked around the men and came to stand in front of Kim. The two regarded each other without saying a word. Neither seemed to know what to say to the other. Then, they both sighed wistfully.

"How's the arm?" Kim queried.

"It will mend. Zachariah said that you did a good job with the splint," Karen answered cautiously. "You were something else this afternoon."

"I just did what had to be done," Kim said modestly. "You were pretty awesome yourself. I don't imagine too many women around here would have been able to keep their cool the way you did. You didn't faint; you didn't carry on, and the way you followed my orders without hesitation ... not many people could have done that." Kim's words were more for the benefit of the menfolk than for Karen.

"How did you know that I could speak French?"

"I didn't. French is the only other language I know, and I figured Jack wouldn't know it," Kim confessed with a shrug.

"I think that if I'm even a little bit the woman you are, I shall count myself lucky," Karen remarked, to Kim's surprise.

"You want to be like me?"

"I think you already are," Thomas commented. The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a musical chiming. Both Kim and Tommy brightened at hearing it while the others were completely mystified.

"I read you," Tommy answered the call. As he spoke into his communicator, William drew closer to get a better look.

"It's Billy," came the reply. William was astounded to hear his own voice emanating from the watch-like device. "Have you located Kimberly? I had to turn off the viewing globe in order to conserve power so that I could punch this audio signal through without activating the time portal." There was a catch in his voice that Tommy found intriguing. He wondered if Billy had turned the viewing globe off when he and Kim started feeling frisky. Tommy glanced over at Kim; apparently the same thought had occurred to her because she was blushing faintly.

"I'm here, Billy," she responded.

"It's good to hear your voice," Billy said with relief. "I'm going to activate the time portal in five minutes. Make sure you're at the designated co-ordinates. We're only going to get one shot at this."

"Right. We're on our way. Tommy out."

"Where do you need to go?" Thomas queried.

"Inside the cave," Tommy said. Tommy and Kim led the way, and their ancestors and friends followed.

"Bye, Thomas, I'm going to miss you," Kim said, giving him a firm hug.

"It was good knowing you, Kim," Thomas answered, returning the hug. "When you get back to your time, check for my foot locker. I'll try and find some way to let you know how things turn out here. There was one last thing I wanted to know; Soaring Falcon told me you had seen several spirits when you climbed the bluff. Did you see your spirit guide? What was it?"

"I am the crane, agile and graceful," Kim replied, copying the words she had said to Ninjor when she first claimed her Ninja powers. She managed a brave smile and caught Tommy's hand as she returned to his side. The first rainbow-like flicker of the time portal appeared. Kim fastened her communicator around her wrist.

"Activating teleportation sequence now," Tommy directed, and the two disappeared into the halo of light.

-------------------------------------

Chapter 15

Tommy and Kimberly reappeared within the crescent of Stranger's Rock, landing in a heap on the sandy grass. Kim quickly scrambled to her feet. Her eyes were drawn to the south.

"Look, city lights! We're home!" she shouted gleefully.

"Kim! Tommy!" Aisha shouted as she and the others teleported onto the scene. Kim was quickly lost in the mob of a group hug.

"Thanks, Billy," Kim said, her embrace of him lingering longer than it had for the others.

"Let's get you to the Command Center," Billy said as he composed himself. "Zordon has to run some bio-scans to ascertain your condition."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Kim pouted, but Billy's expression was stern. "All right. Let's get this over with."

The six teleported to the Command Center, but only five materialized.

"Billy, where's Kim?" Tommy asked anxiously.

"Her signal is trapped in the morphing grid. The Command Center's security field is blocking her out," Billy said.

"Can you get her through?"

"It's too risky. I'll have to set her down outside."

"Zordon, it's not fair!" Tommy protested.

"I am sorry, Tommy; there’s nothing I can do. Kim has lost the protection of the Power."

"Hey guys, where are you?" Kim radioed.

"We're in the Command Center," Billy answered, his voice choked. "Your signal didn't get through. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it; I sort of expected it," she said. Billy activated the viewing globe. Kim didn't appear to be upset; she looked rather thoughtful. "Billy, can you teleport me back to Stranger's Rock?"

"Will do."

"I'll meet you there," Tommy said. His shoulders slumped in defeat as the globe went dark.

"I'm really sorry, Tommy," Billy reiterated.

"We all are," Aisha added.

"What will we do now, Zordon?" Adam wondered.

"We must find a suitable candidate to assume the role of the Pink Ranger," Zordon said.

"No!" Tommy objected. "There has to be something we can do to get Kim's powers back. We can't let Zedd get away with this."

"Zedd has merely won one battle; he has not won the war," Zordon answered.

"Kim deserves better than that," Tommy snapped, then he teleported out.

-------------------------------------

When he reappeared at Stranger's Rock, he didn't see Kimberly anywhere around.

"Kim?" he called out.

"In the cave," she called back. Tommy crawled inside and found that she had lit a small fire. She looked about the cave. Moments ago, it had been a place she had lived in for nearly a week. That home no longer existed. A hundred and thirteen years had passed. The sights, the smells, the textures were all different.

"White Lightning was stabled over there," Kim said sadly, pointing to the far side of the cave. "It's so empty in here."

"Thomas' footlocker is still here," Tommy said, hoping to cheer her up. He pulled the chest out and opened it. Together they looked through the relics that had once belonged to Thomas.

"Here's his chili pot," Kim noted. As she looked inside, she spied a piece of paper. "Hey, look; he left us his recipe."

"What's this? I don't remember seeing it when I went through this stuff earlier," Tommy murmured, pulling out a garment. It was Kim's silk chemise; the rose color had faded, but otherwise it was in good condition. "How'd this get here?"

"I left it for Thomas, sort of a keepsake," Kim replied. "You said earlier that you found a diary?"

"Yeah, I left it back home."

"I'd like to see it; I want to know what happens to Thomas."

"Sure, we can stop by my house and get it on your way back to the Campbells."

Tommy and Kim abandoned the cave and headed down the hillside. Kim seemed to be lost in thought.

"I guess I got my answer about my powers," she said at last.

"Kim, there has to be something we can do."

"We can start looking for a new Pink Ranger ...."

"No way!" Tommy interrupted.

"... or we can find a way to get my powers back."

"Do you have an idea?" Tommy asked hopefully.

"No, but let me think on it a bit. Our powers were as much a part of ourselves as they were the Power Coins. Being a Ranger means too much to me to give it up without a fight."

-------------------------------------

Kim wiped at her eyes as she read that passage. She had been unable to sleep, so she had slipped down to the Campbells' family room to read Thomas' diary.

It caused quite a stir when I married Shining Crane, not that Soaring Falcon had any problems with it. Even True of Heart, her father, didn't seem to mind, but the rest of the tribe and the people in Angel Grove .. ! We didn't care. We were happy. We had a little place on the outskirts of the city that wasn't too far from the tribal lands. When our daughter was born a year later, she was given the tribal name of Wild Rose. I had Doc Hart make her out a regular birth certificate and asked him to put her name as Kimberly Rose. Rose was the only child Shining Crane and I had. Rose's birth was so difficult that we didn't want to risk Shining Crane's life by having a second, so I can see why the family name got lost.

Kim skipped over several pages, but she stopped when she ran across a section where the penmanship was unusually shaky.

Shining Crane died the year Rose turned thirteen. I was devastated. I loved my wife dearly, and to lose her to pneumonia ... she caught cold while trying to save one of her sister's children from a flash flood. I spent a lot of time up on the bluff after her death. Sometimes, I still go up there. It's as if I can almost feel her presence. True of Heart said that when two people love each other, no barrier can keep them apart. I truly believe that. After all, a hundred years couldn't keep Kim and Tommy apart.

A place of great power and magic, Kim mused, thinking about the bluff. Kim closed the diary. She had an idea.

-------------------------------------

"Did living out in the desert for a week completely fry Kim's brain or what?" Rocky groaned as he met the others at Stranger's Rock. He shivered in the pre-dawn chill.

"Kim didn't ask you guys here; I did," Tommy said. "She contacted me and said that she had a way to get her powers back. I thought you might like to be here."

"Of course we would," Billy agreed. "Where is Kimberly?"

"Up there." Tommy pointed to the top of Stranger's Rock. Kim was sitting as if meditating. She was still dressed in the clothes she had borrowed from Thomas.

"How long has she been out here?" Adam wondered.

"Are you picking up anything from her?" Billy asked.

"Nothing much. She seems to be really calm and at peace with herself," Tommy said.

"That's a good sign, I suppose."

Kim stood up at last and stretched. Her eyes were focused on the bluff across the narrow stretch of lake. She undid the knot in her shirt and slipped off her borrowed trousers.

"Kim?" Tommy called out, hoping she wasn't going to strip completely. She shook her head as if clearing it, then she smiled down at her friends. She flipped down from her perch.

"What are you all doing here?" she wondered.

"I called them," Tommy said. "I thought you might like to have us all here for moral support."

"That's really sweet of you all, thanks."

"What do you have in mind?" Billy queried.

"The way I figure it, my powers aren't going to come back on their own," Kim explained. "Not only did Zedd destroy my purity of body, he really did a number on my emotions and my confidence in myself. Remember how we couldn't use our powers after Goldar used the Crystal of Nightmares on us? The only way I'm going to get my powers back is if I prove myself worthy to reclaim them."

"How are you going to do that?" Adam queried. "We had to go to the Desert of Despair and find Ninjor's temple to get our powers back."

"This bluff is a place of great power, too, if you have a noble heart and courageous spirit and if you truly believe. Soaring Falcon told me that this was a place of great magic and that those who climbed the bluff would find what he or she was searching for. I was able to climb the cliff once I had resolved my inner conflict over what had happened to me and once I realized that my powers weren't the only things that made me a Ranger. After I made peace with myself, I was able to find Tommy. I'm confident that if I scale the bluff this time, I'll be able to find my powers again." With that, Kim waded out into the cold, gray waters.

"Wait a sec," Tommy called out. She came back to the shore as he stepped forward. He kissed her softly. "For luck. I believe too."

"If anyone has a courageous heart, it's you," Billy said, also coming forward and offering her a peck on the cheek.

"I know you can do it," Aisha declared, giving Kim a hug.

"Go for it," Rocky added with a hug of his own.

"You'll find the power," Adam said, also giving her a hug.

As Kim swam out, she fought down the swelling tide of nervousness. She had no room for doubt in her heart. She felt the glow of Tommy's thoughts; his love and encouragement were like a beacon shining in the back of her mind. She could almost feel the others' thoughts as well. She would not fail her friends. She would not fail herself.

Older than time, man has always known the calling.

Ninjor's words leaped into her mind, as she reached the base of the cliff. She looked up and saw the path of hand and foot holds that she had followed Wednesday afternoon to find her friend's spirit animals waiting for her. She closed her eyes. Her heart knew the way. As she climbed, she continued reciting the litany.

Light of the light, strength of the soul

Ignite this eternal power inside me.

I am Ninja!

I am pure of heart, body, mind, and spirit.

Join with me now as I become one with the power of Ninja.

Kim was almost near the top. The transformation had not yet occurred. Undaunted, she went on with a chant of her own.

I am a Power Ranger, sworn to serve and protect. I have been one with the pterodactyl and the firebird....

Down on the beach, Tommy raised his eyes to the top of the bluff. Neither he nor any of the others could see how Kim had managed to climb the almost sheer facing. In his mind he heard the words Kim was proclaiming as she pulled herself over the edge. As she turned to face the rising sun, Tommy softly repeated her words for the others to hear.

"I have stood with the Ape, mighty and strong. I have fought beside the Bear, cunning and fierce. I have stalked with the Wolf, silent and sure, and I have learned from the frog, courageous of spirit."

Kim slowly raised her hands to the sky. The breeze blew her soaking wet shirt loosely about her. Kim had her eyes closed and raised her voice for all to hear.

"I have soared with the Falcon, just and able! I am the Crane, agile and graceful; we are one!"

Dawn broke, shedding its rosy glow on Kimberly's tiny frame. A sudden blast of wind ripped out of nowhere, battering her body and tearing her shirt away. Kim withstood the winds and stood naked in the splendor of the sunrise. There was a lump in Tommy's throat as Kim seemed to be enveloped in a nimbus of pink light. He had never seen her look more beautiful or more confident as she stood with her arms outstretched to embrace the new day.

"NINJA POWER RANGER!"

In a brilliant flash of light, Kimberly transformed into the colorfully garbed Pink Ninja Ranger.

"She did it! All right!" Tommy cheered, exchanging high fives with the others.

Kimberly slowly lowered her arms and opened her eyes. She heard the shouts and whoops of joy from below. Tears of joy welled in her eyes as she looked down at her costume, but she was not ready to celebrate yet. She pulled out her power Morpher. It glistened in the early day light as if it were brand new.

"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME! PINK RANGER POWER!"

A crackle of energy and a flash of light surrounded Kim. Moments later, Kimberly transformed into the Pink Ranger. She felt stronger and more capable than ever before. On the beach below, her friends were giddy with delight. In her mind, she felt the happiness that bubbled up within Tommy.

"So, what do you think, Soaring Falcon?" Kim whispered as she spied a bird of prey in the distance. She didn't need to see it up close to know that it was a falcon. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she heard a voice like the sighing of the wind say "Well done, She Who Sees Many Spirits."

Kim waved at her friends then powered down, stripping away her uniform. Once again she felt the power surging within her, waiting to be called forth. She felt like celebrating. She backed away from the cliff's edge then charged forward at full speed. With a triumphant "yee-ha!" she launched herself off the bluff and dove into the lake.

"Way to go, Kim!" Tommy shouted as he started towards the water's edge, stripping off his clothes as he went.

"Uh, Tommy ...." Billy began uncertainly.

"Last one in is Zedd's brother-in-law!" Tommy declared as he dove into the waves.

"All right, skinny-dipping," Rocky cheered. "Count me in." He stripped and jumped into the lake. "Cripes, that's cold!" Billy, Aisha, and Adam looked at each other helplessly.

"Kim could have at least warned us to bring swimming suits," Adam murmured.

"I've always wondered what it would be like to go skinny-dipping," Aisha remarked as she, too, doffed her clothes and splashed out into the water. As she swam off, Billy turned to Adam.

"I don't know about you, but I have no desire to be placed in the same category as Rito Revolto," he said.

"Me either," Adam agreed, and the two began to strip.

Tommy finally reached Kim in the middle of the water and tossed her into the air.

"You were awesome!" he cheered as he caught her. He pulled her close and kissed her hard.

"Mm," Kim purred as she went back for seconds with gusto.

"Hey, I thought you said no more sex," Tommy teased her as her hands began exploring.

"This isn't sex, just heavy petting," she retorted.

"Behave yourself, here come the others."

"Really? Billy and Adam too?" She peered over his shoulder. "They don't have any clothes on!"

"Neither do we."

"How'd you convince everyone to come skinny-dipping?"

"Would you want to be Zedd's brother-in-law?"

"Rito? Ugh, no way!" Kim splashed Tommy, and he picked her up again and tossed her over his shoulder. She careened headlong into the water, splashing down just as Rocky reached the pair. She resurfaced and was almost forced under again as she was swamped with jubilant hugs from her friends.

-------------------------------------

"Hey, Bulkie, tell me again, how did we end up with dawn patrol?" Skull asked with a yawn. Both he and Bulk were in uniform patrolling the stretch of beach around Indian Lake.

"How should I know? It was probably your fault."

"You know, sometimes I think Officer Stone doesn't like us," Skull rambled on.

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock. Geez, I hate this stretch. No one ever comes way out here to swim."

"Check it out, Bulk; there's someone out in the water."

"Get real. This is November. Who'd be dumb enough to go swimming in an unsecured area at this time of the morning?"

"Actually, it looks like Tommy and the geek squad."

"Yeah, and ... it looks like they don't have any clothes on!" The two junior police officers hurried down to the water front. "Look, here's their clothes."

"Isn't skinny-dipping against the law or something?"

"We can nail these guys for indecent exposure," Bulk said with obvious glee. "All right, you in the water, come on out!"

-------------------------------------

"Uh oh, guys, looks like we're busted," Rocky noted.

"How humiliating, caught by Bulk and Skull," Aisha groaned.

"Great, they have our clothes," Adam said. "What do we do?"

"I think I know how to handle this," Kim said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"What do you have in mind?" Tommy asked suspiciously.

"They only found five sets of clothes on the beach since my pants are up on Stranger's Rock and my shirt is on the bluff. They'll only be expecting five swimmers. Head in to shore, but don't come out of the water until I give the signal." With that, Kim slipped under the water.

-------------------------------------

"I can't believe this," Skull cackled. "Wait'll they hear about this in school. The goody two-shoes gang caught naked in public. It's just too bad Kimberly isn't with them."

"Come on, hurry it up you guys. We don't have all morning," Bulk ordered.

"Bulkmeier, Skullovitch, at-ten-tion!" Kim barked in her best drill sergeant voice. She had swum around to the bend where the grotto used to be and had crept up to a boulder behind Bulk and Skull. She could say one thing for their police training; it taught them obedience. "About face!" The would-be police officers turned, standing rigid. Skull offered a salute. Kim stepped out from behind the rock and motioned for the others to come forward.

"What is this? Officers stealing clothing from the beach? Drop those garments, boys."

"Yessir, officer sir," Skull gasped.

"We were only ... hey, you're not a police officer," Bulk gasped, sneaking a peek. "Kimberly?"

"Eyes up, front and center or I'll report you for being peeping Toms," she threatened.

"We're the junior police officers here," Bulk argued, "and public nudity is in violation of code ...."

"Is this a public beach?" Kim demanded.

"Not really," Skull replied. Behind him, Aisha scampered out of the water and collected her clothing.

"Are there any signs saying no skinny-dipping?" Kim continued. Rocky and Adam followed Aisha's lead.

"Well, no."

"Does my state of undress rouse your sense of moral outrage?" Billy and Tommy waded to shore.

"Moral outrage isn't exactly what you're arousing," Bulk answered.

"What's wrong with you two?" Tommy snapped. "Where's your sense of decency? For shame, making the lady stand around naked and freezing while you're flapping your jaws." Tommy handed Kim his shirt.

"Thanks," she said as she gratefully slid the flannel shirt on. Bulk and Skull started to move. "I didn't say at ease, gentlemen." They snapped back to attention. "Tell you what I'm going to do. If you don't charge us with indecent exposure, we won't charge you with being peeping Toms."

"But ...." Bulk protested.

"Now really, Bulk, which story is Officer Stone more likely to believe: the six of us swimming naked or the two of you poking your noses where they don't belong?"

"The second one," Skull said. He and Bulk traded glances.

"Do we have a deal?" Kim queried sweetly.

"Oh all right," Bulk said grudgingly.

"Thanks, you two; you're the greatest." Kim stepped closer to them and grabbed their ties. Their eyes just about popped out as she pulled them down to her level, giving them a fantastic glimpse of her cleavage. "Since you're such good sports, I think you deserve a little reward." She gave them each a peck on the cheek. "At ease, gentlemen." She released their neckwear, and Bulk and Skull melted into helpless puddles of hormones. Then, with a sexy giggle, she hurried off to catch up with Tommy.

"Did you really have to do that?" he grimaced.

"It was a small price to pay to keep our asses out of jail. Besides, it was worth it to see the look on their faces." With a chuckle, Kim skipped on ahead. Tommy sighed and shook his head. It was good to have Kimberly back at last.

-------------------------------------

"No! No! No! Curse those mighty morphing miscreants!" Zedd ranted as he observed the proceedings from his throne room. "Once again they have ruined a perfectly perditious plan!" Everything had been proceeding as intended. Kimberly had reached the point of no return; Tommy had oh so gallantly given her the fucking she required. Zedd's frustration level rose another notch when he thought of the missed opportunities due to Zordon's infernal scrambling mechanism. Ah, to have watched their amorous activities would have been so satisfying! Unfortunately, Tommy hadn't lost his powers, but Kimberly had; she just wasn't supposed to get them back. Where had she disappeared to? Why couldn't he have located her? It didn't matter that Zordon hadn't been able to find her either.

"This is all that incompetent Goldar's fault. If he had made sure Tommy had been pierced by the arrow in the first place, none of this would have happened!" Zedd continued fuming. Yet, Zedd wasn't going to punish him. He couldn't have come up with a better punishment than what Kimberly had done to Goldar, who still hadn't recovered from her thrashing. The misbegotten mutant was still talking like a soprano from a boys’ choir, which Zedd found extremely annoying. To make matters even worse, he had misplaced the orb that held the recording of Kim and Tommy's erotic visit to his dungeon. He had to find it before Rita did.

"I'll get you next time, Power Pests," he vowed. "Finster! Have you found that orb yet? Finster, answer me!"

"Oh Zeddy!" Rita called out. If she was trying to be cute, Zedd was not in the mood for it.

"What do you want?" he snarled.

"I want to have a little fun," she answered. She stood in the doorway to the throne room, smiling evilly. She had removed her horned headdress so that her white hair hung down her back. She wasn't wearing her usual gown either. This one didn't have the cones-that-could-poke-an-eye-out on the bodice. She lounged against the doorway in a black robe that was held closed in front by a thin silver belt. Zedd had a very bad feeling about the situation.

"What sort of fun?" Zedd asked suspiciously. Rita didn't answer. She merely stood there tossing a familiar silver ball into the air and catching it.

"Where did you get that?" Zedd demanded.

"I caught Rito playing with it."

"I'm going to get that meddlesome sibling of yours."

"For a change, Rito didn't screw up. Come on, Zeddy," Rita said, beckoning seductively. "This little ball has given me some ideas." There was a predatory look in her eye that made Zedd swallow hard.

"Now, Rita ...."

"How long have we been married? A year and a half. It's about time I got to see what's under that metal jock of yours." As she took a step toward him, Zedd abandoned his throne.

"Not how, I have a headache," he protested, backing away.

"You'd better at least be as well hung as Tommy. No wonder you wanted to watch him drill his hunk of meat into little Kimberly's pussy."

"I think I need to check on Serpentera ...."

"Don't you run away from me, Zeddy; I want what you got, and I want it now!"

Lord Zedd, master of evil and would-be ruler of the universe, fled from his throne room as fast as his silver-shod feet could carry him.

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