Never Gone
by
Pink-Green-White-4ever
Summary: After eight years, someone makes a phone call to an old
friend.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Power Rangers – Disney does. I don’t own Never
Gone – BSB does. Sorry!
**
The things we did, the things we said
Keep coming back to me and make me smile again
You showed me how to face the truth
Everything that's good in me I owe to you
And all the distance that’s between us now may seem
To be too far
It will never separate us,
Deep inside I know you are
**
Her students stood in awe as she moved over the area where they routinely
performed their floor exercises. In the years most of them had trained with her,
they hadn’t seen her perform more than a basic routine. Sure, most of them had
grown up watching her compete at Pan Globals, anchoring the U.S. Women’s team
and helping them bring home more medals at one Game, than the team had in all
the others. They had seen her perform at the Olympics, where she had medaled as
well. And they had all seen the devastating accident that had ended her amateur
career, when she’d fall off the balance beam during the Pan Global Games in
2000, and which had nearly ended her life. But never had their coach performed
such a complicated and heart wrenching performance in their presences.
The music from the new Backstreet Boys record swelled in the gym as sixteen tiny
gymnasts stood in awed silence. Despite lingering injuries from her accident,
Kimberly Hart was still the most decorated gymnast in American history, and
still able to perform with a style, flair and grace untouched by anyone, before
or since.
For Kimberly, her eyes were closed as she moved through the routine she’d been
putting together for months for a guest appearance she was to be doing at the
John Hancock Tour of 2004 Olympic Champions performance in Angel Grove. The
newly minted Olympic Silver Medal Champion Men’s and Women’s teams, some of whom
she’d trained years ago, had invited her to come out and share the performance
with them. No one had heard from Kim since she’d taken the tumble from the
balance beam during the all around competition at the Pan Globals in 2000, and
she had to wonder why all of a sudden she was being asked to go to Angel Grove,
her hometown, and perform with the best of the best in the gymnastics community.
The words reverberating out of the stereo had more than just bittersweet
gymnastics memories clutching at her heart. She had never been one to be into
the “boy bands” of the early nineties, but she had to admit, Tanya had been
right when she’d told her that she’d enjoy the new c.d. from the quintet known
as the Backstreet Boys. And one song in particular, Never Gone – the title track
– seemed to get to her more than most.
As she headed into a tumbling pass, her heart lurched into her throat as the
image of soulful brown eyes and a lazy smile exploded from her memories. It had
been years since she’d thought of HIM. The imprint of those eyes and that smile
of his nearly made her crash to the mat. Quickly, so as not to arouse suspicion
from the girls, she ended her routine just as the song ended. After the applause
had died down, she excused herself and headed into her office, sinking into her
chair and covering her face with a towel.
‘I haven’t thought about him in years!’ Kim cried to herself. ‘Why now! Why,
after all this time, is his memory coming back to haunt me!’
Moving closer to her desk, she set the towel down and reached into the top
drawer, pulling out a silver picture frame. The picture in it brought back guilt
and pain and hurt that she knew she’d never forgive herself for causing, to not
only her heart but to the others as well.
It had been nearly nine years since she’d seen or spoken to him, the last time
having been after their return from Murianthias. Jason, Adam, and Rocky had had
Alpha lock them in a room without interruptions so they could talk. She
remembered with crystal clear perfection the look of utter disbelief on his face
when she’d told him the truth about why she’d broken up with him. In the nearly
three years they’d been together, they hadn’t done much more in their
relationship then a few, very heavy make out sessions. It had been almost as
hard as writing the letter, to tell him that night, what had really broken them
up.
She’s been at a party after she’d learned she’d made the Pan Global team, had
gotten drunk because everyone else was – succumbing to peer pressure was a bitch
– and she had committed the ultimate betrayal; she’d slept with one of her
trainers. The look of hurt in his eyes had her heart breaking all over again.
Lucky for her, Alpha had left her a communicator, giving her an out when the
silence she faced had become too much. She remembered she had only stayed in
Angel Grove long enough to see the guys save the orphanage and then had been at
the airport when the celebration dinner had been taking place, getting on a
plane to come back to Miami.
Taking a shuddering breath, Kimberly stuck the picture of them back into her
desk and got up, heading for the showers.
**
Never gone
Never far
In my heart is where you are
Always close
Everyday
Every step along the way
Even though for now we've gotta say goodbye
I know you will be forever in my life
Never gone
**
The apartment was dark, save for the nightlight she left on in the hallway.
Moving quickly and quietly, so as not to disturb her roommate and former
teammate, Aisha, she went to her room, changed into her pajamas and went back to
the kitchen to make herself something to eat.
Looking down at the kitchen table when she sat her plate down, Kim saw a note in
Aisha’s careful handwriting.
Kim – Jason called again. Reunion coming up. Wants to know if you’re going. Told
him still trying to talk you into it. Says its time for you to talk to
you-know-who again. Laughed at him for ya. Night. – Sha
Kimberly shook her head. Jason had been trying unsuccessfully for years now to
get her to go to the bi-annual team reunion, and every time she made an excuse
not to. The first time, Zordon’s death had been entirely too fresh on her heart
for her to go and be with the others, especially since it had been her choice to
leave them behind. The second time she was still recovering from her injuries
and couldn’t attend. The last time, she’d just flat out told Jason she was too
busy to go. This time, she had no excuse. The reunion would be taking place
during her month long summer vacation, just a few days after her guest
performance in Angel Grove, and she knew that Jason knew that.
Her biggest reason, however, wasn’t because she was so busy she couldn’t go, it
was because she didn’t think she was strong enough to face the legendary Ranger
himself after how their last face to face meeting had gone.
“I see you’re home,” Aisha’s soft voice called out to her.
“Yeah, got your note. I’m not sure if I’m going.”
“I think you’d better rethink that. I’ve got ticket and hotel confirmation
numbers here, from Jason, with your name on them.”
**
No no no
I walk alone these empty streets
There is not a second you’re not here with me
The love you gave, the grace you've shown
Will always give me strength and be my cornerstone
Somehow you found a way
To see the best I have in me
As long as time goes on
I swear to you that you will be
**
Kimberly sat on the bed in her hotel room, staring at her pink and white phone,
which sat just in front of her, along with a piece of paper from Jason with a
nine digit number and the words Tommy Oliver on it.
For the millionth time, she debated actually calling him. It’s not like she’d
been pinning for him for nearly nine years. In fact, she hardly ever thought of
him. And on the rare occasion when she did, it brought fond memories, even if
they were wiped clean by the heartache.
“Just call his ass and ask him why the hell he hasn’t bothered to call Jason or
show up for this reunion!” she growled to herself, finally picking up the phone
and dialing the number.
It rang four times before a hauntingly familiar voice responded. “This is Tommy
Oliver.”
“Tommy, its Kim.”
“I’m not home right now, so please leave your name, a number, and a quick
message, and I’ll get back to you when I can. And Jason, if it’s you, we’ve
already discussed that; the answer’s still no.”
Kim sighed and waited for the beep to sound before she began to record her
message. “So the good doctor’s too busy to come see his friends? I should have
known Jason’s been badgering you about coming, just like he’s been doing to me
since forever. It’s me, Tommy. I just wanted to call and talk to you for a few
minutes, but I guess you’re not home right now. You missed one hell of a party.
Aisha and I are heading back to Miami in the morning, so I guess I’ll try you
once I get home. Later Handsome.”
**
Never gone
Never far
In my heart is where you are
Always close
Everyday
Every step along the way
Even though for now we’ve got to say good-bye
I know you will be forever in my life
Never gone from me
If there’s one thing I believe (I believe)
I will see you somewhere down the road again
**
Aisha found her standing on a rock at Angel Grove Lake. The former Yellow Ranger
and Ninja knew that this spot was particularly special to Kimberly – it was
where she and Tommy had kissed for the first time and where he’d first asked her
out.
“Did you call him?”
“I got his answering machine; I left a message,” Kim bit back a sniffle as Aisha
wrapped a sisterly arm around her waist and laid her head on Kim’s shoulder.
“You ok?”
“Yes and no. I steeled myself to see him and then he didn’t show up, and when I
finally gather enough courage to call him, I get his answering machine. I’m not
sure what I feel or think or want to do at this point Aisha.” Soft brown met
midnight black as their eyes locked. “Part of me wants to just go back home and
forget about this part of my past, and yet, the other part of me is screaming to
try and mend the bridges I burned. If there’s one thing Zordon’s death taught
me, it was to never hold back what you feel.”
“And that’s just exactly what you’ve been doing with Tommy all these years,”
Aisha continued for her. “You still love him. It may be different than when you
were seventeen, but you still love him. None of us can blame you for holding
onto that last part of your innocence. He was the first man you loved.”
“He is the only man I’ve ever loved,” Kimberly admitted. “Sure there have been
others in my life; men I’ve given my body and mind to, but never my heart. After
I broke Tommy’s so cruelly, I never gave mine to another – because ultimately,
it’s always been his; my penance for ruining our future together.”
Aisha nodded, but stayed quiet, lending her strength to Kimberly in her time of
turmoil. They stayed that way for a good half hour before Aisha noticed the
time. “We’re going to be late if we don’t go.”
“Are the others coming to see us off?” Kim asked as the pair made their way to
their rental car.
“Rocky told me they wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Kim smiled and followed her friend, before stopping and throwing one last look
at the spot near the lake where so many memories were made for her.
**
Never gone
Never far
In my heart is where you are
Always close (always close)
Everyday (everyday)
Every step along the way
Even though for now we've gotta say goodbye (yeah yeah)
I know you will be forever in my life (in my life)
Never gone,
Never far
In my heart (in my heart is where) is where you are (you are)
Always close, everyday
Every step along the way
Never gone, never far
In my heart is where you are
**