Trusting Starlight
by
Pink-Green-White-4ever

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Challenge: Friends
Summary: They’ve always been more than friends.

--

Friends. It was a simple enough term. She had lots of friends – Trini, Zack, Jason, Billy, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Katherine, the other cheerleaders and gymnasts at school, other classmates, heck, some days she even considered Bulk and Skull sorta like friends, but she’d never really admit to that one. Chalk it up to being a teenage girl, a popular teenage girl. But when it came to Tommy Oliver, she wasn’t sure how to quite spin the whole ‘friends’ thing with him.

Her friendship with Tommy hadn’t exactly started out normal, or at least it had until Rita had gotten involved and turned it into a royal mess. However, a week later, and the gorgeous new student to Angel Grove High had joined her circle of friends, as well as the ranks of her fairly new team.

Now, most people would have been pretty shaken up by what had transpired between the newest edition to the Ranger team and the other members of said team, but she hadn’t thought twice about welcoming him with open arms. She had recognized, just as the team had, and even Rita had, that there was something special about Tommy. Granted, he was a great fighter, he handled himself expertly in battle with the putties, not to mention he’d taken to his Dragon Zord like a duck does to water, but under it all, there had been something else there that had captivated her from the moment she saw him – and it wasn’t just cause he was cute.

No, there was just something about Tommy that pulled at her, and she wasn’t quite sure how, or what it was. Of course, she hadn’t really started recognizing that fact until that afternoon by the lake, when after the loss of his powers the first time they’d finally spilled months of long kept feelings to one another. Their confessions had culminated in a sweet kiss and Tommy asking her to the Spring Dance.

As clichéd as it sounded, she had realized she was falling in love with him that day. She hadn’t told him, and they’d continued to be friends for months afterward, but something had changed that afternoon. Something had changed her, for the better, and even for the worse.

Even as their love grew, their friendship remained constant and unwavering. And then came her accident, and her chance to leave Angel Grove to follow her dreams, the ones she’d made before his friendship had become so vital to her very existence.

Everyone knows about the letter she wrote, each of her friends, including Kat, having called or written to find out what had happened, but the only ones she’d ever told the truth to were Jason, Trini and Aisha. As much as she loved him, as much as she had wanted to spend the rest of her life with Tommy, something had changed in her when she’d left Angel Grove.

She’d always believed in the old saying – if you love something, let it go, and if it comes back to you, it was yours all along, if not, it was never yours to begin with. So she’d written the most painful letter of her life and had broken all ties to him. She hadn’t lied, completely, about her feelings for him, but she was scared. When was it too much?

When did a friendship become too one sided? That’s how she felt. She felt their love hadn’t been balanced by their friendship – she had become so totally and completely dependant on his friendship, and ultimately his love, to forge ahead in her new home. So she had let both go.

When she’d seen him during the Murianthias incident, she’d been so confused by so many emotions that she’d simply closed herself off from him and had stayed close to Jason, Rocky and Adam. Her friendship with him was gone, she could see that plain as day. The hope that even that small part of them had survived her letter had been taken the moment she’d looked into those deep brown eyes of his. She had bitterly understood in that singular moment one certainty – they’d always been more than just friends – and now they were nothing, hardly even acquaintances.

She hadn’t realized it, but the day she’d let him go, a piece of herself had died. She dated, she physically loved, but she never had the courage to forge friendships like the one she had with him with the men she chose to be with, not the type of friendship that could blossom into what she’d given up. She didn’t pine for him like a lovesick teenager; she simply accepted the fact that what was was what had been meant to be. She’d given up a part of herself, and there was no getting it back.

They’d always been more than friends, and while she missed his love, she missed his friendship more. She missed having the one person who knew her so intimately, so completely, by her side, day after day. She’d taken that for granted, and now she mourned its loss. Deep in her heart, though she knew they’d never again be friends outright, she would always be his friend, and he hers, if only deep in her heart.
 

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Challenge: Worst Case Scenario
Summary: Tommy couldn't even comprehend what losing her would mean.
AN: This is set during Changing of the Zords from S3, and it's a little skewed from what actually happened there.

--

Down the road, we never know what life may have in store.
Winds of change will rearrange our lives more than before.
But you'll never stand alone, my friend.
Memories never die.
Within our hearts, they'll always live and never say goodbye.

Her lips were pursed as she sat on the ledge of the mountain the Command Center sat on, watching as the rising sun brought about the start of another day. As much as she loved the romance that came with sunsets, it was the sunrise that she really and truly loved. Each day the sun rose into the sky, and brought vast possibilities and boundless potential for adventure. As much as she knew she was a romantic at heart, a certain part of her also craved that adventure, and mystery.

She gasped softly when she saw the large bird that was currently soaring overhead. Dawn wasn’t the only thing that brought adventure and mystery to her life – Tommy had too. She knew, even at this distance, the bird of prey currently cart wheeling through the sky was a falcon, and the new spirit guide of her other half.

It was weird to think that, at sixteen, she had already found her other half, when it took most people a lifetime to find the person who complimented and completed them so effortlessly. She knew she was lucky, very lucky.

Grinning, she thought of the team’s return to Angel Grove nearly a week ago, after having gone to the Desert Of Despair in search of Ninjor and the Temple Of Power, to get new Ranger powers. They had come away with so much more. They had each reached a new level of power, not only as Rangers, but as people. They had discovered a part of themselves not many would, and they were only teenagers.

And leave it to Rocky to point out that only she and Tommy, the only couple of the group, had come away with the only two aerial spirits. To the others, it was ironic, to her, it was fitting.

The Crane and the Falcon, soaring high and far, together. She hoped with all her heart that meant she and Tommy would be together forever, but she was also realistic about the situation. They had a connection that was stronger than any ever seen, so much so that even Zordon had commented on it.

However, Kimberly reasoned, they were just teenagers, and they still had a lot of growing to do. Who knew if they’d be together ten, even five years from now? So much could change in the blink of an eye. Jason, Zack and Trini leaving for the peace conference or Tommy losing and regaining his powers were prime examples. Hell, her parents’ divorce was a prime example. Right now, she just wanted to live in the moment.

“Hey.”

She smiled, turning her head as she did to take in the tall form standing not far from her. He was wearing a pair of khakis, a white tank top with a green and white checkered over shirt and his brown hiking boots.

“Hey.”

Grinning, he moved over to where she was sitting and plopped down next to her, their knees touching as they both stared out at the sun. “What are you doing out here, all by yourself?” he questioned softly, his hand reaching out to take hers. He curled their fingers together, her hand on top of his, before bringing it up to his lips, where he kissed her knuckles tenderly.

“Watching the sun rise,” she answered, her heart racing, her skin tingling where he kissed her, even as she continued to stare at the sunrise.

“Are you ok?”

She turned her eyes to his, taking in the man her boyfriend had become since he’d joined their team. They had both changed so much, and yet, at the heart of it all, they were still fundamentally the same people. Chalk it up to the lives they’d been leading for nearly three years.

“I’m fine, just reflecting a bit on all the stuff that’s happened lately. The people at school would be surprised to realize the former cheerleader was more than just a ditz, wouldn’t they?” she teased, looking away from him.

Kim was surprised to hear Tommy growl slightly. She turned her gaze back to him just in time to be on the receiving end of his anger.

“You’re not a ditz! If there’s anyone who thinks you are, then they don’t know you very well. So you’re popular? Does that mean a person who’s popular has to be stupid? And damn if you aren’t beautiful, does that mean you don’t qualify to have a brain too?”

The Pink Ranger was shocked to hear him talking like this. Most of the time, he brushed it off and told her not to worry so much about what other people thought.

“Tommy,” she murmured, reaching her free hand up to his cheek. It didn’t calm him down like it normally did when they were alone.

“Kimberly, do you know what I see when I look at you?”

She bit her lip and shook her head, even as tears welled in her eyes.

“I see one of my best friends in this entire world, one of the ones who saved me from everything, including myself. I see the shy girl I started falling head over heels for when she told me she missed me,” he started, reaching up to cup her face in his hands, their mouths inching closer to each other. “I see my teammate, who knows how to kick ass and take names without breaking a sweat, or a nail. I see someone who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants, even if she knows she could fail. I see the woman you’ve grown into in just the last three years, the same woman who befriends everyone without reservation or question.”

“Oh Tommy,” she whispered, her heart soaring. He always knew just what to say.

“But most of all, I see my other half, the person who completes me, who knows me inside and out, who calls me on my faults and mistakes, and praises my accomplishments. I see the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I see the woman I love.”

Blinking back tears, Kim leaned forward and touched her lips to his. It was innocent and passionate all at once, just like all of their kisses were. When Tommy took the kiss deeper, she didn’t hesitate. With him, she knew her heart was safe, that her soul was safe. He cradled them as carefully as she did his.

“I love you,” Kim whispered against his lips.

“I love you too.”

Pulling back, Tommy scooted closer to her, wrapping his arm around her body.

“I’m always gonna love dawn,” she whispered almost absently.

Tommy grinned and looked down at her, confusion swirling in the dark brown depths of his eyes. “Why’s that?”

Kim grinned and then looked up at him. “Because I’ll always remember it as the moment I knew I wanted to spend forever with you.”

The White Ranger looked sufficiently surprised by his girlfriend’s comments. “I see.”

Without another word, the pair went back to watching the sun.

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Challenge: Distraction
Summary: They just needed a distraction from that chaos that was their lives.
AN: This one is set just after Storybook Rangers and is from Tommy's POV.

--

It started out innocent enough. After the book fair, the six of us needed some time together, to kinda reconnect after the latest attempt by Zedd and his illustrious wife to destroy us. We decided on a pick-up game of basketball at the park. Adam and Aisha were hovering near Rocky, taking his mind off of what had happened as the three of them had resorted to a game of horse after our group b-ball game ended, while Billy sat with Kimberly, the two grinning like only longtime best friends can. And me? I’m sitting here next to Kim, watching the way she and Billy keep nudging one another and laughing about it.

“Alright you two, what’s up?” I ask, leaning back on my elbows so I can look around Kim at Billy.

The two of them share a grin and then shrug. Billy hops up on the table while Kimberly stands and stretches, reaching over to touch her toes. God, the girl has no idea what she does to me when she does stuff like that, wearing the kind of clothes she’s wearing, does she? My beautiful girlfriend is standing there in a blue jean vest and these skimpy little blue jean shorts. Thank God for baggy jeans.

I watch in surprise as Kim hops up on the table and motions for me to sit forward before she scoots over behind me. I tense briefly when I sit back and Kim wraps her arms around my neck, leaning her head on my shoulder. We aren’t one of those couples that share a lot of public displays of affection, so for her to want to hang onto me like this is a bit of a surprise, albeit a welcome surprise.

“So, how real was it being stuck in that book?” Billy finally asks, his question drawing Rocky, Adam and Aisha toward us.

“As real as right now,” I tell him, leaning my head against Kim’s, the two of us silent. We had both thought we were goners during that freak avalanche. As if picking up on my thoughts, Kim’s fingers tense briefly on my shoulders, digging into my shirt and my skin, a sign that she’s making sure I’m real, solid, and still with her. She does that a lot when we’re alone, just to make sure that I’m not gonna disappear like everything else in her life has.

Turning my head, I peck a quick kiss to her temple and then return my attention to the others, who are grinning at us. “So, Rocky, what was it like for you?” Aisha asks.

Our poor Red Ranger shudders. “No offense to your book, Kim,” he tells her, and I feel her nod. “But I hope to God I never get stuck in another one of those. Grumble was grumpy and rude, and it was just plain weird to see the pictures come to life before my eyes, not to mention that freak avalanche.”

“No offense taken,” Kim responds. “While I love fairy tales, I’d rather read them then be stuck in one. Besides, our lives are fairytale enough for me on a regular basis.”

We guys are watching on in confusion as she and Aisha start giggling over something. “Ain’t that the truth, Girlfriend?” Aisha laughs.

“Do I want to ask?” Adam asks me. My only response is to shrug my shoulders. Adam nods before speaking again. “Alright, what gives? What’s got you two laughing?”

Aisha and Kim share a smile before I feel Kim bury her face in the crook of my shoulder and Aisha laughs. “Adam, have you ever heard about how Tommy became White Ranger?”

Adam nods. “Tommy and Billy told me and Rocky after we joined the team. Why?”

Our Yellow Ranger merely shakes her head. “Did they tell you Kim fainted dead away on the floor before oh fearless one here got his helmet off?” Aisha asks, jerking her thumb in my direction.

Rocky and Adam look surprised. Neither Billy nor I had told them about that small detail. I don’t think either of us wanted to embarrass Kimberly in front of our new teammates. “No, they didn’t. Do tell!” Rocky laughs, giving Kim a look that I know is making her blush because she keeps snuggling closer to me.

“Beautiful, trade me places,” I whispered. She hops up while Aisha tells the others Kim’s version of events from the day I received my White Ranger powers and was introduced to the team. I quickly moved up onto the table next to Billy and let Kim sit down on the bench between my legs, my arms going around her as she makes herself comfortable.

Aisha had the other laughing and Kim blushing before I realize that this is just the distraction that I needed, that we all needed, from our latest brush with our adversaries. We lead such hectic lives that sometimes we just need to put our day to day struggles aside and reconnect with ourselves, and each other.
 

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Challenge: Confidence
Summary: His confidence was failing, but she reminded him he was only human.
An:  This one is set just after The Power Transfer Pt. 2 and is from Tommy’s POV.

--

Watching Rocky, Adam and Aisha explore the Command Center was both comical and heart wrenching at the same time. Jason, Zack and Trini had carried themselves with such confidence and comfort in here that it makes me wonder what this new team is going to be like. While I had been the last to join a team already formed, this time I am one of the veterans of the team, and even more astonishing, the leader. And as if reading my mind, I realize she’s standing right next to me, giving me the famous Kimberly Hart ‘I know you’re thinking it so stop it’ look.

“Yes Beautiful?” I ask, turning to stare into eyes I know as well as the back of my hand.

She just grins at me. “You’re going to do fine,” she tells me, which makes me wonder for a second what she means.

“Huh?”

“Tommy, you served under Jason, you’ve led the team on your own with minimal help from him for nearly three months, I think you’re ready, and I know Jason thought you were too. You’ve got your chance now to help Rocky the way Jason helped you.”

I nod, knowing our spirited and soulful Pink Ranger has hit the problem on the head. It’s hard sometimes, knowing that my Pink teammate, who also happens to be my ultra sexy girlfriend, knows me this well. “I’m worried I’m gonna screw up,” I tell her softly, grinning like a fool when she lays her head on my shoulder.

“You’re human, Tommy. We all are. We’re bound to make mistakes. The best we can hope for is that when we do, we learn from them so that we don’t repeat them.”

“I was never this worried or this scared when I was the Green Ranger,” I tell her, leaning my head on hers.

“That’s because the team wasn’t relying on you to lead them into battle, now we are. Tommy, Zordon was confident enough in your ability to make you leader, over Jason, who, I might add, had nearly two years of experience on you. Why are you suddenly losing confidence in your abilities when everyone else is gaining it?”

She’s right of course. Jason and I have had this conversation nearly a million times in the last few months since my return to the team. Lately I’ve been worrying over the stupidest things. “Kim?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“Helping me put things back in perspective. I didn’t realize my confidence was faltering until now. I guess, I’m worried I’m gonna fail, let Zordon down, let the team down, but most of all, let Jason’s legacy down.”

She’s grinning at me now, which makes me wonder what she’s thinking. Kim may know me better than I thought, but she’s still a complete mystery to me on most levels. “You’re not going to let him down, he’s going to be proud of you no matter what. As for the rest of us…Billy and I are here to help you, remember? We’ll take as much of the edge off as we can. Rocky, Adam and Aisha are willing to learn, they’re up to the task. All you have to do is have faith in them to follow your lead, and if you get stuck, don’t forget to ask for help.”

Smiling, I move so I can take her hand in mine, squeezing it tightly as we watch Adam and Aisha laugh as Rocky tries to understand Billy, who’s gone into science mode. “Hey, Rocko, maybe you should call Trini and ask her to translate!” I tease, watching Rocky make a face like a light bulb just popped on in his head while Billy blushes and Aisha and Adam laugh even harder.

“Don’t worry, Rocky. I’ve known Billy for years longer than you, and sometimes I still can’t understand him. Just nod your head, act like you’re listening and don’t let him see your eyes glaze over!” Kim laughed, watching Billy glare at her before he too busted up laughing.

Ok, so maybe I’m not a confident leader yet, but I’ve got a great team behind me, and an exceptional legacy to follow. Besides, there’s always phone calls, no matter how expensive, to ask Jason for some advice.
 

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Challenge: Darkness
Summary: She was his guiding light...a guide through the darkness
An: This one is set just after The Green Candle Pt. 2.

--

He’d gone to sleep in his bedroom and awoke to the stillness and black depths of darkness. There were no sounds, no lights, and he knew all too quickly he was alone. He’d started alone, and despite the brief respite he’d enjoyed as the Green Ranger, he felt he was alone once more. They were a team, a unit, and had been long before he’d come. And now he was paying for his crimes – paying for trying to be apart of that circle, that family, that unit.

The darkness slowly faded for him. It started about the size of pin, and grew and grew until he noticed it had a soft green glow to it. And that’s when he saw it.

The Green Candle.

Cursing, he turned from it and felt the pain spear through him. “You can’t escape it, Tommy.” Rita’s voice, echoing in the darkness and intensifying in his own mind, reminded him of what he’d lost.

“You could have had it all, Tommy-boy. You could have ruled with me, could have had supreme power over your planet. No one would have questioned you. Most of all, you could have had little Kimmie.”

His nostrils flared as he sank to his knees. He was trembling as he tried to fight it. “NO!”

--

Kimberly raced down the street. Tommy’s mother had been frantic when she’d called; just as she had been frantic, screaming into her communicator for the others to meet her at Tommy’s. Jason and Zack were just crossing the street from the direction of Jason’s house when she hit the corner coming from her house.

The three friends met up at the Oliver’s door, Jason banging on the obstacle between them and their friend. “Trini and Billy are already upstairs,” Mrs. Oliver told them, her face streaked with tears. “He’s been calling out for you five for nearly an hour and I can’t wake him.”

“Don’t worry, Mrs. O, we’ll help him,” Zack reassured her even as Jason and Kim took the stairs three at a time, Kim a split second faster than their red leader.

Trini and Billy looked up, their faces a mix of worry and relief, when Kimberly hit the doorway at a sprint and stopped dead, her eyes fixed on Tommy thrashing in his bed. The Pink Ranger immediately moved to the head of the bed, reaching out tentatively to touch Tommy’s cheek. He was burning up, as if he had a fever, and yet, he wasn’t sweating.

“Billy?”

Jason’s voice seemed to snap them all back to reality. Zack was gently shutting the door behind him, locking it, just in case they had to take Tommy to the Command Center and his mother chose the wrong time to enter.

“He’s been calling out for help, and complaining about it being dark. He’s also exhibited signs that it may be from the loss of the Green Ranger powers, as his body seems to be giving off a faint green light,” Trini told them. Billy had been at a loss for words.

“What can we do?” Zack asked.

All eyes went to Billy, who shrugged helplessly. “Zordon said there’d be side effects, he just didn’t know what.”

The team watched as Kimberly reached out and touched Tommy, whose body was glowing green again. They gasped when Kimberly’s own body began to glow a luminescent pink. “Kim?”

“He’s lost, he needs a guide to find his way back,” she spoke softly, her eyes fixed on Tommy’s face.

“Jason?” Trini asked, moving toward their team leader. “What if…what if we lent Kimberly our powers, so she could use them to reach Tommy? Obviously, she’s close enough to him, she could do it. He’s not going to find his way back on his own, and the longer he’s like this, the worse it’s gonna get.”

The Red Ranger nodded, understanding what Trini was saying. “Kim? Are you up to this?”

When she turned to stare at Jason, her doe brown eyes was gone, replaced by the pink of her Ranger color, and tears were streaking down her face. “Yes.”

Jason nodded, though he was slightly freaked out by Kim’s eyes. Reaching back to their morphers, the others each pulled out their power coins.

“Tyrannosaurs.” Jason’s body, starting at the first that held his power coin tightly, began to glow.

“Saber-Toothed Tiger.”

“Mastodon.”

“Triceratops.”

“Pterodactyl.”

The Rangers gasped when their colors slowly drained off of them and gathered around the fist that Kimberly had clenched around her power coin. It was a swirl of colors – red, blue, black, yellow, pink, and even green. Leaning forward, Kimberly moved her mouth to Tommy’s ear.

“Come back, Tommy. Trust the light, follow it, come back,” she whispered before she moved, almost as if in a trance, laying her lips over his.

--

The pain stole his breath away. He couldn’t withstand the onslaught anymore. And then it stopped, and he felt a warmth. Unclenching his eyes, Tommy saw that the candle was gone, and noticed Rita’s voice no longer lingered in his head. Instead, a sweeter voice called to him, begging him to come home.

“Kimberly,” he managed to sob out, pushing up to hands and knees. His eyes focused on a point far away and saw, with relief, that it was steadily growing larger. He saw the colors first – red, a wide band of it, haloing on the edge, with a green swirling in its depths; yellow, brighter than he’d ever seen; black, which would have been invisible in the darkness if it hadn’t been for it being nestled between the yellow and blue; blue, royal and bright, standing proudly against the sweet lightness of the color in the middle of the ball. That color was a shining pink, nearly overpowering the others in its depth and intensity, sorta like Kimberly’s smile.

His eyes widened in shock when the ball of light stopped in front of him and he saw her. Standing there in the center of pink light was the loveliest vision he’d ever been privileged to witness. Kimberly.

“Come back, Tommy. Follow me, I’ll lead you from the darkness; I’ll always be your light.”

Summoning unknown strength, Tommy pushed himself to his feet and staggered toward her, sobbing in relief when he collapsed in her outstretched arms.

“Tommy.”

--

“Tommy?”

Chocolate colored eyes blinked rapidly, noticing the décor of the room around him. He was back in his bedroom, instead of in the pitch black room.

“Bro?”

“T-man, you ok?”

The first person Tommy saw was Billy, hovering on his left side with Trini not far away. The Blue Ranger seemed to be holding onto his wrist and watching the hands on his watch.

“His pulse is fine, his pupils are normal,” Billy reported over his shoulder, to Jason. Frowning and shaking his head, the former Green Ranger attempted to sit and found he couldn’t. That’s when he finally noticed the weight on his chest. Kimberly was sound asleep against him, her face composed angelically.

“What happened to me?”

Jason rolled his eyes and moved to help his friend up. While Tommy got situated against the headboard, Jason and Zack moved Kimberly so that she was lying comfortably next to Tommy on the mattress. “We were hoping you could tell us. Your mom called, hysterically crying, and saying you’d been calling out for us in your sleep and when she tried to wake you up, you wouldn’t wake up,” Jason pointedly told him.

“I laid down for a nap while I waited for Kim’s practice to get over so I could call her. Next thing I know, I’m in the middle of a pitch black room…” Tommy started, and continued to tell them the story for the next few minutes. “Next thing I know, I’m laying here looking at you guys hovering over me.”

“We should have Alpha send over the scanner, so we can check him out,” Trini told Billy, who nodded and moved away from the group to contact their mentor and his assistant.

“What’s wrong with Kim?” Tommy asked, almost frantic that she hadn’t woken up yet.

“She used our powers, channeled them through her power coin, and hopped into your dream to bring you back,” Trini told him.

“That was after the freaking display of her knowing what was going on,” Zack started. “She touched your cheek, and then her eyes went pink…”

“Next thing we know, she’s kissing you and pushing all five of our powers through to you, wherever you were,” Jason smirked, watching Tommy blush at the thought of Kimberly kissing him.

“Hmmmm…” Kim groaned, rolling closer to Tommy, her eyes opening slowly, the depths confused and full of dreams. “Guys?”

She sat up quickly, noticing that Tommy was sitting next to her and the others were watching her curiously. “Tommy!” she chirped, throwing her arms around him in an exuberant hug. “Are you ok?”

Tommy shyly grinned at her. “I’m fine, thanks to you. You led me from the darkness, Kim.”

Kim swallowed hard, the experience coming back to her slowly. She smiled brightly for him, and murmured, “I meant what I said, I’ll always be your light.”

- - - - - - - - -

Challenge: Pride
Summary: He had every reason to be proud
An: This one is set just after Football Season and is from Tommy’s POV.

--

I’m nervous. I’ll readily admit that I’m nervous. It’s only been two weeks since I made the team, and here I am about to lead them against one of our biggest rivals – The Angel Grove Academy. I’ve never been this nervous before an event, but that was in Martial Arts, this is football; the great American past time, well, next to baseball.

“You ok?”

Turning, I move my gaze from my locker to see Jason, Zack and Billy coming back into the locker room. The team had just stepped out a few minutes ago, and I stayed behind, hoping to gain some composure before going out there and making an idiot of myself.

“I’m not sure. I feel like I’m gonna be sick.”

The guys nod. If anybody understands how I feel right now, it’s my friends and teammates. “Well, we’ve brought you a surprise that might help with that,” Zack jokes. “Wait here.”

I glare at their backs even as they disappear. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. The next thing I know, two warm, incredibly soft hands are cupping my cheeks. Opening my eyes, I smile up at the vision standing in front of me. “Hi.”

“Hi. Jason said you were nervous, and thought I might be able to calm you down.”

I can only lean into her hand in response, silently drawing strength from her, like I always do, especially before a battle, or these days, one of my competitions. “Kim…”

“You’ll do fine,” she murmurs, moving closer to me.

“You’re cheering tonight,” I respond, more of a statement than an actual question, as I move my hands up the outside of her legs, lightly caressing the skin that her cheer uniform doesn’t cover. I stop well below where the skirt ends, still not brave enough to get more intimate.

Kim grins at me. “You betcha,” she laughs, her hands smoothing over my shoulders. “It’s not every day my boyfriend ends up starting quarterback for the football team.”

I can’t help but blush. Kim and I are still feeling our way through our relationship, even though we’ve had some intimate moments that would downright make me blush if my friends found out. So to hear her call me her boyfriend so freely surprises and soothes me.

“Tommy, you’re gonna do fine. Stop worrying.”

“This is important to me, Kimberly. Ernie put in so much time with me, and you guys have put up with my lack of time with you…”

She just grins at me. “You’ll be fine, I promise. Remember what Jason told you – if you can play against Rita, you can play against anyone. And the time away from us, and the time Ernie put in with you was time well spent.”

“Tommy! Let’s go Bro!” Jason’s voice announces.

Taking a deep breath, I stand up, my arms coming around Kim in a tight hug, at least as tight as I can make it with my gear on and not hurt her. “Good luck. And if you get nervous, just remember, Trini and I are watching and supporting you all the way, and Jason, Zack and Billy are right there with you.”

I smile and node before grabbing my helmet and running out of the locker room.

--

We won. I three touchdown passes to Zack and Jason managed one on an interception. The final score was 28 to 14. After the game, I started searching for two people. I found the first easily enough – she was waiting by the gate to the locker rooms.

Laughing, I moved until we were standing close together. She smiled up at me, her eyes sparkling. “Well?”

“Pretty good for a guy who was worrying he’d let everyone down.”

I knew I was grinning like a fool, and I knew I was blushing, but I couldn’t help it. “Kim.”

“Congratulations,” she whispered even as she moved to hug me. For a few seconds, I reveled in holding her. Having her present, after all we’ve been through, made this first victory that much sweeter. “Ernie’s invited the team to the Youth Center for a celebration dinner.”

I couldn’t help but smile again. “Cool. Let me go change. Are you and Trini coming?”

“Of course. AS a co-captain of the cheer squad, I have to be there. And of course, Trini will be there taking pictures for yearbook.”

“Good, I’ll see you in a bit,” I grinned, before I leaned down and pecked a kiss to her cheek.

--

“I’m proud of you,” Ernie grinned when I approached him later that night.

“I’m proud of me too. Thanks for all your help, Ernie.”

The jolly owner of our local hangout smiled and waved me off. “You did the work, Tommy. I just gave you a push in the right direction.”

We shook hands and then I turned and headed down to have fun with my friends and teammates.

- - - - - - - - -

Challenge: Green Eyed Monster
Summary: He’d been so sweet, now he was a monster, Rita’s monster
An: This one is set during the Green With Evil mini series and is from Kim’s POV.

--

The walk to Billy’s is longer than usual. Of course, that probably has something to do with the fact that I’m crying my eyes out, taking my time, and mulling over what just happened in the Youth Center.

Those green glowing eyes haunt me. Yesterday they were a beautiful chocolate brown, today they’re green and angry. He seemed so nice, but now he’s filled with evil, and a desire to kill me and the other Rangers.

I’ve never understood Rita’s need to take over our planet, and now I really don’t understand her idea of turning a fellow human against us, let alone someone who was sorta becoming friends with us. We should have been prepared for that possibility, but that leaves me wondering why Zordon never told us about the sixth power coin. Shaking my head, my thoughts drift back to what just happened between me and Tommy.

I made a mistake, thinking I could help him, alone anyways. I shouldn’t have sought him out the way I did, and yet, if he was really evil he could have killed me easily in the youth center, even with all those people around. He had ample opportunity to haul me off somewhere, or to transport me to Rita’s dark dimension like he did Jason, but he didn’t.

It seems to me, now that I’m logically thinking this through – Billy and Trini would be proud of me – there may be enough of the real Tommy left inside of him for us to use that to our advantage. ‘I’ve got to remember to tell Jason that’ I think as I start to sprint toward Billy’s, which is so much closer than I thought. ‘Hang on Tommy, we’ll save you!’

I wipe the tears from my face and take a few calming breaths once I’m in Billy’s driveway. It won’t do for the others to see me in tears, they’ll just worry more, and besides, I’m still working past the public thinking I’m the weakest, the tears won’t help my cause.

“Hey guys!” I call out, smiling for all of them.
 

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Closer
Summary: They were just kept growing closer and closer
AN: This one is set after Calamity Kimberly and is from Kim’s POV.

--

Yawning, I throw my dress over my chair and toss the ruined one I left on the floor in the garbage before reaching for a tank top and sweats from my dresser. After changing, I climb into bed. Opening my backpack, I pull out my folder and sigh. My ruined pep rally plans stare back at me. This time, though, the sight of them doesn’t bring despair or frustration, this time they make me smile.

I had the worst day of my life today; anything that could go wrong did. And as much as that aggravated me this morning, it doesn’t now. Not after everything that happened gave me time to see how truly hung up on each other Tommy and I are.

Bless his heart, Tommy did everything in his power to make me smile today, and even ended up injured trying to save me from Rita’s mutant freak with a fan. That was worse than anything I went through; knowing he got hurt trying to save me just threw everything else out the window.

I do have to say, though, today was an omen in disguise because it brought us that much closer. Grinning, I tear out the ruined papers and chuck them across the room and into my garbage can.

A soft knock on the door jolts me from the quiet. “Come in!”

My mom pokes her head in and grins. “Phone call for you,” she tells me, pointing to the phone. I had turned the ringer off earlier so I could study and forgot to turn it back on.

“Who is it?” I ask before I reach for it.

“Tommy,” Mom wiggles her eyebrows at me then shuts the door when I pick up the receiver, grinning like an idiot as I do so.

“Hello?”

“Feeling better?” he asks, and I can hear the laughter in his voice.

“Well, mostly. I still feel guilty for blowing up Billy’s t.v. set.”

I hear him chuckle on the other end. “At least he can fix it. Well, I guess I’ll let you go. Your mom said you were doing your homework, and I just wanted to make sure you got home ok.”

“Tommy, thank you for everything today. And thank you for calling.”

I can hear the smile in his voice. “Hey, we spandex clad superheroes have to stick together. Besides, I like knowing you’re ok.”

I can’t help but grin even wider. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Tommy.”

“Yep. Good luck studying, and sweet dreams Kim.”

‘They will be no that I’ve talked to you’ I think, hanging up the phone before going back to my homework.

- - - - - - - - -

Challenge: Dare
Summary: If only he dared to dream…
AN: This one is from Tommy’s POV and is set at the end of Island Of Illusion Part 2, during the dancing that we saw at the end.

I hear her voice in my mind
I know her face by heart
Heaven and earth are moving in my soul
I don't know where to start
Tell me tell me the words to define
The way i feel about someone so fine
- Jamie Walters, How Do You Talk To An Angel -

--

I can’t help but grin as I watch Kimberly twirl around the dance floor with Trini and Zack while Billy and Jason are at the juice bar getting us drinks. During our latest adventure, all of our confidences took a nose dive, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see my friends enjoying themselves. I just wish I could too.

Watching Kimberly smile and laugh and have a good time only seems to take me back to this afternoon when we thought we’d lose her, when I thought I’d lose her. The beautiful Pink Ranger is arguably one of my two best friends, Jason being the other. Not to say I’m not great friends with Trini, Zack or Billy, but Jason and Kimberly have spent more time with me, helping me get past what Rita put me through at the start of my tenure as the Green Ranger. The two of them are even more important to me than anything. And today, I almost lost them both.

When Rita started to test Kimberly’s confidence on that island this afternoon, when our Pink Ranger started to disappear, I didn’t think, I just reacted. For a second, it felt like the world was tipping upside down on me. You see, I have a secret.

I like Kimberly.

A lot.

In fact, I like Kimberly more than a teammate, and definitely more than just a friend. And up until this afternoon, I’d had no indication that she felt anything for me beyond friendship and camaraderie. It could be because I’m a guy, and I’ve been accused of being dense, but it could also be because I’ve forbidden myself to hope for something that may never come to be.

However, both our actions on Rita’s island have given me hope to dare that there’s the possibility that there could be more between us. The fact is, Kim responded to my voice, my encouragement, when she began to disappear after Rita’s illusion started to shake her confidence in the natural state of things. Kim even told me when I picked her up tonight that if it hadn’t been for me, she wouldn’t be here.

That is exactly how I feel, only in the reverse. If it wasn’t for Kim, I wouldn’t be here either, both after today’s battle and after the start of my Ranger career. She refused to give up on me, and more importantly, refused to let me give up on myself. Her voice was the first I heard through the magic induced haze, the first I grasped onto, trying to get my bearings. For me, that says a lot about what’s between us, and what could be between us.

So instead of enjoying an evening of dancing and merriment and celebration for another battle won, I’m standing here daring to hope. In some ways, it’s not a bad trade. “TOMMY!”

Surprised, I jerk out of my thoughts and find Kim standing on the step just in front of me. “What?” I ask, trying to hide that I’d been day dreaming.

There’s a sparkle in Kim’s eyes that says she won’t tell, that she knows I was a million miles away. Gotta love her for it. “Come dance with me,” she requests, reaching out to take my hand so she can tug me onto the floor. As I pull Kim close to me, as close as I dare anyway, I blink in surprise at the song that’s on. It’s one of Kimberly’s favorites; Jamie Walters’ How Do You Talk To An Angel. Pretty ironic that it’s playing while I’m holding my angel in my arms. Maybe, just maybe, there’s something there for us. All I have to do is dare to hope.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Beautiful
Summary: She was absolutely breath-taking, a Cinderella to his Prince Charming; she was his Beautiful
AN: This one is dedicated to Shawn, for being one of the biggest supporters of this series! Hope you enjoy this one, it’s set right after White Light, is from Tommy’s POV, and is my idea of a private reunion between these two. Mind you, I’d like to think they were a little more adult then we saw them in Two For One an episode later, but that’s just me!

From the moment I saw you,
From the moment I looked into your eyes
There was something about you
I knew I knew
That you were once in a life time
A treasure near impossible to find
And I know how lucky I am to have you

‘Cause I've seen the rainbows that can take your breath away
The beauty of the setting sun that ends a perfect day
And when it comes to shooting stars, I've seen a few
But I've never seen anything...as beautiful as you

Holding you in my arms
No one else has fit so perfectly
I could dance forever with you, with you
And at the stroke of midnight
Please forgive me if I can't let go
‘Cause I never dreamed I'd find a Cinderella of my own
-- Jim Brickman and Wayne Brady, Beautiful from the Disney Songbook --

--

The park was deserted, and for that, he couldn’t help but be grateful. He’d had a great time hanging out at the youth center for the surprise homecoming party they gang had put together in honor of his return. He hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time. But while he’d enjoyed being with his friends, enjoyed the feeling of belonging to the group again, all he’d really wanted was five gloriously quiet minutes alone with her. And now he had them. In fact, she didn’t have to be home until midnight, which meant he still had three hours to simply enjoy her company and for that Tommy counted himself the luckiest man on Earth.

However, for the first time in a long time, the object of his affections wasn’t her normally, bouncy, cheerful self. Instead of the normally full of life Pink Ranger, Tommy found himself with a young woman who was quiet, calm, and keeping whatever she was thinking to herself. “Are we going to spend the next three hours in silence or are you gonna tell me what’s bugging you?” Tommy asked, reaching out to take her hand. They were standing on the bridge that went over the pond, Kimberly leaning against the railing as she watched the water. The twinkle lights and lamp posts in the park had just turned on and where giving the pond and eerie glow.

The newly minted White Ranger smiled faintly when Kimberly’s fingers curled against his, her hand holding tightly to his. He watched her in anticipation as she sighed and pushed up from the railing with her free hand. When she turned to face him, Tommy found himself unable to read her emotions, which wasn’t unusual, but he had thought he’d been getting better at it before his long vacation.

“I’m sorry, I guess I’m just feeling kinda blah,” she told him, her eyes trained on their joined hands.

“Come on, Beautiful, you know you can tell me what’s on your mind,” he whispered softly, reaching out with his free hand to stroke her cheek. It was so much easier when it was just the two of them for him to be affectionate and not feel like an idiot tripping over his feelings for her. When they were around their friends, he couldn’t help but feel a little self conscious.

He felt his heart soar when her head snapped up, a giant smile on her face and a twinkling in her eyes. He’d called her Beautiful earlier in the afternoon, when he’d woken her from her fainting spell when she’d found out it was him in the White Ranger uniform. He’d wanted to call her by the nickname for a while now, since she told him one of her favorite fairy tales was Sleeping Beauty. It was ironic that he’d had to wake her, just like in the fairy tale. The only thing better would have been waking her with a kiss, but the team had been there, including Alpha and Zordon, so it had made the whole moment a little awkward when they both realized they weren’t alone.

“Wherever did you come up with that nickname?” she teased, looking up at him.

“Would you believe Sleeping Beauty?” he grinned, blushing just enough so that his ears turned red. “You don’t mind it, do you?”

Kimberly smiled her most breath-taking smile, the one she reserved just for him, in response. “No, I don’t mind,” she whispered, leaning close to him, so that she could lay her head on his chest. Automatically, Tommy’s arms wound around her, holding her close. “No one’s ever called me beautiful. I’ve always been the cute, perky, petite one, but never beautiful.”

He tightened his grip on her when he heard the hurt from old wounds in her voice. It was true, Kimberly was all the things she said she’d been called, but to him, she was the most beautiful girl in the world. It wasn’t just her looks that made her beautiful to him, either; it was her personality, her heart and soul, it was everything about her, even her mood swings.

His beautiful Kimberly was a complex woman in so many ways. She was independent, intelligent, and she knew what she wanted out of life, at least as well as any mature young woman of her age. She loved to help people, and never expected anything in return. She had a set of morals and beliefs and standards that she’d set for herself and he knew she very rarely wavered from those. She could take on a bunch of putties one minute, fly her zord the next, help plan a battle and still get her English homework done without breaking much of a sweat. Ok, so maybe he’d blown her a little out of proportion. Kimberly also had a tendency to be a little air headed and goofy when she wanted to, but that only let him know she didn’t take herself seriously all the time.

Kimberly sighed as she rested against him. Between feeling her heartbeat and her breath on his arm, and the low melody of a radio playing in the distance, Tommy lost himself in the moment. Without realizing it, the pair of them started swaying to the natural music between them and the soft accompaniment of the radio. “I’ve missed you, Tommy,” she whispered softly.

He grinned. He couldn’t help it. “I missed you too, Beautiful,” he gave back, leaning down to rest his head on top of hers.

“Why didn’t you call or write more?” she asked softly, her voice breathy. “You had me so worried, not knowing if everything was ok or not.”

He’d been expecting that question, and wasn’t the least bit surprised she’d waited until now to ask. “I know, I’m sorry. I just…try to understand, Kim, I was so messed up from losing the Green Ranger powers, I just needed some time to myself, to think, to get everything back in perspective. I didn’t do it on purpose, really, I just…I needed time.”

Tommy choked when he saw the tears in her eyes when she pulled away to look at him. If there was one thing he’d vowed never to do, it was to make her cry. “I know, but I couldn’t help but worry about you.”

Leaning forward, Tommy grasped her chin in his hand, tilting her face up toward his. “I know, and I’m sorry I made you worry, Beautiful, that was never my intention. Forgive me?”

Kimberly nodded, letting her eyes close as Tommy leaned in closer and closer until his lips touched hers briefly. “Welcome home, Tommy.”

“It’s never felt more right to be home, Beautiful,” he whispered softly, leaning in to kiss her again.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Duty
Summary: Sometimes, she felt so overwhelmed by being a Ranger.
AN: Set after The Mutiny and is from Kim’s POV. I dedicate this to Shawn, for letting me bounce ideas off him during his busy days.

--

Ok, so they hadn’t won the marathon. That was ok. They’d still finished as a team; they helped raise money for the Children’s Hospital. That was important.

They had lost their Dino Zords. That was really bad.

Rita was gone, stuck back in her dumpster for another ten thousand years. That was the best news she’d heard in a long time.

They almost got their butts handed to them on a platter by the new big bad, Lord Zedd. Again, that wasn’t such a good thing.

However, they’d persevered and because of that, they now had new zords. A big plus since their Thunder Zords made the Dino Zords look like play things.

Tommy’s powers were failing him. That bit of information just about broke her heart. She wasn’t sure how she’d react to not having him beside her on the battlefield again. Granted, in his absence from the team the first time, she’d grown and matured, but so much had happened since he’d returned that she couldn’t fathom life with out him in that way.

Their friendships were as strong as ever, this new adversity they’d faced in the form of Lord Zedd having cemented in their minds what Zordon had known the moment he’d chosen them to be Rangers – when times got tough, the Rangers got tougher and they grew closer as a team. There was nothing, in her mind, that they couldn’t do when the six of them worked together.

“Kim, are you alright?”

Shaking off the depressing thoughts, Kimberly turned her attention to the man sitting on the back of the ATV she was driving. Tommy was looking over her shoulder, his eyes hidden behind the goggles he wore, but she knew he had that questioning look in those chocolate brown depths.

“I’m fine. Ready to stop?”

“I think we’re far enough away from the others now,” he chuckled, making Kim grin. They both knew the others knew they’d snuck off for some alone time, just like they both knew they would be grilled upon returning to base camp. Neither of them cared.

--

It was nice for once to be able to do something without having to worry about running off into battle at the drop of a hat, Kimberly mused while she lay on the soft grass next to Tommy, shoulder to shoulder, staring up at the clouds rolling by. It wasn’t often their duties as Rangers, on top of their home lives and school, allowed them more than a few precious minutes to just relax.

Once again, it took her by surprise that at just sixteen years old, she shouldered a burden most adults never even thought of; she spent most of her time saving the world. It was with some relief that she knew she didn’t carry the responsibility on her own. The boy sitting next to her, the one who was well on his way to becoming a wonderful man, was one of the few who knew and shared the responsibility Kimberly herself struggled to still understand, even after a year.

Their duty to their planet had cost each of them something, but none more than Tommy, whose life had been turned upside down more times than any of them wanted to count. Kimberly knew her innocence, mental and emotional, was gone. Seeing what the Rangers do on a daily basis stripped her of that in the first month of duty. But Tommy, he had faced more in the line of duty then any.

Tears pricked her eyes when she thought of how he became a Ranger. He had told her some of it, confided in her things she knew he hadn’t told anyone but Zordon. To have someone completely take over your whole life the way Rita took over Tommy’s had to have been horrible. She remembered him telling her about being stuck in his mind, seeing himself do all the things he did under Rita’s control, and wanting nothing more than to be able to stop it, to stop the pain and hurt and fear he caused. She knew that was part of the reason they’d danced around each other so much in the beginning of their friendship. It was also the reason he dedicated himself to trying harder than any to defeat Rita – he wanted to make up for what had happened.

Staring up at the sky, Kim blinked rapidly as more tears came when she remembered how he’d lost his powers the first time. For her, that had been a bittersweet experience. She’d seen how much losing his powers had hurt him, but that had been the start of the both of them acknowledging that there was something there, something between them.

And now, with Lord Zedd having arrived, Kimberly couldn’t help the sudden feeling that they were about to go through losing Tommy all over again. Six reduced to five once more. If Tommy wasn’t so dead set on helping them at every turn, they’d have more time to find a way to fully restore his powers. However, Kimberly also acknowledged that Tommy’s determination and nerve were part of what attracted her to him. She just couldn’t bear the thought of him not being by her side on the field of battle again; when he was there, she felt safe, felt protected, even if she didn’t need the protection.

“Kimberly? What’s wrong?”

Turning her head, Kim blinked away the tears that hadn’t fallen yet as she took in Tommy’s worried expression. He had turned to lay on his side, an arm propping up his head while he looked down at her. Silently, the Green Ranger reached out and wiped the tears that were still on her cheeks.

“I’m just thinking,” she whispered softly.

“What could you be thinking about that would make you cry like this?” he asked, his eyes full of pain at seeing her in tears.

“How sometimes I wish we weren’t Rangers, but normal teenagers, and how other times I’m glad we’re Rangers, but that sometimes the duty is so big I think it’s going to swallow us whole.”

Tommy looked like he wanted to ask her why, but the look in his eyes said he understood her perfectly. Kim’s breath shuddered out of her when Tommy pulled her into his arms and lay flat on his back, Kim cuddled to his side and chest. “Kim, believe it or not, we’ve been blessed. No one else we’ve ever known has had the chance to do what we do. Granted, it’s taken its toll on all of us, but it’s also made us stronger in so many ways,” he whispered softly in her ear, one arm holding her tightly while the other caressed up and down her back.

“I know, but sometimes, I just…”

“I know. Believe me, I know. But would you trust anyone else to have the duty that’s been placed on our shoulders placed on theirs?” he asked her softly.

“No. I couldn’t just sit back and let others fight, not when I know I can.”

Tommy grinned down at her when she looked up at him. “Just remember, the burden on your shoulders isn’t yours alone, the rest of us will help you with it, just like you help us with ours. And as much as I hate to say this, we need to head back before they send out a search party.”

Kim laughed, her heart lighter for sharing her burden with Tommy. “Or have Alpha pull us up on the viewing globe. Come on.” Together, the pair got up, dusted themselves off, and headed back to their ATV before going in search of their friends.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Mirror
Summary: Sometimes you think you see things in the mirror, things you never want to see
AN: This is from Kim’s POV and set just after season two’s Beauty and the Beast. Mucho thanks to Shawn for the encouragement on this one!

--

Sighing for the millionth time, Kimberly tossed the romance novel she’d been reading across the room and looked up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears of frustration that pooled in her eyes. Her latest brush with Zedd and his goons had left her more shaken than she’d ever admit to Billy, Trini or any of the others, let alone herself. None of them could understand Zedd’s sick fascination with her, but once again it reared its ugly head as the Lord of Evil had tried to make her his queen. That thought alone was enough to have her dinner churning in her stomach and souring. Shaking her head, she looked down from the ceiling, her eyes landing on the mirror sitting on her desk. Quietly, she got up and snatched it off her desk before sitting back down on the bed and holding it in front of her, her fingers grazing the edges.

There was no other option but to admit she missed Tommy desperately. At sixteen, she was in love for the very first time and she had no idea how to handle it, or the complications it brought to her life, which was hectic and messed up as it was without adding teenaged romance to it. Zedd’s latest scheme only intensified the longing for the boy she loved, and the safety she felt in his presence.

“If only you were really a magic mirror, maybe then I could find Tommy and see what he’s up to,” she muttered out loud, a fingertip gracefully sliding across the cool surface of the mirror. Being in love was a wonderfully scary feeling, but lately Kimberly had been feeling more terrified than usual, especially when her wonderfully creative imagination decided to jump into overdrive and start imagining a million things going on with Tommy. He’d been gone from the team, and from Angel Grove, for a few weeks now, leaving them to deal with the blow they’d been dealt in their own ways. Jason had recently dealt with his own inner demons, and they’d even gotten a look into Tommy’s life up at his uncle’s cabin. And of course, she’d had a few phone calls and letters from him since he’d left, but it was nothing like having him with her in person.

She honestly didn’t know if he felt the same way she did, or if she was on the road to heart break. Sure, they’d been on a handful of dates, gone to a couple of dances, and there had been the wonderfully sweet kiss he’d given her before asking her out the first time, but honestly, she wasn’t sure where they stood in his mind. She wasn’t at all sure if she was blowing what was between them out of proportion or if there really was something serious between them. And Tommy’s absence was not helping.

Both her mom and Trini told her she was being paranoid, that Tommy had feelings for her and she shouldn’t think otherwise, but with him so far away, she often wondered if she’d already been replaced. Closing her eyes, she imagined him in the mirror she held. What she saw broke her heart.

He was walking along a trail by a lake with a tall, pretty, blue eyed blonde who was laughing delicately at something he said. Kim could see him take the girl’s hand and lightly stroke her knuckles the way he’d done the first time he’d taken her hand before he’d kissed her. When she saw him leaning forward to kiss the beautiful blonde, Kimberly gave a cry to rival that of her Firebird Thunder Zord and opened her eyes. Reaching up, she tried to wipe away the tears. “Damn my imagination!” she grumbled, setting the mirror down on the blanket and moving back to her desk to get a tissue. Once she was done dabbing her eyes, she reached behind her back to her morpher and pulled out her power coin. Flopping down on her bed, she held the little gold coin in her hand, gazing at the emblem of the Pterodactyl that resided there. “If I ever needed your help, now would be the perfect time.”

As if it actually heard her, Kimberly gasped out loud when her coin blazed pink for a moment before it died down to the normal gold color. She clasped it tightly in her palm and closed her eyes, hoping to draw on any power she could from the tiny object. She wanted nothing better than to believe what she’d imagined she’d seen in the mirror to be false, but she had to face facts – out of sight, out of mind, and Tommy was handsome enough, gentle enough, to have any girl he wanted. Let alone the fact, that he might never want to be reminded again of what’d he’d lost, and she knew as long as she was still an active Ranger, every time she had to leave it would be a constant reminder of his lost powers.

The Pink Ranger jumped when the phone beside her bed rang. Sniffling quietly, she grabbed the receiver and wiped at her eyes. “Hello?”

“Hi Kim.”

Instantly her mood brightened. “Tommy?”

“You were expecting someone else?” he teased.

“No, I was…Believe it or not, I was just thinking about you,” she told him softly, trying to reign in her emotions.

There was a pause on the other end before he spoke again. “Kimberly, are you crying? What’s wrong?”

“I just…I wish…”

He chuckled softly. “I know, Kim, I know.”

“I wish you were home,” she told him honestly, softly, feeling slightly foolish for telling him so blatantly what she was feeling but knowing she couldn’t have lied if she’d wanted to.

“What’s wrong? You know you can tell me.” In a surprisingly calm voice, Kimberly related the events of the last day to him.

By the time she was done, fresh tears were in her eyes. “I just, I miss you so much. I didn’t want to sound like a baby, but I...I miss you. And this whole thing with Zedd, he creeps me out Tommy.”

“I miss you too, Kim,” he told her gently. “And if I’d been there, he’d have never gotten a hold of you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me.” They both got silent, each thinking of the truth behind his words. “I was sitting by the lake earlier, and there was this incredible sunset, and I looked off in the distance, and I saw this beautiful white crane rise up from the lake. It reminded me of you – delicate, graceful, but strong and incredibly powerful as it took flight. You’re going to be okay, and I promise, I’m only going to be gone a little while longer.”

“I know,” she told him. “I know you needed time to get your head together, I just wish…”

“I do too. When I get back, we’ll go out, just the two of us, and do something special, okay? Until then, hang in there.”

“I will,” she smiled, hoping he heard it in her voice.

“That’s my girl. I gotta go, take care and be safe, okay?”

“You too. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Hanging up the phone, Kimberly picked up the mirror, and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw an image of Tommy in it, smiling at her. Taking a deep breath, she wiped away the tears, feeling a little more secure that he’d be home soon.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Youth
Summary: Even if for a split second, they took a moment to be the youths that they really were
AN: This isn’t set during any particular episode; it’s just a TK moment set sometime during the second half of Season 2.

--

Kimberly liked surprises. Tommy knew this. What he didn’t know was that his girlfriend got car sick when she was blind folded. After that little part of his surprise backfired, Tommy figured he’d just drive around for a bit before heading out toward Stone Canyon. Knowing his beloved Pink Ranger the way he did, he knew she’d fall asleep before they got there. And as if on cue, Tommy looked over when they stopped at a stop light just before the freeway entrance and noticed she was sound asleep. Grinning, he got on the freeway and headed for their destination.

Today was the one year anniversary of their first kiss. He wasn’t sure if Kim remembered, though knowing her the way he did, he was pretty sure she did, and he wanted to commemorate the moment with a special celebration. Granted, it was also a year since he’d lost his Green Ranger powers, but he wanted to remember their first kiss more than he did losing his powers. The hour long drive to their destination gave him all sorts of time to think about how much they’d both grown up in the last year.

It had been a year of change, if nothing else. First his numerous stints as the Green Ranger, his going away for the summer, coming back to be the White Ranger and the wonderful change that brought in their personal relationship. Jason, Zack and Trini had left the team to head to Switzerland to save the world in a new way, and Rocky, Adam, and Aisha, the first three humans to learn the Rangers’ secret had become Rangers themselves. Yes, it had been a year of change, and they had had to grow up a lot, now being the senior members of the team, but for one afternoon, Tommy wanted them to just be two teenagers falling in love.

When he finally pulled his truck into the parking lot, he was loath to wake her up. She had her head leaning on his shoulder and she was curled toward him. Smiling, he lifted a hand up to her cheek and brushed her long auburn hair from her face. His smile grew when Kim leaned into his touch and made a pouty noise. “Hey Beautiful,” he whispered softly, watching her eyes open slowly. “We’re here.”

“Did I fall asleep?” she groaned, snuggling her face against his shoulder for a second.

“Yes,” he teased her.

“Sorry.”

Tommy shrugged when she sat up and stretched. “I kinda drove around on purpose,” he admitted.

Kim gave him a saucy look over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Where are we?”

“About forty five minutes out side of downtown Stone Canyon. Come on, we’re gonna lose daylight if we don’t get going,” he told her, hoping out of the truck before racing over to open her door. She smiled her thanks and let him help her slide out.

“Do I need a jacket?”

“Nope, come on,” he grinned, tugging her hand as he headed for the big red barn behind them.

When they got inside, they were welcomed by the sounds of animals, children running and laughing over the cute baby animals, and parents calling out for their kids to stay close. Kim gave him a look when he smiled and tugged her toward what looked like an office. “Hey Tommy!” a short girl, about twelve years old, called out when he walked in.

“Hey Kadee. Is your mom around?” Tommy asked , reaching down to hug her with one arm.

“I think she took a tour of older kids out to the orchard, but she left me strict instructions for you. She said go ahead and hang out in here, and Mrs. Grace will have that surprise for you at about four.”

“Cool. Which two did we get?” he asked.

“Beam and Dance, who else,” Kadee rolled her eyes at him, and then saw Kimberly standing quietly on the other side of him. “You must be Kimberly. Hi, I’m Kadee, Tommy’s honorary cousin!”

Kim gave Tommy a look. “Mine and Kadee’s moms went to high school and college together,” he told her. “Kadee’s parents moved out here about three years ago, and opened up the ranch and the fruit orchard. We didn’t know it was as close to Angel Grove as it is when we first moved last year.”

“Oh,” Kim grinned, reaching out for Tommy’s hand. He smiled at her for putting up with him not explaining sooner. “So, what are we doing?”

“First, we’re gonna hang out in here for about an hour, then I’ve got a surprise for you. By the way, Kadee, did Flower have them yet?” he asked.

“A week ago. They’re adorable!”

Kim didn’t get a chance to ask as Tommy nodded and tugged her back out the office and into the barn. “Come on, you’re going to love this,” Tommy laughed and pulled her over to the corner of the large barn. Kimberly finally realized that the inside of the big red barn was a large petting zoo, but the little area Tommy brought her too was a bit more secluded. “This is Flower,” he said, pointing to the white sheep lying in a corner, nursing what looked like two little balls of fur.

“Oh Tommy! They’re cute!” Kim giggled, scooting closer as the two lambs left their mother and wandered further out into their pen.

“You can get in and touch them,” a man said, coming up to them. “Oh, Tommy, I didn’t realize it was you.”

“Hey Rick,” Tommy grinned, shaking the man’s hand. “Kim, this is Rick, my uncle’s right hand man. Rick, my girlfriend Kimberly.”

“Can I really play with them?” Kim asked.

“Go right ahead, and don’t worry, Flower’s the most gentle mom you’ve ever seen,” Rick reassure her as she climbed over the tiny fencing and sat down in the straw, holding out her hand. The smaller of the two lambs came over and began to sniff at her before nudging her hand and then moving closer.

--

“Are you ready?” Tommy asked an hour later, helping Kim out of the pen. She’d been oohing and awing over the little furry creatures while he watched her.

“Sure, where are we going?” Kim asked as he led her over to a sink so she could wash her hands.

“It’s a surprise,” he grinned, leading her out of the barn to a corral behind it. Kim gave a gasp when she saw the beautiful horses that were tied to the side of the gate.

“Oh Tommy!” she giggled when one of them nuzzled her.

“This is Beam and Dance,” Tommy introduced. “They’re the only two horses I ever ride when I come out here, because they’re the most gentle.”

One was a light brown hide and dark brown mane and tail, while the other was all white. It was the brown one that was currently nuzzling Kim. “They’re gorgeous.”

“I think Beam wants you,” Tommy grinned when the brown mare nudged Kim’s shoulder.

Kim laughed. “So, we’re going riding?”

“And having a picnic,” Tommy added, nodding his head to the picnic basket near the horses. “Need help up?”

“Please.”

Carefully, Tommy took Kim’s upraised calf and helped vault her into the saddle before he grabbed the picnic basket and handed it to her. “Hold this while I get on Dance.” Kim took the basket and watched Tommy expertly scramble up onto Dance’s back before he reached out and took the basket. “Ready?”

Kimberly nodded and then followed Tommy away from the corral and out into the woods surrounding the ranch. The pair raced each other, each taking time to take the lead. Each time they smiled at one another, they reveled in the fact that for one afternoon, they got to act like the normal teenagers being Power Rangers robbed them of.

Once they got to the area Tommy had planned for their picnic, they dismounted and set up their dinner, laughing about whatever came to mind while just soaking up each other’s presence. No thoughts of their communicators going off, no thoughts of saving the world intruded on their little world for two.

“Tommy?” Kim ventured after they were done eating. They’d been lying back against a tree, Kim settled in Tommy’s lap, watching the sun set in the distance.

“Yes Beautiful?”

“Thank you,” she whispered, looking over her shoulder at him.

“For what?”

“For making our anniversary special,” she grinned, watching him smile. “Did you think I forgot?”

“I was kind of wondering.”

“Tommy?”

“Hmmm?”

“Happy Anniversary,” she told him, right before he leaned forward. They kissed softly for a few seconds before breaking apart, Kim snuggling back against his chest while he held her to him, their eyes locked on the sunset again.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Scars
Summary: Like recognizes like, and Tommy refuses to let her deal with her pain alone
AN: This one is set just after A Different Shade Of Pink. We never really know how long it was between this episode, Kim’s leaving, and Kat’s first adventure as the Pink Ranger, so bear with me. This is from Tommy’s POV, and will have references to Season 1 events post The Green Candle.

Dedication: To Shawn, for constantly encouraging me to continue to write, especially TK. You have no idea how much your support means, especially when those days of me thinking I can’t write them correctly come and I just need a pick me up. Love ya Handsome!

--

I can’t help the sigh that escapes as I look down at the body curled against mine. She’s been so tired the last two weeks or so, and most of it is because her world has been turned absolutely, positively upside down and inside out. Not only did she have an accident - which I still shudder when thinking about it - she also got back into Gymnastics, scored a spot to train for the Pan Globals, and gave up her place as the Pink Ranger to our newest friend, Katherine. And through all of the stress, the trauma, the headaches, she hasn’t complained once. My Beautiful is a strong, strong woman, but I know that beneath the smile she’s giving, the desire to train for her dream she’s showing, and the happy-go-lucky nature she’s projecting, the wounds are starting to scar over.

I first noticed it just shortly after she transferred her place as the Pink Ranger to Kat. She held herself away from the team, including me, Billy and Aisha, who are closest to her. I remember reaching out to take her hand and noticed her shying away from me. I didn’t have to ask her what was wrong though, because I knew. I’ve been there; I know what she’s going through. And just like she was there for me in the aftermath of my losing the Green Ranger powers, I made a vow to myself when she first lost her power coin to be here for her as she goes through the same process.

My second indication that those mental and emotional wounds were starting to close over, was the lifeless look in her eyes when she’d look up and catch me staring at her. Kimberly’s always been vibrant and full of life, with those eyes of hers being the gateway to her heart and soul. To see her beautiful brown depths looking listless and dull is breaking my heart.

My last piece of evidence is her quietness. Like I said, Kim’s always been vibrant and full of life. My dad once said she reminded him of a firecracker going off, permanently. However, in the last week, that description isn’t how I’d describe her. She’s been really soft spoken, constantly tired, and almost timid.

Looking down at her again, I can’t help but run my hand up and down her back. After school, I brought her home with me, so that I could make sure she got some rest, and we wound up here in my bedroom, me fully awake and watching her and her sleeping, her body curled tightly to mine. My mom came in about twenty minutes ago, to talk to me, and wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Kim sleeping against me. While we’ve never really been allowed into each other’s bedrooms, I think Mom sorta understood my need to have her get some sleep while I watched over her.

I almost can’t help but think back to when I lost my Green Ranger powers. I’d felt like a hole had been ripped in my soul and my insides had been stomped, smashed and torn to shreds. And I’d only held the power for such a short time at that point. I can only image what Kimberly has gone through. She held the Pink Ranger powers for nearly three years, and added onto that, she’s had to deal with the Ninja Powers on top of losing her normal Ranger powers. I can’t even begin to think how it felt when her Ninja Animal Spirit was being literally ripped from her heart and soul, not to mention the strain on her body. Since we’ve gotten our ninja powers, both Kim and I have become aware of the much deeper link between us, which we’ve both attributed to being the only aerial spirits in the group, as well as the only couple of the group.

All of these things are going to impact her. They’re going to leave scars that may never heal, and I’m not talking about the physical scars, because Zordon can heal those for her. No, the emotional turmoil and the mental strain will continue to linger, and if she doesn’t start talking about it soon, they could become as all consuming as mine did, which is what forced me to take off for the summer after losing the Green powers for the final time.

“Hi,” a soft voice brings me back to reality.

Looking down, I find myself staring into a pair of beautiful, doe brown eyes. “Hi Beautiful; have a nice nap?” I tease gently, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

“Yes,” she responds before she yawns. “What were you thinking about so intently?” she softly asks.

“You.”

I’m surprised by the grin that slides into place on her lips, seconds before she starts stretching against me. “Really?”

“Would I lie to you?”

“I should hope not.” I give her a look that has her blushing. “So, what were you thinking about, in relation to me?”

“How I’m going to be here for you, to support you, to love you, as you get use to being a civilian again.”

I wince when I see the look on her face. “I’m fine, Tommy.”

Shaking my head, I reach down and tip her chin up. “No, you’re not. Did you forget who you’re talking to here? I’ve been there, remember? And yours was a lot worse than mine. You can’t hide this from me of all people Kim, I know too much about it.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s fine, for now. I don’t expect you to be ready to talk about it, but eventually you will be, and I’ll be here when you are. The wounds may be physically healed, but not mentally and emotionally. Hell, I still carry scars from losing my powers, and it’s been almost two years since it happened.”

“I just want to forget it ever happened!” she cries softly, burying her face against my chest.

I rub my hand up and down her back and kiss the top of her head. “You can’t just forget it, Kim. Being a Ranger was and always will be a big part of who you are. You can’t just shut it out, number one because it’ll make you feel empty, but number two it’ll always be part of your life.”

“I want to go to Florida, I really do, but I don’t want to stop being a Ranger, no matter what I said earlier.”

I knew this was coming, the insecurities of leaving us behind are starting to crowd into her mind. “I know that, but if you don’t try to accomplish this dream, you’re going to learn to grow to resent being a Ranger, because you’ll have missed out on finding out what we already know – that you can be a world class gymnast,” I assure her as she looks up at me, tears running down her face and still pooling in her eyes. “Besides, what did Zordon say when you handed Katherine your place?”

“That I’d be a stronger, better, Ranger when I returned to the team.”

“Exactly,” I grin at her. “You will always have a place on the team, just like Jason, Zack and Trini will always have a place on the team. There are six of us who are standing between Zedd and Rita and the destruction of Earth; you’ve served our planet for nearly three years, and you’ve sacrificed a lot already. Don’t be afraid to go for your dreams.”

“Gymnastics isn’t everything.”

I smile. “No, it’s not, but it’s what’s right for you, for right now. When you’re ready to come back, we’ll be here, to welcome you with open arms. And I will always be here for you.”

She’s smiling a watery smile up at me. “I love you,” she whispers.

“I know; I love you too,” I reply before leaning down and kissing her. The wounds are starting to heal, and eventually, they will close, but there will always be scars of this event on her heart and soul, but no matter what, like she’s always soothed mine, I’ll be there to sooth hers.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Time
Summary: While Tommy worries about Kim, he takes a few minutes to analyze the situation
AN: This is set during Wild West Rangers, while Billy’s trying to find the time period Kimberly ended up in. This one is from Tommy’s POV.

--

This is the first time in a really long time that I feel completely useless as a Power Ranger. Normally, I’m the one to make a plan, to execute the plan; I’m not the “sit on my butt and wait” kind of person. Unfortunately, for all my fighting and strategizing skills, I am of no help with what’s going on right now. Billy’s working diligently with Alpha to find Kimberly, who, somehow, got swept into a time portal and blown into another time. My girlfriend is missing, and I have no way in helping to find her. I’m sure Billy would let me help with the computers, but I’m smart enough to realize that I’d just be in the way of him finding Kimberly faster. God knows I just want her home, safe and sound, and in my arms. It’s kinda funny, despite the turn of recent events, how much times have changed around here.

When I first became a Ranger, nothing was more important than finding redemption for what I’d done under Rita’s influence. That melted into me helping my friends save the world. Kimberly and I were just friends in the beginning, friends circling around each other, and now we’re inseparable and completely in love with each other. Even Billy’s changed since I first became a Ranger. He was constantly trying to improve his skills as a fighter, while still maintaining his status as our resident answer guy. Now, he’s a pretty good fighter, who still tries to better his technique, and still comes through with the right answers just when we need them. It kind makes me wonder why I haven’t tried to brush up more on the technical aspects of being a Ranger. If Billy can become a martial artist, I should be able to learn how to run the computers better. Besides, it would mean that in times like this, I wouldn’t feel so helpless.

I’d have never said this before, but honestly, I think if Zordon hadn’t made me the leader when he’d given me the White Ranger powers, Billy would have been perfect for the job. Yes, he’d have had a lot to learn, just like I did, but he’s a lot more well rounded as a Ranger than I am. When it comes to certain things, especially like now with Kim missing, I turn into a basket case while Billy remains cool, calm and collected. But I also know Billy; he’s still got some pretty deep self-esteem issues, sorta like me. He’s a quiet soul, and I don’t think right now, he’d think he was leadership material, despite the fact that next to Kim, he’s been doing this longer than any of us. But he is.

“FOUND HER!” Billy’s voice broke me from my thoughts.

“Well?” Aisha quips.

“She’s about two hundred years in the past.”

Wonderful. “Can we get her?”

“Give me a few minutes, I should be able to lock onto her communicator signal.”

Again with the time thing. I shake my head and cross my fingers, my thoughts suddenly drifting to Kimberly and her adventures in the past. In a few minutes, she’ll be back in the present where she belongs, and all will be right with the world. And maybe with her back, I can stop worrying and start to take the time to learn how to be a better Ranger from Billy.

- - - - - - - - -

AN: Just so everyone knows, the next four are probably going to be the hardest for me to write for this series – fight, secrets, why, and reaction. I say this because, unfortunate as it may be these four challenges deal with the Letter and its aftermath, and the Turbo movie. And we all know how much I just LOVE those two events – insert sarcasm – however, they were events we had no control over, even though those of us who love TKim really wish we could go back and prevent them. Don’t expect me to treat them in a fantastical way, as I’m striving for a more mature outlook on those two specific events – or as the old saying goes “It is what it is” and I’ll try to portray the events as realistically as I can.

Challenge: Fight
Summary: How could she expect him to fight for them when she herself had stopped fighting for them?
AN: This one takes place after Zeo’s There’s No Business Like Snow Business and is from Kimberly’s POV.

--

“Hey Beautiful.”

Brown eyes clenched shut as she let out a shaky breath. She was just getting ready to get on the beam to practice, and he just had to go and throw her concentration off by calling her that. “Alex, I asked you not to call me that. Would you please, not call me that?” she ground out, turning to look at him.

“Sorry?” he gave her a puppy-dog pout. “You have to admit, it’s a good nickname for you.” She shook her head. There was only one person who’d ever called her that, and despite the fact that they were no longer on good terms, Kimberly couldn’t help but feel that only he should ever be allowed to call her that. ‘Of course, you blew the chance of that ever happening again’ she reminded herself as she turned back to the beam. “Concentrate, fly-girl!” he grinned as she got up on the beam, her focus to prove why she was one of the six gymnasts chosen for the upcoming games.

But even as she concentrated on the routine she knew by heart, her heart and soul were torn. It had been just a short month or so since she’d sent Tommy the letter that had ended their relationship. While she knew she shouldn’t be surprised she hadn’t heard from anyone but Billy, Adam and Rocky, she actually was surprised Tommy hadn’t called her to find out what the heck was going on. In a way, it was a blessing and a curse that he hadn’t called. On one hand, she was free to explore her growing feelings for Alex, but on the other, she was torn that Tommy hadn’t at least wanted an explanation.

Shaking her head, she moved to perform her dismount. Once she had landed and was congratulated by Alex and some of the younger girls, Kim headed for the locker room to change before she took a walk outside.

Kimberly understood that she’d chosen her own path when she’d sent the letter, knew the ramifications of it, but a tiny part of her, the part that still totally and completely belonged to Tommy on some level was angry that he hadn’t put up any resistance to the end of their relationship. There hadn’t been a phone call, no letter in response, nothing. It was as if the fight had been knocked right out of him, and a tiny part of her wondered if he had wanted to fight for her at all.

She sighed in frustration and brought her hand up to wipe away the tears that gathered in her eyes. She knew she’d done this to herself, but it still hurt like hell. Part of her was happy, the part that had feelings for Alex, but a part of her wondered if she’d meant anything at all to the former White Ranger. Of course, that was just nonsense, and she knew it. She knew she’d meant something to Tommy, and of course, when he hurt, it often ran deep, and he dealt with it on his own. The logical part of her brain said he probably wouldn’t ever ask her what had happened, and more than likely, he was blaming himself for the demise of their relationship when it wasn’t his fault at all. After all, she’s the one who’d written the letter, the one who’d called things off before he had a chance to know something was up.

Ever since she’d come to Florida, she’d found the world of professional gymnastics was a lot harder than she’d anticipated, but had thought her training as a Power Ranger would serve her well. She also never once thought that, gradually, she’d start feeling something for Alex, who was one of the assistant coaches. Being a Ranger, and of course, being with Tommy, had been the center of her world, but now, gymnastics consumed her every waking moment, and Alex, who’d been assigned to work closely with her, was as much a part of her new life as the equipment she trained on. So it had surprised her when she’d returned after a wonderful Christmas break to visit Angel Grove and found herself soaring when Alex had picked her up at the airport. She’d gotten the same feeling just a week before when she’d stepped off the plane and had seen Tommy standing there waiting for her. To say it had been confusing was an understatement.

It had taken her nearly a month to realize what was happening between her and Alex, what with selection for the women’s team happening and their training intensifying. The night that the final team selections had been made changed everything. In a moment of weakness, she’d stopped fighting her attraction to Alex and let him kiss her while they’d been in the middle of the dance floor of the club the team had gone to, to celebrate at. Two agonizing weeks later found her softly crying as she wrote Tommy the letter that would end nearly four years of love, trust and friendship. Dropping the piece of mail into the post office box had hurt like nothing before, but she’d not seen any other course of action to take. Calling Tommy had been out of the question, as she never knew when his Ranger duties, school, his teaching or the time difference would give her a long time to talk to him, and she knew if they’d talked, she’d have rethought what she was doing. She’d taken the cowards way out, and hadn’t fought hard enough to remain true to him.

So why was she now wishing he’d fought harder for them when she hadn’t?

It was simple really. She was attracted to Alex, and knew she could easily fall in love with him, but Tommy was her first love, and she’d always feel for him things she’d never feel for anyone else. However inexperience, time, distance, and a difference in lifestyles were hard factors to fight to keep any relationship alive, and part of her had just gotten so tired of fighting, it seemed like that’s all she’d been doing for the last few months since just before she’d left home. Sighing, she knew if she’d gotten tired of fighting for them, then Tommy probably had too, which is why she hadn’t heard from him, and knew she probably never would.

- - - - - - - - -
 

Challenge: Secrets
Summary: She couldn’t share this secret, not even with her big brother
AN: This one is set just after the Turbo Movie, and is from Kimberly’s POV.

--

He looked genuinely happy, and for that, she was most grateful. It had only been a few months since they’d broken up, but already she could see that Kat was helping him heal, that the hole she’d created in his heart was slowly starting to mend, and that he could see there was life beyond them. Because of that, she would take her secret to the grave; she wouldn’t even share it with the one person she’d told every secret to since she was three. No, she wouldn’t burden another soul with the information she kept tucked safely in her heart. Shaking her head, she looked around at her friends and watched them carefully.

Justin was sitting at a table with Rocky and a bunch of the other kids from the orphanage, chattering excitedly about all the possible things the money the team had just won would do for the orphanage. Already she could see the signs in Rocky; they were as visible to her as they’d been to Jason when he’d told her about the whole thing. The former Red and Blue Ranger was already starting to go through with drawl from the power. But she knew Rocky better than most, he would bounce back. He was too proud a warrior, and too good of a person not to know that life went on. A whole world of opportunity awaited him now that he wasn’t going to constantly be running off to save the world.

Jason, her big brother in everything but blood, was at the table the Rangers had made their own, quietly talking to the pretty blonde he called Emily. Jason seemed enthralled with the beautiful girl, and she saw in Jason something she wondered if she’d every see – he was in love. She took a moment to pray that Jason and Emil weathered the storm of love better than she had. Shaking herself from her suddenly depressing mood, her eyes drifted to over Jason’s shoulder.

Tanya and Adam were up near the snack bar with Ernie, laughing and talking about whatever. She couldn’t help but smile as she saw Adam reach over and take Tanya’s hand, the Yellow Ranger giving the ever shy Green Ranger a brilliant smile and a squeeze to his hand. She was happy that one of her closest friends had finally found someone who made him happy, and she was even more relieved to know that Tanya wasn’t much different than Trini or Aisha in that she was proud, strong, vibrant, and caring. She fit the role of Yellow Ranger as perfectly as the two women who’d come before her. It warmed her heart to know that Trini and Aisha’s legacy was in safe hands.

Speaking of legacies, she turned to see her successor. The beautiful blonde Pink Ranger was currently snuggled close to Tommy dancing to the music blaring through the air. When Tommy looked down into Kat’s eyes from where her head rested on his shoulder, she saw that Tommy was slowly falling for his teammate. Briefly she wondered if that’s how they’d looked when they’d been falling for each other. Had they looked at each other with that simple awe or had it always been so blatant to everyone around them?

“You look depressed,” a voice whispered in her ear, causing her to snap to attention. Turning, she saw another old friend hovering over her shoulder. Okay, so they hadn’t really been friends, but she’d like to think he’d grown up a lot in the last few years.

“Hi Skull,” she smiled up at him. “I’m not, just thinking.”

“You know, they’re just now getting around to being together in public, but I have to say, I don’t think Kat’s ever going to live up to you,” he told her softly. “Not for any of us.”

“She shouldn’t have to,” she whispered. “She’s her own person; strong, poised, caring, a perfect match for him in every way. I’m happy he’s found someone,” she told him, conviction in her voice.

Skull seemed deep in thought as the pair watched Tommy and Kat change positions and twirl around the room. “Honestly, I don’t think she is,” he finally spoke up. “You always were his opposite in everything, sort of a yin to his yang, if you understand me. Sometimes I wonder how Kat, when she’s so quiet herself, can get him to talk.”

“Being out-going isn’t always a good thing, especially with Tommy,” she grinned. “He likes his solitude, something I always hated. I wanted to be around everyone, couldn’t stand to be alone, but Kat, she’s comfortable being in a quiet place. Besides, they have a lot more in common than you’d realize, trust me.” Thoughts of the Pink and Red Rangers’ histories came back to her. They’d both had to struggle to find redemption for the evil deeds they’d performed before joining the team – Tommy’s as the Green Ranger and Kat’s before she’d been a Ranger.

As another song began to play, the pair remained quiet. “If you’re still in love with him, why did you break up with him?” Skull asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

“Because I’d thought I’d found the person I was supposed to be with. Turns out, I made a mistake; the one person I was supposed to be with was right in front of me all along.”

“You’re not going to tell him, are you?” She was surprised by the maturity of the questions Skull was asking her.

She smiled sadly up into Skull’s face. “No. Our lives are so different now; we have nothing in common anymore. It wouldn’t be fair to tell him, especially not now when he’s finally finding peace. It’s a secret not even Jason knows, and I’m going to take it to my grave. It’s time to get on with my life, and he’s already getting on with his.”

“I’ll keep your secret, Kimberly,” he assured her, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

“Thank you.”

“Would you care to dance?” he asked, grinning.

Kim’s laugh was twinkling as it chimed up around them. “Skull, I’d love to!” she chirped as he led her out onto the floor. She was amazed that her heart felt a lot lighter since she and Skull had talked. So maybe she wasn’t going to be the only one to take her secret to the grave, and it was surprising that it was Skull who’d figured out her carefully hidden treasure.

- - - - - - - - -

Challenge: Why
Summary: He just wanted to know why…
AN: This is set after the Turbo Movie, and is from Tommy’s POV. From here on out, the chapters are the flipsides to the first 20 I posted. Hopefully, some of these will go a little faster, as I have about half of these already pre-written. This one…didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked, but I also got to the point where I didn’t want to beat an already dead animal to death further.

--

I can’t help but let my eyes take her in. I shouldn’t feel the way I do, but I feel like a man starved at the mere sight of her. It’s been a few short months since I received the letter that ended our relationship, and in that time I thought I’d gotten over her, gotten over us. Kat and I have been dating for a few weeks now, since about the time Jason lost the Gold Ranger powers, and I had thought that I was past what had happened between her and I, but I knew, the moment I saw her on the viewing globe in Divatox’s ship that until I get the answer to the one question that has been burning a hole through my heart, I’ll never have closure. I just want to know why.

She’s standing close to Jason and Rocky, the latter introducing the two of them to Justin, the newest member of our team. I watch her smile at Justin’s obvious instant infatuation, but even from here, I can see the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. Part me wonders why that is, when she obviously has everything she wants – a place on the Pan Global team, her friends surrounding her, someone waiting at home for her with open arms.

“You should go talk to her,” a voice whispers softly from my left. Turning, my eyes land on my teammate, who looks a bit worried. “You’re not going to be able to rest until you know why, and we’re not going to be able to make it past this if you don’t, because it’s always going to be a ghost in the background.”

I shake my head as I reach out to take Kat’s hand. “I can’t. She’s happy, and that’s all I’ve ever really wanted. Bringing up the past will only make this harder in the long run.” I know what Kat says is true, and part of me really does want to know why, but the part of me that has always loved and cherished Kimberly can’t bare the thought of hearing, not reading but hearing, her say she’s found someone else and she doesn’t love me anymore. Even after all the hurt she’s inflicted on me, I can’t help but wonder why I don’t just march right over there, spin her around and demand to know what the hell happened to us, but I just can’t seem to move.

“Tommy,” Kat tries to smile at me, lifting her hand to touch my cheek.

I lean into her hand and try to smile. “Dance with me?” I ask her.

She smiles and nods as I take her hand and lead her out onto the dance floor. Even while we’re dancing, my eyes occasionally wander to Kim, who’s watching us. The look on her face has me once again wondering the big question – why? I’m surprised to see her talking to Skull, before they step out onto the dance floor with us and start dancing. As long as she’s happy, I can deal with not knowing all the details behind why we ended.

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Challenge: Reaction
Summary: Delayed reactions are sometimes the worst
AN: This one is the flipside to fight, sorta. This is set just about a week or so after There’s No Business Like Snow Business

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Rocky and Adam were quiet and cautious as they crept down the stairs to the basement at Tommy’s house. Their leader hadn’t had the best of weeks, with his break up with Kim, the skiing incident with Heather and his failed Valentines date with her. While both understood it was healthy for him to move on, they couldn’t help but remember his reaction to Kim’s letter, and what all of his actions in the last week really meant.

“You think he’s gonna kill us for coming over unannounced?” Rocky softly asked.

“We called ahead,” Adam assured him, remembering Mrs. Oliver’s relieved tone. “I just asked his mom not to say anything. Besides, coming over unannounced would be like teleporting in.”

Rocky nodded and the two stopped on the final step. Tommy was standing in the corner, beating the stuffing out of his punching bag. They both felt awful when he stopped hitting it and just leaned against it, his shoulders shaking with what they both knew were silent tears.

Both of them understood in that instant that the entire team, with maybe the exception of Billy, failed to realize the true depths of Tommy’s feelings for Kimberly, or what his reaction to the sudden break up would be.

“Tommy?” Adam started.

“Yeah?” Tommy’s shaky voice responded, his face still pressed to the bag.

“Come on, Man, talk to us,” Rocky urged.

The Red Ranger just shook his head. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“You know that’s a load of bull,” Rocky told him, trying to gauge what his friend’s reaction would be to what he had to say next. “Tommy, don’t ruin the memory of what you guys had by acting like this.”

Adam winced when Tommy’s head snapped up. “Excuse me? I didn’t ruing anything!” he hollered, spinning around to face his friends. “She sent me a letter in lieu of a phone call, to break up with me and you’re accusing me of ruining what we had?”

Rocky did what Adam never knew he had the courage to do, he stared Tommy down. “Tommy, grieve for what you had, but don’t taint the memories.”

The Green Ranger jumped back when Tommy stalked over. “That’s kind of hard at the moment, Rocky.”

“You love her, right?”

Tommy gave Rocky a ‘that’s a stupid question look’ before he nodded. Both the Blue and Green Rangers were shocked to see their leader’s eyes fill. “Always.”

“Then try to be happy for her,” Rocky told him sincerely. “She’s happy, that’s all you can ask for. She’s always going to be your first love, and she’s always going to have a very special place in your heart and in your life. She was YOUR Pink Ranger, your best friend, the person who will always probably know you better than you know yourself, but at this point in your lives, maybe its time to go your separate ways. You never know what the future holds, maybe, given some time, you’ll get back together.”

Adam, who’d been fairly silent for a few moments, nodded his agreement. “My mom always says if something is meant to be, it’ll find a way to be. Maybe Rocky’s right, as much as it hurts right now; maybe it’s good for the two of you right now.”

Without a word, Tommy sunk down onto the bottom step. Quietly, Rocky and Adam sat down too. “What the heck was I thinking trying to go out with Heather?”

“Trying to forget something that hurts,” Adam answered. “You can’t just wipe Kim from your mind, it doesn’t work that way.”

Rocky and Adam didn’t expect the reactions Adam’s words brought – Tommy’s smile. “I guess you’re right, I’m just…”

“Love hurts,” Rocky responded.

“Yeah.”

“Tommy, look, we’re not saying what happened or how it happened was the best way to have it happen, but you’re not at fault here. And don’t forget, no matter what, you wouldn’t be who you are without what happened between you two,” Adam finished.

“When did you two get so wise?” Tommy teased even though his voice cracked.

“Billy must be rubbing off on us,” Rocky joked.

The three sat in silence before Tommy sighed. “Things have changed so much this last year.”

Rocky snorted. “That ain’t no joke. Losing our powers, not once, but TWICE!”

“Losing three teammates but gaining two,” Adam pointed out.

“All the battles, all the pain, and all the hard work,” Tommy added. “And yet, there was a lot of joy, and a lot of triumph.”

The Blue Ranger grinned. “And just think, the year isn’t even over with yet!”

Adam smiled and looked at Tommy. “Are you going to be okay, man?”

Tommy nodded. “Might take me a while, but yeah, I will be. Thanks for coming over.”

“Hey, it’s not everyday we get to kick the Red Ranger’s butt!” Rocky cackled.

Adam and Tommy just rolled their eyes at him and laughed.

 

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Challenge: Home
Summary: Home is where your heart is, and her heart will always be with him
AN: This is the flip to Scars, which was set after A Different Shade Of Pink.

--

If there was anything better in the world than quietly laying in Tommy’s arms, then Kim hadn’t found it yet. His warmth had seeped into her, his arms held her tightly to him, and despite their earlier conversation, his mere presence had calmed her. Tommy was right about her needing to go for her dreams, but there was one thing he didn’t understand – her last, most secure place was the haven she alone had in his arms. Angel Grove wouldn’t be home much longer, and Florida, she couldn’t ever see being home, but the one place she could always count on would be her place beside him. Her heart and soul had found their place – it was with him.

“What are you grinning about, Beautiful?” his deep, rich voice sent shivers down her spine. Moving her head, she saw his warm chocolate eyes staring down at her from his head’s perch on his pillow.

“Nothing in particular,” she responded. While she knew her real answer would be safe with him, part of her didn’t want to appear sappy or dependant; she wanted his last clear memories of her until she came home to be of the vibrant, caring, kick your ass Pink Ranger he’d fallen in love with.

“Liar,” he grinned at her.

She just smiled up at him before snuggling close. “Tommy?”

“Hmm?”

“Have you ever felt like you’ve finally found the place where you were meant to be?” she carefully asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“Because. I always figured my place was Angel Grove, and I know Florida won’t ever be it,” she started.

She saw the surprise written on his face when he tipped her chin up. “I found my place the day I found you,” he gently told her, watching her eyes fill.

Kim felt her heart melt and the tears gather in her eyes at his honest, heartfelt admission. “I was just thinking…”

“And?”

“Home is wherever you are, and I’m going to miss you more than you’ll ever know.”

His smile drove away the dark clouds that were crowding in on her heart. “I love you, Kimberly, and my home, my place, is always with you. We’ll have to be apart for a while, but I’ll be here when you’ve achieved your dreams, waiting for you.” The tears streaked down her cheeks even as she lifted her mouth to his for a sweet, emotion laden kiss that.
 

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