Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Power Rangers just the ones I make up in the story.

Title: This Is the Way Love Should Be

Summary: In June 2005 two star crossed former lovers bump into each other at an unsuspecting place and what happens next doesn't surprise their friends and family. Set a month after the Dino Thunder rangers graduate.

Starbucks, Reefside, California

June 11, 2005

10 am

Tommy was waiting in line at Starbucks to get a coffee, laptop in hand. When he got up to the register and placed his order he heard someone texting behind him. At the same time, he was heading to the other side of the counter someone slipped on the floor sending the person behind him crashing into him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" The female voice said.

"It wasn't me! Somebody slipped!" Tommy said. Then they looked up at each other and froze.

Tommy found himself staring into the same doe brown eyes that he fell in love with 12 years ago.

It was none other than Kimberly Ann Hart, the girl who broke up with him in a letter.

"Tommy…" Kim said shyly.

"Kim…" Tommy said slowly.

"I got to go."

"Kim…wait! Your phone!"

"Oh yeah…good the screen didn't break thank God."

Kim took the phone from him.

"Kim, at least let me buy you a coffee."

"No, really, that's okay. I really must go. Have a deadline at work."

With that Kim was gone. The barista called Tommy's name and Tommy grabbed his coffee.

Maybe I should go after her, Tommy thought as he grabbed a seat and made a call to Jason.

"Hello?" Jason said.

"Hey bro. Long time no talk," Tommy said.

"It's only been three months. Sounds like you got something important to tell me so spill."

"I bumped into Kim today…did you know anything about her being in the area? I thought she was still in Florida?"

"I knew. I didn't tell you because you told me not to tell you anything about Kim, you swore me to secrecy."

"Because I wanted to forget about her, that's why."

"You can't forget someone you're still in love with."

"I'm not in love with her, Jason. That ended when she sent the letter."

"She didn't send the letter. Her roommate Candace did. Candace thought that she would feel better if she meddled in someone else's affairs and going through a breakup herself she thought why not break up you and Kim, so she did. Kim would never write you a dear john letter. She was so in love with you and wanted to be with you forever. After the karate match for the orphanage at the youth center Kim wanted to tell you the truth but when she saw you with Kat she left."

"So, the letter was a lie…"

"Yes, it was just some hormonal teenage girl trying to make herself feel better."

"Do you have Kim's number?"

"Yes. Are you going to use it properly?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Okay…here goes nothing," Jason said as he gave Tommy the phone number.

Tommy said goodbye to Jason and hung up. He dialed Kim's number.

"Hello?" Kim said.

"Hey Kim, it's me. About today?" Tommy said.

"Tommy, can you hold on a second? I'm taking this call outside. Be back in 10." Kim said to her co-workers as she went outside.

"Okay I'm outside. You have 10 minutes."

"Okay I'll be brief. I'm sorry about earlier. I was wondering if you wanted to do lunch with me?"

"Why would you want to see me after what happened?" Kim asked.

"If you mean the letter, Jason told me the truth. It wasn't you, it was that girl Candace."

"She wrote it in another girl's room while I was sleeping and mailed it in the middle of the night. I didn't find out about it until Jason asked me and then Candace laughed behind my back. I almost killed her that day. The next day I quit the program and moved in with a new friend from my new high school."

"Whew, I feel better. Quick question, did you ever stop loving me?"

"Never, why ask me such a question?"

"I didn't stop loving you either."

"What about Kat?"

"Didn't work out. How can it when your heart belongs to another?"

"Okay I'll go to lunch with you, but I have to get back. Noon okay?"

"Okay. See you later beautiful." Tommy said.

"See you later handsome." Kim said as she hung up and went back inside.

Café Luna, Reefside

12 pm

Kim saw Tommy walk up to her. He's on time for a change, she said to herself as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey beautiful, nice day isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. So, where do you work, anyways?"

"I'm a 12th grade science teacher at Reefside High School and just got done mentoring a group of power rangers who were my students."

"Yeah, Jason told me. You were the black ranger, right?"

"Yes, I was. Now I'm the butt of the multicolored ranger jokes again."

"Oh yeah. I don't hear the end of it from Rocky."

"They never get old though. What about you? Where do you work?"

"I'm a fashion editor at Elle magazine, the Reefside office."

"They actually have an office in Reefside? Wow."

"Yeah, pays my rent."

"Which brings me to my next question. Where do you live?"

"In a high rise downtown, on the fifth floor. Where do you live?"

"In the country, deep in the woods. Away from the city."

"Wow, must be nice." Kim said as the waiter took their orders. Soon their food came, and the hour was over. Kim went back to work, and Tommy went back home.

Tommy's House, Reefside

6 pm

Tommy was napping on the couch when he heard a knock on the door. It was raining outside. Tommy opened the door and there stood Kim, soaked from head to toe.

"So, this is where you live?" Kim said surprised.

"Yes, what happened?" Tommy asked.

"My car broke down two blocks away and I took a wrong turn."

"Get inside you're going to catch a cold."

Tommy ushered Kim inside. They stood facing each other, leaned into each other, and kissed.

They stood locked in that kiss for a minute. Then Tommy spoke.

"Wow. I have to say you've gotten better at kissing."

"You too. Look, I'm freezing. I need to get into some drier clothes."

"Oh sure. Right this way." Tommy said as he led Kim to his bedroom where he started to rummage through his drawers. He got out a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"It's not much, but it will stop you from freezing."

"Thank you. I'll go change in the bathroom," Kim said as she went to change.

After Kim changed she found Tommy in the kitchen, getting supper together.

"You can cook?" Kim asked.

"Yes, in fact I can. I can make a mean spaghetti and meatballs."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Okay, just watch."

An hour later Kim and Tommy were having a lively conversation at the kitchen table.

After supper Kim and Tommy watched a movie.

"Man, I'm tired. How about we get ready for bed? You can have my bed and I'll sleep on the couch," Tommy said.

"Sounds like a plan," Kim said as she started getting ready for bed. Tommy did the same.

"Well, good night, Tommy."

"Good night beautiful," Tommy said as he gave Kim a kiss and went to the couch as Kim went to his bedroom.

June 12, 2005

8 am

Tommy woke up to the sensation of someone's head on his chest. He looked down and saw Kim lying next to him with her head on his chest, sleeping soundly.

"Hey, beautiful, it's time to wake up," Tommy said softly.

Kim woke up and was shocked to see she was lying next to Tommy on the couch.

"How did I end up here?" Kim asked.

"You tell me."

"I don't know…maybe my instincts told me to sleep with you on the couch."

"I like your instincts. But I must get up. Got a lot to do today."

"Like what?"

"Um…stuff, and you have to go to work."

"Tommy, it's a Saturday. I don't work on the weekends."

"Oh, I knew that. Well, you want to tag along?"

"Sure. But we need to swing by my apartment first, so I can change."

"Okay we'll do that first," Tommy said as they got ready for the day.