Infinity
Disclaimer: Power Rangers doesn't belong to me.
:: For G.H.
Until this day I'm still grateful to whatever power out there that had given me the courage to pick up the phone and call Kim right after the graduation party three years ago. Jason had kept me on the loop about what she was up to these days, so at least I knew what to expect when we finally talked. We might not have the best history of dating, thanks to a certain letter, but she was my friend and I still cared.
Alright, I won't lie that a part of me was hoping that we could have another chance, but at that time it didn't seem to really matter since Kimberly was seriously involved with a British young man, Gerard Dickinson. I managed to tame down myself and not throw anything across the room when Jason reluctantly told me about him. If he's the one who could make the former pink ranger happy, I wouldn't do anything that could make her hate me or more importantly, get upset. Well, then again, it's not like I could fly to Florida, knock at her front door and throw her over my shoulders before bringing her back to Reefside with me.
To say that Kim was surprised at my sudden phone call would have been an understatement and I couldn't blame her for that. How many years had passed since we acted decently to each other? It had been far too long. Anyway, we talked for nearly two hours; I filled her in about my current work, both of them, and she told me about her teaching position as a high school gymnastics teacher, amongst many other things.
It felt really great to be able to talk with Kim again. We used to do that; sharing almost everything and I missed it more than I'd like to admit.
The letter topic resurfaced between the talk about her stepsister who lived in France with her parents and Jason's choice to build another karate school. As I listened to her story, I found the anger trapped inside me fading, leaving me with my curiosity only. As difficult it was to talk about the tender subject, we're both adults and I wasn't about to pester her about her actions when she was seventeen.
Two hours flew by and after having no contact for nearly a decade, it simply wasn't enough. We promised to stay in touch and in fact, we did. A phone call or emails every weekend began to become a routine for both of us. Slowly but surely, she started to become a part of my life, just the way it used to be.
Not everything went on as it'd planned though. Later it's revealed that Gerard had a very pregnant fiance back home and it took me all my ranger and non-ranger power not to come there to teach the asshole a lesson or two. Kim was so hurt and in my efforts to comfort her as best as I could via emails and phone calls, it slipped from my mind that Kim was single. Not until a month later anyway, when Kim called to inform me she's moving back to California, and even better, Reefside. Now she has her own gymnastics studio which only ten minutes driving from my house.
It was then that I finally saw a new light in our friendship. Our first date was a dinner on a local café downtown which followed by a stroll on the beach. The connections, the sparks, they were always there and it helped us that we once again started out as friends. I'm proud to say that the night ended very nicely. She let me kiss her goodnight and damn, it tasted as sweet as our first kiss when we're kids.
We had dated for nearly six months, trying to get to know each other again and being even more comfortable with the 2005 version of Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart, when I asked her to move in with me. It wasn't easy at first and there were times when we seemed to try getting into each other's throat, but somehow we made it work. It just had to.
And now here I am… I was turned evil twice, nearly killed the people I cared for most, piloted numerous gigantic zords, experienced near-death situation in daily basis, gained my PhD, graduated two classes and had even been considered as the greatest ranger ever-- a title that still can make me roll my eyes--, at one point.
There's more than what your eyes could see and I'm pretty sure that most people didn't know that there was a 28 year old guy under the tight black spandex. It was tough to get into battles since obviously, I was no longer a teenager. As much as I had tried to keep my body fit by working out every week or so, this old man couldn't be compared to my students and teammates. I didn't have the maximum energy that I had when I had been the green, white and red ranger and sometimes it felt as though I was going to fall asleep in the middle of the presentation about global warming.
However, my old ranger backgrounds surely helped me mentoring my young protegees. Now that I had left that life behind me, I'm perfectly content with what I'm doing right now: being an ordinary guy who lives his normal life to the fullest. Waking up in the morning, teaching four hundreds temperamental teenagers, marking a stack of essays… if that is as normal as I'm going to get, then I have no problems at all.
The thing is, all the triumphs, my achievements and even my failures in my life that made me the man who I am today… none of it matters if I don't have the person I love the most to share it with me. I need Kim, always did and will, and there's only one way that I have to do to make her mine forever… till death do us part.
--
At the last five minutes, I watch Kim stand up from her comfortable perch against my side and move to the kitchen, checking the apple pie in the oven. Of course, three years ago I wouldn't even dream of having delicious smell of something being cooked filled my house. In contrary with what Rocky said, I'm a very well domesticated guy. But having someone cook for me and making the house I've lived in for nearly four years now feels more like home, was simply amazing.
Surfing through the channels, my eyes briefly glance at my seven year old niece who's so enthusiatically making the jigsaw puzzle that I have brought her. Of course, basically that is the idea. It took me a couple of candy bars to set the plan to work. I didn't bribe the kid alright, I just… politely and kindly asked for her help.
If everything works out smoothly, in less than 30 minutes, Kim's status will change from 'in relationship' to 'soon to be Mrs. Kimberly Ann Oliver'.
My fingers stop fondling the box in my pocket as soon as I see Kim walk back to the living room. She resumes the position next to me and doesn't hesitate to lift her legs and put them on my lap. "Trying not to burn it again this time?" I tease, hinting at a few accidents.
Smirking, she playfully swats my arm and rests her head on my shoulder. "It will be a successful mission this time. You'll see,"
"I believe you," I reply and feel the nervousness return in full force. What would I do if she said no? I will join the men in those reality TV shows who got left at the altar. We have talked about our future together, but never come close to the topic about uniting our lives together in a holy matrimony. I know that I'm ready for a more serious commitment and from all the signs, it seems that Kim feels the same way either. Well, I don't say we have to get married next week or next month, but still.
Angel sits up straight and stretches out her arms. As soon as her crystal blue eyes meet my chocolate ones, I give her a small nod so Kim won't catch it. Silently counting from one to ten to calm myself, I busy myself by stroking Kim's hair gently, running my fingers through the silky tresses.
"How's Haley? I haven't met her for a while, didn't have time to stop by at the CyberSpace as well," Kim asks, interrupting my train of thoughts. The two women have started to become good friends since Kim arrived.
"She's good," I answer distractedly. "There're three new smoothie flavors coming next week,"
Before Kim can respond, Angel shouts from where she is sitting on the dining table and my heart decides to take a giant leap. This is it, there's no turning back. After a second, my breath slows down. The thought of spending the rest of my life with this wonderful woman is enough to melt any hesitation.
"What is it, honey?" Kim turns her head and looks at David's youngest daughter. He knew about the big plan of course, or he would have brought Angel with him to Stone Canyon to meet her aunts and uncles.
"A piece missing!" Angel whines, her lips twitching into a pout.
Slipping me a quick kiss, Kim sighs and rises up to help Angel with her puzzle. I turn off the television and after hearing Kim's 'Maybe you dropped it somewhere', stands up to join the confused and frantic girls. "Can't find it?"
"No!" Angel protests as her eyes well up with tears. My eyebrows rise at the sight. Either she is a very good actress or she has forgot about our plan, I can't tell for sure.
Kim leans down to peer under the table with no result. She draws the little girl into her arms and pats her back gently. "We'll find it, don't worry,"
Crossing my fingers together, I clear my throat to gain her attention and say with bravado,"I think I found it,"
"See?" Kim releases Angel to look at me and when those soft brown eyes lock with mine, the feeling inside me overwhelmes me so much that it is difficult not to shout at her and ask her to marry me right at this instant.
With a smile, I reach out my hand and slip it behind her ear. Next, I have to swallow my grin as her eyes widen when she sees the piece of jigsaw puzzle in my hand. Alright, so it was a simple old magic trick that I wasn't able to do back in high school, but I had asked my students at school how to do that and after a few hours, I nailed it. "You got it,"
"You've got to be kidding me,"
"You're welcome, Beautiful," My arms find themselves wrapped around her and I rest my chin on her shoulder. Releasing an arm, I hand her the piece and engulf her hand in mine, guiding it to the 60 peace jigsaw puzzle. I led her to put it back on its place, right at the center of the big pink heart. I could've easily gone with red, but for me Kim would always be my pink ranger.
I didn't prepare a long speech or something like that, so I simply kiss her cheek and whisper over her ear, my hand still holding onto hers tightly. "You complete me, Kim. You're the missing piece of my life and I can't tell you how much it meant to me when you came back. I love you, Beautiful, always," My hand shoves into my pocket and fishes out the thing I have kept in my drawer for two months. I open the lid of the velvet box, revealing a simple white gold ring with a solitary diamond. I'm not very much wealthy but only the best for my bride to be… if she says yes, that is. "Will you marry me?"
My heart is beating a mile a minute. This is probably a pretty cheesy way to ask her hand in marriage, but I don't care. In my opinion, it's pretty creative and I hope she could understand the analogy. I have kept her with me since Angel began working so she didn't have any idea what the picture looked like.
Minutes feel like hours as she stays still in my embrace, not saying anything. I feel my heart sink to my stomach when she slowly turns and gazes up at me with brimming eyes. All of a sudden Kim throws her arms around my neck and I can feel her nod against my shoulder. "Yes, Tommy, yes,"
Laughing contentedly, I start imagining her standing at the end of the aisle, merely minutes away from being my wife. I ease away from the embrace to slip the ring onto her finger and bring her face to me, laying a tender, passionate kiss on her lips. I can stand there holding her forever if only Angel doesn't suddenly yell from the kitchen.
"Aunt Kim, the pie smells horrible!"
"What happened with your promise not to burn it this time?" I mock whisper with a wiggle of my eyebrows.
"Well, thanks to you," Kim retorted with a bright smile. I too just can't stop smiling and it takes every ounce of my being not to sweep her into my arms and carry her to our bedroom. Besides, there is a kid at home. David will kill me if he finds out what has happened under my roof while his baby girl is visiting. "I love you, Tommy,"
My heart flutters at her smile and soft spoken words. "I love you too, Beautiful,"
"Uncle Tommyyyyyy,"
Groaning, I join Kim's laughter and I can't help not teasing her a little. "Wonder where did she learn that,"
Poking my shoulder, my fiance backs away from my arms. "Very funny, Mr. Oliver. Come on,"
"Right behind you… Mrs. Oliver,"
Now that she has agreed to marry me, I know that my life can't be more complete than it is right now. Wait, maybe one day when we have children to spoil… but that is another story.
-end-
:: Alright, that's it. As far as I can remember, I think this is the first time I wrote a story in first person POV so I'm sorry if it's not too good. I hope you enjoy this and please let me know what you think, it will mean a lot for me. Expect the chapter finale of Chrysalis after this.
- Yuuri ;)
