Everything I Do

by White-Knight-1988

Tommy and Kim's wedding day is now here but Kim's feeling some pre-wedding jitters. Will Tommy be able to calm her down in time to say "I do?" And what happens when Tommy's parents uncover one of his many secrets? It's gonna be a looong day for Mr. Oliver

This story takes place about seven months after the events in Back At One, about thirteen months after Drops of Jupiter. If you haven't read either of those stories, I suggest doing so now or none of this is going to make much sense to you. Since the last one was done so heavily from Kim's perspective, this one is all Tommy. Enjoy!

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Who would have ever thought that it would have come to this? After so many years of being kept apart, Kim and I are actually getting married. We're going to have the life that I know we both deserve. Considering everything that's happened to the both of us, part of me still feels like this is just a fairytale, some dream that I'm going to suddenly wake up from, alone. Then I wake up next to Kim with her tiny body tucked into my side and I know it's not a dream.

God works in mysterious ways, sometimes. How else could you explain my relationship with Kim? It's been chock full of every emotion you can possibly imagine. We've truly walked both sides of the road, sometimes together, sometimes apart, but somehow we made it through. She went from my sworn enemy, someone I wanted to destroy with every fiber of my being, to my best friend and girlfriend to a person I never wanted to see again. My heart was complete when she was mine and it snapped into a million, tiny little pieces when she sent me that letter.

Then Katherine came along and helped to patch up my broken heart, only to leave it lying in pieces again when she left Angel Grove for London. That day I said goodbye to Katherine, I was so sure I'd never be able to fall in love with another woman again, that my heart had been damaged beyond all repair. A few years later, Kim came back into my life the same way she came into it; completely by chance and in a way that only Kim could do.

She's helped me to feel complete again. I've never needed or loved anyone as much as I do her. When she's not around, I feel like I'm only half of a person. Kim makes me whole in ways that I can't even begin to try and explain. She's really always had that ability, though.

When I first moved to Angel Grove back in high school, I was a loner, a social outcast who had never had any real friends. The day my father told me that we were moving to Angel Grove from Texas, I didn't really think much of it. It's not like I was losing a great group of friends or walking away from a life that I loved. I was content with my life, simply going through the motions of day-to-day living until we left San Antonio for Angel Grove. That was when everything that I thought I knew about the world changed right in front of my very eyes.

I couldn't believe my luck! She was easily one of, if not thee, most beautiful girl that I had ever seen in my sixteen years on Earth and she was actually talking to me. Between my devotion to the martial arts and trying to keep up with school, I had never had time to even pay attention to girls. Then this sweet, gorgeous, caring, bubbly, young woman who was so full of life came crashing into mine. Who was I to say no when she invited me to hang out after school my first day at Angel Grove High?

You're new around here, aren't you?

Yeah, I'm Tommy...

Hey, listen, do you wanna get together with some of us after school? You know, nothing major, just hang out at the Youth Center?

And that's when it started. At least, that's when it should have started if certain evil sorceresses hadn't had other plans for the new kid in school. After Jason finally had destroyed the Sword of Darkness and freed me from Rita's spell, I was scared to death that he and the other Rangers wouldn't accept me because of everything I had done as the evil Green Ranger. But more than that, I was worried that Kim was going to hate me. I felt like I had broken her trust in a way that was simply unforgivable. God, I was so wrong it's not even funny.

All of a sudden I had this amazing group of friends who didn't care about all the bad things I had done because, in a way, I hadn't really done them. Sure it was my body destroying everything but the choices weren't mine and they helped me to realize that. Even when I was under Rita's spell, they saw the good in me. To this day I still don't know why they let me into their group. It's not like they needed a sixth Ranger and, to be honest, if I had been in Jason's shoes I don't know that I would have been so compassionate and understanding.

But that's one of the things that being a Power Ranger taught me. They had all known each other since grade school and the way they so readily let me into their circle made me realize a lot of things like not to hold grudges. If I hadn't been a Ranger, I probably never would have been able to forgive Kim for sending me that letter.

For months after Kim broke up with me, I wanted to hate her. She had broken my heart and I couldn't understand why she did what she did. I thought we had the perfect relationship, that nothing, not time nor distance, could ever keep us apart. Looking back on it, I guess I was sort of right in that respect. We may have drifted away but we still found our way back to each other in the end.

I've never been more excited and nervous in my life than I am right now. No new Zord or power compares to these feelings that I'm experiencing. Asking Kim to the dance after I lost my Green Ranger powers is the closest thing I can compare this to. My heart is going a million beats per second, I've got butterflies doing somersaults in my stomach, I'm fidgeting from being so nervous, and our wedding isn't even for another nine hours.

I just don't know what to say. Aisha, Katherine, and Trini have Kim locked up in a hotel room that they won't give me the number to because they know I'll try to see her. We've only been apart for less than a day and it feels like it's been forever. Kim is my everything and I don't want to ever have to spend another day without her by my side. There's nothing about her that I'm not in love with.

Things like this aren't supposed to happen in real life. They're supposed to be reserved for Disney movies and sappy romance novels, not people like me. I lover her so much that I even brought a framed picture of us from home to keep on the nightstand in the hotel room I'm sharing with Jason. Aside from Kim, he's the only one who truly understands me both inside and out.

I'd love to be able to sit here and summarize my relationship with Jason in a few words but I can't. He's more than my best friend. We're closer than any pair of brothers in the world and that still doesn't fully explain our connection with each other. Jase is the one person who has always been there for me, through everything. I racked up quite the phone bill after Kim broke up with me, calling Switzerland on an almost daily basis until he came back to be the Gold Ranger. Never once did he complain, either. He just listened to me vent and cry and yell and go through breakdown after emotional breakdown.

I love that man and I have no problem saying it, either. I've told him I love him and he's told me the same thing. To be honest, I don't think I would have made it this far if it wasn't for Jason's support and friendship in my darkest hours. He's going to be my Best Man when I get married this evening and I couldn't have asked for a better person to do it.

Is it just me, or does time seem to slow down when you really want something to happen quickly? I feel like I've been staring at the clock by my bed for hours but the machine is telling me that it's only been fifteen minutes since I woke up at nine. Jason's still asleep and I'm not surprised. We had a pretty wild time last night, celebrating my last day as a "single" man even though I haven't considered myself single since the day I laid eyes on Kim.

She's had my heart since the day I met her. Even when I was with Katherine, part of me always wished she was Kim. Kat is a great girl and I wish her the absolute best in life but I really think that I forced myself to love her to make the pain of not being with Kim go away.

The picture on the nightstand puts a bright smile on my face. Alyssa, Rocky's wife, took it on one of our double dates and gave it to Kim for her birthday a couple months back. We were at a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles and Alyssa got the perfect shot of us. In the photo, Kim and I are sitting next to each other in a booth, looking into each other's eyes and offering the other a bite of whatever it was that we were eating that night. She's smiling, I'm smiling and it's just…perfect.

That's what Kim is to me. Perfect. Well, as close to perfect as someone can be. As people, as individuals, neither one of us is perfect, no one is, but I can't ever look at her and find anything to complain about except her cooking skills or lack thereof. I swear, if it wasn't for me, both of us would go hungry.

Laying in my bed, I'm feeling quite like I did when I was a kid waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. I tossed and turned all night last night, barely able to sleep because of how ridiculously nervous and excited I am. For weeks I've been waiting for this day, visualizing myself standing on the altar with my best friends behind me as Kim slowly walks down the aisle on her father's arm. In my dreams, she looks breathtaking in her wedding dress. The only thing that has kept me going is knowing that the real thing is going to be so much better.

I feel like I've been waiting for this day since I talked to Kim for the first time after scaring off Bulk and Skull in the halls at Angel Grove High. She's the only woman that I've ever been able to actually see myself marrying. I've dated quite a few women between breaking up and getting back together with Kim and none of them have been able to do the things to me that she does on a regular basis. She's everything I could have ever asked for and more. And that's putting it lightly.

I remember how hard it was when Coach Schmidt came to Angel Grove and offered her a chance to chase her dreams by training for the Pan Global Games. One look in her eyes told me she wanted to go but that leaving home and everything she knew, including myself, scared the hell out of her. I know I could have convinced her to stay if I had really wanted to but that wasn't my place. I loved her too much to do that to her.

This has been a dream my whole, entire life. But when I became a Power Ranger, I made some promises. One of them was to stand by you guys.

Kim never told anyone this except me but a big part of her felt betrayed when Jason, Zack, and Trini left for the peace conference in Switzerland. They, along with Billy, had all grown up together and to her it was like watching family just up and walk out of her life. Truthfully, that's kind of how I felt when she told me she wanted to go but I couldn't tell her that.

Kim, you also promised to be true to yourself.

I sucked it up and did my best to take one for the team when all I wanted was to hold onto her and tell her not to go to Florida. Years after she left I still can't look at Florida on a map and not feel a tinge on sadness in my heart. That state ripped apart, albeit only temporarily, the best thing that my life has ever had.

…I really want to go…

It meant so much to her, how could I tell her no? I couldn't, no matter how much I wanted to. Telling her to go to Florida, to leave home, the team, and me, was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. There wasn't a monster fight, a battle with Zedd, or a power loss that compared to telling Kim to go chase her dream, even if that particular dream didn't include me.

I don't want to lose you, Kim. But I can't just sit back and watch you give this up. It…wouldn't be fair.

So she went and I lost the greatest, most amazing thing to ever happen to me. I lost my soul mate, my love, my other half. I lost the one person who had been there for and with me through it all. Not even Jason had been there for everything because of the peace conference. Just like that, Kim was gone, thousands of miles across the country in a place where my only connection to her was our letters and brief, infrequent phone calls.

In the months following our split I often found myself wondering if we would have stayed together had my correspondence skills been better. It was just so damn hard when I was trying to balance school, being a teenager, and leading a team of high school kids in saving the world on an almost daily basis.

Still, I don't think I would change anything about our relationship if given the opportunity. Who knows what would have happened if I had managed to convince Kim to stay home in Angel Grove with me? Maybe we would have stayed together, or maybe she would have grown to resent me for it and broken up with me anyways. I'm not God so I can't say for sure but what I do know is that what happened between us in the past doesn't matter anymore. We're together now, hours away from being married and I feel like the happiest man on the face of the Earth.

Kim and I have been planning this day since right after I proposed to her back in November. It's June now so we've had well over six months to put together the perfect wedding. Considering where we came from to get to this point, neither one of us are willing to settle for anything less than absolute perfection. I never realized how expensive organizing a wedding could be, though.

Caterers, florists, dresses, tuxedos, it all adds up. Luckily, we sent an invitation to an old friend known for his fruit juices and smoothies and he offered us a place to hold our reception at no charge. When I told Kim that Ernie had taken back ownership of the Youth Center and was willing to make it available for us, we didn't even have to discuss it. It seemed only fitting that the day that was supposed to be one of the best of our lives should happen in a place where we both had so many fond memories.

The last time Kim and I were in the Youth Center together was when she came home from Florida for Christmas. Katherine was sick and Kim agreed to go with us when Santa's workshop needed rescuing from another of Lord Zedd's ridiculous plots to wreak havoc on the planet. We managed to save the North Pole then Kim and I shared the last kiss we would have with each other for many, many years.

God, I need to stop thinking about the past so much. I have tears in my eyes thinking about that day. The way Kim held onto my jacket as we kissed under the mistletoe was incredible in every sense of the word. I think one of the things I loved most about Kim back then, and love about her today, was that we didn't ever have to really display our affection the way most couples do. We hugged and held hands in public like normal couples but you would have never caught us locked in a makeout session or anything like that. Not in public, anyway.

The next time I look at the clock, I see that it's almost ten and that I've been laying in bed reminiscing about days long gone and thinking about those to come for almost an hour. Jason's still passed out, sucking in the walls, so I decide to go take a shower. I'm halfway to the bathroom when the phone rings.

"No mom. I don't wanna go to school today," Jason grumbles, burying his face in his pillow. I shake my head and laugh at him for a moment then move to answer the phone.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Tommy? Is that you?"

It's Trini and she sounds panicky. Immediately, I start to get nervous.

"Yeah, Tri, it's me. What's wrong?"

"Is that Trini?" Jason asks in a mumble, propping himself up in bed. I raise a finger to my lips to silence him and nod my head.

"You need to get over here, right now. Something's going on with Kim."

"What do you mean, something's going on with Kim? Is she all right? What's wrong with her?"

Jason's wide awake now, sitting up in bed, and I'm scared shitless. It'd be just my luck if something bad happened to Kim on our wedding day. My palms are sweaty and I'm gripping the phone like my life depends on it. I can feel my knuckles turning white from the sheer pressure I'm applying to the device.

"I don't know, Tommy. She just randomly started crying and then ran into the bathroom and locked herself in. She won't talk to any of us or tell us what's wrong, we can't get her to come out and we're all really worried about her."

"Okay," I reply, taking a very deep breath in an attempt to calm myself. Seeing as how Kim doesn't sound to be in any mortal danger, I let out a deep sigh of relief. Jason sees my reaction and follows suit. "I just need to throw on some clothes and I'll be right over. What room are you guys staying in?"

"We're in Room 220. Just hurry up and get over here."

"Okay. I'm on my way."

I hang up the phone and roll over the bed to grab my suitcase off of the floor. As I'm rummaging through it for some pants and a shirt I can feel Jason standing behind me. His hand falls on my shoulder and it's obvious that he's just as worried as I am.

"What's going on, bro? Is Kim okay?" he asks.

"I don't know, man," I answer as I pull a pair of jeans on over my boxer shorts and button them up. "Trini said that she just started crying and then locked herself in the bathroom and won't talk to her or Kat or 'Sha. I gotta get over there and make sure that she's okay."

"I'll go with you. Let me get some clothes."

"No, man. She's my fiancée," I reply, yanking a t-shirt down over my head. Jason gives me a questioning look. I know he loves Kim like a sister but she's about to be my wife and this is something that I have to handle on my own. "I'll take care of it, bro. I promise, I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I get everything figured out, okay?"

"Alright," Jason sighs. I can see in his eyes that he wants to fight me on this one but also that he is aware of the fact that it's not going to get him anywhere. He rubs the back of his neck and flops back on his bed, letting out a defeated sigh. "Just…please, man. Call me as soon as you can."

"I will," I tell him with a head nod, slipping my feet into my tennis shoes. I grab my key card off the dresser, stuff it into my pocket and then I'm out the door.

It only takes a couple of minutes for me to descend the three flights of stairs from my room on the fifth floor to the second level where Kim's staying. Room 220 is one of the first rooms outside of the stairwell and as soon as I get to the door it's being opened before I even have a chance to knock.

Kat and Aisha are both standing there with looks of concern on their faces as each one grabs onto one of my wrists and pulls me into the room. Trini's standing in front of the bathroom door, knocking on it and pleading with Kim to come out. She turns her head, sees me and rushed over to where I am with Katherine and Aisha flanking me on either side.

"Tommy, thank God you're here," she breathes, reaching out and taking my hand. "We've been trying to get her out for almost half an hour but she won't even talk to us."

"Did she say anything at all? To any of you?" I ask, looking to each woman. All three shake their heads no and I let our a deep sigh. "Okay. Listen, why don't you guys go get some breakfast or something and I'll see what I can do in here. Knowing Kim, she's embarrassed about something and doesn't want you guys to know but I can probably get her to open up to me."

"Tommy…" Aisha starts. Shifting my eyes from her to Kat and then to Trini, it's obvious none of them are very keen to the idea of abandoning Kimberly in what is clearly her time of need. Unfortunately, we all know that there's not much any of them will be able to do to help her right now.

"Just take care of her and let us know as soon as you find out what's going on," Katherine interjects.

I nod my head and smile, waiting before they have exited the room before I try and talk to Kimberly. I know this woman better than I know myself. Off and on for the last few months she's been having issues like this where she just starts crying for no apparent reason. She wouldn't ever tell me why but right now I'm determined to get to the bottom of what it is that's been bothering her so much. I move to the door and lightly rap on it with my knuckles, pressing my ear to the wooden barricade.

"Beautiful? It's me. Can I come in?" I ask softly.

For a few seconds all I can hear is her sniffles coming from the other side of the door then the lock clicks and she's standing there in the doorway looking like she's been through hell. Her hair is matted down and her face is stained with tears. I step forward to embrace her but she pushes me back. She takes a step backwards and trains her eyes to the ground almost as if she's afraid to look at me.

Honestly, I'm a little bit scared right now. When she had her little breakdowns in the past they were always pretty short and she never shied away from my touch like this before. I reach out with my hand and touch her chin, gently elevating it so that she's forced to look at me. There's a fear in her eyes that I haven't seen since that day in the airport when she left Angel Grove for Florida. That fear came from an uncertainty about what our futures held and I have the distinct feeling that what I'm about to get is going to be more of that very same thing.

"Kim, sweetie, what's wrong?" I ask. She doesn't answer and instead turns her back to me, facing the shower. I lay my hand on her shoulder but she brushes it off. "Beautiful, the others are really worried about you and so am I. Please, Kim, don't shut me out like this. Talk to me. Let me know what's wrong. Let me be there for you."

My words are pleading ones. Her shoulders sag and slowly, she turns around to look at me. Though it's clear that she's been crying, she hasn't physically shed any tears in front of me just yet. Then suddenly, she flings herself at me, I catch her in my arms and the floodgates start to open up again. For the longest time I just stand there holding her, letting her cry into my shirt as I carefully stroke the back of her head.

"I'm sorry," she sniffles after a few minutes of me keeping her pressed against my chest.

"For what?" I ask, my hands resting on each of her shoulders.

"For this. For breaking down like a fool and making you come over here on our wedding day," she replies, wiping at her eyes. I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, letting her know that I don't mind but she doesn't seem to believe me. "I'm scared, Tommy. This whole getting married thing, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"I'm afraid of what could happen. I've already broken your heart once so who's to say what happens if I do it again? I love you so much, Tommy, and I could never live with myself if I hurt you like I did when we were in high school. I don't ever want to do that to you again."

I had a feeling that something like this was coming. Just like me, Kim has a guilty conscience. For as long as I can remember, anytime she ever did anything she thought even remotely hurt someone she always felt guilty about it for ages afterwards. And while I wasn't exactly surprised by this new confession, I wasn't completely expecting it nor was I entirely prepared for it, either. I take a deep breath.

"Do you remember what I told you in the airport right before you left for Florida, Beautiful?"

"Y-yes. You said as long as we love each other that we would always be able to make it through anything," she replies and I smile at her. For a brief moment, she looks like she's about to smile too but then her expression changes to a frown. "But that didn't stop me from hurting you before! I loved you back then but I still ended up breaking your heart. What if I do it again!?"

"You won't."

"How do you know that? Old habits die hard, Tommy. How can you be so sure that I won't do the same thing to you that I've already done once before."

"Honestly?" I ask and she nods her head. "Because I know your heart. Because I know that neither of us are the same when we aren't with each other. Because when you broke up with me I had a very long and deep conversation with Zordon and he told me that the falcon and the crane were destined to fly together forever."

"He-he did?"

"Yep. At first, I didn't understand it. Katherine had taken your powers and I thought Zordon was just referring to her. Then I realized that all she had done was taken your powers. The crane was never her, that's always been you. She was just borrowing that power. No one but me can ever be the falcon and no one but you can ever be the crane. So you see, you and I, the falcon and the crane, we're meant to be together, Kim."

"Okay," Kim nods.

"Okay?"

"Yep. Okay," she answers, smiling for the first time since I've been there. "I love you, Tommy. That never changed. I was just afraid of hurting you but if you can still believe so strongly in us-in me-after everything we've been through than I have nothing to be afraid of. I'm ready to marry you."

"I love you so much, Beautiful," I tell her, enveloping her in my arms.

"I love you too, Tommy," she replies, nuzzling the side of her face against mine. I love the way her soft, smooth skin feels on mine as it rubs against my stubbled cheeks. "I love you and I can't wait to marry you."

"I can't wait either but we have to. Just for a few more hours though," I smile, wiping a few stray tears from her face. "Hey, isn't it like, against tradition for the groom to see his bride on their wedding day before the actual wedding?"

"We've never actually done things the traditional way, have we?" she counters, giving me a sly grin. I shrug my shoulders, shaking my head as I smile down on her. "Do you wanna, I don't know," she continues, tracing her fingers down my chest "break another couple of rules with me?"

"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Ms. Hart?" I ask, folding my arms across my chest as if I'm offended by the mere thought of what she's hinting at. Not that I'm opposed to the idea, I just like playing these little games with her from time to time. She seems to like them, too.

"I don't know," she shrugs, giving me that same sly smile. "One last time as Ms. Hart before I become Mrs. Oliver? You know, for old time's sake?"

Instead of giving her an answer, I simply scoop her up into my arms, carrying her from the bathroom out into the bedroom. Gently, I lay her down on the bed and press my lips to hers as her arms went around my neck…

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A little over an hour later, I'm back in my room and Jason isn't there but there is a note sitting by the phone on the nightstand telling me he went with Adam, Rocky, and Zack to get breakfast. After my last hurrah with Ms. Hart, I'm feeling a bit tired. A nap sounds nice and the freshly made bed looks rather inviting but at the moment my head hits the pillow, Jason comes bursting through the door

"What the hell happened?!" he shouts, practically sprinting to the side of my bed.

"Nothing," I smirk. "Just a few pre-wedding jitters but nothing major."

I give Jason a quick wink and he rolls his eyes. I'm pretty sure I've got a tell-all smile on my face. The faux sounds of nausea that he's making all but confirm that I do. Normally, as guys and best friends, he'd ask for details but Kim is the one partner I've had that I refuse to discuss with my male friends. Kim isn't a sexual conquest for me. If she was, I'd have no problem giving him the rundown but she's not.

We've talked in great detail about past experiences before but just like I don't ask him about Trini, he doesn't ask me about Kim. Neither one of us really wants to know, to be honest. Trini and Kim are like sisters to myself and Jason respectively and no guy ever wants to think about the things his sister does behind closed doors. Just thinking about Jason and Trini being physical makes me shudder.

Gross…

"So how was breakfast, bro?" I ask, sitting up on the bed. I reach over for the remote on the nightstand and turn on the television, switching it over to a baseball game on ESPN. "Bring me any leftovers?"

"Did you not see the note? I went with Rocky, pal. He cleaned his plate plus everything the rest of us didn't finish," Jason replies and we both start laughing. "Seriously, man, with the way Rocky eats, I really hope you and Kim did double duty with the caterers. He was talking about going to the gym and then to get lunch before the wedding."

"He never ceases to amaze me," I chuckle, shaking my head at Rocky even though he's not here. For a guy that's in as good of shape as he is, I don't see how he has managed to stay that way all these years. I'd have to work out twenty-nine hours a day, eight days a week, if I ate even remotely close to the way that he does. How Alyssa manages to keep that man fed, I'll never know.

"Yeah. So Kim's okay?"

"Yep. She was just nervous about the whole getting married thing. She said she was worried that she might end up hurting me again but you know how Kim is. She's got a guilt complex just like me."

"You can say that again, man. After everything you guys have been through together and as Rangers you'd think you'd learn to cut yourselves a little slack, but nooooooo," Jason says teasingly.

We've been down this road quite a few times before seeing as how he was around both times I was turned evil. I just laugh and shake my head, taking my licks in stride. I've come to accept this form of playful banter from him over the years.

When I first became a member of the team, I didn't really know how to react to the way the others interacted with each other. It took a long time for me to get used to all the teasing, see that it was always in jest, and not get offended by it. Now, I can dish it back just as good as I can take it. I'm just not in the mood right now. It's not even noon yet which means I still have over five hours before I even have to think about getting ready for the wedding.

I just want seven-thirty to freaking get here already. I'm ready to get married, dammit! I've got an all-white tuxedo hanging in the closet that's just waiting to be put to use. It just sucks that I still have such a long time to wait before I can actually put the damn thing on.

Jason's sitting on his bed, looking at me and shaking his head with a smile on his face. He knows how much this day means to me, that I've been practically going nuts these past few months waiting for it to get her. For awhile there, I thought about trying to convince Kim to just run off to Vegas with me and elope but I knew she would never go for that.

When we were in high school, we often found ourselves sitting out by the lake, just the two of us, talking about what we thought our futures were going to be like. Back then, it was going to the same college-it didn't matter where as long as we were with each other-getting good jobs, getting married, and raising a family together. We may have strayed from the path we dreamt about, skipping a few steps here and there, but the vision has basically stayed pretty much the same. We still have good jobs, we still are getting married, and we still plan on raising a family together.

And the sooner we can get those last two accomplished the better, if you ask me. I know I've said it already but I've been waiting for this day for as long as I can remember. Now that it's here, I just want to get it over with. I want Kimberly Ann Hart to be Kimberly Ann Oliver. I want the dream we talked about in high school, when all we knew was each other and the love in our hearts, and I want it now!

As the seconds turn to minutes and the minutes turn to hours, things are happening all around me that I don't pay much attention to. The other guys came over and watched the rest of the baseball game with Jason and I then ordered a pizza and played video games in our room for a little while but I wasn't much in the mood for virtual football. Then they put on a movie but I didn't watch. My mind was focused on Kim, and only on Kim. It literally seemed like it had been days from the time I woke up around nine until the time five o'clock finally rolled around and the guys left to go back to their rooms and get ready.

Kim and her bridesmaids: Aisha, Alyssa, Kat, Trini, and her cousin, Samantha, had gone over to the church in a limo a few hours earlier. I, on the other hand, wasn't set to leave with my group of groomsmen: Jason, Adam, Zack, and Rocky, until almost six. David, my brother and fifth groomsmen, is supposed to be meeting us at the church.

In honor of our heritage as Rangers, each member of the party is going to be wearing one of my colors, Kim's color, and their own. On my side, the guys are all wearing black tuxedos with white-and-pink-striped neckties on white shirts with pocket squares done in the color or colors that they wore; Jason's is red and gold, Adam's is black and green, Zack's is solid black, and Rocky's is blue and red. Since David wasn't a Ranger, he went with an all-white handkerchief.

The bridal party is doing something similar, as well. All of Kim's bridesmaids are going to be wearing the same gowns in pink with a single white rose clipped above the right breast. To incorporate their own colors, the women are all wearing garters; Trini and Aisha's are yellow, Kat's is pink, and Samantha is wearing pink too. Alyssa knows of Rocky's history as a Ranger-she gave birth to Dominic two days before the Red Ranger mission which is why Rocky didn't come-and is supposed to be wearing a red garter.

I hate to sound cocky but I gotta admit, I look pretty damn good right now. My tuxedo and shoes, bowtie, and vest are all white. To get some pink in my outfit, my corsage is a pink rose on a bed of pink and white baby's breath. My white, Oakley sunglasses on the nightstand are going to be the perfect complement to my ensemble.

I've just finished slipping a diamond stud into my left ear. I'm surprised the hole hasn't closed seeing as how I haven't worn my earrings in years. I know Kim loved my long hair, and I tried to grow it out in time for the wedding for her but there just wasn't enough time so I've got it done in stylish spikes instead.

"You all set to go pal?" Jason asks as he walks into the bathroom. He stands next to me, checking his appearance in the mirror above the sink. I turn to look at him and he gives me a once over, making sure I look presentable. I must not because he grabs me by the shoulders to square me up and then proceeds to play with my necktie for a few moments before giving me a pat on the shoulder. "There. Now you look ready to get married."

"Thanks, man. For everything," I say with a smile.

Jason nods. "No problem. Besides, with any luck, you'll be the one doing this to me this time next year."

"You mean…you're gonna…," I start in disbelief.

"Yeah. I didn't wanna say anything to you 'cause this is supposed to be your day and everything but I think I'm gonna ask Trini to marry me. I mean, I still have to pick out a ring and find the right time to do it and all that stuff but after being with her for so long, I feel like I'm finally ready to settle down."

"Aww, man. That's awesome. Simply awesome," I reply, smiling brightly as I pull Jason into a bear hug. "Congratulations, bro."

"Don't congratulate me now," Jason laughs, shaking his head. "She hasn't said yes, yet. Although, I have to admit, I am pretty sure she will. She's been dropping hints about wanting to get married for the last couple months."

"Well, when the time comes for you to ask her and Trini does say yes, I'd be honored to be your Best Man. I mean, that was what you were implying when you said I'd be doing this stuff for you, right?"

"Yeah. Even though I've known Zack longer, there's no one I'd want as my Best Man more than you. Besides, after the speech I give tonight, it's only fair that you get a chance to embarrass me as well," Jason replies with a wink.

"Haha, very funny, bro," I return, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I thought so," Jason shrugs then looks at his watch. "Anyway, it's about that time. What do you say we round up the others, head over to the church, and get you locked up to that ball and chain permanently."

"Bro, I've been locked to that ball and chain since our sophomore year of high school, man," I smile and Jason laughs.

We both shake our heads knowingly, check ourselves in the mirror one last time and then head out of the bathroom into the bedroom. When the guys were playing video games, Jason helped me take my bags up to the suite I have reserved for Kim and I tonight so I don't have to worry about that. I just need to grab the card key for the suite, check; my sunglasses, check; hand Jason the rings, check; and we're all ready to go.

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

"How you doin', son?"

"Honestly?" I ask, raising my eyes to my dad as I rock back and forth in my chair. My mom's sitting next to him and I've never seen her more proud than she looks right now. "I'm nervous as hell. I can't remember a time in my life that I've been this nervous and I was a Power-" Thankfully, I catch myself. "I mean, I've done some pretty crazy things."

I take a deep breath and hold it in, hopeful that my parents will let my near slipup pass by without notice. My dad doesn't seem to pay it any mind but it's just my luck that my mom chooses this moment to hang on my every word and catches it.

"You were a what, Tommy!? A Power What!?" she screams, shooting out of her chair. I bury my head towards the ground as my dad takes hold of my mom and tries to get her to sit back down.

"Janet, please. Not here. Not now," my dad says pleadingly. "It's the boy's wedding day for crying out loud. Besides, dear, it's not like we never had our suspicions about his after-school school activities."

"You mean-" I start, looking up at my parents.

Had I really heard my dad right? Had he really just said they had been suspicious of me in high school? I guess it shouldn't surprise me that much. Running off at all hours of the day, sometimes being gone for days and days at a time, the random bumps, cuts, and bruises I was always coming home with…

"We had our suspicions, son," my dad says with a nod, putting his arm around my mom's shoulders. "The way you came and went like you did, your affinity for certain colors, the way you were always coming home with some new bruise or injury…"

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you guys," I reply somberly.

"Why couldn't you tell us, Thomas?" my mom asks.

She never calls me Thomas. Thomas is my dad. I've always been Tommy. Even when I was a kid and got in trouble she never called me Thomas. In fact, I can't even remember a time where I was ever Thomas and not Tommy.

"For a lot of reasons. First off, our mentor, Zordon, made us promise we would never reveal our identities. If we did, we lost the protection of the power," I explain. "But even if I could have told you, I wouldn't have. I didn't want to put either of you in danger. I wasn't exactly proud of the way that I became a Ranger, either."

"What do you mean?" my mom questions.

She's a lot like me, always acting before thinking. If they really noticed how I always stuck to one color and she actually thought about the timeline of things, she'd know why I wasn't proud of my earliest times as a Power Ranger.

"Tommy wore green, dear," my dad says softly as my mom's eyes go wide. I give him a thankful look and he just nods his head softly in reply. I'm glad he understood because I don't know if I could have explained it.

"You mean-" my mom starts.

Guess I'm going to have to explain it after all.

"Yeah, mom. I was the evil Green Ranger but it wasn't my choice. You remember Rita, right?" I ask with a hint of embarrassment in my voice as my mom nods and I take a deep breath. It's hard enough for me to talk about this with my teammates. I really don't want to be having this conversation with my parents, especially not on my wedding day. "She saw me fighting Jason in that karate tournament when we first moved to town. She liked what she saw, put a spell on me, and turned me into her evil Ranger. Jason broke the spell on me eventually, though, and I've been good ever since."

While that isn't an entirely true statement, I choose not to explain my relapse as the Red Zeo Ranger when Prince Gasket brainwashed me into believing that the Power Rangers were the enemy.

"So Jason was a Power Ranger, too?" my mom asks and I nod my head. "Kimberly? Zack? Trini? Billy? Rocky? Adam? Aisha? Katherine? Tanya? Justin? Were they all Power Rangers too?"

"All of them, mom. The first five were Jason, Zack, Billy, Kim, and Trini," I start. "When Jase went to the peace conference with Trini and Zack, Rocky, Aisha, and Adam replaced them. Kat took over for Kim when she went to Florida, Tanya stepped in for Aisha when she moved to Africa and Justin replaced Rocky when he broke his back senior year. Look, I wish I could have told you. Really, I do but-"

My dad holds up his hand to silence me.

"It's okay, son. We understand," my dad interrupts and I smile at him as he looks to my mom. "Don't we Janet?"

"I-I understand why you couldn't tell us, Tommy. It's just so hard to believe..." my mom replies, shaking her head. I understand completely how she must be feeling right now. "To think that you and all of your friends were just...just teenagers yet you had the fate of the whole entire world resting on your shoulders, it's just so…you were all so young…I don't understand how you could have possibly done it?"

"I'm not gonna lie, mom. It was hard, really hard. Being a teenager is tough enough on its own as it is. Trying to balance school and having some sense of a normal life with being a superhero wasn't ever easy but we knew it was going to be like that when we became Rangers. Somehow, though, we managed to do it," I reply, offering her a comforting smile. "I think it helped that, when I saving the world, I was always doing it with my best friends. I probably wouldn't have been able to do it if it hadn't been for Kim, Jason, and all of the others."

My mom opens her mouth, probably to ask another question but she doesn't get the chance to get it out. Thankfully, there's a knock at the door, saving me from more grilling on my history as a Ranger. The door opens slowly and Jason pokes his head in.

"Sorry to interrupt, guys," he says softly, looking from me to my parents. "But it's just about that time for us to take your son and get him married."

"Not a problem, Jason," my dad replies, as we all stand up.

As my parents move to walk out, my eyes meet my mom's tear-filled ones and she starts to sob before throwing her arms around my neck.

"I love you, Thomas James," she whispers, kissing me on the cheek.

"I love you, too, mom," I reply, returning the hug.

She holds onto me for a few moments until my dad taps her on the shoulder and she slowly lets go, stepping back and dabbing at her eyes. My dad gives steps up, gives me a once over, and extends his hand.

"Congratulations, son. We're proud of you," he says as I take his hand.

"Thank you," I reply, stepping forward and pulling him into a quick hug. I don't say it often to my dad, it's pretty much unspoken between us, but I feel the need to say it now. "I love you, dad."

He seems taken aback for a moment but then his lips curve into a small smile. For just a split-second, he looks like he might start crying but he bites any threatening tears back in true male fashion.

"I love you too, son," he returns, patting me on the shoulder. "Go get married."

"Alright," I smile, giving my mom one last kiss on her cheek before following Jason out the door.

"That seemed like a pretty emotional talk right there, man," Jason comments once we're out of earshot of my parents.

"Yeah. I kinda slipped up and they found out," I reply as Jason's eyes got big. "Don't worry, they won't say anything to anyone. My dad said that he and my mom had been suspicious of me for a long time."

"How does it feel?"

"What?"

"Being able to finally tell someone. I've never told anyone before."

"It feels great, man," I tell him as we come to a stop in front of the entrance to the church. "It's like getting this huge weight off your chest. I never thought I'd tell them but I'm actually kind of glad that I did."

"Oh yeah?" Jason asks, raising his eyebrows at me. "Why's that?"

"Because now I have no more secrets. Not from you, not from Kim, not from my friends or my parents. Nobody," I reply. "It makes me feel like being married to Kim after everything we've been through together is really going to be a fresh start for me, you know? Like I'm going into this completely free of my past. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does, bro," Jason smiles, giving me a friendly pat as he opens the big double doors to the church and we step into the foyer.

Adam, David, Rocky, and Zack, are all there waiting for me. I wish Billy could have been here but, like with Adam's wedding, work on Aquitar was keeping him away. Being a Ranger for so long, I understand how it is, I just would have liked for him to be here. The ten of us who first served under Zordon and shared the Morphin' Powers have never all been together before. It would have been a nice touch to have all been together for the first time at the wedding of the first couple in Power Ranger history.

When we approach the group, Adam, Rocky, and Zack, are whispering to each other about something but they immediately stop when they see me and I'm left to wonder what it was they were talking about.

"Hey guys," I start, looking at each of them individually. "I just wanted to thank you all one last time for being here for me. You've all been there for me through a lot of good and a lot of bad as well. It means a lot that you're all here for me on a day like this."

"No problem, man," Rocky replies subtly.

"Yeah, wouldn't have missed it for the world," Zack adds with a laugh.

"I didn't even want to be here but you did mine so I have to," Adam jokes, shrugging his shoulders and helping to lighten both the mood and my nerves even more.

"Even though we haven't known each other for as long as you have known your other friends, I'm honored to be a part of your wedding, Tommy," David adds and I give him a curt smile and a head nod.

"Alright guys, now that the sappy shit is out of the way, it's time for our man to get married so, uh, yeah," Jason shrugs, looking at me and pointing to the doors leading from the foyer to the church. "Go get married."

"Alright, then. I'll see you guys inside," I reply, shaking hands with all of them then heading for the doors. I stop in front of them, take a deep breath, and count to ten to calm myself down, then push them open. The sight I'm left with is surprising, to say the least.

Considering I have my family on parents side plus my blood relatives on the reservation, it's not my side of the church that surprises me. Well, not entirely anyway. And since Kim's parents have both remarried, her extended family is rather, err…extended, as well so it's not her side that surprises me, either. Or rather, not entirely. It's the last two rows on both sides of the church that really get me.

All along Kim's side, the last two rows are occupied by every single female, Earth based, Power Ranger in the history of Power Rangers. Tanya's here, she must have had a break in recording her album. Cassie, Ashley, Maya, Kelsey, Taylor, Dana, are all here as well. Jen and Katie must have even traveled through time because they're here too.

And since there have been more male Rangers than females, my side is even more packed with former Rangers. Andros, T.J., Carlos, and Justin are here from the Space/Turbo teams. Carter, Chad, Joel, and Ryan from Lightspeed Rescue are here as are Wes, Eric, Lucas, and Trip from the Time Force team. Cole, Danny, Max, and Merrick of the Wild Force team are seated in that order next to Trip.

I seriously can't believe that they're all here. I'm just about to pass by the familiar head full of long, gray hair tied in braids when Sam Truehart reaches out with his walking stick and plants it in the aisle in front of me.

"Hello, falcon," he says softly without even having to look at me.

"Hello, Sam," I reply, kneeling down next to him. I reach out with my hand and take his as he squeezes it tightly. Sam hasn't been in the best health recently. Having him here with me on such a special day when he's been so ill means the world to me. "How are you feeling today?"

"I feel my days are numbered, young falcon," Sam tells me honestly. He's never been afraid to tell me the truth, something I've always admired in him. It pains my heart to hear that but he has a twinkle in his eye that makes it impossible to be sad. "But it is not the time to discuss such things. I believe you have a young woman to marry right now. I just wanted to congratulate you."

"Thanks, Sam, but I'm not quite married yet," I reply with a light chuckle.

"Not on getting married, Tommy. On finding your wings again," Sam answers in a way that only he can. At this point, a simple thank you would be cheap. I simply smile at him and squeeze his hand and as I turn to walk away, he reaches out for my wrist, making me stop. He nods his head to the front of the church and when I look to where he has directed me, I see a head of sandy blonde hair in the front row, closest to the altar, seated next to my parents. "The wolf has returned home."

"Billy," I whisper, and Sam nods.

"Go now, Tommy. Let the falcon and the crane fly together," Sam replies.

"Thank you, Sam," I whisper hoarsely before turning for the altar. Thirty seconds later I come to a stop next to Billy and lay my hand on his shoulder. His head turns to look at it then up at me, our eyes meet and we both smile. "Welcome home, Billy."

"Hey, Tommy," Billy replies and we shake hands. "I hope you don't mind me showing up on such late notice."

"Not at all, man. I'm just glad you could be here," I tell him with a smile. I turn my head to the altar, then to Billy and I stop. After a few seconds of silent contemplation, I pat him on the shoulder and jerk my head towards the altar. "Come on."

"What?" he asks in surprise.

"I said, come on," I repeat. "It wouldn't feel right to have you sitting here when I've got everyone else up there. It may be pretty impromptu but I want you to come up with me and be one of my groomsmen."

"But Tommy, I'm not dressed properly," Billy returned, referring to his black suit, white dress shirt, and blue tie. Sure, he may not have been wearing a tuxedo like the rest of us but he wasn't exactly wearing shorts and a t-shirt, either.

"I don't care," I say firmly. I'm not backing down from this one. Billy's here and I want him up there with the rest of my best friends and teammates. "You're going up there and that's final, bro."

I make sure to say that last part in my best leader voice, hoping that old habits really do die hard and Billy gives in. He looks at my dad as if he could help him but my dad knows better. He just shrugs his shoulders and Billy sighs in defeat as I put on a triumphant smile.

"Let's go man," I say quickly. "I've probably already delayed the wedding enough, as it is."

"Alright, alright, I'll go," Billy replies, standing up.

My parents smile at me and I return the gesture as Billy follows me up the altar to where the priest, Father Andrews, is standing. Even though my true heritage is Native American, my parents had me baptized when they adopted me. I'm not super religious but my mom probably would have lost it if I hadn't gotten married in a traditional ceremony so to appease her, that's what I'm doing.

"Hello, Tommy," Father Andrews greets me with a smile.

"Father Andrews," I nod, politely shaking his hand.

At that moment, some music, a composition that Kim picked out and I don't know, starts to play and the doors open up. Zack comes out first, walking down the aisle with Kim's cousin Samantha, followed by David and Katherine. Adam and Aisha came next, then Rocky and Alyssa. As each couple reached the altar, they parted and moved to stand on either side, the guys behind me and the girls on Kim's side.

Jason and Trini, my Best Man and Kim's Maid of Honor, entered the church last. They shared a quick kiss at the altar and then parted to either side. Kim's brother, Kenny, has five year-old twin daughters and they're our Flower Girls for the evening. They look so cute bouncing up and down the aisles, throwing flower petals high into the air until they reach the front and Kenny scoops them up.

By the time Rocky and Alyssa's son, Dominic, comes walking down the aisle in a black tuxedo complete with blue cummerbund and red necktie-way to go, Rocky-my nerves have gone into overdrive. I'm so excited to see Kim that I barely notice when the music cuts off only to be replaced by the organist playing the Bridal March a few moments later.

I hear the oak doors creak open and it takes every ounce of strength in my body not to immediately look that way. I've got my eyes trained on the ground and a huge smile plastered across my face. When I finally do look, I'm not disappointed one bit.

Words cannot describe just how amazing, gorgeous, perfect, and of course, beautiful, Kim looks right now. Her dress is floor length, strapless, no train with elbow-length gloves in matching white. For as long as I've known Kim, I can't ever remember seeing her hair curly before. The way her soft locks bounce on her shoulders with each step she takes is unbelievably sexy.

She's about twenty feet from me when our eyes meet. I can't help but smile at her and I can see her do the same from beneath her veil. My hearts beating so fast when she reaches the altar on the arm of her dad and they stop.

"Who gives this woman?" Father Andrews asks.

"I do, sir," Ken Hart, Sr. replies then turns to Kim. "I love you, sweetie."

"I know, dad," Kim returns, stifling tears. "I love you, too."

Ken nods and looks at me. "She's all yours, son."

"Thank you, sir," I answer, as Kim hands her bouquet off to Trini.

Amidst the mumbling of all the spectators, I take Kim's hands and the music begins to fade out slowly until it stops completely. She's got tears in her eyes and I'm pretty sure I have tears in mine too. Father Andrews clears his throat, successful in getting the private chatter to come to an end.

"We are gathered here today, in front of God, their family, and their friends, to unite Thomas James Oliver and Kimberly Ann Hart in holy matrimony. Should anyone have any objections to this union, I ask on behalf of Thomas and Kimberly that they speak now or forever hold their peace."

As if on some type of cue, Kim and I both turned in unison to look at our friends standing behind us. That got a few good laughs but there were no objections so Father Andrews asked for the rings. Kim and I decided on simple gold bands, engraved on the inside with our initials and the word 'forever,' which Jason handed off to Father Andrews.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres," Father Andrews starts, reciting a popular passage from Corinthians. "Through their love for each other, Thomas and Kimberly have conceived their own vows which they will now share for you."

With a smile on my face I look at Kim and take a deep breath. All day, I've been waiting for this moment to get here and, now that it is, I'm nervous beyond all recognition. My hands are shaking and Kim gives them a tight squeeze, giving me a little added boost of confidence in the process.

"I had this all planned out and now that this day is finally here, the words I wrote down seem cheap. Words can't explain what you mean to me Kimberly. The people that we share our lives with know this," I begin, smiling at her through my tears. "You're everything to me. You've been everything to me since the moment I laid eyes on you. Things haven't always been easy for us but you and I, together, it's always seemed like the right thing to me. There isn't another person I would ever want to spend the rest of my life with. As your husband, I promise right now to love you, cherish you, and care about you, forever and for always, as long as you let me."

"Tommy, the real world hasn't always been kind to us but somehow we managed to make it through. You've always believed in us, believed in me. You're always there for me, through thick and thin, good and bad," Kim starts, biting her bottom lip. "For as long as I can remember I've loved you. Even when we weren't together, I never stopped loving you. You are my first love and I want you to be my only love from this day forward. As your wife, I promise right now to love you, cherish you, and care about you, forever and for always, as long as you let me."

I smile at Kim and bite back the urge to reach out and wipe the tears from her face. She, on the other hand, has no such reservations and does so as Father Andrews taps me on the shoulder and hands me Kim's ring.

"Thomas, repeat after me. With this ring," Father Andrews says.

"With this ring…" I reiterate.

"I thee wed."

"I thee wed," I finish, slipping the ring on her finger.

"Kimberly, repeat after me," Father Andrews continues, handing Kim my ring. "With this ring…"

"With this ring," Kim recites.

"I thee wed."

"I thee wed," she adds, lifting my hand to slide my ring on.

"Do you, Thomas, take Kimberly, to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

I look to Father Andrews, then to Kim, smile, and nod my head. "I do."

"And do you, Kimberly-"

"I do," Kim interjects before he can finish. She blushes as everyone, including myself and Father Andrews, start to laugh.

"Very well, then," Father Andrews chuckles. "Through the power invested in me by both God and the State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Thomas, you may kiss your bride."

Pssh. You don't have to tell me twice, padre! I slowly lift the veil on Kimberly's head and cup her cheeks, brushing away a few tears with my thumbs then closing the distance between us. Our lips press together in a loving, passion-filled kiss, and though no papers have been signed, in Kim's eyes and in mine, it's official. We're married!

"Ladies and gentleman, it is my privilege to announce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Oliver!"

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Shortly after dinner had ended and I had had my fill of prime rib, potatoes, pasta, salad, soup, and bread, I sat at the center of the head table with Kim on my left and Jason on my right. The rest of the wedding party shared the table with us, and one look at Jason told me to get ready, that his speech was going to be coming at any moment.

I didn't have to wait long. I was leaned across Kim, talking with Billy about his work on Aquitar when I heard a glass being clinked. As the room fell silent, I sat back in my chair, looked up at Jason and rolled my eyes. He told me earlier that he was going to embarrass me, I'm just hoping he wasn't too serious about that. Jason picks up a microphone off the table, leaving me to silently beg for mercy.

"Tommy thinks I'm going to embarrass him," Jason says as the whole room starts laughing. "Truth is, I was going to but after seeing these two lovebirds today, I don't think I want to. Tommy and Kim are good people. They've been through a lot of stuff to get to this point, a lot of stuff most of us can't even begin to imagine."

Oh, how right you are, my friend!

"I've known Kim since we were practically in diapers and I've known Tommy since high school. Seeing as how they met in high school, I've pretty much had a front row seat for almost all of their relationship," Jason continues. So far, he hasn't said anything embarrassing and judging by the look on Kim's face, I can tell she's grateful for that fact. Jason looks at us and smiles. "You guys are my best friends, you deserve each other, and I couldn't be happier for either one of you. Congratulations. To Tommy and Kim."

Jason raises his glass as the crowd echoes him and does the same. Kim and I both stand up, hugging Jason before returning to our seats. As I look down the table at all of our friends, I see that there's not a dry eye anywhere. Every single one of them are a part of Kim and myself and they're happy for us. They understand how hard it has been for Kim and I to get to this point together.

Then Zack hops up from the table and runs over to where the DJ has just finished setting up in the corner of the Youth Center. It's a little cramped, but Ernie made it work somehow. He cleared everything-video games and workout equipment included-to make room for all the tables we needed. Ernie shared the second row on my side at the wedding, right next to Bulk, Skull, and Jerome Stone.

"Attention everyone! It's that time of the night!" Zack calls into the microphone. "Will the newlyweds please make their way to the dance floor!? It's time for your first dance as a married couple so get over here and be awkward for five minutes so the rest of us can get our dance on too!"

Kim and I just laugh and shake our heads as we stand up from the table. I offer her my hand, she takes it, and I lead her onto the dance floor. We come to a stop and suddenly the lights go dark. Immediately, I drop into a defensive stance then a spotlight comes on me and I feel embarrassed. I can hear Jason laughing in the darkness as I straighten up amidst the white and pink lights trained on me. Kim shakes her head again and laughs at me as our chosen song starts to play. Her hands go around my neck and my arms slide down to her waist.

Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

Spinning in slow circles, I press my forehead to Kimberly's. We both have tears in our eyes. It's hard to imagine just how far we've really come to get to this point in our lives. There were times in my life where I wasn't sure that I could make it without her. She's a part of me I don't ever want to have to life without.

Look into your heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

Ernie's smiling at us. He's standing near the door to his stock room and the faint light creeping in from behind him is just enough to illuminate his face. I can see the power switch next to his hand and immediately, I know that he was the one responsible for the spotlight. White and pink. The smile on his face tells me that he knows. It tells he that he's known for a long time, in fact. I just nod my head towards him and he returns the gesture as I continue to spin my bride around the dance floor.

There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way

Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you

Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

"I love you, Kim," I whisper, looking down into her eyes as our dancing comes to a stop.

"I love you, too, Tommy," she replies. She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me, our friends and families bursting into applause all around us.

"Alright, alright! Enough with the mushy stuff!" Zack cuts in on the microphone. "What do you say people!? Is it time to get this party started or what!?"

"Yeah!" everyone, including Kim and myself yell back. Somehow, no matter where we go, Zack is always the one who manages to get the party going. Why should I expect today to be any different?

"Spin my track, DJ-man!" Zack calls out as a familiar electronic beat starts to play.

Any one in the room who had ever been a Ranger, from my teammates to the Wild Force team start laughing. Then the beat stops momentarily, a repeating bass line kicks in and we all share knowing looks as we scream in unison…

"I've got the power!"

I don't have much rhythm but I do okay in keeping up with Kim even though she's a much better dancer than I could ever hope to be. You'd think I'd be a semi-decent dancer considering my background in martial arts, but nope! My dad, on the other hand…well, he's like another Fred Astaire. The way he sweeps my mom around the floor to a song he's probably never heard is unbelievable. I guess my real dad must not have been much of a dancer, either.

Still, I manage to keep up with her for the most part. Occasionally, we switch partners when a song changes. I dance with Aisha, Alyssa, Trini, Kat, my mom, Kim's mom, and Jason's mom. Kim dances with all the guys, including my brother, and literally gets swept off of her feet by my dad. She's dancing with my dad when a new song, one of our songs comes on, and I have to interrupt.

"Mind if I cut in?" I ask after tapping my dad on the shoulder.

"Not at all, son," my dad replies, giving me a pat as I smile at Kim. "Not at all."

"This is our song, Beautiful," I tell her as my dad walks away and we start to slow dance again. "Remember the first time we danced to this?" I ask amidst the backdrop of piano being played in the background.

"Fall Dance, 1994. How could I forget?" she asks in reply, laying her head on my shoulder. I'm honestly surprised she remembers considering she forgot the day I first asked her out. "I wasn't sure when I was going to see you again then Zordon brought you back as the White Ranger. This was the first song we danced to after you came back."

"I'm impressed," I tell her as we dance and the singer starts to sing about a small town girl, living in a lonely world, taking the midnight train going anywhere. "I can't believe this day is actually here. It's so crazy. I'm so happy."

"I'm happy too, Handsome," Kim replies, allowing me to guide her on the dance floor. She's got a huge smile on her face as we dance side-by-side with my parents on the right and her mom and step-dad on the left, symbolic in every sense of the word. "I'm glad we found each other again. I don't want to spend another day away from you."

"And you'll never have to, Beautiful. I plan on being around for a very, very long time. I love you, Kim."

"I love you, too, Tommy."

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What? That's the end? You can't end the story there! What the hell are you thinking, man!? You have to let the people know what happened to Kim and me and everyone else!

Why? That's a good ending right there. You're dancing with Kim to "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, you guys tell each other you love her and the screen fades to black. What's wrong with that?

What's wrong with that!? I'll tell you what's wrong with that! It's crap! Complete crap! These people have invested their time into mine and Kim's story and now you're just gonna shortchange them with that!? God, I feel like I've just seen the series finale to a show about a mob family.

Hey, hey, hey! None of that! It's not their fault they didn't know what they were doing. But fine, if you want to tell them what ended up happening with you and Kim, then by all means, be my guest. The floor is yours, sir.

Thank you.

Anyways, like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by a terrible ending to an otherwise great story that you people have been following so dilligently, Kim and I danced long into the night. We drank champagne, cut the cake, shoved it in each other's faces, and took a ton of pictures along the way. To this day, it still goes down as one of the best days I've ever had. It's up there right next to the birth of my son.

Yep, that's right. Almost a year and a half after we got married, Kim gave birth to our first and only child so far. Joshua Jason was born eight pounds, eight ounces, on Thanksgiving, a very fitting day indeed considering how big he was. He's four now. Took his first karate class just a couple of days ago, in fact. He looks just like his mom but he fights like his dad. I couldn't be more proud of him if I tried.

It hasn't all been happy memories, though. Sam passed away just a few months after our wedding. We got to see him one last time when we got back from our honeymoon in Europe. He went peacefully, in his sleep. I miss him everyday but I know that he's in a better place now, wherever that may be.

Katherine and Bryan ended up divorcing about a year later. Turns out he wasn't exactly a one-woman man and Kat's not the type to put up with something like that. Can't say I blame her. Bryan seemed like a good guy but I didn't really know him that well. Guess you can't judge a book by its cover, eh?

Billy's return to Earth turned out to be a permanent one. He started his own software company and he's doing pretty good for himself. He found a nice Earth woman a couple years back in the form of Katherine. I don't get to see them much but, from what I hear, they're happy and in love and I'm happy for them.

Aisha still works at the veterinary clinic and Adam's doing public relations work for a couple up and coming bands in the Los Angeles area. They had a daughter a couple years back, Avyana Katrina. She's got her mom's skin and temper with her dad's eyes and smile. She's only three but you can already tell that she's definitely gonna have the boys going crazy when she gets older.

Rocky still works for Disney and Alyssa recently started her own interior design company. Dominic is eleven now, and he just got his brown belt from my school. He's got twin siblings now, too. His brother, Alejandro Adam, and sister, Jessica Aisha, turned five back in April.

Zack hasn't settled down yet and, to be honest, none of us are really expecting him to. He likes the single life and he recently got into music production. He's managing KDAG, 103.9-The Fresh, Angel Grove's only hip-hop and R&B station. Angela, the girl he used to date back in high school, is his afternoon DJ. We think there might be something between them but you just never know with the Zack-man!

Like I expected, Trini said yes when Jason asked her to marry him. He did it on her birthday in August, two months after Kim and I got married. Of course, I was Jason's Best Man and I did my best not to embarrass him too much. Tri is a Certified Public Accountant with her own bookkeeping business and she is expecting their first child in a couple of months. Jason bought part of the school from me and we expanded to Angel Grove last year, opening Red Dragon/White Falcon Karate & Pink Crane Gymnastics together which brings me to today.

Things are calm now, more so than they've ever been for any of us. Kim and I bought a house in Angel Grove when the school expanded and we live there with Josh now, just a few blocks from my parents house. It seems like we're getting together at least two or three nights a week for dinner at one of our places.

Life now is good, great even. I've got a beautiful wife and a son I adore to come home to every night, a job that I love doing, an amazing extended family, and the absolute best friends that a guy could ever ask for. I'd say things turned out pretty well for me. Wouldn't you all agree with that?

So that's my story. See, and that guy wanted to give you that crappy ending. I think you all would have been pretty disappointed if you didn't get to find out what happened to all of us, huh?

With that being said, it's time for me to go now. Here's hoping you all enjoyed reading about the last couple years of my life. So, uh, yeah, you can just go ahead and leave now. Seriously, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here. Ah, oh…what the hell?

"Don't stop, believ…"

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Haha, okay. That's seriously the end. I know it's just a bunch of fluff but sometimes fluff is a good thing. I'm gonna try and get back into my other stories soon but I just started another semester of school and it looks like it's going to be a tough one. I'm gonna do my best to update as often as possible so bear with me, guys. If you don't hear from me for awhile, I promise, I haven't gone anywhere. Anyways, that's all she wrote for this little series. Hope you all liked it. I'll talk to you soon.

WK