Author : Wild-Melody
A/N : Well, all, I'm still working on the other story, I just needed to get this off of my chest. I'm actually surprised I haven't seen anyone else do this yet.
Song used, One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and of coarse the Power Rangers belong to Saban, not me!
Well, with the upcoming first anniversary of the tragedy of September 11th fast approaching, I decided I needed to do something to honor all those that had died on that fateful day. This is what I came up with. Hope you like.
I don't know 'bout most of you, but I was at work when we started hearing about what had occurred. I work at a large grocery store so we were hearing most of our information from customers as they came in. At first we thought it was some kind of horrible prank…we would later learn that it wasn't.
REMEMBRANCE IS JUST A TOUCH AWAY
It had been almost a full year since the tragedy had occurred that became known all through out the Northern America's as simply 9/11. Almost a full year since two of their closest friends had been taken away from them. Kim sighed as she glanced at the calendar, not really being able to believe that a full year had almost come and gone. Where does all the time go? She wondered to herself.
She had been at work when she had heard the news over the radio. She still couldn't believe what she had heard…still couldn't believe that they were gone. Has it really been a whole year? A whole year without the two of them? She glanced at the calendar again and frowned. September 5th…six more days till the first anniversary. We have to do something…something special to remember them by. Something…anything, just so they know we haven't forgotten.
Flashback…
"We're running late Trini, pick up your pace a little would ya?" Kim yelled back to the woman running behind her. "The students are probably already there and waiting for us!" Kim was at a full out run, putting every bit of her over abundant energy into it. She turned a corner and could just see the Gymnastics studio up a head. Almost there, she said to herself. She turned her head to look behind her again and suddenly realized that Trini was nowhere to be seen. Did I loose her? Kim wondered as she slowed her pace.
"Now who had better hurry up?" She heard her friend ask from in front of her.
Kim's head whipped around to look at Trini. "How in the world did you get a head of me?" She asked as she picked her pace up once more.
"I simply passed you as you were turning around to look for me." Trini said, just barely managing to keep the laughter from her voice. "We still have a few minutes to get there so don't be in such a hurry. I'm sure the students won't start without us."
"Yeah, but Tommy and Jason are there with those girls, all by themselves."
"Oh…those poor girls." Trini said.
"What? Those poor girls? I was thinking more along the lines of poor Tommy and Jason!" Kim said. "Tommy and Jason won't know what to do if those girls decide to gang up on them!"
"Hmm…how true. I guess we should hurry just a bit."
They pulled to a stop just outside of the gymnastics studio, the sound of music wafting over the still air. "I wonder who turned the radio on, the guys or the girls." Kim said as she caught Trini's gaze.
"The guys, probably so they didn't have to listen to the girls' giggling and laughter." Trini responded.
Kim opened the door and allowed for Trini to enter first. "Finally you're here!" Jason's voice greeted them.
"Don't tell me a group of girl's got the best of you?" Kim laughed.
"Not at all," Tommy said as he walked up and gave Kim a quick kiss on the cheek. "We just weren't expecting to have to deal with a room full over energetic teen age girls. That's all."
"So then they got the best of you, right?" Kim asked, the mirth in her eyes.
"Um…yeah," Jason said quietly.
Both Trini and Kim broke out into fits of laughter.
"Glad you think its funny," Jason grumbled underneath his breath. "Next time we'll leave you alone at the Dojo with some of our students…see how you like that!"
"Careful or we just might take you up on that," Trini said and lightly punched Jase on the arm.
Jason just mocked glared at her.
A sudden blaring sound from over the radio halted all conversation in mid-sentence. "This just in from New York…there has apparently been an attack on the World Trade Center." All eyes immediately went to the portable radio.
"What did they just say?" Kim asked as she looked worriedly at Tommy.
"Just a sec," Tommy responded as the announcer on the radio began speaking again.
"Apparently from the reports we are getting in, a plane was hi-jacked and flown right into one of the Towers…" the man paused as someone said something to him. "Correction, I have just been informed that two planes were flown directly into the Towers."
Kim gasped in disbelief.
"Weren't Adam and Rocky transferred up there?" Trini asked.
"Yeah," Jason answered as he held his hand up for everyone to be silent as the announcer began to speak once more.
What they heard the rest of the day sent dread through their hearts.
…end Flashback
Sorry I never told you
All I wanted to say
And now it's too late to hold you
'Cause you've flown away
So far away
She sighed and walked into her computer room, Wonder who's on right now. She sat down at the small computer desk and moved the mouse so that it was just over her internet connection icon and double clicked on it. Moments later she was logged on and waited for the Buddy List to show up so she could see who was on to talk to.
"You have mail," the male voice said over her speakers. She ignored it and waited for the Buddy List to pop up. Several seconds later it did.
Hmm, lets see…Trini is on, so are Zack and Kat.
The door sounded as she watched to see who would pop up next. Tommy, she grinned to herself. She clicked on his name and waited for the IM window to pop up.'Hey there Sweetheart,' She typed. 'How are you doing?'
She hit the send button and waited for him to reply.
'Nothing much, just talking to Trini and Zack. How 'bout you?'
'Just got on seconds before you did,' She typed. 'I want to have a small get together tomorrow night to discuss something. Can you be here around 7 tomorrow night?'
'Yeah, what do you have in mind?'
'You'll find out tomorrow night, just like everyone else.'
'All right.'
'I'm going to let everyone else know.'
'Ok.'
She clicked on Zack and Trini's names and told them pretty much the same thing. Then she asked if they'd let the rest of the ex-Rangers know. They agreed so then Kim logged off and quietly went to her living room, just to see what was on the local news. It'll be about 9/11, I know it. See what everyone else has to say about it.
………………………………...
Mean while, not far away, another one of the ex-Rangers was feeling pretty much the same way the original Pink Ranger was. Aisha glanced once more at the microwave clock and sullenly looked at the calendar on the far wall of her kitchen. It's hard to believe that you're both gone…even after a whole year. Something told me you shouldn't have gone there, that you needed to stay home. Somehow I knew something bad was going to happen.
A single tear escaped her eye and winded its way down her cheek. I knew you two the longest of any of the Rangers, we were best friends, it's still so hard to believe that your gone. Even after all this time.
The phone rang on its receiver and caused her to jump a few inches in the air. Wasn't expecting that, she thought sadly. Now who could it be? She walked over to the phone and glanced at the ID caller. Kat's number, wonder what she wants?
"Hello?" Aisha greeted. "Yeah, hi Kat. How are you doing?" She waited for the Australian to respond. "Oh really? Do you know what its about?" Aisha asked.
Kat answered again and Aisha just quietly listened. "She wouldn't say, huh?"
"All right, tomorrow night at 7?" Aisha smiled, she could just imagine what the ex-Pink Ranger was up to, or at least she could guess. With Kim there was really no telling.
"Ok, anyone you want me to notify?" Aisha asked and Kat quickly replied. "You're going to let Tanya know? Ok, and Zack is going to get a hold of the others. Ok, then I'll see you all tomorrow night at Kim's."
She hung up the phone and looked sadly at it. It was almost a year to the date that I last talked to Rocky and Adam, and it had been over the phone too. She sighed deeply to herself. I would have thought that if anything were going to claim any of our lives it would have been during our Power Ranger days…not something like…like, that. Aisha thought as she glanced at the news coverage on the TV.
When did I turn that on anyhow?
Never had I imagined
Living without your smile
Feeling and knowing you hear me
It keeps me alive
Alive
Aisha walked out of her house, didn't even bother turning off any of the appliances or other electric devices and sat down on the swing on the porch. She glanced up at the bright sky and just stared at it. I know you guys have got to be able to hear me, you have to know how much we miss you…I only wish you were here. You can't possibly know how much we…I miss you.
She felt something warm caress her shoulder but when she glanced behind her there was nothing there. Another tear followed the coarse of the earlier one down her cheek. I miss you so much Rocky and Adam, why did you have to go away?
…………………………
Jason and Trini were together, discussing the events of that day, that disastrous day. They sat at a small café not far from their houses. A simple salad sat in front of Trini, while Jason was eating a Grilled Chicken Sandwich.
"It's been almost a year Jason, you know that?" Trini asked once she had emptied her mouth. Her dark eyes were sad, he hadn't seen the spark of life in them for quite some time, she still mourned the death of their two friends, even a year after their passing.
But he couldn't blame her. He still did too.
It could have very easily been anyone of them.
"Yeah, I know Trini. I still wake up some mornings and think it was all just some terrible dream. Then reality hits and I remember that it wasn't a dream…I remember that it truly happened." Jason responded, the old sadness creeping into his voice once more.
"The news stations are broadcasting it all over again…remembrance of 9/11 they say. I just want to forget it sometimes. I'd like to forget it ever happened and have Adam and Rocky back here with us again. If only we could turn back the hands of time and make sure it never happened." Trini said wistfully.
Jason looked at her, really looked at her. "It happened for a reason though Trini. As much as it pains me to say it, it happened for a reason."
"And what could be the reason behind killing thousands of innocent people? People that did nothing to deserve to be killed in such a callous fashion!" Trini exploded, her voice rising in anger.
He had very rarely ever seen Trini get mad. "I wish I knew the answer, but I don't. The only good thing that came out of this is that it brought our great country together. It brought us together like we never have been before. We are truly the United States of America now."
"What about all those men and women who lost their lives that day? What about the children who lost their parents, not just one, but of them both? How do you think they feel? It just isn't right Jason, innocent children shouldn't have to feel that kind of pain just because some other country doesn't like ours! Innocent people shouldn't be brought into that kind of war! It just isn't right," Her voice became hushed and Jason realized that she was crying.
"Trini, it's all right. I understand how you feel," Jason said as he got up from his chair and wrapped her in his embrace. She buried her head in his shoulder and cried, letting all of her sorrow and anger leave her body.
"It just isn't right, wasn't fair!" She cried.
"I know," he crooned.
And I know you're shining down on me from Heaven
Like so many friends we've lost along the way
And I know eventually we'll be together
One sweet day
Jason's cell phone decided that moment to ring. He looked down at Trini as she looked up at him. "I'm all right," she said quietly. "It might be something important."
He nodded his head and pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket. "Hello?"
He looked down at Trini, "Hey, how ya doing Billy?"
Trini smiled up at him, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Tomorrow night you say? What time again?"
Jason waited for Billy to answer. "Trini's with me so you won't have to worry about calling her and letting her know, I'll tell her. All right, thanks. Yep, talk to you later. Bye." He put the small phone back in his shirt pocket and returned his attention back to Trini.
"Billy, huh?" She asked.
"Yeah, he called to let us know that Kim's having a small meeting tomorrow night at 7."
"Hmm, wonder about what."
"He didn't know. Zack had called and left him know, but Kim wasn't telling what it was about."
"Sounds just like her," Trini said.
"Yeah, it does."
……………………
Tanya was out in her greenhouse when she heard a knock at the door. Wiping her hands on her pants she went to leave whomever it was in. Aisha stood there, her dark eyes taking in the whole of the green house. "Getting anywhere with this?" Aisha asked as she walked into the humid and hot building.
"No, not really." Tanya answered.
"Hmmm, you'll have to ask Kim for a few pointers tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night?" Tanya repeated. "What's going on tomorrow night?"
"Kim wants to have a meeting tomorrow at 7."
"What about?"
"Don't know, she wouldn't say." Aisha answered. She glanced quickly at a dark green plant with bright yellow flowers and gently ran her fingers across the leaves. "This is pretty," she said absently.
"Yes, it is," Tanya responded in the same absent tone. "Tomorrow at seven huh? And she won't say what its about?"
"Nope, lease wise not to Kat, who told me."
"Strange," was all Tanya could think to say.
"Probably something to do with Adam and Rocky," Aisha guessed.
"Probably," Tanya repeated.
Tanya looked Aisha right in the eyes, "I never got to tell him…" She said quietly.
"I know," Aisha responded.
Tanya glanced at her in shock, "You knew?"
"It was kind of hard to miss. We all saw how you were looking at Adam, well, all of us but Adam, that is." Aisha said, her fingers still tracing gentle designs across the leaf of the plant.
"I always thought I had all the time in the world. I wanted to let him know after he came back…but he never came back."
"You never think something like that is ever going to happen." Aisha said quietly.
"I regret it so much though. I can't help thinking that if I had told him, had let him know somehow, that he would've stayed here."
"Beating yourself up over it won't bring him back. Won't bring either one of them back…" her voice trailed off as she realized the truth behind her own words.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, just thinking to myself. I really should take my own advice, you know?"
Tanya just looked at her curiously, not really knowing what she was talking about. "I'm…I'm not sure I really follow you."
"I've been blaming myself ever since it happened, thinking there was something I could've done to prevented them from going…but it was their destiny. We don't know Tanya, they may have helped others get out of there before the Towers collapsed. They may have saved a few lives before they gave up theirs."
"It's who we were…are." Tanya agreed quietly as both women thought back to their days as Rangers.
Darling, I never showed you
Assumed you'd always be there
I took your presence for granted
But I always cared
And I miss the love we shared
"Maybe they brought some good into the world before they left it," Aisha said softly.
"I'd like to think so," Tanya agreed.
Maybe they did help some people to get out, maybe they gave a mother or father back to a child that would have otherwise lost them. I can only hope and pray that that is so,
Tanya thought."Penny for your thought," Aisha said.
"Just thinking." Tanya answered. "Nothing really special. Was just thinking."
…………………………
A flag was flown that day, it's broad red and white bands gleaming brilliantly in the dying rays of the sun. Friends gathered to remember what had happened a year ago on that fateful day, there was not a dry eye in the whole crowd as Kimberly Hart left the podium, her speech over with.
She turned her sparkling brown eyes out toward the crowd, and in a loud and clear voice said, "Although a tragedy marked this day a year ago, we have gotten on with our lives, but we will always remember those who died. We will never forget what they died for. The American spirit still rings true, and we all banded together to prove that even when the rest of the world counts us out, we will arise from the ashes far stronger!"
Behind her, the American flag billowed in the wind. Its white stars gleamed against the blue banner, a symbol of what it meant to be an American. Below the flag, a memorial had been erected. Three firefighters turned tired and weary faces up to the darkening skies, their eyes searching for a sign of times to come. An end to the heartache that till this day still plagues the hearts of the citizens of the United States.
A plaque below the statue read each and every name of the victims of September 11th, but at the very top were Rocky and Adam's names. This was the tribute that the ex-Rangers had decided upon. A memorial to eternally remind the residents of Angel Grove of the travesty that had occurred and the men, women and children that had lost their lives.
And I know you're shining down on me from Heaven
Like so many friends we've lost along the way
And I know eventually we'll be together
One sweet day
"It was a wonderful speech," a man came up to Kimberly later that day. She didn't now who he was, had never seen him before in her life. He smiled sadly at her and Kim actually felt her heart break at the anguish in his eyes. "I lost my wife that day," He said softly.
"I'm sorry," Kim replied, not really sure of anything else to say.
"She's in a better place," the man said. He looked at her, really looked at her. "You lost someone too?" He asked.
"Two friends of mine." Kim answered.
"Ah, I see." The man said. "Believe they are in a better place watching over you now. I'm sure they are." The man said.
"I didn't catch your name," Kim said to the man.
"Edward J. Kepner," the man responded.
"Kimberly," Jason called from somewhere behind her in the crowd.
She turned around quickly, "I'll be right there Jase, just a sec!" She turned back around to face the man, "My friends are waiting for me Mr. Kepner," she began, only to find that the man was gone.
Jason came up beside her, "Something wrong?" He asked.
"There was just a man here," Kim said as she glanced quickly around looking for him. She shrugged her shoulders when she didn't spot him and turned to Jason. "Are we ready to go?" She asked.
"The Mayor is just finishing up with reading the names of the victims," Jason responded.
Kim turned her attention to where the Mayor was, his voice booming out over the PA system. She froze at one of the names mentioned.
"You all right Kim?" Jason asked, noticing her body suddenly stiffen up.
"Who did he just say?"
"Edward J. Kepner," Jason supplied.
Although the sun will never shine the same
I'll always look to a brighter day
Lord I know when I lay me down to sleep
You will always listen as I pray
Believe they are in a better place watching over you now. I'm sure they are.
The man's words echoed around in her head and she wondered if the man she had been speaking to just a few seconds ago was an Angel sent down to tell her that Rocky and Adam were truly in a better place. And watching over all of them.
And I know you're shining down on me from Heaven
Like so many friends we've lost along the way
And I know eventually we'll be together
One sweet day
The end.
I hoped you liked this. I didn't want to go into detail with Kim's speech, mainly 'cause I couldn't think of anything that would really suffice in what I wanted to say. I was not directly effected by the tragedy, I didn't know anyone personally that had died on that day. I did loose a sister a long time ago so I have an inkling of what all the family members of the victims are feeling, but I don't think anyone can really understand what they are feeling unless you too loss someone that day. My heart goes out to all those who were directly effected…I'm sorry for your loss, but you've probably heard that a thousand times over.
I'm also sorry for killing both Rocky and Adam in this tribute…unfortunately someone had to die. How else were the Rangers really going to feel what had happened that day. Fate can be cruel, or she can be kind, but on September 11th 2001, she was extremely cruel to the people of the United States of America…but I for one won't hold that against her. I just hope those responsible for this can actually sleep at night, or look at themselves in the mirror. I know if it had been me, I wouldn't be able to.
God Bless the U.S. of A!
For all of you readers out there who aren't from the USA, I hope I didn't step on any toes. I didn't mean too.