Here Comes the Bride
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: This was just something I came up with and I've been playing around with the idea in my head for a long time now. Tommy tells Adam, Rocky, Tanya, and Kat a story of a night in Angel Grove Cemetery. Involves a story about a bloody bride. This is AU, since Kimberly kisses Tommy before Green Candle. And by the end, you'll know who I'm rooting for. T, just to be sure.
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A few weeks after the ski trip, the gang was gathered around one of the tables at the Youth Center. Rocky, Adam, Tanya, Katherine, Tommy, and Billy.
"So," Rocky began, "How've you been since the ski trip?"
Katherine's eyes shot daggers at Rocky.
"Hey, just asking! Chillax, will ya?"
"Yeah, Kat," Tommy said, reassuring her, "It's okay. Rocky was just concerned."
"Still hurting?" Adam asked.
"A bit," Tommy said, wincing.
"Ouch," Adam said, biting his lip, "Wish I hadn't asked."
"No, it's okay," Tommy said, "I know you guys are concerned."
"You guys, I think it's better we not talk about this around Tommy," Billy suggested.
Tommy laughed.
"Billy, I'm fine. I swear."
"Are you sure?"
"Affirmative." And they all laughed.
"Actually, I think it would be good to recall the good times," Tommy added as an afterthought.
"Like what?"
"Kimberly and I, we've been through a lot together. We even went ghost hunting together."
The words "ghost hunting" struck fear into Adam's heart, who was very superstitious. A chill traveled down his spine and he shuddered.
"Wanna hear a story?" Tommy said, with a mischievous smile, as he sipped his Chocolate Raspberry smoothie.
The gang said yes.
"I think I have an idea what story that is," Billy said, as he sipped his spinach juice.
"But first," Tommy said, "Ernie! Would you mind coming over here for a minute?"
Ernie hobbled over to the gang's table.
"Anything I can do for you guys?"
"Would you mind telling us the story of the Bloody Bride? Just for fun. C'mon!"
"Yeah, Ernie! Please?" the others said, in chorus.
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"Will you guys let me get back to work after this?" Ernie said.
"We promise," the teenagers said, in chorus.
"Alright," Ernie said, pulling up a chair and joining the circle.
"Yeah! This is gonna be cool," Rocky said.
"The year was 1959," Ernie began.
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A young woman was getting married. Her name was Amanda. Like most girls, Amanda dreamed of marrying the perfect man. The love of their life. Their Prince Charming on a white steed. But Jessie, her husband-to-be was none of those things.
The couple and both their relatives checked in at the hotel the night before. Amanda was so happy, only to have her hopes dashed, and her heart shattered to pieces, the day of the wedding.
At the chapel of the hotel, they waited and waited. And waited. No Jessie. They waited some more. No groom.
Some said he might have had what was called "cold feet."
They waited a few more minutes.
Finally, Amanda, unable to take it any longer, ran up to the ninth floor to look for Jessie. The others had overlooked an important clue. She, however, did not miss that clue. One of her sisters was not at the wedding. First, Amanda knocked on Jessie's door. No answer. She knocked again. No answer. She tried the knob. It was unlocked.
What she saw was enough to drive any woman mad. There on the bed was Jessie, and Amanda's sister, beside him.
She ran down to the lobby, took an ax, went back to the ninth floor, and chopped the unfaithful Jessie and her own sister to pieces. Overcome with anger at Jessie, at her sister, and at herself for what she'd done, she went up on the rooftop of the hotel and flung herself over the edge.
She fell to the ground and was run over by passing drivers.
From then on, every year, she claims two victims on the anniversary of the tragedy. To this day, no one dares visit her grave at Angel Grove Cemetery.
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"Except us," Tommy said, when Ernie went back to his job at the Juice Bar.
"You...went there?" Kat asked, her voice shaking. She was horrified by Ernie's story.
"Yeah. Me, Kimberly, the gang."
"It was Zack's idea," Billy added, with a shrug, and another sip of his Spinach Juice.
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Angel Grove High School...
3 P.M.
Tommy felt as though he still wasn't part of the group. How could he be? After he had served Rita? And he had been mean to Kimberly.
"Hey, Kim," Tommy said, with a smile.
"Hey, Tommy," Kim replied with a smile and a blush, "What's up?"
"I uh—I wanted to apologize to you."
"Apologize? To me? For what?"
Then, realizing where they were standing, Kimberly remembered. This was the very same place! She laughed. She could still remember her own words, Well, excuse me for living! "Tommy, it's okay," Kimberly said, with a giggle, "You weren't yourself, alright. Forget it! I forgive you. We're friends."
Tommy smiled and blushed.
"So," Kimberly said, "I'll see you at the Youth Center?"
"Yeah," Tommy said, "I'll be there."
Kimberly planted an awkward kiss on Tommy's cheek before she walked off, which made Tommy blush.
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"Actually," Billy said, "It was Kimberly and Zack's idea."
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Angel Grove Youth Center...
Billy, Jason, Zack, Kimberly, and Trini sat around one of the tables at the Youth Center. "Guys, we gotta help Tommy," Kimberly said, "He still feels like he's not one of us. He feels guilty."
"Pffttt! What's he guilty about? He was under Rita's spell," Zack said.
"We know that. But he can't help but still feel guilty about it. Maybe we could do something as a group? Together? To make him feel welcome."
The others nodded in agreement.
"But what?" Jason said.
"Maybe an initiation?" Zack suggested.
"We're Rangers, Zack," Trini said, "Not a frat."
"What! You think I look like I'm a frat boy?" Zack said, with a laugh, "Alpha Beta Kappa? Seriously, though. An initiation not as a Ranger but as a friend. Like we did with Billy. Teaching him Karate was some sort of initiation."
"Yeah," Kimberly said, "I happen to know he's into urban legends. Maybe that could give us a clue what kind of initiation we should do."
"Aha! That gives me an idea!" Zack said, snapping his fingers, "Midnight, tonight. Angel Grove Cemetery. I'll be sure to bring Tommy. I'll drag him there if it's the last thing I do!"
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Tommy was walking home from school, still trying to avoid the Rangers, though he knew, deep down, that he was one of them. Zack ran up to him and put an arm around his shoulders.
"Yo, T Man! A little bird tells me you're depressed. Why?"
Tommy shrugged.
"Hey, you know you can tell me. We're friends."
"It's nothing," Tommy said.
"Alright, suit yourself. But if ever you need someone to talk to, just tell the Zack Man!"
"Well, sure. I'll let you know when I need someone to talk to."
"By the way," Zack said, "We want you to come with us, tonight."
"Where?"
"Angel Grove Cemetery."
"The cemetery? Why?"
"Tonight, at midnight, will mark the anniversary of the Bloody Bride."
"Yeah? I've heard about her from a couple people on campus."
"Wanna come?"
"I'm not sure."
"C'mon, T Man! It'll be fun!"
"I dunno. I'm not sure."
"Meet us at Angel Grove Park by 11:30."
"But I—"
"We won't take no for an answer, Tommy."
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Angel Grove Cemetery...
Midnight.
"Alright! That's it," Zack said, "Tommy or no Tommy, we're going in! He didn't show up at Angel Grove Park, what makes you think he'll show up now?"
"We'd better just go home, you guys," Trini said, nervously.
"No way," Tommy said, suddenly, emerging from the shadows, "We're already here. No turning back now. And Zack—why would you want to go without me?"
Jason jumped when he saw Tommy step out of the shadows as though through supernatural means.
The chill night air was filled with Zack's laughter.
"We thought you'd never come!" he said, doing a cool handshake with Tommy.
"Sorry I kept you waiting. Had to wait until my folks and my siblings were asleep. Especially Chelsea. Boy, is she the jail warden of the Oliver household!"
Everyone laughed.
Tommy saw Kimberly and greeted her. Another awkward kiss on the cheek. Tommy was thankful it was too dark for anyone to see him blushing.
"Shall we?" Jason said, jumping over the fence and opening the gate from inside for them to come in.
Billy rubbed his arms.
"It's rather cold tonight, isn't it?"
"I'll say," Tommy said.
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"Flashlights?" Jason said.
"Check," Zack said.
"Night vision cameras?"
"Check," Billy said.
"Ouija Board?"
"Check," Kimberly said.
"Candles?"
"Check," Trini said.
"Prayer book? Check! Bible? Check!" Jason said.
"Alright, we're all set!" Zack said, excitement mounting in his voice.
Tommy gave Zack, Billy, and Jason each a high five.
"Guys," Kimberly said, "We'd better head home. I've got a bad feeling about this."
"Not you too, Kim," Jason said in mock exasperation, "You girls'll ruin the fun!"
The girls said nothing. They sat in a circle on the ground and began. They asked the Bloody Bride if she was present.
Yes.
What is the date today?
June 15.
What's the significance of the date?
The day I killed my fiancé.
How did you kill him?
Ax.
Did you kill yourself?
Yes.
How did you die?
Leaped from a building.
Kimberly rubbed her arm. This was just too weird. She wished she had never suggested this.
Suddenly, Zack said, in a whisper, "Turn your cameras on. She's here."
They could not believe it! A few feet away was a figure in white, humming "Here Comes The Bride."
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Jason made the sign of the cross and gulped. Trini wanted to scream but nothing came out. Kimberly's knees were shaking. Tommy felt a cold chill run down his spine. Zack wanted to run. Billy was hyperventilating. All their cameras were trained at the approaching figure in white. By now, the humming was becoming more and more audible. A usually happy, joyous, and melodious song, the song was now hummed with a trace of sadness and melancholy. It was eerie to hear. Haunting. And the specter's appearance was like a mockery of the song. "Here comes the bride...all clean and white..."
The phantom, however, wore a tattered and bloody wedding gown, already turning brown due the dried blood and long disuse.
As she approached the cowering group of teenagers, Billy noticed that she was clutching something in her right hand. An ax!
"Run!" Jason said.
"Good idea," Tommy said.
"Split up," Zack said.
"No! Let's stick together! It's too dangerous," Jason said.
The Bloody Bride was getting closer.
"If we split up, we have an advantage," Billy said, "We can confuse her. If we stick together, we're trapped."
"Good thinking," Zack and Jason agreed.
And so, the group scattered, running in every direction.
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Zack and Jason hid behind some bushes, crouching, hoping the Bloody Bride would not see them.
"Dude," Zack suddenly blurted out, "Get you friggin hands off me! What's with you? Your hands feel sticky!"
"Shut up," Jason shot back, "You're the one who's holding my hand, not vice-versa. And if my hands are sticky, your hands are cold!"
They both stopped at the realization that someone else could be with them. True enough, neither one was holding the other's hand. What Zack thought was Jason's sticky fingers, were, in reality, the Bride's bloody hand. What Jason thought was Zack's cold hand was actually the Bride's.
Zack and Jason both screamed.
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"Kimberly! Run!" Tommy said, as he and Kim zigzagged through tombstones. The Bloody Bride was hot on their trail. Kim tripped on a rock, and Tommy caught her.
"You okay?" Tommy asked.
"Am I?" Kimberly said, cocking an eyebrow, "Some psycho-bride is running after me, I trip on a rock, and you ask me if I'm okay?"
"Sorry."
"Run!" Kimberly said, "Run now, apologize later!"
When they had run a few yards, they stopped to rest under a tree, thinking they had lost the Bride. Tommy leaned against the tree with his palm, while Kimberly knelt on one knee to tend to her bleeding wound.
Suddenly...
"Where's Jessie? I want to see him. Can I see him? Tell him I forgive him when you see him. Tell him it's time to bury the hatchet..."
Kimberly's hairs bristled like a cat's when it's on defense mode. That voice gave her the goosebumps. Especially how the words "bury the hatchet" were said.
"In the back of his head!" the voice continued.
Tommy ducked in time to avoid the Bloody Bride's blow. Had he not ducked, he would have died. He pulled Kimberly up and made a run for it.
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Billy was panting, Trini leading him by the hand. In their haste, Trini and Billy had both dropped their flashlights at one point or another. Also, being the clumsy kid that he was, Billy tripped a couple of times, which gave the Bride some time to catch up with them.
"Run, Billy, run!" Trini screamed.
They resumed their flight, and hid inside a mausoleum.
"Thank God we're safe," Billy said, with a sigh.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
Billy looked at Trini. She looked at him. They both looked back. Inside, in the corner of the mausoleum, was the Bride. Tattered gown. Blood all over. Thick veil.
"Run!" Billy screamed.
He was the first one out the gate of the mausoleum. As he ran down the steps, however, he tripped again, and this time, his glasses fell off. He couldn't find it.
"Never mind that!" Trini screamed, "Let's go! Hurry!"
Billy limped in pain and followed Trini blindly, unable to see without his glasses and without both their flashlights.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
Trini screamed! There she was, right in front of them! Trini pulled Billy's hand and they ran in the opposite direction.
"I'd rather face putties any day than this Bloody Bride right here," Billy said, panting.
"I couldn't have said it any better myself."
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
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Zack and Jason ran as fast as they could, both looking back a couple of times to check whether the ghost was still after them.
"Is she still behind us?" Jason asked.
"Yes, she is!"
Then, they stopped.
"How could she be behind us when she's in front of us?"
"What!" Zack said. He looked back. The Bride wasn't there. To their shock, the Bride was standing right in front of them, ax in hand. She raised it, as if to strike them with it.
"It's time to bury the hatchet..."
Zack ran as fast as he could, leaving Jason behind. Jason, seeing he was alone, decided to make a run for it.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
I am so gonna kill Zack and Kim if I survive this, he thought.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
"It's time to burry the hatchet... It's time to bury the hatchet... It's time to bury the hatchet... Jessie... Jessie... Jessie..."
Oh, God! Jason thought, She thinks I'm her dead fiancé?
"Jessie... Jessie... Jessie..."
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"Tommy? Tommy! Where are you? Tommy!" Kimberly called, frantically, "Don't leave me here! Tommy?"
Then, a thought occurred to her. Oh, my God! she thought, What if the Bride got Tommy? Oh, no! What have I done? I wish I hadn't suggested this...
She ran, her tears blurring her vision, blinding her. Just then...
CRACK! Kimberly spun around to see what it was. She searched the area with her flashlight, but saw no one. Thank God, the Bride's not after me!
Then, realizing what had caused the noise, she trained her flashlight and camera at the ground. What she saw made her scream! Her blood ran cold! On the ground, under her foot were Billy's glasses. Oh, no! she thought, She's got Billy and Trini too?
She ran toward the other direction, screaming and crying. She and Jason where both screaming when they bumped into each other.
"She thinks I'm her dead fiancé! She's got Billy, Trini, and Tommy!" Jason and Kim both said, simultaneously.
"What! She thinks you're her dead fiancé?"
Jason nodded.
"Where are Trini, Tommy, and Billy?"
"I think she got them! I'm not sure about Tommy. We split up, in confusion. Where's Zack?"
"Similar story. He made a run for it."
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
Kimberly's knees buckled. Jason gulped.
"Run!" Jason said.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
"I, Amanda, take you Jessie, to be my lawfully wedded husband..."
Jason was screaming and running for dear life. He and Kimberly suddenly stopped. She was in front of them! "It's time to bury the hatchet... Bury the hatchet..."
Jason and Kim turned back, but...
"Bury the hatchet... Bury the hatchet..." She was in front of them.
They faced the other direction, again.
"Bury the hatchet... Bury the hatchet..." the Bloody Bride raised her ax.
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Zack was running, panting, looking back from time to time. He was alone, now. Trying to find the others. He had lost the Bride. For now. Man! he thought, Why is it that the black dude is always the first one to get killed off in a horror movie?
He saw something shining in the distance. Frantically, he ran towards it, thinking it might be one of them. A beacon of hope. But as he drew closer and realized what it was, his heart sank. On the ground was a flashlight. Zack knelt down, picked it up, and had a look at it.
T.K. Trini Kwan! Oh, no! The Bride's got Trini and Billy! Son of the Devil! I'd better go look for the others!
Suddenly, there was a rustling of leaves in the nearby bushes. Zack stood up and turned. "Who's there? Who's there?" he shouted, training his flashlight at the bushes and tombstones around him.
Out of nowhere, Tommy rushed out from behind the bushes, running towards Zack.
"Man," Zack said, "You could've killed me! I thought you were the Bride! Where's Kim?"
"I dunno!"
"What'd ya mean you don't know?"
"I don't know! I lost her!"
"When!"
"Couple minutes ago, when the Bride was after us."
"Great," Zack said, "Kim, Billy, Trini, Jason. Looks like it's down to two."
"What's that supposed to mean? We're not getting killed off! We just need to find them!"
A scream! A female scream!
"Trini!" Zack called.
"Kimberly!" Tommy shouted.
Zack and Tommy were now running helter-skelter towards the direction of the screams.
"Kimberly!"
"Trini!"
They stopped. Besides the screaming, there were faint thuds, like something being chopped. Or someone! Zack and Tommy resumed their chase.
"Kimberly! Kimberly! Kimberly!" Tommy shouted, frantically waving his flashlight.
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"Zack! Tommy!" Jason shouted, "Over here!"
Zack and Tommy ran faster. They were now nearing Jason and Kimberly's location. They didn't have long to run. Jason and Kimberly ran to meet them, the Bride at their heels. As soon as they saw each other, they all hugged, and Kimberly broke down, sobbing on Tommy's chest.
"I'm sorry I brought you here!"
"It's okay. It's okay. I'm sorry I left you."
"Uh, guys?" Zack said, pointing in the direction of the Bride.
"Go!" Jason said, and all four of them ran at top speed.
"Let's go look for Trini and Billy," Zack said.
"Too late," Tommy said, who had taken the broken glasses from Kimberly, "She got him."
"Oh, no," Jason and Zack said, simultaneously.
Billy ripped his shirtsleeve and wrapped it around Trini's ankle to stop the bleeding. Trini had fallen some time during their flight, and she had wounded her ankle in the fall. Now, Billy was bandaging her ankle.
Trini smiled, weakly.
"Thanks," she said.
"For what?"
"For..." but Trini could not finish her statement. In a moment, she was leaning up to kiss Billy on the lips, her head tipped back. The kiss was deep, and Billy deepened it more. His tongue sought access to her mouth, licking her lower lip. Trini opened her mouth for him, and his tongue sought hers, hungrily. Panting, they broke the kiss.
"Weird place for a first kiss," Billy said.
"You said it," Trini said, giggling.
"Now, let's go find the others. They might be distraught, wondering where we are."
Billy helped Trini up, and she limped, supported by Billy.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
This time, instead of supporting Trini with his strong arm, Billy carried her, as they ran, the way a groom carries his bride.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
"It's time to bury the hatchet...in the back of your head! Time to bury the hatchet... Bury the hatchet... Bury the hatchet... The hatchet... The hatchet... Hatchet... Hatchet..."
"Run, Billy, run! Never mind me! I can take care of myself! Go!" Trini shouted.
But Billy would have none of it.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
"Bury the hatchet... Bury... Bury... Bury... The hatchet... The hatchet... The hatchet... Hatchet..."
THWOK!
Billy dived, and he and Trini rolled on the ground. Trini screamed in pain. Her ankle was bleeding again. Thank God she's okay, Billy thought, I thought the Bride had gotten her.
On a tree, a few feet away, was the bloody ax.
Trini and Billy had barely escaped.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
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"Trini!" Kimberly screamed, "Trini!"
"There they are!" Tommy said, "And there's the Bride!"
"Dammit!" Zack said, "What's up with this thing? She moves fast! Awhile ago, she was behind us! Now, she's in front of us again?"
"Guys," Jason said, "Check this out."
He pulled out the ax from the tree. Trini fainted at this point.
"Guys," Tommy said, "I think this thing's real."
Everyone agreed. As the Bride approached, the Rangers formed a defensive semicircle around Trini.
"This calls for some means other than Karate or the Power," Jason said, whipping out his crucifix.
"We are strong in the Lord and the Power of His Might! We are strong in the Lord and the Power of His Might! We are strong in the Lord and the Power of His Might! I cast you out, the Prince of Darkness! I bring you from shadow into light! Ex umbris ad—"
"Hey, easy! It's just us!"
"Skull?" everyone said in surprise.
"I—we—uh..."
"You better have a good explanation for this," Tommy said.
"How'd you know it was Skull, by the way?" Zack said, turning to Billy, who had first made the discovery when he lifted the veil.
"Easy," Billy said, pointing to a torn section of the gown, "Skull's socks were showing. The same ones he wore this morning."
"You had better start explaining, Skull. Where's Bulk?"
"He-he—he's in there! Inside that mausoleum!"
"That was you and him then?" Trini said, who had, by now, regained consciousness and heard snippets of the conversation going on.
"He was in that dark mausoleum so you wouldn't notice he was fat, while the other Bride was thin."
"Who was the other Bride, then?"
"It was me." It was Jack Hunter, one of the kids who had a crush on Trini.
"We thought it would be a good joke," Skull said.
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"Apparently, it wasn't," Tommy said.
"We got a confession from them," Billy added, "Apparently, they had heard about Tommy's initiation and thought it would be cool to disguise as the Bride to scare us."
"Man," Rocky said, "What a bummer! I thought that was a true story!"
Adam seemed relieved.
"Oh, just you wait. That wasn't the end of the story," Tommy said, grinning.
"Nope," Billy said, shaking his head, "That wasn't absolutely it. There's more to the story."
"There's more?" Adam said.
"What happened?" Kat asked.
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Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
"Would you guys stop that?" Zack said, irritated.
"It wasn't me," Jack Hunter said.
Skull denied it.
"Alright, Bulk! I know you're here, somewhere!" Tommy shouted.
"It...wasn't me either," Bulk said, nervously, who, by now, had emerged from the mausoleum.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
"Guys! Look!" Trini pointed.
In the distance was a white figure, walking towards them.
"What! You guys got another accomplice? Joke's over," Tommy said.
"Uh, Tommy?" Zack said, "I think that's the real thing."
The Bride was getting closer. Closer. Closer.
Here comes the bride...all clean and white...
Tommy approached, bravely. He lifted the veil. He almost fell. Everyone screamed! There was the Bride, right before their very eyes! Her face was horribly unrecognizable due to the accident!
Tommy could not move! He was rooted to his spot!
"Tommy!" Kimberly screamed, "Get out of there!"
The Bride raised her ax.
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"Yikes," Adam said, with a gulp, "So there was a real Bride?"
"There is a real Bride," Billy said.
"How'd you get out?" Tanya asked.
"That's for me to keep secret," Tommy said, and walked off.
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Later...
"Hey," Billy said, "How come it didn't work when Trini and I kissed? We both followed what the legend said. That if a young couple who were devoted to each other kissed, she would be appeased, and her soul would be put to rest. You kissed Kimberly. I kissed Trini. She wasn't appeased."
"It had to be in front of her grave. And besides, it wasn't Kimberly's kiss that guaranteed our escape. It was already morning. She vanished. Like Hamlet's dad."
Billy nodded.
"You miss her, don't you?"
Tommy sighed.
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Later, that evening...
"Tommy, what are we doing here?" Kat asked, her mouth wide with surprise.
Tommy held her hand.
"There's a legend that says... if a young couple who were devoted to each other kissed in front of the Bloody Bride's grave, she would be appeased, and her soul would be put to rest. Katherine, I thought my heart belonged to Kimberly. I thought her love was pure. No. Yours is. Ours. Katherine, I know we've known each other for only a short time, but Kat, I want you to know... I love you."
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There, in front of Amanda's grave, a young couple kissed. Declaring their love and devotion to each other. A pure kiss. Pure hearts. A pure love.
Katherine's love for Tommy, and Tommy's love for her broke the spell. Amanda was restored to her former beauty. She was now, once again, as beautiful as she was before that horrible accident. She was pretty again. A smile on her face, tears in her eyes. She was now able to forgive Jessie, and they were reunited. She was now able to forgive her sister. No more hatred. She no longer wanted revenge. She no longer was the Bloody Bride of urban legend. She was once more, a blushing bride. The cold ice of bitterness that wrapped her heart for so long was now melting. Soothing, healing ointments of forgiveness seeped through her heart. Her gown now, instead of bloody, was as white and pure as it had been on her wedding day.
Jessie hoisted Amanda in the air, and spun her around before kissing her. They laughed. Before they vanished, before they settled into eternal peace, Amanda smiled at the loving couple before her grave.
Take care of Katherine, she said to Tommy, and smiled.
Katherine, take care of Tommy. Love him. Cherish and honor him...
A cold wind swept through the air, which gave Tommy and Katherine the chills. But it was a comforting sort of chill that warmed their hearts, afterwards.
And there, in the sunset, Tommy deepened the kiss. It grew more intense and passionate, until neither could breathe and had to break for air.
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"I hope that doesn't happen to us," Tommy said, after catching his breath.
"Tommy," Katherine said, with a sigh, and a smile, "I'll never betray you like Jessie did to Amanda."
"Or like Kimberly did to me."
"Forget about her," Katherine said, "Give me a chance. I thought you love me."
She stroked his long dark hair. He cupped her face.
"I do. I do love you. I do."
"Then let me pick up the pieces and give it all back to you. Together, we can glue them back. When we kissed, awhile ago, I knew we had broken the spell. Our love was so pure that it finally did it."
"I know," Tommy said, "Say no more."
Tommy leaned in for another kiss, and Katherine kissed him back with equal passion, angling her kisses, their tongues dancing. Katherine had to hold on to Tommy. She feared her legs would give way. She was melting like butter at Tommy's touch... Tommy's kiss... She wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Now it was her turn to deepen the kiss.
When they finally broke the kiss, Katherine said, "I love you."
"I love you too. If your love for me could break a spell and appease a vengeful ghost, I believe it can heal a hurting guy like me, and fix a broken heart like mine."
"And appease the ghost of the past. No, to exorcise it."
"Yes, to exorcise it," Tommy said, against Katherine's lips.
"Only if you pledge your love to me."
"I already have...before you even asked me to. Katherine, I love you. I'll never let you go. When we were kissing, just a moment ago, I heard Amanda's voice in my head. She was speaking to me."
Tommy, take good care of Katherine.
Katherine, take care of Tommy. Love him... Cherish him... Honor him...
"Yes," Katherine said, "I heard her, too! It was almost as if she was certain we would marry, someday. But of course, that's still too far off."
The End.