Bless The Broken Road
Summary: A one shot of Tommy and Kimberly. Kimberly has been given a grim diagnosis about gymnastics and she returns to Angel Grove. Hope you Like Song Fic, kinda as I based it off the song "God Bless The Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts.
Flashback
"I'm sorry to tell you this Ms. Hart but the stress fractures on your ankles have healed but you feet will never hold up to the rigors of competition again," Dr. Smalley said placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
"So no more gymnastics?" She asked him trying to sure she'd heard him right.
"You could teach but I wouldn't suggest competitions or anything that rigorous." He gave her a sad smile.
"Thanks, Dr. Smalley," She finally managed. She knew the doctor had done everything he could for her. This had always been a possibility but now it was true and her dream was over.
End Flashback
Kimberly stood in line at Orlando International Airport, waiting to have her bags checked and get her boarding pass. Glancing up at a flight board showed she still have two hours before her flight was due to leave and probably just another ten minutes or so in line. As the line inched forward she herself stepped forward as well, holding the handle of her pink suitcase, and a stuffed bear under one arm. She wore a pink tank top and black track pants. She had a matching black jacket over her arms and wore a pair of tennis shoes on her feet with pink laces and pink socks. Her face bore the sadness that she felt as she left her dream behind. She could see her coach and some of her gymnastic buddies waiting for her. She figured they'd come to say goodbye. Daniel, the guy she had been dating had dropped her when he found her days on the mat were over. Her mom had arranged to have a car pick her up in Los Angeles International Airport. The car would take her back to Angel Grove and the house her family owned there. Her mom still lived in Paris with her husband. Now checked in she stepped over to her friends and coach one last time.
"Here," Amanda said handing her an envelope. "It's just money we all gathered for you. Not much but it's there." Kimberly took the envelope and then threw her arms around her closest friend in Florida. After a hug she looked at her other friends and the coach.
"Take care and win that gold for me," she told them all giving them a last lingering smile as she turned and walked through security.
She arrived late to the gate on purpose; she did not want to have to sit and think about what lay ahead. She would be starting school in the fall for her senior year at Angel Grove High School and she was not ready for what would happen when she would walk through the doors of the school. She figured they all hated her after what she'd done to Tommy. But she had done what she thought was right in the event of things; set him free with as little pain as possible. At the time everything had worked out for her but she had found herself more and more missing the guy whom she had always thought she would end up with. She knew that he was going out with Katherine and did not relish in the thought of seeing them together when she arrived back in Angel Grove. She had a feeling he would yell at her a lot and then not to talk to her for a long time, typical Tommy stuff. As she climbed on board the plane and into her first class seat (compliments of her mom's husband) tears dropped down her cheeks. Once the airplane was in the air an attendant came by her and stopped.
"Is there something I can do for you?" She asked her.
"No it's ok," Kimberly smiled at her sadly. The attendant handed her a box of tissues.
"It will work out," the lady said kindly and moved on.
She turned her head to look out the window, resting her head against the back of the seat. Her eyes were clouded with the tears that fell. She knew things would work out even if they did not work out the way she wanted them too.
Arriving in LA she got off the plane like everyone else and walked through to the baggage claim area where she picked up her suitcase. The other things she owned had been shipped to the house ahead of her. She found the car that her mom had sent for her easily; it was the only pink car in the area. Smiling at her mom's small gesture she stepped over to it and climbed in giving her things to the driver. She was finally going home. She wasn't sure what to expect though. She knew Aisha would welcome her home as would Trini who had moved back recently as well. She had heard that Trini, Jason and Zack were all back and she thrilled at seeing Jason again as well as her best friend and her funny friend. She settled back to rest in the car as she waited for them to arrive at her house in Angel Grove. In hours they were back at her house and the driver unloaded her things she stepped inside to find the answering machine flashing. "Honey that's your car, the driver will be picked up by someone else but I knew you would need a car to get around town in. Love you and talk to you later!" She smiled with misty eyes as she thought of her mom actually buying her a pink car.
Throughout the summer Kimberly was careful not to go anywhere she knew that the gang would be. She watched them on the TV of course as they did their Ranger duties. Trini, Zack and Jason hung out with her a lot, they went to the mall during times when they knew the Rangers were busy. They respected that she had no desire to see the man she loved with someone else. On enrollment day Kim and Trini went in with Zack and Jason who oddly it was as though she and Jason had formed a relationship beyond friendship and the same was happening with Zack and Trini. Jason knew that if things could be worked out with Tommy that Kim would go back to him but for now he was enjoying their relationship. It wasn't even so much as a relationship but more like a really close bond that had formed between them. Arriving at school the four pilled out of Kim's small mustang which barely fit them all but that was OK. Kim snagged Jason's hand as they walked inside, not even interlacing their fingers which was just fine with him. Trini and Zack's fingers on the other hand were interlaced with each other. He figured the couple was probably more then just kind of together. "Let's go sign up," Zack suggested none too excitedly.
"Well maybe we can all be in the same classes?" Kim asked her closest friends.
"That'd be great," Trini grinned at her. That day the girls were dressed in sundresses, Trini in a yellow one and Kim in a pink one. They both held similar black handbags and wore black sandals on their feet. Kim's hair was tied up in a high pony tail and Trini's was just flowing around her shoulders easily. The girls were looking beautiful if Jason did say so himself.
Kim stopped walking for a moment then, stopping Jason as well. Trini and Zack, who were in front of them walked on. "Does Tommy know I'm back?"
"I haven't told him," Jason said honestly. He figured that it was best if she be the one to tell him. "He'll probably be inside." She nodded at that comment looking nervous. "It'll be OK."
"I guess, well I have to register for classes so I might as well get it over with." She said to him.
Together they caught up with Zack and Trini who were waiting for them. The four friends walked into the school building and down the hall towards the senior's enrollment room after reading a sign on the wall. Inside they were given enrollment forums and a list of available classes for them. As they sat at a round table filling out the information they heard a familiar voice.
"Hey guys, come on! We need to get this done so we can get back," Tommy's leadership tone could be heard as he stepped into the room.
Kimberly refused to turn around, instead choosing to continue working on her papers. She had a feeling he'd know when he looked over at their table. How could he not? She was in pink, Trini in yellow, Zack in black and Jason in red. It would be pretty obvious as to who they were and besides Jason and Tommy were still talking to each other. Kim caught Jason's eye and he reassuringly reached over and squeezed her hand. She closed her eyes for a minute trying to recompose herself.
Tommy glanced around trying to find space for him, Kat, Adam, Aisha, and Rocky to sit down and fill out their forums but the only available space was a table where four other were sitting. That table only had four more spots but he knew they could pull up a chair and it was the only place where there was more then one or two chairs open. He grabbed a clipboard with the stuff and a chair and swung it over to the table. Seeing Jason at it he plopped down in the chair not even bothering to look at the others until he saw Jason look up and turn his head to the girl sitting beside him and mutter something to her.
"But Jason, I told you I don't know what the point is in trying. He's not going to want to listen to what I have to say." Kim growled in a low tone, knowing that their subject was sitting on the other side of Jason.
"Try it, you know maybe it wouldn't kill you, or him and besides I told you that his other relationship wasn't even important to him. He misses you." Jason hissed.
Tommy meanwhile was now trying to see this girl and when he tilted around Jason a little bit and saw her he grimaced. What was she doing here? And why was she filling out paperwork for this school? She had abandoned them, given up on the relationship that he though meant more to them both then anything else. Suddenly her eyes, which were filled with sadness looked up and caught his. She quickly looked back at her paperwork. She had no clue how she was going to tell him or if she should for that matter.
"Jason, I'll meet you guys outside I'm done. I circled the classes I signed up for," she handed him the class schedule page and stood. Stepping over to the senior registration desk she handed the clipboard over and after getting a smile from the lady working she went outside. She went and sat at a bench outside and looked down at one of her feet where scars from many of her surgeries were showing. She had had several surgeries done at that foot fixing the multiple fractures she'd gotten one time from a bad fall she'd taken. She subconsciously reached down and ran a finger across one of the scars. She heard footsteps but chose to ignore them instead continuing to trace the scars that interlaced themselves.
"Hey," she heard Tommy's voice say softly. Glancing up at him she took a deep breath and then muttered hi to him. "What happened?" His voice was deadly quiet now as he sat down on the bench as well.
"That's a long story," she responded honestly.
"Ok tell me why you broke up with me. Tell me what happened that you came back here," he made it simple.
"I broke up with you because I met a guy while I lived in Florida, Daniel. He was sweet and kind and caring. He really cared about me. I thought I would never come back to Angel Grove at that point and I did not want to cause you anymore hurt or pain. I definitely did not want to cheat on you. I set you free so you wouldn't have to live in a lie. I came home because I was recently diagnosed that I wouldn't ever be able to compete anymore. Daniel disappeared once he found out what happened. I came home because I didn't know where else to go." She told him the truth.
He just stared at her trying to decide what to say. "I'm not mad at you. Upset yes but not mad. I got over us a long time ago. I didn't have a choice. Zordon needed me and I had to move on. But Kim I gotta be honest. I love you. I never stopped loving you. I always hopped that one day our roads would lead back to each other."
Kim looked up at his eyes trying to figure it all out. "Tommy, I never stopped loving you either. I realized it a long time ago but by then I'd broken up with you and I just didn't feel comfortable trying to fix things. I knew Daniel wasn't the guy for me about the same time but just didn't know what to do." Suddenly she felt Tommy's arm go around her shoulders and pull her close.
"Oh Kim," he whispered. He turned his head and captured her lips, a long passionate kiss sealing the deal. Together they had allowed the road to break but now that road was beginning to heal one step at a time.
AN: I hope you guys liked it!
