Kimberly hart had only hours ago placed her power coin into the hands of her successor and already she was beginning to regret her decision. As she sat on the plane she looked at her wrist where her communicator rested and began to be drawn into her memories. She couldn't believe that only hours ago she was one of six protectors of the earth and now she was nothing. A tear glided down her cheek as she thought back at all the battles her team and her had won. For her the fight was over but in her mind she felt trapped.
She closed her eyes as she thought about all those she left behind, her first thoughts were her friend's people that had been with her through a lot. She honestly didn't know what she could do without them. Though she knew their thought were with her she still couldn't help feeling as though they were disappointed in her for her choice and to be quite honest she was disappointed in herself, she knew that Kat would make a good ranged but the thought of making someone take up that responsibility so that she could go off and train to compete in a gymnastics compotation seamed selfish to her. She knew that they were all supporting her in her endeavor and she also kn0ew that she would be home at the beginning of next school year and if Kat offered she would gladly take her power coin back.
Her next thoughts landed on a man who was like a father to her. He had taught her more about herself in the three years she had been a ranger then she had learned about herself in the entire fourteen years she had been alive before she had met him. I was because of him that she became the person that sat on that plane. Strength and confidence in her abilities came in large part from being a ranger and now the things she had learned were being put to the test. At the same time she felt as though she was letting him down by leaving before the battle was really over, even though she knew if he was he would have said it and he had said he was proud of her but still letting her team down had to hurt him greatly, its to bad that she couldn't read his emotions from a facial expression considering that he didn't have facial expression there was no way to read them. She sighed as she took a deep breath trying to hide the tears but as hard as she tried she couldn't find the strength to hold them back as her thoughts and her memories flooded back to her final and most painful thought.
Had she hurt the one person who is most important to her had she broken Tommy. She remembered when he had come to Angel Grove, she remembered fighting against him when he was under Rita's spell, it was easily their hardest battle. Fighting with someone who was Jason's equal was not fun and what's worse he took out the command center and Zordon before the fight even began it was a bit crazy and if it had not been for Rita giving him the sword of darkness they never would have been able to help him and save the world it would have been over. After they broke the spell he joined the team. That was when it started the small crush she had was growing and the nightly phone calls between the two of them had become more of a need then a want. They had been through so much together and now she was leaving, she had turned her back on him just like she had everyone else and she knew it had hurt him. Of cores he wanted to support her and he had, he told her to go, honestly him telling her to go was really the only reason she had the courage to actually get on the plane and now she honestly didn't know if she had the strength to do this all on her own. He was the best thing that had happened to her the one person who knew her best and even though it killed him to let her go he had done so because he loved her she just hoped that he knew she loved him to and that she would be back she was never going to let him go and she hoped that he would be there for her when she came home but in all rights she really shouldn't be worried so much he loved her and she knew it and at this point it would be three months for her to get home for Christmas and she would be in his arms again if only for a short time but to her it was the thought that would help her get through the next few months she just had to grin and bear it
Angel Grove California
Tommy started walking down the beach he had been thinking, sure he was proud and he wanted Kimberly to succeed and be happy, but the truth was that he really missed her and she had only been gone a few hours but it hurt that she wasn't here. He loved her and he knew she was going to do well and he was happy for that, but at the same time he couldn't help but wish she was there with him.
It had been one hell of a day and it was finally over or so he thought. He walked through the park and sat by the lake so many good memories now turned sad because for the first time since he began his journey as a power ranger the falcon flew without his crane. True there was a crane but not his crane not Kimberly. That girl was everything to him and he loved her so he let her go, like they say if you love them let them go if they come back their yours, well this was Tommy's take on this and he hoped she understood that he didn't tell her to go because he didn't want her around it was so that she had a chance to live her dream he just hoped that he would be included in her dream in the end Zedd would pick the time when he was not at his best to strike and this was at the point where he was defiantly not at his best. He settled into a fighting stance and let the putties attack using their momentum against them and easily dispatching the enemy he looked around and made sure no one was around then raised his communicator to his mouth
"Zordon this is Tommy do you read me?" he asked a little out of breath
"Yes Tommy I read you" came the response
He took a breath "I was attacked by putties in the park what's going on what are they up to" he asked franticly
"I don't know Tommy I will monitor the situation and let you know what is going on in the meantime be careful may the power protect you"
Tommy sighed "alright thanks Zordon I'll be careful"
Tommy began to walk again trying to clear his head he had no idea what was going on he didn't want to tell the other rangers what had happened just yet. There had been cases of an isolated attack here and there but the thing of the matter was that he just wanted to be sure that this was one of those cases. He decided to head to the youth center and catch up with the others, if there was another attack then he wouldn't be alone when it happened.
A few moments later Tommy walked into the youth center and smiled as he saw Rocky, Adam and Billy sitting at the table they all sat at every day they all looked sort of down he could have guessed why he walked over to the table and took his seat where he always did and sparked up a conversation
"Hey guys how are you doing today" he smiled and looked around at his friends the three of them looked so sad it was almost slighted
Rocky spoke up first "Man don't get me wrong Kat is great but she isn't Kimberly its not that I don't like her its just that we all miss Kim
Billy and Adam nodded in agreement it just felt wrong not to have Kim there with them "I know guys I get it trust me more then you know but the team will be okay Kat can do it and Kim will be back soon Tommy said though he didn't seem very convincing to his friends they knew him better than that and ha had forgotten that. He knew Kat would try her best but weather she could actually fill Kimberly's shoes he really doubted and that made him very leery. The truth of it was that Kim is what kept him going and when they fought together they were almost unstoppable it was something that he loved. The truth of it was that in battle as much as she needed him he also needed her she was his greatest strength and he would have to learn to do it all over again only this time without the one person that made it actually feel right. He still had his doubts about himself having been the Evil Green Ranger he doubted weather he even deserved to be a Power Ranger, and now without Kimberly there with him he doubted he could even do it.
~Flashback~
Tommy and Kimberly walked around the lake in the park, little did they know at the time but the two of them would spend a lot of time here over the next three years, Jason had destroyed the Sword of Darkness earlier that day and it felt good for Tommy to be back to himself but he still felt guilty about all the damage he had done as the Evil Green Ranger. He had come out here away from the others to clear his head and get things strait. He had walked for a while and then looked up to find Kimberly standing there next to him
He he turned to her and offered a weak smile "Hey what are you doing out here I thought you were back at the youth center with the others." He asked as he stopped and picked up a rock skipping it on the calm lake
She offered him a warm smile he looked so down she couldn't imagine what it must have been like to have to do the things he did and have absolutely no control over the situation this was new territory for all of the rangers but Kim felt as though she could trust him and she was going to do just that "I was but then I looked around and you weren't there I wanted to make sure you were okay" he patted his shoulder and sat down on the ground looking out at the lake
He sat down next to her and smiled she really was a sweet girl and she was so beautiful it was insane "Yeah I'll be alright I just really don't know if I am cut out for this Ranger thing I mean look at all the damage I have done look at what I almost did to you and the others Zordon should probably take my coin and give it to someone who hasn't put you guys through hell" he sighed pulling the coin out of his pocket and looked at it he really didn't want to give it up but how could the others really trust him knowing what he had done and now he was on their side and everything was fine nothing was ever that simple.
Kim just shook her head as she pulled out her own power coin and laid her hand next to Tommy's "Now look you see they are the same which means they were meant to work together not against one another and besides if Zordon didn't think you were the right man for the job he would have taken the power coin from you the first chance he got, we all forgive you Tommy what you did you did under Rita's influence we all know how strong her magic is and no one holds it against you no matter what you think."
Tommy smiled he had no idea how she knew exactly what he needed to here but she did somehow "alright Kim I'll give it my all as long as your there with me I can do it I know I can" he smiled it brought him great piece to know that she was there for him and it made him feel like he could do anything and on top of that he had a personal score to settle with Rita "Come on Kim I think we should head back the others may be worried."
~End Flashback~
This is what he had to look forward to now fighting without his greatest strength and trying to integrate a new ranger into the team while keeping her at somewhat of a distance because she was pretty and it was insanely obvious to him and all of the other rangers that she certainly had a thing for him and he most certainly did not have any kind of feeling save friendship toward her and he would not let himself do anything to mess up the happiness he had built with Kimberly over the time they had been together. "Were going to be fine guys just think of it like this Kim was a great Ranger but when it comes down to it we are a team and none of us would be any good if it wasn't for the rest of us. We have a job to do and that means that we have to work together to be the best that we can and right now that means making sure Kat is up to speed until then she will be targeted and we have to make sure that Zedd and Rita don't get their hands on her again he said in his best leader voice wishing the whole time that this was all some sick twisted trick hat they could beat by destroying a monster
Adam nodded to his friend and leader he was right and the Black Ninja knew it and he couldn't help but wonder what Zordon and Alpha would think of them right now "Your right it's just going to take a little getting used to you know we all have been doing this a long time and this is just hard to wrap my head around." He said taking a drink of his smoothie.
Tommy chuckled a little at his response "Oh yeah I know remember three of my original teammates left when you guys took over for them, it wasn't this hard though we got a chance to get to know you guys and fight with you guys before Jason and the others left and you know neither one of you tried to kill my girl friend but look I have to go I promised Kim I would call her and I also promised my mom I would be home before dark I don't know why but since Kim left she's been really protective of me"
The two other Ningetti rangers smiled and nodded knowingly as he got up to leave. Later that night Tommy lay in bed with his cell phone propped to his ear "I love you two beautiful and I miss you, can we fall asleep together" with that the White ninja grew silent and drifted into a peaceful sleep