Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
After school one day Trent approached his teacher, Tommy Oliver, to him known as Dr. O.
"Hey Trent." Tommy said seeing his student enter his classroom. "What do you need?"
"Can I talk to you about something?" Trent asked nervously.
"…Sure." Tommy said putting aside his papers.
"Valentines Day is coming up."
"Yeah?" Tommy asked trying to stifle a cringe. He hated that day.
"I was thinking about asking Kira if she'd go out with me."
Tommy nodded but said nothing.
"Well…?" Trent asked impatiently, "Are you trying to tell me that it doesn't really matter because nothing in high school ever lasts?"
"No not at all. Something can only last as long as you want them to." Tommy said smiling weakly.
"…ok." Trent said picking up bitterness in his last statement, "So any suggestions?" He asked.
"Well you walk up to her and say…" Tommy started.
"Dr. O! That's not what I mean." Trent said frustrated. Why was he being so difficult? He could always turn to him for advice why was he sidestepping everything?
Tommy sighed. "Let me tell you something. She's going to say yes." Tommy said, a voice of the past echoing in his own.
"How do you know?"
"I just do." He said smiling.
"I don't know…"
"Of course you do. Sure it's nerve wrenching. But it's the right thing." He said then added in a whisper, "Right for both of you."
"I was just thinking it might be weird…. Because we are both rangers and all… …Did you ever date a fellow ranger?"
Tommy could not hide his cringing this time. He stood up and glanced out the classroom window.
"I did."
"Was it… hard? I don't want to ruin anything."
Tommy sighed, "No… sometimes it was hard but it gave us determination. Gave us strength. It was only after…" Tommy stopped blinking.
"After…?" Trent prompted.
"It's nothing. Just make sure this is what you want. And what she wants. If you have that you can conquer anything." Tommy said turning to Trent and placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks. Dr. O." Trent said smiling that he had been able to receive the sound voice of his teacher, "Wish me luck!"
And with that he left. Tommy smiled weakly thinking of his past. Sure he had dated both Kim and Kat. Both the pink ranger. But when Trent had asked if he had dated a ranger before… his first thoughts were of Kim. He remembered asking her out for the first time. Hell, he had kissed her before he had asked her out. And here was Valentines Day coming up, her birthday. And he could not stop the shaking that these thoughts gave him.
"So did you talk to Dr. O about it?" Ethan asked Trent when he caught up with them that afternoon.
"Yeah. But he was kind of distracted." Trent said thinking back on their conversation.
"How so?"
"He kept avoiding my answer and then when I asked him if he ever dated a ranger he seemed really stressed out about it. I thought I was supposed to be the one worrying."
"Wait… Dr. O dated a ranger?" Ethan said.
"Yeah… apparently it was good for them. But it was creepy listening to him. He had this far away look in his eyes and his voice was kind of off key. Gave me a weird vibe." Trent said shuddering
"I'd say."
"What's going on?" Kira said as she and Conner approached them.
"Oh hey Kira. How's it going Conner?" Ethan said.
"Kira, Conner." Trent said looking at her and then looking away.
"So what are you talking about?" She asked.
"Trent was asking…" Ethan started.
"Oh…. Nothing really." Trent said hastily.
"I was just going to say…" Ethan said shaking his head, "We just found out that Dr. O dated one of his fellow rangers."
"Wait Dr. O dates?" Conner asked.
"Well I guess he used to anyways." Ethan said shrugging.
"Wonder who?" Kira said absentmindedly.
"Well there were two originals power ranger girls that he could have dated… but he's been a power ranger for so long it would be hard to find out which one he actually dated." Ethan pointed out.
"Shame… It would be kind of cool to hear about his teen years. After all he never tells us anything."
"I wonder if Jason would tell us?" Trent asked. Jason Lee Scot was the first red ranger. He had moved to Reefside to be by Tommy. He started his own martial arts center here and was currently dating Haley.
"Guys… really. We shouldn't pry." Kim said although she was curious as well.
"I guess not." Trent said.
After he was done grading papers Tommy had returned home. Although he was still haunted by his conversation with Trent and the memories that were floating back. He had done his best to bury those memories. Kim had broken up with him and he had dated Kat. But thing just weren't the same. He was still in love with Kim then and it had ultimately ruined the relationship. Now he was single and that was fine with him. Or so he thought…
"So Tommy I hear someone was asking for advice." Haley said. It was the same afternoon and Haley had come by to see Tommy at his house.
"Yeah… when did I become cupid?" He asked laughing.
"You're their teacher. They trust you."
"And I'm glad for it… but really I'm not the greatest person to be asking about that."
There was a pause a Haley understood the hidden meaning in his words.
"It wasn't your fault." Haley said kindly.
"I didn't say it was. And I wasn't thinking about that either" Tommy said sharply, "I just don't have time for that right now."
"So I suppose you'll be spending another year alone." Haley said sighing.
"If that's your way of asking me to join you and Jason and a blind date on Valentine's Day you are sorely mistaken."
"Don't you think it's time you moved on?" Haley asked.
"I have moved on."
"The last person you dated lasted for about a week."
"She wasn't my type. You know that." Tommy said harshly. He was happy that his friends cared but it really wasn't there business if he dated or not. And he was quite done with set ups.
"Your only type seems to be one Kimberly Ann Hart." Haley said just as irritated now.
Tommy scowled, "It's been years Haley. You know that. We've been over for years. She has nothing to do with this. I've dated plenty of people on a long term scale after her… look at Kat."
"She was the next Pink ranger and she was right there after Kim left. You were on the rebound."
"You weren't there how would you know?!?" Tommy asked frustrated.
"Because I know you Tomas Oliver. And I know you still love her."
"And what do you expect me to do? Look her up in the phone book call her and say, 'Hey I'm still in love with you?' Remember she's the one who broke up with me. To her it didn't matter how I felt."
"And you didn't do anything about it. Why didn't talk to her? Call her?"
"Why are you pushing this Haley? You know it's over. I can't go back now."
"Because unlike you I'd actually like to see you happy for once!" Haley said sourly heading for his front door and leaving.
The nex dat the Power Rangers gathered in Tommy's Lab after one of their battles with Mesogog.
"Well that was fun." Conner said sarcastically.
Ethan shrugged.
"I suppose it's the life we chose." Kira said.
"To think this is only the beginning!" Conner whined.
"You are very right Red Ranger." A voice, needless to say creepy, called to them. All turned to face the bid screen in the lab to see Mesogog's face staring at them.
"Ethan… Haley… is that possible?" Trent asked.
"How in the world…?" Kira muttered.
"What do you want Mesogog." Tommy demanded.
"You have foiled my plan for now. But I have another scheme up my sleeve. Your loyalty to each other is astounding. But loyalties can often cause problems…"
"What's with the poetry? Get on with it." Tommy said crossing his arms.
"This is no poetry Tommy Oliver. I have an old… friend… of yours here with me. I am sure you will try some kind of rescue plan but I am prepared. Either you and your rangers give up your dino gems. Or you can say goodbye to Beautiful." Mesogog said and the screen pan out to reveal a picture of a women lying unconscious on the ground.
"You have 24 hours to decide." He said and the screen shut off.
Tommy stood their shocked feelings colliding in his body. His heart and mind raced.
"Dr. O?" Kira asked tentatively. "What was that about?"
"Who's beautiful? Why did he call her beautiful?" Conner asked.
"We're going to save her aren't we?" Trent asked.
"Haley…. Can you take over…. I need to think..." Tommy said leaving the room. The other rangers looked hard into his face seeing obvious hurt and distress.
"Haley?" Ethan asked.
"Ok… guys, you might want to sit down for this… it's going to be awhile." Haley said and proceeded to tell about Tommy's past.
"You all remember the original Power Rangers right?" She asked.
"Yeah. Jason, Billy, Trini, Zack, and Kimberly." The chorused together.
"Well Mesogog has kidnapped Kimberly."
"But he called her beautiful, not Kimberly." Trent pointed out.
Haley sighed, "That was Tommy's nickname for her."
The teens exchanged glances. They had wanted to know about their teacher's past but they had no idea that they would find out so soon, or in this fashion.
"While they were rangers Tommy dated Kimberly." Haley explained
The teens exchanged glances again. Their teacher dating? And calling someone Beautiful? Wow… that was a side they had never seen.
"So I don't get it." Kira said, "If this is someone he really cared about why aren't we rushing off to save her? There is no way we are giving up our gems and I know he said he was 'prepared' but we can handle whatever he throws at us. So why are we talking about it."
"Well…. Kimberly left to pursue a dream of hers while they were dating. Unfortunately while away she broke up with Tommy."
"So you're telling us Tommy isn't going to save her because he holds a grudge?" Conner asked in disbelief.
"Of course not!" Haley said shaking her head, "Tommy does need to decide what kind of action he is taking but he also probably wants to think over seeing Kimberly again. They haven't seen each other in years. The last he heard for her was when she broke up with him. He needs time to think of how he will respond to seeing her again."
"Oh." The teens said nodding.
"How long do we give him? We need to take action soon." Kira said.
"I know. I'll go see him." Haley said standing up and leaving.
Tommy stood at the edge of his driveway looking at the sunset, his thoughts swarming around him. It was just so sudden. How did Mesogog know about Kimberly? How did he know about how he had called her beautiful? How did Kimberly get kidnapped? How did Mesogog know that using Kimberly to get to him was going to work? So many thoughts to sort through and none of them had an answer attached to it.
He shook his head. Those things didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that she was captured and he had to do something about it.
The minute Mesogog had showed up he had a feeling things were going to be more complicated than anticipated. The minute he said Beautiful his heart had been wrenched out of his chest. He couldn't believe it. How many times had he saved Kimberly? It shouldn't be different now…. But it was. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her, despite current circumstances. But what would do if they saved her? How was he supposed to react to seeing her again?
"Tommy?" Haley asked coming up to him.
"We have to save her."
"I know Tommy but you got to keep a clear head in all of this."
"I will." Tommy said testily.
"Well they know the gist of it so you better go in there and tell them your plan."
Tommy nodded and they both headed back into the house.
"So what's the plan?" Conner asked when the two entered.
"We're going to get into his Lair and save her." Tommy said.
"How? Find a portal what else?" Ethan asked.
"Like we did when Dr. O was captive." Kira said nodding.
"What about a strategy?" Trent asked, "He's not going to make this easy for us. He's expecting us."
"Kimberly's obviously out. She could have been knocked out or he could had injected her with something. She will need assistance even if you can wake her." Haley said.
"Conner, that'll be your job." Tommy said.
"Me? Why me? Shouldn't it be your-"Conner whined but Kira elbowed him.
"And Mesogog's henchmen?" Ethan asked.
"Well get there when we get there. Right now we are working on borrowed time. We need to work as fast as we can." Conner said impatiently.
"I don't want to rush it. But I agree with him." Haley said.
"Ok guys. Let's do this." Tommy said.
And as soon as they can they were able to find a portal and get into his liar…
(A/N: MAHAHAHA! Cliff hanger... I actually have more I can update... that I'll proably do right now so it won't be much of a wait. Sorry if the whole conversation with Mesgog was kind of blunt and lame. Not really good at the whole villian thing either. But tell me what you think!)