Backwaters

Part One: And Now She's Back

By: Kryptonite

Disclaimer: *takes a deep breath* I do not own Power Rangers. If I did I would not have to worry about money ever again.

Spoilers: Only slight if any at all. I won't have a whole lot of reminiscing so this shouldn't be a real concern.

Summary: AU. Kimberly's back after two years in Florida and five in hiding in her old house. She has a younger sister and everything past MMPR is void. It never happened. The Rangers aren't needed anymore and they all have their own lives. The following pairings will be present this whole thing: Jason/Kimberly, Tommy/Kat, Billy/Trini, Adam/OC, Rocky/Aisha and possibly Zack/OC, but I'm not sure if he'll show up.

A/N: Okay, this is my *tries to remember* fourth attempt at a PR fic, the most successful being *plug* Family Ties *end plug* and I hope that people reading this will like it. It's an idea I've been thinking out numerous times, trying to decide which way would be best to go. The reason I'm making this AU and voiding all the rest of the seasons is because I only liked MMPR, PRiS, PRTF and PRNS. Not to mention it's just easier to go with one group than try to incorporate all of them. So R/R and tell me what you think, okay?

*****

" Hey guys, we'll be right with you." Jason called to his friends sitting in his office. He turned back to Tommy, trying to get the guy to talk to him. He'd been agitated all day.

" We have to work on the budget tonight but… I want to talk to Kat alone." Tommy said, surprising Jason by speaking first.

" What's wrong with the budget?" Jason already knew that they were having trouble keeping track of who owed what and when the bills were due.

" Hey, we can stay here a little longer. Order Chinese or pizza if you guys need to work. We don't need to go out." Trini offered, leaning her head out the door. Billy surreptitiously tugged on her elbow to get her to sit back down.

" Can we?" Jason asked before anyone else spoke. " If we don't figure out the money situation we won't be able to afford to turn the lights on." Jason smiled; pretending like the last sentiment was just a joke, him trying to be melodramatic.

" Okay, not a problem." Kat smiled up at Tommy before turning to the rest of the group. " What does everyone want? And no, we are not ordering from five different places. Rocky, so help me, if you say you're starving I will hurt you." Kat started laughing, everything falling into place.

" Well I know I'd like pizza but I'm sure once Mr. Oliver reads my letter I won't be much welcome." A voice rang out, causing everyone to turn to face the door. A young girl was standing there, reddish-brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, with wisps falling around her face. She was dressed in nicely fitting, worn in blue jeans, with a white T-shirt and a button up red shirt over it.

" Unless you're here to tell me that I have to close the dojo, don't worry about it." Tommy joked, reaching for the letter and thinking the girl looked somewhat familiar. " Have we met before?" Tommy asked, not paying attention as he broke the seal on the envelope and pulled the paper out.

" No sir. We haven't." She said calmly, not a hint of emotion in her voice. Tommy started reading the letter, getting angrier as he read.

" What the hell? What is this rubbish!"

" I thought you should know. She's back in Angel Grove and she's sorry for what she had to do." The girl continued to speak without any emotion either on her face, in her eyes or hidden in her voice.

" Who is?" Tommy crumpled the letter up, throwing it carelessly at the trashcan.

" Kim." He said, the one syllable laced with disgust. The girl continued to stare at Tommy.

" Do you have a message you'd like to give her?"

Tommy glared at the girl, all of her prophesized animosity showing. " Yeah, tell her to leave us alone. She made the choice to be a bitch." This got some emotion from the girl.

" You aren't anything like she used to say. She said you were kind, forgiving and all this other bull shit. I told her that you wouldn't still be the same. What she did was inexcusable but what's worse is that when she apologizes, and means it, you turn her down."

" How long have you been back in Angel Grove?" Tommy asked quietly, looking down at the couch, barely concealed anger in his voice.

" Five years. After our parents died we moved back into the old house." She answered, going back to the robotic look she'd had before.

" Five years. It took her five years to come back and apologize." A cell phone started ringing and the girl picked it up, answering with a clipped 'what'.

" Shit. Well I have to go and make sure she didn't do any permanent damage." With that the stranger left, pelting out of the dojo.

" What was that?" Rocky asked, being the first to shake out of the shock.

" Kim mentioned once when we were younger that she had a little sister. Never met her though." Billy shrugged, arms wrapped around Trini as they sat on the couch.

" She said they were back in Kim's old house. Anyone want to go check it out?" Adam asked, not wanting to break the silence that had descended.

" Yes." Everyone chimed at once, surprising all when Tommy nodded agreement.

The group, eight in all, piled into two different cars before heading towards what was Kimberly Harts' old house. Once they pulled up outside the driveway they noticed the front door still open, swinging slightly in the breeze.

" Hello?" Jason called, knocking on the frame before looking back at the group and shrugging. Taking a few steps into the house he called again, " Hello?"

" In the living room." A voice called back. " Sit still would you? I can't believe…" The voice was lost as it started muttering but Jason walked straight towards where he remembered the living room to be. Upon entering he saw the girl from earlier, and there was Kim. Sitting in an over stuff armchair with a wet cloth on her arm.

" Well it's not my fault! That damn cat just jumped up on the counter. Oh…" Kim trailed off once she saw who was in the doorway.