Title: Missing You
Author: Mykkila09
Chapter (s): 1/1
Settings: after Tommy gets back from the explosion at Mercer Island and continues on to present day.
Summary: based on the song 'Missing You' from the movie 'Set it Off'. The rangers lose one of their own and one of them is affected more than the others. Can the others help them get through the loss?
Characters: the original eleven rangers, OC, and mentions of the other past and current rangers
Rating: T: for language
Story Word Count: 11,801
Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all its affiliates belong to Haim Saban. I do not own and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: I have had this idea in my head for a while, but I couldn't figure out how to put it down until I heard this song. So here it is and I hope you guys like it. Read and Review...
August 2001: Paris, France
She sighed as she walked in the house. Dropping her keys on the coffee table, she collapsed on her couch and pressed the button on her answering machine.
"You have three new messages. First message sent today at 10:30 a.m.:
Hey Sis, it's Tri. Just called to see what you were up to and how your day was going. I know you had a presentation today, so call me when you get this to let me know how it went. Talk to you later sweetie.
She smiled at the sound of her best friend.
"Next message sent today at 1:45 p.m.:
Hey B, how's your day going? I know your presentation was today and I know you were a little stressed about it, but I'm sure you did an awesome job. Call me to tell me I'm right. Love you B.
A bigger smile graced her face at the sound of her boyfriend. She was tempted to call him back right away, but she had to hear the last message.
Third message sent 3:30 p.m.:
Sweetie, it's mom; I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel lunch tomorrow as your father has a last minute showing. I know you were looking forward to lunch, as was I, but we will have to put it off. I am truly sorry baby girl. Call me for a reschedule. Love you darling.
End of messages.
She sighed and shook her head with a small smile; she wasn't angry with her mom as she understood that due to the line of work her dad was in, sometimes plans would be rescheduled for last minute dealings. Sighing, she made her way to her bedroom; turning on the light, she walked over to her dresser and sat in front of it, staring into the mirror. Her gaze took her reflection; her hair, which had been called a caramel colour, fell just below her shoulders in waves, her eyes were doe-brown in colour and always seemed to sparkle with whatever emotion she was feeling at the moment, her nose was small (thank god) and her lips were slightly bowed. She was very beautiful and petite, coming to stand at just over five feet.
Shaking her head, she moved from the mirror and sat on the bed, pulling her phone towards her; she decided to return the messages. Dialling the familiar number, she smiled as she heard the phone on the other end ring before she heard her big sister's voice.
"Hello?"
"Hey Tri," she smiled.
"Kimberly!" Trini smiled. "Hey sis, how are you?"
"I'm good," Kim answered. "I just got home."
"Good," Trini said, "so how was work? How did the presentation go?"
"It went really well," Kim smiled, "I think they liked it."
"Kim that's great," Trini grinned, "I knew you could do it. Now, onto more important matters; when are you coming home?"
"Soon," Kim laughed. Trini had been bugging her for the last few months about coming home.
"How soon, because I really miss you," Trini smiled.
"I miss you too Tri," Kim smiled before she sat up straighter. "You know what? Let me check my calendar and see when my vacation time is and I'll let you know."
"Yes!" Trini near shouted. "I love you, you know that? I can't wait until you're home."
"I haven't checked yet," Kim laughed. "I might not even be able to get my vacation soon."
"You will," Trini shrugged. "I know. So, I'm going to let you go so you can check and then you can start packing."
"Alright missy," Kim rolled her eyes with a laugh. "I'll talk to you later."
"Bye Kim," Trini said.
"Jamais au revoir, jusqu'à une autre fois, Trini," Kim smiled.
"You're right," Trini laughed, "Jusqu'à une autre fois."
Kim giggled and hung up. She shook her head with a laugh before she got up and headed to her room. Changing out of her work clothes into a pair of comfortable sweats and t-shirt—courtesy of her boyfriend—she sat down on the bed and grabbed her cell before hitting speed dial 1. After a few rings, he picked.
"Hi," he smiled.
"Hey," Kim relaxed on her bed. "What are you doing?"
"Well, you know I'm going on that job for a few weeks, months at the most," he answered, "so I'm getting prepared for that."
"But," Kim chuckled, "that's not for a few more weeks. Are you actually getting ready early for once in your life?"
"Shut up," he laughed. "I'll have you know there've been plenty of times in my life when I was early for something, especially if it was important."
"I know," Kim giggled. "I'm just giving you shit. Anyways, reason I called—other than to hear your voice—is because I was wondering how you'd like it if I came home earlier than planned?"
"Are you kidding me?" he pulled the phone away, looked at it, before putting it back to his ear. "You know I'd love that. Not that I'm not glad you want to, but why earlier?"
"Well," Kim started, "I was talking to Tri and she asked me to come home soon because she really missed me and I miss her too, you know? Yeah, I know we talk on the phone a lot, but it still would be nice to see my big sister."
"I understand," he smiled. He knew how important the Vietnamese girl was to his girlfriend; when he and Kim had first met, he had spent some time talking to the girl to get to understand Kim better and he had come to learn and understand the bond between the two of them. Trini was Kim's first friend; the one who defended her and protected her and stood by her no matter what.
"Not that I don't want to see you too," Kim bit her lip.
"Kim," he laughed. "It's ok. I know how much she means to you and besides, it's not like I won't see you."
"True," Kim laughed. "Alright, I just wanted to let you know I was home and the presentation went really good and to talk about my coming home early. So now, I'm going to go and check my calendar and then talk to my boss."
"Alright," he smiled. "Call me later."
"I will," Kim nodded. "I love you."
"I love you too," he replied with a smile.
"Bye," Kim said before hanging up.
A few days later, she was packing her bags. She had spoken to her boss a few days ago and had been granted vacation time. She had called her boyfriend, telling him the good news before she had called Trini, who had agreed to pick her up from the airport. She couldn't wait to go home, but she had no idea the tragedy that would be waiting on her.
~...~
September 3rd, 2001
The day she was going home, Kim was more than excited; she had missed her friends and hadn't seen them or her boyfriend in a while. She was looking forward to catching up with everyone.
But throughout the day, she kept having a really bad feeling; like something was going down or was going to go down with someone close to her and she couldn't figure out why. She had called her parents and her boyfriend, Jason, Aisha and Rocky who had told her everyone else was ok. But the feeling persisted.
"Everyone's ok Kim," she muttered to herself as she zipped her suitcase. "It's nothing. Stop worrying."
Grabbing the suitcase handle, she pulled it out to the living room. Looking around the living room, she walked over to the couch and sat down, pulling the phone to her.
"I'll call Trini," she said as she dialled her older sister and best friend's familiar number.
"Hello?" Trini's voice sounded.
"Hey Tri," Kim smiled, as she always did when she heard Trini's voice. "How's everything going?"
"Good," Trini grinned, "so what's up?"
"Nothing much," Kim said, "just called to talk. You're still picking me up at the airport, right?"
"Of course," Trini nodded, forgetting her friend couldn't see her. "I'm having breakfast with Danny right now, but I'll pick you up. You're flight gets in around 4pm, right?"
"Yep," Kim smiled. "How's Danny? Still treating you good?"
"Of course," Trini giggled, "you he's been warned by Jase and the others, especially you."
"Just have to make sure he understands what'll happen to him if he hurts you," Kim grinned, totally unrepentant about threatening Trini's boyfriend.
"Whatever," Trini laughed, "I have to go, but I'll see you later, ok?"
"Alright," Kim smiled, "bye Tri, I love you."
"Jamais au revoir, jusqu'à une autre fois," Trini smiled.
"Jusqu'à une autre fois," Kim grinned and then hung up. Satisfied that everything was ok, she pushed the feeling to the back of her mind. She was about to head into the kitchen when a knock sounded, just before she heard the lock turn. She looked back as the door opened and saw her parents walk in.
"Hi mom, dad," Kim smiled as she headed over to them, pulling them into a hug.
"Hi sweetie," Caroline Dumas smiled at her daughter. "Everything packed and ready?"
"Yep," Kim nodded.
"Mon petit croissant," Pierre kissed Kim's cheek. "Vous êtes prêts à rentrer à la maison?" (Are you ready to go home?)
"Oui," Kim nodded with a grin. "J'ai hâte de voir tout le monde nouveau." (Yes. I can't wait to see everyone again.)
"I bet they really miss you," Caroline said, "well, come on. Let's go. We do have to beat traffic."
"Alright," Kim said and grabbed her purse and two carry-on bags. "All the bags are out here."
"Wow," Caroline looked down at the two bags and two suitcases. "I'd have thought you'd have needed more."
Pierre laughed at his daughter's expression, kissed her cheek and went to the suitcases. He grabbed the handle for the largest suitcase and pulled it up, setting it to stand; then, he grabbed the largest bag and placed it on top of the suitcase before pulling it out the door.
Caroline did the same with the two remaining ones and followed her husband, leaving her daughter to lock up.
~...~
At the airport, Kim stood with her parents; she had already sent through her luggage and had gone through the security checkpoint and was now waiting until it was time to board.
"Call me when you get there," Caroline told her daughter, pulling her into a hug.
"I will mom," Kim said and smiled when her mother brushed her hair from her face.
"Vol 0930 à Angel Grove en Californie est maintenant embarquement à porte sept"
"That's me," Kim smiled at the two and hugged them again. "I love you guys."
"We love you too," Pierre replied. He squeezed Kim before he pulled away. "Stay safe."
"I will," Kim grinned and grabbed her bags. She waved goodbye and to the desk where the boarding passes were being checked. She presented hers and continued, turning back once more to wave a final goodbye to her parents.
She hurried onto the plane, quickly finding her seat. After storing her bags in the overhead cabin, she sat down and buckled in. Fifteen minutes later, the plane was taxiing down the runway and lifting off into the air. By late afternoon, she would in Angel Grove...she couldn't wait.
~...~
Angel Grove, California
Trini smiled as she bobbed her head to the music blaring from her car speakers. She had just spent the morning with Danny and was now running some errands. Danny's sister Macy was getting married and she was a bridesmaid. There were a few errands that they needed to do for the wedding, and she had offered to do them.
She glanced down at the clock and saw that it was 2: 30 p.m. She hoped she would be done in time to get to the airport to pick Kim up.
She really missed her best friend. They hadn't seen each other for about two years, which was when she had introduced Danny to their group of friends. Kim had then flied out to Paris a few weeks after. Sure they talked like every day, but she missed seeing her little sister. She knew Kim longer than anyone else as they had met when they were four, when Kim and her parents had moved to Angel Grove. She grinned as she remembered the first time their meeting.
Flashback
Four year old Trini giggled as she used her Barbie doll to kick in one of the GI Joe men. Long, dark strands of hair fell into her face and she pushed them behind her ear absentmindedly.
The door to the classroom opened and she looked up briefly. When she saw that it was just her teacher and another little girl, she turned back to her doll.
Sometime later, after she threw GI Joe away to concentrate on playing house, she heard some of the other kids laughing. Looking up, she saw them in a circle and the girl that was with her teacher was standing in the middle of them. She was glaring at the kids, but Trini could see the girl's eyes were filled with tears.
"You're such a shorty," a boy teased cruelly. "Why are you so short?"
"She's a little baby," a girl laughed. "Tiny baby."
"No I'm not," the little girl clenched her hands into fists. "I'm no baby. Leave me alone."
"She even talks funny," another girl laughed.
Trini hated seeing people picking on other people. Her parents had always told her to never bully anyone because it was a bad thing. The girl sounded weird, but she didn't think that was any reason to tease her. Her mommy always told her to be nice, and to stand up for her friends, so, she placed her doll on the floor and walked over to the group.
"Leave her alone Jimmy," Trini shoved the first boy away from the little girl and stood next to her. She looked down at the girl and was amazed at how tiny she was. "She aint do nothing to you."
"Why should we?" Jimmy scowled. "Why you sticking up for her?"
"'Cause she's my friend," Trini said as she grabbed the girl's hand in her own. "Now leave us alone or I'll hit you." She raised her fist and the kids backed down. She tugged on the little girl's hand, pulling her over to where she was sitting.
"My name is Trini," she said after they sat down. "What's yours?"
"Kimberly," the girl answered. "Thank you. Nobody ever did that before."
"'S'ok," Trini smiled.
"You really wanna be my friend?" Kim asked as she looked at the taller girl.
"Yep," Trini nodded, "from now on, we'll be bestest friends. I'll protect you from the other kids, ok?"
"Ok," Kim nodded.
"Do you like Barbie?" Trini asked as she grabbed the doll.
"Uh huh," Kim giggled and the two were soon playing happily, ignoring the other kids.
End flashback
Shaking her head, she concentrated on driving and was soon pulling into her first stop of the day. She quickly headed into the store and spent about fifteen minutes before she was leaving again, off to her other errand.
As she drove, her thoughts drifted off to her friends. Kim she had known since they were four, and then they had met Jason, Zack and Billy a year and two years after. Jason and Zack they had met when they had started kindergarten and the two had been new in town and Billy they had met at the start of first grade.
'And since then, we've all been friends,' she thought with a smile, 'although, Jason sees me and Kim as his little sisters to protect and God help any boy that had dared hurt us.'
The five of them had become so close. Sure they won't as close as she and Kim were, but the boys still fit. They had bonded together.
'And then came freshman year of high school when we found something to bond us more,' Trini laughed softly. That was the year they became crime fighting superheroes known as Power Rangers.
'Who would ever believe that we were the Power Rangers?' she chuckled. 'I mean, just look at us, or rather, how we were; Billy was the science geek who was just a bit clumsy, Zack often seemed like he had ADHD, always moving, can't stay still long enough, I was the quiet one, the coolheaded one, the one not prone to violence, Jason...Jason may be the only one believable seeing how he was a jock, he was muscled, he was into sports and Martial Arts tournaments and Kimberly...no one would ever believe Kim was a ranger. If people thought I was the most non-violent then, Kim was even worse. She was so bubbly and cheerful and always had something nice to say about someone even if they didn't deserve.'
"My baby sister," Trini grinned as she turned down a street. She went to do her other errands and got back to her car. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was now 3:15 p.m.; Kim's plane would be landing in 45 minutes.
"I can't wait until Kim gets home," Trini smiled, "it's gonna be so much fun, especially since the others don't know she's coming. Not even he knows she's coming home today." She laughed. "Boy, is he gonna be surprised."
Her thoughts drifted off once more, this time, onto her other set of friends, she had made in high school. The first one had been in the freshman year, just a few months after they had become rangers they had met a teen boy named Tommy Oliver. He was fighting against them at first, but then eventually, he ended up on their side.
"Kim was taken from the word go," Trini laughed even as she fiddled with the radio station. "Those two quickly became inseparable." She paused and frowned. "Of course, things didn't go as planned and they broke up, but, I'm glad they were able to get through it and retain their friendship; after Tommy was Rocky, Aisha, Adam, Kat and Tanya, and then every other ranger that came after." She smiled sadly. "Zordon would be so proud to see how far his legacy has come."
A blaring car horn had her jumping slightly and she shook her head with a nervous laugh. "Focus girl. Don't need to be in a car accident, especially since I have to get Kim."
Turning the volume up, she sang along with the song on the radio. Her cell phone rang and she glanced at it. When she saw 'Jason' on the ID, she grinned and pressed the answer button.
"Hey big bro," she greeted.
"Hey Tri," Jason smiled, "what are you doing?"
"I'm driving," Trini replied.
"Alright," Jason said, "I'll make it quick. We're trying to get a hold of Kim; we want to know if she'll want to come home for a visit or a vacation and spend maybe a week or two."
"Oh," Trini grinned, loving how everything was playing out. "I know she had something to do with her parents or her job, which is probably why you can't get her. I'll try her later for you, if you want?"
"Sis," Jason sighed, "you are a godsend. Hopefully you'll get her and then we can find out just who this mystery boyfriend of hers is."
Trini laughed. "Alright. I got to go."
"Take care sis," Jason said before hanging up.
Trini giggled to herself as she thought on what everyone's reaction would be when they met Kim's boyfriend. Still smiling, she turned onto a street, ready to head to the airport. She was driving along, when an animal ran into the street.
She turned sharply on the wheel, to avoid it, but her car soon spun out of control. She tried turning the wheel again, but that made everything worse and the next thing she knew, the car was flipping across the road, doing so several times, before it slammed into the guardrail and went over the embankment, landing in the small stream below.
Trini groaned and she opened her eyes, only to find her vision was blurry and it was getting darker by the second. She could feel pain all over her body and the last thing she saw before succumbing to darkness was people rushing towards her.
~...~
Jason was at Ernie's helping out with a class of grade school boys while Zack was at the weights with Adam and Rocky.
"Hey man," Billy said as he walked up to his friend. "Did you talk to Trini?"
"Yeah I did," Jason answered as he dismissed the class. "She said she was going to try and get a hold of Kim."
"That's good," Billy smiled. "It'll be great to see Kimberly after so long."
"I know man," Jason grinned, "I miss my little sister."
"And..." Billy grinned at him.
"And I want to know about this boyfriend that she's not telling me about," Jason admitted. "I know Trini knows who it is, but she won't say anything either."
"Well," Billy said, "you know how close Trini and Kimberly are; it doesn't surprise me that Trini would keep it a secret if Kimberly asked her too. I'd even go so far to say that Trini has more than likely already met him and has gotten to know him. She's even more protective of Kimberly than you are."
"True," Jason laughed and turned to where Zack, Adam and Rocky were. "Hey guys. Let's head back to my place. I think Kat and Tanya should be back from shopping by now."
"And Sha should be done with work," Rocky said as he and the others joined the two. "What about Tommy?"
"He said he'll be back in town in about three days," Jason answered as he grabbed his bags, turning to leave. "He still has some stuff to finish up in Reefside."
"Hayley coming too?" Zack asked as they left the youth centre.
"I'm sure she'll come too," Adam grinned at his friend, "she probably misses her boyfriend as much as you miss her."
"Dude," Zack laughed as he playfully shoved Adam, "shut up."
The boys got into Jason's SUV and were soon pulling out of the parking lot. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into Jason's driveway.
"Kat's home," Zack said as he got out.
The boys made their way into the house, and saw the girls, Aisha included, sitting on the couch.
"Hey," the girls greeted.
"Hey," the boys answered. "Barbeque?"
"Sure," the girls nodded.
The friends made their way to the backyard, where Jason went and got the grill from the shed. Kat and Tanya grabbed the meat from the fridge while Billy and Adam grabbed the salad and other foods and Rocky grabbed the plates.
Fifteen minutes later, the barbeque was underway when the phone rang.
"I'll get it," Jason said and he jogged into the house to answer the phone. Minutes later, he walked back out the house slowly. Kat was the first to spot him.
"Jason?" she turned to her boyfriend and walked over to him when she saw the devastated look on his face. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"
The others turned to look at him, becoming concerned when they saw his eyes fill with tears.
"Jase man," Zack spoke up, "what's going on? Did something happen?"
"That was..." Jason swallowed and tried to find the words to tell his friends. "That was Mrs. Kwan."
"What did she want?" Billy asked.
"There was...a c-car accident," Jason said, "Trini's car...it went off the road."
"Oh my God!" Aisha's hands flew to her mouth as did Kat and Tanya's.
The friends came together and moved as one into the house, Rocky remembering to turn the grill off before he followed them.
Jason was sitting on the couch, on the phone talking to Trini's father. The others were silent as they watched him, each hoping their friend would be ok. That hope died as they watched Jason shatter before their eyes. By the time Jason hung up the phone, he was outright sobbing.
"Jason," Aisha wiped her eyes and cleared her throat, "what did-what did they say? She's ok, right?"
"Jason, what did Mr. Kwan say?" Adam asked, tears filling his eyes.
Jason sat on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees and his head resting between his hands. "An animal ran out in front of her car and she swerved to avoid it...oh God..."
"Jason," Kat sat next to her boyfriend, rubbing his back. "Tell us."
"Her car flipped a few times before it went through the guardrail and into the river below," Jason continued between shuddering breaths, "she was unconscious by the time some other drivers got to her."
"But she's fine," Zack said, "she's at the hospital and they're going to help her."
Jason shook his head as his cries started anew. "She didn't-she didn't m-make it to the hospital. She d-died before she could get there."
"No," Tanya whispered before she collapsed into Adam's arms, crying out her grief.
"She's gone," Jason whispered as he buried his head into Kat's chest, allowing the blonde to wrap her arms tight around him. "She's really gone."
Sometime later, they had gotten their tears under control. Jason was still in Kat's arms when his head shot up so fast, the blonde flew back in surprise.
"Jason?" Kat looked at him. "What is it?"
"Oh God," Jason ran a hand over his face and through his hair. "Oh God...I can't do it...how am I going to do it?"
"Do what, bro?" Zack asked.
"Kimberly," Jason and the others paled. "How am I going to tell Kimberly that Trini's dead?"
Just then a knock sounded at the door just seconds before it opened.
"Jason? Kat? Anyone home?"
~...~
When the plane touched down at Angel Grove International, Kim was bouncing in her seat with giddiness. She was home, finally, and she couldn't wait to get to town and see her friends.
After the seatbelt sign went off, she got out of her seat and grabbed her bags before walking down the aisle and off the plane. She went through security and then went to Baggage Claims to find her bags. Getting help from a passenger, she was able to collect all her bags and she headed outside, a smile on her face as she knew she was going to see Trini.
When she got outside, she stopped and looked around, a frown on her face as she didn't see her best friend's car anywhere. Thinking that Trini was just running late, she moved to one of the benches and sat down.
Fifteen minutes later, she was checking her watch, noting that the time was almost five.
"Where are you Tri?" she muttered to herself. "It's not like you to be late."
She dialled her best friend number and frowned when she heard the automated service message. The bad feeling that had been plaguing her all day came back stronger than ever, but she resolutely pushed it away.
"No," she shook her head, "everything is fine."
Ten minutes later, she was in a cab, heading to Jason's.
"Jase will know what's going on. Maybe she was running errands and forgot...but it's not like her though." Her hands clenched into fists. "Stop freaking yourself out Kimberly. Trini is fine, everything is fine; you're going to show up at Jason's and Trini's going to be there talking science with Billy."
The cab pulled into Jason's driveway a while later. She got her bags, paid him and walked up to the door. She knocked before she opened it and stepped inside.
"Jason? Kat? Anyone home?"
She left her bags at the door, closing it behind her, and walked further inside. She stopped when she saw everyone sitting there.
"Hi guys." She smiled as she walked to them, but stopped suddenly when she saw how they looked; she took in the slumped shoulders, the tear-filled eyes and the faces full of devastation. The bad feeling she had erupted inside her and she knew, deep down what happened, but she refused to acknowledge or believe it, so she shoved it out of her mind.
"Kim," Aisha looked at her best friend, "what are you doing here?"
Kim walked over to the couch and sat down. "Vacation. Trini and I talked a few days ago and she asked me if I wanted to come home, so I told her I needed to talk to my boss, and I did. I took vacation time and I called Tri to let her know." She smiled, ignoring the way everyone had tensed when she said Trini's name. "It was supposed to be a surprise." She looked around the room. "Do you guys know where she is? She was supposed to pick me up from the airport, but she didn't show. I had to take a taxi and Trini knows how much I hate that." She laughed, refusing to admit it was starting to sound a bit hollow. "When I get my hands on her..."
"Kimberly," Jason stood up and walked towards her. "There's something you need to know."
"Ok," Kim looked at him and tilted her head to the side when he grabbed her hands. "What is it? Jase, you're scaring me."
"Kim," Jason closed his eyes briefly, tears leaking out, before he opened them and looked at Kim. "There was an accident and Trini was involved."
"Oh my God!" Kim's eyes opened wide. "She's ok, right?"
"No," Jason whispered, "Kim...she didn't make it."
"No," Kim pulled her hands from his and stood up. "You're lying."
"I'm not," Jason said as his tears started anew. "She died on the way to the hospital."
"No!" Kim backed away and shook her head even as her heart crumbled from pain. "You're lying to me. Trini's fine, ok! She's not dead."
"Kimberly," Billy stood up, his heart breaking as he saw what his friend was going through. He knew that it would destroy Kim to know of Trini's death and it killed him to watch it happen. "He's not lying. Trini's parents called and told him."
"They're wrong," Kim insisted even as tears flowed down her cheeks. "She's not gone...she wouldn't do that to me."
"Kim," Rocky took a step forward.
"Just shut up!" Kim yelled as a sob tore free, "all of you, just SHUT UP!"
When they reached for her, she shook her head and took off upstairs. A door slammed shut seconds later.
"What are we going to do?" Tanya asked.
"I don't know," Jason whispered as he sat back down on the couch. "We lost Trini and now Kim's breaking and we need to help her and I don't know how."
"Will she let us?" Adam asked.
"I don't know," Jason shook his head.
~...~
The next day found the friends back at Jason and Kat's. Kim hadn't left the room since they had told her about Trini's death and no matter what any of them did, she refused to listen or come out. Mrs Kwan had stopped by in the night, but even she didn't have any luck getting Kim to move. They had brought food to her, but she ignored it. They were getting really worried.
They were sitting in the living room when they heard a knock and the door opened and Tommy and Hayley walked in.
"Hey guys," Tommy greeted.
"We came as soon as we got the message," Hayley said as she moved to Zack's side
"I'm glad you're here," Jason said as he stood up and pulled Tommy into a hug.
"How's she holding up?" Hayley asked as she raised her eyes to the ceiling.
"Not good," Kat answered, "she hasn't left the room since she got here and we told her."
"Oh man," Tommy blew off. He could guess as to how Kimberly was feeling. "Do you think she'll mind if I go up there?"
The others exchanged looks. They knew that Tommy and Kim hadn't seen each other in years. The last time the two had even been in the same room was when they had talk about their break-up after Murianthesis. Not even for Zordon's death had they seen each other. Kim had shown up, but had left immediately as it was too painful for her. Only Jason, Trini and Aisha had seen her.
"It's worth a try," Rocky said, "maybe he'll have better luck than we did."
The others agreed and Tommy turned to the stairs.
The friends watched him go, hoping he'd be able to get through to their friend, despite their history.
"Please work," Aisha said tearfully. They heard him knock and they seemed to hold their breath. To their surprise, seconds later, they heard the door open and close.
~...~
Tommy took the stairs two at a time. He was really worried about Kim and he hoped he could get through to her. He hated seeing her in pain and that hadn't changed even if they had broken up back in high school. He got to the room Kim was in and knocked on the door.
"Beautiful, it's me," he said. He could hear her cries and his heart ached from the sound. "Please let me in."
~...~
Kim hugged the pillow close to her, not even wiping the tears that fell from her eyes and soaked it. Her body shook from the force of her sobs. She had known that something bad had happen, she had felt it all day; it's why she had called Trini this morning. But after talking to her she had discarded the feeling.
But then, when she was on the plane, she had been napping when a sharp pain in her heart woke her up. She had been so terrified and she had been shocked to find tears in her eyes. At the time, she had thought it was a bad dream, but deep down she had known; Trini was gone.
She didn't want to accept it, she didn't want to see her friends and she really hadn't wanted to see Mrs. Kwan either; at the time, seeing her would've made it real. But now...she had no choice but to accept it. Trini was really gone.
Her tears renewed and her body shook even more. A knock at the door drew her attention, but she didn't move as she didn't want to see her friends.
"Beautiful, it's me." She lifted her head towards the door, wondering if she was hearing things. "Please let me in."
It was him. Pushing off the bed, she hurried over to the door and opened it. The moment she saw him, she threw herself into his arms.
"Tommy," she whimpered and he tightened his arms around her, slowly moving her back in the room and closing the door behind him.
He moved them back to the bed and lied down, pulling her close. "I'm so sorry Kim."
"She's gone Tommy," Kim cried, "she's really gone."
"I know Beautiful," Tommy whispered as he ran a hand soothingly up and down her back. His eyes filled with tears as he listened to her cry.
"I don't want to believe it," Kim sniffed, "I can't believe it." a hiccup. "All I seem to do is c-cry."
"Then cry," Tommy told her gently, "It's ok Kim. You can cry...I'm here now...just let it out."
And that's what she did. All the pain she was feeling, she let it out. Each cry seemed as if it was torn from her soul and Tommy felt his own ache at the sound.
~...~
The next three days saw Kim and Tommy in the bedroom. She only left to use the bathroom and had managed to eat whatever Tommy brought to her.
The first day after Tommy had shown up, Kim had spent the entire day silent, the only sound coming from her was crying. During those times, Tommy would hold her in his arms, saying nothing, just letting his presence be enough for her.
The second day was spent with Kim talking and Tommy listening; she told him about her childhood, her friendship with Trini, her life after high school, her life in Paris and Trini's death. She also spent the day writing out her feelings about Trini's death and the girl had meant to her.
Today, Kim was still in the room. She hadn't seen any of her friends since she had shown up at Jason's and she knew that they were hurting as well and that they wanted to see her, but she couldn't deal with it. Just because she had accepted Trini's death, that didn't mean she was ready to deal with it.
The funeral was tomorrow and she wasn't even sure she would go. Tommy had left the room just a few minutes ago to get something for her to eat. She wasn't hungry—she hadn't been much hungry the last three days—but she knew that she would at least try to eat something for him.
She still couldn't believe that Trini was gone. The girl was always there whenever she needed her; when she needed someone to talk to about her parents' divorce, about falling for Tommy, about moving to Paris, about breaking up with Tommy, Zordon's death...it didn't matter what she needed to talk about, Trini was always there.
'But now she won't be,' she thought as tears filled her eyes once more. She had thought she hadn't any tears left, but she was wrong.
She couldn't fathom how she would go on without Trini by her side, without the Vietnamese girl to talk to, to seek comfort from. Trini was her big sister and protector from the day they met, defending her against the little kids in day care who were making fun of her accent and her height. She had always been there for her; she was her sister, her strength and she had no idea how she'd get by without seeing her face or hearing her voice.
Kim's gaze drifted to the book lying on the bed and the words that were written on it; she had started writing out her feelings and what she wrote came out in the form of a song. It was everything she felt.
Sighing, she walked over to the bed and sat down; she knew the funeral was tomorrow, but she didn't think she'd go. She couldn't deal with seeing Trini lying so unnaturally still in a coffin. She couldn't face the heartbreak it would bring to really and truly say goodbye to her sister.
~...~
"How's she holding up?" Adam asked Tommy as he and the others sat in the living room.
"She's accepted it," Tommy said as he leaned back against the couch. "But that doesn't mean she's completely ready to deal with it. She talked about her and how her death affected her, but I think she's still not ready to let go as yet."
"She will be," Hayley said, "it'll be hard for all of us, her especially, but I have faith that she will be ready to get through this and move on."
"Why did she open up to you, though?" Zack asked, "not that I'm not glad she did, but last I knew, the two of you weren't talking."
"I know," Tommy nodded, "but she's hurting right now, and you know me, I could never stand to see her in pain."
The others, except for Hayley, Tanya and Kat, nodded as they had been in situations where Kim was hurt and Tommy had to deal with it; it's been that way since the two first met.
"Oh man," Rocky groaned, "does anyone know who Kim's boyfriend is so that we could call him and let him know?"
"No," Jason ran a hand through his hair. "But maybe her parents know. Caroline and Pierre came into town this morning."
"Does Kim know?" Kat asked.
"No," Tommy shook his head, "and even if she did, I doubt she'd want to see them."
"I think Mrs. Dumas understands that," Aisha spoke up, her voice soft. "It's probably why she's at the Kwan house. She knows that Kim wouldn't be ready or willing to talk as yet."
"How's Danny holding up?" Tanya asked as she looked at her friends.
"A little better than Kim," Billy answered, "he's staying with his family. He's helping his sister deal with her guilt."
"Why is she feeling guilty?" Adam asked.
"Because Trini was running errands for Macy when the accident happened," Jason told the room, "Macy needed a few things for the wedding and Trini offered to do them. So, she did Macy's errands and then she was going to head to the airport to get Kim."
Everyone became silent after that.
"Is Kimberly going to go to the funeral tomorrow?" Billy directed his question to Tommy.
"I hope so," Tommy sighed, "I really do, but I'm not sure if she'll be up for it. The funeral will be like the final goodbye to Trini and I'm not sure she's ready for that, even though she's accepted that Trini is gone."
"The others are going to be there," Jason said. At the looks of confusion, he clarified. "The former rangers, they're going to be there. Carter and his team saw the news report and they told Cole's team and Wes and Eric as well. It turns out Ashley was visiting her mother up in San Francisco when she got a call from a former classmate. Ashley told the others and Andros contacted the Galaxy rangers. They want to be here."
"A ranger gathering," Rocky mused, "too bad it's under these circumstances."
The others made sounds of agreement.
"I'm gonna go check on Kim," Tommy said as he stood up, "and maybe see if she'll eat something."
"Alright." The others nodded and they watched him go.
"It's strange," Kat said, "none of us know who Kim's boyfriend is, the only one that more than likely did is Trini, but yet, he's not around and his girlfriend needs him."
"We'll ask Mrs. Dumas if she knows who it is," Tanya said, "maybe he's in Paris and well, Kim hasn't left the room, so she didn't call him."
"You're right," Kat smiled briefly. "But it would be good for him to be here...for Kimberly."
The other agreed silently, but Rocky's brows furrowed slightly as he threw a glance in the direction Tommy had gone. He remembered Tommy's reaction when he had mentioned Kim's boyfriend. A sneaking suspicion formed, but he shook his head, dismissing the thought as ridiculousness. Surely if Tommy was Kim's boyfriend, they'd have known about it.
~...~
It was the day of the funeral. Jason woke first at about seven thirty in the morning, and after using the bathroom, he knocked on the door to Kim's room.
Tommy opened after a few minutes. "Morning."
"Hey," Jason greeted, "is she coming today?"
"I'm not sure," Tommy shrugged as he looked back at a sleeping Kim. "She cried herself to sleep again last night, so I'm doubtful. I hope she does, but it's up to her."
"Alright," Jason sighed, "I'll go wake the others and get started on breakfast."
"Alright, bro," Tommy nodded and stepped back inside, closing the bedroom door behind him.
Jason ran his hand over his face and headed downstairs. He saw the others asleep in the living room and went in and woke them up. The funeral was at nine fifteen so they had to get a move on.
"You guys need to go get cleaned up," he told them, "I'll start breakfast."
"Thanks man," Zack said as he headed to the bathroom. The others followed Jason into the kitchen and helped him. When Zack came out of the bathroom, Adam went next and so it continued until only Tommy and Kim were left.
~...~
"Are you coming today?" Tommy asked Kim as he buttoned his shirt.
"I...I can't," Kim shook her head, "if I go...it'll make it too real and it'll mean I really have to say goodbye and I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
"Ok," Tommy nodded. He finished dressing and walked over to her, kneeling down in front of her. "If you decide to change your mind, call me and I'll come get you."
"I don't think I will," Kim said, "but ok."
He leaned up to press a kiss to her cheek. "You're gonna be ok Beautiful.
Kim closed her eyes briefly. "Thanks Tommy, for being so understanding."
"You're welcome," Tommy said and then he stood up and headed for the door.
"Tommy?" Kim called just as he opened the door. "Thanks for being here with me."
"You never have to thank me for that Kim," Tommy smiled at her and walked out, closing the door behind him.
He made his way downstairs and saw that the others were dressed and in the living room. Heading to the kitchen, he grabbed a cup of coffee, some toast and headed back to the living room.
"She's not coming, is she?" Hayley asked.
"No," Tommy shook his head.
"She needs to go!" Kat's frustration and hurt over the situation echoed in her voice. She was hurt because Kim wasn't letting them in, wasn't letting them help her deal with Trini's death. "She can't stay closed up in the bedroom!"
"She can and she will," Tommy narrowed his eyes at the blonde. "What you don't seem to understand Kat, is that while all of us are hurting over losing Trini—Jason, Zack and Billy more so than us—it still doesn't compare to how Kim is feeling. Trini was her very first friend after she moved to Angel Grove; she was her best friend, her sister in everything but blood. The two of them were so close and basically did everything together.
"When Trini left for Switzerland in our sophomore year, it hurt Kim a lot because that was the first time the two of them were really apart and such a long distance too. But even that didn't stop them. They shared their lives with each other and knew each other inside out. Losing Trini to Kim was like losing a big part of herself and she's overwhelmed and a little off-balance because of it. If not going to the funeral helps her just a little, even if you don't think it's right, then that's what she's going to do."
Kat looked away briefly in shame. She was just hurt from everything. "You're right." She wiped her tears. "Everything just hurts right now and it feels worse with Kim closing herself off. I didn't mean anything, though."
"I know you didn't mean anything Kat," Tommy sighed, "and that you're just worried about Kim, but just let her deal with it in her own time. Just being here is showing her that whenever she's ready, we're here. And I wouldn't worry, as much as she's hurting, Kim won't let the chance to say her goodbye to Trini slip by."
"Guys," Adam spoke up, "we should get going."
They stood up, each feeling heavier than ever, and they headed to the door. Taking one last look upstairs, Tommy followed the others out the house.
~...~
When they arrived at the church, they saw that the former rangers had kept their word and had indeed shown up. To their surprise, and yet not so much, they were all wearing something yellow in honour of Trini.
The group of friends nodded to them and walked down the aisle. They saw the coffin at the end and Trini lying inside. She was so still and peaceful that she looked as if she was merely sleeping. They quickly took their seats behind Trini's parents, Danny, and Kim's parents.
"Where's Kimberly?" Lei Kwan, Trini's mom, asked as she looked at the group.
"She's not sure she'll make it," Tommy answered, "she said it's too much and she can't say goodbye."
Mrs. Kwan nodded in understanding. "I understand. They were always as so close. It's gotta be really hard for her." She looked over at her daughter. "She'll come. She loves Trinity too much not to."
~...~
Kim walked about the room after the others had left. She knew that they were worried about her and that they wanted her to come, but she really couldn't go. She couldn't say goodbye to Trini.
She stopped walking and looked down at the photo of her and Trini together. The two were smiling and had their arms wrapped around each other.
Before she even thought about it, she was across the room and going through her suitcase. She pulled out a jacket, smiling tearfully when she saw it, and then searched for the black dress she knew she owned.
Going to the bathroom, she took a quick shower and got herself dressed and ready. Grabbing the jacket, she put her black wedges on and left the room. She saw Tommy's keys sitting on the kitchen counter and smiled as she knew he had left them on purpose. He still knew her.
She got into his jeep and pulled out the driveway, heading to the church. The whole drive, memories of her and Trini flashed through her mind, making her smile even as tears filled her eyes. When she pulled into the church parking lot, she turned the jeep off and sat for a few minutes.
Taking a deep breath, she got out and headed to the doors. She opened them, and watched as everyone turned to look at her.
~...~
The Minister took his place and the funeral started. Prayers were said, music played, some of Trini's other friends spoke about her. Her father was at the altar talking, when the doors to the church opened. Everyone turned around and Trini's parents smiled sadly when they saw Kimberly standing there.
She was wearing a black dress, her hair down around her shoulders, with a yellow, unzipped jacket over the dress. The back of the jacket had the words 'Trinity Hart' in pink.
Kim started down the aisle, but stopped when her gaze rested on the coffin that held her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears and her hands shook; everyone could feel the pain pouring off of her and their own hearts filled with more sorrow.
Tommy stood up and quickly left the others and headed to her.
"Hey," he pulled her into his arms. "It's ok...you can do this."
Kim nodded before she lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him. She whispered, "I have to talk to her."
"Ok," Tommy said and he turned around, leading her down the aisle. Her hands tightened around his the close they got to the end.
Everyone watched them, marvelling at the sight; they could see the way Kim was leaning on Tommy and the way he seemed to pull her into his body as if shielding her. Tommy led Kim to the altar and went back to his seat.
Kim sighed shakily as she reached out a hand and touched the coffin. "Hey Tri...I'm sorry I'm late. I didn't want to come, because if I did, if I came, then I'd be saying goodbye to you and I couldn't deal with that because I can't say goodbye to you. But, I couldn't not come...because...you'd kick my ass if that had happened." chuckles echoed in the church. "Tri, I spent every day since I heard about your a-accident locked up in Jason's guest room. I didn't talk to anyone; I couldn't deal with anyone...only Tommy."
She shook her head, not even bothering to wipe the tears running down her cheeks. "God, I miss you so much Tri." A sob escaped her lips. "You weren't supposed to die; you weren't supposed to leave me." She leaned against the coffin, looking down at her friend. "Remember, we promised that we'd grow up and grow old together. You said we'd tell each other how pretty we looked even when we're wrinkled with sagging body parts."
Another sob escaped. "I don't know how to do this without you Trini. You've always been there for me...always. I could always count on you no matter. Whenever I imagined my life, no matter who I was with, I always saw you there because I knew we'd never live lives without each other. And now," more sobs, "now you're asking me to do that. I can't! I can't do it Trini! How can I live without my sister? My best friend? You've always been there...always!
"When my parents were fighting all the time, you'd be awake at three in the morning because you knew I wouldn't be able to sleep; you'd come over and get me and take me back to your room and hold me while I cried. When they divorced and I was devastated by it, so much so that I blamed myself, you didn't let me do that. You would wipe my tears and tell me it wasn't my fault and that everything would be ok and I believed you."
Caroline sobbed into her handkerchief at her daughter's words. Allowing her daughter to feel like that was the one thing she hadn't completely forgiven herself for. Sure, they've talked about it now, but back then, she should've talked to her, she should've let her known nothing happening was her fault.
"You were my strength Trini," Kim sobbed openly now and no one in the pews had dry eyes. Everyone had tears as they listened to her pour her heart out. "You always were. You made me believe in myself more than I ever wanted to. Every time I've had a problem, it's you I turned to; when I fell in love for the first time, I kept you up till morning. Our moms were so angry when we couldn't get up the morning." Caroline and Lei exchanged smiles. "Remember when we decided to play marriage," a tearful giggle, "God, mommy and Momma Lei were so angry because I took my mom's ring and you took Momma Lei's diamond necklace. First time they really yelled at us. But we didn't care; we were bonding ourselves together for life.
"I feel so empty inside here," Kim raised a closed fist to rest over her heart. "I'm missing a huge part of myself because you're gone. Why did you have to go? Why did you leave me? You promised you wouldn't. I miss you so much Trini..." she cried silently for a few minutes before she sniffled and wiped her tears. "I don't know how I'll do it, but I know you'll want me to, so I'll try...just for you. I'll try to move on, I'll try to smile and I'll try to face the pain." She looked back at the crowd before glancing back at Trini.
"I wrote a song for you. Writing was how I could even begin to cope with your death. I hope you like it.
[Chorus]
Though I'm missing you
I'll find a way to get through
Living without you
'cause you were my sister, my strength and my pride
Only god may know why, still I will get by
[V-1]
Who would've known, that you had to go so suddenly, so fast?
How could it be, that sweet memories would be all, all that I have left.
Now that you're gone, every day I'll go on
Kim stopped singing as her pain overwhelmed her. It was finally sinking in, Trini was gone, and she wasn't coming back.
Aisha looked on at her best friend, her heart breaking at the sight. She couldn't stand to see Kim standing so alone, so she got up and quickly made her way to her friend's side. When she got there, she reached out and grabbed Kim's hand into her own, squeezing it to tell her she could lean on her, that she could borrow some of her strength. Kim squeezed back in reply.
Kat and Tanya, seeing what Aisha did, got up and followed her. Tanya moved to Kim's other side, grabbing her hand, while Kat stood behind, wrapping her arms around Kim's waist and resting her chin on her shoulder. They were there as her support and Kim drew strength from their presence and continued singing.
But life's just not the same
I'm so empty inside, and my tears I can't hide but I'll try, I'll try to face the pain
[Chorus]
Though I'm missing you—Kim
(Although I'm missing you)—Aisha, Kat, Tanya
It was almost instinctive the way the three girls joined in with the chorus. It was another way to show their support to Kim.
I'll find a way to get through—Kim
(I'll find a way to get through)—Aisha, Kat, Tanya
Living without you-Kim
'cause you were my sister, my strength and my pride- All
Only god may know why, still I will get by
In the pews, Lei and Hrin, Trini's dad, held onto each other and cried as they listened to the words their daughter's best friend sang. It was fitting for the friendship the two shared.
[Kim]
Oh there was so many things
That we could have said, uh-huh
If time was on our side
Ooh, yeah
Now that you're gone, I can still feel you near
So I'll smile, with every tear I cry
Every girl in the audience held onto someone as they cried. The pure emotion coming from Kimberly touched them. Even the men had tears running down their cheeks as they listened to Kim and just what Trini had meant to her and how her death affected her.
[Chorus]
Though I'm missing you—Kim
(Although I'm missing you)—Aisha, Kat, Tanya
I'll find a way to get through—Kim
(I'll find a way to get through)—Aisha, Kat, Tanya
Living without you-Kim
'cause you were my sister, my strength and my pride- All
Only god may know why, still I will get by
[Kim]
How sweet were the closest of friends?
But I'll wait for the day
When I'll see you again, see you again, yeah
[Chorus]
(Although I'm missing you)—Aisha, Kat, Tanya
But I'll find a way to get through—Kim
(I'll find a way to get through)—Aisha, Kat, Tanya
Living without you-Kim
'cause you were my sister, my strength and my pride- All
Only god may know why, still I will get by
Although I'm missing you—All
I'm missing you—Kim
I'll find a way to get through
You were my sister, my strength and pride
Only God may know why, still I will get by
I'm missing you—Kim
When the song was over, Kim started crying again and the three girls surrounded her in a group hug. They stayed that way for a few minutes before they pulled back.
"Thanks guys," Kim whispered as she looked at them.
"No thanks needed sweetie," Kat replied.
Kim nodded and stepped away from them and towards the coffin. She took off the jacket and carefully placed over Trini's body. She bent down and kissed her cheek.
"I love you Trinity Mai Kwan-Hart," she said, "Jamais au revoir, jusqu'à une autre fois."
She turned from the coffin and allowed the girls to lead to the seats. She went directly to Tommy and cuddled into his chest.
The service continued, with other people going up to talk about Trini and how she influenced them. Danny spoke and broke down halfway through his speech, which started everyone crying again as he revealed that he had been intending to propose to her that night.
Soon enough, the service was over and it was time to head the cemetery. Jason, Zack, Adam, Billy, Tommy, Rocky and Danny were pallbearers, so they moved to their spots on either side of the coffin and lifted it up, leading the crowd out of the church and towards the cemetery.
When they got there, the coffin was set down in what was its final resting place. The Minister gave the final prayer and everyone watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground.
Kim broke down crying and Tommy held her tight.
"She's gone Tommy," Kim cried, "she's really gone."
"I know Beautiful," Tommy whispered as he rubbed her back gently. "I know."
"I want her back," Kim whispered into his chest. "How am I supposed to do this without her?"
Tommy pulled away a little so that he could see her face clearly. "You do what you wrote in your song; you smile every time you think of her, even though it'll hurt, you hold on to your memories of her and share them with the ones you love, you live your life because you know that that's what she would've wanted. You know Trini wouldn't want you to be sad and depressed over her death, she would want you to love her and miss her, but more importantly, she would want you to move on and not waste your life away."
Kim looked at him for a few minutes, tears sill flowing down her cheeks, before she placed her head back on his chest, saying nothing. Deep down, she knew he was right. The words to her song came back to her; she would have to face her pain and live her life in memory of Trini. She would do the things they planned to do together, she would be happy, she would face life without her sister, her confidant, and it would hurt for a while, it would be too much, but she would do it. For Trini.
Ten years later
September 3rd, 2011
Kim sighed as she sat in the car, looking out at the cemetery. It was the first time she's ever been here since they had buried her. She knew the others had come here often, but she couldn't. The pain had still been too much for her. Sure whenever the friends gathered every year on this day, she would join them, but she never came to the cemetery and they had understood. But now, though...now she was ready.
"You ok?" Tommy asked as he looked over at her.
"Yeah," Kim smiled at him, "just...I needed to come here, you know? I'm just...I'm finally ready, you know?"
"Yeah I do," Tommy smiled and reached out to squeeze her hand. "Come on."
Kim opened her door and stepped out, smiling at the sight of the other cars; Jason and the others had made it. Knowing that they'd give her some time alone, she made her way through the cemetery until she came to the grave. Glancing down at the headstone, she smiled as she read the words on it;
Trinity Mai Kwan
1978-2001
Beloved friend, sister, daughter
She held the calm and grace that angels do
She was truly our Angel on Earth
Jamais au revoir, jusqu'à une autre fois
"Hey Tri," Kim said as reached out to touch the headstone. "So, it's been ten years since you've been gone. It still hurts, but not as much anymore. I'm sorry I haven't been here before now, but I'm here now. It was just too hard, you know? Even though I'd accept that you were gone, I still couldn't bear coming here. But, it got easier over the years. I still get teary-eyed whenever I think of you or I look at your picture or when I see something that reminds me of you, but I'm doing what I said I would do; I smile."
Kim sighed and she carefully eased her body onto the ground and leaned against the headstone. "A lot of things have happened since you died and since I haven't been here to see you at all, I should get you caught up; everyone was shocked when they found out that my mystery boyfriend was Tommy. Except for Rocky, he wasn't shocked at all. They were angry, but honestly, at the time, I didn't care. I mean, you understood the reasons why we had kept it a secret from them and that's all that mattered. They soon accepted it and moved on though.
"Your death changed a lot of things. We had spent the first couple years of high school fighting as rangers and every day we dealt with situations, but we've never had hit home like your death did. I mean, sure I was kidnapped and almost had my life force drained from me and I ended up in the hospital, but things like that we recovered from. Other than Zordon, you died and that changed things.
"We realized then just how short and precious life was. Tommy proposed to me Halloween that year. He said he would've waited until a few more years had passed, but after losing you, he didn't want to take the chance of something taking us away from each other. We got married that same Christmas."
She looked over at her husband and friends, smiling when she saw the little girl reaching her hands in the air for her daddy to lift her up, which Tommy did. "Tommy and I wanted kids soon, but we couldn't right away. You know those rocks he had found on Mercer Island? Well, it turns out that they held the same properties our power coins did. So we spent the next three years fixing up Tommy's place in Reefside, turning his basement into a command centre. It was just in time too as I got pregnant that year and three teens ended up in Tommy's basement and became the next generation of power rangers.
"Funnily enough, Tommy became a ranger again." She laughed. "I know, I know. This time though, he stole Zack's colour; he was the black ranger on that team. You would've liked them." She looked at the four young adults standing with Tommy. "Everyone says Kira reminded them of me, but the truth is, other than her zord and her singing ability, Kira was more like you and Tommy than anyone else. She had the patience that you had, the quiet, shy vibe that Tommy had but the loyalty of the both of you. Connor was the one who was most like me. He's outgoing and athletic and sometimes acted like a ditzy, no brain guy, but underneath that, he had a heart of gold, was very sensitive and perceptive and held a fierce protectiveness towards those he cared deeply about.
"Ethan is the perfect combination of Billy and Zack; he has Zack's energy and Billy's smarts. Trent on the other hand, is Tommy. They're very similar; they were both quiet loners before they joined the team, they both started out evil, they were both adopted and their zords were similar. But like Kira, he has a patience that reminds me of you. It's one reason Trent and Kira never would've worked out. From the moment I met them, I knew Kira and Connor would end up together."
She looked at her friends again and laughed when she saw Connor with the little girl in his arms, holding her as if she was an airplane. "My daughter was early. My due date was May 23rd, but she was born on April 29th, 2005...your birthday. To me it was a sign and the doctors had said that she was the quietest baby ever, so I named her Serenity, after you. And she's such a daddy's little girl, she has Tommy wrapped around her finger. He's the best daddy in the world and the best husband. He's been so understanding and patient with me all these years. I love him so much."
She looked at Tommy and gestured for him to come over. He took their daughter from Connor and headed her way. When he got there, he placed Serenity on the ground.
"Hi mommy," Serenity smiled as she sat down next to her mommy.
"Hi sweetie," Kim ran a hand over her daughter's curls. "This is Auntie Trini. Say hi."
"Hi Auntie Trini," Serenity turned to the headstone. "Mommy tells me about you all the time. She said you were her best friend and you took care of her. She said I got my name from you. I like it. I like gymnastics and guitar, like mommy, and Karate like daddy. Mommy said you liked drawing. I do too. I made a picture for you." She pulled a paper from inside her jeans pocket and laid it on the ground. It was a picture of a man, a woman, two kids and a person above them with wings. "It's me and mommy and daddy and my baby sister, but she's not here yet. Mommy said she has to stay in her belly for two more months until she's big enough to meet us. I'm gonna be the best big sister, like you were to mommy. Oh and the angel is you 'cause daddy said you were an angel now and you are watching over us."
She bent down and kissed the headstone. "I love you Auntie Trini."
"Sere," Tommy knelt down in front of his daughter, brushing back her dark hair. "Why don't you go and see if you can get one of the others to give you a piggyback ride?"
"Okay!" Serenity smiled and got up and ran back towards the others. "Connor, daddy said you have to give me piggyback!"
Tommy chuckled and looked down at Kim. "Like mother, like daughter."
"What?" Kim laughed softly before raising her hands. He grabbed unto them and gently pulled her off the ground. She leaned against him and turned to look at Trini's grave. "I love you Tri, and I miss you. Jamais au revoir, jusqu'à une autre fois."
She turned to look up at Tommy. "Let's go. The others can visit her and then meet us at Ernie's. I need to get off my feet."
"Sounds good to me," Tommy smiled at her before turning to look at Trini's grave. "I love you Trini. Take care of yourself and Zordon up there."
Wrapping an arm around Kim's waist, allowing his hand to rest on her protruding stomach, he led them back to where their friends were waiting.
Kim sighed in happiness as she snuggled into Tommy's side. Ten years ago she had lost her soul sister and now, ten years later, she had finally made her peace with it. She wasn't going to be sad about it anymore. She was going live her life, enjoy it and remember Trini without dwelling on the pain. She loved Trini, and she missed her more than anything, but like they always told each other, jusqu'à une autre fois.
A/N: and that was the one-shot. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Review so I can know if you did.
On September 3rd, 2001, Thuy Trang—the young Vietnamese who played Trini Kwan, the original yellow Power Ranger—was killed when the car she was a passenger in, lost control and spun off the road. Trang died due to the injuries she sustained.
The situations surrounding Trini's death are somewhat similar to the information I found on the internet about the death of the actress who played her—Thuy Trang.
Jamais au revoir, jusqu'à une autre fois—Never goodbye, until another time.
Kila
