Not Brave Enough

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

:: Thank you for the reviews. Life isn't so busy so I could write the next chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter two: Lay your hand

"Ash," Kim muttered, her brown eyes looking outside the window as the car glided smoothly on the road. The soothing voice of Nick Lachey filled the car. It was never Ash's type of songs but he made a wise decision to stop protesting after Kim slapped his hand away for the third time when he tried to tune into different station.

"Hmm?"

"Today, at the cemetery," Kim continued, her hands tracing the outer line of her skirts. "I think I saw one of my old friends,"

Ash's ears pricked at her exclamation. He slowed the car when the traffic light turned yellow and then stopped. His fingers tapped at the steerwheel rather impatiently. "One of your old friends?" he paused then asked hesitantly, "from Florida?"

Kim shook her head then turned to look at his face. "No. From Angel Grove, I think. I remember seeing his picture when I was staying in France with my mother,"

Ash's eyebrows rose involuntarily. "Are you sure? Maybe it's just someone that looks similar,"

"He came when I was about going back," Kim said and crossed her legs. "He had this funny look on his face so I guess he recognized me. I'm not sure who he was though, he looks like someone, yet different. I can't really say much,"

A loud honk snapped Ash and he moved back to his seat and started the engine.

"I think I have old pictures with me but I don't bring it now. Maybe later," Kim closed her eyes and tried to picture the guy in her mind. Tall, short dark hair, chocolate eyes… and that expression. He seemed to be like someone who had seen a ghost.

"Goodbye, Trini. I'll come again soon," Kim put the roses on the cold surface of the headstone. Her fingers brushed the carved name briefly before she stood up and walked back to the car.

It was when she saw him standing a few meters from her place, there's a bouquet of flowers in his hands. When she walked passed him, she flashed him a small smile. She felt like she knew this man, supposed to know him, but she just couldn't remember.

The Kimberly Hart sitting in this car was not the same Kimberly Hart most people knew. Kim wasn't sure what had happened, but according to the police, there's an accident. A car crash. It was Michelle who was driving that night. They just went back from one of the clubs downtown to celebrate their teammate's birthday.

The car was terribly damaged and Michelle couldn't be saved. The police said she didn't wear her seatbelt. Michelle lost her life on the way to the hospital and Kim went into coma for four days before she woke up with completely no memory whatsoever. The only person who was there was Ash, Michelle's big brother.

After that everything was like a blur. A dream. She found out that Michelle and she were Coach Schimdt's gymnasts who were training for the Pan Global games. She quited the program when her mother and her stepfather came from France. All parts were working but she couldn't bring herself to go back to gymnastics.

" Oh, my baby," Caroline said between sobs, her hands coming up to frame Kim's bruised face. "how could this happen to you!"

That was a very good question, Kim wanted to say. She practically lost her life overnight. Kim was released from the hospital pretty soon after that and Caroline quickly brought her daughter back with her to France. Kim wouldn't complain. France was a great place but she wanted some explanations about her life before the accident. The only thing that she knew was just that her name was Kimberly Hart, she was a gymnast and before moving to Florida, she lived in Angel Grove, California. According to Ash, she loved to sing and was a pretty decent song writer.

Ash was there all the time, when she was not staying in Europe, that was, partly because he felt guilty for what'd happened. His little sister was the one who brought them to the tragic event. Kim wouldn't blame Michelle. It was her fault as well. Now their carelessness cost them Michelle's life. It wasn't worth it. It was faith and Kim was very much grateful for being given the chance to keep on living.

Her apartment in Florida could've been a great help. There were tons of pictures, letters from her friends, phonebook… she could start collecting the missing pieces.

Kim brought everything to France but again, they were all gone in the fire. Those pictures, letters and more importantly, her parents. She lost everything. Everything. She was all alone in this cruel world. She didn't know where to look for her father and as far as she knew, there's no brother or sister as well.

With the amnesia, Kim barely knew Caroline, but the mother-daughter bond was undoubtedly there. Deep down in her heart, she could feel it although in her mind Caroline was just another stranger who'd claimed herself as her mother and had been taking care of her since the accident.

If the fact that she had lost her memory hadn't bad enough, losing her mother and stepdad nearly killed her alive.

Ash flew to France and came to the funeral. He generously offered her to come with him to New Jersey. Starting over, she could say. He was three years older than Kim and at that time, a brother figure was very much appreciated. It scared her because for her, it felt like she lived in a world that was entirely brand new. She didn't know anyone and a simple glance from a person in the street could make her jump.

"I want to, but before we leave, can we go to Angel Grove first?" Kim asked Ash, somewhat politely. Even though this man had told her that they had been friends for almost two years, there's part of her that couldn't shake the feeling that he was an outsider. "Maybe there's someone who knows me. My friends…," she left the words hanging.

"If you want to, I have no problem with it," Ash shrugged.

"Thanks,"

It's too bad that the series of unfortunate events that seemed to follow her around hadn't stopped yet. They went there and as Ash suggested, headed to the local high school.

"Kimberly! It's so nice to see you again, dear," a short haired woman greeted with a big smile on her face. She walked to Kim and hugged her. Kim, who didn't have any idea who that woman could be, returned the hug a little bit awkwardly. Kim glanced at Ash to see him holding back his smile. "and this young man is…" the woman looked at Ash once she released Kim.

"Hi, my name is Ash and…,"

Ash told the woman the story. Her horrible story that she desperately wanted to forget sometimes. All the while, the woman, who she later found out was her teacher called Ms. Applebee, looked at her with shock and disbelief written all over her face.

"Oh God. I can't believe this," Ms. Applebee's eye glazed with tears. " my poor Kimberly,"

She got that quite a lot lately. When people knew about her condition they would start talking about how tragic life had been treating her. Kim appreciated their concerns but it's better if they didn't began to cry in front of her.

"I'm fine now," she tried to assure her former teacher. Ms. Applebee seemed like a very nice person. So she did go to this high school. Ash was right. "Ms. Applebee, I sort of wondering about… me. You know, my friends… where they live…someone who I can go to for me to ask about, well, me," Kim chuckled.

"Oh," Ms. Applebee's mouth formed a small 'O'. When she shook her head, Kim's hope crashing down almost immediately. "Your bestfriend, Aisha, she had left to Africa. Jason, Trini and Zack…,"

"How about Tommy," Ash cut in at the momentarily pause. Looked like Kim's friends had graduated long time ago and left this town. Kim looked up at him questioningly. He never mentioned that name before.

"Tommy's racing with his uncle now. He's remotely moving from place to place," Ms. Applebee said, looking at Kim with sad eyes.

"Who's Tommy?" Kim nudged Ash's ribs with her elbow. She sensed there's something more about this Tommy guy.

"Your boyfriend,"

"I have a boyfriend?" the way Kim talked made Ash crack a smile.

"Michelle told me about him," Ash said while Ms. Applebee nodded. "you're no longer together though," he added softly then put his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh,"

"Tommy…," Kim whispered.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing," Kim reached out her hand to turn off the radio. Silence fell over them like a downy blanket. "I didn't say anything,"

Tommy couldn't stop pacing around his living room. His hands were clenching and unclenching uncontrollably. "It can't be her. That can't be Kimberly. But it was her!" Finally giving in, he dropped his body to the lumpy couch that really needed to be changed with a new one. The kids used to complain about it all the time.

Tommy hated this feeling; the feeling of completely hopeless and clueless about things. He used to make decisions for the team, but he couldn't even thing straight right now. His eyes locked at the cordless phone on the table and without thinking, he grabbed it and pressed the speed dial for Jason's dojo.

If that was really her, that meant the person he saw two days ago was indeed Kimberly. He wasn't seeing things.

"Hello, good afternoon, Jason Scott speaking," a familiar deep voice answered after the sixth ring.

"I almost hung up, you know," Tommy said grimly.

"Who-? Tommy, is that you?"

"The one and only," Tommy leaned his head back against the back of the sofa and used his free hand to cover his eyes. "I need your help,"

"What? You're not making rangers again, right? Gosh, Tommy, wake up, you're far too old to do the job. Even I can bring you down you easily," Jason joked. His best pal here made more comebacks than anyone else he knew. He probably had a 'Once a ranger, always a ranger' banner hanging above his bed.

"Very funny, bro," Tommy smiled bitterly. "and hello to you too,"

"So, what's with the call? Not that I'm complaining,"

"I think I saw, no, met Kimberly today," Tommy said in a rush then found himself unable to stop. "hell, I knew that was her that I saw that night! It's her, Jase,"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, bro. Now, start again. Slowly," Jason added quickly.

Tommy sighed. "Two days ago, there's a guy. He said he was lost and came here to ask for instructions to get out of the woods. I thought I saw Kim inside his car,"

" My Kim?" Jason asked in disbelief.

Tommy lifted his legs and put them on the table. "Yes, your Kim,"

Jason knew right away that Tommy was not in the mood for playing any games. When he spoke again, his voice was more serious. "You know I was only joking. And then what happened today?"

"I drove to visit Trini," Tommy said in a quite voice. "then I met Kim,"

"Trini? Oh man, it was yesterday, Tommy," Jason chided, for the umpteenth times amazed at his friend's memory. Tommy might have gained that PhD but his crappy memory still lingered. "You forgot. How I'm not surprised,"

"I know it was yesterday! Something came up in the high school so I couldn't make it," Tommy replied annoyingly. He knew what must've been in Jason's mind. He's getting better now. He must, or he would lose his job.

"Cool. So you met Kim? What did she say? Is she okay?" the former red and gold ranger bombarded Tommy with endless questions. "Man, I haven't seen her for like forever. I guess none of us has. She's like, just disappeared from the earth. Believe it or not, I even considered the possibility of Kim being abducted by aliens. She attracts them, you know. Just like it always happened with Zedd,"

Tommy didn't know whether Jason was being serious or just trying to lighten up the mood. He decided to ignore it. "She smiled at me," Tommy shut his eyes. She was still the Kimberly that he remembered. She's older of course and her hair almost reached her midback now. But she's still the same old Kimberly. Beautiful.

"She smiled at you?" Jason repeated. "Wow, sorry, bro, but I never thought that she-,"

"I know, I know. That surprised me as well," With their history, that damn letter, he expected her to appear as shocked as he was when they met again. Or fainted, Tommy mused."and that disturbs me. I was too surprised to say anything, let alone came to her and say, 'Hi, Kim. Where have you been? It's me, Tommy. You still remember me, right?'… It's so lame, Jase,"

"And then? After she smiled at you then what?"

"She left," Tommy stood and walked to his kitchen. "just like that. She flashed me that little smile and left,"

"She didn't say anything? She didn't look surprised or stunned or maybe she was too surprised and stunned that she went speechless,"

"It's not like that, Jase. It's that kind of smile you will give to one of your acquaintance, to the father of your student? That kind of smile," Tommy said grugdingly. He opened a beer and took a long gulp.

"And you just stood there without doing anything?" Jason breathed. "God, Tommy, I never knew that you're that dense,"

"Enough beating up on me," Tommy growled tiredly, getting more frustated by the second. "What I have to do?"

" I can't tell you what to do, Tommy," Jason said remorsefully. "Waiting? Keep your eyes open, maybe you'll see her again and when that time arrives, you'd better not doing nothing,"

"You know another thing that bothers me? Kimberly, she, she didn't look upset. I mean, I swore to God, her eyes were dry. Trini and she were very close friends, I knew it has been years but she, I don't know, it didn't feel right,"

"Or maybe she was too upset that the tears wouldn't come out," Jason pointed out solemnly. " Wait a minute. Kim was there? How'd she know? She didn't even come to Trini's funeral back then,"

Now that Tommy came to think about it, Jason had a point there. " I don't know," he said honestly.

"Well, she has lots of explaining to do then. Good luck, Bro. I hope I could be more helpful,"

"It's okay, man. Thanks,"

"That's alright. Just call me with anything okay? Life has been pretty dull around here lately," Jason laughed good-naturedly. "and I miss her. Maybe you should contact the others, just in case they know something,"

"That's a good idea. Thanks again, Jase. Bye,"

"Bye,"

Tommy clicked off the phone and threw it to the couch beside him. His stomach emanated a loud rumble and he picked up the phone once again. Being a bachelor sucks.

:: So yeah, that's pretty much what has happened. For information, the car accident that involved Kim, it occurred after Turbo: the Movie. Thank you for reading. More will be explained in the next few chapters. Please don't forget to leave me your reviews. No Flame please. Thanks.

- Yuuri