I'm terrible!! I know this given I started this story, wrote two chapters back to back, and then leave everyone hanging for such a LONG time! I know that was bad, I admit it freely. However, if you guys can forgive me then I can assure you to update MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY from here on out. Truth be told - a mixture of my Tommy memory (lol, I swear I'm worse than Tommy Oliver when it comes to remembering things - in other words, I genuinely forgot about the story) and boredom over the topic held me back from updating. However, I recently watched an episode and read a story of PR and my love for it has been renewed. Yay! The chapters will come and the secret will get revealed soon. Again, sorry for the delay!!
BTW - All of the reviews were awesome!
If Only He Knew - Chapter 2
"Why don't you stay with me tonight?" asked Jason as they entered the cafeteria. Kimberly, who had been engrossed heavily in staring at her petite feet walking on the white tiles, shot up to look at him as though he'd just said the most insulting thing.
"What?" he asked perplexed.
"Stay with you? Jason—"
"Not like that you nut," he laughed, shaking his head at the girl. "What I meant is that I don't understand your logic in staying at a hotel. I'm crashing at my parent's house while they're off in Japan this week and I think you should do the same. No sense in paying the money when I'm giving you free room and board."
Kimberly sighed, resuming her activity in staring at her pink flats. "Thanks for the offer, but I couldn't impose on you like that."
"Impose? Kimmie I'd love for you to stay with me. That big ol' house used to give me the creeps and it still does! Imagine what I would be like if I were there all by myself."
She laughed. She gave a full, honest laugh and Jason couldn't have been more pleased. Seeing her chortle mirthfully, the kind of laugh that reached her eyes, brought a smile to his face. She rarely smiled and when she did, the smiles usually dwindled before most could see. He loved her and knowing what happened to her...just about killed him.
Kimberly could see through him, however, knowing him the way she did. He didn't like her off alone at a time like this, especially in a place where she would be known to go: Angel Grove, the town she grew up in. Him afraid of a big ass house? Right. He just wants to babysit me, that's all.
"It's not as though something would happen to you. Even if someone did break in, I'm sure they'd regret it. They'd have their ass handed to them if they took you on," she teased.
"Kimmie, I really want you there," he admitted. "Besides, I'm sure Rocky, Zach, and a few others will end up crashing there as well. It would end up being really fun and you could reconnect with all the rangers. It would be great for all of us."
"What if Katherine shows up?" asked Kimberly, unable to hold his gaze when they spoke.
"Kim—"
"The last encounter I had with her was not a good one. You know that and I'm pretty sure she's coming, no?"
Jason, annoyed that Kimberly was correct, submitted and nodded. Katherine...the girl had made assumptions about his dear friend, ones which Kimberly still hated herself over. Sure, if Kimberly was the girl who grew up in Angel Grove, she would have let them roll right off her shoulders. She never had been one to just take something or, at the very least, not talking something out. However, after what happened before she sent the letter, Kimberly took things to heart much to easily. When Jason thought about it, it wasn't really about forgiving Katherine for her harsh treatment of her (she had, after all, been dating Tommy at the time), but rather Kim's feelings of how "true" the words were. In other words - she blames herself for what happened and feels Katherine had every right to berate her.
Poor thing.
"Kimberly, please stay with me. I'd feel better by having you close with me. You know, in case something goes down."
"I knew it. You just want to monitor everything I do," murmured Kimberly hotly. "I know you want to think of me as some silly child, but I'm fin—"
"I'm not going to be sorry for worrying over you. Now, are you going to stay with me or what?" asked Jason, stopping in the middle of the hallway to meet her eyes. Kimberly huffed, reminding him for a moment of the girl he grew up with, before she pursed her lips and nodded. "Good. Now, let's get something to eat and then you'll call the hotel to cancel the reservations."
"Where will I sleep? I don't remember your parent's house having a guest room."
"It doesn't, but I'll take their bedroom and you can take mine. Trust me, I have the best bed in the house and you're the only one I'll give it up for."
Kimberly smiled as he wrapped a friendly arm around her shoulder and then pushed forward, smelling the unappealing hospital food from behind two white doors.
0000000
Tommy returned to Billy's hospital room to find Jason and Kimberly in deep conversation with the man, laughing whole heartedly and all looking sixteen all over again. He smiled, though barely, and only suppressed it when he took the female into account.
Yes, he was being childish. He knew this - he was a scientist after all and even more, a realist - but that didn't quench his feelings on the matter. Normally he acted with more grace and maturity, a teacher and mentor to most. He regularly held a calm demeanor and sought out answers before judging something another did or said. Yet, he couldn't control himself on this occasion. Still angry over her rash and almost heartless treatment toward him, he just couldn't bring himself to behave naturally in her presence. Why do I let her get to me? Curse her for still being able to get to me. She wrote that damn letter without regard to my feelings and then just acts like it never happen. Well, I'll be damned if I let anything go unsaid.
If only he knew that the letter was written with more of her love, regarded more about his own happiness than her own...if only he knew.
"Hey guys," he greeted once he realized he'd been standing there for two minutes and still hadn't moved.
"Hey buddy," said Jason with a smile, shaking his hand once Tommy approached the bed. "Kim was just telling us about this hilarious cab ride she had while in New York. Care to join in?"
"Nah, I'm not much for traveling. I usually don't take off on people so I'm not used to using cabs, you know?"
Yeah, I know. Rather petty.
Tommy's snipe caught everyone's attention and immediately the laughter died, eyes falling on the former white ranger. Jason looked about ready to tackle his best friend while Billy just appeared flabbergasted, unsure if he'd heard right. Kim seemed heartbroken though her expression was nothing new; she always looked heartbroken these days.
"Anyway," continued Tommy lightheartedly, "I want to hear more about Billy and how you're doing in Boston. Research must be going well."
After a few seconds to regain composure, Billy began, "Yes, it's incredible really. My lab was just upgraded to fit in an entire range of moon rocks and so forth. I'm excited because..."
Tommy nodded as if on cue, acknowledging his friend, though he did notice when Kimberly got up and left the room. Alright, so maybe that was a bit childish, but she deserved it! Then, another side of his conscience spoke up, the immaturity becoming too much even for him. Okay, Doctor Oliver, get over yourself. You said it yourself - you're both adults, you can handle having a platonic relationship.
"You done?"
Tommy snapped out of his daze and met Jason's eyes, ones which were filled to the icy brim with anger.
"Yeah," murmured Tommy sheepishly.
"Good. Start acting like an adult," reprimanded Jason, turning his attention back to Billy. "I don't give a damn about your reasons for being mad and I don't care whether or not you're here for her. I do know that I'll kick your ass from here to Reefside if you ever talk like that to her again."
0000000
"Pull yourself together."
Kimberly stared at her somber reflection in the mirror, the water she'd thrown on herself mixing with the tears cascading from her eyes. The blotchy red marks marring her once pretty face gave the impression she'd walked in from a snow-day. Her hair held no life as it fell from her ponytail and strands cascaded down her flushed cheek. Kimberly appeared downright demented.
"He is just trying to get a rise out of you and crying won't help matters you big baby," she whimpered, frantically rubbing her swollen eyes with the back of her forearm. "Damn him..."
Certainly her feelings over Tommy were strong and not lessening, but that didn't mean his actions toward her weren't hurtful. If anything, having such strong feelings for him and having him treat her the way he was did even more damage to her very soul, pushing the ideas of lost hope even more.
"I shouldn't have come back here. I'm so stupid–"
"Is something wrong?"
Kimberly turned around to come face to face with a young girl wearing a blue hospital gown and lopsided pigtails. Burn scars disfigured the left side of her face and down along her neck and collarbone. Kimberly suppressed a shudder at the thought of what the poor girl must have gone through.
"No, darling, nothing is wrong," mumbled Kimberly, trying to give the girl her best smile. The small thing apparently didn't buy it.
"Are you sure? You look sad and your eyes are all red," she noted thoughtfully.
Kim looked down and away when she realized the girl caught her red-handed...or more like, red-eyed. Hastily cleaning her face with her hands already stained and wet with salty tears, she turned back to see the girl with her head cocked to the left, obviously taking Kim's appearance in and over.
"What's your name?" asked the girl, one who didn't seem any older than ten.
"Um...Kimberly. My name is Kimberly."
The brunette child smiled and held out a hand for Kimberly to shake as she introduced herself; "I'm Sara. It's nice to meet you."
Kimberly shook Sara's hand and inwardly cringed at seeing fried blisters and scalding marks all over her arm. Kimberly had a feeling that the hand she held once had beautiful olive flesh with beauty marks from wrist to elbow. She probably possessed plump, healthy cheeks which accentuated her lovely green eyes. Goodness, they look jade; the color of a deep, tropical forest. The child probably bore a body of loveliness at birth. To have it stripped from a fire seemed terribly unfair.
"You know," whispered Sara, her voice soft yet assertive, "someone like you shouldn't cry. You're far too pretty to let tears ruin your face."
Kimberly sighed, bent down on one knee, and stared up at the girl, one with wisdom well beyond her years.
"You're beautiful, you know that?"
The girl shook her head, but Kimberly had none of that. She ceased the girl's head movements by saying, "Listen to me when I say you are. If I'm pretty then so are you."
"You're not like me," muttered Sara, bitterness and woe clenching Kimberly's heart.
"I am, actually. I'm just like you," admitted Kim, the same bitterness and woe clutching her tone. "Listen, something bad happened to me and that's why I was crying. Just like you...something really bad happened to me—" she couldn't bring herself to voice the 'something'—"but that doesn't mean that the inside has changed, right? You're beautiful and you need to know that."
A light, almost floaty nature suddenly overtook Sara and she smiled brighter than when she entered. Her smile must have been contagious for even Kimberly managed one back - small, but there. Sara replied, "I have a feeling that you're right. I also have a feeling that you need to take your own advice."
Kimberly didn't respond, the girl's final words bearing far too much truth to voice words.
0000000
Kimberly reentered Billy's room to find one more new person present from when she left it...
"TRINI!"
"Hey!" shouted the former yellow ranger, running to sweep Kimberly up in a warm, friendly embrace. Kimberly reciprocated with so much force that Trini actually had to pry her arms back in order for her to let go.
"I couldn't breathe," she laughed, running a hand through Kimberly's messy hair.
"I'm sorry. I'm just so glad to see you," admitted Kim, finding the statement more truthful than she dared admit in Florida. Trini had been one of her closest girlfriends growing up, one she felt comfortable depending on, so seeing her again renewed some hope still left inside her hollow heart.
"I'm glad to see you, too. I just got in which is great since apparently everyone thought I'd bail. I spoke to Zach at around four in the morning and jetted over here as soon as I could. Since I've arrived I've been speaking with the loveable Billy here. The man is crazy for leaving his lab for this place, yeah?" teased Trini, sitting on the edge of Billy's bed and giving him a mischievous wink. Billy blushed practically down to the roots of his hair yet Trini appeared more or less oblivious to this.
"I've been missing Ernie's shakes, what can I say?" he quipped.
Everyone in the room (which at this point included Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Jason) laughed together, the tension leaving the room. Noting who surrounded them Kim realized the absence of Tommy. She wondered where he went off too, but didn't dare ask. She wasn't allowed to worry about Tommy anymore, he'd made that clear. (Probably for the best given Tommy left to call Kira, one of his current Rangers and make sure everything was on track at Reefside. He'd left his four Rangers in charge, along with Haley, but he felt terrible for doing so and slightly worried they wouldn't be able to handle everything without him.)
"So where you staying?" asked Kim hopefully.
"Where do you think? I'm catching some Z's at Jason's."
Kimberly sighed in relief, feeling grateful to have at least one female there. She loved Jason, and always would...more than just a pal, but as her brother. However, knowing someone was in the same confined location with her who didn't have a Y-chromosome somehow made her feel safer. Trini may not know her secret, but she didn't need to in order to help her.
"So are we bunking in the same bed? There is no way in hell that I'm sleeping on the couch," said Trini, a no-nonsense tone alerting the room the woman meant business. Kim nodded, secretly ecstatic to know she wouldn't be alone for the first time in years. If only they knew...no - she couldn't tell them. She'd never be able to tell them. Telling them would mean telling Tommy and she couldn't do that. She'd rather have him hate her for the letter than know the truth.
"So then who is sharing my bed?" whined Jason, eliciting another bout of laughter from the group. Billy murmured, "What am I? Chopped liver?"
Again, laughter brewed.
Kimberly could take this. Something about their mannerisms and way of making her feel home again truly allowed her to feel alive, to feel some love and friendship again.
Then Katherine entered the room.
Kimberly's laughter died instantaneously.
"Billy!" shouted the girl clad in a pink sweater and low-cut jeans, bumping into Kimberly as she passed the group. Trini turned a growl on the blonde who bent low to Billy in order to give him a sweet, simple hug. "It's so great to see you. How are you?"
"Care to explain why you bumped into my friend?" asked Trini, her temper rising faster than steam. Jason, too, stared at Katherine with slight distaste at her rude treatment of his friend.
In spite of this, Katherine continued to speak with Billy, ignoring the comments of those behind her.
"So how are you feeling? What have the doctors said?" she asked hurriedly (even with her ill-mannered treatment of Kimberly, her questions seemed genuine and sincere). Taking Billy's hand and continuing their conversation, the other previous Rangers stared at one another as if waiting for someone to speak up.
Trini finally asked, "So when are the others getting here? You know, Zach and Tommy?"
"Zach should probably be here tomorrow and Tommy is already here. He just left to make a phone call," said Jason, glancing down at his black-rimmed watch. He didn't have a particular reason for checking it other than keeping track of the time, realizing night would soon fill the sky.
"I'm just so glad to know everything is running smoothly," said Katherine sweetly, planting a kiss on Billy's forehead. She turned to face the crowd, gracing them with a stare for the first time since her arrival. She gave a quick scan from Trini to Jason to Kim, the final Ranger receiving a vicious glare. Trini had heard stories about Katherine, the Ranger who took over the position as Pink Ranger once Kimberly left to pursue her dreams. Now that I think about it, I need to talk about that with her. Screw it, I'll wait until tonight. Trini never cared for Katherine ever since she heard the nasty things she'd bellowed at Kimberly about. Where the hell did she get off saying something like that to Trini's friend? If the original Yellow Ranger had a say, she'd get a moment or two alone with Katherine to discuss the matter...there was the possibility that words might get exchanged after fists flew. Trini still had spunk and was just as feisty as she had been back when she wore the uniform of the Rangers.
"Again I'll ask this question and this time I want a damn answer, alright? Care to explain why you bumped into my friend?"
Katherine smirked, taking a look at Kimberly up and down. The original lady in pink appeared battered and ratty, two qualities nobody would have associated with the Kimberly Hart from Angel Grove High. What happened to her? thought Katherine, concern actually mounting. Katherine may act bitchy toward the girl, but that didn't mean she was completely heartless. However, the focus centered on Trini at the moment and the woman acted as though she felt prepared to bash her head into a wall.
"I didn't mean to knock into her since I was merely walking by. You know, you really shouldn't stand in the aisle way between the door and everyone's favorite man's bed. You're bound to get stepped on, yeah?"
Kimberly didn't respond, but Trini sure as hell did...
"How dare you? I don't know what's got your panties in a knot, but don't take it out on Kim."
"Ladies—"
"My panties are only in a knot because this two-timing hussy broke the heart of someone I greatly care about!" retaliated Katherine, standing to her full potential, the two women eye level to each other.
"You guys—"
"I don't give a shit whether or not you're the Creator of all mankind at this point. You ever call Kim a hussy again, or any name for that matter, I'll shove my boot so far up your—"
"TRINI! KAT!"
Billy's hoarse cry ceased the arguments between the women, both sheepishly meeting his eyes in a dual apology. He sighed and muttered, "I understand you're both pissed off at each other. Jason and I get that. Interestingly enough, however, if my assumptions are correct and I have no doubt what-so-ever that they are, you're fight regards one Kimberly Hart."
"Your point, Billy?" asked Trini.
"Only that the one in question has long since left the room," he informed the two, both looking around to realize Kimberly had indeed stepped outside.