The longest day of Kimberly's life didn't start out bad. From pampering herself all morning to look her best for her dinner with Tommy, to ruining her dress during the battle with Elsa and Zeltrax, she thought her night couldn't get any worse. After having to take poor Devin to the hospital for the wounds he received during his heroic move, Kimberly agreed to his request to not leave a very distraught Cassidy alone until her parents came to pick her up. After all, she felt partially responsible for what happened to him. So when the opportunity finally arose for her to go back to her hotel room and get some much needed sleep, she was shocked to find out it had been ransacked.
If Kimberly didn't know any better, she would have sworn up and down that a cyclone magically formed in her small hotel room. How else could she explain the unnatural state her room was left in? No human would have been able to tear it apart that much, the wood had been unrecognizable in some areas. The beige carpet was painted black from scorch marks and there was an unforgettable lingering smell of ash. Fortunately, Kimberly wasn't completely oblivious to how wicked some beings could be and she was fairly certain she knew who had been in her room. Why else would the only thing missing be the drafts from her pending article? Her heart had shattered at the state her room had been left in. It was an overwhelming feeling knowing that someone had gone through your personal belongings, she'd never felt so sick. The hotel had assured her that they would provide her a new bedroom, but she couldn't think about staying at the same hotel for the night.
No, there was only one thing she could think of that would settle her nerves.
Typically when a man gets invited into a woman's hotel room, he doesn't run away after five minutes of being inside. If he does, that usually ends the night. The woman doesn't see the fleeing man again, especially again that same night, but Kimberly wasn't a normal woman, and the guy wasn't a normal man. So after Tommy Oliver left her with little to no explanation, and the craziness that ensued afterwards, you would think he would be the last person she would want to see. Wrong. Even through all the years and the heartache that she caused the both of them, there was no one she could trust more to be there for her when she needed them than Tommy. Even after all this time.
So that brought her to this moment as she sat hypnotized by the fire in Tommy's living room. Her hair was wet and hanging over her left shoulder. The relaxing shower she took moments ago helped easy the tension. She was swimming in his oversized olive green shirt that he let her wear. Her only clean item of clothing was a pair of satin pajama shorts that were hidden under the long length of his T-shirt.
His home was inviting, or as inviting as dinosaur sculptures and wall art could get, but she like it. It screamed Tommy. She couldn't deny the fact that it needed a woman's touch though.
The fire crackled calmly, causing some form of comfort. Tucking her legs under herself, she snuggled closer to the soft blanket Tommy had given her moments earlier. She breathed the fabric in, taking in the familiar fresh scent. It smelled just like he did in high school, no doubt his mother helped him pick that out.
Tommy entered his living room, being cautious to not step so loudly on his hardwood floor. He watched Kimberly tenderly, her eyes fixed to the fire. The heat radiating from his fireplace engulfed the room, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Everything Kimberly needed right now.
He hated that she had been put in this position, and couldn't get over the fact that he was partially to blame. When he arrived at the hotel, Kimberly was visibly shaken. Her nose was tinted pink, her eyes glazed with moisture. He'd never seeing her like that, and he hoped he wouldn't again. There was a pungent odor of dread reeking the halls. Tommy had never been the best at consoling anyone, so when he saw that Kimberly was in desperate need of it, he wasn't sure what was appropriate. Fortunately for him, Kimberly led the way. They sat in the lobby for a few moments as the Reefside Police Department made their final rounds around the hotel and gathered further evidence. Her head rested on Tommy's shoulder while he wrapped a soothing arm around her. He didn't speak, allowing Kimberly those moments to herself to work on settling her racing heart beat. He almost wished he was as intuitive as he had been as his alter ego. The black ranger seemed to know how to take control of a situation while Tommy remained oblivious.
He wasn't sure if he was doing things right, but it seemed to be working. Her stiff posture had relaxed and become fluid. Her features had slowly returned to their normal state, her skin was no longer pasty white. In all honesty, Tommy wasn't sure if it was his presence that had her calming down or the gun equipped policemen and women that were roaming the halls of the Royal Reefside Hotel.
Either way he knew one thing, they weren't going to stay there the whole night. And for that simple fact, Tommy couldn't leave comfortably knowing that she could still be in danger. His place was the best and safest location, even if she didn't know it yet. There was a cloak around his house, shielding it away from anyone or any thing that could try and break into the lab in the basement.
He partially had Ethan and Conners break in to thank for that. Up until then he hadn't realized how easily accessible his address had been.
Tommy cleared his throat softly before entering the room, informing her of his presence.
"Guest room is ready, clothes are in the dryer, and I was able to scavenge this Earl Grey tea from the back of my cabinet. My mom must have left it there," he smirked, extending his arms to hand her the warm tea cup.
She smiled at his hospitality. Tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear, she accepted the contents.
"Thank you, Tommy... for everything."
He nodded, burying his hands in his pocket. The corner of his lips turned down when he caught her downcast eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
She took a sip of the warm herbal liquid, allowing it to trickle down her throat soothingly. Tommy swallowed hard when he caught her tongue glide across her bottom lip, catching any stray droplets. Placing the cup down on the coffee table, she moved the blanket beside her and cleared a warm space for Tommy to sit to her right.
She remained silent for a moment as he took his spot on the couch with her. Shifting to face him, she propped her elbow on the back of the couch and rested her head on the back of her hand.
"I'm shaken, honestly. I feel so violated."
"After everything you told me, I'm not surprised. It sounds like you've had quite the night."
She shook her head and smiled at how ludicrous it all was. "Tell me about it."
"Any clue as to who went through your room?"
Silence settled between them, and she could feel his eyes pinned to her as she took another sip of her tea. The heat from his gaze had her subconsciously shifting in her seat as she fought to understand why it was making her so nervous. "The police said they're going to gather evidence, but it didn't take me more than two seconds to realize who had been in there."
Her long lashes batted closed momentarily, the memory of Elsa and Zeltrax replaying behind her eyelids. If she tried hard enough, she could almost visualize them running their dirty hands over her room, destroying everything in their path as they laugh maniacally.
Noting her somber demeanor, Tommy reached over to take her hand in his, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. There was an instant spark felt on his end that ignited something within him.
Gently, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," she smiled halfheartedly, "but I learned long ago that keeping things inside does no good."
He nodded before sighing calmly.
"Who's after you, Kim?"
Maybe it wasn't the best decision to try and pry information out of Kimberly when he knew exactly what had happened to her moments ago. He also had a very good idea who exactly she was referring to, but the why was still hanging over his head. Nevertheless, she had a wild night. Right now was not the time to reveal all he did know to her or the spandex covered reason as to why he knew.
Tomorrow.
She turned her attention back to the fire, her hand slipping away from his as she did so.
Instantly, he longed for her touch again.
Her lip was gently tucked between her teeth. "Someone that doesn't want me digging around for information anymore."
As far as he knew she was working on an article for the Rangers to help them. The Rangers weren't digging around her room for information, so why would Elsa and Zeltrax? Unless she didn't tell him everything she was working on earlier today.
"What'd you find out?"
She stirred in her seat. Was this really the smartest thing to do? To get him involved too?
Tommy noticed Kimberly battling herself inside. She was hiding something.
"What's wrong?"
She opened her mouth several times, but just couldn't find the right words. "I just... I don't want you to get involved in case someone is after me."
She worried for his safety. That was pretty kind of her. Tommy playfully shoved Kimberly with his shoulder. "Are you being overly protective, Ms. Hart?"
"Learned from the best, Dr. Oliver," she said lightly, receiving a smile in return.
"Come on, tell me what's going on."
"This is to not leave this house."
"We'll keep the ranger business between rangers."
"Former rangers," she countered and he gulped at the slip up.
"Right."
She sighed in defeat, her eyes shut tightly when she spoke. "Well, I think the Power Rangers are being set up."
"Set up?" He shook his head to make sure he heard her right. "Why do you think that?"
"Well, I went to go see the mayor on Friday, but he wasn't there. Then I saw Anton Mercer come out and he was acting strange. Really strange, like, talking to himself. I followed him and I saw him go into this weird portal looking thing. I didn't know what it was, but then I saw Elsa and Zeltrax go into one today... It was the same one."
Now that's a red flag.
"They're working together, I know it."
That made no sense. Anton Mercer was a good man. He'd worked so hard to better the planet. Why would he try and do the opposite?
"I just— I've know him for years. He's weird at times, but he's not evil."
"I know what I saw, Tommy."
Who was he to challenge Kimberly's own two eyes? If she said she saw him then he had no choice but to believe her. This was definitely something he had to speak to Trent about. Maybe he knew something and he hasn't been sharing. Anton had been acting stranger than usual lately.
"I've been trying to get a meeting with the mayor since before I left Miami, but he's been unreachable. I'm hoping I can get one by the end of this week. He's the only thing holding me back right now."
"Kim, promise me you won't go to that meeting alone," he said seriously.
Same old Tommy Oliver.
"My, my, look who's being over protective now."
"Alright, so sue me," he rolled his eyes cutely. "I still care about you, Kim. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I can take care of myself. You should have seen me earlier today kicking ass right next to the black ranger," she snickered, a light shade of pink flushing her face from her earlier memory.
That little nod didn't go unnoticed by Tommy for one minute. He dipped his head as he searched her gaze.
"Oh my God, you just blushed!"
"What? No I didn't!" She whipped her head to face him sharply.
"Yes, you did!"
"Shut up, Tommy," she shook her head and then playfully swatted his arm. "You're just jealous that for the first time, I'm not falling for you."
His brow raised knowingly. "Is that so? Kimberly Hart, falling for the black ranger. I'll be sure to tell Zack," he taunted.
Her face dropped that second. She didn't realize that just the simple mention of her old friend could create such sadness.
The black Rangers smile faded, "You okay?"
"Yeah," she waved her hand dismissively, "I'm just... I miss him.. All of them, really."
"They miss you, too, you know."
She smiled but it never quite reached her eyes. "Yeah... It's just been so long."
"They're only a phone call away," he said simply.
"That phone may as well weigh a ton because it's so hard to pick up," she sighed. "I shut them out of my life a long time ago."
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"
"It's a long messy story." Kimberly fiddled with her fingers in her lap, her head dropping.
"Hey," he tipped her chin up lightly, "I'm all ears."
She turned again, her chin slipping gently from his fingers. Her bottom lip was sucked inside her mouth. Where to even begin?
"Tommy, what happened in Muranthias freaked me the fuck out. And I mean petrified me."
She refused to look at him, knowing that if she did, there would be nothing by guilt on his face.
She would be right.
"Kim—"
"I couldn't look at you guys without remembering how I was lowered into that pit," she continued softly.
That mental image was one that he couldn't get out of his head even now. He didn't get the chance to speak to Kimberly after the tournament. She had mysteriously vanished by the time that he had left the ring, and throughout her week long stay she had been unreachable. Katherine had stepped up when he confided in her how guilty he felt about what happened to Jason and Kimberly. She coached him through it, but it was the first time in his ranger career where he thought he had failed.
"I-I'm so sorry, Kim. I wish I would have gotten to you."
"It wasn't your fault, you were outnumbered," she told him and that didn't do much to ease his guilt.
"Divatox was insane, but you saved us either way."
There was a pause and Tommy held his breath anxiously awaiting what she would say next.
"What we nearly did to you guys. The anger I felt when I saw you and Katherine," she shook her head, the chilling memory flooding back to her. "I zeroed in on her with no regards to her safety. I wanted her on the floor, begging me for mercy... i-it was overwhelming. Not having control over your emotions— your body. I don't know how far I would have gone if you hadn't stopped me."
"I hope you know that Katherine never blamed you for what you did," he told her and she returned a half smile.
The next couple of words were ones that she hadn't spoken out loud herself before.
"And then there was Trini," she paused and Tommy grew even more curious than he had been before.
"She was the only one I stayed in constant contact with. I talked to Jason, Billy, and Zack occasionally, but the bond I had with her was stronger. We were more than best friends, we were sisters," Kimberly smiled weakly. "She was visiting me in Florida when we both got the call from Wes."
Tommy's forehead furrowed, "The time force ranger?"
Kimberly nodded.
"He wanted us to help him battle Ransik, basically his Lord Zedd. Trini was such an adventurous little thing that she agreed to it right on the spot. I mean, you remember how fearless she was. She could never turn anyone down when they needed help," Kimberly smiled fondly before she turned serious. "I, on the other hand, wasn't so willing to go back to that world. After Muranthias, I wanted no part of the ranger life. I remember her trying her best to convince me to go, that we were two peas in a pod and that she couldn't do it without me. Through everything I still said no and that haunts everyday." Kimberly could feel the lump in her throat building, her eyes slowly swelling with tears.
"She went without me and..." She couldn't get the words to leave her mouth. She knew what happened, but saying what Ransik actually did to her sister made her physically ill.
"Kim," Tommy spoke softly. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her strength to continue.
"I keep thinking that if I would have been there then I could have done something, helped her— or I don't know," Kimberly sniffled through every couple of words. This was the first time she's ever opened up about this. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think that it should have been me instead of her because she was the best, and she was perfect, and amazing, and she didn't deserve to go," her head turned sharply to hide the tears that were spilling freely from his view.
His stomach churned at the thought of losing Kimberly and how deeply Trini's death impacted her. He was heartbroken to learn the real reason for Trini's passing, he doubted anyone else knew. Not even Jason.
"I had no idea that happened. I... Well, we were told that there was a car accident—"
"They couldn't exactly tell her parents she was brutally murdered while stuck in a time loop, could they?" She shook her head in fury, "The intergalactic council agreed to cover it up. I know the truth because I confronted Wes and he confessed everything to me."
If there was one thing she hated the most it would be that Trini's death was swept under the rug and hidden. She gave her life for the world and she was repaid with no honor. Forgotten. Just the thought of that had Kimberly's blood boiling again. What's the use of having such a large platform if she can't even expose the intergalactic council for what they did to her sister? She should have been awarded the highest of honors, but instead they retracted and erased any of the valiant things she did to protect the time continuum.
It was important to keep the news from the world, but to hide it from the Rangers, even if they were retired, was ridiculous. It served no purpose. They deserved to know what happened to their former teammate. If anyone, Jason should have at least been told. They... They had been working on building something together— a life. A life that was ripped from her.
"Kim, I know this feels like it's resting heavily on your shoulders, but it's not your fault."
He didn't know how else to make that clearer, but it was something she had to believe. It was an accident and there was nothing that she could have done.
"Tommy—"
"No, listen to me. A few years ago, I was working at this dig site with a colleague named Smitty. It was a huge honor to get the opportunity to go to this site and it was a bigger honor having it led by Anton Mercer."
"As in—"
"As in the weirdo," he chuckled and then turned serious returning to his story. "Anyway, I was scheduled to work in the lab every Friday, but when I woke up that morning I knew something special was going to happen down at the dig site. I convinced Smitty to take my place at the lab and I took his place at the dig. I didn't realize that I signed his death certificate that moment. There was an accident that day back at the lab and the whole island just blew up. I tried finding Smitty, but I couldn't. I was barely able to get out of that island alive. Few survived. I actually thought Anton Mercer went down with the island as well until just recently. I blamed myself a lot for what happened to Smitty. It's honestly something I struggle with to this day, but I know deep down that it's not my fault. You need to realize that too."
They had more in common than she thought. Just sharing their news with each other taught her how long ten years really was. It was practically a whole lifetime. Just the thought of Tommy being put in a life threatening situation had her stomach in knots. She would have been devastated if anything happened to him, even when all this occurred years ago. Sure they weren't speaking back then, but it didn't mean she still didn't care for him and his safety.
"It's hard."
"I know," he nodded, "but you will get through this."
Her breathing was the only thing heard in the room as a silence grew between them. She was still battling herself deep within and that wasn't something that would get resolved overnight no matter how badly she wanted it to.
Breaking the silence, she spoke softly, "Do you think it's our destiny to get wrapped up in the ranger business?"
"What do you mean?"
He wasn't following.
"I just can't seem to get away from this life. It finds me no matter where I hide. I just feel like I'm destined to live this life over and over again."
"You don't want anything to do with Rangers," he asked warily
"I don't know," she shrugged. "There was a part of me that loved it and then feared it and now I'm both. I feel like I've been so lucky these last few years that I still have my life. I'm excited that I'm finding the thrill of it again, but it's drowned out by the possibility that if I continue being a part of this, I won't be so lucky anymore."
Now that changed everything. Jason was right, she didn't want anything to do with the ranger world. If he confessed everything right now, would she reject him? This ranger business was a huge part of his life, he couldn't hide it from her— he wouldn't. It's what ruined his chances with Heather in the first place, and although he didn't particularly care about that relationship, it was a glimpse of how things would end with the other person left in the dark. He wouldn't take that chance with Kimberly no matter what. She had to know, but maybe right this moment wasn't the time.
"I'm sorry for pushing them away— for pushing you away, but in doing so I was able to live a life of normalcy. I don't know how you do it, Tommy," she sighed lightly, gazing into the fire. "I guess being a boring science teacher lets you live a quiet life, huh?"
He wished.
"Hey, my life hasn't always been quiet. Did I tell you about the time we had a red ranger mission on the moon?"
Kimberly turned her head in surprise. She shifted herself closer to him. Okay, this she had to hear.
Blinking awake, Tommy was surrounded by a shield of warmth that appeared all too foreign yet familiar. It took him mere seconds to realize he and Kimberly had indeed fallen asleep on the couch and that their legs were now a tangled mess of limbs. Her soft breathing tickled his ear while her full lips hovered over the sensitive pulse on his neck. How they got in this position, he didn't know. Where in the night did they go from laughing about their younger years to holding her so... Intimately? Their conversation had taken a lighter turn after everything came out into the open regarding Trini and Smitty. After the night they both had, it was refreshing. There was not so subtle flirting and some lingering touches, but nothing that moved them further than they had been all night. Not until this moment that is.
His arms instinctively pulled her tighter to his beating chest, never once hesitating. Kimberly's touch was something he hadn't felt in years and up until this moment, he wasn't sure he remembered what it felt like. But soon enough every memory came flooding back in and he was instantly reverted back to when he knew every crevice of her being.
He couldn't will himself to stop from re exploring what he once knew so well. With Kimberly tucked safely to his chest, he moved his right hand to her arm and slowly guided it down the curve of her waist. It was the only way that his mind allowed this moment to be real. The only way he knew she was safe in the confinements of his arms.
Unbeknownst to Tommy, Kimberly had woken up moments before him and had allowed herself to bask in the protective warmth within his arms. She didn't know why this felt so right or why she was willingly going along with it, but being with Tommy was never something she ever had to give too much thought to. It was something that always came naturally. She inched herself closer, nestling her face deeper into the intoxicating scent of his body wash on his neck.
The 28-year-old was reverted to 18 in Tommy's arms and if it wasn't for the mystery surrounding him, she was sure she wouldn't let him go.
She didn't know how she had allowed the years go by without ever once reaching out to him. Her fears had gotten the best of her and she allowed them to rule her world. Pushing the people she once loved and cared for to the farthest region of the universe. Her muscles trembled lightly beneath the soft tips of his fingers trailing down her body, gliding like butter. The memory of the last time he ever held her like this crashing back to her in a nostalgic tsunami.
And just like that Christmas morning in 1995, she could smell the freshly baked gingerbread cookies, the fresh pine on the Christmas tree, the charred remains of the fire they fed all night in his uncles cabin. The oak paneled walls ran through the quaint cabin, the antique furniture gave warmth from the cold outside. After being apart for months, they allowed their teenage hormones to run freely and express how deeply they had missed each other. She shivered from the memory of how she nestled between his legs on the amber colored plaid couch as he hovered over her, actively drinking from her lips as they allowed themselves to kiss more passionately than they ever had before.
The fire roared in the fireplace, echoing the one growing between them. His lips drifted to the freckle by her ear, placing tender kisses there before moving to explore her neck, tasting the salt on her neck as he sucked on her pulse. He had found the courage to move his hands down her body as had she, exploring each other for the first time. She clutched his muscles beneath his shirt as his hands trailed up her dress. Her fingertips melted as she touched his chiseled physique as his did when they ran up the underside of her bare thigh. They elicited low shaky moans at their contact, rejoicing at this new found pleasure.
They were on the verge of crossing a major milestone before reality and maturity hit them like a bucket of cold water. She recalled the blush and subtle laugh between the two of them before they halted and moved back to what they knew so well instead. They weren't ready at the time, but she wished they had been. Even now she wished she would have foregone maturity and allowed their night to cumulate into one of infinite passion.
Nevertheless, what did happen was something she would never complain about as the taste of his lips on hers from their all night make out session was one she still couldn't forget even ten years later. Still, knowing now that in a few months time she would have coldly broken his heart, she wished they would have had that one memory to look back on forever.
"How long have you been awake?" Tommy mumbled into her ear. He stole glances around his living room through the flickering light. His arms remained tightly around Kimberly, never once budging.
She gulped. Of course he would catch her being awake.
"Long enough to know that you were getting kind of handsy," she teased as she poked his side, receiving a quiet snicker from him in return.
Okay, busted! Think quickly so I don't come out looking like a total creep.
"You were cold," he stuttered, "I was trying to keep you warm."
Seems plausible.
He smiled sheepishly. She didn't buy it, but she also didn't care. Somehow being with him, even after all this time felt like she never left. She still fit in his arms like she did years ago, if anything, she fit better. He had grown in all the right places.
"Hey, I'm not complaining," she chuckled. Stirring beside him, she asked groggily, "Mmm, what time is it."
Rubbing his tired eyes, he shook his head. It was still pretty dark outside, and the fire didn't seem to have gone down that much.
"If I had to guess, I'd say three." He turned to face her, locking eyes with her for the first time since being awake, "Sleep okay?"
"Yes," she sat up slowly, stretching her arms over her head. She smiled at him laying beside her until it quickly turned into a frown seeing a discoloration on his gray T-shirt.
"Tommy, you're bleeding."
He followed her eyes to his chest and noted the red stain oozing from underneath his shirt.
Shit.
He lifted the slightly damp spot on his shirt, pealing it from his skin.
"Oh, it's nothing."
Kimberly shook her head adamantly, "It doesn't look like nothing. Let me see."
He threw her a uncertain glare, but Kimberly paid no attention to it.
"Come on, take off your shirt," she said innocently.
As the last word fled her lip, she could feel moisture building up in her palms.
Great, at first it seemed like I was trying to get him drunk, and now it seems like I want to get him undressed.
He gulped at her request, locking eyes with the brunette woman that was slowly settling into his heart once again. Releasing a shaky breath, he tugged at the back of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head.
Why the hell was he so nervous? It's not like he hasn't been shirtless in front of her before.
He fought himself internally. There was no reason why she would still have this effect on him. He thought that what they had had been gone for years, but truthfully he knew it had only been simmering below the surface, waiting for a fire to bring it up to boiling.
Fire creating the perfect ambiance, check; Alcohol, check; A shirtless Tommy, check, check; Self-control, quickly waning! That seems like the perfect recipe for a disaster.
Her mouth went dry at the sight of his defined body once again. And she thought he was ripped before... The years definitely had been good to him.
Clearing her throat to regain her sanity, she proceeded to lightly touch the hard bruised muscle below the bandage on his left pectoral.
"Anything else hurt," she asked through a shaky breath. Her fingers continued to ghost over his chest, the tips of her fingers faintly making contact with his soft skin.
Her pulse raced, the rhythmic drumming of her heart pounding away in her ear.
He gulped, her touch was like fire, spreading though him uncontrollably.
"No," his voice nearly cracked.
She moved from him, needing to create distance before she did something she wasn't so sure would be a great idea. "Do you have a first aid kit?"
"Yeah," he nodded as he watched her get up. He pointed down the hall, "Um, cabinet under the sink in the bathroom."
She was thankful for the space, her knees quaked lightly like she knew they would. He'd always had this affect on her, but she never understood why. Or why it was still happening.
She reached the bathroom and splashed water on her face, cleansing her mind.
This is crazy, it's Tommy! Think clearly, Hart.
She moved her hands up and down her arms, recalling what it felt like to be tucked into his chest. The safety he provided, the warmth he emitted. She loved that. The last time she felt that was... Well, earlier today with the black ranger.
The black ranger.
She shook her head roughly.
Okay, now that's crazy! I don't even know who he is.
Taking in her reflection in the mirror, she chuckled quietly. There was no way that she could be torn between Tommy and the black ranger. It was crazy... Stupid!
The black ranger was a thrill, nothing more. Sure he had her heart skipping, but that was insane. He wasn't really real. She was drawn to the mystery or so she was telling herself.
Tommy... He was real, but the thought of being tangled in that web was frightening. But what was even more frightening was the possibility that he never really got over what she did to him all those years ago. She didn't believe in giving lying cheaters second chances, so why should he?
On the other hand, he was really something special. And if she wasn't mistaken, he seemed to want things just as much as she did. She groaned quietly in exasperation.
Again, ridiculous! I'm blinded by the physical attraction. He's hot, so what? It's not like I haven't been around ridiculously good looking people before.There's nothing going on between us two. It's all in my head.
Sighing heavily, she nodded at her reflection and reached for the kit under the sink and the clean bowl that sat beside it. After filling up the bowl with lukewarm water, she carefully walked back to Tommy in the living room.
His right hand was tucked behind his head as he waited for Kimberly to return.
She smirked. "You look comfortable."
He turned sharply, taking her in for a moment after the few minutes since she had been gone. His long shirt draped over her, and her shorts were short enough to give the illusion that she wasn't wearing anything but his shirt. His throat nearly closed at that thought. The fire served as the perfect lightning, she looked beautiful. He didn't realize that seeing her wear his color would elicit such a strong reaction from him.
"I am," he nodded as he fixed himself on the love seat.
She set the kit and the warm bowl on the coffee table before she sat back on the couch. They sat face to face, his left leg tucked beneath him and the other dangling off the couch while she sat on her feet.
Carefully, she worked to peel the soaked bandage off Tommy's chest.
Her eyes widened at the large gash.
How the hell did he get that?
Placing the old bandage on the coffee table, she grabbed the bowl and a clean sponge from the kit.
She dipped the clean sponge into the warm water, expressing the excess liquid until it was just damp enough. Being careful to be as gentle as possible, she trailed the sponge lightly to remove the blood residue on Tommy's chest. Her finger tips danced on his skin accidentally, sending goosebumps up and down his arms.
He remained mesmerized by her, his eyes trained to the beauty she radiated. Kimberly's head was dipped as she worked to clean him up as best as she could, her hair falling to her face by gravity.
She blew her fringe away from her face, but she failed in doing so. She ignored the inconvenience, not wanting to dirty her clean hands.
Swallowing hard, Tommy moved his free hand over to Kimberly, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear like he used to do when they were younger.
Her eyes lifted in surprise, catching his in the process. As quickly as they went up, she dropped them back to his chest.
His hands lingered, as he continued to stare at her. She smiled when she felt his smooth fingers run down the side of her cheek and jaw until they fell to his side.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"No, Thank you," he returned.
If he kissed her, would she let him? Better yet, if he kissed her, would he be able to stop?
Being with Kimberly again felt just so natural to him. He didn't have to be anything but himself. Sure he was withholding one large truth, but it wasn't something he planned on keeping much longer. If he was being honest with himself, he could see himself with her in the future. Sure he'd only spent a few short hours with her, but in those few hours he felt they made up for those ten years apart. What they were sharing now ran deeper than anything they ever shared before, at least emotionally.
This woman that Kimberly grew to be was extraordinary. Their past was left there; she'd grown, matured into this vivacious woman that was slowly reclaiming her place in his heart. The only thing holding him back was the very rational fear of her rejection. And the possibility that her heart wasn't fully with him because the black ranger held the rest. Was he really fighting with himself? That could change with his admission, it would change.
He didn't want to rush into anything with her. He just wanted to live in the now. Begin a friendship with her like he was doing now and if it's in the cards, they'd naturally progress into something more. If not... Well then it wasn't meant to be.
Kimberly fidgeted in her seat, she could feel his eyes still pinned on her. Although it didn't make her uncomfortable, she was wondering why he wouldn't take his eyes off her.
She blushed lightly and she was sure he was seeing it.
"What," she spoke softly, breaking the short silence. She nearly gasped when she looked up and saw the sweetest smile she had ever seen. There was so much behind it.
He shook his head. Turning serious, he replied honestly, "I've missed you."
Dropping her hand, she paused. That's exactly what he had said their last Christmas together that led them to their all night make out session, and suddenly she had all those old feeling stirring up again. Only this time she knew that she would not stop there.
Those three simple words filled her with such warmth. She never knew they could mean so much to her. She stayed quiet for a moment as she tried to come up with something that was equally as meaningful.
Finally, she settled for the truth.
"I've missed you, too," she answered sincerely, causing his heart to leap, "but hey now that we found each other, we're not going to go another ten years without talking, right?"
"Of course," he nodded.
"Good. So, are you gonna tell me how you got this," she smirked.
Uh-oh! Think, Oliver, think!
"Umm, glass fell on me while I was cleaning the attic last week."
What? Sure, like she's going to believe that.
"Really? It looks like a pretty clean cut. Fresh, too." She eyed him skeptically.
"It's okay if you don't want to tell me the truth. Just know that I am an investigative journalist. Once I get this ranger article written I may come over here for my next mystery," she winked. "So, how are your parents?"
"Good," he nodded. "They just retired so they're traveling all over the place right now."
"That's nice," she smiled genuinely.
"Yeah."
"Are they still just as zany as ever?"
"Yeah, my dad keeps hounding me for grandkids." Tommy shook his head at his fathers ideas. He always came up with something ridiculous. "He's taking bets to see if they'll come out looking like him. He says the Oliver gene is strong. I keep having to remind him that I'm adopted."
Kimberly burst into a fit of laughter with Tommy joining from how contagious it was. Simple. Being with Kimberly was simple.
Once the laughter had subsided, Kimberly continued, "Your mom hounding you for grandkids too?"
Not nearly as much.
"Nah, she wants to see me settle down first. My dad apparently doesn't care or understand order. Can't exactly have kids if I haven't met anyone."
Maybe that'll change.
He chuckled lightly before the pain from his wound shot through him like a bullet. His hand moved out on its own, squeezing Kimberly's bare thigh for support from the pain.
His teeth gritted together as he winced from the injury throbbing in his chest.
Kimberly grimaced apologetically, feeling horrible for causing him more pain. There wasn't much she could do though, she needed to get his wound clean. She continued working on his laceration, gently moving the wet sponge.
His eyes were shut as he worked to rid himself of the pain, his hand moved gradually back and forth on Kimberly's soft skin. He hadn't even realized what he had been doing and Kimberly was too focused on her task that she hadn't even noticed.
'Mmm,' he hummed internally. His hands were swimming in a blanket of softness. Kimberly's skin was like warm silk, the feel of her burning his senses. Why did this feel so good? Why did she feel so good?
Reality hit Tommy like a ton of bricks. His eyes shot open, lips parted soon after.
What the hell was he doing?
His gaze fell to his hands that were still mindlessly rubbing her down.
"I'm sorry." He retracted his hands immediately, pulling them away from her as if her very skin was a burner that had been left on.
"It's okay," she giggled as his face flushed in embarrassment. She nudged him with her elbow playfully, "It's nothing you haven't touched before."
Okay, if he wasn't sweating before, he was now.
She snickered at his response, she always knew just what to say to get to him. Grabbing some new gauze from the Med Kit, she began unwrapping it from its package.
Her eyes narrowed, as she began began covering his clean wound.
"Well," her nose wrinkled while she finished applying the fresh gauze, "I think that will do for the night, but I'm going to say you're going to need to get that checked out."
Tommy appraised his new bandage, giving her an appreciative smile as compensation, "Hey, you could be a doctor."
"Psh, yeah right," she snickered, rolling her eyes playfully.
"Maybe you're right," his nose wrinkled, getting a gentle swat in the arm in return.
He reached over to her hand, placing a gentle kiss to the top of it. "Thank you."
Suddenly, for the real first time that night, Kimberly felt something. It was certainty... About him. But how? Why now? Just moments before she was sure that there was nothing there besides the obvious physical attraction, but now she knew there was more, and that scared her just as bad as being back in spandex. She could feel her self control losing its battle second by second and if she didn't move fast, she knew she'd jump on him, tearing his new bandage right off.
Retracting her hand back, she told him quickly, "Well, I'm kind of tired. I think I'm gonna head upstairs."
"Yeah, me too. I'm just gonna put out the fire," he muttered awkwardly.
Tommy had never been the best at hiding his emotions, he wore them on his sleeve most days. Sure he tried to give off this macho exterior, but he couldn't hide them from her. Maybe she just knew him too well. When he said or did something, it had meaning behind it. Always.
She stopped in her tracks and spun gracefully to face him. Placing a gentle hand on his arm, she softly said, "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah."
"Goodnight, Tommy." She resisted the huge urge to give him a kiss on the cheek, not having enough faith in herself to not act on what her body desperately wanted.
Tomorrow would be another day and sleep would definitely clear her mind, allowing for rational and responsible actions. Truthfully, she didn't know if the wine from earlier was still in her system, and if the slight buzz was altering any type of coherent thinking. She was doubtful, but didn't want anything to happen when she couldn't really trust if she was thinking for herself or not.
As Tommy watched Kimberly ascend the stairs, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. Maybe that small kiss at the end wasn't the best, but it was more innocent than anything else they had done that night, at least he thought so anyway. Stealing a glance at the outline of his trapdoor that led to the lab in his living room, he sighed.
Tomorrow would be a big day for him.
Author note: Gah, can I just say that I've been waiting for this chapter since chapter 1! This whole story was born with this and the next couple of chapters in mind and I'm so glad I am now able to finally get to writing them. Writing about what had Kimberly so scared was very important for this whole story to work. Trini losing her life during battle had Kimberly afraid to be around the Rangers, and that caused a loss of contact with everyone. I hinted about it throughout the last 9 chapters, but I'm not sure if some of you picked up on it. Now we have confirmation. This also brings us to Tommy and his guilt over what happened to Smitty, and they kind of have this heavy weight on their shoulders that no one else can relate to besides them. And I threw in some hormone infused teenage Tommy and Kim flashback to satisfy those who I know want to see some action between them, lol. Anyway, please let me know what you guys think in the form of a review or PM. It honestly always makes my day, but I'm especially curious about what you guys think of this chapter. I'll see you guys in my next chapter!