A/N: Okay I wanted to get this to everyone early so here it is. I hope that you enjoy it.
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Tommy saw Kim and the girls making their way toward them. He noticed that the girls had their medals around their necks. Tommy couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when he saw his niece with the Gold Medal around her neck. The other girls walked over to their parents. They would ride back with them instead of the bus.
The only ones riding the bus back would be Kim, Kaylie and him. Kaylie's parents would be driving back to work before leaving out in the morning. Tommy knew that their work was important but they really needed to spend some time with their daughter when they got back. Looking at her, he knew what she must be feeling. Kim had come to him crying after one of her meets because her mother couldn't be there to watch her perform. He had held her and told her that he was there for her like he always had been.
"You coming?" Kim asked as Tommy stared blankly at her.
"What?" He asked.
"I asked are you coming." She said with a smile.
Nodding he took her hand and led her out to the waiting bus. He was there for both of them. Kaylie jumped onto the bus first causing Kim to smile. She was ready to get back as well.
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"Thank you." Kim said to the bus driver as she walked down the steps.
"You are most welcome, Ms. Hart. It is always a pleasure and congrats to your girls." He said opening the doors.
"Thank you." She said simply as he nodded and closed the doors. Kim watched as he pulled out of the parking lot.
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Tommy asked her. Spinning around to face him, she thought about his question.
"Actually, I'm free until tomorrow morning." She said as he smiled.
Grabbing her hand, he walked her over to his Jeep. Kaylie was already standing beside his Jeep waiting on them.
"Wait, what about my car?" Kim asked looking around the parking lot.
"Jason, drop it off at your house before he left." He stated as he unlocked the door and let Kaylie and Kim in before going to his side.
He pulled out of the parking lot seconds later and drove to his house. He knew what he wanted to do for them tonight and it would involve some take-out and TV. He planned for Kim to relax tonight.
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"Man, I must say this is great Chinese." Kim said as she dug into her low mein noodles. "And I know my Chinese."
"I knew that you would like it." He said grabbing some more chicken from the carton.
They ate in a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Tommy just looked around the table and had to smile. He liked the picture that he saw.
Kaylie finished up and got up to throw away her trash. "Thank you, Uncle Tommy, but I am beat so I am going to leave you two tonight." She said kissing his cheek before heading to her bedroom.
"You want to join me in the living room?" He asked as Kim nodded. Standing up she helped him clean up before joining him on the couch. "You want to tell me what you are thinking about?" He asked.
"How do you know that I am thinking about anything?" She asked leaning into his side.
"Kim, I know you." He said wrapping his arm around her.
"Okay what would you think if I was asked to coach the National Team." She stated.
"Have you?" He asked.
"Answer my questions first." She said leaning back so that she could look him in the eye.
Tommy looked down at her and smiled. "I think it's awesome. I mean this your dream." He said.
"No actually my dream was an Olympic Gold Medal and I got that. This is just a job." She clarified.
"No, it's more than that." He said. "Did they ask you to be the coach this year?" He asked looking down at her.
"Yeah." She answered quietly.
"Take it." He stated causing her to look up at him.
"What?" She asked trying to follow him.
"Take it." He said again.
"Tommy, I lost you once to gymnastics. How could you ask me to do it again?" She asked gripping his hands in hers.
"Because I saw you last year as you coached the Olympic team. You love this sport and those girls more than anyone else would. Also I am not asking you to give me up." He stated.
"You do realize that I would be away from home more to travel to the different countries." She commented.
"Yes, I do but we are older now and can deal with your travel. I let you go once and I'm not doing it again." He said as she started to cry. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing, I just realized that I love you." She said wrapping her arms around his neck.
He pulled her even closer just smiling. She had just told him that she loved him. Easing back just a little, he looked her in the eyes.
"I love you too." He said before leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. Kim was the one to take the kiss deeper.
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Kim smiled as she rolled over. She probably should've asked Tommy to take her home last night but she really didn't want to go. Turning onto her side, she just looked at the man next to her. She would tell him this morning that she had already told the National Committee that she would take the coaching job if they picked her.
She would know this afternoon if they had picked her. They had scheduled a press conference at the gym to announce who would be the new coach and to let the nation know that her gym would be the home to the National team.
It was the first year that it would be in California. She was excited to see the first practice in her gym. The National team would practice every month at her gym. Their first competition was in a month and a half. Not too much time to get ready, but the girls were the best of the best so they shouldn't need too much time.
"Morning Beautiful." Tommy muttered drawing Kim back to the present.
"Handsome." She said kissing him.
"What I wouldn't give to wake up to you every morning." He said sitting up.
"Oh I'm sure, me looking like this. You would cry mercy after two weeks." She said getting out of bed.
"I don't think so." He said watching her pick up her clothes. "Do you want to borrow some clothes?" He asked smiling.
"That would be nice." She said holding up her crumbled shirt.
Tommy groaned and rolled out of bed. He strolled over to his dresser to grab her a shirt out of the drawer. She blushed when she saw that he didn't take the time to put his boxers on. How would she survive him?
"Your cheeks are looking a little red, my dear. Should I take it that you like what you see?" He asked walking over to her.
"Thank you for the shirt." She said reaching for the shirt but he held it out of her reach.
"Answer my question." He said.
"Okay, yeah I like what I see." She said looking up at him.
"Good, that's all I wanted to hear." He said handing her the shirt.
Kim rolled her eyes and pulled the shirt on before answering. "You are mean sometimes." She said before pulling on her jeans. "I need you to take me to my house so that I can get to the gym." She stated.
"I thought that the girls have a day off since they just came back from competition." He said grabbing some clothes to put on.
"Oh they do but I don't. The National Committee would be there after lunch to announce the new coach and to welcome the girls to the gym. I want to make sure that everything looks good and is ready for their visit." She said.
"Oh you didn't tell me what you told them about coaching." He said stepping into his jeans.
"I told them that they could put my name in the hat. I won't know until they announce it later today though so I may not even get it." She explained to him.
"You will get it." He said grabbing a shirt. "Okay I will speak to Kaylie then take you home." He stated as she groaned. "What?" He asked.
"I forgot about Kaylie. How could I have spent the night with your niece in the house?" She said sitting back on the bed.
"Kim, it's alright. I'm sure Kaylie doesn't care about you spending the night since I did spend the night at your house before Nationals." He said walking over to her.
"Yeah, but she couldn't be sure that we actually slept together now she knows." She said rubbing her hand across her face. He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his.
"Kim, everything is fine." He laughed. "Now let's get you home." He said bringing her to her feet.
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Waving bye, Kim walked into her house and sighed. Hopefully, Kaylie wouldn't think anything about her being there this morning. Walking to her room, she grabbed some clothes and got in the shower. She needed to get to the gym before the others. Fifteen minutes later, she was dressed and ready to go. Jumping into her car, she made her way to the gym. It was good to be home.
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"So, I saw you taking coach home this morning." Kaylie stated as Tommy walked through the front door. He saw her sitting on the couch watching some reality show.
"Are you okay with that?" He asked coming around the couch to face her.
"Yeah I am. You both deserve happiness and she is way better than other woman you have dated." She stated happily.
"Yes she is." He sighed before walking away.
Kaylie just smiled after him. She knew that Kim was perfect for her uncle and she intended for no one to come between them this time around.
Looking at the clock, she saw that she didn't have too much time to get ready and get her uncle to take her to the gym. She wanted to be there to see who the new coach would be. She hoped that Kim would be the coach but she knew that there was a possibility that it could be anyone.
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Kim put the broom and dustpan up. She had swept the entire floor and was ready for the National Committee. Everything was set up and just waiting for them. Looking at the clock on the wall, she saw that she had a little time before anyone would be here and she knew that the beam was calling her name.
Taking off her shirt and jeans, she stood next to the beam in her pink leotard. She stretched before flipping onto the beam. It felt great to be back on it. Taking a breath, she ran through her routine that had won her the Gold in the Sydney games in 2000.
Touching the beam with her toe, she performed a perfect back handspring in tuck position. Smiling she started her dismount and landed on her feet with no step out.
"You're still the best." A voice said from behind her.
"Sam, what are you doing here?" She asked turning to face him.
"I wanted to say my congrats on four of your girls making the National Team." He said walking closer to her.
"Thank you but the girls did all the work, I just coached them." She said watching his every move.
"Now you know that you did more than that, you believed in them just like I believe in us." He said causing her to be on her guard. Apparently, he still didn't get the picture.
"Sam, I am with Tommy." She explained to him with calm tones.
"The guy that didn't come after you in high school? He doesn't really love you. I mean how can he love you with you coaching his niece?" He fired at her.
"I think it's time for you to leave." She said moving past him to grab her clothes.
"Kim, you don't know what you're saying." He said grabbing her arm as she brushed past him.
Kim didn't even think about what she was doing only acted. She moved her arm so that she grabbed his hand and flipped him over his head and onto his back.
"What was that for?" He asked from his back.
"Slashing my tires." She said.
"You can't prove that was me." He snarled jumping to his feet.
She saw the look in his eyes and finally saw what Tommy had seen. Sam was dangerous but she could handle him. Zedd and Rita's monsters had prepared her for just about anything.
"I think I just did." She commented bracing herself for the next attack.
"You will pay for that." He said coming after her again only this time she was ready for him.
It was just a shame that he had underestimated her and that he didn't know her deepest secret.
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"Now why did I have to bring you here on your day off?" Tommy asked getting out of the Jeep.
"I want to know who the new coach is and they are announcing it this afternoon." She said getting out of the Jeep as well.
"Okay whatever." Tommy said noticing a car next to Kim's. "Whose car is that?" He asked. He knew that no one would be here yet since Kim had told him that they would be here later.
"I think that's Coach Sam's, but I'm not sure why he's parked there when he normally parks around the back." She said as Tommy paused.
Sam was in there alone with Kim and that could not be good. Taking off running, he made his way into the gym and saw that Kim was standing over Sam who was lying on the floor.
"What happened?" He asked coming up beside Kim. He then noticed that Sam's nose was bloodied.
"Sam was just leaving." Kim stated as Sam nodded before standing up and walking out of the gym.
Kaylie was just walking through the door, when Sam pushed past her.
"Kim, did you have to bloody his nose?" Tommy asked as Kim smiled.
"I guess that's why you were the first Pink Ranger." Kaylie commented as Kim nodded.
Tommy sighed and just looked between them. What was he going to do with them? His first thought was to protect his Pink Crane but he had forgotten that Kim could take care of herself. He had taught her how to protect herself; he just thought that she would never need it out of uniform.
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"We would like to welcome everybody here today. You are standing in the home of the National Team where the team will practice and where the competitions will be held. We would also like to congratulate the ten ladies who made the team this year." Allison said as she paused. She was the spokeswoman for the National Committee and was a gymnast with Kim in 2000 at the Olympics.
"We are also gathered here today to reveal who the new National Team Coach is if everyone will please join me in welcoming Coach Kimberly Hart as the 2005 National Team Coach." She said as Kim made her way to the stage.
Kim had looked at Tommy when her name had been called and saw the joy in his face. She knew that she had made the right decision. She also knew that she wasn't giving up anything to take this job. Tommy wasn't letting her go.
"Thank you and I would like to say that I cannot wait to start training the ladies for their competitions and hopefully bring home more medals than in the past." Kim stated before walking back over to Tommy.
All of her girls had shown up along with the other members of the National Team. Their first practice would be tomorrow with the National Committee watching on. They would then pick the six ladies to go to their first competition in France.
The first practice was always a big deal because they girls had to get over their nerves of training with a new coach and having people watch on but she couldn't wait.
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"Kim, what really went on today with Sam?" Tommy asked as Kim stirred the pan.
"He was just trying to convince me that you were not right for me and that I should give him a chance. I handled though so no worries." Kim said looking up at him. "You taught me how, remember." She threw at him with a smile.
Tommy just shook his head. Kaylie was in the living trying to find something to watch on Kim's TV. Kim had invited them over since Tommy had her over last night. She also knew that Kaylie had not been eating that well since Tommy couldn't cook too much. The girl needed a home cooked meal every once in a while.
"So is dinner ready yet?" Kaylie asked leaning against the bar.
"Almost." Kim said as Kaylie smiled and nodded. "But we did promise to answer your questions about our past so now is the time to ask." Kim stated as Kaylie pulled out the bar stool to sit on.
"Okay well how did you get to be Power Rangers?" She asked as Kim motioned for Tommy to keep stirring.
"Well I was fourteen when Rita Repulsa was released on the moon. She began attacking the Earth and Zordon teleported myself, Jason, Trini, Zack, and Billy to the Command Center." Kim said grabbing the salad out of the fridge.
"And before you ask, Zordon was an interdimensional being from a planet called Eltar which I have no clue where that is." Kim stated before continuing.
"He explained to us about Rita and her plan to take over the Earth and then explained that he had picked us to be the Power Rangers." She said as she got out the salad dressing.
"What did you say?" Kaylie asked propping her head on her hand.
"Well we were a little surprised but sort of unbelieving too. I mean Jason was the only one who kind of took it serious. We were overwhelmed to say the least but we got a wake-up call once we left the Command Center. Rita had sent the putties, which were these gray men to attack us. We ended up having to morph to save ourselves. After that we fought monsters several days a week and kept our secret." She stated adding a little salt to the pan.
"What about Uncle Tommy? When did he come into the picture?" Kaylie asked smiling at her uncle.
"Oh he came in, in a flash of green. He was in a match against Jason and since they were both great, they ended the match in a draw. The next day at school, I got to meet him which I guessed sealed my fate. He was my knight in shining armor that day." Kim said with a smile.
"Anyway, Rita also took notice that he had beat Jason and had chosen him to be her evil ranger. It took us a week but we finally broke the spell over him and he came over to our side." She said grabbing the plates from the cabinet.
"Okay so how did he become the White Ranger?" She asked.
"Well my Green Ranger powers were not that stable after leaving Rita. After Zedd came to town, I basically destroyed them in order to stop his plan. Zordon felt that my fight wasn't over and the others needed my help so he created the White Ranger powers so that they could never be taken and used for evil." Tommy supplied as Kaylie nodded.
"Wow this is just so much to take in, I mean that you were normal teens, but underneath you were superheroes." Kaylie stated as Kim laughed.
"Well we weren't Superman or Batman but we did our best." Kim said grabbing the garlic bread out of the oven.
"No you were better because you are real." Kaylie said causing Tommy to smile at that.
He had been worried about letting Kaylie in on their secret but she would guard their secret with her life and he didn't have to worry.
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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know.