DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still not mine. Still dreaming though.

SUMMARY: Kim's in the hospital and can't feel her legs. Is it permanent or will she be walking again soon?

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this one and oceans of gratitude to those who have me on their favs list. I'm trying to wrap this one up because I have an idea already for a sequel. I think you guys will like it but we'll see.

September 25, 2001

Kim had been unconscious for almost a full three days. The vigil inside her hospital room had been rivaled only by the one for the room right next door. Jason had been put there so that the Rangers could watch over him as well.

Jason's eyes had opened to the terrible news only twenty-four hours earlier. He was still blaming himself and convinced that Tommy would blame him too. Kim was hurt and no one knew if she would be okay or not.

"Hey, Jase." 'Could that be him? Why would he come see me when Kim needs him more right now?'

Jason opened his eyes to see Tommy standing beside the bed. "What're you doing in here?"

"Had to talk to you, bro. Billy told me that you blame yourself for Kim being in that hospital bed."

"My fault. I should have double checked the door. Woke you up to be down there with us. Something."

"Stop it, man. You couldn't have known that he'd do what he did. Besides, the guy was psycho. He'd have shot us both if he thought it would have gotten him our Kim. I just hope he died quick. Otherwise, he would have terrified Kim."

"Has she woke up yet?"

Tommy shook his head. "Not yet, man. I'm just waiting in there and I needed to talk to you and tell you that this mess was NOT your fault. Now, I need you to get better quick because as much as the others try, I need my sparring partner back." Tommy chuckled. "I have this uncontrollable urge to end up in another draw with you. Winning all the time is getting a little old."

Jason laughed. "I bet. Now you know how I felt all those times you just up and disappeared on us." He got serious again. "Go back to Kim. You know how she'll be if she wakes up and you're not there."

"Okay, man. Just stop blaming yourself. You aren't the one that took out to the old Command Center and tied her to a beam." Jason would have winced at the look that crossed Tommy's face. It was a look he'd had on his face every time Kim had been in trouble when they were younger.

"I know, bro. Kim's always brought out the protective side of people. Go to her, man. She'll need you when she wakes up."

"Okay." Tommy walked back out the door. He smiled at Billy. "I think I got him straightened out."

"Thanks, Tommy." Billy clasped his friend's shoulder. "I think the doctor's in there with her right now."

Tommy walked into Kim's room and was once again struck with how tiny she looked on the bed. The doctor was leaning over her. "Doctor?"

The doctor straightened up and turned to Tommy. "Yes?"

"How is she?" He walked toward the bed.

"She's showing signs of waking up soon. She's been moving around a bit and is apparently just sleeping now. I think she's been dreaming but her dreams are restless."

Tommy smiled. "They usually are when I'm not right there." He sat down in the chair on her right and took her hand in his. "Hey, beautiful, it's time to wake up." He kissed her hand.

Kim's eyes fluttered then opened. "Hey, handsome." Her voice sounded so raspy. "Can I have some water?"

The doctor picked up a glass and got her the water she wanted. "I'll have a nurse bring in a pitcher with ice in it for you. How do you feel, Ms. Hart?"

"Worn out. I feel like I've been through ---" She didn't finish her sentence. This guy didn't know what she'd been through as a Ranger and she didn't feel right blurting it out like that. "Like I've been through hell."

Tommy smiled. He could figure out what she had been about to say. He just knew her that well.

"Oh God! Jason! He shot Jason!" She was starting to panic and Tommy wanted her to calm down.

"Kim. Kim, it's okay. Jase is in the room next door. He's been awake for almost 24 hours now. He's going to be fine. He's more worried about you than himself."

"Really? He's going to be okay?"

Tommy nodded. "Now that I told him to quit blaming himself for this." Kim nodded and smiled. That would be Jason, always blaming himself for anything that happened to his friends.

"Can I see him?" The doctor nodded.

"I'll go see if he feels up to a short visit." The doctor left the room and Tommy brushed the hair out Kim's face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tommy asked anxiously.

"I'll be okay."

"Can you feel your legs?" He realized that she probably didn't remember telling him that she couldn't feel her legs when they were in the Command Center.

Realization dawned on her. She remembered. "I can. I can feel them." She was happy. More than happy.

"I'm glad. I've been so worried. I haven't been that worried since the hospital visit you had back in '97 after Muranthias."

"What?" This was the first she had heard about this.

"When you collapsed at the tournament, Jason and I both sat by your side. After about twenty hours, he kicked me out since I didn't want you to know that I'd been there. He told me about the way you tried to keep me from knowing that you had been injured. Kim, don't ever do that to me again."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"Not his fault. I swore him to secrecy. I didn't want him to tell you about it because you seemed to have moved on and I was willing to let you go if that was what you wanted."

"I never wanted to let you go. I just didn't think you'd want me after the whole Craig incident. I kept seeing you turning away from me. At least the first several days. I kept hearing you and the others telling me that I was damaged goods; that I wasn't even fit to be an ex-Ranger." She hung her head. "I was so ashamed."

"Kim, look at me." She looked up at him. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. He forced it and that's the last I want to hear about that. You are still the beautiful young woman that I fell in love with. No one can change that."

Tears filled Kim's eyes as she realized that Tommy meant every word he said.

A knock at the door interrupted their moment. The door opened and a surprised Billy wheeled in Jason. The rest of the former Rangers crowded in behind them and everyone was suddenly talking at once.

Jason whistled and everyone went silent. "I still got it," he grinned. "Can I have a few minutes with Kim?"

Everyone else filed out of the room, promising they'd be back later. "Jason, I'm so glad that you're okay." Kim's eyes started filling with tears again and this time, they escaped down her cheeks.

"Kim, was I dreaming or did I hear you say something before Craig took you out of the dojo?"

Kim nodded. "I said, 'I'm sorry, Jase. I can't let him kill you.' Craig had told me that he'd kill you and anyone else that wandered in while we were hashing things out."

"There you go again, trying to protect everyone."

"It's one of my more endearing qualities," she defended.

"But it's also one of the more annoying qualities," Tommy chuckled. Jason added his laughter.

Kim just smiled. "No more annoying than Tommy's consistent lateness or Jason's eternal battle to convince himself that the entire world is not his responsibility."

"Guilty!" Both men were quick to admit that she was right. The three laughed.

"Jason, tell me something. That night, when you went to the cemetery, you went to see Trini. Why?" Jason went completely still.

"Trini and I were engaged. I had proposed to her the morning of the accident and she said yes. Her mom dragged her up the coast to do some planning and we were supposed to meet for dinner that night. Half an hour after the time we were supposed to meet, I got a phone call at the restaurant and left. There had been a wreck. I was the first to arrive. Trini was still alive when I got there but only barely. She died with me holding her hand and sobbing like a baby."

"Oh, Jase! I'm so sorry!" Kim was crying hard now. She had never known that her friends were going to get married. They had never had a chance to tell her.

"But do you know what she said to me while she sat there dying? She told me, 'Bring them back. Make them see.' She didn't have to tell me who she meant. She had often talked of just locking the two of you in a room until you hashed out everything." He smiled. "I'm just glad the two of you are back together. It's been hard comforting her sometimes. But now I think she's truly at peace, knowing that you two have worked things out."

"We really have." Kim looked up at Tommy. She turned back to Jason. "I wish she had been here. I really miss her."

"So do I, Kim. So do I."

September 30, 2001

Kim and Jason were released from the hospital within twenty-four hours of each other. Everyone was there even though they all had to go back to their regular lives soon. As Tanya and Adam left, Tanya hugged Kim. "I hope I'll be getting a wedding invitation soon, girl. I'm sure 'Sha feels the same way."

"I hope so too," Kim whispered as she returned the hug. "I hope so too."

After having seen everyone off at the airport, Jason, Tommy and Kim headed back to the dojo and home. "How would you guys feel about a bigger place with a gymnastics training center included?" Kim asked as they unlocked the front door of the dojo.

She just smiled as they turned to look at her.

A/N: I think that's as good a place as any to end this one. For those of you who didn't know I've got the beginning of the sequel floating around in my head and hoped to get it started soon. I have started a slightly darker fic called Bring me to Life. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think.