Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Power Rangers just the ones I make up in the story.

Chapter 16: Kim Comes Home

Angel Grove Community Hospital, Angel Grove

December 29, 1996

12:30 pm

Tommy was looking into Kim's room from the window outside her room. She was sitting in a wheelchair with Luca in her lap, Luca playing with a toy that his Grandma Jan got him for an early Christmas present. They were planning on celebrating Christmas on New Years Eve, since there was no way that Tommy was going to celebrate Christmas without Kim and Luca, since this Christmas was Luca's first.

Just then Jan came up to him.

"I know what you're thinking Thomas so don't do it," Jan said.

"Thinking about what?" Tommy asked.

"You're thinking about asking Kim to marry you, aren't you?"

"How did you know?"

"It's a little thing called Mother's intuition, like the Father's intuition you had when you heard Luca cry on Christmas Eve."

"Look, Mom, I…" Tommy started to say when his mother shushed him.

"I know, Thomas, but don't do it. Kim was a victim of a horrible crime; the nurses tell me she's been having nightmares and flashbacks. She needs time to get back to normal because nothing is normal to her right now. She needs to focus on healing, not a wedding," Jan said.

"You're right, Mom. I think maybe I should wait until college to ask her," Tommy said.

"Good idea," Jan said.

Detective Moore and a police officer walked up to Tommy and Jan.

"Hello, detective, officer. What brings you here?" Jan asked.

"Hello, Mrs. Oliver, Tommy. Mind if we go into the waiting room?" Detective Moore asked.

"Sure," Tommy said as they went to the waiting room.

Once they were sitting down, Detective Moore spoke.

"Me and Officer Benson are here because we have a break in the case. A witness spotted the silver car that appears to be the getaway driver's car. It was heading towards Stone Canyon. A while later a worker at the group home your girlfriend stayed at while she was pregnant said she saw the car parked down the road from the house. Another worker recognized it as the car they saw on the news. They alerted the Stone Canyon Police Department who had a car patrolling the area at that time. They stopped the car as it was heading out of town. I'm happy to say that the SCPD have arrested Katherine Hillard and Tanya Sloan and charged them with a slew of charges, from aggravated assault and battery with a deadly weapon, kidnapping of a minor child, and car theft. You were right, Tommy, that car was stolen. It was reported stolen yesterday and the license plate was fake."

"Are you sure it's them?" Tommy asked coldly.

"They fit the description that your neighbors gave us. But we're asking you to identify them in a line up at the station. Standard procedure."

"Sure, I'll do it," Tommy said.

"Okay, we'll call you and set up a time. Once your girlfriend is ready, we want to ask her some questions. Doesn't have to be now, but within a few weeks. Their arraignment is not until close to Mid-January. There's a slight backup in the court system due to the holidays."

"Okay, thank you for thinking about Kim and what she went through. According to the nurses she's been having nightmares and flashbacks," Jan said.

"I'm sorry to hear about that, we'll keep that in mind as the arraignment gets closer," Detective Moore said as he and the officer said their goodbyes and left.

Once the detective and the officer left, Tommy couldn't help but to ball his hands into fists.

"Thomas, you need to calm down. Being angry is not going to help the situation any," Jan said.

"I warned Kat not to do anything to harm Kim or Luca, and she didn't take me seriously, so now look what happened," Tommy said.

"Being angry will just upset Kim and Luca. They've been through enough already."

"I need to take a walk. Please go check on Kim and Luca for me," Tommy said as he headed towards the elevators.

Jan went to Kim's room as she was told to do.

"Hey, Mom. Where's Tommy?" Kim asked.

"He needed to get some fresh air, so he took a walk," Jan said.

"But I'm getting released at 1 pm."

"Don't worry, he'll be back in no time."

Fifteen minutes later, like Jan promised, Tommy came back to Kim's room, just as the nurse who was handling Kim's discharge came in.

"Hello, young lady, ready to go home?" Teri the nurse said.

"Yes. I'm going to my boyfriend's Mom's house, since our house is still a crime scene," Kim said, shuddering at the thought.

"Okay, that's fine. Here are your discharge instructions, with your list of appointments, including the appointment to get your sutures out along with your chest tube."

"Okay, thank you," Kim said taking the paperwork.

"I just need a signature right on this page and you're free to go," Teri said as she handed Kim a pen and Kim signed the paper.

"I wish you luck, young lady," Teri said as Jan gathered Kim's things and Tommy pushed her wheelchair out of the room.

After the short drive to Tommy's parents' house, Kim saw that there were balloons on the mailbox.

"Tommy," Kim breathed.

"I can't say anything further, it's a surprise!" Tommy said as his mom parked in the driveway.

Jan got Kim's things out of the trunk and Tommy got Luca out of his car seat, which was brand-new.

James came out and took Luca from Tommy and Tommy went to open the rear car door on the opposite side of the car. Kim swung her legs out of the car.

"Do you need me to carry you, beautiful?" Tommy asked.

"Tommy, I'm not an invalid, I can walk," Kim said as Tommy helped her out of the car. She stood up and hooked her arm in Tommy's as they walked up to the side door of the house and went inside.

Tommy led her to the living room.

"Surprise!" Trini, Aisha, and Jason said in unison.

Kim had a look of surprise on her face as she went into the living room. There were balloons, streamers, and a banner that said, "Welcome Home, Kim!" on the walls.

"You did this all for me?" Kim asked.

"Yes, we did. We wanted to welcome you home with a bang, but not too loud, you know," Jason said.

"It's so wonderful, thank you," Kim said as Tommy helped her to sit down on the couch. James put Luca next to Kim.

"Welcome Home, Kim!" Trini said, hugging her.

"Thanks, Trini," Kim said hugging her back.

"I'm happy you're home, Kim," Aisha said also hugging her.

"I'm happy to be home, Aisha," Kim said also hugging her back.

"You want to hear all the gossip from school?" Trini asked.

"Yes, you have to fill me in on everything," Kim said as Trini and Aisha filled her in on what was happening at school.

Jason motioned for Tommy to join him in the kitchen.

Once they were in the kitchen and out of earshot, Jason spoke.

"Have you heard anything from the cops yet?" Jason asked.

"Yeah. They stopped by the hospital this afternoon. They said they arrested Kat and Tanya near Rainbow Manor. The silver car Tanya was driving was stolen and the license plate was fake. I must identify them in a line-up in the next few days. Their arraignments are not until Mid-January. There's a slight delay in the court system due to the holidays. They want to ask Kim some questions in the next few weeks, when she's ready to talk," Tommy said.

"You think she'd be ready to talk by then?" Jason asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. She's been having nightmares and flashbacks about the incident, so we don't know when, or if, she'll be ready to talk."

"If you need me to go with you to the station for the line-up, just let me know," Jason said.

"Thanks, bro, I'll take you up on that offer," Tommy said.

"Good. Now go take care of my little sister and my godson," Jason said as Tommy went into the living room.