Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-five of "Dark Desire." This chapter has lots of Tommy/Kim. The other Rangers will be returning in the next few chapters. Kim's parents will be introduced as well. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-six.

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Chapter 25: Relaxing/Another Trip

Tommy and Kim sat on the beach not far from the surf around midafternoon. The waves slithered through the sand and retreated, only for more to repeat their actions. She shifted her attention toward the sun as it reflected off the ocean's surface. This made it appear as if it were sparkling. She put her hand over it, a big smile forming on her face.

"I really like how the sun reflects off the ocean's surface. It makes it look very pretty," Kim said, gesturing toward the sun.

"Oh, I agree. What amazes me about Earth and Clovis's moons is that they are the reason we have high and low tides at certain times of the day," Tommy said and chuckled.

"Yeah. You'll see the wooden legs of a dock uncovered by the water during the morning on Earth. You come back in the afternoon to find they are completely submerged. All you see are the planks at the top," Kim said, giving a shrug.

"The best thing about tides is tidepools. Many animals live in them. Some are so small that they have only one cell," Tommy said, imitating the size of a one-celled animal by pinching his forefinger and thumb together.

"Everyone knows you need a microscope to see that," Kim murmured, giggling to herself.

"Maybe we could find a genie who could shrink us to the size of one-celled animals. Then we'd be able to see them," Tommy joked.

"No, thanks," Kim said, holding up her hand.

The couple watched a gull plunge headfirst into the water and leave with a fish in its beak. Two bottlenose dolphins leapt into the air. They landed on their stomachs with huge splashes. They resurfaced and tail-walked along the surface, chattering in delight. Tommy and Kim couldn't help but smile as they went back underwater.

"Talk about some playful dolphins," she said, laughing when the dolphins performed front flips in midair.

"I remember interacting with a dolphin when my parents and I went snorkeling while we were on vacation in Florida two years before we moved to Angel Grove," he said and put his hands in his lap before exhaling sharply.

"I'll bet that dolphin stole your swimming trunks," Kim joked and punched him in the shoulder.

"No, it didn't, but it was very sweet and curious. We hadn't been in the water for five minutes when it swam up to us. It spun around three ties. We started swimming together. We put our arms at our sides. We moved our feet up and down together as a dolphin did with its tail," Tommy explained.

"What else did you do with that dolphin?" Kim asked.

He smiled. "We started swimming in circles. The dolphin imitated our movements. We swam and played together for a while before it left. It was such a wonderful experience to interact with a wild dolphin. There's no place I'd rather be than with one. Of course, you come first."

She shook a fist in his face. "I'd better!"

Tommy ruffled Kim's hair, and she retaliated with a slap on his shoulder. They watched the dolphins break the surface in a spinning motion. The dolphins landed on their backs, making big splashes. Some of the water hit a seagull flying close to the surface. It flapped its wings to gain altitude. They listened to the dolphins' clicks and whistles.

"The first time I visited the Angel Grove Aquarium was just after my eighth birthday. I saw the sea lion, orca, dolphin, and beluga shows. They were a lot of fun. The trainers have very tight bonds with the animals, especially the dolphins. A trainer told me the sea lions, dolphins, belugas, and orcas sometimes play pranks," Kim said and giggled to herself.

"Everyone knows dolphins are deep thinkers. They come up with a plan of action when they go hunting. If it doesn't work, then they form another plan," Tommy said and cleared his throat.

"Because of that, they're capable of coming up with a prank to play on an unsuspecting trainer or even another dolphin," Kim commented.

"Exactly," Tommy said, nodding in a slower manner. "Who knows what kind of pranks they will play?"

Tommy eyed Kim closely, a mischievous smile creeping up on his face. He moved his hand toward the back of her head and gave it a light smack. He jumped to his feet and ran off laughing. She stared after him in mock anger.

"Hey, get back here!" Kim shouted and emitted a loud hiss. "I mean it!"

Tommy looked over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at Kim. He turned his attention back to the beach, picking up his pace. Growling playfully, she jumped to her feet and chased after him. She caught up to him. She grabbed him around the waist and wrestled him to the sand. She got on top of him, pinning him down with her weight. She took hold of his wrists to pin them at his sides. She smirked at his struggling against her grip.

"Struggle as much as you want. I'm not letting you go," Kim shouted in an evil-sounding voice.

"All right. I surrender," Tommy said as he ceased his struggles.

She squeaked. "Good. Remember that revenge is a dish best served cold."

He smirked. "Then I'll have a little bit of revenge of my own!"

He flipped his girlfriend over on her back. She roared with laughter as her boyfriend tickled her sides. He moved his hands all over her body. He stopped after thirty seconds. He pinched her cheek and flicked her nose. She swatted his hand aside before poking him in the shoulder with her finger.

"If you pinch my cheek and flick my nose again, I'll give you a knuckle sandwich," Kim threatened in playfulness.

"Oh, I'm really scared," Tommy retorted sarcastically and chuckled quietly.

She smirked. "You should be."

Tommy kissed Kim's lips, sighing warmly at her arms slipping around his neck. Their kiss became passionate. Their tongues wrestled for dominance. They let out loud moans. They pulled apart, gasping for air. They pressed their foreheads together, breathing deeply.

"You are such a great kisser, Tommy," she said honestly.

"So are you, Kim," he replied. "So are you."

The lovebirds shared another kiss before rubbing noses. He got off her and stood up. He grabbed her hands, helping her to her feet. They dusted the sand off their bodies while looking at each other.

"If there's one thing I hate about sand, it's that it gets everywhere," Kim muttered and scoffed.

"One time, I got so much sand in my shoes that I didn't think the flow would ever stop," Tommy commented, shuddering in disgust. "It looked like a waterfall when it fell out of my boot." He spoke gibberish.

"The worst part about sand is getting it in your mouth," Kim said, making a disgusted face.

"You're telling me! Dad and I had a footrace on a lake beach in Moore once. Just as I was about to win it, I tripped and fell flat on my face. I got a lot of sand in my mouth, and he couldn't help but laugh at me. My lips looked like they had been painted tan," Tommy said, putting his hand over his face in embarrassment.

Kim crossed her arms. "You know what they say. Girls rule while boys drool."

Tommy scoffed. "That's what you think."

Kim stuck her tongue out at Tommy, who grabbed her around the waist. She pulled it back into her mouth as she wiggled free from his grasp. She smacked him on the cheek lightly. He took hold of her hair and tugged on it gently, laughing heartily. They kissed once more, wrapping their arms around each other. They touched foreheads, smiling widely.

"You're so cute when you laugh," Tommy whispered, his voice filled with love.

"So are you," Kim replied, her voice quieting to a whisper on the last word. "Yes, you are."

He pinched her cheek while kissing her forehead. He caressed it with his thumb after letting go of it. She took his hand into hers. They shared another kiss and rubbed noses again.

"I don't know about you, but I am feeling hungry," she admitted.

"Me too," he agreed. "This would be the perfect time to teach you how to gather eggs and cook them over a fire."

"Okay," Kim said, nodding fast. "I hope no birds come after us while we are collecting eggs."

"Me neither," Tommy commented and rubbed his nose. "Before we go, I need to use the bathroom myself."

She nodded at him. "All right. I will wait for you at the hut."

He kissed her forehead. "That is fine. I will be back in a few."

Tommy started walking down the beach. Kim made her way down it the other way. She reached the hut and headed inside. She approached the bed and sat down.

00000

Kim was looking through her CDs while sitting on the bed nine minutes later. She happened to be singing nonsense. She came upon The Bodyguard. She put the others aside as she stared at the front. She turned over to look at the back. She focused on the song list. She looked down it until she came to I Will Always Love You.

She couldn't help but smile. She considered this song to be her favorite on the soundtrack. She loved how Whitney Houston sang it, especially on the high notes. She wondered how the young singer could hit them so well. She knew she couldn't do it herself. She heard other female singers attempt to match Whitney's voice, but they didn't come close. She didn't think anyone would be able to do it.

She started thinking about Tommy. She hoped he didn't have to poop. She had no doubt he would do what he was supposed to do with it. She wondered if he was admiring the plants and animals around him. She knew he would be careful with them, though they appeared familiar to him. She was startled when she heard footsteps. She saw him come in. She put her CD down and stood up. She went to him and flicked his nose.

"I am happy you are back," she said, sweetness lining her voice.

"I am happy to be back," he responded and tickled her chin. "Before you ask, I did have to poop. I buried it."

"That is a good boy," Kim yelled happily while ruffling his hair. She laughed at his swatting her hand aside and pinching her cheek. She felt him let go of it. "I actually don't mind wiping myself with a leaf and burying it afterward."

"I never have minded it myself, though my family and I did have toilets at many of our campsites," Tommy whispered and snorted. "Indoor plumbing isn't all it is cracked up to be. You have to keep a close eye on the pipes. You can never be sure when they will start having problems." He gave a shrug.

"We are so fortunate we don't have to worry about pipes on this world," Kim whispered in relief. "Imagine your pipes freezing during the night. The next morning, you find yourself in ankle-deep water."

"My parents and I had to deal with the possibility of frozen pipes in Moore since winters could get very frigid at times," Tommy admitted, smiling. He rubbed his chin. "The best thing about Angel Grove was we wouldn't have to deal with that anymore."

"My family has never had to deal with frozen pipes, though my grandparents do in Boston," Kim pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Really?" Tommy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep," Kim said with a nod. "They've never had frozen pipes, but they always prepare for the possibility."

"Your grandparents are smart," Tommy replied, tapping his temple with his finger.

"Yep," Kim squeaked in a bit of glee.

"Going without indoor plumbing seems hard at first glance. It is actually easy to live without," Tommy commented honestly.

"Indoor plumbing is something indigenous tribes never had to deal with," Kim murmured and pressed her lips together. "Some very poor American families have no indoor plumbing in their homes. They have to use well water to wash their clothes. It is often dirty."

"That makes them very vulnerable to disease," Tommy mumbled grimly.

"At least our water is clean," Kim said, her voice showing relief. "In fact, it is the cleanest water I have ever seen."

"No denying that," Tommy said, giving her a wink.

The lovebirds shared three kisses before rubbing noses. They took hold of each other's hands. She squeezed his in a gentle manner. He responded by squeezing hers somewhat tightly.

"I was looking through my CDs. I looked at the song list for The Bodyguard. I focused on I Will Always Love You. I am looking forward to listening to it soon," Kim commented.

"I brought my speaker set with me," Tommy said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No way!" Kim yelled in disbelief.

"I am not kidding. The speakers can be connected to a portable CD player like yours. They are small, so we don't have to worry about them taking up any room. We will be able to listen to music without headphones," Tommy explained, pride showing on his face.

"That is wonderful, Tommy," Kim said, happiness beaming on her face. She kissed him on the cheek. "I am looking forward to cutting crystals, so I can put them in my CD player once the batteries run down."

He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "So am I. Just don't put any crystals in your ears in hopes of lighting them up and making yourself a lamp."

"I will if I want to," Kim retorted in playfulness. "How about I put crystals in your ears? You can be a lamp along with me."

"No, thanks," Tommy replied, shaking his head.

She frowned. "Aw, nuts!"

He planted a kiss on her forehead. He kept it there for ten seconds before pulling away. She titled her head, a big smile crossing her lips. She tried not to giggle, but she couldn't help herself.

"I am amazed at how many times we've made love so far today," Kim said and wiggled her eyebrows.

"As am I. We made love three times after we woke up. We did it six times in the rainforest. We did it twice after we returned to the hut. We've done it eleven times so far," Tommy exclaimed.

"Normal people couldn't go at it so many times in a single day. We can because of our Ranger powers. We hardly ever get tired," Kim answered happily.

"When we do get tired, we recover rather quickly," Tommy whispered gently.

"Yep," Kim said, nodding sharply. "I love the quick recovery."

"You're not the only one," Tommy pointed out and made a funny noise.

"I am sure the animals heard us going at it," Kim mumbled somewhat nervously. "I am surprised they didn't come to investigate."

"If they did, it is likely they would've run off," Tommy suggested.

"People say having sex in a horror movie is a no-no," Kim responded truthfully and spoke gibberish. "You get killed if you do."

"Being a virgin is no guarantee you will survive a horror movie," Tommy said.

Kim bit her lip. "A girl's losing her virginity can be proven, but a boy's losing his virginity can't be proven. It doesn't seem right or fair."

"I know, but it is what it is," Tommy said with a shrug. "Anyway, are you ready learn how to gather eggs and cook them over a fire?"

"For sure!" Kim yelled excitedly. "It is a good thing we kept our stuff in our backpacks."

Tommy smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "Yep. Let's get to the forest on the double!"

Tommy and Kim went over to the front of the bed, where their backpacks lay. They picked them up and put them over their shoulders. He approached the bookcase to grab his belt. He picked up his knife and axe to slip them in their holsters. They left the hut and went down the beach.

00000

Tommy and Kim climbed a different hill three minutes later. They reached the top, seeing the edge of the rainforest. They approached the trees. They shifted their attention toward the ocean. They could see two orcas leaping out of the water. The orcas were joined by two bottlenose dolphins. Their clicks and whistles echoed on the wind. Tommy and Kim looked at each other.

"This view isn't as great as the other one, but it is still pretty good," she said, her face full of awe.

"I agree," he said and looked toward the trees along with her. "Climbing up this hill wasn't as hard either. I am not even tired."

"Me neither," Kim agreed and cleared her throat. She let out a long yawn and smacked her lips "I have to say that I am still amazed to have encountered that cross this morning."

"I know," Tommy commented and moved next to her. He put his arm around her to give her a small hug. "Not once did I think I would find a holy site like that. I am glad I did."

"Would you be all right with me going there to pray if I feel I need to?" Kim wondered.

"Of course," Tommy whispered, kissing her temple. "Just don't pray for me to kiss your ass."

She scoffed. "I will if I want to."

"You are such a goofball," Tommy said and ruffled her hair.

"You are the bigger goofball," Kim retorted, blowing a raspberry.

He laughed in much sarcasm. "Sure, I am."

He gave her another hug. She responded by wrapping her arms around his waist. She hugged him, a contented sigh leaving her mouth. They released their hold on each other.

"So, how many eggs will we cook?" Kim wondered very curiously.

"I would say it would be best if we ate two or three eggs each. One egg doesn't contain very many calories," Tommy explained.

"People say we shouldn't eat eggs due to the high cholesterol. The same is said for fish because of mercury contamination," Kim mumbled, rolling her eyes. "That is easy to say when you don't live off the land at all. For some indigenous tribes, eggs and fish are their main sources of protein. They can't live without them." She emitted a loud snort.

"No, they can't," Tommy agreed. "It is not easy to wean yourself off something you've eaten all your life."

"At least we can put the eggs in my backpack until we get everything ready for cooking," Kim whispered in relief.

"Yep," Tommy agreed with a nod. "To make a fire, you strike two stones together until you create a spark. Then you use the wood and leaves to catch it. You blow until the fire gets going."

"That sounds good to me," Kim replied, smiling warmly. "I like how easy it sounds, especially the striking of stones."

"Me too," Tommy said and made a funny noise.

"Do you think we could cook and eat the eggs on the beach?" Kim asked hopefully.

"Sure," Tommy said with much eagerness. "Now, let's go into the forest. It is time to go on our egg hunt."

Tommy and Kim walked into the rainforest. They listened to the sounds of jaguars growling and margays mewing. Neither of them noticed a peccary walking behind them.