Tommy wasn't sure what he was expecting when he made his way down stairs for school, that following Monday morning, but he knew it definitely wasn't what he saw. Seated at the kitchen table, were both Kimberly and Katherine as well as his mother. Seated next to them in her high chair attempting to chew on some dry cheerios was Bianca.
"Okay… I'm pretty sure I saw a horror movie that started out like this once," Stated the boy, allowing his dark hazel eyes to sweep over the faces of the women in the room. Everyone seemed in good spirits and he hadn't heard any shouting on his way down the stairs. That was both simultaneously a relief and frightening. He had never seen all of them together at the same time, "If the pods are in this room, blink twice." Tommy joked resting his hands flat on the dining table and leaning close to his mother's face.
Chuckling warmly Misses Oliver swatted gently at her son's cheek, "Don't be silly Thomas, we're having a lovely conversation, the girls and I. You'd be amazed by the amount of stories that come up when you have your mother, your ex-girlfriend and your current girlfriend in the same room." Flashing her son a smile, Tommy's mom patted the boy's hand before taking up her coffee mug to take a sip.
Groaning, Tommy plopped down into a chair across from Katherine and shook his head, "That's what I'm afraid of." He sighed looking slightly uncomfortable before turning toward the high chair that held his daughter, "At least you're not ganging up on Daddy, right?"
"Dut dut dut," Came BJ's baby babbled reply as she held a fist full of cheerios out to her father, her rosy cheeks were glowing as she offered her breakfast up to her Daddy excitedly.
"Are those for me," Taking a single circular piece of cereal for the infant's tiny hand using just his lips, the White Ranger chewed and swallowed it and then made a big show of rubbing his stomach like he'd just eaten the best breakfast ever, "Mmmm, that was delicious."
The expression on both Kimberly and Misses Oliver's face seemed brighten as they watched the young father interact with his little girl. Tommy may have been just a teen, but he was doing his best at being a parent and so far truly succeeding. Bianca loved her father and he loved her. The bond they had built in a few short weeks was unbreakable and both his own mother and the mother of his daughter lived to see the parent and child interacting and showing such deep affection for each other.
Who didn't seem overly happy about the idea of Tommy being a great dad was the tall blonde who was also occupying space in the kitchen. Kat, was seated across from Tommy, her blue-gray eyes watching his every movement intently. Her lips struggled to maintain their forced smile, when all they really wanted to do was purse up tighter than a raisin. Clearing her throat the Aussie Las drew Tommy's attention away from his teething tot, toward herself, "I brought you breakfast, Tommy. Scrambled egg whites, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach in a whole wheat wrap," She explained, practically reaching over her own shoulder to pat herself on the back, "I thought we could drive to school together. I've brought my car."
Katherine's car, the black convertible with the personalized license plate that she had used as an excuse to get Tommy's attention on the first day they met. It was a nice ride and Tommy did enjoy driving it. When it wasn't transporting them to an alternate dimension as a scheme for Rita and Zedd. The problem was, it was also Tommy's turn to drop BJ off at the babysitter before the teens headed to school and there was no way Kat was going to let a babysit scratch up the leather interior.
"It's fine, just leave me the keys to your truck, I'll drop her off." Kim had said with a small frown, when her ex mentioned the issue. Her large brown eyes looked a bit sad and rather frustrated, but she had promised herself she wouldn't let Bianca get in the way of her former flame's life and she'd meant it. No matter how difficult it may make things for herself, she wouldn't let Tommy give up his happiness. If she did, then it would've just been better for her to stay in Florida.
When the petite brunette offered to cover for him that morning the handsome hero actually beamed happily at his co-parent, "Thanks, Kim," He told her gratefully, smiling that same, perfect smile that had always set her knees weak. Hoping up from the table, the young man raced up the stairs to his room, grabbed his backpack and then ran back down. First pressing a kiss to his mother's cheek, "Bye, Mom." Then to Bianca's "Bye, Princess." and lastly without thinking and because he was on a roll, he dropped a kiss on Kim's cheek as well, "Bye, Kim."
All eyes in the room went wide save for those that belonged to the 8 month old who was still happily chewing her cereal, oblivious to her father's blunder. Kimberly could already feel her face beginning to warm from that small bit of even accidental affection. Quickly getting to her feet and walking to the refrigerator, opening the door to the appliance she stuck her head in, hiding herself and her reaction. The last thing she wanted was to let anyone, especially Katherine know that Tommy still had the ability to make her cheeks blush and her limbs turn to jelly.
Giving her boyfriend's arm a yank, Kat dragged Tommy straight out of the kitchen and through the side door of the house. The White Ranger explained and apologized the entire way up the driveway and to the dainty diver's car. Though they couldn't hear the girl's response it didn't seem as though she were too happy, as Tommy continued to grovel, right up until the doors of the vehicle closed and it backed out into the street.
When she was sure her son and his girlfriend were officially gone, Misses Oliver sighed. Placing her coffee cup down on the table and then folded her hands, "They're gone, Kimberly, please come out of there before the milk spoils."
Closing the door the former Ranger stepped back from the fridge with an embarrassed smile on her face. She hadn't been that ridiculous over being kissed by a boy since she sang 'Missed me, missed me now you gotta kiss me' to Jason in the first grade and he actually tried to. But this was different. She wasn't a six year old little girl anymore and that wasn't the little boy she shared a playpen with as a child. She was a mother and that kiss had come from her child's father. Her reaction may have been a bit over the top but at that moment she just didn't know how to process it. Right then she was just a seventeen year old girl, who had been embarrassed and surprised by a gesture of affection from a boy she had feelings for. It had been awkward.
Tommy's mom tapped her white tipped fingernails, lightly against the side of her mug, her bright green eyes studying the graceful girl across from her. For two years before Kim had moved to Miami, to practice for the Pan Global games, Misses Oliver had spent quite a bit of time with the girl. She had been a mother figure when Miz Hart had moved to Paris with her painter. And she learned to read the teen rather well in that time. But even if she hadn't, even if she knew nothing about Kimberly Hart, the assumption was about to make would have been obvious, "You're still in love with my son, aren't you, Kimberly?" Asked the woman, inclining her chin in the direction of her granddaughter's mother.
At the question Kim felt herself going a bit green. Sitting back down at the table, she let out a long, hard breath that made her bangs flutter. Folding her arms on the table the gentle gymnast leaned forward and rested her chin on them, "Why does everyone keep asking that?"
"So I'm not the only one?"
"No," Kim shook her head, causing the pink, star shaped earrings she wore to rub against her shoulder as she continued to slouch against the tabletop, "Aisha asked something similar that week."
Nodding gently Misses Oliver simply stated, "If we're all noticing, perhaps you're not hiding it as well as you think."
It wasn't that Kimberly was trying to hide it per say. It was more that she didn't see the point in advertising it. It wasn't as though it would change anything for the better, at least not for her. Tommy had a girlfriend, one he was pretty smitten with. It wasn't as though he was going to dump Kat and run to her if she confessed her feelings. All spilling her guts could serve to do, was make things uncomfortable between the pair. And she just didn't want that "It's not a secret. It's just… Katherine."
"I'm sorry dear, I don't follow." Blinking her green eyes Tommy's mother looked confused by that statement. If it wasn't a secret than what did Katherine even matter?
"You know your son, Misses Oliver. He's the most loyal, gentle, kind guy in the world. Those are some things that I love most about him. But they're also the things that are going to keep him and Kat together. Nothing I say or do is going to change that. He'd never break up with her for me. So I just don't see the point in telling him."
If school had been uncomfortable and difficult before, that day seemed to be worse. Everywhere Kimberly looked it seemed like everyone in school was glaring at her. Some people even turned and walked in the other direction in the hallway to avoid her. By lunch time she was starting to think there was a rumor going around that she had the plague. While seated in the cafeteria pushing her tuna surprise around her plate with her plastic fork, Kim learned the gossip would have been easier to deal with if it had been about the plague.
"Did you and Tommy, really kiss?" Asked Aisha as she set her tray down opposite Kim's before sitting down in her chair. Her dark eyes were wide and twinkling with excitement. Maybe her best friend would finally get her boyfriend back.
Squinting at her friend Kimberly looked at the other girl as though she were losing it, "What? No. I definitely would have told you that. Why?" If Aisha asked the question there had to be a reason and the retired Ranger wanted to get to the root of that situation quickly.
Shrugging nonchalantly to try to hide her disappointment Aisha responded, "It was just something I heard in the corridor. Everyone's talking about it."
"Why would- wait. There was this thing this morning. Tommy was just going through the house kissing everyone goodbye. It was just a peck on the cheek. It didn't mean anything. And the only person that was there to tell about it was…"
"Kat, come on, it was an accident. It meant nothing!" The girls heard Tommy saying as he followed Katherine obediently into the lunchroom. The pretty blonde had her arms crossed at the leader Ranger gave her his best puppy eyes.
Aisha had turned to watch the display being put on by her teammates but by the time she'd turned back around, Kim was gone. There was nothing she wanted to do less than sitting around listening to Tommy confess his undying love to the girl he'd replaced her with. Nor did she wish to hear her ex declaring that the kiss meant nothing. Even if she had known that herself all along. If the tiny teen had thought that that was going to be the worst part of her day, however, boy was she wrong.
As usual the team and Kim headed to the Youth center after school, to unwind, get some exercise or study. And while there, she had been lost in the novel she was reading for English lit. Completely able to block out the muttering and murmuring going around her. For the two short hours spent there everything was fine. Kat was even perfectly cordial, clearly she'd made up with Tommy at some point during the school day. And Kimberly was lured into a false sense of security.
Exiting the Juice Bar Tommy carried Bianca in her car seat, with his bookbag hanging on one shoulder, as they made their way to his truck, Kim a couple feet behind. He was just about to open the truck door, when suddenly he heard a scream from behind him. Whipping around to see Kimberly being attacked by Tenga Warriors.
"Tommy, help!" Yelled Kimberly, as the large birds converged on her and she stumbled backward, helpless. Without her power coin, Kim wasn't a superhero. Not anymore. Now she was simply a small and delicate teenage girl. A private citizen. An innocent.
A panicked look crossed Tommy's face as he watched his ex disappear into the pile of overgrown crows. Swiftly he opened the door to his truck, and lifted Bianca into it, "Stay here, Princess. Daddy, has to go help, Mommy." Then he hit the lock and slammed the door closed, sealing the infant inside for protection.
Looking around swiftly to be sure he wouldn't be seen, Tommy yelled out, "White Ranger power," morphing into his ninja form, he ran directly toward his entrenched ex "Hang on Kim, I'm coming."
The battle between the White Ranger and the Tengas was over in the blink of an eye. In fact the birds didn't even put up much of a fight. Simply distracting the young father from their true mission. As Tommy swung and kicked at a handful of the beasts, Kimberly, who was still pinned to the ground by two Tengas cried out again, "Tommy! The baby!"
Jerking his head quickly toward the truck, the teen parents watched in horror as a group of puttied teleported directly into the cab, put their hands on BJ's car seat and teleported away, taking the infant with them.