A/N Power Ranger Zeo Settings and Characters all belong to Haim Saban and Toei Company and the Fox. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Thank you mae-E for helping me with this chapter!


That night the couple lay in bed. Kimberly couldn't sleep. She laid on Tommy's chest wide awake.

"Why are you still awake?" Tommy asked softly.

"I'm not." She lied.

He chuckled. "You don't talk in your sleep."

"Oh…right…" Kimberly blushed and let out a sigh. "I can't sleep."

"Are you worried about the nightmares, the ones with Kat?"

"I wasn't until you mentioned that…" Kimberly sighed.

"Then what else is bothering you?" Tommy asked. He gently let his fingertips sweep up and down her back, and he felt Kimberly's tense body relax against him.

"I know we have to but…I don't want to test our connection anymore. I'm not ready for what Zordon has planned for us."

"How do you know you're not ready? You don't even know what the plan is."

"He said we're going to have to conquer our worst fears. I don't think he plans on dangling a plastic spider in front of my face and see if I scream or not."

"You're worried about your coach and your fear of needles," Tommy said. He didn't need to ask. He already knew.

Kimberly nodded. "I'm not ready to face him. Even if it's just a picture…same with the needles."

Tommy sighed. "We don't know what Zordon has planned for us. So let's not worry about it. This is Zordon. He'd never do anything to physically harm us or hurt us mentally."

"Why do we have to do this?" She asked as her voice cracked.

Tommy hated seeing her so upset, but he knew it was something they had to do. "Because we need to learn to control it. Otherwise, I'll continue to hurt you when I battle, and you'll continue to hurt me when you worry about me. It's not safe for either of us."

She didn't say anything, and Tommy wondered if she had finally fallen asleep. Then he heard her voice in his head.

"I'm scared, Tommy. I'm really scared."

"What scares you the most?" he asked.

"Seeing him…I can't…I just can't…"

Kimberly grabbed fistfuls of Tommy's shirt and squeezed her eyes shut like she was in physical pain. Her breathing increased, and she started to shake.

"Shhhh." Tommy soothed and rubbed her back. He sent her calming visions to override what she saw right now. "You're safe. He's not here. He can't hurt you."

Kimberly slowly relaxed, and she released his shirt and opened her eyes. Her breathing returned to normal, and her shaking stopped.

"That's why you're so scared," Tommy said. "Even the mention of him and you have a panic attack." It was no longer a question.

Kimberly nodded. "Zordon said we have to face these fears alone. If you're not there to calm my panic attack…I don't know what's going to happen."

"I'll tell you what tomorrow, in the morning, we will talk to Zordon about your fears and what we can do to work around them. Ok?"

Kimberly nodded. "Thank you, Tommy.

"Of course, Beautiful. Do you think you can sleep now?"

"If you keep scratching my back and…" Kimberly blushed. "And keep sending me happy thoughts to keep away the nightmares."

Tommy chuckled. "You got it. Close your eyes."

Kimberly did as he asked and she fell asleep quickly, dreaming of her and Tommy.


The next morning the Rangers were up and ready early. Neither of them were really ready for what they were about to face, but they knew they were never going to be ready.

"Good Morning, Rangers." Zordon greeted them. "Are you ready?"

"No," Tommy said honestly. "I don't think we will ever be ready. That's why we just have to do this."

"I do not want you two to worry. I would never do anything to harm you or hurt you physically." Zordon said. "You will starting off small, and it won't be for a very long this time, that you have to face your greatest fears."

"Like my…"Kimberly shook her head.

"Yes, Kimberly. He will be the very last fear you have to face. Like I said we would be starting off small."

Kimberly inhaled and exhaled. "Ok. What's first?"

Alpha walked over with a pink blindfold.

"Really?" Kimberly asked. "You can't just dangle a spider in my face and see how loud I scream?"

Everyone laughed.

"I'm sorry, Kimberly. Your fear of spiders is not strong enough to do what we need to do."

Kimberly inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. "Ok.

"Have a seat on the floor; Tommy, please go stand by the viewing globe," Zordon said.

Tommy kissed Kimberly on the head. "I'm right here. You're safe. I promise." He walked over to the viewing globe as Kimberly sat on the floor. Alpha wrapped the blindfold over her eyes.

"Now Kimberly, how do you feel?" Zordon asked.

"Fine." She squeaked out.

"Good. Now what I want you to do is when you feel that surge of panic where you so terrified that you need to cry out to Tommy, I want you to picture yourself in a calming situation. It can be on the beach or with your friends, anything that is calming and relaxing to you. You must be able to calm that fear before it gets too strong."

"I'll try." She squeaked out. Her voice reminded everyone of a chipmunk.

"Just focus on your breathing. You're here in the command center, and you're safe." Zordon said. "Remember to try and treat your connection as a remote control and turn it down just enough to not hurt Tommy."

Kimberly's breathing got harder as she tried to listen to Zordon and do as he instructed her to. To be honest, she liked it when he was talking to her, it was when it got too quiet that made her nervous.

"How are you feeling, Kim?" Zordon asked.

"Ok."

"You're doing a fantastic job. Just hang on a little longer." Zordon said.

"K." She squeaked out once more.

Then it got too quiet. She didn't like when it was that quiet. "Hello?" She cried out. "Is anyone there?"

"We are all still here, Beautiful. You're safe." Tommy said.

"Tommy…" Kim squeaked out.

It got quiet again after that. She had a good feeling Zordon had told Tommy not to speak anymore. She inhaled and exhaled a deep breath…was it getting harder to breathe? Why was it so hard to inhale and exhale. "Hello?" she squeaked out once more.

"Hello there. Long time no see. I've wondered where you've gone of too."

Kimberly gasped. She knew that voice anywhere. "No…" How did her coach get inside the command center?

"I have missed you, Kimberly. I've even brought a little present."

"NO!" She shrieked and jumped back ripping the blindfold off her face.

A loud crane cry was heard through the command center, and Tommy cried out, grabbing his head and falling to the floor.

Kimberly panted as she looked around. Her coach was nowhere to be seen. In a flash, Tommy was by her side.

"It's ok, Beautiful. You're safe. I'm right here." He soothed as he hugged her and rubbed her back.

"That was very good, Kimberly," Zordon said.

"No, it wasn't." Kimberly whimpered. "It was awful."

"It was good for your first try."

"I still hurt, Tommy."

"Yes, but it wasn't as strong, and it didn't last as long. When we first put the blindfold on you, you couldn't handle five seconds with it on. Just now you lasted 5 minutes." Zordon told her. "You should be proud."

Kimberly shook her head and stood up. "No, I shouldn't be proud. I keep hurting Tommy because I'm a stupid scaredy cat who can't be by myself. Kat's right." Kimberly sighed as she looked to Tommy. "If I really love you I…I have to….I have to let you go!" Kimberly started to cry, and before anyone could say any more, she teleported herself out.

"KIMBERLY!" Tommy cried out.

"Alpha, teleport Kimberly back here." Zordon said.

"Wait," Tommy said. "Let me go after her. I can get her to come back. I know exactly where she went."

Tommy teleported out.


He landed in Angel Grove Park. He went over to his special spot by the lake where he and Kim had shared their first kiss. He wasn't surprised to see her sitting on the rock crying.

He didn't waste any more time before running over to her and pulling her into his arms. She cried into his chest as she clung to him as tightly as she could. "Please don't leave me. I'm so sorry for what I said."

"Oh Beautiful, I would never leave you. I know you didn't mean it. You were upset, and you were scared. It's normal."

"I could hear him." Kimberly whimpered. "I could hear his voice. He was coming closer and closer, and he had the injection in his hand."

"It's ok. You're safe. He can't hurt you anymore." Tommy said. "You did amazing for your first day. I am so proud of you."

"Really?" Kimberly.

"Really, I promise." He kissed her head and held her close. She inhaled and exhaled and relaxed against Tommy's chest.

"Are you ready to go back?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah. I'm ready to try again." she answered.

"Good girl." He kissed her once more, and they teleported back to the Command Center.


They landed on their feet. "Zordon, I'm so sorry. I'm ready to try again."

"Are you sure?" Zordon asked. "We can try again tomorrow."

"No. I want to try again now. I might lose my nerve by tomorrow."

"Very well. Please sit on the floor."

Kimberly nodded and sat on the floor. Alpha wrapped the blindfold around her eyes again. She took a few calming breaths. It was quiet…too quiet. Her calming breaths turned to panicked gasps. She closed her eyes, and she tried to picture her and Tommy back at the park in their special spot. She felt safe wrapped in his arms as they both relaxed in the sun…

"Kimberly? Kimberly? Kimberly!"

Kimberly's eyes snapped open. She looked around, and she was back in the command center. The blindfold had been removed, and she was laying in Tommy's arms.

"What happen?" she asked.

Tommy chuckled. "You fell asleep."

"I did what?" Kimberly blushed.

"Zordon said to try and think of something to help relax and calm yourself to lessen the fear. I guess you were so relaxed that you feel asleep." Tommy said. "But on the bright side, you lasted ten minutes and not once did your crane cry out to me."

Kimberly smiled as she sat up. "I did it? I really did it?"

"Yes, Kimberly. You should be very proud." Zordon said.

"Thanks, Zordon. Thanks, Tommy."

They shared a kiss, and Kimberly relaxed in his arms again. Maybe this training thing wasn't going to be so hard after all.

"Now it's Tommy's turn," Zordon said. "Are you ready, Tommy?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Tommy sighed. "But if Kim can do it. I can do it."

"Then let's get started."


They were both teleported into a strange area. They looked around and saw that they were in a large almost empty room. In front of them was a table with what looked like two headbands that look like one of Billy's inventions, and there was large flat screen TVs plastered all over the walls. Zordon's face appeared on all of them.

"Welcome to the training room. This is where the most extreme training will take place. Kimberly when you are more confident, this is where you will come as well. For now, it is just for Tommy."

"What does it do?"

"Alpha is controlling it from the main room. Once we set it up it will turn into a stimulation room. It will take the fear the person fears the most and turn it into a situation you must defeat. It will do so by use of those headbands that will enable your minds to transmit those fears directly to the main computer, thus personalizing to each user. Each level will test you on a different fear. Level 1 is just a little fear, and 10 is your biggest fear. You will be starting out at level 1."

"I don't need my own room. I'd be just as happy sitting on the floor in the command center wearing a blindfold." Tommy said.

"I know it will not be easy, but you can do it, Tommy. Now we will be monitoring your vitals through the headband as well, but just in case it gets to be too much, and you are not able to defeat it I want you to call out pecan pie. It is a safe word that makes the stimulation vanish."

"Were you and Alpha hungry when you made this room?" Kimberly teased.

Everyone laughed. "No, it is just a word that you don't normally hear in regular conversation," Zordon said. "Now, are you ready Tommy?"

Tommy reached out and picked up one of the headbands and put it on his head like a hat and then inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm ready."

"Good, Just remember the code word." Zordon said. In a flash, Kimberly and Zordon were gone. The room suddenly changed, and he was outside somewhere. He didn't know where, all he knew was there was snow on the ground.

"What's going on?" He asked. "Where am I?"

"Tommy? What are you doing back here?"

Tommy spun around to see Heather.

"Heather?"

"Yeah. I thought you guys left. What happen?" Heather asked.

"I'm not really sure," Tommy said. "Have you seen, Kat anywhere."

"Yeah, she was over there at the top of that hill talking to some girl. She kept calling her Kim."

"Kimberly is here?" Tommy asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see."

"TOMMY HELP ME!" Her voice and crippling pain simultaneously ripped thru his head.

"KIM!" Tommy cried. He went running towards the sound, but Heather grabbed his arm. "Wait, where are you going? I thought we were going to get some hot cocoa."

"You didn't hear that scream? I have to save her," Tommy said.

"What scream? I didn't hear anything." Heather said.

Another loud scream was heard, causing his head to throb even worse then before.

"That scream," Tommy said. He pulled himself free and went to run toward the sound. But he crashed into Kat. "Kat, we have to save Kim, I think she's hurt."

"Tommy, you've really got to stop this! Kim isn't hurt she's fine. This letter is just making you think that,"

"I heard her scream." Tommy said.

"I think you need to eat, your hearing things again," Kat said, as she places a hand on his shoulder to comfort and attempt to guide him along.

"No, Kim is hurt I can feel it," Tommy told her.

"She's fine. Come on, let's go get some hot cocoa." Kat said, with a slight edge to her voice.

"NO, I have to find Kim!" Tommy said. He shrugs her hand away and runs in the direction where he had heard the scream come from.

He sees a large pile of snow come into view and he quickly runs over to it. He drops to his knees and quickly starts to dig, he doesn't even bother to question why the snow didn't feel cold at all in his bare hands.

When he made it to the bottom of the snow pile after an agonizing few moments he froze with fear, there was Kimberly, her battered body had a blue pallor to it and she wasn't breathing.

"NO!" He cried. "Kimberly wake up! Please, Kimberly, wake up!"

Kimberly didn't move.

He quickly reached for her body and checked her pulse but found nothing at all, but the chill coming off her body. He lifted her out of the snow and held her close, but she just hung limply is his arms. He knew in that moment that he had been too late, she was gone. He had failed her when she needed him most.

"NO!" Tommy screamed out in utter agony, his pain echoing over the frozen slopes. He broke down completely as he started to cry over her frozen and broken body.


In the main room, Kimberly was watching him go through his test on the viewing globe. Tears had started to stream down her face at watching him go through such a heart wrenching moment, when all of a sudden a loud Falcon cry was heard. Kimberly cried out, grabbing her head and falling to her knees from such intense pain. A pain so raw and savage, that it made what she recovered from seem insignificant in comparison.

"Zordon we have to stop this!" she cried out. "He doesn't remember it's not real."

Not long after she spoke but the computer console Alpha was monitoring started flashing and blaring loudly.

"AY YI YI!" shouted Alpha as he started to quickly hit buttons and turn knobs on the panel in front of him. "Tommy's vitals are spiking off the charts and becoming erratic," the robot announced as he worked to shut down the simulation.

All of a sudden they were back in the large room. Tommy looked around, and noticed that the ice and snow were gone and he was back in the training room. He saw Kim standing there. and jumped to his feet faster than he physically thought was possible, and rushed over to Kim sweeping her up in his arms. He hugged her so tightly, as he completely broke down emotionally.

"You're alive! Oh my gosh! You're alive! Kimberly I was so scared!" he cried.

"It's ok, Tommy. I'm right here. I'm not hurt. I'm safe." She said rubbing his back. She could feel him trembling all over as he held on to her, and that made her heart ache.

He didn't answer. He just held her close; he needed her to be close to remind himself she was alive and well.


Several minutes later they were back in the main room and Tommy had finally calmed down

"That was terrible," Tommy said.

"I know, but you did well," Zordon said.

Tommy sighed. "I can't go back there."

"You won't. Not today at least. You have both done a wonderful job for your first day. Now you both deserve some rest."

"Thanks, Zordon," Tommy said.

They were both teleported to the bedroom. Where they immediately climbed onto their bed and just held each other close. Seeking solace each other's embrace, they stayed like that for a long time. Until their weariness from the day overcame them and pulled them down into a deep sleep.


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