"You and I, we are embers from the same fire,
dust from the same star, echoes of the same love."
-Creig Crippen
Echoes of the Same Love
Kimberly's pink energy beam touched down in the middle of Billy's lab. She'd frantically tried to contact him using her communicator but failed to receive a reply. Immediately imagining the worst and without wasting another second, she'd teleported to make sure he was all right.
The Blue Ranger was sitting in the same chair he'd occupied earlier that day, only this time he was slumped over and still. Kim's heart clenched in her chest as a sliver of terror climbed up her spine. As much as it pained her, she drew her saber and approached him cautiously.
"No, Billy… please, no."
Her hand reached out, fingers slowly patting his shoulder. Once. Twice. Three times. She noticed the subtle rise and fall of his chest and the pressure of fear loosened its grip around her heart.
"Billy," she called, her voice louder. "Billy!"
The startled man threw his hands up and fell off the edge of the stool, banging his head on the leg of his workbench in the process.
"Kim? What on earth?"
She launched herself into his arms. "Billy! You're okay!"
The Blue Ranger crinkled his eyebrows, hand now nursing the throb on the side of his head.
"Why wouldn't I be? Kim…" he'd finally taken in the sight of the Pink Ranger. Her skin was smeared with dried blood and faint, healing bruises. He gripped her by the shoulders, eyes wide with alarm. "What happened to you?"
"I'm fine! But TJ – Billy, he was possessed by the Shaitan Master. He killed Cassie. He almost killed me…" She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "How did this happen? We have safeguards. Shields. It's impossible!" She shook her head, still reeling from the shock. "He wouldn't have been able to be transported here if our shields had detected the dark energy."
Just as Billy got to his feet, Tommy's teleportation beam lit up the large room. The tall man sighed a breath of relief as his eyes fell on Kim.
She hadn't said where she was going. One second, she was standing beside him and in the next, she was gone. Under any other circumstance, he wouldn't have panicked or rushed after her as he was well aware of just how capable she was. But they'd just been infiltrated by a powerful demon and the last thing he wanted was for her to be out of his sight.
Tommy couldn't help the reproachful look that creased his features.
"Where's TJ now?" Billy asked, bringing up the surveillance feed from the simulation lab.
"He's dead," Kim confessed grimly.
"I had to kill him." Tommy's throat tightened, eyes glassing over with unshed tears.
Billy was momentarily stunned for the second time. "You… killed him?"
"He was going to kill Kim. I had to do it. He was gone, Billy. There was no getting through to him."
The Blue Ranger put a comforting hand on Tommy's shoulder. "You did what you had to do, Tommy. No one will fault you for that. And you shouldn't either," he added, reading the guilt on his face.
Kim squeezed Tommy's hand, their eyes meeting as an array of emotions and unspoken words drifted silently between them. Both knew they'd have time to fall apart in each other's arms later. At the moment, however, it was crucial they figure out what had gone wrong and most importantly if the threat of another possession was still a possibility.
Billy locked down the simulation lab. He couldn't risk the civilian lives on board NOAH.
"Is anyone else hurt?"
Tommy and Kim filled him in on the status of the other Rangers. Some had been critically injured as they tried to intervene, but none suffered life-threatening injuries. Cassie and TJ had been the only casualties.
"You said he almost killed you?" Billy's eyes moved to the blood that seemed to cover every inch of her torso. It was hard to distinguish where the once pink sports bra began and ended against her stained skin. He then looked over to Tommy, covered in what he could only assume to be Kimberly's blood. "Jesus."
Kim's eyes were downcast. "It was… close."
"But you healed." He put a hand to her abdomen, examining the very faint puckering of skin left from her wounds.
"Not exactly," she answered cryptically. Tommy's hands came around her shoulder as he pulled her against him. "Tommy healed me. If he hadn't, I probably wouldn't have made it."
The Blue Ranger's brow furrowed. "How? I don't understand… Tommy healed you?"
Kim nodded.
"She was dying, Billy. I could feel it."
"You… felt it?"
"Yes. And then I saw..." Tommy paused, unsure if he should mention the visions he'd been having. "I felt a power inside me. It was different than anything I have ever experienced."
Kim's hold around him tightened. "I felt it, too," her voice barely a whisper. "But I was too weak."
Billy became silent, the wheels in his mind literally turning with possible theories. As he paced toward the screen on his desk, he caught the playback of when TJ had rendered everyone in the room unconscious. Everyone except Kim and Tommy. His mouth fell open as he saw what looked to be an energy shield surrounding the couple as the blast rippled through the chamber.
His head whipped around. "Did you guys do that? On purpose? How…?"
"We don't know. We were hoping you could tell us," Kim said, stepping forward to watch the footage.
"Was this the first time? Has anything else similar happened between the two of you or the other Rangers?"
Kim and Tommy regarded each other. Without breaking eye contact, Tommy said, "On the mission, when the crystals gave out and we had to teleport. We were unmorphed and couldn't breathe… Kim was in my head. She told me to call on my powers."
"Telepathy?"
The pair nodded. Billy let out a heavy breath. "This is quite the revelation."
Kimberly suddenly slammed on the keys, switching the screen from playback to live mode, not wanting to see herself in the grips of death.
"You can watch that later; when I'm not here."
Billy squeezed her shoulder, giving her a sympathetic expression. "Of course."
He observed the room of Rangers and his eyes widened as it seemed to be rapidly devolving into chaos as soon as some of the former heroes realized the doors had been locked and the systems were down. Kim's team and Nat were attempting to settle the quickly panicking group, but their efforts were futile.
"We have to get back there. The guys need back-up," Without waiting on a response, Kim teleported out.
Tommy and Billy touched down seconds after her. The loud echoes of dozens of voices, all speaking and yelling at once, reverberated loudly inside the chamber. The volume only increased as the three leaders materialized in front of them.
The White Ranger cupped his hands around his mouth, instructing everyone to be quiet. His baritone voice carried thunderously, and the room slowly hushed.
Kim began the arduous task of attempting to calm everyone down and informing them that for their safety and the safety of the passengers on board, they had to remain locked down until the threat had abated.
"You expect us to just stay here and become one of those things, like TJ?" A tall, dark-haired man stepped forward in front of Kim. "You killed TJ," he accused, finger pointed at the couple. "I don't know about anyone else, but I didn't come here to die. Let us go. Now!"
Kim turned toward him sharply, "And who the fuck are you?"
"Shane Clarke, former Ninja Storm Red Wind Ranger."
She rolled her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek. "Always a damn Red."
As Kim began to back step, Shane grabbed her arm. But before she could even register his hold, Tommy had sent the man flying back on his ass.
The White Ranger bent over the fallen Red, "Don't you ever put your fucking hands on her again! You hear me?" he growled, scathing glare flashing white.
"It's not even like that, man. Relax! I was just trying to talk to her."
Tommy shook his head, jaw clenched. He wasn't going to make the mistake of trusting anyone else with Kim's safety. "Don't ever touch her."
Shane put his hands up apologetically, "Tommy, I didn't mean anything by it. Come on, you know me. But put yourself in our shoes. We don't know what the hell is going on. One moment everyone is fine, and the next people are dying. We're scared, man. And we don't have powers to defend ourselves as you do."
"He's right, Tommy. We're not safe here. Let us go." Zhane stepped forward this time, his tone wasn't threatening but equally fearful.
A dirty blond man helped Shane to his feet. Tommy recognized Carter. "What are we going to tell Cassie and TJ's families? Is this what you all brought us here for? I don't want to become like TJ. He was a good Ranger… and an even better friend. This is so fucked up."
Zack spoke up next, "I think everyone just needs to calm the hell down and listen to what Tommy and Kim have to say."
"I have a daughter who needs me. I can't do this. I want to get off this ship. Why are you keeping us prisoner here?"
"I'm with Taylor. I have two boys and a wife. I don't want to die up here," Leo, a Galaxy Ranger added ruefully.
"Guys," Aisha began, both arms up in the air in order to draw the group's attention, "we don't know if any one of us poses a threat to our families. The wise thing would be to stay until we figure this out."
Leo moved in front of the petite former Yellow. "We're all fine right now. TJ was perfectly fine until boarding this goddamn ship."
"How about you step back," Kim demanded acidly, pulling Aisha behind her. Tommy immediately flanked her, standing like a sentinel at her side, tensed arms folded over his chest.
Leo wasn't the type to pick fights, especially with Rangers. But their situation was dire. Emotions were running high. Everyone was fearful of who could potentially be the Demon's next victim.
The man eyed the pair; each equally as powerful as the other. No doubt the reason they were all still alive. Their blood-stained bodies are a testament to that. He wasn't foolish enough to provoke either one of them, but he couldn't risk not going home to his family.
"Look, you can't just hold us here. The threat is here. Can't you all see that?"
"Nobody knows that for sure. We stay put until we figure this out." Jason's stance was just as implacable as his teammates'.
Shane threw his arms up. "Bullshit!"
The room descended into total anarchy again. Billy gripped Natalie's hand and teleported out to the main Power Chamber. Seven beams of light immediately followed.
"It's a ticking time bomb in there. They want answers we can't give them right now." Billy pulled up the surveillance video and began scouring the footage again.
"Was anyone in contact with TJ before it happened?" Kim asked, coming up next to the Blue Ranger.
Adam stood on the other side of Billy. "I noticed him talking to someone. She used to be a Pink. Time Force, I think."
"Jen Scotts," Tommy and Jason said in unison.
Billy quickly pulled her up in the system and calibrated her life force to the Grid. The former Pink Ranger suddenly materialized behind them.
Her eyes were wide, mouth open as if she'd been in the middle of speaking. Kim approached the stunned woman.
"Jen, you were with TJ before everything went down. Did you notice anything strange, something that would have raised your suspicion?"
Jen took a few moments to collect herself and gather her thoughts, still dazed from all that had taken place.
"I-I don't think so." She shook her head. "No, he was fine. There was nothing I noticed. He was talkative, happy even." The woman's eyes filled with tears. "What happened out there?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out," Billy assured her, eyes still focused on the footage as it zoomed in on the deceased former Red Ranger right before his attack on Kim.
Katherine narrowed her eyes as she came up behind Billy. "There! Take it back and watch his face and eyes."
The group looked on in horror as in what seemed to be a split second, a smiling TJ turned into a stoic, motionless being. They saw his eyes glaze over red, too fast for anyone to have caught without prior knowledge and slow-motion replay.
It was made clear in that instant that TJ had become possessed after arriving on NOAH, right there in the simulation room.
The Rangers looked at each other warily.
"What does this mean? Could this happen to any one of us?" Rocky rubbed a rough hand through his scalp and exhaled heavily.
"If that's the case, why TJ? Why not Kim or Tommy? Or any one of us with powers?" Trini asked as she fidgeted nervously.
Adam nodded. "I agree. A more powerful Ranger would have made more sense. And why not keep jumping bodies? Where did it go?"
"Hey, man, don't you be putting that out there like that," Rocky warned, a hand to his teammate's chest as his eyes trailed back and forth uneasily.
"Maybe—because she couldn't," Kim theorized. "Maybe, it's not possible while we're connected to the Grid. She knew me. She remembered me and Tommy. Deliberately singled us out. If there was a way for her to possess either one of us, even if just out of pure vengeance, I know she would have."
"That's a damn relief," Rocky said, blowing out a puff of air.
"It means nothing if our friends and the people on board this ship are in danger," Katherine added sadly.
Kim bit down on her lip, looking away from the monitor. She began to pace, whispering something to herself before teleporting out in a flash. Tommy cursed through clenched teeth.
"Damn it, Kim. Billy, coordinates on Kim! Now!"
Kimberly's saber was already drawn by the time she touched down in the cryo chamber. She made her way to where she knew the Master's head was being stored. As she crept closer, she felt the heat of Tommy's white light on her back.
"Kim!" he whirled her around gently though the urgency in his voice was evident. "Kim, there's a damn demon loose on this ship, possibly body jumping! You can't just disappear like that on me. Please! It's not wise to be alone."
She sucked in a breath to protest but said nothing as she observed the concern swimming in his eyes. She simply nodded, swallowing her irritation.
"Okay. But I don't want you to do this, Tommy. I don't need you defending me like you did earlier or worrying about me like I'm some weak chick. I'm not defenseless."
Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I know that, Kim! I know that more than anyone. But what happened between me and Shane had nothing to do with me thinking you can't handle yourself. I will never stand around and just let some asshole put his hands on you. I don't care who it is!"
He held her face. "You're my girl, Kim. And I'll be damned if I let anyone disrespect you. And this taking off that you're doing – Look, we have targets on our backs. You saw what happened today. I almost lost you." He visibly winced at the memory. "And you saw that you and I, somehow, we're more powerful together. The best thing would be for us to just stick together."
Kim closed her eyes and inhaled, putting a hand on his chest. "I understand. It's just that my nerves are shot, and I don't want anyone else to die, Tommy. I've lived through this already." She met his warm, brown eyes. "I'm trying so hard to keep myself together right now."
Tommy leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
"I'm here, beautiful. You're not alone. Let me help you, okay? You and me against the world, remember?" he chuckled humorlessly.
She nodded and squeezed his hand.
He looked past her, into the dimly lit room. "What were you doing in here anyway?"
"I was just thinking—you killed the shadow demon that attacked Derrick. And we know they have regenerative capabilities. It's very possible that because the creature wasn't completely destroyed, it somehow came back to life."
"So, you're thinking the same could have happened with the Master's head in a way?"
"Exactly," she confirmed, turning toward the compartment in question. "The dark energy wasn't detectable when we initially boarded NOAH after the mission because the process probably hadn't been complete. If we're lucky, that was her one shot to send a message. And if we're not, then her spirit is still lingering around somewhere. Either way, we have to destroy it, Tommy. We have to get rid of every trace, just to be safe."
His eyes widened. "Billy's research." It wasn't a question.
She nodded darkly. "We don't have a choice. We can't risk any more lives. She'd force us to kill our loved ones just for her own sadistic pleasure."
Tommy's jaw set tight, his thoughts immediately drifting to Laura. "All right. Let's do this," he said resolutely.
She lay a gentle hand on his arm. "Baby, I'm going to teleport to Billy's lab and gather his things. I'll be right back."
A smile crept over his lips at her use of the pet name.
"Just be careful and stay alert. Don't hesitate to call me, if anything."
Kim nodded once and was gone.
Tommy began to gather samples from a nearby workstation. Using his arm, he swept them into a tall trash can before making his way to a large, metal compartment. The remaining frozen samples, including what was left of the Master's severed head fell to the bottom of the container.
As Tommy picked up the trash and tipped its contents into the incinerator shoot, the Pink Ranger reappeared. She held a large box under her right arm and chucked the entire thing into the black hole.
"Tommy, all of it," she said, as she effortlessly picked up the large freezer compartment and tossed it inside. "No loose ends."
The couple stood by as the incinerator powered on.
"Billy is not going to be happy with us."
"He'll understand," she assured him.
"Isn't the Shaitan Master immune to fire? Will this even work?"
"We're sending whatever remnants are left into space. Either way, she won't be on this ship."
xXx
Jason rested both hands on the console next to where Billy's flustered gaze remained anchored. The Blue Ranger's brow creased together as he waited for the results of his most recent scan. It had taken several unsuccessful tries, but he'd managed to perform an energy field test over every nook and cranny of the starship in the hopes it would reveal the presence of dark energy or rather a lack thereof.
"How much longer?" the Red Ranger questioned as he hazarded a glance at the restless group below.
Many of the former heroes had resorted to pacing angrily about the chamber, arguing with one another while others were either upset or attempting to keep the peace. Jason knew that if they hadn't been Rangers, and men and women of integrity and honor, they would have most likely used violence in order to make their demands heard. But he also knew that there was only so far a caged animal could be pushed before it snapped.
"There's no way of knowing for sure. NOAH is far too vast. Worst case scenario: hours."
The taller man's lips pressed into a line. "Dammit! We don't have hours. They're not going to hold much longer without answers."
Billy soothed the pressure point between his eyes with the palm of his hands and sighed.
"I'm sorry. There's not much more any of us can do except wait."
"We understand, Billy," Trini assured him.
Katherine got to her feet, anxiety steadily growing. "Kim and Tommy haven't returned. Should we go find them? What if they need our help? Where was she going anyway?"
"This screen here is monitoring their readings. All is normal. No spikes. We'd be alerted if that were to change beyond the scope of normalcy."
"Billy, what's going on with them? How were they able to create that force-field and remain unaffected by the Master's energy blast?" Adam asked, recalling the playback from the attack. "And how did he heal her? Is that something we all can do?"
Natalie put a hand on the Blue Ranger's shoulder. She knew he was exhausted, overworked, and overwhelmed. Bombarding him with endless questions, although valid given their current situation, was only serving to exacerbate his stress level. He nodded a thanks in her direction as she began to speak.
"We don't know yet. This could be exclusive to the Pink and White rangers or an untapped power you all possess. Once this situation is resolved, Billy and I will run BioScan's on all of you to be sure."
The team nodded, sufficed enough with her answer for the time being. A short moment later, Tommy and Kim appeared in the chamber. The Pink Ranger made her way to Billy and just as she'd taken in a breath to explain what they had done, the beep of completion and a subsequent computerized voice beat her to it.
The Rangers uniformly let out sighs of relief as the system confirmed the absence of dark energy on board NOAH.
"Now what?" Rocky queried. "We send them home?"
Billy turned to face the Rangers. "That might be best for now given their state. I don't believe they're in any emotional condition to listen to our plight. Perhaps we arrange another—"
"No!" Kim's voice was sharp as a razor's edge. "Do you all really believe they'll want to step foot back on this ship if they leave now? After everything that's happened? Think about it, we're sending them home with the dead bodies of two of their teammates. We've trapped them here. Trust is broken. It's now or never."
Kat stood beside her fellow Pink, "Kim's right. I wouldn't want to come back if I were them either. And if we don't have the support of the other Rangers, I'm afraid we don't stand a chance."
"Trouble is, how do we convince them? They're upset, terrified, and grieving." Trini flanked Kim's right side. "But I'm with you."
The Team locked eyes and silently agreed, pushing on their communicators and materializing in the proverbial lion's den. No sooner did they touch down, when the throng of former Rangers descended upon them, demanding answers and freedom.
Jason used his booming voice to quiet the crowd. It wasn't long before Carter squared his shoulders to protest.
"Before things get out of hand, get us the hell off this ship!"
Kim pushed past Jason to confront the group. "There is no threat to any of you. We performed a specialized scan and there are no traces of dark energy. You're all safe; I promise you that."
"Tell that to TJ and Cassie." Leo retorted, his tone dripping with venomous sarcasm.
A hard hand fell on his chest. Conner threw him a cautionary glare.
"Come on now. Let her speak."
Kim nodded her appreciation at the young former Red.
"Listen, we are deeply sorry for how things went down and for the loss of two of our own. But you all know why you're here. You know what's at stake. This thing will come for you. It will destroy everything you love and turn your world into an uninhabitable, barren wasteland. But before that happens, its demons will capture and devour every last living thing on the planet."
The chamber fell silent for countless seconds as the reality of their fate came barreling to the forefront.
"How can you be so sure?" Taylor's voice broke as she spoke up. Thoughts of her young daughter and the dreams she'd envisioned of her future fueled her dissonance. "Plus, you and Tommy defeated her. Why do you need us? We have lives. Families."
"She's right. My sons need me. I promised my wife those days were behind me. I came here to listen because as a former Ranger and leader, I felt I had a duty. But after what happened here today…" Leo dared a glance at the blanketed bodies of his friends. "I don't think I'm ready to come back."
One by one, several former Rangers conceded.
"We didn't defeat her. That wasn't even half of her powers! Don't you all get it? You're worried about your families and your careers but fail to understand that all those things will mean nothing because everything will be destroyed unless we kill her!"
"Please, listen to Kim," Kat pleaded. "We need you all with us to even have a chance. We understand you're scared. We all are, but together—"
"My answer is no."
Several voices agreed with Shane's.
"I can't believe you all. Kim and Billy don't even have to help us! Yet they're risking their lives to do so," Adam, normally nonconfrontational, argued.
Rocky scoffed indignantly. "You all call yourselves former fucking Rangers? Sound more like a bunch of pussies to me."
Combative voices raged throughout the chamber. Kim stalked toward Billy and with a trembling lip and a fire in her eyes, she nodded once in his direction.
"Play it."
His brows furrowed as her words slowly processed. Play it, he repeated in his thoughts until grim realization forced his eyes to go wide.
"Kim, are you sure?"
A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she assented. Billy teleported back to the main chamber in a flash.
"Kim?" Tommy reached for her. "What's going on?" he asked worriedly once he realized she was refusing to open her eyes.
Before she could answer, the chamber darkened and then rumbled to life, quieting the incessant bickering. Their eyes fused forward where a suspended ripple of what looked like static began to flicker.
"Initiating Ocular Memory sequencing. File number H214."
Chaos, screams, and carnage emerged in front of their eyes as Kim's memories of the day her Earth fell played out before them like a reel from hell. A black sea of death had descended upon the Rangers. Hundreds of serrated claws and sharpened teeth lay waste to everything they came in contact with.
The group looked on in stunned horror as some of their own vicious deaths ripped gasps and sobs from their lips.
Kim trembled in Tommy's arms as she buried her face into his chest. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he held her tightly. "I got you, beautiful. I'm here. Focus on my voice," he murmured before teleporting them both out.
"Oh, my God!" Katherine cried upon seeing her alternate's gruesome death." She bowed her head and quietly sobbed into her hands. Trini's comforting arms wound around her shoulders.
"Don't watch," she whispered repeatedly.
"Adam, run!"
Kim's voice shouted in desperation, reaching for the then Black Ranger's wrist and pulling him into a dark corridor.
The pair had just reached a large banquet hall before a loud explosion rocked the world around them in a flash of fiery crimson. Darkness reigned for several moments before Kim came to again.
Fire raged. Adam's dying, mutilated body lay splayed on the floor.
Sobs broke out, mixing with Kim's.
The Pink Ranger's agonized cries filled the room as she pleaded with Jason, determined to seek out and save her teammates.
More bloodshed as Jason shuddered his last breath, cruelly impaled by a grotesque creature before callously being disposed of.
Rocky put a comforting hand on the Red Ranger's tensed shoulder, his mouth slightly agape as he shook his head in utter, horrified disbelief.
Rage. Fire. Death.
Only this time, it was Kim at the helm. The heat of her saber cut down scores of demons like a woman possessed.
Screams. Pain. Resignation.
She called out for Tommy, welcoming her fate.
Only this time, his voice called back. They had found each other.
"This is too much," Aisha's small voice choked out as she watched the couple crying and rejoicing in each other's arms. Her stomach lurched violently, knowing that he would never make it to safety.
The Pink and White Rangers moved like the skilled and lethal warriors they had always been, cutting the creatures down with deadly accuracy.
Just steps away from salvation. On the deck. The escape vessels were just an arm's length away.
Trini knew how this ended. Knew of his sacrifice. Even then, her breath hitched painfully in her throat, praying in vain for a different outcome. An absolution she knew would never come to be.
"Tommy! What are you doing?" They watched Kim's frantic attempts at opening the door of the pod. "Get in! What are you doing?"
Hard, desperate breaths echoed around the room before Kim's hysteric cries broke and shook them to their core.
"No! Don't do this! No, Tommy, NO! Please!"
"I love you so much, baby. God, I love you…"
The sobs were indistinguishable between those watching the vision playing out before them and those of the two distraught Rangers.
"I love you, Kim. I'll always love you."
"Tommy, don't you do this! Don't do this, please! You promised me!"
Kim's anguished pleas reverberated loudly, sending cold chills through every single body in that room.
"No…" Kat cried, clutching onto Trini, both women collapsing to their knees as Tommy took on the horde of demons. His strong, tenacious figure was fueled by uncaged fury and a love so fierce that he was able to cut through several dozen creatures before the first deadly blow.
Kim's screams were thunderous, threatening the glass that surrounded them. More knees hit the cold floor as one… two… three claws broke through flesh and bone.
Tommy cried out.
Agony. Suffering. Torment.
Screams and more ear-splitting screams.
Tommy was bathed in crimson and tattered flesh. He had put up a valiant fight. And when his battered body finally faltered, his eyes met Kim's one last time before darkness and silence filled the chamber, save for the whimpers and soft wails of some of the Rangers.
xXx
Tommy had brought Kim to the upper-level terrace where the vast expanse of a dark space loomed over their heads and stretched over an infinite horizon. They sat over a lounge chair, Kim tucked safely in the cradle of his arms. Neither had spoken a word since teleporting out of the simulation chamber. All she needed was the comfort of his presence and the lull of his beating heart against her ear.
Eyes closed, goosebumps rippled across her flesh as his soothing hands drew circles against her lower back. She sighed deeply, interlacing her fingers through those of his free hand.
"Thank you," she whispered finally, bringing their joined hands to her lips, and pressing warm kisses to his skin.
Tommy didn't say anything. He simply squeezed her a little tighter. A part of him had been morbidly curious to see Kim's memories from that fateful day. To watch the last moments of this dimension's Tommy's life, as sick as that notion was. There were moments where he thought he'd almost seen it before… or imagined what it would have been like. He wasn't sure anymore which scenario was reality between the musings inside his own head and the memories he possibly shared with Tommy through the Grid.
Flashes of light pulled their attention near the entrance. Kim extricated herself from his arms as her eyes fell on the images of seven familiar faces. The Pink Ranger got to her feet as the group approached. Katherine was the first to break away and engulf her predecessor in a solid hug.
"Oh, Kim…" she sniffled over her shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
Jason and Trini put their arms around the women, followed by Aisha, Zack, Adam, and Rocky. Lastly, Tommy threw his arms around the group.
Silenced reigned again for several heartbeats until it was broken by Jason's hoarse voice.
"They've agreed to help."
"What? Really?" Kim asked in a hushed tone.
He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lip. "Yes. All of them."
Through the eyes of the Pink Ranger, they were able to witness the selfless sacrifices that had been made in the face of destruction and annihilation.
Tommy's ultimate sacrifice had touched the hearts of everyone in that room and rattled their souls.
xXx
Tommy sat on a sofa inside Kimberly's bedroom, elbows leaning over his knees. He rested his forehead against joined fists as the tragic day's events raged on in his mind. Unrelenting guilt gnawed at his heart. TJ hadn't deserved to die, and certainly not by his sword.
It had been about five years since they'd spoken. In fact, the last time was at his parent's funeral. The former Red Ranger had offered endless support and compassion, but the heartbreaking deaths of his mother and father had been such a difficult tragedy for Tommy to overcome. He withdrew from the friendship of many of his former teammates, TJ and Cassie included.
He'd have to live with that pang of remorse for the rest of his life. Regret for letting their friendship slip through the cracks. However, he couldn't be apologetic for having ended his life. Not when it had been in exchange for Kim's.
Her bathroom door suddenly opened; a cloud of steam swirled toward the ceiling. She spotted Tommy sitting on the sofa that rested against the foot of her bed, head in his hands, no doubt drowning in guilt over the death of his successor.
Tightening the lavender robe around her body, she padded over to him. He was shirtless, wearing only black sweatpants.
Kim stood in front of him, her fingers running gently through his dampened hair.
"You want to talk about it?"
It took several moments for him to lift his gaze and offer a small smile before leaning back against the soft beige cushion. Kim sat beside him, resting her head against his shoulder and pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.
"Tommy, don't do this to yourself."
He said nothing and closed his eyes. The tremble of his jaw was so slight that Kim had almost missed it. She leaned in, tugging him close and framing his face with her hands.
"Baby, look at me." His eyelids rose slowly, revealing glistening orbs and dampened lashes. "I'm so sorry about TJ. But, please, I don't want you to let this eat you alive. You did what needed to be done. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here right now," she whispered over his lips, kissing him softly. "Thank you, Tommy."
Tommy pulled her into a hug, nose nuzzling her hair and inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. They sat in silence, each lost in their own reverie.
"Are you hungry?" he asked finally, brown eyes staring straight ahead.
"Not really. Are you?"
He turned toward her, swiftly grabbing her by the waist, and pulling her sideways onto his lap.
"A little bit, but I'd rather hold you right now and just… think."
Kim's nails gently stroked the nape of his neck. She felt him shiver.
"Tell me."
"It's just everything and how much I wish things were different."
She was quiet, considering his words.
"If things were different, chances are, you and I wouldn't be sitting here like this, talking about it."
Tommy held her a little tighter as the truth of her statement sunk in. She was right. In a sick, twisted way, the darkness that had settled over their lives had also brought him to her.
Though he wouldn't tell her just yet, there was no denying his heart. Whether he'd known her for eight days or eight hundred, his feelings would never waver. He loved her. It was his most absolute truth.
"You scared me today," he whispered, voice thick with emotion as he peppered kisses up her jaw.
"Don't think about that right now."
"But we have to talk about what happened, Kim. About what's going on with us."
She found his pleading eyes.
"I know."
Tommy threaded his fingers through hers.
"What I did today… I have a feeling I can't do that with anyone else. I don't understand any of it, but whatever that fire was, it was mine and it was yours. I felt its power, Kim. And I could feel you inside of it almost like your life force and mine were intertwined somehow."
Kim slid back to her original spot on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her body.
"What could it all mean?" she asked rhetorically. "I felt it too, Tommy. But none of this makes any sense." She stared off pensively, biting at her lower lip. "Maybe it's our powers from the Morphing Grid. It's possible they're connected somehow."
Tommy regarded her tentatively. "There's something else I haven't told you."
"What is it?" she asked, unexpectedly feeling the pace of her heart quicken.
"When I was infused with the White Ranger Powers, I think I somehow absorbed some of Tommy's memories… or something."
Kim's eyes narrowed as she processed his words. "I don't understand. My—Tommy's memories?"
He leaned forward and held the side of her neck as he nodded.
"Yeah, with you… in this room. And other places. At first, they were just dreams but then they progressed as visions while I was awake."
She pulled out of his grasp, tears welling in her eyes as she got to her feet.
"That's not possible. Tommy's dead," she murmured, arms circling around herself. "You're not him."
He came up behind her, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her against him.
"I know that. I'm not trying to be him or to take his place in your heart."
Kim closed her eyes as silent tears spilled over. Not only were they identical, but pieces of her Tommy lived inside of him. Memories of their love and time together. She wasn't sure how to feel.
Was this a good thing?
"I'm sorry. Please, don't cry," he whispered into her hair.
She slowly turned in his embrace, hands reaching up behind his neck.
"I'm okay. I will be honest when I say that I don't exactly know how I feel about what you just told me, but I'm not upset. It's just… a lot."
Tommy dropped a kiss on her forehead and wiped the wetness from her cheeks with his thumbs.
"I understand," he said as he lifted her chin and leaned down to kiss her. "Hey, I missed you."
"Me, too. It's been a long two days, huh?"
There was a glint of menace in her eyes as eager fingers toyed with the rim of his sweatpants.
"Kim, I wanted to come to see you so badly. Please, don't think I didn't. Things just got so busy. I—"
"Tommy," she interrupted, "shut up and fuck me already."
He growled low in his throat, heat climbing up his body at her brazen words.
"You don't have to tell me twice."
Tommy walked them back to the sofa, letting himself fall freely, as he pulled her with him so that each of her thighs rested on either side of him.
Kim cupped his face, laughing over his mouth. He inhaled deeply as he closed his eyes, taking in the alluring scent of her.
Finally, he thought.
This was what they both needed. The very thing they'd been craving since the moment they parted, what seemed like a lifetime ago. The intimacy and passion they shared were unrivaled.
He smoothed his fingers through her wet hair, eyes marveling at her natural beauty.
"God, I missed you so much, Kim." Hungry lips connected in a fiery kiss. "So damn much."
"Me, too," she breathed pecking the soft flesh of his lips repeatedly.
Tommy's roaming hands moved over the collar of her robe, slowly pulling it open and letting the garment slide off her slender shoulders. He wasted no time in taking a pebbled nipple into his mouth while his hand massaged her other breast.
Kim arched her back, offering all of herself to him as soft moans spilled from her lips. Every inch he touched, every sensual swipe of his tongue over her skin felt as though he set her very blood on fire. The unadulterated passion this man ignited within her threatened to consume her whole. And oh, how she welcomed it.
Hard, open-mouthed kisses trailed up her neck with just the right hint of cruelty. He used his teeth to pry her hiding bottom lip and she whimpered into the confines of his mouth as his hand slipped down between them, fingers parting her slick flesh until they were buried inside her.
"Fuck… Tommy," she cried out as his thumb began to draw tantalizing circles. Kim's eyes drifted closed as he applied pressure and eased back, purposely toying with her. "You bastard,' she whispered over the shell of his ear, nails biting against his broad shoulders and scalp.
Tommy chuckled darkly into her neck, marking the spot with his teeth as his fingers curled wickedly inside her, making her whimper.
"Never stopped thinking about you, baby," he groaned hotly, warm breath now fanning over a nipple. "Can't be without you again."
"Stay with me," she begged, riding his fingers in earnest. But the contact, as incredible as it felt, simply wasn't enough. She needed all of him… to feel completely full of him again in every sense of the word. It had been far too long. Her desperate hands pulled at his sweats. "Off!"
Tommy slowly pulled out of her and brought his hand to his lips, locking eyes with her as he sucked his fingers dry. She grinned, pulling her lip between her teeth to stifle a groan.
He thrust his hips upward, just enough to slide the intrusive sweatpants down his thighs. Kim agilely lifted herself, giving him enough space to push them down past his knees.
Leaning forward, her mouth covered his as her fingers curled around the hard length of his shaft. She stroked him rhythmically before positioning him at her entrance. Tommy grasped her hip, while his other hand firmly gripped her ass, in an attempt to use gravity to his advantage. But Kim resisted, grinning mischievously.
He bucked upward in desperate search of her warmth, partly slipping inside and causing her to hiss.
"I got this, baby," she murmured over his mouth.
"Please… Kim," he pleaded, tongue snaking out, slowly licking up the width of her lips.
She kissed him deeply and descended him slowly, squeezing her eyes shut as he filled her so damn good.
"Fuck…" she cursed, stilling for a moment and reveling in their luscious union.
Tommy grunted as both hands fixed on her hips, guiding her movements as she began to fall over him. Her pace was agonizingly slow, and his fingers tightened against her skin.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
He lifted a hand to the side of her neck, chuckling lowly before claiming her mouth.
In response to such a passionate kiss, her body moved accordingly, now riding him at a deliciously, maddening pace. He met each of her thrusts, pushing into her with low growls. Kim arched her back, curling her hip as she took him over and over.
Tommy leaned forward, french kissing up the side of her neck. Every little noise that fled her quivering lips, her hard pants, and the sweet sound of his name on her tongue, was music to his soul. His love for her swelled, those three little words hanging off the tip of his tongue. He bit down on his lips, silencing what his heart so badly wanted to reveal.
"Mine," he growled into the crook of her neck.
"Yours," she breathed, throwing her head back, eyes closed as her face contorted to reflect the euphoric sensations coiling through her body from the inside out.
Tommy's hand moved from her hip, across the supple dips and curves of her back until tangling into her hair. Tugging slightly, he pushed her forward, crushing his mouth to hers in a heated frenzy of teeth and tongues. All coherent thought nearly escaped him when he felt her walls tightening around him. Good god, she was so hot and so damn wet for him.
"Kim… so fucking good, baby."
Kim reached for the back of the couch, clutching the surface tightly as her moans intensified. She was so close, and he was right behind her.
Their eyes locked. There was something so primal, so carnal, and intensely intimate about the way they watched each other. He could die this way, completely lost in her lustful gaze, surrounded by her heat. It was like touching heaven; the fall promising to be as euphoric as the climb to paradise. Their hard breaths mingled, fire and pressure building steadily, ready to detonate.
'I love you… I love you. God, I fucking love you!'
Her voice filled his head, only it wasn't a declaration vocalized with words. Tommy's heart soared, his hold on her strengthening, his strokes quickening. Reaching out through their link, unsure if he'd be able to touch her as it was all still so new, he laid his soul bare.
'I love you, too, beautiful. I love you so much, Kim. I love you.'
A sharp gasp fled her lips, and she came undone. Waves of sweet ecstasy pulsed through her as she cried out, nails digging into the back of his neck. Weakened in the best way possible, she clung to him as he rode out her orgasm.
Tommy thrust into her time and time again, spurred on by the exquisite way she throbbed and contracted around him like a vice, throwing him headfirst into his own soul-shattering climax. He cursed and growled into her shoulder, arms wound tightly around her body. Her skin blanched where his fingers dug into flesh, bordering on painful.
Kim couldn't bring herself to care. She was still free-falling back down to earth and trying to catch her breath. He could have very well split her in half at that very moment and she'd welcome it.
This man was everything to her. And she loved him. My god, how she loved him. He was hers and she'd be damned if she ever let him go again.
Their foreheads came together, and they shared a small laugh.
"Kim," he whispered between ragged breaths, eyes closing, "I love you, woman."
She leaned in and kissed him lovingly. "We're absolutely crazy," she said breathily, touching the side of his face and sending several heartfelt 'I love you's' straight into his soul.
A part of her was still apprehensive about vocalizing her feelings out loud. There was still a sliver of her heart encased in stone. Maybe it was a form of self-preservation. A way to hold on to that extraordinary love from her past. To hold onto the pain and his memory.
Tommy pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, letting her know that he understood and respected her feelings.
She nodded, regarding him in amazement of this unique connection they shared.
"Sorry about your sofa," he suddenly said, expression alight with humor as he looked down between them. He'd slipped out of her moments ago, the evidence of their coupling now streaking down between their legs and onto the tawny-colored fabric.
"It's fine, you can clean it tomorrow," she joked with a wink.
Tommy smoothed his hands across her thighs and around until reaching her ass and squeezing. He kissed her swollen lips, swallowing her squeal as he pushed to his feet, Kim wrapped snugly around his abdomen.
He tossed her onto the large bed and climbed over her as she laughed. They shared a long, passionate kiss, parting only when they needed a breath.
Kim circled her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another smoldering kiss. They were insatiable; neither could fathom ever getting enough.
Tommy caressed the bridge of her nose with his thumb and just gazed at her in awe. What was life even like before her? He could barely remember if he were honest. It wasn't a place in time where he ever wanted to be again.
Kissing her one last time, Tommy moved to lie on a pillow, one arm bent behind his head. Kim did the same, lying on her stomach, and faced him as a sated smile stretched over her lips.
They basked in the afterglow of their passion, a comfortable silence reigning between them.
He turned to look at her and recognized the heaviness in her eyelids.
"Tired?"
"Just a little bit," she lied with a grin.
"Well, you better get some sleep because I'm not done with you yet."
She bit her lip. "Mmm, I'm going to hold you to that, Oliver."
He chuckled, reaching out to trace the soft dip of her back with his fingers.
"Tommy?" she called, a more serious tone to her voice. "The first day we met, and I asked if you were happy—what did you mean when you said that you weren't unhappy?"
Tommy looked past her briefly and exhaled.
"It's a little complicated."
"Tell me," she asked, blinking lazily.
"Well, after giving up my powers the first time…" He paused as dark thoughts of TJ suddenly crept into his mind. Kim sensed his shift in mood and threaded her fingers through his before kissing his knuckles.
"…I felt a little lost. Kat and I were in a rough place. And I had plans to attend college, but I wasn't sure what I really wanted at that point in my life. I mean, I felt like I peaked as a Ranger, you know? Like it was the one thing that defined me and gave me purpose. I didn't think anything could ever top that.
And ever since I was a kid, I've felt out of place. Like something was missing. My past had always haunted me. But becoming a Ranger helped fill that need—and so had dating Kimberly." He glanced over at her, and she simply smiled. "Leaving the team left that void gaping open, so, I spent the next several years trying to fill it again. I was successful. I finished graduate school, mentored my own Ranger team, made profitable investments, and came into a lot of money through a very generous colleague."
Kim snorted, unable to recall a time when currency meant anything to her.
"But even with all my successes, I still felt that emptiness. I was still searching for the missing piece of the puzzle in my life." He gently tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. "Eventually, I just convinced myself it was due to losing my parents and feeling completely alone in the world, even though I was surrounded by some of the greatest friends."
"And now." Her voice was barely above a whisper "Do you still feel that way?"
A blissful smile curved his lips as he gazed into her beautiful brown eyes and shook his head. "No, I don't."
Kim rose on her elbows and leaned in close to him, mouth brushing over his.
"And why is that?"
"Because I found the other half of my heart. I found you, Kim."
She cradled his face with her hand, thumb caressing his stubbly cheek as she stared deeply into his eyes and kissed him softly.
"Tommy…"
"Kim, I've been waiting for you my whole life."
xXx
A/N: Next chapter sneak - T/K on Earth 2!
A huge THANK YOU to my readers and those of you who take the time to leave a review. You have no idea how important your feedback is and how much it inspires me to keep writing!
I know this story seems slow-moving at times, but there's a lot of information I have to add so that everything makes sense. So, please bear with me lol.
Guest reviewer who suggested the song Mirrors, I couldn't agree with you more. It's perfect!
MsElle31 - I promise everything the SM said to them will start making sense. And I do have plans for the two Kims to meet! ;)
Guest - "Remember the butterfly" was one of the first scenes I ever thought of with this fic. But what if the message wasn't exactly for Kim? ;)
Morphme - I'll admit that I never watched Dino Thunder, so I knew nothing of Conner until I read fics about him. That part seemed perfect for him lol.
HighffelFlower - As always, I love and appreciate your honest feedback!
Izzie, Pinkgymnast93, and Fansuper1 - Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!
Also, if some of the new Rangers seem out of character it's because I'm not familiar with Rangers outside of MMPR (ha sorry!) and also because they're in a crazy situation... so it's understandable, right? lol
I'd love your feedback!