By Didi
Disclaimers: Characters are owned not be writer of this particular fan fiction. Please do not sue me for I'm definitely not making any money off of this story and is for amusement only.
Warning: Rated R for violence and strong language.
Note: This is my sequel to "What Lurks Beneath," where we learn much about the lives of our former Power Rangers as they rush to save the world from a creature out of their past. Set eight months later, we face a new terror, of man-made this time. The title should give it away some.
Age check: Billy, Tommy, Jason- 28. Adam, Rocky, Trini, Zack-27. Aisha, Katherine, Tonya, Kimberly-26. Justin – 20.
Author's Note: This is my way of distracting myself when schoolwork becomes too much of a pain after a while. The universe created here is not the same of the one in Saban so anything you think is strange just blame it on my imagination. It would also help for you to read "What Lurks Beneath" where I first created this universe. Sometimes I forget and add things from there, so it makes more since when you have the context from the other story to go on. J
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Chapter Thirteen – Names and Gifts
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December 3, 2002 – 12:01 a.m. PST
Yosemite National Park – Cabin
Yosemite, California
Kimberly gazed sleepily at the men. "How bad was Trini hurt?"
Billy looked over at the tired woman holding her child. "We honestly don't know. Communication has been dead for the past hour. I don't know anything."
"Poor Jason." Aisha said with a shake of her head. "I can't imagine…"
"Oh god," Tommy groaned. "Adam!"
"What about Adam?" Aisha's eyes narrowed on the former leader. "What happened?"
"He was shot in the shoulder again." Tommy said with a sigh. "I totally…. In the rush to get here…. Oh man, some friend I turn out to be."
"Is he all right?" Aisha demanded.
"He's fine. Clean shot." Tommy said reassuringly. "He was walking, talking, reassuring me when I found out that Kimberly went into labor."
Aisha sighed with relief. It was bad enough know that he was a cop, always in danger of things like that. But for it to actually happen…. She's going to have nightmares again, just like last time.
Billy smiled. "Guys? Perhaps we should think about moving out. Jason was a great doctor but I think Kimberly and the baby should be in a hospital."
Tommy sighed and agreed completely.
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December 3, 2002 – 1:43 a.m. PST
Monterey Memorial Hospital – Waiting Room
Monterey, California
No one could have gotten to the hospital faster than Jason had. He burst into the waiting room in a panic. The helicopter ride had given him too much time to think of all the possibilities and every possible worse case scenario.
"Jason!" Rocky was out of the chair so fast that he knocked it over. "This way."
Jason followed his friend blindly. "What happened? What's going on?"
"Follow me." Rocky said knowing that it was no use trying to calm him down right now.
"Is she all right? Is she going to make it?" Jason asked, feeling his heart in his throat. "Rocky, please. I need to…."
His breath caught in his throat as he stared through the glass partition. She looked so pale and thin against the stark white sheets of the hospital. The machines around her make her look so helplessly vulnerable that that he hurt just seeing them hooked up around her.
Rocky allowed him a moment. "She's okay. Everything went well during surgery. No major organs had been hit but the bullet nicked one her ovaries causing severe internal bleeding. They had to remove the ovary in order to save her life. But the bullet went clean through and did less damage than expected."
"She's going to be okay?" Jason whispered the question in fear of the answer.
"Yeah, she'll be good as new." He watched his friend. "But there is a chance that she would have a much more difficult time conceiving a child if she was to…"
"I don't care." Jason said never taking his eyes off of the woman in the room. "As long as I've got her, I don't need anything else."
"She'll be fine, man." Rocky said reassuringly.
He nodded without looking away. "How's Tanya?"
"Bandaged up. She'll heal nicely in a while. Adam and Justin are on their way up as soon as Adam gets patched up."
"What happened to him?"
"Bullet to the shoulder."
"Again?"
Rocky grinned. "Same shoulder too."
Jason sighed. "Can I go in?"
"Family only."
"I'm her fiancé."
Rocky nodded and looked over at the nurse's station. "Yeah, go in."
Jason moved slowly to the door, pushing it silently open and slipped it. Unseen by him, Rocky stopped the advancing nurse that had moved to try to stop him. His friend was now busy explain things to the agitated nurse.
There was no sound but the light beeping of the machine that kept pace with her heart. Jason was scared to breath too loudly. He moved slowly toward the bed. It didn't matter that Rocky had said that she would recover; she looked so infinitely frail lying there. His strong brave Trini.
Sitting down on the chair next to the bed, he picked up her long fingered delicate hand, careful to avoid the IV attached. Her hand was warm to the touch but limp.
He sat there for hours, not doing anything but watching her porcelain pale face. It was almost dawn when she stirred. Her long lashes fluttered and her eyes opened, looking around unclearly.
"Hi." Her voice was raspy from lack of use in the past few hours. "You okay?"
Jason let out a pathetic laugh. "You're the one in the bed and you're asking me if I'm okay?" His heart felt three times bigger than it should be in his chest. "You scared me." He answered quietly.
"I'm sorry." She said automatically. Her eyes blinked again. "Where am I?"
"Hospital."
"What happened?"
"You were shot." Jason's eyes were burning from unshed tears. "You'll be fine though."
She nodded her head in perfectly uncaring understanding. "How are the others? I remember Tanya getting shot."
"She'll be fine." It was so like her to think of others before herself. "Leg wound, clean shot. Adam will be fine too."
She looked at him with a frown. "What happened to Adam?"
Jason could have smack himself in the head for that one. "Shoulder wound."
"Oh, not again."
"He's fine. Better than you anyways."
Trini made a face. "Oh yeah, rub it in why don't you."
Jason brushed a lock of hair away. "Kim had her baby."
"Really?" Her face lit up in excitement. "What is it?"
"It's boy." He liked the way her face was getting more color back. "They were transported down here to the maternity ward three hours ago."
"Oh good." Trini smiled and squeezed his hand slightly. "I'm so glad everything went well."
Jason nodded and vowed to never allow her to do another mission as long as he lived. "I'll take you to see her when you're ready."
"Okay," she blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to keep the sleep away.
"Close your eyes, gorgeous." Jason whispered. He could tell that she needed her rest. "I'll be here when you wake up again."
"I know." She said before sleep claimed again.
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December 3, 2002 – 8:43 p.m. PST
Monterey Memorial Hospital – Maternity Ward
Monterey, California
Tommy sat happily with his son in his arms and his wife next to him. The baby had come for is feeding and the nurse was allowing him some time with his parents.
"He may be early but he sure is healthy." Tommy said with a smile.
"He had better be." Kimberly said her eyes still carrying the fatigue of the past few days.
"Hey guys!" Aisha knocked on the open door lightly. "We came to see the new addition to the family."
Rocky and Aisha walked in carrying the biggest basket of baby fun stuff anyone had ever seen. "Let me see the little bugger."
Kimberly tilted the baby wrapped in a light blue blanket up for the former red ranger to see. "Doesn't he look just like Tommy?"
"Oh god!" Rocky wrinkled his nose. "He does look like Tommy. Already has hair and everything."
Aisha laughed and went over to the bed. "How are you doing, Kim?"
"I'm doing great. I'm safe, no longer pregnant, and I have my husband here." Kimberly tilted her head up for a kiss from the devoted man by her side.
Aisha grinned suddenly. "Were you serious when you said that you were going to chop off…"
"Heat of the moment!" Kimberly replied quickly.
"Hey," Billy poked his head in. "Can you handle some more company?" He came in with a bouquet of pink roses and Katherine in tow.
"The more the merrier." Kimberly replied as Kat put the roses at the foot of the bed, away from the baby.
"I'm glad you said that." Tanya said from her wheelchair as Adam pushed her in slowly. Adam had his arm back in a sling again but he looked healthy and happy. "I'm dying to see that baby."
"Won't stop talking about it." Adam commented but was secretly just as eager to see the new addition to the family of rangers. "Man, he looks like…"
"We know." Rocky said with a grin.
They all laughed as Tommy made noises of protest.
"Oh bro." Rocky made a face. "The chief is going to take one look at the shoulder and put you on desk job permanently."
"Thanks for the vote of confident." Adam replied with a grin. "I'll be fine."
"Good." Tanya said touching her finger to the baby's little hand. "Cause Rocky needs someone to keep him out of trouble."
"Me?" Rocky said with all innocence. "Who got shot?"
"Cause I was trying to save you." Tanya said with a look in her eyes that said you owe me.
"And nearly got yourself killed. If it hadn't been for Trini…"
"How is Trini?" Kimberly asked with a frown.
"She's fine." Trini answered for herself as Jason wheeled her in. "And absolutely dying to see her new godson."
"Trini!" the others crowded the woman for a moment with well wishes and happiness.
"Okay, guys. Back off." Jason said with a smile. "She came to see the baby, not you guys."
"Thanks, man." Billy said with mock offense.
"Oh he is beautiful." Trini leaned from her chair to see the little delicate child that came into the world at such a precariously time. "He's perfect."
"Yes he is." Kimberly said with a smile for her best friend. "Thanks for sending Jason for me."
Trini met her best friend's eyes. "I won't trust anyone else with you and this baby."
"Thanks Jase, for saving them." Tommy said with heart-felt gratitude. "I don't think that I will ever be able to repay you for…"
"Hey, let's not go there." Jason said with a pat to Tommy's back. "We're family. No thanks is ever needed."
"But you have it anyways." Billy said with a smile. "I'm sure glad you were there. I don't think anyone else would have known what to do."
Jason shook his head. "You would have thought of something. You always do, Billy." He looked back at the child that he had a hand in bring into is world. "So what did the doctor say about little David?"
"Well," Kimberly's eyes lit up like bulbs as she exchanged glances with her husband who nodded to her. "First of all, our boy is doing great, healthy and happy, if a bit on the early side. And second of all, we decided to not name him David."
"What?" Jason frowned with confusion. "I thought you guys had agreed on the name already."
"So what is baby's name?" Rocky asked with curiosity.
Tommy clapped a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Bro, we wanted to name him Jason David Oliver, JD for short so as not to get all confusing. We wanted to name him after the man that brought him into this world and help save the life of his mother and him. What do you say?"
Jason stood there completely stunned. "I don't know what to say."
Trini reached for his hand and beamed at him proudly. "Say yes, darling."
Jason looked at her for a moment and then back at the baby and then at the proud new parents. "I am honored."
Tommy smiled. "And so are we."
Trini looked at the newest member of the ranger family. "Welcome to the family, JD."
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December 12, 2002 – 3:52 p.m. PST
574 Ribbon Tied Drive – Jason Scott's Residence
Angel Grove California
"Honey, don't lift anything." Jason said as he rushed into the living room.
"Jason, I'm all better now." Trini said with a sigh as Jason took over the job of lifting the box that had been delivered earlier than morning. "How long are you going to be like this?"
"Until you're ninety-nine or I'm dead. Which ever one comes first." Jason said with a grin knowing that he was being just a little overprotective.
"You're a pain in the… What is this?" Trini asked with a frown at the big crystal bowel in the box.
"Looks like a punch bowl set." Jason said as he picked up the card inside. "Oh god. It's a wedding present."
"You're kidding!" Trini said with an incredulous look on her face. "Oh god."
"Did you cancel the stuff for the wedding?" Jason asked with amusement as he pulled out little crystal cups and a ladle. He and Trini had decided that they should put the wedding off until everything calmed down a little more before trying to plan another one.
"All the catering and flowers and the site. But I forgot to tell the guests."
Jason laughed then.
"It's not funny. I figured since we hadn't sent out the invitations…" Trini shrugged and sighed. "How the hell…"
"Honey, our wedding was basically announced in the newspapers all over the world." Jason said taking a seat next to her on the couch. "The only people that didn't get the news was you, me, and the people in that little village in China."
"This is horrible." She leaned her head against his broad shoulders.
"Don't worry about it." Jason rubbed her back with one hand. "It's not like we're not getting married, just not at the date planned."
"Let's elope." Trini muttered. "It would save so much trouble. No planning, no reporters, no newspapers, no hassle…"
"No family, no friends, no loved ones," he gave her a look that said it all. "Plus Kimberly would kill us."
"I guess." She sighed and climbed into his lap. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. We'll worry about the wedding at another date."
"Okay," Jason said putting his arms around her and gently pulling her against his chest. "What would you like to do today?"
"Did you finish your blueprints?"
"Yeah, I dropped them off this morning at the office."
"Good." Her smile suddenly turned very predatorily. "So how about we play a little." She nipped at his lips with her teeth.
"You sure you can?" He asked as he leaned in to nibble at her neck. "I don't you to…"
"Jason!" She rolled her eyes at the ceiling. "I'm not delicate flower that you need to worry about."
"Yes but you're still recovering from…"
"I know, I know." She sighed and kissed him hard suddenly. "But I'm feeling rather frisky at the moment. So if you love you, you'd make love to me."
He picked her up easily. "Lady, you don't have to ask me twice."
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December 12, 2002 – 4:12 p.m. PST
1680 Clay Hill Ave. – Oliver Residence
Angel Grove, California
"Justin, you need to keep his head up a little more." Kimberly instructed as she watch the young man hold her baby.
"Like this?" Justin cradled the baby carefully, never having handled anything so fragile.
Kimberly laughed. "He's not a stick of dynamite, you can hold him a little closer."
"Sorry," Justin said with a grin. "I'm just not use to this."
"Don't worry, it'll come very naturally." Tommy said coming into the living room with a long list of things. "Plus we'll need a sitter every once in a while."
"Not a problem." Justin said with a smile. "I'll always be around if you need me. Sorry I couldn't come to the Monterey hospital with everyone else. But Dad was already getting real suspicious and I didn't want to worry him even more."
"Don't worry about it." Tommy said taking a seat with his wife.
"That the list?" Kimberly asked with interest. "Everything ready?"
"It will be." Tommy said quietly as he watch the baby. "God, he is growing by leaps and bounds."
"Tell me about it." Kimberly said ignoring the list for now. "Looks more like you everyday."
"And that's a bad thing?" Tommy asked with a teasing grin.
Kimberly rolled her eyes as Justin laughed with the baby.
"Don't worry, JD. You'll get use to them real soon." Justin said with amusement at the teasing couple. "What's that?" Nodding toward the list in Tommy's hand.
"Oh just something for Jason and Trini." Tommy said with a grin.
Kimberly nodded her agreement. "We've finally found the perfect gift for them. Want in?"
"Absolutely!"
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December 14, 2002 – 10:45 a.m. EST
ISS New York Headquarters – Director's Office
New York City, New York
"Did you get the latest list of thing?" Emmerman asked from the conference phone.
"Yes," Ballard shifted the piles of paper on his desk. "Pentagon confirmed everything."
"Good." Jonathan Emmerman looked at his computer. "I'll be flying in with my family on the 23rd, can you arrange for pick up?"
"I thought your brother-in-law was going to pick you up?" Ballard asked rather distractedly.
"He was but the mess with Trodue has got him all screwy." Emmerman said. "Pentagon is going through some of the files that Trini's team put in. We're getting a pretty clear picture now."
"Good, they did a good job."
"Too bad we can't talk them into joining."
"HA!" Richard Ballard made a face at the phone. "Did you hear Jason Scott? He was pissed as hell that Trini got hurt."
"He's not the only one." Emmerman wrinkled his brow. The whole situation left some pretty ugly things behind. "Billy Cranston called me up and chewed me out for not having more agents around."
"Did you tell him about the multiple terrorist threats in the Middle East?"
"No, what would have been the point?" Jonathan said as his aid brought in a set of plane tickets. "He was pissed off as hell that his friends got hurt. Had nothing to do with the mission itself."
"Yeah, I know." Richard picked up a picture of Kimberly and her son that she had sent about a week before. "At least we're trying to make it up to them."
"That settlement would go a long way for Trini and the others." Jonathan said unknowingly looking at the exact same picture.
"Not that Trini or Mr. Scott needs it."
"No but Kim might."
"Yeah."
"So everything good on your end?"
"Ready. You?"
"Ready as ever. I'll see in few days then."
"You bet! I hope they like their Christmas gift."
