Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Power Rangers (*sob!*) and I don't
own the song used in this chapter, that's owned by Elton John or whoever
made 'The Road to El Dorado' (Disney, I think)
Summary: Some of the Rangers have to face one of their worst fears when tragedy strikes a former teammate.
// = Lyrics (for some reason, my italics never seem to work, so I don't know whether they'll be working here - damn!)
*** *
To Hell and Back -
Chapter Six: Beneath the Surface
* **
The funeral was one of the worst experiences of Jason's life. After giving Kat the song that Kimberly would have wanted her to sing, Kat had requested that Jason play the guitar and sing with her.
At first, Jason had refused, afraid that he might break down during the song. But when Kat brought up the fact that Kim always loved to hear him play and sing, he had agreed.
He and Kat were on the small platform that had been set up at the front of the church, beside the coffin. Kat was sitting down on a stool a foot away from him, a microphone in her hand. He was sitting on another stool, tuning his guitar in an attempt to take his mind off the fact that this was actually Kim's funeral; she was actually dead.
Billy, Rocky, Aisha, Tommy, Adam and Kim's mother, Madeleine, were all sitting in the front pew, dressed in black. Kim's mother was sobbing, and Adam had his arm around her comfortingly, trying to hold in his own tears. Aisha and Billy were holding rigid poker faces, Tommy was staring at Jason and Kat, and only Rocky had his eyes fixed on the photograph of Kimberly that stood by her coffin.
The priest spoke, but Jason barely heard a word he was saying. All he could think about was Kimberly and what they could have had. His mind played the millions of memories he had treasured with her over and over again, and he almost sobbed again as he remembered that he hadn't been there to save her. He hadn't been there to wake her up.
Next, was the eulogy, which was spoken by Billy, his voice shaking, but tightly controlled, and his eyes full of unshed tears.
And then -
"We will all miss Kimberly very much," Billy said slowly, making the understatement of the year and knowing it. "She was loved by everyone. But this evening, Jason Lee Scott and Katherine Hillard will be playing and singing a song that we believe Kim would have wanted us to sing. Jason has changed a couple of the words and lines to suit Kimberly better. The song is called 'Someday Out of the Blue'."
He stepped down and returned to his seat, his eyes riveting to Jason, who took a deep breath to suppress his tears and with one glance at Kat, he began to strum. After the first bars of sweet, true guitar chords, Kat began to sing:
//Someday out of the Blue In a crowded street or a deserted square I'll turn and I'll see you As if our love were new Someday we can start again Someday soon //
Jason swallowed hard, as Kat finished the verse, and he glanced at the Rangers sitting in the front pew. With a weak smile at Billy, he took over the singing from Kat who was close to breaking down herself:
// Here comes the night Here come the memories Lost in my arms Down on those battlefields //
There were some sniggers from Kim's other friends and family at the funeral, because they, obviously, did not understand the last line. But Jason saw a fugitive smile touch the Rangers' lips ever so slightly.
// Not so long ago Seems like eternity Those hot afternoons Still capture me
Someday out of the blue Maybe years from now or tomorrow night I'll turn and I'll see you As if we always knew Someday we can live again Someday soon //
Kat continued from there, at that point, because Jason felt like his heart and his lungs would shatter with the pain.
// I still believe I still put faith in all of us We had the best And watched her slip away //
His fingers almost mechanically playing the guitar, Jason closed his eyes and pictured her face. And he began to sing just as Kat's voice broke with tears.
// Where are you now Not where we want you to be Those sweet afternoons Still torture me //
Jason looked out at the sea of faces in front of him. Everyone was watching them, their faces filled with understanding and interpretation. He saw the tears streaming down Adam's face even as he tried to console a broken Madeleine. He saw the lump that Tommy continually swallowed in his throat, and he saw the way Aisha and Rocky trembled and wept in each other's arms.
He was unaware of the tears blurring his vision, but he knew he was singing along with Kat as the song flowed around them:
// Someday out of the blue In a crowded street or a deserted square I'll turn and I'll see you As if our love were new Someday we can start again Someday soon
I still believe, I still put faith in us I still believe, I still put faith in us, oh I still believe, I still put faith in us
Here comes the night Here come the memories Lost in my arms Down in those battlefields Not so long ago Seems like eternity Those sweet afternoons Still torture me
Someday out of the blue Maybe years from now, or tomorrow night I'll turn and I'll see you As if we always knew Someday we will live again Someday soon
Someday we will live again Someday soon . . . //
The song faded away and Jason's guitar chords strummed softer and softer into dead silence.
It was over. Jason lowered the guitar to the floor, and stood up. It was the signal for everyone to wake up; because everyone was lost in their own world of Kimberly and memories.
The song had struck a chord in their hearts that could never be mended, and Jason could only hope that someday out of the blue, they would start to live again.
He wouldn't; he knew that.
It took another half an hour before the chapel was close to empty. Only the Rangers remained, with Kim's mother. Madeleine gave Jason a close, tight hug - they had always been close - and told him that all Kim's old letters, and diaries were his. She would have wanted them to go to him.
Finally, only Jason, Tommy, Rocky and Billy were left in the church. Adam had given one of Kim's cool hands a kiss and had left to take Madeleine to the hotel she was spending the night in. Aisha and Kat had said their tearful goodbyes to the lifeless body in the coffin, and they had fled, close to breakdown. Kat seemed to have finally understood that Kimberly was gone.
"You up for dinner tonight, bro?" Tommy asked Jason gently as Billy and Rocky went slowly over to the coffin. "We invited Madeleine too, but she says she'd rather be alone tonight. But Billy's coming, and so are the others - Adam's place."
Jason shook his head. "I don't think so, Tommy. Not tonight."
Tommy nodded understandingly. "It's okay. But if you change your mind, drop by anytime. And remember, Jase, we're here for you. We know the pain too."
Jason watched him as he gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder and trudged out of the church. "You don't know this kind of pain, Tommy." He whispered softly. "You don't know the pain that lies beneath the surface."
He numbly registered Rocky's words to him as the other Ranger headed out, and he barely realized it when Billy gave him a hug. Finally alone, he turned around and went to the coffin.
There she lay; as beautiful as ever, even in death. Her skin was cool, but not cold; she was never cold. Her hair flowed around her face like chocolate and her lips, the same mouth that Jason had ached to kiss so many times, had not lost their natural colour in death.
"I don't want to say goodbye, Kimmie." He said softly, reaching into the coffin to hold her hand. "I want to say I love you. I want to say come home with me. I want you to wake up and fling your arms around my neck and let me hold you so tightly that it seems like I'll never let go. And I don't want to let go, Kimmie. I don't want to let you go."
He stood there, with his head bowed, tears swimming under his half-closed eyelids. He didn't know how long he stood like that, squeezing her hand, staring dazedly into her face.
But he heard the whisper:
"Jase . . ."
Jason snapped his head up. He could have sword he heard a voice speak, but it had been soft, so soft that it sounded like it was part of the wind. He strained his ears, listening for it again.
"Jason . . .it's me. Your angel. Your Kimmie."
"Kim?" he blurted, eyes widening as he looked all around him. Was he going crazy? Where was her voice coming from? It was still so soft, so strained, so tired.
Then it came again: "Help me, Jason. Help . . .me. Save me. I need you . . ."
He could hear his heart hammering so loudly, it was almost deafening. Where was she? What have happened to her? She was supposed to be dead. Could something else have happened to her? What secrets were lying beneath the surface now?
"Kim!" he shouted, floods of emotion that mingled pain and elation and hope and fear all together rushing through him. "Where are you? KIM!"
"I need you, Jase. You have . . .to save . . .me." her voice sounded so soft and broken, like she was in terrible pain and it was taking up all her energy to reach out to him.
He whirled around insanely, searching for the source of her voice, his eyes darting back to her still body and the photograph.
And then, as her voice faded away, he caught one last word.
"Crayan . . ."
** TBC.
**
A/N: Bit of a cliffhanger there, huh? He he, I'm so evil! Anyway, please review and let me know what you think; and thanks a lot for all the reviews so far. They make a lot of difference, believe me! I'll put the seventh chapter up as soon as I finish it and get the feedback . . . enjoy!
Summary: Some of the Rangers have to face one of their worst fears when tragedy strikes a former teammate.
// = Lyrics (for some reason, my italics never seem to work, so I don't know whether they'll be working here - damn!)
*** *
To Hell and Back -
Chapter Six: Beneath the Surface
* **
The funeral was one of the worst experiences of Jason's life. After giving Kat the song that Kimberly would have wanted her to sing, Kat had requested that Jason play the guitar and sing with her.
At first, Jason had refused, afraid that he might break down during the song. But when Kat brought up the fact that Kim always loved to hear him play and sing, he had agreed.
He and Kat were on the small platform that had been set up at the front of the church, beside the coffin. Kat was sitting down on a stool a foot away from him, a microphone in her hand. He was sitting on another stool, tuning his guitar in an attempt to take his mind off the fact that this was actually Kim's funeral; she was actually dead.
Billy, Rocky, Aisha, Tommy, Adam and Kim's mother, Madeleine, were all sitting in the front pew, dressed in black. Kim's mother was sobbing, and Adam had his arm around her comfortingly, trying to hold in his own tears. Aisha and Billy were holding rigid poker faces, Tommy was staring at Jason and Kat, and only Rocky had his eyes fixed on the photograph of Kimberly that stood by her coffin.
The priest spoke, but Jason barely heard a word he was saying. All he could think about was Kimberly and what they could have had. His mind played the millions of memories he had treasured with her over and over again, and he almost sobbed again as he remembered that he hadn't been there to save her. He hadn't been there to wake her up.
Next, was the eulogy, which was spoken by Billy, his voice shaking, but tightly controlled, and his eyes full of unshed tears.
And then -
"We will all miss Kimberly very much," Billy said slowly, making the understatement of the year and knowing it. "She was loved by everyone. But this evening, Jason Lee Scott and Katherine Hillard will be playing and singing a song that we believe Kim would have wanted us to sing. Jason has changed a couple of the words and lines to suit Kimberly better. The song is called 'Someday Out of the Blue'."
He stepped down and returned to his seat, his eyes riveting to Jason, who took a deep breath to suppress his tears and with one glance at Kat, he began to strum. After the first bars of sweet, true guitar chords, Kat began to sing:
//Someday out of the Blue In a crowded street or a deserted square I'll turn and I'll see you As if our love were new Someday we can start again Someday soon //
Jason swallowed hard, as Kat finished the verse, and he glanced at the Rangers sitting in the front pew. With a weak smile at Billy, he took over the singing from Kat who was close to breaking down herself:
// Here comes the night Here come the memories Lost in my arms Down on those battlefields //
There were some sniggers from Kim's other friends and family at the funeral, because they, obviously, did not understand the last line. But Jason saw a fugitive smile touch the Rangers' lips ever so slightly.
// Not so long ago Seems like eternity Those hot afternoons Still capture me
Someday out of the blue Maybe years from now or tomorrow night I'll turn and I'll see you As if we always knew Someday we can live again Someday soon //
Kat continued from there, at that point, because Jason felt like his heart and his lungs would shatter with the pain.
// I still believe I still put faith in all of us We had the best And watched her slip away //
His fingers almost mechanically playing the guitar, Jason closed his eyes and pictured her face. And he began to sing just as Kat's voice broke with tears.
// Where are you now Not where we want you to be Those sweet afternoons Still torture me //
Jason looked out at the sea of faces in front of him. Everyone was watching them, their faces filled with understanding and interpretation. He saw the tears streaming down Adam's face even as he tried to console a broken Madeleine. He saw the lump that Tommy continually swallowed in his throat, and he saw the way Aisha and Rocky trembled and wept in each other's arms.
He was unaware of the tears blurring his vision, but he knew he was singing along with Kat as the song flowed around them:
// Someday out of the blue In a crowded street or a deserted square I'll turn and I'll see you As if our love were new Someday we can start again Someday soon
I still believe, I still put faith in us I still believe, I still put faith in us, oh I still believe, I still put faith in us
Here comes the night Here come the memories Lost in my arms Down in those battlefields Not so long ago Seems like eternity Those sweet afternoons Still torture me
Someday out of the blue Maybe years from now, or tomorrow night I'll turn and I'll see you As if we always knew Someday we will live again Someday soon
Someday we will live again Someday soon . . . //
The song faded away and Jason's guitar chords strummed softer and softer into dead silence.
It was over. Jason lowered the guitar to the floor, and stood up. It was the signal for everyone to wake up; because everyone was lost in their own world of Kimberly and memories.
The song had struck a chord in their hearts that could never be mended, and Jason could only hope that someday out of the blue, they would start to live again.
He wouldn't; he knew that.
It took another half an hour before the chapel was close to empty. Only the Rangers remained, with Kim's mother. Madeleine gave Jason a close, tight hug - they had always been close - and told him that all Kim's old letters, and diaries were his. She would have wanted them to go to him.
Finally, only Jason, Tommy, Rocky and Billy were left in the church. Adam had given one of Kim's cool hands a kiss and had left to take Madeleine to the hotel she was spending the night in. Aisha and Kat had said their tearful goodbyes to the lifeless body in the coffin, and they had fled, close to breakdown. Kat seemed to have finally understood that Kimberly was gone.
"You up for dinner tonight, bro?" Tommy asked Jason gently as Billy and Rocky went slowly over to the coffin. "We invited Madeleine too, but she says she'd rather be alone tonight. But Billy's coming, and so are the others - Adam's place."
Jason shook his head. "I don't think so, Tommy. Not tonight."
Tommy nodded understandingly. "It's okay. But if you change your mind, drop by anytime. And remember, Jase, we're here for you. We know the pain too."
Jason watched him as he gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder and trudged out of the church. "You don't know this kind of pain, Tommy." He whispered softly. "You don't know the pain that lies beneath the surface."
He numbly registered Rocky's words to him as the other Ranger headed out, and he barely realized it when Billy gave him a hug. Finally alone, he turned around and went to the coffin.
There she lay; as beautiful as ever, even in death. Her skin was cool, but not cold; she was never cold. Her hair flowed around her face like chocolate and her lips, the same mouth that Jason had ached to kiss so many times, had not lost their natural colour in death.
"I don't want to say goodbye, Kimmie." He said softly, reaching into the coffin to hold her hand. "I want to say I love you. I want to say come home with me. I want you to wake up and fling your arms around my neck and let me hold you so tightly that it seems like I'll never let go. And I don't want to let go, Kimmie. I don't want to let you go."
He stood there, with his head bowed, tears swimming under his half-closed eyelids. He didn't know how long he stood like that, squeezing her hand, staring dazedly into her face.
But he heard the whisper:
"Jase . . ."
Jason snapped his head up. He could have sword he heard a voice speak, but it had been soft, so soft that it sounded like it was part of the wind. He strained his ears, listening for it again.
"Jason . . .it's me. Your angel. Your Kimmie."
"Kim?" he blurted, eyes widening as he looked all around him. Was he going crazy? Where was her voice coming from? It was still so soft, so strained, so tired.
Then it came again: "Help me, Jason. Help . . .me. Save me. I need you . . ."
He could hear his heart hammering so loudly, it was almost deafening. Where was she? What have happened to her? She was supposed to be dead. Could something else have happened to her? What secrets were lying beneath the surface now?
"Kim!" he shouted, floods of emotion that mingled pain and elation and hope and fear all together rushing through him. "Where are you? KIM!"
"I need you, Jase. You have . . .to save . . .me." her voice sounded so soft and broken, like she was in terrible pain and it was taking up all her energy to reach out to him.
He whirled around insanely, searching for the source of her voice, his eyes darting back to her still body and the photograph.
And then, as her voice faded away, he caught one last word.
"Crayan . . ."
** TBC.
**
A/N: Bit of a cliffhanger there, huh? He he, I'm so evil! Anyway, please review and let me know what you think; and thanks a lot for all the reviews so far. They make a lot of difference, believe me! I'll put the seventh chapter up as soon as I finish it and get the feedback . . . enjoy!
