A/N: As always thanks for the great reviews! I'm having a small problem and perhaps someone can give me advice on… What is the fine line between R and pg-thirteen? I want to keep this Fanfiction a pg-13 but I'm afraid that it may cross. As always please read and reviews and if you have questions I'll try to answer them in the fic.
By the time Tommy had arrived at the dojo he was already twenty minutes late. As he entered the Power Rangers, who wear doing standard stretches, stopped what they were doing and stared in silent shock. Cursing at himself, he had thought all traces of the fight had been erased when took a few minuets to clean up in his apartment. He turned and glanced at the mirrors lining the walls. His face was completely ashen with none of its natural tan showing.
Before the others could surround Tommy, Jason gave the others a glare warning them to stay put and quietly walked over to Tommy. "Hey, man. What's up? You're never late and you look like you've seen a ghost."
If they only knew the half of it, Tommy wanted to tell him, Jason was his best friend, but instead all he could do was stare straight through him. Tommy eyes took on a distant look remembering what took place in the ally, "Nothing, sorry I was running late, the usual morning jog took more out of me than I had thought." His voice was monotone and Jason could tell he was lying but didn't call him on it. When the time came for Tommy to explain everything, he would be there. They all would be there for him.
"I'll accept that answer… for now. We are behind schedule. Are you warmed up enough to start with basic maneuvers?" When Tommy didn't answer and just kept staring at nothing, Jason began to get more worried. "Hey, earth to Tommy."
Tommy blinked his brown eyes and came back to present, "huh?"
Jason gave him a curious look, "Are you sure you don't want to talk about what happened this morning? I can cancel the workout and we can go to the Bar down the street, or we can leave the others to practice and you and I can go somewhere alone."
The pictures of the dead kid ran through Tommy's mind, only instead of wearing the thug's face it took on each of his friends. NO! He shouted inside is head. He would never let it happen to his friends. "No, we need this workout. Give me twenty at the punching bag and than I'll join you. All I need it to work it out and than I'll be too tired to worried about the Kim situation.
He was wrong after punching on the bag all it did was make him think more and more about the fight. Seeing Kim again, brining back old memories versus the new memories it was just too much for him. When he had no energy left all he could do was stare at the bag he was working on. Killing someone was just so wrong and foreign to him. Even though it was Kim who killed the thug, I didn't do anything to stop her. Power Rangers are supposed to stop the violence, not let it happen in front of them. Am I even fit to be a Power Ranger anymore? I let Kim torture him, why didn't I stop? He knew the answer; Tommy wanted to hurt the guy himself after the thug threatened Kim. It brought up memories of the days when Tommy was Kim's protector
Jason was keeping an eye on Tommy and when Tommy was standing there just staring at the bag he went over. "Tommy, man what's wrong with you? I know I said I wouldn't ask but after seeing you messed up like this, I have to know what's going on. If there is a fight later on, I cannot have you freezing up like this"
Tommy silently turned away from the bag and went to the nearest bench to sit down. Shakily he reaches for a bottle of water and takes a long deep gulp. "Jason, call the other Rangers over here. Everyone needs to hear what I'm going to say.
It was still early by Kim's standards when she woke up. The sun was high in the sky and there were still people running around in the streets. Not used to being up this early in the afternoon she took a huge stretch feeling the stitches in her arm pull. As her mind woke up so did Kim's anger remembering her senior officer's words. "You're on your own, Kim. If you hadn't decided to go alone and leave the army in the way that you did, than I might be able to justify sending troops. But no, you had to yell and scream and now no one wants to help you out with the exception of proving funds for you and medical help."
With an angry curse Kim jumped out of the bad and landed on her feet. She rushed through her morning rituals and went to the corner of the room where there was a punching bag to work off some of her anger. The more she punched the bag the angrier Kim got. She was angry at her officer and angry at Tommy for not seeing her way was the only way. Realizing that punching was only getting angrier she stopped and took a deep breath.
It was getting later in the day and still there was several hours before true nightfall. Still restless Kim decided the only way to settle down was to do more exercise. She went to the cabinet and loaded up on knives and than went outside her apartment door and climbed the ladder to the roof. When Kim had moved back to Angel Grove she had turned the roof into her playground with targets and previous gymnastic equipment. Taking a deep breath for relaxation and focus, Kim went to practice. Tonight she would see about an end to the Dark Ones, and only than would see be free of her past.
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