Disclaimer: Kimberpurplestar ~ Well here's Part two for you all. I hope you enjoy this next part as much as we had writing it. I do not own Power Rangers and I'm using them without permission. There is some harsh language in this chapter so be advised if you don't like that sort of stuff. Starfire will now say a few words as she always does.
Starfire ~ Gee thanks for that vote of confidence Purple, anyways as I was saying, this fic is a joint effort, it also will be displayed on my account for ff.net only. Since I haven't yet discovered a place that can house all these lovely little delicate pieces of work. *Makes Face* That's a lie of course. *Snickers* Enjoy the story, and hopefully, my dragon won't end up eating my computer. *Sweat drops* Don't ask. Ja ne!
If Your Not the OneBy Kimberpurplestar
"Hey Joe, hand me that cresent wrench will ya." Tommy Oliver called over to his assistant mechanic.
"What in the heck do you need that for man?" Joe Mitchell asked as he slid the wrench over to his friend who at the moment was under his race car muttering to himself.
"I'm gonna knock your block off with it in a minute if you don't get your butt under here and help me out with this thing." Tommy peered out from under the car giving Joe a look that bordered between being a smart ass and frustration.
Joe grinned "Gee, well if I knew that the great Tommy Oliver couldn't fix a simple problem then I would have immediately bowed down to do the work." He crawled down next to Tommy and slid under the car.
"Lets get this bad boy fixed. You want her looking and running her best for that rally next weekend right?" Joe asked, adjusting and fine-tuning a few things before smirking over at his friend.
"Couldn't hurt." Tommy laughed before continuing. "All kidding aside, I've gotta win this one. Its here in my home town man."
Joe finished his task then slid out from under the car. "God forbid you lose a hometown event. What would all the girls you knew here think of you then?" He laughed mockingly.
Tommy slid out after him and grabbed a towel to wipe his hands. "Hey, all the girls I knew aren't even in town man. Lets see..hmm" Tommy thought. "Kat's still in London working towards a dance scholarship. Tanya's in Stone Canyon working for that radio station there, Trini's somewhere in Europe with Billy." Tommy paused at that one with a smile. Trini had met up with Billy after he had come back from Aquitar. It had seemed that things hadn't worked out there and Billy had decided to go on a trip around the world. During that trip he had caught up with his old yellow friend. Last Tommy had heard Trini had long gotten out of the Peace Conference and the two were enjoying being together again. "Oh and Aisha is in Africa but she'll be coming back soon if Zack has anything to say about it." Tommy finished as he sat down next to his car, trying to clean up a bit.
"Wow, lucky guy to know all these ladies. Wasn't there another one though, you mentioned her once. A Kelly.. a Kate or something?" Joe asked wiping his own hands. Before Joe got his answer the phone rang and he excused himself to get it.
Tommy sighed as Joe left. That guy always had a way of saying something that got to him without even meaning it. He hadn't thought of 'her' in quite awhile. Or maybe he had and was just trying not to admit it to himself. With another sigh, Tommy climbed back under his car. Maybe he could find something else to fix, the spark plugs or something, anything to get his mind off Kim.
**Meanwhile**
Jason pulled into the raceway parking lot and parked not to far from where Tommy's crew was station. He turned to Kim who had a mixed look of fear and maybe even a hint of excitement. Maybe but this was Kim's show and he was gonna make sure she knew it. He climbed out and waited for Kim to join him. When she did, "I'll just wait here while you go and have fun with your 'bro'." Kim said as she shifted from foot to foot.
"Yeah right, I don't think so Kim. Now were both going over there to see Tommy. Your not gonna chicken out on me. Its been too long and your gonna have to confront him sooner or later and better sooner if you ask me." Jason said firmly as he pushed her forward then followed after her.
******
As he fooled around under his car Tommy heard footsteps coming towards him. "Bout time Joe. Wanna hand me those plugs. These ones are shot." He threw some fried plugs out the other side of the car.
No answer was forthcoming and Tommy growled under his breath. Taking a peek towards where the feet stood he gulped. Two very lovely looking sandled feet where there and they certainly didn't belong to Joe. "Sorry about that. I'll be right with you ma'am." He spoke out loud then whispered. "Whew nice legs." Whoever was standing there seemed very impatient cause they tried to get his attention again by clearing their throat several times. "Alright, what can I do..." Tommy slid out from underneath the car looking up and was caught speechless at the sight before him.
Kim fidgeted, even more at his gaze then when she first entered the small garage, while feeling self conscious of her lavender colored halter top and maybe somewhat short white shorts. She didn't necessarily change that much, except her hair was a little bit longer and a deeper shade of auburn, instead of it's normal caramel brown. "Hi Tommy."
Tommy gazed up at her and was simply taken back, he did however manage to get to his feet. "Kim, I... I wasn't expecting...um...I mean...I didn't..." He kept stuttering until laughter broke through his mumbling words.
Jason walked in almost bent over in glee. "My god bro, I haven't seen you stutter like that since you won your first race. Get your mouth moving man and give an old friend the right welcome." He grabbed Tommy's hand in a shake and a friendly hug.
While Jason had been talking to Tommy and the tall rangers attention had been averted from her, Kim had done her own scooping out of him. He was wearing a green colored mechanics overall set but you could see the white tank top he had on underneath. The white bandanna around his head was a bit stained with grease but he still looked as handsome as he always did. The big change in her old boyfriend however was his hair. He had cut it very short, shorter then she would ever have imagined. It was completely covered under the thing except for a few lose small strands that sat near the top of his forehead.
Kim squirmed as she felt his gaze return to her and looked down at her feet to avoid his eyes. Jason continued talking to Tommy. "I thought I'd bring a nice surprise with me for ya while she was in town. You remember Kimberly right Tommy?" Jason asked as he smirked at them both.
"Jase, good to see you...I wasn't expecting you till a bit later bro." Tommy shook his head, speechless, stuttering at his friends jeering.
Kim finally spoke up. "Jason figured with your tendency to run late that we should probably just get here early." She put on a brave face in front of him and smiled awkwardly at him again. "Its good to see you again Tommy."
Tommy moved forward and returned her smile with a similar one of his own. "Good to see you too Kim. What brings you back to Angel Grove? I know it can't be this lug here." Tommy goofed as he swung and arm over Jason's shoulder. "This man is to infatuated with another ex-pinkie gal." He laughed as Jason's bottom lip lowered. "Ah, touche Green Man. Touche." Jason laughed as he too swung an arm over Tommy's shoulder.
Kim felt a bit left out but answered the question readily enough. "It was just time to come home." She nodded her head at them both. "I've missed Angel Grove. My last visit wasn't exactly a thrill ride what with that whole Muriathias...stuff happening." *Besides its a whole hell of a lot safer here then in Florida.* She mumbled to herself.
Jason noticed the look on her face change to one of sadness but that it had changed back too quick for Tommy to notice. "Anyway, so you wanted to show me something? I believe something
of the racing persuasion?" Jason asked, before Tommy answered Joe came back in.
"God damn sponsors. I tell ya Tommy when you win this next race were getting..." He stopped short when he noticed the company. "I see you've got some company here. You gonna be rude or are you gonna show your friend you have some manners and introduce your pit chief to them?" Joe asked Tommy as he stepped over to the three friends.
"And I'm the one with no manners." Tommy remarked at Joe's language. "Joe this is one of my best friends Jason Scott." He pointed Jason out to Joe. The two men shook hands. Then Joe caught sight of Kimberly. "And who is this beautiful creature I see." he asked with a wink in his eye.
Tommy rolled his eyes. Joe never missed a chance to flirt with a lovely lady and Kimberly definitely fit the part. If Tommy hadn't been so shocked to see her he would have been doing the same thing. That and the fact that the two had broken up years before of course.
"Kimberly. Kimberly Hart." She spoke up before even Tommy had the chance to. "And it is the greatest pleasure to meet you Kimberly Hart." Joe took her hand and kissed it.
Jason nudged Tommy."Think the man might charm her bro." He looked at the face Tommy made and almost burst out laughing. Tommy stepped forward and took Kim's hand from Joe. "Now, now Joe. What would Deliah say if she knew you were trying to woo another girl?"
Deliah was one of the many girls Joe dated from time to time but Tommy knew he cared more for Deliah then he ever let on. "Well, that would cause problems. I suppose that you've saved me from getting my face mangled this time Tom." Joe stepped back. "I'm heading back to the hotel for the rest of the day. I'm heading out with the rest of the guys tonight for drinks." He turned to Jason and Kim "It was nice meeting you both. Tom see you tomorrow for your practice laps." And with that Joe left them.
Tommy held Kim's hand for a bit longer while Jason just watched faintly amused at how they had looked together. Soon after the two ex's broke apart muttering apologies to each other.
"Sorry about that. He gets a bit caught up when he sees a pretty lady." Tommy explained. Kim just nodded shyly. "Thats alright. It's nothing."
They both just stood silent till Jason stepped in to end the moment. "So, you gonna show us how you race this thing man. You were the one who was bragging that you were so good and that I had to come and see you." He grabbed Tommy's arm as they both walked towards the racing car.
"Oh see your just trying to egg me on aren't ya bro?" Tommy laughed leaning against his car.
"Isn't that my job. Come on lets get this thing going. I haven't got all day." Jason slapped Tommy's arm.
Tommy laughed and looked at Kim. "You coming Kim?" he asked. Kim fingered the pack of cigarettes in her pocket then looked up. "Um, I'll be right there. Is there a little girls room somewhere?" she asked timidly
Tommy pointed to a room off the side of the garage they were in. "Right in there. Nice and clean these guys may be pigs but surprisingly they keep a clean bathroom, go figure. Just go through this door when your done. The track is right outside." He smiled as the two men climbed in and Tommy drove it carefully out of the garage and down to the track.
Kim let out a sigh as they moved out of sight and made for the bathroom. Once inside she pulled out her pack and her lighter. With trembling hands she pulled out a cigarette and with a only a bit of trouble, lit one up. She took a deep puff of one and exhaled trying to calm her nerves.
Meanwhile Jason was deep in conversation with Tommy as they drove towards the track. "Hey Tommy, did you notice anything different about Kim?" Jason asked hoping that maybe he could get Tommy to open up about what had happened to the one time pink ranger and the old green ranger.
Tommy stirred the car to a spot right outside the track and stopped. "How would I know man. "I haven't seen much of her since Muriathias. She seems the same though maybe a bit tired but nothing major that I can tell."
"You two used to finish each others sentences, you used to know each other pretty well Tommy. Did something change that man?" Jason asked knowing the possible answer would be the letter that Kim had sent.
Tommy frowned and almost growled out his answer. "Look, we drifted apart okay. It happens to every couple. After the letter we didn't talk much anymore. She did her thing I did mine end of story." He quickly got out of the car to avoid more of the sudden inquisition Jason was performing on him.
Jason got out and grabbed Tommy's arm spinning him around. "You haven't forgiven her for that yet have you? For god sakes Tommy it happened 5 years ago. You two talked about it after Muriathias. Now I'm sure that Kim has put it aside, so why can't you?"?" Jason asked angrily.
"You don't understand how I feel Jason." Tommy glared at him acidly, "You don't understand how it felt, seeing her again. It just reopens every wound that that letter made. I am trying to not do anything, but I want to know why damn it! Thats all. Just why she wrote that damn letter, but I don't get closure for that I guess." His breath contorted outward expressing his violent anger for not being able to comprehend the why. Inwardly he knew his emotions about the whole thing centered around the fact that deep down, he still loved her.
It was wrong for her to be here, Kim swallowed slightly, feeling her body shake from the tension, and stress of seeing her former love. Closing her eyes she slid down the wall, taking another drag from the cigarette to calm herself down. After one final drag she she stubbed it out on the floor and rose to her feet. *Why am I here? I don't have the right to see him, I am not worth it.* These thoughts pulsed through her head, while she wearily, stared at the mirror in front of her connected to the opposite wall. Inside that mirror, all she saw was a stupid girl that should have died. Something worthless, ugly, she just couldn't see the true beauty that was there.She was to full of guilt, anger, hurt and fear.
Noticing that a couple of minutes had already past, she quickly moved to the sink to wash her face. Glancing into the mirror again, she was repulsed by what she saw. All that was there was the other her, the other Kim, that one she loathed, the weak sniveling girl that didn't deserve happiness. Aaron was right to hurt her, right that she was nothing, just a worthless whore to be played with. That it was best for her to turn away Tommy. Yes, it was better that they weren't together. He could be safe from her and what her life had become.
Drying her face, she pulled out some gum from her pocket and popped it into her mouth to try to clean away the smoking smell. It was better that Jason and Tommy didn't know all the bad habits that she had picked up.
By the time she had walked out toward the track, the former pink ranger noticed that instead of racing, Jason and Tommy were engaged in a fierce conversation. Narrowing her eyes a bit from the glimmering light of the sun, she walked toward them pondering what they could be talking about that would cause both friends to be so on edge with each other
"No your right, I don' know what it's like Tommy. I want to know what was going on with that letter too, but you know what, does it really matter now? Sometimes its better to just start over again." Jason glared at the racer before him, "It isn't right for you to hold this grudge against her. You don't see her doing anything of the sort. That!" Pointing back to where the bathroom was, "Is not the Kim I want to see. This shy quiet Kim that she's become. I don't like seeing this uncomfortable silence between you two."
Tommy shrugged Jason off him. "Jason just shut up, alright! Damn it! You should just mind your freaking business, this has nothing to do with you!"
"That might be true bro, but when both of my best friends are acting this way it becomes my business. I can tell your both still hurting." He tried to cool down his anger with Tommy after all his 'bro' had a right to be upset no matter what Kim's reasons where.
When, Kim finally made it to the outskirts, a couple of feet away from the car, she stopped suddenly hearing Jason's outburst. The were fighting about something to do with her and it made her feel even more horrible then she had before, *Look Kimmy, look what happens when you come back. Your already causing trouble. You should kill yourself, so that you don't trouble them ever again.*
"This is our business not yours! If you can't mind your own business Jason then just leave because if you don't I might do something I regret." Tommy's voice lowered almost to a growl as he jerked his arm away from Jason's grip. "Don't touch me!"
Kim drew her hands over her chest where her heart was pounding so hard in her chest it was causing her pain. She gasped, causing both men to turn their heads to look at her.
Jason's first impression when he saw Kim was that she was in pain. It was plastered across her face and he immediately felt ashamed of bringing up something that had to of hurt her deeply, especially since he was sure she heard most everything he had yelled. "Kim...I" He began, but found her looking as though she was a deer in the headlights.
When Tommy had glanced over at Kim, he found only a pale waif like child staring back him. Pain deeper then anything he had ever seen in her eyes, stared back at him. Not even the remarriage of her parents had affected her this deeply. Not even the death of a favorite pet could cause this type of pain that was gut wrenching to see on the girl who had always been so cheery. When he heard Jason's say her name he felt like such a cad for what they had been doing in front of her.
Instead of smoothing out everything and finding out the answers he so wanted, he simply watched her run away from them. Finally he found his voice and called out, "Kim no wait!" Both men were instantly running after her.
Kim felt her heart pounding heavily in her chest. Her mind was in turmoil over everything and the screaming voice inside her told her that it was all her damn fault. Everything that happened was always her fault, that she should just end it all. *Your a coward Kimmy a damn freaking coward, your a stupid bitch that can only bring bad luck to everyone and anyone you meet.*
Feeling helpless Jason ran after her as fast as he could. "Kim don't run damn it!" He yelled out. Too quickly he was watching in horror as a car speeding down the street slammed on their brakes, but to late. The car hit Kim sending her careening across the road. The screeching sounds of automobiles echoed in the busy streets outside the racing complex. It was a sound that would forever echo in Jason's ears.
Tommy was at a loss as the whole day came flooding back to him. Kim coming back, him arguing with Jason, and now Kim being hit by a car. Her petite body rolled and rolled until it came to a dead stop on the side of the road. "KIMBERLY!" He screamed out, "NO!" It seemed in moments everything had started moving in slow motion and then was moving quicker then he could comprehend. Before Jason could, Tommy was by her side, his fingers trembling, his face turning utterly pale. "Jason call 911!"
Finding himself snapped back into the what was happening, the first red ranger pulled out his cellphone and dialed the local authorities. He watched with wide eyes as Tommy checked for a pulse. "Come on Kim, Come on."
"This is 911 what is your emergency?" The operator asked over the line when Jason finally connected.
"Hello? Yes my friend got hit by a car. Were outside at AG Racing track on the main roads. Yes, not the racing roads the main road right outside the track. Please hurry. Tommy they want to know if she has a pulse." Jason asked quickly looking with concern at Tommy.
"I've got a pulse Jason, but it's real faint. God tell them to hurry!" Tommy screamed, while piles of people were getting out of their cars staring in fascination at the accident that had just occurred.
Tommy took Kim's hand, not really noticing what he was doing, just that he was scared out of his mind. Jason knelt down next to him muttering into the phone something about telling the bastards to hurry up. He leaned down and brushed some of Kim's hair out of her face. *Please be alright Kim. Just please be alright.* The sirens could be heard in the background as Tommy prayed silently to himself.
*To Be Continued*
