Disclaimer: I do not own anything Power Rangers related. Nor do I own the location where Tommy is living, it's my old home town, Suisun City, CA. And the restaurant where he is working is based on a restaurant in Old Town, one I know very well. If anyone every gets up to Northern California and has the chance to pass through Suisun, and you are there before 2 pm. I strongly reccommend going to Bab's Delta Diner if it is still open. She has the best breakfast anywhere, and her lunches aren't half bad either. And she opens at like 4 am so...
Anyway, on to other things...
Also, the song Kim has Bev find, the song at the end of the story, is Remember sung by Josh Groban during the end credits of the movie Troy. Obviously they all own everything. And if you can, I would strongly recommend hearing it at least once. Well at least once where you can make out the lyrics. It took me a few times listening to it to be able to transcribe it and truly understand the lyrics. But it is a very moving song. One which I myself will ask to be played at my own funeral in my will... Now to write a will...
Anyway, I hope you guys like it. Reviews are loved. Flames are used to roast marshmallows for my smores.
Chapter 6: Remembering
Kim sighed softly as she turned her head towards the window. So much had happened in the last eleven months. So many changes, and she was so very tired.
It was surprising how long she had held on. Too long in her opinion. No that was wrong, at least wrong in the sense that she couldn't let any of her friends know. Only Jase had understood, but he was gone now. Just shy of two months now.
Sometimes it was hard to believe it had been eleven months since she had come back to Angel Grove, eleven months since Jason had been diagnosed. Eleven months since the others had learned the truth that she and Jason were dying. But then she'd remember how much had happened and she knew it was true.
Closing her eyes she thought back to the first days. Everyone had been shocked, saddened, terrified that first night. Tears fell freely. Except Tommy, poor, poor, Tommy. He had ran from the house that first night. Returning an hour or so later calmer and more composed. With a bombshell in the mind of the majority of the group. His girlfriend was coming down to Angel Grove.
To say it wasn't an idea well received was not only a oxymoron, but was putting blinders, curtains, and turning out the lights on it. Only she and Jase remained quiet on the subject. They knew him better than anyone else. And they knew that none of them could help him through the loss of his two best friends. But this woman, whoever she was, had helped him through the start of a new life. Had obviously been able to calm him down enough to get him back to the house. He needed her there, she was coming. It was that simple. After all, why else would she be coming?
Tommy had taken their yelling, their accusations, all without defending himself. He remained in silence for two hours before Jason had finally had enough and had stopped them with a rather sharp remark. Only then did Tommy say anything. His remarks had been simple, "They could say what they wanted to him, but if he heard or saw them say anything to Bev"... it could very well ruin any relationship they would have with him. Then he had gone out to the porch and stayed there all night.
She had been up when Bev arrived, had seen them interact on the porch... she had gotten to know Bev later, but in those moments, she knew that he would be all right. He would survive losing her and Jase. The question was, would the groupsurvive.
In the end Bev hadn't stayed long that trip. She had been there for Tommy, assured him that she would be here whenever he needed her, and met Kim. They had talked for hours. About themselves, about life, about Tommy. Although to this day Kim was still surprised about Bev's last statement that afternoon.
"Thank you... for being you. For loving him. He has such guilt inside, and you saved him from himself. Because of you, your love, your time together, he became the man who saved me. I only hope I can live up to the gift I've somehow received."
Kim and talked with Tommy about it weeks later. He hadn't revealed much, it wasn't his place to tell. And Bev hated for people to know, but she had been a long-term victim of abuse. It wasn't till she met him, until they fell in love, that she found the courage to go to the police and send her abuser to prison. Kim had later learned from Bev herself more details, that she had sent her own stepfather to prison. The only father she had ever known, a man who had sexually abused her since before he even married her mother. It took thirteen years for her too escape. And less than a year later, she still leaned heavily on Tommy. Just a heavily as he leaned on her.
And Kim couldn't help but fall in love with this woman who had overcome so much, and still been able to rescue the man they both loved. The man Bev was willing to give up so he could return to Kim if they wanted to go down that path.
In the end, she and Tommy had talked about everything. Why she had chosen to lie and keep her illness silent through the now infamous letter. They both knew that there was no going back. He loved Bev now. And though he would always love her, Kim was now the only sister he had, and one of his two best friends. Only she and Jason carried that term of all his friends.
And Kim herself knew there was no going back. So they remained true friends, and she made sure the others knew that if they didn't accept Bev at least as Tommy's girlfriend and give her the chance she deserved, Kim herself would never forgive them.
By then she was already back in the hospital. Four months after the truth came out, Jason was checked in, and they were placed in the same room. He held on as long as he could. Long enough to learn Kat was carrying their child and see the first picture of their son. Then he went, with Kat by his side and Kim singing softly from her bed. Kat wasn't due for another month and a half, and while she glowed with happiness, they could still see the saddness in her eyes.
And somehow Kim had managed to live almost two months after they lost Jason. And now, in all honesty, all she wanted was to let go. To be free of the pain.
Opening her eyes at the sound of a door, she looked towards the doorway and smiled at Bev.
"I found it." Bev said softly as she walked over and sat down.
"Thank you." Kim replied just as softly.
"Your welcome." Bev responded with a half smile. "I have everything ready now, and your mom is ok with everything."
"Good." Kim smiled slightly as she looked out the window. "Can you sing it for me?" she asked softly.
"Sure." Bev said and Kim heard the catch in her throat. She had asked Bev to do this instead of making one of the others do it. Set up her funeral as she wanted it...
A moment later, Bev started to sing softly the song she had written when she first learned she was dying. Where Bev found the tape she had done, she didn't know, but she could only be thankful the other woman had.
Closing her eyes, Kim let the familiar lyrics wash over her, and finally let go. She was going home. She could see Jason waiting. And now they could watch over their friends together, and be waiting for them when thy took this same path in the future. But until then, they'd live on in the memories. As it was meant to be.
Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory
Remember
When you dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
Just remember me
I am the one star that keeps burning
So brightly
It is the last light
To fade into the rising sun
I'm with you
Whenever you tell
My story
For I am all I've done
Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory
Remember me
I am that warm voice in the cold wind
That whispers
And if you listen
You've hear me call across the sky
As long as
I still can reach out
And touch you
Then I will never die
Remember
I'll never leave you
If you will only
Remember me
Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory
Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
I live forever
Remember me
Remember me
Remember
Me