Chapter 15- Divided

This chapter should really be called 'The One Where The Sh!t Hits the Fan', but I'd probably get sued by Warner Bros. In any case, this chapter is quite long as we have a lot of interesting stuff happen, and this is really where the story changes gear and all the action really starts.

Also, thought the time had come to include relevant quotes that fit in well with the storyline, and as I've lifted one today, well, it's more inspired by a quote from one of my favourite shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer I thought it was time to give it some credit and give you the original, as I think it fits in well with the situation.

"You're not friends! You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, its blood…blood screaming inside you to work its will…"­- Spike, Lovers Walk

"Okay, now we're gonna go over the plan one more time, right?" Kim stood with her hands on her hips, her head tilted as she looked up at the most legendary of them all, a determined look on her face.

"Right." Tommy said weakly, rubbing his head. When Kim got into efficient mode there was little stopping her, and as she was convinced his sieve-like memory would allow this information to slip through and thus ruin her day, she had insisted upon reinforcing it several times.

"The girls are arriving around three, I'm meeting them at Hayley's then we'll all come to the school, where you will have told Principal Randall that we are coming and offered to be the faculty member that supervises, we'll train for an hour or so then we'll clean up and leave, with no crises having occurred and completely prepared for tomorrow morning! Savvy?" She grinned.

"Firstly, too much Johnny Depp for you, and secondly, Kimberly stop worrying! It is all under control, you aren't gonna get in trouble and everything will be organised when y'get there. Don't go nuts over this okay?" Tommy said firmly. "I won't forget anything, you did write it down for me." He sighed, reminding her as he held up the nice detailed list written on some bright pink paper she had found at the stationary store- 'so you won't lose it!'- used to make sure he knew the plan precisely and had no excuses for messing it up. He wondered why she was so anxious about this all going perfectly, she had done plenty of demonstrations before, she had competed in the Pan Global Games for goodness sakes!

"Now go shopping, Hayley isn't expecting you for another couple hours, just, don't panic alright? The Knight doesn't fail in his noble quests, no matter what colour he's currently battling in." He shooed her out of the house towards her car, retail therapy was probably the only thing that would help Kim calm down at the moment, if kicking the crap out of some Tyrannodrones wasn't an available option.

He watched her drive away and awaited Hayley who was supposed to be bringing over some spare parts to equip the Raptor Cycles with before she opened the café this morning. Making up another cup of coffee he was unsurprised when Hayley arrived at 8.15 on the dot, as she had told him she would. He opened the door and smiled.

"Hey, you want some coffee? I just made a fresh pot."

Hayley had a look of great determination on her face and was looking at him sternly.

"No offence Tommy, but there was a reason why I was the one to open a coffee shop and you got into dinosaurs." She said tersely before stepping into the house and going directly down into the basement lab. Tommy raised a brow at her strange mood and with a shrug to himself, shut the door and followed her. He noted when he had caught up to her that she was standing in the centre of the room and was rather lacking in any spare parts.

"Uh Hayley, where are the pieces you were bringing for the cycles?" He asked in confusion.

"There are no pieces Tommy. The Raptor Cycles are fully up-to-date and equipped with more state-of-the-art technology than a Russian space station." Hayley replied, and he noted that she seemed… not nervous but more in anticipation of something, her fingers were flexing by her sides as if gearing her up for something. He was a little bewildered by her manner and looked at her askance.

"Hayley, is there something…bothering you?" He asked warily.

This seemed to spur the red-head to whatever point she had been trying to get to, and as she spoke Tommy observed it seemed like she was repeating a much-practised monologue that she had been planning.

"Yes, and I don't want you to interrupt until you've heard me out. Because we've known each other for quite some time now Tommy and I'd like to think that we're good friends."

Still bewildered, Tommy opened his mouth to affirm this but her sharp look made him close it hurriedly and merely nod in reply.

"And good friends can be honest with each other and talk about things without one of them getting upset-" She continued hastily as if she was in a great rush to get this all out. Tommy had no idea what she was getting at here but it didn't seem to be leading anywhere good.

"-And I'm worried about you Tommy, because something's changed in you lately and I felt the need to talk to you about it and find out what's really going on, I think you owe it to me and yourself to come clean and accept what's happened."

Tommy's bafflement grew and he opened his mouth once more to question what this meant but her hand shot up to halt him.

"Kimberly." Hayley said in answer to the unspoken query and his brows furrowed.

Hayley began to pace the ground in front of him as if she was a learned professor explaining the ways of the world to a small and somewhat slow minded child.

"I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen the way she looks at you. I've seen how you talk to her and how you turn into a gibbering wreck when she touches you. In fact we all see it, the kids included, and they're smart enough to figure it out even when you haven't." Hayley squinted at him critically.

"Figure out what?" Tommy asked weakly.

"That you're still in love with her." She replied firmly.

"W-what?" Tommy gaped. "That's not true Hayley, Kimberly and I are just friends now, that's all." He managed, his head spinning from what felt like an inquisition at a trial.

Hayley rolled her eyes and replied calmly. "We both know that's complete crap Tommy." She shook her head.

"You're not friends. You and Kimberly will never be 'just friends'. You'll be in love until it kills you both. You can fight-God knows you will-, and hate each other, and pretend the feelings aren't there, but you'll never be friends. Not any more. You have too much history, too many bonds. You fought together, you saved the world together, almost died together and very certainly lived together. For a time I was fooling myself as much as you were, but I can see it when I look at you both. I saw you last night. You breathe for her, even after all this time. The way you look and move when you go into battle, the way you run for her when she's in trouble, even above your students."

Tommy shook his head, his mind denying every fact she brought in front of him, refusing to acknowledge what Hayley was saying. What did Hayley know? Why would she say something like that to him? He couldn't love Kim any more, what about the letter? It was a mistake, one she repents for every day of her life. But what about the fights? You were just scared for her. And what about the betrayal, her throwing his life into disarray?! It doesn't matter any more. You've forgiven her.

He shook his head, his mind in turmoil, he couldn't accept something like that after all this time. He couldn't understand it. True he'd had that dream, but what did dreams mean? And true he felt the need to protect her, but that was because she was in danger. And he looked forward to seeing her, but that was because he was glad for the company. He and Kim were in the past, true he had never found another woman like her, but how could there be one? The Earth's first Pink Ranger, the one who had welcomed him into her friendship group and accepted him even after all the evils he had put her and the others through. The one who had always stood behind him and supported him in everything. The one who he had trusted more than anyone else in the world, who had helped him open up a part of himself he never knew existed- the capable leader, the steadfast defender, the white knight who never gave up even when the odds were so against him. The one person he missed more than any other when she had left him. The one who he had let go, choosing her happiness and success over his own, even when it had broken him in half to do so. He didn't understand. That was a part of him that was in the past, the part he didn't need any more. He had grown into living as half a person, with no-one to complete him or stand with him, he was better off alone, helping others when they needed him and defending the earth though there was no-one to defend him. That way he couldn't be hurt again, and he couldn't hurt anyone else. Why was love so important when you had determination, when you had a job to do that no-one else could? He had responsibilities and duties, and anything else was a distraction, as long as he was there to support his Rangers and keep the world safe, what did his heart matter? He hadn't even noticed Hayley walk away from him, but her words cut into his internal diatribe like a knife, even if he didn't acknowledge them.

"Most people only get one true love in life Tommy, and we all know who is yours. Don't waste another ten years of your life by letting her go again, you may not get another chance."

Hayley saw that her words had served their purpose, Tommy needed to accept them and she needed to let go, for both of their sakes. Unrequited love was a drag, and so was a lovesick Tommy, whether he accepted it or not. He seemed confused, as if arguing with himself, and that was what she had hoped to achieve, to get him questioning and examining his feelings. She knew that he would deny it, as he had been ever since Kim returned to Reefside, but it was obvious, and he knew it.

She cast one last affectionate glance back at the palaeontologist- the man she respected and cared for the most in the world- who was still staring at the floor with a lost look in his eyes, an internal battle raging inside him. She sighed and proceeded up the stairs, it was time for all of them to start a new day.

Six hours, four shopping bags, twenty cappuccinos, five bagels and a pair of discounted pink suede Jimmy Choo's later Kim was looking at the third burnt muffin of the hour and for once it was not her doing the mutilation of the food. Hayley had been in a strange mood ever since Kim had arrived back from her spree four hours ago. She had asked the red-head repeatedly if all was well, but it seemed as if Hayley was as stubborn as Tommy when it came to talking about her feelings and admitting problems. But something certainly was keeping Hayley's mind preoccupied and it was causing them to get through their stock of muffins quite rapidly.

"Hayley, why don't you let me deal with that, I think even I can manage a muffin, and you can go take a break, you've been on your feet all day." Kim suggested, putting a hand on Hayley's shoulder supportively.

Hayley frowned at the muffin and chuckled tiredly. "Sure Kim, maybe that's a good idea. Thank you." Hayley knew things would get busier as soon as the schools let out for the afternoon, and unfortunately that was when Kim would be leaving so she resolved to sort through the issues in her head and get back to efficient Hayley, this distracted mode was really unbecoming. Still, they'd had to deal with the twenty-something and tourist crowds this morning, so it hadn't exactly been quiet up until now either. At least she'd have Trent to help out after Kim left. She now realised this could be sooner than expected as she saw a white mini-bus with pink writing on the side- proclaiming that these were the girls from the Swooping Crane Gymnastics School of Angel Grove - pulling up in the parking lot.

"Kim, you have visitors!" She announced, not wanting a horde of excitable teenagers ahead of schedule, but figuring they might be in need of a caffeine boost set to work on making a dozen mochaccinos to go nonetheless. Kim grinned and bounded from behind the counter to the door, rushing out to greet Stacy who had left the bus to meet her.

"Stace, it's great to see you! You're early! How was the trip?" She hugged her friend and assistant while barraging her with questions and glanced to the bus to spare a wave at the ten girls who were taking part in the demo.

"Terrifyingly fast, thanks to our driver!" Stacey chuckled, jabbing her thumb behind her to where the driver's door was opening. A man of around six foot with short dark hair emerged, resplendent in his black trousers, red shirt and leather jacket. Kim positively beamed and flung herself at him.

"Jase! What are you doing here?" She enveloped him in a tight hug and Jason feigned a look of gasping for air, staggering slightly at the unexpected launch of the Pink Ranger.

"I see you've still got that grip Munchkin" He smirked as she pulled away and slapped him on the arm. He laughed,

"Aside from driving dangerously? I had a couple days off so I thought I'd offer to drive the girls over here and drop in on you and Tommy, see if you two kids were playing nice."

"I'm so glad to see you, and I know Tommy will be too." Kim said brightly, what with seeing Billy and now Jason's arrival it almost seemed like old times, it was a nice sense of nostalgia.

Hayley then appeared, carrying two holders filled with coffee for the girls.

"For our weary travellers." She announced, presenting the coffees to Stacy who smiled gratefully and opened the doors of the bus to begin dispensing them. She then turned to Kim and Jason, recognition crossing her face at one of Tommy's other oldest friends.

"Jason, right? How are you?" She asked, holding out her hand. Jason took it with a smile.

"Can't complain, Hayley isn't it? Hope you've been keeping our boy Tommy in line." He replied, remembering the red-headed genius from his earlier visits with Tommy when he had first moved to Reefside and had began setting up. Hayley seemed to be the next smartest person in the world besides Billy but thankfully Hayley seemed to use less techno-speak so was somewhat easier to follow.

"As well as I can, although Kimberly seems to have got that covered now." Hayley glanced to Kim, lips curling into a light smile.

"Thanks for the coffee Hayley, how much do I owe you?"

"Forget it, we'll just say that's your wages and call it even." Hayley shrugged and Kim clasped her hands together and gave a little bounce of thanks.

"You're the best." The Pink Ranger affirmed and motioned for Jason to get back into the bus. "We better get moving before that caffeine boost wears off, we'll see you later."

Hayley nodded in farewell and watched the dutiful river and the two senior gymnasts pile into the front of the vehicle, heading for Reefside High.

"And five, six, seven, eight, good job guys!" The girls knew their stuff, that much was clear, they moved fluidly and confidently and knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Kimberly felt a swell of pride in her chest, it had always been her dream to mentor and to teach others to such a level of skill and her students never disappointed her.

When they had arrived, true to Tommy's word the gym had been empty with mats and balance beams already laid out for practise, although Jason had called Tommy on his cell, and because they were a little early in arriving, he said would be a little late in attending as he still had classes to finish. It was clear however that these girls needed no chaperone with Kim, Stacy and Jason's watchful eyes everything had gone smoothly thus far. As long as no-one caught them working without a faculty member and got Tommy into trouble there was no harm done.

"Carla, Amanda, Jessie and Erin I want you to run through the synchronised routine we've been practising, one from each corner of the mats." Kim informed her four strongest students who would be performing the most complicated of their routines tomorrow.

Then she had the strangest feeling, as if someone was watching her. She glanced around behind her, scanning the gym for any sign of another person.

"Kim, you okay?" Jason asked as he noticed her distraction.

She turned back to him and shook her head. "Yeah, I'm fine." She nodded, shaking off the feeling.

"Master, it is as we expected, the energy readings at the school have increased, the energy signature matches."

"Go then Zeltrax, take a contingent of Tyrannodrones to cause a little…distraction. The trap is set."

"Elsa, the gym, now!" Principal Randall heard the command in her head and promptly left her office hastening down towards the school's gym. It was perfect, the Rangers and Oliver were in classes, the Pink Ranger was alone and vulnerable with a horde of weakling teenage girls she would also need to protect. She could not have planned a better scenario, after so many delays and setbacks thanks to the Rangers Master Mesogog would finally achieve his goal of a prehistoric world, while she, Elsa, would receive the glory for being instrumental in his plans, inviting the Pink Ranger to the school and then capturing her! And it was all by a matter of luck and coincidence, timing was finally on their side! Ducking into a deserted corridor, with a flash of dark light the cyborg shed her human disguise and stood in her true form, ready to take the back way into the gym to corner the Pink Ranger and end this pitiful world for good.

A flash of blinding green and black light erupted in the gym and in a second the hall was swarming with dark lizard like creatures who started running and snapping at the practising girls, broken from their routines by the unexpected appearance. The girls started screaming and running every which way to escape their freakish assailants and Kim and Jason glanced at each other wide eyed.

"We've got to get the girls out of here." Kim whispered desperately, terrified for her students and knowing she could not risk morphing before getting them out of harms way.

"Stacy!" Kim called, seeing her assistant frozen in shock at the erupting chaos. The woman had never experienced a monster attack in such close proximity before, having moved from Texas to Angel Grove a few years prior, although of course everyone had seen the chaos erupt when a tyrant called Astronema had unleashed an attack on the earth, trying to take it over and rule it until the Power Rangers had defeated her. The blonde's head snapped round at Kim's voice and she regained control of her body. "We have to round the girls up and get them to safety!" She nodded at Kim's command and began calling for the girls to follow her towards the emergency exit of the gym.

Jason had taken to the middle of the gym and began intercepting the path of the Tyrannodrones while they chased after the girls, kicking and punching them backwards away from the teens, waiting for the opportune time to morph. He saw a heavily armoured being, black and metallic, standing away from the fracas and watching with a posture that evidenced his amusement. His manner betrayed the fact he seemed to be in charge of the attack as he was quite content to let the underlings do the work. He reminded Jason of Goldar.

"Hey, metal-head, why don't you and your boys pick on someone your own size?" He called angrily, snapping back into leadership mode.

Zeltrax turned to the impudent man in red, and bored with watching the chaos without causing any of it stepped forward to confront the individual.

"Who do you think you are dealing with human? Do you wish for so swift a death?" The cyborg threatened, drawing his sword.

"Try me." Jason challenged and rushed forward to engage the being, his blows glancing off the metal exterior painfully without the protection of his Ranger uniform.

"You are weak, is that the best you can do?" Zeltrax taunted, landing a hard blow to Jason's solar plexus, causing the former leader of the Rangers to double up in pain, the breath beaten from his chest.

"Pathetic." Zeltrax commented, before bringing the heavy hilt of his blade down onto Jason's back, causing him to fall to the ground in pain as he felt the weight of the creature's metal foot crushing down on his spine to keep him pinned. He felt the broken shards of his cell phone pressing into his leg through his trousers, his last chance of calling Tommy for help crushed beneath him.

Tommy watched his class finishing up their lengthy notes on the Triassic period when he heard a familiar alert from his wrist. Luckily the students were too engrossed in their writing to notice and he leant down to grasp his phone from his briefcase to pretend he was taking a call.

"Excuse me for one moment guys, finish up your notes and start reading chapter nine. And behave yourselves!" He addressed the class before slipping out of the door, catching the questioning looks of Conner, Kira and Ethan. He heard the explosion of noise as soon as the door closed and rolled his eyes.

He glanced down the hall both ways before activating the communication device on his wrist.

"Hayley?" He asked hesitantly, wondering what the problem was.

"Tyrannodrone attack…" Hayley said simply and tersely, "…in the gym."

She didn't receive a response as Tommy was already rushing towards the hall as fast as his legs could take him.

"Kimberly, you're coming with us right?" One of the younger girls, Rachel looked back to Kim as Stacy directed the team through the doors while the gymnast stood in front of the doors kicking at the drones if they approached. She and Jason had managed to dispatch a few but they were still trying to pursue the girls as they made a run to the doors or perhaps were merely goading Kim.

Stacy's expression seemed to mirror Rachel's question and Kim smiled reassuringly. "I'm following right behind you, but you've got to get to safety okay? Follow Stacy and do exactly what she says." She turned to Stacy,

"Get them into the main school building and to reception, and try and find Tommy, look for Dr. Oliver!" She instructed as she was pulled away from the doors by a drone, to which she delivered a punch in the gut and a scissor-kick to the face.

"Don't worry about me, go!" She demanded, and Stacy and the team dashed through the fire doors and hopefully to safety. Kim breathed a sigh of relief but then saw Jason surrounded by five drones, trying to break through their barrier. They had apparently given up on the idea of chasing the teenagers when they had the Pink Ranger protecting them and had instead returned to Zeltrax to follow his orders. Zeltrax had once again retreated to spectate, hoping this attack would serve as another distraction to the pink Ranger upon seeing her companion in trouble.

"Jase!" Kim called, seeing her oldest friend was bleeding from a cut lip and was trying to lash out at the creatures, who merely dodged his blows and allowed those behind to knock him while he was distracted. Without the protection of his Ranger suit he could not hope to keep up with the Tyrannodrones when he was already injured from dealing with Zeltrax.

"I need Ninja Ranger Power, now!" She called and the spirit of the Crane surged forth and enveloped her in a flash of pink light, causing the drones to cease their attack on Jason and turn towards her.

"Come and get me!" She snarled, understanding the real reason the gym had been attacked today, and it wasn't to scare her girls.

"Kim no!" Jason yelled, staggering while trying to stand upright. She ignored him and taunted the drones and Zeltrax who began towards her in a run.

"It's Morphin Time! Tyrannosaurus!" Jason called quickly, his familiar armour covering and strengthening his body, the bruises from Zeltrax's attack fading and the power of the mighty dinosaur empowering him. He rushed towards Zeltrax in anger and performed a power kick to the cyborg's back, causing him to topple forward to the floor with a crash. Zeltrax shot back to his feet, his fists clenching around his sword.

"The first Red Ranger… this is a surprise… It will be a pleasure to end your existence!" He threatened, angry at being caught off his guard. Another Ranger was an unexpected complication and he only hoped Elsa could still succeed in capturing the Pink Ranger, an opportunity like this would not come along again.

Kim backflipped away from the drones to give herself space to manoeuvre, performing a full body twisting kick to one and sweeping the legs out from under a second. Then she heard a scream and her heart stopped as she turned to look out into the lot behind the gym to see the leather-fetishist Elsa with Rachel caught in her vice-like grasp. The girl was struggling and trying to get away but Elsa was ignoring her, eyes fixed on Kimberly with an evil smirk on her face.

"Missing something Pink Ranger?" The female cyborg asked innocently.

"Let her go Elsa, your deal is with me."

"Make me." Elsa challenged and laughed as Kim launched herself towards Mesogog's minion, her hand balled into a tight fist as she came on the offensive.

Tommy burst into the gym to see a swarm of drones still hovering about, some running out of the doors towards the parking lot behind the gym and some circling around Zeltrax and his foe. Tommy was mildly surprised to see Jason in full Morphin' uniform taking on the cyborg but it seemed obvious that his friends had come up against a strong attack. Mats were scattered and the gymnastics equipment was shattered in various pieces over the ground, there were no signs of the girls or Kimberly but there was screaming going on outside, it sounded like a child. He knew he had to get out there and find Kim, his stomach was in a knot of fear as he could not see her, Hayley's earlier words echoing in his mind.

"Dino Thunder, Power Up!" He morphed himself, as Zeltrax noticed him, ducking under the Red Ranger's swing.

"Tyrannodrones!" The cyborg called, and suddenly more of Mesogog's mindless minions appeared in the gym. Zeltrax pushed Jason violently away from him and into the melee of drones Tommy was currently surrounded by.

"Bro, am I glad to see you." Jason said breathlessly as he stood by Tommy.

"Likewise." Tommy affirmed, brandishing his Brachio Staff as Jason drew his Power Sword. "Where's Kimberly?" The teacher asked, hitting a drone in the face.

"She ran outside, I think one of her girls got captured, some drones were following her."

"Jase, we've got to get to her!" Tommy said desperately.

"I know bro, you try and I'll hold these guys off." Tommy didn't want to leave his best friend in the middle of a crowd of Tyrannodrones, but if anyone was capable of handling them it was Jason, and Kimberly needed help.

"Brachio Staff! Fire strike, full power!" He called, twisting the handle and putting his staff to the ground as his visor glowed a bright white and a burst of flame decimated a section of the drones surrounding them.

He hesitated looking back at Jason who shook his head and called, "Go help our girl bro!" Tommy nodded and sped out to the parking lot.

Elsa laughed as Kim barrelled towards her, throwing the captive girl to the ground where she promptly disintegrated into sparks of energy, showing her to have been nothing but a decoy. "Foolish Pink Ranger, it seems you're trapped." Elsa laughed and Kim slowed and glanced over her shoulder, seeing she was now surrounded by Tyrannodrones behind her with Elsa in front.

"You're not going to win here Elsa, the Rangers will stop you and your bone-headed excuse for a leader!" Kim retorted, an energy ball forming in the palm of her hand. She remembered Billy's warnings to her about expending energy but this certainly fell into the 'absolutely necessary situation' category as far as she was concerned. She turned and threw the energy balls at the surrounding drones who exploded in a flash of pink and to her great relief saw Tommy come charging from the building towards her, she swayed slightly, feeling light headed at the expenditure but managed to shout out to her former boyfriend, knowing now Elsa would be sent on her way by a burst of energy from his staff thingy.

"Tommy!" She called in relief but her jubilation was cut short by a solid arm wrapped around her neck, crushing her windpipe. She staggered back, her gloved hands clawing at Elsa's strong arm. She felt the lack of oxygen starting to weaken her and her eyes began to blur as she saw Tommy continue to charge towards her, his arm outstretched as if to grab her.

"Say goodbye Dr. Oliver!" Elsa grinned and through darkening vision she saw Tommy-so close- fade away in a blast of green energy as she felt the tingling sensation of teleportation enclose suffocatingly around her… before the darkness claimed her and she knew no more, Tommy's stricken cry ringing in her ears.