Author's note: Sorry it took me so long to get this up; finals got the best of me, but I'm done now. This is the last chapter to this story, but I should have a new one up mid-January 2005. I plan to write it over the holidays. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this, and, please, let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: All characters still not mine. They belong to Saban et al.

Chapter 5- Tommy Finds Out

Tommy sat at the Juice Bar with his fellow rangers. He and Adam had just finished sparring, and he felt refreshed. Kim was still on his mind though. How could she not be? He was still so hurt and confused.

He sighed. Time to get over it. I need to move on.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, his communicator chimed. He shook himself out of his reverie and looked at the others.

"Coast is clear, Tommy." Rocky said, looking around.

"This is Tommy. Go ahead."

"Tommy," came Alpha's voice, "we need you at the Power Chamber right away. The other rangers should stay put. This is not about a monster."

"Okay, Alpha. I'll be right there."

"I wonder what's going on." Kat spoke softly so as not to attract any unwanted attention.

"I have no idea." Tommy replied. "I'll let you guys know what's up as soon as I can."

Kimberly, meanwhile, was pacing back and forth around the Power Chamber. "What do you think his first reaction will be?" She asked Billy. "I don't want him to go off at Zordon or I without listening first."

Billy rolled his eyes. "Kim, let's just see what happens. That's all we can do. Don't worry about things you have no control over."

"You're right. Sorry."

A flash of red light interrupted Kim's thoughts. Once it had cleared, Tommy stood there, looking around. When he spotted Kim, a hard look came over his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Tommy, please let me explain…"

"There's nothing for you to explain, Kimberly. You dumped me in a letter and for another guy. End of story. You don't get a chance to explain."

Zordon interrupted Tommy's diatribe. "It is not Kimberly that needs to explain things, Tommy. I am the one who owes you the explanation."

Tommy started. "You, Zordon? What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Tommy, I have to admit to you that Kimberly did not write the letter you received ending your relationship. I was the one who had the idea and wrote and sent the letter."

Tommy exploded. "WHAT THE… I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!!!! IS IT TRUE???"

Zordon said as softly as he could, "Yes, I'm afraid it is the truth. I must ask your forgiveness, Tommy. I made a horrible mistake."

Tommy looked over at Kim and saw her eyes were sparkling with tears waiting to fall. It almost broke his heart to see her looking so scared and vulnerable. He swiftly closed the gap between them and pulled her to his side. He turned back to Zordon. "Why?"

"You were not focused, Tommy. You and the team were in danger because of it. I could not let you continue to behave like that. I knew that the reason you were having trouble was because Kimberly was so far away. I want you all to pursue your dreams and be happy, but I also have to be concerned about the well being of the team. You know well what could happen if one thing goes wrong."

Tommy, holding Kimberly tight against him, nodded. "I do know what could happen, but I wish you could have brought this to my attention some other way."

"I tried talking with you, but you did not heed my warnings."

"SO WHAT? WHAT ELSE DID YOU TRY? DID YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH KIM? DID YOU TALK TO BILLY? TO THE REST OF THE TEAM? THERE WERE OTHER WAYS, AND YOU DIDN'T TRY ANYTHING ELSE. YOU JUST JUMPED TO THIS AS A SOLUTION."

"Tommy, please calm down." Zordon said.

"I'LL CALM DOWN WHEN I GET A GOOD EXPLANATION AND NOT UNTIL THEN. HOW COULD YOU, ZORDON? I TRUSTED YOU."

"I can do nothing but offer my sincerest apologies. I thought I was acting with the common good in mind. I hope you will forgive me."

"I can't respect you anymore, Zordon. I want to remain with the team, but it is going to take a while for me to forgive you."

"I understand that, Tommy, and I hope you will. If not, it is my loss, and, if you choose to quit being a power ranger, then it is the world's loss as well. I have no one to blame but myself."

Tommy turned to Kim and cupped her face in his hands. "Beautiful, I owe you an apology. I should have trusted my gut and my heart instead I let it all overwhelm me. Can you ever forgive me?"

The tears in Kim's eyes finally spilled down her checks. "There's nothing to forgive, Tommy. I understand why you would have believed it. I love you so much. It's all forgotten."

"I love you, too, Kim."

They drew towards each other and shared the most passionate kiss either one of them could remember as Zordon looked on. He knew what he had done was wrong, but he knew in time that both of them, with their amazingly genuine hearts, would forgive him. He just hoped it would be in time for the marriage proposal he knew was coming.

THE END.