A/N: I know, I know. I'm sorry it's been so long. I've rewritten this fifth chapter time and time again, but I'm pretty satisfied with the way it came out this time, so here it is for you, finally!

Setting: I screwed around with the timeline a little bit to make this part so that it's a couple months after "The Power Transfer" but Kim's already living with Aisha.

Chapter Five

Jason, Trini, and Zack have been in Geneva for almost two months now, and I really miss them a lot. I've already gotten countless letters from each of them, and wrote several back to them in return, but it doesn't make things any easier.

Jason did leave me with his inspirational book, though. I flip through it whenever I think about him and Trini and Zack. The stories and poems in it are amazing. Very uplifting.

That same list still gets to me, though.

The second time I read it, I found a different statement and realized how lucky I am.

"At least fifteen people in this world love you in some way."

It makes me realize how fortunate I am to have that many people in my life who care about and love me. I mean, some people would only be able to think of six or seven people. But for me, thinking of fifteen people is easy.

First, there's my parents. I guess it kind of goes without saying that they love me, and I love them, but there are kids who don't have such great mothers and fathers. I sort of lucked out, because even though my parents are divorced and they both moved away, they both let me know that they still love me and care about me. They still support me, still encourage me, send plenty of letters, call at least twice a week. Both my parents are happy with the way things are between them, and it makes me happy, too.

My mom's fiancé. He's already treating me as if I'm his daughter. He sends me letters other than the ones he writes with my mom and calls me on his own every week or so. And he's truly concerned about how I'm doing in school, how things are going with Tommy, how my gymnastics is going. I love him almost as much as I love my real dad. My mom is really happy with him, so it makes me happy, too.

Trini. Trini's been my best friend for years. Although she wasn't always as eager to go on a shopping trip or she didn't get giddy over some school-girl crush, we were great friends. Up until I met Trini in junior high, Jason was one of the only good friends I had, so it was nice to become close with someone who didn't play with toy swords or play video games every day after school. Even in sixth grade, Trini was as kind and compassionate as she is now. And she's supportive and encouraging. I don't know how I would have survived the first couple weeks of Rangering without her encouraging me not to quit.

Jason. The brother I should have had but never got. Jason's my "big brother," he always was and he always will be. He always looks out for me. Although I swore to him plenty of times that I could take care of myself, he never seemed to hear. It didn't stop him from sticking up for me, defending me, helping me, as if he was my real brother. It all started back in second grade when we first became friends. I was a short, skinny little kid, and he was already tall and broad for a seven-year-old, so I guess that on top of trying to prove he was tough, he thought that he had to protect me. Back then, I used to love having someone always guarding my back, but I guess he never got used to the fact that I became perfectly capable of defending myself.

Zack. Zack is a such a fun-loving, charismatic guy, it's hard not to like him. He's funny and charming and always optimistic, kind of like a male version of me. He would do anything to keep his friends smiling because he never wants to see anyone he cares about upset. Zack is so passionate about everything he does...dancing, football, fighting, his work at the Peace Conference. He just loves life and tries to make the best out of every situation, something I've always admired about him.

Billy. Billy wouldn't hurt a fly...probably because he loves science and nature! When I used to be a cheerleader in junior high, some of the other girls on the squad would tease me about being friends with a "nerd," but it didn't bother me because I didn't see Billy as a nerd. Sure, he was smart and spent a lot of time doing homework, but there was a different side to him, one that only Jason and I saw (at least in the beginning). To me, he wasn't just the skinny little smart kid who never talked unless he was answering a question in class. In front of me (and Jason), he wasn't afraid to let the more talkative Billy shine through, the Billy that didn't always use big words or didn't just talk about science. And he was a good listener. He never seemed to mind listening to me ramble on about some boy I had a crush on or about how I nailed yet another beam routine at gymnastics. Most of the time, he just stared at me with a blank expression on his face while I talked, but he always listened carefully. And sometimes, that's one of the greatest things a friend can do to let you know he truly cares.

Aisha. I've been living with her and her parents for a few weeks now, and it's working out great. Aisha's so much like me. I think we get along so well because we have such similar personalities. She is as every bit fashion-conscious as I am, outgoing like I am. Maybe not as perky, but I'm glad her personality doesn't exactly match mine. I tell Aisha everything. She's so trustworthy and reliable and, in the short time I've known her, she's never spilled a secret I told her. Aisha has such a huge heart. She's caring and understanding and very tactful. Just like Jason's the brother I should have had, Aisha's the sister I should have had.

Rocky. Rocky's a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, always in a good mood although he knows how to control himself in more serious situations. He does have a tendency to get a little rambunctious and even obnoxious, though. He's very blunt about things, but he's very honest, and I appreciate the way he tells things like they are. It definitely makes for some interesting conversations with him, too. Rocky's not the kind of person I would confide in, but when I'm in a bad mood, he always seems to be there to do something to make me laugh, and he doesn't even have to try hard to do so. Rocky's just a naturally funny guy. Dealing with Ranger duties would be a lot worse if Rocky wasn't around to brighten things up.

Adam. Adam is one of the sweetest guys I've ever met. He's shy, but I've had some long conversations with him since we first met, and he can be outgoing in his own way without being overly obnoxious. If Aisha's not around and I need to talk to someone about Tommy, or if I'm discouraged after a gymnastics practice, I call Adam. I pour my heart out to him a lot, and he never seems to mind. He always makes me feel better. Adam's very wise, so he's great at giving advice. But even when he doesn't have any to share, he sticks by my side and lets me know that I always have his shoulder to lean on.

Tommy. My white knight in shining armor. I love him so much, and I know he feels the same way about me. He's the greatest boyfriend ever. He treats me so well and I'm happier with him than I've ever been before. As strong a fighter as he is, he's so sweet and gentle with me. And he really understands me. I can be my ditzy self around him and he doesn't care. He puts up with my perkiness, my obsession with shopping, my stubbornness with my training.

Aisha's parents. They're so great for letting me stay with them so I wouldn't have to move to Paris with my mom. They treat me with the same amount of love and respect that they do with Aisha, and I love them just as much as I love my own parents. Of course, like with my own parents, we argue sometimes and I don't agree with all of their rules, but I'm glad they don't make exceptions for me just because I'm not their real daughter. If they did, it would probably make for some pretty bad fights between me and Aisha, and I would never want that to happen. But I do feel pretty special because I am the only person I know with four parents and a stepdad-to-be!

Zordon and Alpha. These two will probably never know the impact they've had on my life, on every Ranger's life. They do a lot more than just tell us how to defeat a monster. They encourage us, they pick us up when we're down, they protect us. They're there to help us through the hard times, not just hard battles, but through the hard times of life. I can't imagine having to do all the Ranger duties without either of them.

I've never realized how luck I am to have so many people in my life who care about me so much. But I'm glad they've all been a part of my life in some way, because I would definitely not be the same without any of them.