THE REASON - Part Sixty-One: Welcome Home
Summary: After the month of not seeing each other, Kim returns to her fiancé and her home forever in Reefside, California.
Disclaimer: Power Rangers don't belong to me. Curse the gods above, I thought I truly had it. Man, that's what I get when I rely on dreams to tell me everything.
A/N: Well, it's the obvious, Kim is back. And everyone is just so happy to see her. But we must also say good-bye to another character-for now. Read, relax and reply. Cuz you know you can't deny, that this story is the best. It beats the rest-and okay, no more freestyling for awhile. Not as good as I had hoped to be, anyways, read on. I'll see ya when I do.
"You're finally home, and I don't expect you to leave anytime soon. You're mine forever and I'm not gonna lose you again." -Eclyptyk Neo
Sunday afternoon. Reefside Airport.
Tommy had briefly met with Aisha and Rocky the previous day to catch them up with what's been happening on the Reefside Homefront. Yet, nothing that was really new since Adam gave them the heads up. But they had to get back to their normal lives, and Tommy couldn't blame them. They were gone for nearly three months if not more, and it wasn't like they had everything under control in Reefside. He'd call them up if he found anything or needed their help. He figured Adam would well be on his way, too, but wanted to give Kim a proper good-bye before he left.
But, this was it. This was the day when Kimberly Ann Hart would fall into Thomas Anthony Oliver's arms and make it official that her stay in Reefside would be permanent. He just hoped though, he would never have to face anymore serious break-ups or setting a distance between them. That was the last thing he needed, especially now.
Tommy leaned against the wall beyond the security checkpoint. He was upset with the security measures, hoping to meet Kim at the gate, and even if he wanted to use his dino gem, he would. But didn't. He, like all other visitors had to wait outside of it. He brushed off his attire, as he made it clear to Kim that he would be wearing his army uniform to prove he was in the army. Time and time again, he would tell her over and over again, but she just never believed it. If he had to wear it to prove, he would. Not that he really was still in the army, just taking a break. A good long break, only callled when need be. And he hasn't been called.
He pulled his sleeve up to reveal the metal cuff honing his dino powers. He watched it glow with its unique pink hint, and he knew there would be no more troubles with his gem. Or at least he hoped. He didn't need to deal with that right now.
Time felt like hours.
He retrieved a magazine from the newspaper stand and returned to his place against the wall. He looked around, noticing there was a good number of soldiers around, too. Deployed. In some cases, he was glad to not be apart of that, but said since he could consider some of those people his friends.
Minutes passed.
Planes were rolling in, and Tommy knew one of them had to be Kim's. But as people began to move from the gates and out past the side of the security check, Tommy was getting antsy. He was desperate to hold her in his arms and take her home and do wonders he was longing to do since her departure weeks ago.
But he waited like an obdiently dog. She had to come find him.
And to his surprise, there she stood out like a twig in her USA Olympics attire. He felt the adenaline to rush over to her, but he didn't. She dropped her bags as she looked around in confusion, but he buried his head deeper into the magazine. And then, she was gone. Into the crowded mayhem beyond the security terminal. Tommy noticed she had left her bags, and felt it proper to clear the path as he grabbed them and tossed them beside him. He went on to read the magazine some more, waiting.
-----
Kim felt like a fool. She looked and looked, but didn't have the real guts to walk up to one of the soldiers in the area and ask if any of them knew Tommy. She just wasn't convinced enough to say he was an army guy, not that she was doubting him. She just never expected it from him.
She walked back over to the security check and realized that her bags were now gone. She was in a panic. She must have been stupid to drop them off and run off to find her love. But she was so excited to be home, she just had to find her fiance among the crowd. She looked around, and saw what appeared to be her bags beside a lone soldier leaning against the wall. She was a little relieved, but mad to find some stranger pick up her stuff as if it was his own.
"Hey!" she called out as she made her way over to the lone soldier against the wall. "Are those my bags you decided to pick up?"
"That depends. Is your name on it?" the man replied cooly.
"Yes, right there." she pulled out the tags to reveal her name.
The man looked down at the tags behind the magazine, but shook his head. "You shouldn't be leaving that around, Ms. Hart. You know, someone could walk right up and steal it."
"Like you?" she asked with some confusion.
"Now, is that anyway to treat a gentlemen who's only kind enough to set your bags aside so no one falls over them?" the man lowered his arm, to reveal the name tag hidden on his army jacket as he lowered the magazine to reveal his face. "Or anyway to treat your fiance after not seeing you in nearly a month?"
Kim squealed with happiness as she jumped into his arms and planted a nice warm, wet kiss on his lips. Tommy wrapped his arms tightly around her as he pulled her deeper into the kiss.
When both were sure they could no longer hold their breaths, they broke it, but still stayed encased in each others arms.
"I missed you." Tommy whispered as he caught his breath.
"I missed you, too, Handsome. I love you." she nodded as she laid a gentle kiss on his lips.
"Love you back, Beautiful." he laid a kiss on her head.
She looked around, feeling a little saddened. "I thought the teens were gonna be here?"
"Well, I gave them fair warning that you were coming back. But I told them not to come by the house, until tomorrow afternoon. You're mine until then."
"Well, I guess so. And it seems you kept your promise." she tugged at his army jacket as she traced his name tag.
"Now, do you believe me? Cuz, I would have come in my other uniform, but ya know how I feel about the public appearance." he shrugged as he laid another kiss on her head.
"Well, I guess it just depends on what I like to rip off you more? Ready to go home?" she teased as she breathed into his ear.
He let out a breath, as he felt that certain organ tighten up just a little bit more. "Oh, you know it."
"Then fall out, soldier. We got some training to get to." she said in a drill sergeant voice.
He grabbed her stuff and followed her to the baggage claim. Within minutes they were out of there and on their way home.
-----
When they finally got to the house, Tommy didn't hesitate to get her into the house. But was stopped short to retrieve her things while she made herself comfortable. After three trips to the jeep, Tommy raced into the house hoping to find her waiting there to greet him, but wasn't. He scratched his head with some confusion, but figured she had to be upstairs.
He stormed into his room---their room--but where he hoped to find her spralled out on the bed, she wasn't there either. He let out a disappointing sigh, but the door closed behind him and locked.
Tommy turned around to see Kim standing there. And that look in her eyes didn't have to tell him twice as he walked over to her. Their lips locked as he found a place for her against the wall and the proper welcome home present was underway.
-----
The hours felt like years.
But they didn't care. It was clear that they had shifted the bed right out of its place against the wall, and then some. They were at it all night, and it was a surprise that Tommy hadn't gotten much sleep because of it. It was already reaching the noon hour as he laid there, Kim tucked into him sleeping soundly. He was just so relieved to have her here with him now. Forever. Or, at least he hopes. He wouldn't know what he'd do if this never worked out. He'd probably shoot himself.
Tommy ran a hand through Kim's soft light honey colored hair and laid a kiss on her forehead. She stirred slightly and laid a gentle kiss on his chest. And he knew that she was awake right about now.
"Hey, sleepyhead. How'd you sleep?" he whispered as she turned to look at him with sleepy eyes.
She wiped her eyes of the sleepiness and laid a kiss on his lips. "Hey, yourself, tiger. I slept okay. That was definitely something last night, wasn't it?"
Tommy couldn't help but smile. "Oh yeah, it was."
She sat up and laid another kiss on his lips, letting it trail down the hair nestled on his chin and down to his neck. He moaned under the touch, enjoying every minute of it. But as hopes to move south, he stopped her short and pulled her into a mind-numbing passionate kiss.
"Love you." he said once he broke the kiss.
"Love you, too." she smiled as she laid her head down on his chest.
"You know, the teens are gonna be here in a few hours, right?"
She nodded slowly. "But that's in a few hours, Tommy. Besides, I thought I was yours until they got here?" She beckoned him over to her as she crawled off the bed.
He nodded and followed her out the door and to the bathroom to clean up.
-----
Hours later.
With stuff put away from Kim's boxes, the two of them were sorting through the goodies she had gotten while she was in Athens. Tommy couldn't believe half of the stuff he saw laid out before him. Several autographed items such as two basketballs signed by the men's and women's USA Basketball teams. A karate jacket signed by Steven Lopez and another signed by the Korean team for Adam. There were a few samples of water and sand from the beaches of Greece and other little trinkets she had brought back.
"So, they're free to take whatever they want on the table?" Tommy asked still unsure of how she had gotten all this stuff.
"Whatever they wanted. I promised souvenirs, so here they are." she shrugged.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Tommy moved to answer the door as Kim went through the stuff again to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything.
When Tommy opened the door, the teens appeared a little worried to do anything. Adam greeted his friend with their ranger handshake and moved into the house.
"Uh....is it safe to come in, Dr. O?" Conner asked.
"It's alright, Conner." Tommy nodded. "I think me and Kim are well out of the welcoming stages. She's in the living room, and waiting for you."
The teens quickly stormed into the house. All were in a desperate need to greet their new friend on her return home. Adam and Tommy followed, only to find it true. The teens were swarming Kim with warm hugs and little conversation to have her back after all this time. She returned the favor by saying that she missed them all and was glad to see them, too.
Time passed.
With all satisfied with their items picked from the 'souvenir table', Adam concluded it was his time to go. He had to get back to his own life and that he left the teens in charge of keeping the two lovebirds in line. Though, the teens were sad to see their black ninja mentor go, they knew he was right. They would see him soon enough, if not sooner knowing how he would be. They all wished him well as he left in a ninja streak into the woods.
The team moved out and headed over to the cyber cafe, bringing each other up to date on what's been going on in each of their lives, or what could be shared.
To be continued....
A/N: Okay, here's the deal, if wanting more action, you ain't getting it all right. I don't do them. It's not me, not in my style of writing, so use your imagination. And for the most part, I'm trying, okay? I'm trying to get done here. Can you give a person credit for writing a romance story who has never been in love? No lie. I might as well slip it now. With all these chapters I've unleashed out of my little mind. Isn't it crazy? I'm a devious little one. Anyways, not the point. Keep with the reading. Smile big and go long. Success isn't just the result of passion, but loving to do it as well. Either way, I'm out. See ya when I do.