Quickie note from Becky: The song Naomi listens to in this chapter is not owned by me or teal. It's Delicately Made by Eric Himan
---
After what happened with Naomi and Trent, Kira and Conner thought it best to take Ethan home. He was in such a miserable and angry state that they didn't want to find out what he could do. Kimberly and Tommy were alone. Haley walked over to them.
"Hey, guys. Do you need anything?" She asked.
"No, thanks." Tommy said. "Oh, by the way, Haley this is-"
"Kimberly." Haley smiled. Tommy stared at her, shocked she knew. "Hello, you only talked about her every five seconds while we were in school." Tommy looked away, embarrassed, as did Kimberly. "And plus, I did see the video diary."
"Video diary?" Kimberly asked, confused.
"It's this thing I made in case anything happened to me. It was basically Ranger History 101." Tommy said.
"And what exactly happened to you that caused it to be seen?" Kimberly asked.
"He got captured by the big evil." Haley said.
"Oh. So just a normal day, huh?" Kimberly joked. Tommy glared at her.
"Hey, I don't know what you're talking about. If I recall, you're the one who got captured the most." He said, returning the joke.
"You must be mistaken." Kimberly said in a pretend haughty tone. "I was never captured."
"Oh yeah, right." Tommy said, rolling his eyes. "Shall I present you with a list of times you've been captured? I'll need to clear out a week to put it together." Kimberly smacked his arm.
"Whatever." Kimberly said. She looked at Tommy. "So, we've achieved our goal. I met your team and Haley, what now?" She asked.
"I don't know. Anything you want to do." He asked. Kimberly looked down, her happy fun-loving aura disappearing. "Kim? Are you okay?" He asked. Kimberly nodded.
"Uh huh, yeah, I'm fine." She said. "Can we get out of here?" She asked. Tommy nodded. They got up. Tommy waved goodbye to Haley and the two walked out. "Is it all right if we stop by the hospital?" Kimberly asked.
"I thought you said you didn't have to work today." Tommy said.
"I don't. I just need to check on something." She said. Tommy nodded.
"OK, sure." They got in his jeep and drove to the hospital. They walked into the hospital where an Asian woman who looked about their age was sitting behind the triage desk.
"Hello, Dr. Hart." She said. "I didn't know you were on today."
"I'm not, Min. I just wanted to check on-" Kimberly began. Min cut her off with a nod.
"Go right in." She said.
"Thanks. Oh, he's with me." She said, pointing to Tommy. Min made a face.
"Dr. Hart, I can let you in because, well, you're staff, but I don't think he can go in, it's not visiting hours yet."
"Don't worry, if anyone says anything, I'll take all the blame." Kimberly smiled. Min seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks." She said. Kimberly walked past the desk and Tommy followed.
"Kim, I could've waited for you. I don't want you to get in trouble." He said as they walked down the hallway. They entered the ICU unit and then walked deeper into it. She led him into the coma ward. She stopped right outside a room. She turned and looked at Tommy.
"There's something I think you need to see. Well, someone actually." She said softly. Tommy looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. Kimberly took a deep breath and opened the door. Tommy looked into the room and felt his heart stop.
"J-Jason?" He sputtered out. He quickly went into the room and sat beside his friend. The last time he had seen him it was when they and other red rangers fought the Machine Empire. Jason was laughing, joking, just generally full of life. Now…….He was just lying on a hospital bed with all sorts of IVs and monitors hooked into him. Kimberly stood by the door. "How-How long has he..?" He asked, his voice trailing off.
"Two years." Kimberly said softly. She walked fully into the room and shut the door behind her. "It happened a few weeks after that red ranger get-together." Tommy could feel tears forming in his eyes.
"How did it happen?" He asked. Kimberly looked down, trying to decide what version of the story to tell him. The full story, or the abridged version. She decided the full story could wait.
"He was rock climbing and the rope broke." She said softly. "He's the reason I'm in Reefside." She said. "He was transferred here because of the advanced neurological unit, and I didn't want to be away from him, so I put in for a transfer." Kimberly pulled a chair over and sat beside Tommy, who was just staring at Jason.
"Wait, they transferred him for the experts here, does that mean they think he's getting worse?" Tommy asked, his tone desperate and worried.
"No. The fact of the matter is that it's been two years and there hasn't been any change." Kimberly said. She put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to cry. I come and see him everyday, and I still bawl like a baby every time." She said. Tommy closed his eyes as tears slid down his eyes. Kimberly pulled him closer to her as he put his head on her shoulder. Kimberly took Jason's hand with her free hand and silently cried. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She whispered to Tommy. Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her shoulder fully. Kimberly removed her hand from his shoulder and placed it on the back of his head. She began to gently scratch his scalp in a comforting manner. After a while, they both calmed down a bit and sat up.
"So," Tommy said, wiping his cheeks. "Is that whole thing of talking to coma patients and they can hear you true?" He asked. Kimberly shrugged.
"I'm not sure. But, my theory is it's best to talk to 'em, just be safe." She said, trying to make him smile. Tommy smiled softly.
"So, you talk to him everyday?" Tommy asked. Kimberly nodded.
"But, I think he's getting tired of me. How about you talk to him?" She asked. Tommy took a deep breath and looked at Jason.
"I….I don't know how to start." He said.
"Just talk to him, like you would if he was awake and everything was all right." Kimberly said. Tommy looked at her, then back at Jason.
"Hey, bro." Tommy said. "So, uh, how have you-" Tommy cut himself off. "I can't do it." He said with a sigh. Kimberly put her arm around Tommy's shoulder.
"It's ok." She said. "It can be really hard at first." She sighed. "You want to get out of here?" She asked, realizing this was very hard for him. Tommy nodded. The two left the room and hospital. Once outside, Tommy leaned against the wall, taking in several deep breaths as if he had been drowning. Kimberly stood in front of him.
"I'm such a jerk. One of my best friends is lying in a coma and I can't even bring myself to talk to him." Tommy said. Kimberly stepped closer to him and put her hands on either side of his face, making him look at her.
"Hey, hey, don't beat yourself up about that." She said. "I totally threw you off by bringing you here. You were shocked, upset, and probably a whole lot of other emotions. It's ok. I'm sure Jason understands." She said.
"Are you sure?" Tommy asked.
"Positive." She said. Tommy stared into her eyes. He had meant to ask her about that kiss the night before, but at the moment, all he could think about was an encore. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, crushing their bodies together. Kimberly's hands left his face and rested on his shoulders. She looked at him, wondering what he was going to do. That question was soon answered when he dove in and captured her lips in kiss that was nothing like they've done before. Tommy's tongue gently probed her mouth as his lips gently sucked on her lower lip. Kimberly was shocked, but soon found herself responding to the kiss. Her tongue slid against his tongue. Tommy held her to him even closer. Kimberly moaned, but of course, it was muffled by Tommy's mouth. Kimberly held him close. The two seemed to almost melt together. Kimberly would've gladly stayed in his arms forever, but her mind cleared when she thought of Trini, Jason, and most of all, Tony. She forced herself to pull her lips away from his. Tommy looked at her. The two panted to catch their breath as they still stood in each other's embrace. Kimberly rested her forehead against his. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I can't do this." She stepped out of his embrace. "I should go." She said, wanting to get away from him.
"I drove you here." Tommy pointed out.
"I'll call a cab." Kimberly countered. Tommy stood up straight and looked at her.
"Kim, what's wrong?" He asked. Kimberly looked away.
"I can't go back to how we used to be. Too many things have happened. We've both changed."
"But…I thought…I mean, you kissed me last night." Tommy said, confused by her sudden change of attitude. Kimberly sighed.
"I know, I know. It was a mistake." She said. Tommy winced. He felt like he had just been sucker punched.
"A m-mistake?" He asked.
"I guess I just fell back into old habits. When we were younger, we'd kiss like that all the time."
"So, because this wasn't as innocent, you freak out?" Tommy asked.
"I'm not freaking out. I just think you've gotten the wrong idea." Kimberly said. "I think we should just be friends." Kimberly had to force herself to say it. The truth was, she did still have romantic feelings for Tommy. But she was afraid. She was afraid for him. Tony put Jason in a coma because he was helping her, she didn't want to know what he'd do to Tommy if he ever found out. Tommy looked like he didn't like that idea, but he sighed and decided not to push it.
"Okay. I'm sorry." He said. Something was nagging in his brain. She did kiss him back, so why was she now acting like she felt nothing for him? He figured she'd tell him when the time was right. "I'll give you a ride back." He said. The two walked to his jeep.
---
Naomi was lying on her bed, listening to one of her CDs on a volume level that was pretty close to full blast. She didn't know what she was feeling. Everything just seemed to mesh together into one negative emotion. She felt angry, sad, betrayed, furious, and depressed. All those emotions simply caused her to just curl up in her bed and listen to sad music. She sighed and shifted her head on her pillow as she let the words of the song drift through her senses.
These vulnerable sentiments
I'm reluctant to say
because my heart
is delicately made
Not enough energy
Crazy never-ending days
Leaving me motionless
Leading me astray
This shall pass (so make me bend)
This shall pass (so make me laugh)
This shall pass (bring me home)
But how fast and when?
Fear invites doubt
Doubt harbors fear
I anticipate reward
Of a road unclear
There was a knock on her bedroom door. She sighed and simply ignored it.
Lessons in futility
Making me bolder
Repeating my serenity
Three times over
This shall pass (so make me bend)
This shall pass (so make me laugh)
This shall pass (bring me home)
But how fast and...
When will all this hard work pay off?
Will the end justify the cost?
Of what I've lost,
The door opened.
"Naomi," came her mother's voice. She sighed and went over and lowered the volume a bit. She looked at her daughter. "Are you all right?" She asked.
"Yeah, mom, I'm fine." Came the automatic response from Naomi. Mrs. Carlton sighed.
"Well, there's a boy at the door. Said he wants to talk to you." She said. Naomi rolled her eyes. You don't give up, do you Ethan? She thought to herself.
"Tell him to go away." Naomi said.
When will all this hard work pay off?
Will the end justify the cost?
Of what I've lost,
When will all this hard work pay off?
Will the end justify the cost?
Of what I've lost,
"Why don't you come down and tell him yourself? Naomi, you've been lying up in your bed, so, come downstairs."
"Mom." Naomi groaned.
"I mean it." Her mother said. Naomi sighed.
These vulnerable sentiments
I'm reluctant to say
Because my heart
Is delicately made
After the song ended, Naomi got up and went out the room. Mrs. Carlton shut off her stereo. Naomi walked down the stairs, ready to give Ethan a piece of her mind.
"He's outside." Her mother told her. Naomi clenched her fist and angrily pulled the door open.
"I thought I told you to leave me the hell alo..Trent?" Naomi was shocked that it wasn't Ethan standing there, it was Trent. He was holding up a styraphome cup from Haley's.
"Hey." He said. "I, uh, brought you a smoothie, seeing as what happened to the one you paid for." He said with a smile. Naomi smiled softly. She stepped out of the door and let it close behind her.
"You didn't have to do that." She said.
"I know. But I wanted to." He said. Naomi walked over and sat on the porch swing. Trent sat beside her. He handed her the drink.
"Thanks." She said.
"No problem. So, are you okay?" Trent asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Naomi said.
"Are you sure? You looked pretty upset at the café."
"What gave you the hint I was upset?" Naomi asked in a sarcastic tone. "Me yelling at Ethan, or me throwing my drink in his face?" Trent chuckled.
"Both. I was a little surprised to see it happen. I mean, I thought you were friends with Ethan and the others."
"Yeah, I was." Naomi said.
"What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" Trent asked. Naomi looked at him. She was so upset with Ethan, she wanted to be petty and mean and tell Trent. But deep down, she knew she couldn't do that. She sighed.
"We just didn't see eye to eye about some things." Naomi said. Yeah, he thought it was all right to trick me and make me fall for him as the blue ranger so he could have a good laugh about it, and I didn't exactly like it. She thought. "Anyway, why are you so suddenly concerned about me? Before today, you barely said a complete sentence to me." Trent sighed.
"All right, I guess I go by the school of thought that a person is judged by the company they keep."
"And you're not a fan of the company I keep. Or, well, kept." Naomi concluded, understanding what he meant. "What's your deal with Conner anyway?" She asked. "When I first started at Reefside High, I thought you guys were friends."
"We were." Trent said. He sighed. "I used to like Kira. And he knew it. He told me he liked someone else and then a little while later he's with Kira. I guess it just bugged me that he stabbed me in the back like that."
"Oh. Well, by the way you've been acting, one would think you still like her." Naomi pointed out. Trent smirked.
"Ok, I guess I'm one to hold onto grudges. Besides, I like someone else now." He said, giving Naomi a look that said 'and you know who she is.' Naomi gave a small nervous laugh and looked down.
"Oh. Uh, by the way, thanks for the smoothie." She said. She took a sip of it.
"You already thanked me." Trent said. Naomi looked at him.
"Oh, I did, didn't I?" She said, giving another nervous laugh. Trent smirked. Oh, this is just too easy. He thought.
"So, you have any plans for tomorrow?" He asked.
"Yeah, wallowing in self-pity." Naomi said. Trent chuckled.
"Well, if you have any free time there, how about you and I hang out?"
"I don't know if we should. I mean, you don't like my friends…..It could be awkward."
"Don't you mean former friends?"
"Oh..Yeah, good point. Still, I just want to be alone for now. Thanks, anyway." She stood up. "I'll see you in school on Monday." She said as she got up and went back inside. Trent's smile faded and turned into a scowl. Apparently she's still hung up on those losers. Maybe it's not going to be as easy as I thought.
---
After Tommy dropped her off at Carter and Dana's, she went to pick up Trini at the main house. She knocked on the door. After a few minutes it opened to reveal Dana.
"Hey." She said. "Come in." She stepped aside to let her in.
"Hey. Did Trini behave herself?" Kimberly asked. Dana nodded.
"She's actually taking a nap." Dana said, gesturing her head to indicate that Trini was in her bedroom. "She told me Tommy came by." Kimberly nearly cringed. She knew Dana was about to bug her for all the details. "Sit." Dana said, pointing to the couch. Kimberly sighed and sat down. Dana waddled over and sat beside her. She looked at Kimberly, waiting for her to talk. "Oh, and remember, I know you didn't have to work today."
"So why were you willing to watch Trini?" Kimberly asked. Dana shrugged.
"Parental practice." She said. Kimberly laughed. "So, what happened?"
"He took me to this place…uh……..Cyberspace."
"Oh yeah, that teen hangout downtown. Aren't the smoothies there fantastic?" She asked.
"I don't know, I didn't have one."
"Oh. I've sent Carter there a couple of times to get me some. The wheatgrass and strawberry smoothies are to die for." Dana said. Kimberly made a face.
"Please tell me you had those two separately." Kimberly said.
"No, just together in one delicious smoothie." Dana grinned. Kimberly shuddered. "What? I'm pregnant."
"Yeah, I get that. I mean, I had cravings when I was pregnant with Trini, but still….yuck." Kimberly said.
"Oh, bite me." Dana said. Kimberly laughed. "Anyway, what else happened?" Kimberly's smile slowly faded.
"I took him to see Jason." Kimberly said. Dana winced, just imagining how much it must've wrecked him to see Jason like that.
"I never saw those two, but according to Carter, at the red ranger reunion, they were super close."
"They were the closet of friends when we were all in high school. I mean, Jason's the one who got Tommy to join us after the evil spell was broken." Kimberly said, reminiscing slightly. Dana grinned.
"Somehow, I think he joined up for other reasons." She said. Kimberly looked at her.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Hello! He wanted to be working side by side with you. I've never met the guy, but even I know that." Dana said. Kimberly looked away. "What? Did something happen?"
"I……..I don't know………I mean…"
"What?" Dana insisted.
"OK, last night, before I left to come back here and get Trini, I sort of……Kissed him." Kimberly said. Dana's eyes widened. "It was just a peck! Anyway, today after we left the hospital, he kissed me……And it was so not just a peck."
"So…What happened?"
"I kind of, sort of, might have kissed him back." Kimberly forced out, her face as red as a tomato. Dana grinned.
"That's my girl!"
"Hey, hey, hey. Don't go planning the wedding shower or anything. I told him we should just be friends." Kimberly said. Dana frowned.
"Oh." She said. After a few seconds, she reached over and smacked Kimberly upside the head.
"Oww!" Kimberly shrieked. "What the heck was that for?"
"I was trying to smack some sense into you." Dana said. Kimberly rolled her eyes as she gingerly rubbed her head. "You know and I know you want to be much, much more then friends."
"That's not true."
"Oh, puh-lease." Dana said. "You so want to do the-"
"Dana!" Kimberly yelled, cutting her off.
"I was just going to say laundry with him." Dana said, innocently. "That is, his sheets after a very, very fun night." Dana said with a wicked grin.
"Okay, what the heck happened to the sweet and demure Dana I knew in med school?" Kimberly asked.
"She got pregnant, and hasn't had any in a month. So, she needs to live vicariously through her best friend."
"Well, find a new best friend to get your vicarious lovin' from." Kimberly said. "I can't get close to Tommy like that."
"And why not?" Dana asked. Kimberly sighed. Dana frowned when she realized what was wrong. "Is this about Tony?" Dana asked. "Kimberly, you can't let this guy dictate your life."
"I'm not. It's just that…..I mean look at what he did to Jason for being my best friend….I don't even want to think about what he would do to Tommy."
"Kim, there's no proof that Tony put Jason in that coma."
"Yes there is. He said it. That night that he called me, he said that if I kept hiding Trini from him, what happened to Jason would happen to me."
"I know, you told me that. But don't you think he just said that to rattle your chains a bit?"
"Whatever, no offense, but I'd rather not get into this right now." Kimberly said as she got up. She walked up to Dana and Carter's room and found Trini asleep on the bed. She kneeled beside her and gently shook her shoulder. "Sweetie, it's time to wake up." She whispered. Trini groaned and slowly woke up.
"Mommy?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Hey." Kimberly said softly. "Come on; let's get back to the house so you can get some sleep." Trini shook her head.
"I'm not," she yawned. "Sleepy."
"I know, but I am, so how about you keep me company?" Kimberly asked.
"What about the ice cream?" Trini asked. "I was a good girl." Kimberly smiled and gently stroked the side of her daughter's face.
"I promise we'll go for ice cream tomorrow. And you can have the biggest, fudgiest, whipped creamiest sundae there is." She said. Trini smiled.
"Yay." She said. Kimberly got up and took Trini's hand as she hopped off the bed. Trini shuffled tiredly out with her. Kimberly smiled and bent down. She lifted Trini up in her arms. Trini rested her head on her shoulder and promptly fell back asleep. Kimberly went to the front door. Dana got up and opened it for her. "Bye." She whispered to her as she walked out. Dana waved and shut the door behind her. Kimberly took Trini up to the guest house and walked in. She carried her to the bed and gently set her down in a sitting up position. She let Trini rest her head against her stomach as she worked on her fine art of getting her child out of her street clothes, into her pajamas, without waking her. After a few minutes she accomplished her goal and gently pulled the covers back as she placed Trini in bed. She tucked her in and then went to get undressed herself. As soon as she got into bed beside Trini, her mind wandered to the idea of Tony trying to take Trini away from her. She pulled Trini close and held her daughter to her as she kissed her forehead. No one's taking you away from me, baby. Not ever. She silently swore.