Live Like You Were Dying

Title: Live Like You Were Dying
Author: kazeko
Show: Power Rangers
Rating: R
Chapters: ?
Series: no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"
Multipart: yes
Time: About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that
Couple(s): Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam
Disclaimer: Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!
Disclaimer 2: I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.
Author's Note: I know these time jumps are still really confusing, so here's just a little more help. This chapter occurs at the end of PRiS when Zordon dies and moves forward a year to the very end of chapter 1. In the next chapter I'll tell you who the visitors are.

Chapter 3: Gathering

Jason watched Rocky finish teaching his students, contemplating the Rangers' lives after the power left. He was a teacher, surely one of his finer dreams, but he was so damn lonely. He tried to explain it to Rocky once, but DeSantos went through girlfriends faster than sane people went through shirts and couldn't understand the first Red Ranger's need for a permanent girlfriend. Rocky finished with his students and sent them to change, wandering over to where Jason was seated. The second Red Ranger flopped onto the couch beside his counterpart, grinning. "Whatcha' thinking?"

"I was just wondering why I'm so lonely, that's all."

"You're lonely because you're too picky, that's why. You could have just a normal girl but you want one that touched the Power, and there are only five to choose from."

"It's not fair, really. I mean, at least Tommy had his chance with the girl of his dreams. He didn't have to hide anything from Kimberly and she was always there for him. It doesn't matter how it ended, the point is that they had their chance." Jason sighed and dropped his head in his hands. "I really want that chance. I deserve that chance."

Tanya burst into the dojo, Adam close on her heels, both pale and shaking. Jason and Rocky stood, confused, and helped the other Rangers sit. "What is it, Adam?"

The second Black Ranger swallowed a couple of times, shaking his head at Rocky's question. "It's . . . it's Zordon," he whispered, wiping tears out of his eyes. "He's dead."

"Wh-what?" Jason hit his knees, hands gripping the edge of the couch. "He . . . he can't be dead, Adam."

"It's true," Tanya whispered. "He died and his life force spread out to cleanse the galaxy of evil. The Rangers' message said that Zedd, Rita, and Divatox are good. And there is no more Power. There won't ever be a Command Center or Alpha or Zordon or Power Rangers ever again."

"Oh god," Rocky whispered. "This can't be happening. We saved him before, why couldn't these Rangers save the world without him? Everything seemed fine a week ago when all of the cogs vanished."

"That's when it happened. After letting us fight for so long, he found his way to make a difference." Tanya bit her lip, desperate to restrain her tears. "We were fighting just fine. He didn't have to do that."

"Yes he did," Adam whispered. "We would have done the same thing."

Zordon can't be dead. That thought ran through Tommy's head again and again as he stared out across the lake, a stone in his hand. He threw it at the uncaring water, feeling moisture in his eyes. "Why did you leave us? We're not Rangers anymore, but it was nice, knowing that you were here, watching over everything. And now there's no more Command Center, no more Alpha, no more Rangers, and no more home. Now we're not a family, we're just scattered friends. We don't have anywhere to go anymore."

Images filled his mind, memories of his time as a Ranger. Despite all of the stress and fear and constant battles, he had been happy. Back then at least he had friends, a family to share his hopes and dreams and experiences with. The gentle breeze brought a soft scent to the man, a scent he couldn't name, but it sparked memories of Kimberly. They had shared a dream once, when he was a Ranger, when he was a whole person. Now he didn't have the Power, he didn't have her, he didn't have anything. "I miss you so much, Beautiful," he whispered. "You once said that Zordon was the father you never had, the one who left you and your mother alone, and now he's gone, too. I wonder what you're thinking right now."

"Wonderful! Okay, that's it for today. I expect to see you all in the morning, bright and early. We'll be closed Monday; don't forget to tell your parents." The petite brunette watched as her students left, a small smile on her face. Coach Withers smiled at her newest apprentice.

"Very good, Kimberly. They love having such a young teacher. One day you'll make a great coach, maybe an Olympic Coach. That's the best feeling in the world, watching one of your kids win a medal."

"I enjoy teaching, Beatrice. After the Olympics, I decided that I wanted to help other girls achieve their dreams. I have a date tonight, if you don't mind."

"No, no! Go have fun, Kimberly. I'll see you in the morning."

Kimberly Ann Hart, world-famous Pan-Global and Olympic gymnastics champion, smiled and headed for her apartment and her date with the man and woman who had been her best friends since she was just a little girl. Zack Taylor and Trini Kwan had been able to catch a cheap flight to Miami and were glad to join the slender young woman for supper. They had all grown apart after leaving Angel Grove, but they managed to see each other when they could.

"Hi, guys! Why so down?" Kimberly plopped into the chair across from Zack and Trini, smiling at the waitress as she brought three glasses of water and wandered away, leaving the three to peruse the menu. Zack and Trini exchanged a pained glance, and the oriental woman bit her lip.

"Kimberly, Jason called us today, after we landed." She nodded toward her cell phone, and Kimberly mentally reminded herself that she needed to give her cell number to the first Red Ranger. "Kim, do you remember when the Power Rangers faced off against the Machines for the last time about a week or more ago?"

"Sure. It was all over the television. It was kind of cool, finally learning who the Power Rangers were." Trini and Zack exchanged a startled glance, the woman shrugging. It was possible that no one ever thought to tell Kimberly who took over after Tommy and the others left the team. "What about it?"

"Kimberly, the reason all of the cogs and stuff vanished was because Zordon expended his life force. He's dead, Kimberly."

And then they knew something was wrong.

Kimberly smiled and shrugged. "Okay. Who's Zordon? The Power Ranger leader or something?"

"Kimberly, Zordon's dead! You said he was like a father to you! Did you forget?"

"Forget what, Trini? I'm sure if I knew someone named Zordon, I would remember." Her confusion and blank expression could not and were not faked. She honestly had no idea who Zordon was.

Trini felt Zack squeeze her hand in warning, and Trini smiled. "I thought I introduced you. I must have been mistaken. Well, shall we order?"

"Tommy?"

"Trini! Zack!" The former leader of the Power Rangers grinned as he embraced his old teammates and helped them gather their bags. "How have you been?"

"It's nice to be home," Trini admitted. "There may be some perks to being world travelers, but I really missed my friends. How has Angel Grove been?"

"Remarkably quiet, especially since . . ." Tommy placed the bags he was carrying in the back of his jeep and gestured for the other two to jump in. "It looks like Zordon's final sacrifice eliminated evil as he planned. I kinda' miss the action, you know?"

"I know," Zack smiled as Tommy drove off, heading toward Tanya's apartment. "I remember some of that. It was hard, being a normal person again. But I've gotten used to it. Trini?"

"I liked saving people, but I'm glad we got a reward of a normal life. What about you, Tommy? You were a Power Ranger much longer than either of us. You were there for what, six different teams?"

"Yeah. It's not easy." He sighed as he stopped at the light, waiting for the red to turn green. "The green turned red," he whispered. "The green turned white then red." He smiled at his friends. "Sorry. I was just thinking. I kinda miss being the Green Ranger. Isn't that the strangest thing? When I was the Green Ranger, no matter what happened to me and my powers, I knew who I was. When I was the White Ranger and the leader, I had so many more responsibilities, and I wasn't so insecure. I didn't need her as much. But when I became the Red Ranger, there was nothing left of me. There was nothing left that she knew."

"Kimberly," Trini realized as they pulled into the parking lot of Tanya and Adam's apartment complex. The three of them grabbed the bags and headed for the elevator. "You're talking about your relationship with Kimberly. Tommy, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is," Tommy whispered as they rode the elevator to Tanya's floor. "If it wasn't something I did, then why did she leave me?"

"Tommy, there's something we need to tell you about Kimberly."

"Tell me in a sec, Trini. We're here." Tommy knocked on the door, pushing it open at Tanya's behest. "Hey, look who I found at the airport."

TBC