"The Dive From Reefside Pier"
Disclaimer:
Hasn't changed...Chapter 1.
Obstacles
That morning, Kira awoke to the bright sunshine shining through her window. Getting dressed and going about her morning routine, Kira got ready to go see Tommy in the hospital again. Now that he was awake, Kira looked forward to it more as opposed to before when she dreaded the sight of Tommy's condition. Walking in, she noticed she didn't have to fight the tears back as much now that he was awake. As she approached him, Kira took his hand in hers as she greeted him.
"Hey...How are you?" She asked, looking into his soft brown eyes which still hadn't regained all of their usual liveliness yet, though she figured they would in time. Smiling at the sight of Kira by his side, Tommy replied "Same as always...Glad to see you." Smiling, she gently caressed his cheek. As they got to talking, Kira noticed the smile which had been playing across his face fade slowly as he sighed and said "Listen, Kira...I know this has been hard for you and I just wanted to tell you that...it really means a lot to me that you're standing by me through it all..." Smiling, she just stroked some loose hair off his face as she replied "Tommy, I love you. Where else would I be other than right here by your side?" Smiling once again, Tommy replied "Kira, you don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that..." Kira just smiled at him as they continued to chat. Eventually, Kira let the others see Tommy as well while she went home and continued losing herself in memories.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, the doctors had taken Tommy into surgery to stabalize his neck. Kira and the others just waited anxiously. After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor came back out as Kira approached him eagerly when he reached the group. "The surgery went smoothly. We succeeded in stabalizing his neck which is allowing him to breathe again on his own, so he's off the ventilator. With an injury at the C5 and C6 level, he's technically a quadrapleigic, but he does have some sensation in his shoulders and upper arms which is a good thing." Knowing it was on all their minds, Hayley asked "Can we see him?" Nodding, Dr. Patterson answered "Yes...but, uh, one at a time. He asked if he could see Kira first..." He faced Kira as he said the last part. With that, Kira silently headed into Tommy's room. Upon entering the room, she'd stopped dead in her tracks just as she had the first time she'd walked in. Now there was a black metal contraption surrounding Tommy's head. "It's called a Halo. It keeps his neck from moving." Dr. Patterson mentioned when he saw Kira's reaction as she entered the room. Trying to stay strong for Tommy's sake, Kira approached him as Dr. Patterson left to give them some privacy.
"Hey." She greeted him, trying to sound as though nothing was wrong. Weakly, he replied "Hey." Trying to keep things positive, Kira mentioned "Hey, you're talking-you're off the ventilator." Wanting to get what was weighing on his mind over and done with, Tommy changed the subject. "Look, Kira. I know a quadrapleigic isn't exactly what you had in mind for a fiancée and I know it sure as hell wasn't what you had in mind for a husband." Confused, Kira asked "Tommy, what are you saying?" Though, she had a sick feeling she already knew the answer. Sighing, Tommy reluctantly explained. "Kira...I'm saying that if you wanna break up with me, I'll understand and I won't blame you or be angry with you..." There, I said it...Now, I just wish she'd get it overwith since I already know it's comin'...Tommy thought to himself as he finished what he'd wanted to get out of the way. Shocked, Kira couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Tommy, are you crazy! I love you! And I'm not going anywhere..." Listening to her response, Tommy could see tears beginning to form in her eyes as he, too, fought back tears of his own. Smiling slightly, he asked "You really mean that?" Smirking, she added "Of course I do. Tommy, I love you. And it's gonna take a hell of a lot more than this to drive me away...In other words...You're stuck with me..." Chuckling, Tommy added "Well, I guess there's worse people to be stuck with." Smiling back down at him, Kira added "You got that right." Taking on a more serious tone, Tommy mentioned "Ya know all things considered...I am actually pretty lucky..." Curious, Kira asked "How do ya figure?" Smiling up at her as he gazed into her soft doe eyes and took refuge in them, Tommy explained. "I've still got you, don't I?" Smiling, Kira stroked his cheek as she added "Yeah...you do..." The two of them spent the rest of the afternoon talking. When visiting hours finally came to an end, Kira left for home.
As she got ready for bed, Kira lay awake thinking about all that happened that day. I still can't believe he actually thought I'd leave him over this...Well, atleast now he knows I'm a lot stronger than that...She thought to herself remembering how he'd questioned her love for him. Now, he's learning just how tough I can be... Finally after about an hour of thinking about Tommy and her eagerness to have him back home with her, Kira finally managed to get to sleep. She was beginning to find that sleep was coming easier and easier knowing that Tommy was going to be all right and would soon be back home with her. She knew that it would be just a matter of time before he was back in her arms to stay and they could be together once again. Smiling at the thought of Tommy returning home, Kira found a more restful sleep than what she had the night before and all the recent ones that had come before it.
Kira had spent a good portion of the next morning and afternoon with Tommy. The doctors were allowing him to have more visitors now that things were beginning to calm down. Occasionally, Kira would let the others have some one-on-one time with Tommy as she had done while she went home or to the park to think or lose herself in the memories she'd made with Tommy over the three years they'd been together. Especially all the memories they had shared as rangers. Mostly she thought about how glad she would be when Tommy was back home with her and they could finally start planning their wedding. Smiling, Kira looked down at her engagement ring and began to imagine different scenarios for their wedding. Some were big ones with all their friends and family while others were smaller ones with just their closest friends and family. Whatever the case, Kira was just looking forward to it actually being able to happen.
Finally, just as they had done before, visitng hours at the hospital had come to an end and Tommy and Kira said their goodbyes. Kira had promised to return the next day just as she had with all the visits that had come before. Resting easier with thoughts of her and Tommy's future together being just a matter of time, Kira managed to get the best night's sleep she'd had since the accident. She found herself no longer crying herself to sleep. But, rather, she found herself dreaming of what lay ahead for her and Tommy. Though, she knew things would never be quite the same, she didn't care. As long as she was with Tommy, that was all she would ever need.