Here on after ch 5
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At about 1:30, the gang was done with lunch and was still talking about old times. By now the café had a few more customers and it was back to work for Trent.
Ethan and Conner were also in the little reunion conversations, laughing, asking questions and even sharing a couple stories of their own. Kira however was not a happy camper. Still not having eaten one bite, she was not warming up to Kimberly at all.
She didn't like this girl already and she just got here. She knew it was wrong to judge people but, she just couldn't help it. She didn't like her vibe, her attitude and just about her whole aura. Or maybe it was because Dr. Oliver was so into her and she was afraid that he'd start paying more attention to Kim than to herself. She didn't want that to happen. She's already had bad parents once she doesn't need a repeat. She liked the time that she spends with Dr. Oliver at home. Just her, Dr. Oliver and snowball, nobody else. She didn't want anything to change that. Especially not Kim.
"Aww man that was good. My compliments to the chef." Zack said wiping his mouth one final time and tossing the napkin on his plate.
"Likewise." Billy said rubbing his stomach contently.
"Man, you guys still eat the same if not more then I remember. Where do you put it all?" Kim asked.
"You know, that's still a mystery to me." Jason said and they laughed again.
"Hey at least we don't eat as much as Rocky." Tommy said.
"Ya, that boy can pack away food. He's always hungry." Zack said.
"Sounds like someone we know." Ethan said looking at Conner as the group laughed.
Kim glanced at her watch and frowned when it read 1:32. She had to leave but she didn't want to. She was having so much fun being with her old friends, (especially Tommy) and chatting up a storm. She liked reminiscing and all that and most importantly, she loved being with Tommy and looking at how gorgeous he was and hearing him speak in that manly voice of his and all of the above.
"Why so glum, chum?" Zack asked noticing her frown.
"I have to go now guys, I'm supposed to meet my grandmother so she could get to her Dr's appointment." She said.
"The Doctors office is open on Sunday?" Billy asked.
"Well my grandmother is like really old and she has a lot of stuff wrong with her so the office she goes to is open 7 days a week." She said.
"Well since you have to go, it was nice seeing you again." Jason said.
"It was great seeing you too, maybe we could hang out again sometime, how long are you guys staying?" Kim asked.
"Until Saturday." Zack said.
"Cool, well I'll leave you guys with my number and make sure you call me before you leave." She said grabbing a napkin and a pen and scribbling her number on it then handing it to Tommy.
"Will do pinkie." Zack said as they got up to give her a hug goodbye.
"Good cause if you don't I'll drive to Angel Grove and hunt you down." She warned playfully before giving Zack a hug.
He chuckled. "Good luck getting through Angela." He said and she laughed before moving to Billy and giving him his hug.
"Nice seeing you guys again." She said also giving Jason his hug then like she did earlier, pausing at Tommy.
"Well my city neighbor, I shall see you around." She said.
"I'll make sure I look for you." He said and she smiled giving him his hug which was a bit more close and longer than the others.
"Don't forget to call me." She said once they let go.
"Will do." He said.
"Bye, nice meeting you guys." She said to Tommy's protégés.
"Nice meeting you too!" Conner and Ethan said together before Kim finally made her exit.
And as soon as she exited that door Jason, Billy and Zack turned to Tommy and gave him the look he knew he'd get. It was the same look he got when they first concluded at Ernie's Juice bar that Kimberly liked him.
Zack opened his mouth to say something but Tommy quickly stopped him.
"It's not like that Zack." He said.
"Not like what? I wasn't going to say anything" he protested.
"You know exactly what you were going to say, and I'm telling you right now, Kim is just a friend." He said.
"Well now that you seem to mention it………..what are you blind? Kim likes you Tommy!" Zack exclaimed.
"No she doesn't." he said.
"Oh c'mon Tommy look at the signs, you saw the way she had stars in her eyes when she was talking to you or you were talking to her." Jason said.
"She did no have stars in her eyes." Tommy defended.
"And she kept flipping her hair, girls always do that to get a guys attention." Zack said.
"Kimberly always flips her hair; I'd be worried if she didn't."
"And she did give you specifically her telephone number. She could have given it to Jason, Zack or I but she gave it to you to hold on to." Billy said.
"So!"
"Dude, she likes you! There's no denying it, you guys are rekindling lost love." Zack said and Tommy rolled his eyes.
"You know Dr. O, they're right; I think she likes you too." Ethan said.
"Not you guys too." Tommy said.
"Dude………………." Conner began before Tommy shot him a glare. "I mean er……….Dr. Oliver, she totally digs you. And believe me, I know girls."
"Really? Is that why you can't get a date?" Ethan said and Conner glared while the others laughed.
"Burn!" Zack said, a habit he was fond of ever since high school.
"Ya, ya, don't wet yourselves" Conner said with a roll of his eyes. "And as a matter of fact Ethan, I can get a date and that's why I have a date tonight so there!" he humfed.
"Your mother doesn't count Conner" Trent, who happened to walk by in that precise moment threw in causing more laughter at the table.
"Where did you come from!" the red ranger cried, watching the Hispanic boy in front of him grin. "Don't you have some tables to clean?"
"Alright, alright, enough." Tommy said interrupting the roaring laughter and the possible argument between his two protégés. "We get it Conner you have a date, there's no need to defend yourself"
The team leader simply huffed and crossed his arms over his chest mumbling something about a non-believing team. "Ya well my point is, she still digs you Dr. O"
Tommy rolled his eyes. "Ya whatever, meanwhile I have a feeling that fat fur ball of a cat is tearing up my house so I think it's time we left"
"I think I agree with Tommy" Zack said. "These wooden chairs are starting to seriously kill my butt man" he said while the others shook their heads at Zack's "discreetness"
"Very charming there Zack" Jason said sarcastically and Zack shrugged.
"It's true"
Tommy chuckled. "C'mon guys" he said getting up followed by his three buddies.
Stretching a little Tommy looked down at his only daughter who had her head on the table and was stirring the straw in circles in her melting and untouched drink. He raised an eyebrow when the concern of what was wrong with her washed over him again. Kira really hadn't been acting like herself lately.
"Kira" he said bringing her crashing back into reality and causing her to look up at him. "C'mon we're leaving."
She sighed and stood up as well stretching a bit before joining him at his side, without a word spoken.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Oh now you notice I exist" she thought to herself sarcastically before plastering a fake smile towards him. "Fine" she said beginning to walk out the door and avoid any further "Are you ok" conversations.
Tommy turned to his friends who shrugged and he sighed shaking his head in dismay. "Teenagers" he concluded.
"Your daughter man" Jason said and Tommy nodded.
"Anyway, see you guys later, and don't forget about that homework I assigned" Tommy said to Ethan and Conner.
"Aw man!" Conner whined. "You just wouldn't let us get away!" he added and the black ranger grinned.
"Enjoy the rest of your weekend"
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Later that night………………………..it was around 11 p.m and while Billy and Zack were beginning to doze off in their respected guest rooms, Tommy was up in the kitchen, putting together a ham sandwich with his greedy cat snowball watching on a nearby counter.
Tommy turned to the cat and watched him glance from the food to Tommy and then lick his furry chops.
"Ya you keep lickn' but you're not getting any of this sandwich." He told the fat animal and the white cat seemed to hiss a little.
"Talking to yourself again?" came the voice of none other then best bro, Jason Lee as he entered the room.
Tommy turned around and greeted his comrade with a small smile and laughed a little to himself. "Oh no I was talking to the cat" he corrected pointing to the furry animal. "It looks like he's about to pounce any minute"
Jason chuckled before standing at Tommy's side and observing him make the small meal in front of him. "Eating again? Man bro you must have some appetite, we just ate about 2 hours ago"
The black ranger chuckled again. "No it's not for me; it's for Kira" he said.
"Oh, where is she by the way? I haven't seen her since we've got home from lunch"
"Locked up in her room; I'm kind of worried, she's acting a little strange"
"Think it could be………………well you know………..girl issues?" Jason fumbled.
"No I don't think so. Kira keeps her moods pretty normal unless something's bothering her; that's why I'm worried"
"Think it could be me Zack and Billy? I mean we don't want to intrude or anything and maybe she's not comfortable with us around."
"I don't know. I mean I hope it's not, you guys aren't intruding and I love your company; especially since we haven't seen each other in a long time. And plus I don't think it's that either" he said. "Her skipping meals kind of doesn't explain possible unwanted company"
"Well I don't know what to tell you man" Jason concluded.
Tommy said. "I don't know what to do"
His best friend chuckled a little. "Oh fearless leader Tommy doesn't know what to do? Shall we alert the president? It must be the sign of the apocalypse" Jason teased and Tommy chuckled.
"A kidding aside Jason, I'm serious. I mean teenagers are just so…………confusing."
"Hey, you were there once too"
"Ya I know but we were the city "do gooders" remember? We were like the perfect little angels that all that parents on the block wanted to own"
Jason laughed. "That we were my friend. I mean I think we were the only ones who excelled greatly in community service."
"But kids today man" Tommy began. "You can hardly tear them away from music videos and game boys"
"I hear ya but hey, from what I've observed, Kira doesn't seem like that kind of girl. I mean you said she came from a rough past right? Maybe something triggered her memory of it and she's a little upset. Maybe she just needs some time to recover."
Tommy nodded in agreement. "Ya, I think you could be right" he said. "Wow Jase, since when did you become all talk show psychologist like?"
Jason laughed. "Somewhere between reading Trini's pregnancy books and listening to her "analyze my aura" he said and Tommy laughed finally finishing up the sandwich.
"You're something else you know that?"
"The one and only"
He laughed again. "Well I'm going to take this up to Kira and then I'm heading to bed."
"Alright, goodnight oh fearless one"
"Goodnight Jase, and if you need anything, you know where my room is"
"Of course, of course; goodnight"
"Night"
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Tommy knocked on Kira's room door, pressing his ear against the white wood to hear if any sounds were emitting from inside but pure silence met his ears.
"Kira?" he asked and her reply of "come in" was heard so he gently turned the knob, entering the dorm of his daughter.
When he entered he was met with his adopted daughter sitting at her desk with a bunch of books sprawled all over and her highlighting different sections in the books. Tommy guessed she must have been studying but he came in anyways, straddled the chair next to her and set the sandwich down where there was open space.
"Hey, shouldn't you be in bed? It's a school day tomorrow you know"
"Ya I know but I was getting some studying done and I was kind of stuck on a problem."
"You know I am a teacher and if you need help all you have to do is ask"
"Dr. Oliver with all do respect, Spanish isn't exactly one of your strong points" she said and he laughed.
"Ya you're right" he admitted before picking up the sandwich and setting it in front of her. "I made you a sandwich; it's your favorite, ham and turkey"
"I'm not too hungry"
"That was your same excuse for lunch and dinner I don't think it's going to wash very well now Kira"
"Seriously Dr. O, I'm not very hungry"
"You haven't eaten all day"
"I haven't been hungry all day"
"Not to mention you're shutting me out"
"I am not"
"Are too; not only have you not eaten but you have hardly said a word to me all day"
"Because you're busy with your friends"
"So is that it? You don't like them around?"
Kira sighed. "No Dr. Oliver they're fine; I don't mind their company"
"So what's bugging you?"
"Nothing"
"So why aren't you eating"
She sighed again only with a little more force. "Anyone ever told you that you happen to nag; a lot"
"They call me the King"
Kira shook her head before turning back to her book.
"So are you going to tell me?"
"There is nothing bothering me Dr. Oliver"
"If there wasn't then you'd be eating"
She let out a frustrated moan before picking up a half of the sandwich in front of her, taking a bite and then slamming the rest of it down on the plate. "There I ate!"
"Now you're getting cranky"
"And, you're still nagging!"
It was Tommy's turn to sigh now and he got up from his chair shaking his head in dismay. He really was getting a headache from this and he didn't want to upset her more then she already was.
"Alright, alright I can see I'm bothering you; I'll back off"
Kira mouthed a thank you as she kept her eyes on her book and heard his retreating footsteps.
"Oh by the way Kira" he said grabbing her attention. "I just want to let you know that whatever is bothering you, it's going to be ok. And whenever you're ready, I'm here to talk ok?"
She only nodded and he smiled a goodnight before exiting the room.
Kira sat there and thought about what he said to her about everything being ok and then a brief image of Kimberly shot through her mind. "You're wrong about this one Dr. O"
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Finally I updated! Review!