Chapter 11: Losing a Child

Kimberly woke up a day after Zen-Aku was revealed as Merrick. She pulled on pink sneakers and a dark pink flowered dress. She pulled her hair back in a half-ponytail and clipped it. "Mom…wow! You look great, what's the occasion?" Hannah asked.

"Nothing, can a woman look nice?" Kimberly answered with another question.

"No," Hannah replied.

"You ready to go to school?" She asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Kimberly laughed and handed Hannah her backpack. "You are going to walk your sister to kindergarten right?" Kimberly asked.

"Yes, mom, like I always do," Hannah replied.

Cole then jumped down from the rocks wearing only his shoes, jeans, and Wild Force jacket, revealing his muscled abs and stomach. Hannah's eyes widened and she blushed slightly. "Heading off to school?" Cole asked.

"Y--Yeah," Hannah stuttered.

Kimberly hid her giggle with a cough. "MOMMY!" Kylie shouted. Kimberly smiled and picked her daughter up when she ran into her arms. "I'm ready," she announced.

"Good, say bye to Cole and I'll pass the message to the other Rangers," Kimberly informed.

"Okay," Kylie answered.

Kylie ran over and Cole hugged Kylie tight while lifting her off the ground. "Hey, you learn something in school," he instructed. Kylie nodded and Cole kissed her cheek. "Okay, Hannah, learn something new," he repeated. Hannah nodded before heading off to school with Kylie by her side. Kimberly walked over and smacked Cole across his bare shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?" He asked.

"You're walking around with your shirt off. I have a teenaged daughter and a five-year-old daughter. You know better," Kimberly commented.

Cole laughed slightly and pulled his shirt on. "Besides, I think my little Hannah has a little crush," Kimberly commented.

"On who me?" Cole asked.

"Yeah, you," she replied.

Cole laughed again, but their laughter was interrupted by the fountain. They ran over to the fountain. "It's Merrick," she informed.

"I'm on it," he stated.

"I'm coming with you."

She ran with Cole and they left the Animarium. "You sure about this?" He asked.

"Yes, I want to help you save Merrick," Kimberly replied.

Cole grabbed her hand and they ran towards where Merrick was heading. "MERRICK!" Kimberly called. Zen-Aku spun around and shot blasts at them.

"KIMBERLY GET DOWN!" Cole shouted.

Kimberly screamed when Cole pushed her to the ground and covered her from the blasts. He then pulled back and looked down at her. "You okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, something's wrong. I feel evil through him. The confusion's no longer there," she informed.

Cole stood up. "WILD ACCESS!" He shouted. Zen-Aku spun around while holding out his sword.

"Not so fast, Red Ranger," Zen-Aku laughed.

Kimberly gasped when putrids came out from behind the trees, but Kylie was in her arms. "NO!" She screamed. Tears fell down her face.

"Come any closer, Red Ranger, and I'll destroy the child," he snapped.

"Where's my other child?" Kimberly demanded.

"I hope she knows how to swim," Zen-Aku replied.

Kimberly watched as putrids dropped Hannah into the lake, around her ankles was a large rock. "NO!" She screamed. Zen-Aku laughed and disappeared with Kylie. "NO, KYLIE!" Kimberly wailed. She jumped up and ran to the lake. "HANNAH!" She called. Cole ran over and jumped into the lake.

Hannah fought as hard as she could to reach the surface, but things grew black. Cole swam down and untied Hannah's feet. He grabbed her around the waist and swam to the surface.

Kimberly was waiting for Cole to come back with Hannah, but she was already in tears, because of Kylie's kidnapping. Cole de-morphed when he reached the surface. "She's not breathing," Cole informed.

"Oh God!" Kimberly gasped.

Cole placed her on the grass and Kimberly kneeled beside Hannah. "When I count to three, breath into her mouth," Kimberly instructed. Cole nodded. Kimberly started pumping Hannah's chest. "One…two…three, breathe," Kimberly instructed. Cole breathed into Hannah's mouth, but nothing happened. "Please wake up, baby. Wake up for me, breathe Cole," she instructed. Cole breathed into Hannah's mouth. Tears continued to fall down Kimberly's face. "Hannah, sweet heart, don't leave me," she whispered. Cole then pushed Hannah onto her side when she started coughing up water.

"Good girl, Hannah, good girl," Cole murmured.

Kimberly took Hannah into her arms. "Mom, I'm so sorry. I tried to fight them off, but there too many," she sobbed.

"It's okay, baby, I know you tried, but we're going to get Kylie back, you understand me? We're getting Kylie back," Kimberly assured her.

Master Org cackled when Kylie was dragged in. Kylie looked up and coward away. "You're the bad man that hurt my mommy," she whimpered. Master Org walked over and lifted Kylie's chin up.

"You're the little girl that's going to get your mommy's Power Rangers to surrender," he laughed.

"Cole won't give up, Power Rangers always win," Kylie insisted.

"Take her to the cell."

Kylie struggled against Toxica and Jindrax. "MOMMY! HELP ME!" She screamed.

(On the Animarium)

Kimberly was sitting by the stream holding Kylie's teddy bear in her arms. Tears fell down her face as she looked into the stream. Cole walked over and sat next to her beside the stream. "Kimberly, everything's going to be okay," he assured her.

"How do you know that, Cole? Kylie's all I've got left of Tommy. My baby's gone and I let Zen-Aku take her," she sobbed.

Cole took Kimberly into her arms. "I want my baby back, Cole. I want her back," she sobbed. Cole kissed the top of her head and ran circles on her back.

"I promise I'll get her back," he assured her.

The Rangers were planning on how they were going to save Kylie. Alyssa looked up and saw Cole comforting the sobbing young mother and lowered her head. Taylor placed a hand on Alyssa's shoulder. "You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm just worried," Alyssa replied.

"We all are," Princess Shayla answered.

Kimberly kept crying against Cole's shoulder and the Red Wild Force Ranger held her close to him. "I failed, I promised nothing would happen and look what happened. I failed and she's hurting," he pondered.

"I want my baby back, Cole," she repeated.

"I'll get her back, Kim, I promise," he whispered.