Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, or any of the characters in this story. Not even the ones I made up. Go ahead and use them, I don't really mind.

Oh, and I will be using lyrics from the very beautiful song, 'This Used to be My Playground' / performed by Madonna / Written by Madonna and Shep Pettibone / Originally from the movie 'A League of Their Own' / Appearing on the 'Barcelona Gold' album. Sorry, I cut out a lot of lyrics, but you'll get the point.

A/N: So I'm not such a Madonna fan, sue me; sorry, but I love that movie and this song fits perfectly to what's gonna go down. Any ways, hope you guys like this one. Now let us see if I could finish Budding. I got fired just yesterday so I'm pretty sure I'll have plenty of more time on my hands to do Budding; well, until I get another job of course.

Blooming

Chapter 18 / Looking Back

Jason, Adam, Rocky, and Kim had decided to all go in Jason's car and Kim's truck back to Angel Grove. Rocky had placed all his belongings in back of Kim's truck while Adam placed his in Jason's trunk.

"I'm really gonna miss you guys" said Kat as she hugged Adam, Rocky, and Jason at the same time.

"Don't worry Kat, Tommy promised that he'd go back to Angel Grove some day" reassured Jason as their hug broke.

"I don't know…think about it you guys, it's Tommy. We'd be lucky if he remembers where Angel Grove is" said Kim going over to hug Kat while the others laughed.

Tommy went over to handclasp the guys as Tommy's rangers arrived.

"Hey Dr. O!" yelled Conner.

"Cool, we're not too late" yelled Ethan as they saw they had arrived just in time to say goodbye.

Hayley was getting their lunch out to the vehicles as Kim approached Kat.

"I'm really happy for you" she said.

"Thanks Kimberly; and I'm proud of you" said Kat as they hugged each other quickly before Kat turning to go help Hayley and Kim going over to say her goodbyes to Tommy.

"So, this is it huh?" she said.

"Yup, looks like it" he countered.

"Finally settling down after being a womanizer for so many years" she said jokingly.

Tommy laughed while hugging her and saying, "I'm gonna miss you Kim."

"And I'm gonna miss you too Tommy."

They parted ways as Tommy went over to Jason again whom was just finishing his goodbyes to the rangers.

"Thank you bro" he said before going over to him and giving him a quick manly hug which surprised Jason entirely "for everything."

"No problem man" said Jason with a smile, "anytime."


"Hurry up Ethan, I'm hungry" whined Conner already wanting to go to Hayley's.

"Umm…" said Kira before keeping the insult to herself and just deciding to let Ethan talk about what he had done yet again for the umpteenth time.

"You guys are gonna have exactly four point nine minutes to go through everything" said Ethan.

"Alright" the three said in unison.

The teens were now again in Trent's room going over the plans after having defeated Mesagog two weeks before.

"Now remember, the alarms are gonna go off exactly two point six minutes after you get back."

Again they nodded.

"Wait, will that be enough time to get the bombs in?" asked Conner.

"Dude, it's more than enough. We just each have to cover like what three doors?" Trent said easily.

"That's almost one door a minute" Kira realized.

"You guys can't get more time; if you do, the teacher will definitely suspect something" said Ethan.

"Alright" said Kira finally just wanting to go over the plan again, "so Conner, you're taking the right wing, Trent you're taking the left and the back. I'll take the front and then go help you with the back."

"Yeah"


"I'm not hungry" cried Kat holding her stomach with one hand and pushing Tommy away with the other.

"Kat, you heard the doctor, you have to eat" he said while wanting to give her a spoonful of soup.

"Tommy, stop treating me like a child" she said already getting frustrated.

"Well…maybe if you'd stop acting like one…"

Kat gave him a look before he put the spoon back into the bowl and continued to speak.

"I'm just glad everything came out alright in the tests."

"Yeah, I know. I was so scared, Tommy. You don't know how scared I was to think that I could have cancer…just for not eating."

"You know, you say that, yet act as if nothing happened."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm trying to help you through this and you just won't help yourself Kat. You said it yourself; you were scared that you might have cancer. Just because you don't have it now doesn't mean you can't get it in the future. Please Kat, try to eat…for me."

He looked deep into her eyes sadly as he rubbed his thumb over the diamond on her finger.

She then realized how alone she had been acting having Tommy there for her the whole time. She simply nodded as she took in some warm soup and felt its heat making itself down her throat.


"So, what are you guys gonna do after graduation?" Hayley questioned the four teens in front of her on the other side of the bar.

"I don't know" said Conner, "join the soccer team in Reefside State University I guess; well, until I get discovered that is" he said cockily.

"Well, I got offered a full scholarship to attend Yale University for their advanced technology courses" said Ethan proudly.

"Art school for me" said Trent knowing that Hayley already knew about art school from prom night.

"Kira?" she asked.

"Well, I did get offered a contract to sing background vocals for James Blunt; but…"

"You know what they say, to get discovered you gotta be out there" Hayley assured.

Kira smiled and nodded.

"Yet, I don't know how you're gonna pull all that off after getting released from jail" Hayley simply said.

"What?" came out of the teens' mouths as they were all wide eyed.

"Oh come on, you don't expect to go through these computers, hack into the school's system, get away with a prank, and have me not know about it do you?"

They all looked around suspiciously as if being little angels.

"Oh, come on!" said Hayley, "I know your times; although I don't know what it is you have planned though."

"The teens just looked at each other and decided to just cave in and tell her all about it."


"I was thinking about going to check out the dance school the girls told me about weeks ago, but I never got around to going" Kat said as she and Tommy were now on the couch. He was lying on the couch having her sitting in between his legs as he had his arms wrapped around her stroking her hair gently as she talked.

"Well, what's stopping you?"

"I don't know…fear I guess."

"Fear?"

"Yeah, I don't know, like…if something's going to tell me that I was a failure as a dancer."

"Kat, didn't you dance professionally for years."

"Yeah, but it was only for two years. Then I quit."

"Kat…"

"I'm nothing but a quitter, Tommy."

"So, does that mean I'm a quitter too if I quit racing?"

"Oh my God! We're both losers!" she said jokingly.

Tommy laughed at this and just continued stroking her hair.

"Listen Kat, there are going to be a lot of memories in your life…you just have to think about how much each one means to you. Besides…I find it easier just not to look back at all and just look forward to the future."

"I guess" she said, still not convinced.

"So, you wanna…?"

"Again? Tommy, are you some kind of robot or something?"


"You guys better not get caught; and if this plan goes off without a hitch; don't tell anybody; at all" Hayley said after being explained the details of their end-of-school prank that was going to be taking place in just a matter of hours now.


Tommy and Kat had taken row of their third period classes as usual about seven minutes ago.

The school monitors had gone off to the back offices to have their meeting about who was going to cover what doors for there not to be any disturbances when school was to let out.

Ethan just simply kept looking at the clock over and over again in his English class as he saw from the corner of his eye as Trent raised his hand.

"Yes Trent" asked his teacher.

"Can I be excused to the bathroom please?" asked Trent shaking one of his legs.

"Sure Trent, go right ahead."

As Trent was heading out the door, he saw the back of Conner's head heading to 'the spot'.

He walked a couple of forty feet behind him, following him before seeing Kira turn the corner and coming their way.

They all turned towards 'the spot's direction one after the other. Kira went in through the cafeteria, Conner went in through the first hallway, and Trent went in through the third hallway making the three disappear not to make it suspicious although still noticing that there was no one in sight, nor the cameras were moving; being deactivated by Ethan.

They all held their breaths as they arrived near the side doors where the field was. Conner opened a small janitorial compartment on the lower wall and retrieved the tool box.

"Alright guys, ready?" asked Conner.

"Ready" said Trent and Kira.

They all took a deep breath before putting on their white gloves and getting the tools necessary to do their job.

"We've gotta run to the first doors and walk fast to the second ones" Kira said as she was nearly ready for everything.

"Remember, don't worry about getting stunk up" Trent reminded her.

"Yeah, or we'll really get caught if we're the only ones that don't stink" said Conner getting up from his squatted position and putting the tool box back. "You guys remember where to leave everything after you're done right?"

"Yeah" they both said in unison before the three put their right fists in together and breaking to their assigned posts.

Kira ran fast to the front doors as Trent ran even faster to the left wing of the school. Conner ran faster than both towards the right wing and had to lock up four assigned doors by himself.

He opened a door, hammered a nail inside of it and placed a rubber ball which was squeezed tightly when the door was closed again having the nail inside of it knowing that as soon as the door was forcefully opened it would explode. He went ahead and placed a number of pennies under the door and started banging at it with the hammer. Once he felt the pennies would hold the door stuck for an entirety of force to be used to open it, he went over to the next door and did the same.

Kira had finished two doors by this time and went to the back to help Trent with his doors in which he had two on the side, and four more to do in the back.

Oh yeah, like three doors for each, she thought sarcastically as she decided to run instead of walk fast towards the back doors.

She arrived and saw Trent already there working on his second door.

"Hey" she whispered.

"Hey" he countered before adding, "started over there and work yourself in" he said pointing at the far left doors.

"Alright" she said before hurrying over to the other doors.

They were done in a matter of three minutes which gave them a couple of seconds to take the supplies back and get to class before the other two minutes were up with the cameras getting turned back on; having the next part of the plan take course.

Trent went back into class having Ethan constantly look at the upper clock again as he started to sweat a bit with a worried look on his face.

Trent smiled at him while winking as a sign of everything being on schedule. He went over to his seat and sat down, knowing that the other two were now doing the same.


"I'll probably start teaching next year assuming I check the place out fir…" Kat started to respond to a fellow ballet student's question as she heard the fire alarms go off, also being handy work from Ethan, making her stop in mid sentence.

"Okay class, you know the drill, no pushing, no running, no…" she trailed off as she got up and lead the class out of the room.


"What do you mean the door won't open?" asked Tommy.

"It won't open" said a struggling Edna.

"Hold on, let me see" he said not noticing the huge crowd that was forming in back of him now.

The monitors at this point had heard the alarms and were going to different doors to investigate what was going on.


Complete chaos was forming now at the door that Kat was waiting to get opened.

"What's going on?" asked a student being pushed by the crowd.

"I don't know" she simply said.

Kat swayed her way through the crowd of chaotic kids and saw a teacher struggling with the door.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It looks like the door won't open" he said pushing it even harder.


Kira was laughing internally as were the others that knew about the prank as they felt the crowd feel like the middle of a bunch of ants getting sprayed with water.


Tommy took a few steps back before pushing the door with all of his might causing the pennies to come out flying all over the place being unnoticed; because of the stench that was coming through.


"Here, on the count of three we'll both push the door open" said Kat.

"Alright" said the teacher in front of her who was still trying to open the door.

"Okay, one…two…three!" she yelled as they both pushed the door open.

Little did they know that the pressure from the door being opened all the way popped the rubber ball and out came a skunk like stench entering the hallway.


By this time, Kira's awaiting door was being opened as where she tried really hard not to cover her nose before it was opened; which she managed to handle with calmness.


Conner laughed as the teachers were still trying to get the door to open before he went over and said, "Here, let me help."

They stood back and let him ram the door forcefully with his foot and kicked it as hard as he could to get it open.

The stench quickly overtook the hallway in which he was very proud of.


Trent looked over to Ethan having been outside by now just both trying hard not to talk about their prank just yet for fear of getting found out.

As they saw the fire department arrive, they both looked at each other again with worried looks on their faces but didn't want to give anything away.


"So it was you four who pulled that prank?" asked a frustrated Tommy.

The four teens, Hayley, and Tommy were now sitting in the living room, showered and clean, discussing the prank they had pulled.

"Yeah, sorry Dr. O, but we had to do something" defended Ethan.

Tommy just cocked his head to one side and grinned. "Well, I have to say, that was some prank."

"So, you're not mad at us?" questioned Conner.

"We could've gotten in a lot of trouble" said Kira.

"It's just not like you to not get mad" added Trent.

"Guys, I'm too happy in life to be mad right now" said Tommy with everyone knowing that he meant having Katherine back in his life.

"Hey, how 'bout we celebrate all this at the Café?" asked Hayley.

A series of 'yeahs' and 'sures' came her way; all except for Tommy.

"Sorry, Hayley. Let me wait for Kat. She's at the studio right now checking it out. I promise, as soon as she comes we'll head over there."

"Alright" said Hayley, "You promised" she said before getting up.

The others followed but not before saying their goodbyes to their mentor.


Kat walked into the dance studio and saw the mirrors all around on the walls. She noticed the beautiful waxed wooded floor and the balancing bars on both sides of the room. She took in a deep breath and reminisced about her childhood, when all she thought about was dancing.

This used to be my playground
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Why did it have to end
And why do they always say

Don't look back
Keep your head held high
Don't ask them why
Because life is short
And before you know
You're feeling old
And your heart is breaking
Don't hold on to the past
Well that's too much to ask

Live and learn
Well the years they flew
And we never knew
We were foolish then
We would never tire
And that little fire
Is still alive in me
It will never go away

Say goodbye to yesterday
Those are words I'll never say


Tommy heard Kat's car drive up and instantly stood to get his keys so they could both leave.

Well, she's out in the car already, she could drive us there, he thought as he put his keys back on the table.

Before being able to open the door, she was already there.

"Hey" he said with a small chuckle, "that was fast. How'd you get from your car to the door so…"

"Tommy" Kat stopped him, "we need to talk."

"About?"

"Me…and you…"

"Kat…no" he whispered a bit shaking his head knowing what she would say next.

THE END


A/N: Tan Tan (Oh wait, that was Spanish). Any ways, so what you guys think? Hope you're not mad at me for making her go back, but come on, she's passionate about this; feel her pain. Oh, and about Kim and Kat's hug; hey I'm a girl, I know what goes on in our minds (in Kim: That bitch stole my boyfriend) (in Kat: That bitch still likes my boyfriend). I don't know if you're a girl in here and you think that's wrong, but in my perspective I think that's what's going on. Anyways, review please; I really want to know what you guys think. Go ahead, give me your flames; I know you want to.