A/N: Hey, guys! Here is one of the first chapters I actually wrote for this fic. It is the basis of the idea that popped in my head that led to the development of this story. I hope you enjoy.
Also, it may be rated M. ;)
August 2, 2004
Angel Grove, CA
The calls and the visits stopped. No one tried to come over. The phone never rang. It was like someone flipped a switch and everything came to a stop. When I should have been relieved, I felt heart broken. I had done what I needed to do to protect everyone but in the same breath, I had cut out everyone I loved from my life. I still had Marci but she was beginning to distance herself as well. I knew she was aware of what was happening now. She did her best to stay out of the house as much as possible and would disappear the second Nick would come home. That was for the best as well. I was noticing now that he would look at her in a way that made me feel uneasy. He hadn't tried to sleep with me since my attack but he was looking at her in the same way he used to look at me. The farther away she stayed from him, the safe she would be. I considered telling her she had to leave but I didn't want to just kick her out into the street.
Work was the only thing I had going for me. Our theatre group has been meeting weekly to discuss which production we were going to do. We had it numbered down to ten possible shows and we were watching them as a group from the large DVD collection Mr. Ridley had to determine which would be the easier and the most popular. We had to decide by the end of the week though to ensure we would have enough time to start preparing. We all agreed to meet at the theater to make the decision.
"Alright guys, it's between two of them now." I said, sitting down at the table we had set up on the stage. I put the two choices, RENT and The Music Man, on the table. The head team of the group sat around the table, looking down at them. It consisted of five members that represented the entire company and cast. To my right sat Mili Brewer, a thirty year old that I can only describe as eccentric. She had long black curly hair that she always had pulled back in a bun, thick glasses that made her eyes look huge, and wore long skirts and dresses with funky designs on them. Next to her sat William Welch, one of the founding members of the company. William was an older gentleman with grey hair and thin wired glasses that sat perched on the tip of his nose. He had a very thin build and face but a kind smile and eyes. Across from him was Regina Green, the youngest member of our group. Regina was only 20 years old and was also the most opinionated one as well. She graduated from Angel Grove High a couple years ago and was a drama student at Angel Grove University. She joined the company in her sophomore year of high school and she's been working her way up through ever since. Her boyfriend, Tony, sat next to her. He was also active in the club but wasn't one of the leaders. He just followed her wherever she went. The last member was Rosey Smith, the nicest 72 year old woman you will ever win. She's the mother of the whole company, everyone coming to her for guidance. She's been doing this since her husband passed away about ten years ago.
"We should do RENT! It's recent, it's relevant. With the whole drug and crime thing going on, it could be a real eye opener." Regina said, leaning on her elbows. Next to her, Tony nodded.
"People come to a show to forget their problems, not live through them in song." William said. "I think it would be too much for Angel Grove to try a musical like that right now."
"He's got a point." Mili said, nodding. "The auroras around that show are dark, regardless. It would ruin any aesthetic we try to provide."
"The aesthetic is that we are broke and need an audience." I said flatly. "We gotta pick something. I think we should go with something bright and uplifting."
"Kimberly is right. The Music Man is a timeless classic that will leave everyone in a good mood. I think RENT would suit us better for the later season anyway. It would be aimed at a younger audience. No kid wants to give up nice weather to sit through a play. In the winter though, they'd be willing to come and watch one." Rosey said.
"Alright. Final vote. How many for RENT?" I asked. Regina raised her hand, followed by Tony unsurprisingly. "How many for the Music Man?" The rest of the group raised their hands. Regina said, sitting back in her chair. "I think Rosey is right. We can do The Music Man now and produce RENT during the winter. Our budget is bigger then and we can put more into it."
"I guess." Regina said, giving me a small smile. "I just know that I want to play Mimi when we do it."
"We will keep that in mind, dear." Rosey said, putting a hand on Regina's arm. I grabbed the DVDs as I stood.
"I'll go type this up and send it over to Mr. Ridley to review. Are we good to meet on Tuesday to start set designing and planning dates for auditions?" I asked. The rest of the group stood as well, pushing their chairs in.
"Sounds good to me. I'll let everyone know what we decided. I believe Trevor will be stopping by either today or tomorrow to pick up some of the lumber in the basement. I told him you'd be here." William said. I nodded.
"I'll be here all day today and tomorrow. Just let him know not to take any of the pieces that are labels. I have plans for that one."
"Will do. Are you ladies ready?" William asked, turneding to the rest of our group. "We still have time to make lunch."
"That sounds amazing." Regina said, holding Tony's hand.
"Would you care to join us, Kimberly?" Rosey asked, giving me a kind smile. I returned it.
"Thank you but I have a lot of work to do here. Maybe next time though."
"I'll hold you to it." She gave me a wink before Willaim took her arm and helped her off the stage. Regina and Tony followed, Mili bringing up the rear.
"Be careful, dear. We don't want you to have any more accidents while you're here alone." She said, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"I'll do my best. Thanks." She turned, following everyone else out of the doors shut loudly behind them. Sighing, I tossed the DVDs back on the table and picked up my notebook. Walking over to the edge of the stage, I sat down and dangled my legs over the edge. Pulling the pencil from the spine, I opened the pages until I came across the designs I had drawn. I had done some for both plays, just in case they were selected. I went to the pages with the ones for The Music Man and jotted some notes under the one that would be the town square. The Music Man takes place in Gary, Indiana in a simpler time and I needed it to look like Mayberry. I was excited to get started, something else to keep myself busy. There would be so much to do that I would have a lot of excuses to hide here instead of at home.
I heard the door at the top of the theater open and I glanced up, expecting Trevor. He was our carpenter who would be helping put the frames together. Instead of finding Trevor there, however, I saw Tommy.
Shit.
The door closed behind him as I closed my notebook, standing. Panic filled my chest as we locked eyes. He couldn't be here. Why was he here? If Nick found out, everything I had been working to prevent was bound to happen. I could picture him shooting Tommy while making me watch. That thought sent a cold shiver down my spine as Tommy started walking towards the stage. He wore a plain white t-shirt and a pair of black basketball shorts. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and there was sweat on his face.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as he jogged up the steps of the stage.
"I came to find you." He replied.
"Well, you found me. You can leave now." Turning, I walked over to the table and set my notebook down.
"How long have we known each other?" He asked, a clipped tone to his voice.
"Tommy-." I said, looking at him over my shoulder.
"No. Answer me. This is my turn to make you answer my questions." I sighed.
"Fine. Ten years maybe?" I replied, facing him again. "What's your point?"
"My point is that after ten years, you honestly think so little of me that you don't think you can come to me with the truth."
"What are you talking about?"
"If your husband didn't want me around, you should have just told me that. I might not have liked it but I would have respected it. It's not fair that the rest of the group has to suffer because your dick head husband can't seem to get the fuck over the past."
"If all you came here for was to yell it at me, you might as well go."
"No. I was just playing basketball with Jason when he told me what happened between you and Trini yesterday. Do you know what that did to her? She cried all night long because she's worried about you. We all are. And how do you repay her for that? You tell her to get out of your life. Seriously? You're not the Kimberly I remember. That Kimberly actually gave a shit about other people."
"You're right. I'm not. So why don't you do just both a favor and just forget about the both of us then?" I brushed by him, heading towards the stairs. He grabbed me by the elbow, forcing me to look at him.
"You don't get to walk away from me after what you did. I get breaking up with me because you didn't want to be with me anymore. But you broke up with me and married an abusive jackass who doesn't give a damn about you. I would have never done that to you. I would have never done any of this shit he's done to you. Can't you see that? He's hurting you." Narrowing my eyes, I glared at him as I yanked my arm out of his hand.
"You didn't care for the last five year, Tommy. Why do you suddenly care now? You gave up on us too, you know. You never tried to find me or try to fix things. You just let me go like I was doing you a favor. Don't stand here preaching to me about my choices when you're guilty of making awful ones yourself. You moved on faster than I did with Kat. Clearly, you had no issue with the breakup or you would have done something about it."
"What was I supposed to do? Come to Florida and demand for you to get back with me? Beg you to not go with this great guy you told me you had found? I was respecting what you wanted while I was here feeling like I was dying from the inside out! I would have done anything possible if it meant getting back with you but I didn't want to be the reason you weren't happy. Now look at you. Nick has you basically chained to him and he's keeping you from everyone that loves you. And he's not going to stop until you have to depend on him for everything. That's what women beaters do, Kim. What the hell did he do that made him seem like the guy you needed to be with? Huh? What was so magical about this asshole that you threw our happiness away to be with him?"
"Because he was there when the coaches would tell me I wasn't good enough. When they would scream in my face and tell me that I didn't land this right or that right. He was the one who would answer the phone when I called to tell him that they wanted me to switch to a liquid diet because I was too fat. He came when I called after the school doctor got too handsy with me during an examination. He was there when they threatened to kick me off the team because I dared to eat an Oreo in the gym. I didn't have to worry if I was interrupting a battle or your homework when I called him. He was home, not off chasing aliens and monsters and whatever else you had to do when you were a Ranger. I couldn't bother you with this stuff when you had some much more on your plate. Nick was the one who helped me get outpatient therapy for the eating disorder I developed and he helped me get to physical therapy when I broke my ankle. He did everything you were supposed to do that I couldn't even ask you about."
"You can't put all that on me. I didn't even know! You could have told me and I would have been there in a heartbeat."
"I know! That's why I couldn't! Zordon made it perfectly clear to me when I left that you still had a responsibility to the team. I couldn't expect you to just teleport down there whenever I had a problem. I needed someone that was there and you weren't. It's not your fault. It was mine for expecting you to be able to give me the support I needed when you were too busy saving the world." Tommy sighed, running a hand over his face.
"Just because he helped you with those things now doesn't mean you owe him your life. He preyed on you when you were vulnerable. And even if he was different back then, he's not that same person now. He's abusing you, Kimberly! If you don't do something, he's not going to stop until you're seriously hurt or dead."
"God!" I exclaimed, walking away from him and back towards the table. "Why does everyone keep saying that to me? Don't you think I know that? I am doing everything in my power to protect everyone and you all seem to think I'm an idiot. This is my marriage. He's my husband! I know what I'm doing and what needs to happen. Why can't you all just accept that? Why do I have to keep explaining myself to everyone?"
"Fine. Tell me then. Tell me how you justify it to yourself every morning when you wake up and look in the mirror and see those bruises. Explain to me how you can lie in bed next to the person who puts his hands on you. Explain it to me because I just don't fucking get it, Beautiful. I just don't."
"Don't." I said, pointing a finger at him. "Don't call me that. You need to leave, Tommy. You need to go before this makes things worse. Please."
"Why? What's Nick going to do? I'd like to see him try to put his hands on me. I'm not afraid of him. Kimberly, please just tell me. Just tell me and I will take care of everything. I promise you'll never have to see him again if you just tell me the truth. Jason and I can take care of everything. I can protect you."
"No, you can't." I whispered, shaking my head. "This is my fight. You have to go. I need to get back to work."
"Just tell me one thing first. Tell me that you don't regret the letter." I looked at him, confused. He stepped closer, standing over me.
"What?"
"Tell me that after all of this, you have no regrets about the letter and about breaking up with me. Tell me that you would do it all over again the same way."
"Tommy-."
"Tell me." He said cutting me off.
"Why does it even matter?" I exclaimed, letting my arms drop to my sides.
"Because you deserve so much more than you're putting yourself through." He whispered. Reaching up, he gently tucked a piece of hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek in his hand. "Don't you want to be happy?"
"You need to go." I whispered.
"Not without you." He replied.
Leaning in, he pressed his lips to mine. I tried to pull away but he held me in place. My brain told me to fight it but my heart won, kissing him back. Our lips moved together until our tongues met, the two colliding. Tommy wrapped his arms around my waist as I clung to the front of his t-shirt. Lifting me up off the ground, he carried me over to the table and set me down. I found myself pulling at the bottom of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head. His skin was sticky with sweat from his time playing basketball when I touched it, feeling his hard muscles in my palms. Tommy's hands slid up my things to the button of my shorts, undoing it. He lifted me enough so he could pull them down along with my underwear. My shirt came next, landing in the pile of our clothes.
"Oh god." He whispered, looking down at me. I knew he was looking at my bruises and marks. I grabbed his chin, forcing me to take attention from that and back to kissing me. I pulled the strong of his shorts, loosening them so that they fell to the floor unassisted. He kicked off his sneakers and I pulled his underwear down. Tommy leaned forward, laying me back onto the table. The pressed wood felt cold on my back as I clung to Tommy. His hands explored my curves, fingers tracing my hips and my back. He was gentle, careful to not hurt me as his fingertips tickled my skin. His kisses went from my lips to my neck to my collar bone. I closed my eyes, tossing my head back as his hot breath went over the skin of my breasts. The nipples hardened and my back arched as he placed sweet kisses on each one. I tangled my hand in his hair as he moved further down my body, my mind focusing only on Tommy and how he felt against me.
When he was between my legs, he bent my knees and put my legs over his shoulders. I cried out when he dipped a finger inside of me. It felt heavenly and familiar, like a touch I hadn't felt in so long. He moved slowly, teasing my insides as he stroked my core. Behind over, he kissed my damn curled and used his tongue to lap at the sensitive skin between my legs. Moans escaped through my lips, my head rolling back as I felt the pleasure begin to build a pressure inside of me. With each stroke and lick he gave me, I found myself growing increasingly louder and I clawed at the table with my nails. I could hear myself crying out Tommy's name as the pleasure reached it's peach, an orgasm exploding like fireworks in my brain. I squeezed my eyes shut, letting the wave wash over me as my entire body bucked and shuddered from it. Tommy continued to pet my core, riding the last waves of the orgasm out to see as it ebbed away.
Standing up, Tommy wiped my essence from his face and positioned himself between my legs. I opened my eyes, looking up at him. He leaned over, kissing me on the lips. "Are you sure?" He whispered. I nodded. He kissed me again, scooping me up in his arms. Dropping to one knee, he gently set me down on the floor. Above me, I saw the ceiling of the theater, the ropes of the curtains hanging out of sight to those who would be in the audience. Tommy spread my legs and positioned himself between them. Very slowly, I felt him slide inside of me. It felt full but not painful, unlike the last time I was with Nick. Tommy gingerly kissed me as he continued to slowly pump himself inside of me, allowing my body to adjust to the change. I could feel my body respond to it, allowing him entry with more ease. Sweat coated my body, making our skin stick together as he began to move faster. I dug my nails into his back as I felt the pressure begin to build again. He nuzzled his nose into my neck, his lips kissing the still tender skin there. I said his name over and over again, my senses filled with Tommy. His smell, his taste, the sound of him breathing in my ear. The way his body felt pressed against mine. And how he looked when he looked down at me, reminding me of our times together when we were younger. How much I wanted to be with him still. I could feel my heart pound in my chest and fell slightly whole, something I missed.
"Kim…" He panted, his pace picking up. I knew I was close too, the sounds coming from me were almost foreign sounding to me. His grip on me tightened and the flood of an orgasm washed over me. I felt my nails sink into the skin of his back as my back arched. I heard his breath hitch and could feel him quiver inside of me, signalling his release too. We both called out each other's names as we peaked and I saw nothing, my vision going white. Tommy collapsed onto his elbows which were on either side of his head, his pants mixing with mine as we struggled for breath. My vision returned, the fuzzy feeling in my brain fading as the orgasm did.
What the hell had I just done?
That was the first thought my brain had when rationality returned. I stared up at the ceiling, a mix of emotions filling me. This was bad. I had fucked up. I had gone beyond fucked up to down right dead territory. Tommy kissed my shoulder and then my cheeks before rolling off of me. When he did, I stood up and quickly grabbed my clothes. I pulled my underwear on and my shorts, making sure no one had come in while we had been preoccupied.
"Well, that was something." Tommy said, standing and grabbing his clothes. He began to get dressed too. "I guess we have some changes to make."
"What do you mean?" I asked, not looking at him.
"Well, you'll have to have Nick removed from your house. And start the divorce process. We don't have to tell everyone we're back together yet but you should at least get him as far away from you and Marci as possible."
"I'm not divorcing him." I said, glancing at him.
"Kim, I know it's scary but it's fine. People get divorced all the time."
"I'm not divorcing him because I'm not leaving him. This was a mistake, Tommy. A huge one." He gaped at me, not being able to believe what I had just said.
"You can't be serious."
"I am." I said, pulling my shirt and then my shoes on. "I made vows, Tommy. I'm not breaking them. I have to go. Please just leave me alone, okay?" I hopped off the stage, heading up the runway to the door.
"Kimberly!" He called out. I stopped, not looking back at him. I knew if I did, I would never walk out that door.
"I'm sorry, Tommy. But I need you out of my life." With that, I walked out the door.
