a/n: Hello! Hope everyone is doing great. Here is the next chapter. You all should be very grateful for Marci (real Marci) as I was considering breaking this into a two part series with a break in between to do the next installment of my version of the Shattered Grid. She was able to provide me with some non-threatening feedback that made me see where that might cause some confusion for some people. So, we will ride this together to the end, my friends! I'm not sure how long this might end up being but we shall see!

As always, thank you for the awesome reviews and please keep them coming my way!


December 20th, 2004

Olympic Valley, CA

I was awoken a short time later by the sound of Trini's alarm clock. I slowly felt myself get pulled from my sleep as she rolled out of bed to turn it off. Opening one eye, I saw that it was a little after 8 am. She shut off the alarm and sat on the edge of her bed. Looking over her shoulder at me, she gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry. I tried to get it before it woke you up." She said. I rubbed my eyes, sitting up.

"It's fine. I suppose it would be better to get up and get ready to go sooner rather than later." I replied. She stood up, fixing her long braid that ran down her back.

"I'm going to take a shower before everyone else hogs the hot water. Want me to save you some?" She asked. I nodded. "See you in a bit." She walked out the door, grabbing her toiletry bag on the way out. I glanced over at my end table again and saw that there was a piece of paper folded on it with my name written on it. Confused, I grabbed it and opened it. I could see Jason's handwriting as I attempted to read with my bleary eyes.

'Kim, I need you to get Trini out back around nine. I also need everyone else to stay the hell inside. I don't care if you gotta threaten, scare, or use the wrath of Marci to do it either. Thanks!'

The conversation we had last night came to mind. The proposal! He was going to propose to Trini. I jumped out of bed and got dressed quickly, throwing my hair back in a bun. Opening the bedroom door, I heard the water running in the shower. I beeline it out of the room and to the kitchen where I saw Jason was in the kitchen. He looked up when I came around the corner. I noticed there was a picnic basket in front of him and he was putting Tupperware containers of food in it.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"She just got in the shower. So, what's the plan here?" I asked, gesturing to the basket.

"I made her favorite breakfast. I'm going to set it up as a little picnic for us to enjoy. And then I'm just gonna do it before I shit myself." I smiled, hugging him.

"This is so great! I'm so happy for you guys!" He hugged me back as the sound of footsteps came from the hall. Kat came around the corner, pulling on a pink vest over a white turtle neck sweater. Black jeans were on her legs and she wore black ankle boots.

"Oh. You two again! Did you all just sleep out here last night?" She asked, walking over to the coffee pot. I saw Jason roll his eyes where she couldn't see and I stifled a laugh.

"Nope. You know the saying, early bird gets the worm!" Jason said, letting go of me and closing up the basket. "I'll see you later." He picked up and basket and walked around the corner of the counter. He looked back at me and mouthed the word 'nine' towards me. I nodded, waving him away. He walked up the hallway and I heard him go out the back door. Katherine poured herself a cup of coffee and added creamer to it. Her spoon clinked against the side of her cup, annoyingly reminding me she was just standing there.

"How did you sleep?" I asked, faking a smile. She shrugged her shoulders, sipping her coffee.

"Alright. I really wish that Tommy and I could have had our privacy last night but I know that quarters were tight. So, you and Jason hang out an awful lot without Trini."

"We are friends, Katherine." I said, grabbing a glass of orange juice from the fridge. "Jason and I have been friends for just as long as I've known Trini and Billy."

"Right. Right. I just was wondering because I know how much you've been through this year and I know how difficult it can be to not cling to a good guy after what your husband did. I just hope you don't take this the wrong way but trauma victims tend to forget their boundaries. I'd hate to see you and Trini get into a big fight over a misunderstanding."

"Thank you for your concern but there is no misunderstanding. Jason and I are just friends. Just like how I'm just friends with Adam, Billy, and Zack. I'm not out to steal anyone's man." I explained.

"And Tommy." She said.

"What?" I asked, unsure of what she meant.

"You listed all the guys but Tommy. You and Tommy are just friends, right?" This bitch was testing me. I could see it from the smug look on her face. I nodded.

"Yeah. Just friends. And roommates." She nodded, sipping her coffee. "Well, I have some stuff to do before we set off. I'll talk to you later." I left the kitchen, a soft anger bubbling in my chest. As I moved to leave the dining room, I bumped into someone who was coming in. Looking up, I saw that it was Trini.

"Oh! You okay?" She asked. I shot a glare in the direction of the kitchen that Katherine couldn't see.

"Never better." I muttered. "Wanna come help me pack?"

"Sure. Let me grab a cup of coffee first and I'll meet you in the room." Nodding, I walked up the hallway and into our room. I couldn't believe what Katherine was trying to suggest to me. Did she really think that I was trying to go behind Trini's back with Jason? Only one of us had a reputation of moving in on someone else's man and it wasn't me. That tramp was the one who wanted Tommy and me to break up from day one. And here she was trying to give me advice on how to not steal my best friend's soon to be fiancé? What kind of a person did she take me for?

Suddenly, it dawned on me that Tommy might have told her about our time together at the theater. Is that why she assumed I was capable of that? Did she think that because I had cheated on my husband that I was going to steal Jason? The thought of him telling her made my blood boil. He had no right to tell other people, especially her. It was our business and something that should stay private. I was more than ready for this trip to be over and I was ready to be the fuck away from Katherine for the next ten years. I didn't like her much when we were younger and it was good to see that she's hadn't improved much since then.

Behind me, the bedroom door opened and Trini walked in with a cup of coffee in her hand. I saw there was a smile on her face that widened when she saw me. "What?" I asked, putting my duffle bag on the bed. She shook her head, shutting the door behind her.

"I just talked to Kat." She replied, sipping her coffee and setting it on the dresser. "She felt the need to warn me that she spotted you and Jason being awfully friendly during the night and this morning in the kitchen. She claims you were trying to hide it and acted like a bitch to her when she said something."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. "Yeah. She caught me. I'm trying to nab your man, Trini. My fat pregnant ass is all about stealing men."

"I figured. I knew this day was coming. Trust me. You can have him." She said, smiling at me. I shook my head.

"I'm good. I've seen how he cleans. He's your problem."

"Damn. Can't even give him away." I laughed, shaking my head. "I can't believe she thought that."

"Yeah. Well, she also was questioning me about whether Tommy and I are just friends. I'm half tempted to let Marci have her way with her. I've never done anything to Katherine. I don't understand why she's acting this way to me." Trini gave me a look, raising an eyebrow.

"No? You can't think of one reason? Not one?" She asked. I sighed.

"There's nothing going on between Tommy and me." I said, pulling my clothes from the dresser and putting them in my bag. Trini pulled it all out, folding it for me.

"That doesn't matter. Even Kat can see that you are the most important person in Tommy's life. She's probably threatened by the idea of him being around you so much because of your history. I don't blame her for being jealous or whatever but it's not cool to stir the pot like she's trying. Maybe you should talk to Tommy and have him set her straight. I don't want her to cause drama in our group."

"There's no point in talking to him." I said. "Tommy is going to let Kat do whatever she wants because that's who Tommy is. That's how he's always been." Sighing, I sat on the bed. Trini set my clothes down and sat next to me.

"Kim, this might not be what you want to hear but if you're not going to tell Tommy the truth about how you feel, you need to accept the fact that he's going to be with Katherine or someone else."

"I know! It's not like I expect him to become a monk or something. I just don't understand why I still have to feel this way. The entire time I was in Florida, I didn't even think of Tommy this way. When I came back, I didn't either. Well, not at first. But now, it's like I never left and I'm watching the two of them together."

"Now you know how Tommy felt when you were with Nick." She said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded, hating how right she was. Looking up, I saw that it was nearing nine. I had to get her outside for Jason.

"I need some air. Want to come outside with me?" I asked, standing. She looked around.

"There's a lot that needs to get done before we leave." She said.

"It'll get done. Come on. Five minute break to get a breather and then back to it. I promise."

"Okay." Standing up, she followed me out into the hallway where we ran into Aisha and Marci.

"Hey! Rocky is making breakfast. You girls hungry?" Aisha asked, pointing towards the kitchen. Trini nodded.

"Yes! We will be right there." She said. I looked over at Marci who smiled at me, letting me know that there was some hope insight at ending this silent treatment.

"Yes, ma'am." Aisha and Marci headed towards the kitchen while we headed for the back door. I opened it and headed out, Trini walking out behind me. She shut the door as I walked over to the railing on the deck. I spotted Jason a good distance away, sitting on a blanket. The picnic was set out in front of him and he had even put some flowers out. Trini walked over to stand by me, looking confused when she saw him.

"What is he doing?" She asked.

"It's a Christmas present for you." I replied. "The house is just hectic inside and he wanted to spend some quality time with you." She smiled, Jason waving at her. "I'll cover for you guys inside."

"Thank you." She gave me a hug before jogging down the steps and over to him. She sat on the blanket, giving him a kiss as he handed her the flowers. I walked over to the far left side of the deck where I could still see them but they couldn't see me. I wouldn't miss the chance of watching Jason propose in a life time.

"Hey." Tommy's voice said, walking out the backdoor. He closed it behind him and I motioned him to be quiet as he walked towards me. "What?" I pointed out over to Jason and Trini. He glanced over, seeing them. "What's going on?"

"Jason is going to propose." I replied, craning my neck to see. Jason handed Trini a champagne flute filed with orange juice. I could see the nervousness on his face from here.

"Really? That's awesome!" Tommy said. I nodded.

"He was going to last night but Adam kinda stole his thunder. This is better though."

"Speaking of last night, I wanted to talk to you about that." Tommy said. I didn't move to look at him, afraid my face would give away my annoyance.

"About what?" I asked.

"I know it seems like Kat and I are back together but that's not the case. She's going faster than I want to. She's probably still a little pissed at me but I told her so last night. I'm sorry if she came off horrid at all. She and I had a long talk about it last night. I really hope she understands it."

"Tommy, do you want to be with her?" I asked, glancing up at him. He bite his lip, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm not sure. I thought I did but then she surprised me with this weekend. There's a lot to think about before I make my decision I think."

"I think so too." I looked back over at Jason who had set his flute down and was talking. I stood on my tippy toes as he reached into the pocket of his jacket. I grabbed Tommy's arm, excitement filling my chest. Jason pulled out the ring box and opened it. I couldn't hear what he said but I could hear the loud gasp that came from Trini as she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Yes!" Her voice said from the distance. She flew forward, throwing her arms around Jason's neck and tackling him to the ground. It saw his boots go up in the air as they fell. Tommy and I both laughed, him wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"I'm happy for them." Tommy said. "I was wondering when he was going to get around to it."

"You and Trini both." I replied, leaning my head against his shoulder. "Two weddings. Two babies. Lots of change coming our way. Good change at least."

"I'll take good change any day." Tommy said, smirking down at me. "Come on. Let's let these two have some privacy to celebrate and get you some breakfast."

"Sounds good to me." Tommy put his hand on the small of my back and guided me towards the backdoor. He opened it for me and let me walk in first. I could hear the very loud chatter coming from the dining room as we walked up the hallway. Everyone was crowded around the dining room table, eating breakfast. There wasn't any room for us to sit.

"Go sit on the couch and I'll bring you out some food." Tommy said. I nodded, heading into the living room.

I walked over towards the tree and looked at it. As much as I wanted to be away from Kat and home, I was going to miss this beautiful house. I was going to have to suggest to Trini that this become a yearly tradition for us. I'm sure she wouldn't have a problem with it. Especially now that this was the place she became engaged. I couldn't wait for her to run in and tell everyone. Christmas was only a few days away now and I was wondering how it was going to turn out. It would be my first Christmas without Nick in six years and my first Christmas with Tommy in six years. I thought about our last Christmas together and our kisses under the mistletoe after we saved Santa. It's a long story most people wouldn't believe.

"Here you go." Tommy said, walking over with two plates in hand. I could see eggs and potatoes with bacon on there, toast on the side. I took a plate from him and felt the baby kick sharply. I winced, gripping the plate. "What?" Tommy asked, looking alarmed. I shook my head.

"The baby is kicking." I replied. I set my plate down and reached out for his hand. He set down his as well and let me place his hand on my belly. I moved it around, trying to put his finger tips over the place the baby was moving. As I brought his hand over the right side of my belly button, the baby kicked. Tommy let out a soft gasp, cupping my stomach in his hand. "Did you feel it?" I asked. He nodded.

"I did!" The baby kicked some more, this time right into the palm of his hand. I held my hand over his, guiding it where she was. With each kick, I heard him let out little laughs. "This is amazing! She's pretty strong too. She will be a karate natural!"

"Not sure if she's ready for a lesson quite yet." I said. To my surprise, Tommy knelt down on the ground in front of me and leaned into my belly.

"Hello, little one. We know you're in there. We can't wait to meet you." He said. The baby kicked more, apparently enjoying the sound of his voice. "When you get here, I'm going to teach you all the karat moves I know. We won't have to worry about any boys messing with you, that's for sure. Not that me or your other uncles would let that happen. It's the joy of having Power Rangers around you." He whispered, winking up at me. "But listen, when you are ready to come out, you have to remember that Uncle Tommy is your favorite. And that he is going to do everything he can for you. I'll teach you how to ride a bike. To drive a car. Trust me. Your mom isn't too good at that."

"Hey!" I said. He laughed, turning back to my belly.

"We're going to be best friends, you and I. I can't wait for you to be here. But you stay put for right now, alright?" He patted my belly gently before standing back up. "Thank you for letting me experience that."

"Any time. You're right, Tommy. She's going to be very lucky to have you in her life." I said, looking up at him.

"I hope so. And I meant what I said, Kim. I will do anything for her. You too. I'm here day and night."

"I know. You might have said that a time or two before." Stepping towards him, I gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug, rubbing my back.

"You mean the world to me. Don't forget that, alright?" Glancing up, I saw that Marci was smiling at me. Behind her, I saw she wasn't the only one watching us. Kat was standing in the dining room, a sour look on her face and her hands crossed over her chest.

"I won't." I whispered. Suck it, bitch.