A/N: And here's the next chapter! Remember to R&R. :)
Kimberly
After Tommy and I were told we would be staying in the Command Center, I could feel the tension between Tommy and Jason. Nothing was said but I could tell just by the look on Tommy's face that he came to the same conclusion I did. The team did not believe my story. They wanted us to stay here so that they would be able to keep an eye on us. Sure, their intentions might be good in heart but it left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Tommy had taken off, choosing to hide out in the boys' room after that. I gave him his space, lingering with Trini and Billy. When they left, I told Alpha that I was heading to bed and that he could call for me if he needed anything.
During the night, I did my best to sleep but couldn't. Unlike a house, the Command Center had a cold feeling to it. Even with the extra blankets I had, I couldn't find a way to feel comfortable. Around 4 AM, I rolled out of bed and wrapped my bathrobe around me. I walked into the hallway, heading towards the boys room. Stopping outside the door, I took a deep breath. I felt awful about coming here, especially if he had managed to get some sleep unlike me. I lifted my hand and the door slid open on command.
Stepping inside, I saw that the light above the one bunk was on. The metal bunk beds were made up except for one on the bottom near the door. The blanket was pulled down and the pillow laid in the middle of the mattress. This was where Tommy should have been but he wasn't. I checked the rest of the room, sticking my head into the small bathroom that was attached. He wasn't in here either. Raising an eyebrow, I went back to the hallway and slowly started up towards the kitchen area. The light was off in here, no one seeming to be in the place besides me. Had Tommy left? Had he broken a direct order and went home? I shook my head. He would have told me. He had to be here somewhere.
I walked into the center of the Command Center and saw that Alpha was on his charging dock. He let out little beeping noises that sounded like snoring. He didn't move as I passed. The tube where Zordon usually appeared was empty. For a second, I wondered if he needed to sleep or not. I shook the idea away, it not important at the moment. I eyed the control panel and the computers. If I was a tad bit smarter, I would be able to look up where Tommy's last energy whatever was. I had heard Billy do this a number of times before when he was working for Rita. But I had no clue how he did it, let alone to even attempt it. Sighing, I wrapped my arms around myself and headed back towards the dorms.
Turning the corner in the hallway, I slammed into someone. I gasped, stepping backwards. Looking up, I saw it was Tommy. He looked surprised to see me too, worry on his face.
"Kim? Are you alright?" He said, holding my arms gently. I nodded.
"Yes. I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd come find you. Where have you been?" I asked. He frowned.
"I needed some air. I was in the hanger with the Zords since we can't leave." He replied. "C'mon." He took my hand in his and led me towards his room. The door opened and he motioned me to enter. I did, stepping aside to let him in as well. The door shut behind him and he remade his bed so we could sit. I sat, him sitting next to me. "How are you?"
"I'm not going to lie. I'm scared, Tommy. You saw her. If that Ranger wasn't me, then someone out there looks a whole lot like me. Even with my powers." I replied, clasping my hands in my lap.
"As someone who has been on the wrong side of this spectrum," he said, reaching out and taking my hand in his. "That person isn't you. We don't know anything right now. You can't just assume the worst right off the bat. Besides, you know that no matter what, we would find a way to fix things. You guys managed to save me. We can save anyone."
"I hope so." I whispered. "But if she somehow ends up being me, you need to promise me that you won't see her as me."
"What?"
"She already tried to kill us. She almost succeeded with you. You can't hesitate to stop her if it comes to that point just because she is me." I squeezed his hand tightly. "Promise me, Tommy."
"I promise." He said, furrowing his brow. I leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder.
"So, how are you taking being quarantined?" I asked, smirking. He let out a dark chuckle, wrapping an arm around me shoulders.
"Nothing a couple hours of beating a punching bag, pretending it was Jason didn't cure. I'm really sorry you got dragged into this too." He leaned back until we were both laying on the bed. I tucked my head into his neck, snuggling against him.
"Well, I think it kinda backfired on them." I replied. We both laughed then, our voices mixing together in the small room. He hugged me tightly against him and I wrapped my arm around his torso.
"Remember when I first moved here?" He asked, shifting to look down at me. I nodded.
"Yeah. At the karate tournament." I replied.
"I was living here for a couple weeks before that. We were in Arizona before. Things weren't so great for me there. I got into a lot of trouble. My parents almost revoked their adoption because of it. But they decided to get a fresh start here first. I wasn't all too keen on the idea at first but knew that I had to if I wanted to avoid the state group home."
"I never knew that." I said, sitting up slightly so my chin was on his chest and I could see him better. He nodded, running a hand through my hair.
"Yeah. It's not one of the proudest moments of my life. I would get into fights and stuff like that at my old school. The last straw was when I was almost expelled. I wasn't a nice guy, Kim. I tried to convince myself that the other people deserved it but the truth was, I was an angry person. I still was when I moved here. That's why I went after Bulk and Skull the day I met you. I would wake up in the morning and just hate everything about my life and myself. I think it's why Rita was able to control me so well too."
"You don't know that, Tommy." I said, stroking his chest.
"I do, though. Because once I found something to care about, it changed. Once I found you, I didn't hate life anymore. And that's when her spell grew weaker." He shifted under me so he could cup my face in his hands. "You saved me, Beautiful." I felt a blush fill my cheeks.
"Well, you do it so much for me, I figured I'd return the favor." I said, smiling. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly on the lips. When he pulled away, he pulled me into his chest with a gentle squeeze.
"As long as I have you with me, I will always have a reason to keep fighting."
The sound of footsteps brought me out of a groggy state. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out what was going on. Shifting, I felt someone pressed against me. Turning my head, I saw that Tommy was sleeping next to me. His eyes were shut and his breathing was deep in his slumber. I smiled, enjoying being close to him. His arms were still around me and the smell of his after shave clung to me like a warm blanket. I must have fallen asleep here this morning after our talk. I still felt tired, telling me it hadn't been for very long. I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was nearing 9 AM.
"Hey, Tommy." A voice said as someone knocked on the door. I froze, recognizing Zack's voice. My eyes locked on the door, knowing that at any moment it could pop open and I had nowhere to hide. Tommy stirred next to me, looking confused. He looked from the door to me with bleary eyes. They widened when he realized our situation. Bringing a finger to his lips, he signaled me to be quiet.
"Yeah?" He called out.
"We're meeting in the Command Center in five minutes." Zack replied.
"Alright. I'll be there." Tommy said.
"Thanks." We stayed still until the sound of his footsteps disappeared. I let out the breath I had been holding as Tommy rolled out of bed.
"You have to get out of here before they realize you're in here." He said, picking up my robe from the floor where I must have shed it during the night. "I'll make sure the coast is clear. If it is, duck into the gym and act like you're coming from there."
"Okay." I rolled out of bed and pulled my robe on. I also fixed my pony tail, tucking the bed head away. Tommy walked over to the door, letting it open. He stuck his head out quickly, checking both directions.
"It's clear." He motioned for me to go. As I passed, I kissed his cheek quickly before sprinting up the hall towards the gym. The door opened as I neared it and I could hear voices coming from around the corner. I nearly dove inside, landing on the mat on the floor. The door closed and I sprawled out, trying to catch my breath. A couple minutes later, the door opened.
"Kim?" Trini asked, causing me to lift my head to look at her. She and Billy were in the doorway, looking at me confused.
"Oh. Hey. I was getting a quick work out in before you guys came back." I breathed, standing. "What's up?"
"Something happened. We're all meeting in the Command Center." Trini said. I looked at her, concern growing in the pit of my stomach.
"What is it?" I asked.
"We're uncertain." Billy replied, shaking his head. "But it's unpleasant."
Ten minutes later, I was changed and standing with the rest of the team in the middle of the Command Center. Alpha was off of his charger, working with Billy to pull something up on the computer. Zordon was not present, something we were waiting to change. Jason was pacing the floor, not saying much as he did. Every now and then, I would cast a glance at Tommy who would return it.
"Rangers." Zordon's voice said above us. He appeared as we all turned to look up at him. "I am glad to see you all have arrived."
"What's going on?" Zack asked, stepping forward.
"Three people were murdered during the night." Zordon said. We all looked at each other, shocked by this. Murder doesn't happen here in Angel Grove. Sure, we have Rita and her stupid monsters but no one usually ends up dead here.
"But Zordon, we don't deal with police affairs." Trini said, folding her arms in front of her. "Unless it was Rita."
"It wasn't." Jason said. He nodded at Billy who pressed a few buttons on the control panel.
"Tommy, we will need to know the details of your whereabouts throughout the night." Zordon stated. Tommy looked up at him confused.
"What? Why?" He asked.
"Because of this." Jason said, pointing at the viewing globe. We turned as a group, seeing something move on the screen. There were two people walking on the bike bath in the park. There was a sudden flash of light on the screen and another figure appeared. The people on the path stopped and I could make out that the new person was the Green Ranger. I glanced over at Tommy who looked confused. Looking back at the globe, I watched as the Ranger moved in closer. There was a moment of stillness before he suddenly lashed out with the dagger. The couple dropped, clutching their throats. A dark substance pooled from their fingers and I covered my mouth with my hands, Trini gasping next to me.
"No fucking way." Tommy said, shaking his head. "That's NOT me."
"I really hope you're right, Tommy." Alpha said, cutting the feed. I closed my eyes, willing the image to erase itself from my brain.
"I am right! I was here all night, like you told me to." Tommy said, his voice getting elevated.
"Billy is scanning to make sure that Tommy's energy readings show that he didn't morph during the night." Alpha said, raising his arms. "It'll only be a matter of moments before we know."
"Tommy was here all night." I said, crossing my arms. "I saw him before I went to bed last night and once during the night when I went to the kitchen for some water."
"What time was that?" Jason asked, eyeing me.
"Around midnight and then around four." I replied. The computer made a noise and paper began to spit out of the printer port. Billy grabbed it with one hand, scanning over it with his eyes as it printed.
"The attack occurred around three this morning." Jason said. His expression was hard and I couldn't read it. There was a tightness in my chest as fear washed over me.
"Billy, is it clear?" Zack asked.
"There's no signs of morphing within the Command Center from Tommy's power coin." Billy replied. He stopped, glancing hesitantly at us.
"What is it?" Jason asked.
"He teleported from the Command Center around 2 AM. He didn't return until sometime before four." He said softly, avoiding eye contact with Tommy. Everyone turned to look at Tommy who took three steps backwards.
"I went home!" He said. "I needed to make sure my parents were safe." Jason reached out and grabbed Tommy by the front of his shirt with both hands.
"You expect me to believe that?" He seethed. "We have you on fucking camera, Tommy!"
"That isn't me. I swear to God that it isn't. I didn't morph last night. I went home and made sure my parents were alright. Then I packed up some clothes and came back. Kim was right. I was in the hall at four when she saw me."
"Can't we just check to see if he morphed or something?" Zack asked, stepping towards the green and red rangers.
"Yes but it doesn't mean anything. There are ways to morph without it. That's how he used to change when he was with Rita, remember? And our computers never registered it then either." Trini replied. I shook my head, walking over to Jason and Tommy.
"This is fucking ridiculous. It's Tommy, Jason! He wouldn't kill three people in cold blood. He didn't even do that much damage under Rita's spell. Now you think he just up and murdered people one night? There's a lot of strange shit happening right now that none of us can explain. The last thing we need to do is turn on each other. It's not going to solve anything." I said, my hands trembling. The angry tension in the room was over powering. Jason's face was as red as the t-shirt he was wearing and Tommy was white as a ghost.
"Kimberly is correct." Billy stated. "We do not have the proof that the individual in the footage is indeed Tommy. We will need to do more research to understand what's occurring." Jason and Tommy glared at each other for a long moment before Jason let go of him.
"Until we can understand what is going on, you will need to work as a team, Rangers." Zordon said. "Tommy will need to continue staying here in the Command Center. It'll ensure that we can monitor his whereabouts for the time being. It's uncertain if perhaps Rita's spell is playing a role in all of this or not. We will need to get more information to figure out who is behind this. Kimberly, you will also need to continue staying here to ensure the safety of your family."
"Of course." I replied, nodding. I crossed my arms to hide the fact I couldn't control the shaking of my fingers.
"What do we do now? No one is safe if we do not know who is responsible." Trini said.
"We will need to collect data. Perhaps we can get an energy signature at the crime scene." Billy stated. "Then, I could pinpoint who we are searching for."
"I'll help." Trini offered. He nodded.
"Zack and I will see what we can find out about the people that were targeted. It could give a clue into what reason the person had for killing them and possibly an identity." Jason said. He faced me. "Kim, you need to stay here and keep an eye on things. You can help Alpha monitor Angel Grove for anything out of the ordinary."
"Okay." Jason turned back to Tommy.
"And you can stay here and pray that we don't find out that the asshole behind that mask is you."
"I guess we'll see then." Tommy said back, his tone low. Jason disappeared in a flash of red. Trini and Billy both gave me lingering looks before disappearing. Zack was last to leave, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before teleporting. Tommy avoided my gaze, heading out of the room.
"I'll be right back, Alpha." I said, turning to follow Tommy.
"Be careful, Kimberly." The small robot said as I walked out.
"Tommy!" I called out. He was walking quickly up the hallway, his fists clenched. "Tommy, wait. Please."
"You should go help Alpha, Kim." He said over his shoulder, not stopping. I ran to catch up to his, grabbing his arm. I pulled him to a stop, forcing him to look at me.
"Talk to me, Tommy." I said, pushing him against the wall behind him.
"There's nothing to talk about! You saw that tape. I can't explain that. I don't even know how that could be. I know it isn't me but I don't know who else it could be." He ran his fingers through his hair and slid down the wall until his knees were bent in front of him.
"Is there any point last night where you don't remember anything?" I asked, kneeling across from him. He shook his head.
"No. Not that I can think of. I left here and went home for a bit. After I got everything I needed, I came back here." He replied. "I didn't do this. You believe me, don't you?"
"Of course I do, Tommy. I know you couldn't do this. There has to be another explanation behind it. And we will find out all the answers we need." He closed his eyes, bending his head forward.
"Maybe you should stay away from me for a while." He said, turning back to look at me. "I don't have a clue what is going on and I can't promise that I can protect you from what's going on."
"Tommy, I-." He stood up, shaking his head.
"No. I mean it, Kim. Stay away." I didn't move as he walked away.