A/N: The final chapter! Thank you everyone who has kept reading this and following along the whole time. I will admit that half way through, I lost my steam and thought about not finishing it. You all helped me decide to keep going. Mostly from your reviews but also because I'm pretty sure at least one of you has me on Facebook and knows how to track me down (Marci!) I feel better about seeing this through to the end. I hope you all enjoyed it for the most part and I promise the next one will be better. I will be posting a preview tomorrow of it on here as well as hopefully the first chapter in it's only fic. So, keep your eyes open!
As always, thank you for R&R! I own nothing to do with Power Rangers nor Queen. But congrats to Bohemian Rhapsody for winning at the Golden Globes last night!
Tommy and Kim forever!
Kimberly
The flight to California didn't feel very long at all. I credited this to the fact I slept for most of it. The only time I woke up was when we hit a little bit of rough air. When I did wake up, I saw that I had fallen asleep on Tommy and that he was also asleep. At first, I was going to pull away but something in me stopped me. Instead, I curled up into him more and closed my eyes. After everything we dealt with, I didn't think this was going to emotionally scar me. And obviously he didn't mind since he hadn't stopped me before that.
The Angel Grove airport was swarming as we departed from the terminal. My back ached slightly from the weird sleeping angle, but I felt more rested now than I have in a while. I didn't want to say it was because of Tommy but I knew it was. I ignored the thought as we waited for our bags at the baggage claim. His duffle bag slid out first, my following shortly after. Reaching into his bag, he fished out a set of car keys and turned to me.
"Jason texted and said they would be landing in about forty-five minutes. I don't want to head home yet since I'll need to turn right back around again. Any ideas?" He asked. I shook my head.
"Surprise me." I replied. He glanced at me for another moment before smiling.
"Alright. C'mon." He headed out the door, picking up my suitcase for me as he did. I followed behind, intrigued to where he was heading. Carefully, we crossed the busy street in front of the airport and headed to the parking lot reserved for those parking and flying. I spotted his jeep right away; the older looking model desperately needed a bath, but it made me smile when I saw it. I was instantly brought back to Saturday morning hikes on my weekends here or trips around Dallas when we would meet in Texas. I shoved those memories from my mind, not letting myself get sucked into that again. Memory lane wasn't invited to this occasion.
Tommy opened the door for me and I climbed into the passenger seat. I could smell his aftershave and other things that told me it was Tommy's car; a sticker for a dojo on the dash, an empty can of Red Bull in the cup holder and a discarded Taco Bell gift card wedged in one of the air vents. He shoved our bags into the back seat before getting in himself. It took two tries to get the jeep going but she purred when she finally caught. Checking the coast, he backed out of his spot and made his way out of the parking lot. Following the traffic, he headed towards downtown Angel Grove.
We drove in silence, the only noise coming from the ratting air vents. I now understood why he had the card shoved in there. I couldn't imagine what it sounded like without it. Reaching over, he flipped on the radio. It was right in the middle of Queen's Somebody to Love, Freddie Mercury belting out the chorus as the rift in the background began to pick up. Tommy hummed to himself as he drove, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. I tapped my toes on the floor board, enjoying the sound of the voices. I always liked Queen. It was one of my mother's favorites when she was a teenager. Whenever we drive in the car, she always makes sure that Bohemian Rhapsody is played at least once no matter the distance. As the guitar solo began, Tommy took a right-hand turn onto Tilden Avenue and headed north towards the center of Angel Grove. I knew the familiar route he was taking. Soon, the park came into view and he pulled into the parking lot by the back end of the playground. Killing the engine, he pocketed the keys and climbed out of the seat.
Hopping out of the jeep, I adjusted my jeans and my white hoodie. It felt nice to be in clothes that weren't the ones I had lived in the last few days. The first thing I had done back home after speaking to the police was shower. It felt heavenly. Then, I talked to Andrea and Coach Schmidt. Both of them looked so relieved to see me that I knew they weren't going to like the fact I was going to be taking some time off to head to California. Schmidt was a bit more accepting of the idea than Andrea, saying I deserved it. I offered Andrea the option of coming with us, but she refused. She did tell me that she had met Tommy. Though she didn't say it, I could tell she wanted to know more about why my ex-boyfriend had come rushing to find me rather than letting the police handle it. I figured she would get over it by the time I came back. With any luck, she won't want to know too much more than that. I wasn't too sure if I could handle her knowing any more than she already did.
Continuing the silence out of the car, Tommy and I walked together from the parking lot to the cement path. On the playground, I only saw two or three children playing. It was dead for being so nice out, the sun shining down. In the warm breeze, I could smell the salt from the ocean. Granted Florida had oceans, it was nothing in comparison to the ones here. I might be a tad bias, but I will always love it here. It felt like home, like a place that would always be safe which was weird to say seeing as I was always fighting for me life when I left it. I saw two younger women sitting on benches near the playground, telling me they were either nannies or mothers watching the children. Tommy and I continued down the path further, the playground behind us. Above us, I saw the traditional Angel Grove Christmas decorations hanging from the light poles. They were wire framed snowflakes and Christmas bulbs, dressed in garland and lights. They lit up at night, something I remembered from when I was a kid. Off in the distance, there were also larger light displays set up in a roped off area. This was the larger light show that they left up for the holidays each year. There was Santa's sleigh and Frosty. Even a small village made entirely of lights. I smiled at the sight, it not looking like much more than a mess of white wires now. At night, it would look wonderful.
Following the curve of the path, we came along the south side of the pond. The sun was glittering off the surface of the water, making it seem to shimmer. I didn't see a soul around, the parking seemingly empty passed this part. Tucking my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, my eyes fell on three familiar looking larger rocks near a small water fall. In my eyes, I saw a long-haired kid practicing his kata on the middle rock, his arms moving with only the grace and determination that I knew of Tommy to have then. His focus was only disrupted by my presence. It had been the day I had finally found the nerve to tell him how I felt. How much he meant to me. How much I missed him. Then, he admitted the same to me and we kissed for the first time. My first kiss. A moment in my life I would never forget. No matter what happened between us, that sweet moment will never be tarnished. It was something I would cherish in my heart forever.
We didn't come to a stop until we came to the secondary parking lot of the parking. This was to the right of the path and to the left was the east side of the pond. Sand began to cover parts of the path and I heard it grind under my tennis shoes as we stood there. I felt the muscles in my stomach tightened as I saw the area in front of us. Tommy walked forward, his feet sinking slightly into the white sand as he stepped. I followed behind him, trailing on purpose. I didn't like being here. When we were younger, we had a great deal of memories here that had been special to me. One of my favorite dates had occurred along the shore line here. But this was also the place I stood to tell Tommy good-bye before leaving for Florida. I had thought for sure I would be coming back to him after I was done to start planning a future. This special place was tainted for me now. The pain of leaving him came back to me as we stood along the water's edge, gazing out at the surface of the pond.
"It's as beautiful as I remembered it." I murmured, feeling the window blow my hair around my head. Tommy nodded, kicking at the sand with the toe of his shoe.
"This is one of my favorite places. After you left, I came here all the time to just think or to clear my head. Sometimes, this is where I would come to write to you. It made me feel closer to you." He replied. "It's where I came when I got the letter." Well, let's just add that to the list as well.
"What are we doing here, Tommy? Did you really bring me here, so we can reminisce about that stuff? I really don't want to." I said, sighing. "If I wanted to talk about all the bad shit that happened between us, I would have done it already."
"I didn't bring you here for that. I just thought it would be the best place for us to talk. That's all." He responded, casting a quick look at me. "So much has happened in the last twenty-four hours that we haven't had the chance to yet."
"To talk about what exactly? I appreciate you coming to save me. I really do. But that's all there really is to say. It doesn't change what happened. It doesn't change things between us. And if that's the only reason you came to save me, then you did it for the wrong reason."
"I know it doesn't. I didn't expect anything from that." He said quickly. "Jason showed up at my house and told me you were missing. The first thing I did was hop on a plane to find you."
"Why?" I asked.
"You were in danger. The world was in danger." The small glint of hope I had depleted a little. Of course. He had only come to save the world. Tommy Oliver will always be a Power Ranger first, human with emotions second.
"I'm glad you came." I stated, turning to face the water again. "The world owes you. For everything you've done while working for the Rangers. I hope someday you can find the happiness in this world to help you with that."
"Me too." He said softly. I sighed, standing up straight.
"You're a good guy, Tommy. A little clueless at times but nonetheless, a good man. You deserve the best. It's something I hope you get."
"I had it." He said, shifting so he was facing me. "But I let it go."
"It's not too late. Divorces don't always mean the end of things." I replied, refusing to look at him.
"I'm not talking about Kat." He responded. "I'm talking about you. Us. Everything that happened between us." I shook my head.
"You shouldn't. What we had between us was just something to pass the time. Something to help us feel younger. Nostalgia or something along those lines. You said it yourself." I eyed him, feeling all the emotions I had been suppressing over the last eight years begin to build. All of the anger, the loneliness, the heartbreak. It was growing and growing until I thought it was going to explode. "You looked me in the eye that day in the hotel room and told me I was ruining what was between us. There was never an us. There was a you and Kat. Never a you and me. I know that now. You need to know that too."
"Kim, that's not the truth. What I said to you that day was a lie. I was scared. I was honestly so terrified that I was going to ruin the only thing that was keeping me going that I self-sabotaged myself without realizing it. I never wanted to hurt you like that. The entire time we were together, for those brief trips or moments, I never felt more at home in my life. Each time I went home to Kat, I felt like I was cheating on you rather than her. I felt awful being there and looked forward to our next time together. You've always meant more to me than Katherine. I know it's a dick thing to say and the main reason why she left me but even she saw it." I spun my head to look at her.
"She knows, doesn't she?" I asked. He nodded. My eyes widened in shock. "Oh, god." I said, covering my face. Guilt replaced the feelings I had in my chest. "Everyone knows, don't they? That's why she left you. Jesus Christ. They probably all think I'm a giant fucking whore."
"No. No one knows. Kat promised she wouldn't tell anyone, and she didn't. The only one who knows anything are you and me." He said. I looked up at him, unsure if he was telling the truth. I thought for a moment. If Aisha or Trini had any clue, they would have said something. Rocky couldn't keep a secret from Aisha either. He was telling the truth.
"Don't you see why this was such a bad thing we did? We hurt Katherine. She didn't deserve to have that happen to her."
"No. She didn't. But, she's moved on. She's dating a nice guy from Seattle and they are getting settled in. The divorce wasn't as horrible as I thought it would have been. And she doesn't hate you, either. She told me when she asked for the divorce. All she said was that she was tired of competing with someone she knew she could never replace." He spoke. I turned fully, looking up at him.
"Replace?" I questioned. He nodded.
"She knew before I think I did that no matter how hard she or any other girl tried, I would never be able to love someone as much as I love you." The words floated around us, the realization of what he was saying hitting me softly.
"You love me?" I whispered, my voice barely above a hushed melody. He nodded, smirking at me.
"I do. I love you with every inch of my heart and pretty much the entirety of my soul. Is that enough?" Reaching over, he took my hands in his. I couldn't believe what he was saying to me. He loved me? Could this be true. I was having such a hard time wrapping my head around it.
"But what you said before-."
"Wasn't true." He said, cutting me off. "I was scared. I thought that if I told you how I felt about you, you would expect me to be a person I couldn't be. I don't know why. I just thought I wouldn't be able to be that person you needed. It was easier with the way things were. Changing it meant facing the fact I needed to grow up and I wasn't ready to do that yet."
"Tommy, you are everything I need in a person." I said, locking eyes with him. I saw so much raw emotion swimming in them that it hurt my chest slightly. "You never need to change. I fell in love with you. You, the best version of the person you can be."
"So…you still love me then?" He asked sheepishly. I laughed, loving the little boy charm he had to him. Suddenly, we were seventeen again, standing on the sands of this little makeshift beach without a single care in this world.
"You could say that." I said, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. He smiled, leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. I felt my feet leave the ground as he lifted me in his arms. I cupped his face in my hands, loving the feeling of his lips against mine. This was everything I needed. Everything I've wanted since I last had it. As he pulled away, I looked down at him. "This is it though. This is end game. No more messing around. No more playing games." He nodded.
"You are the only thing I need in this world and I'm never letting you go again." I smiled, kissing him gently.
"Good because I'm not planning on going anywhere without you again." He set me down on the ground, pulling me into his arms for a warm hug. This is where I needed to be. He wasn't my savior or my knight in shining white armor. I had proved that before on the moon. No. We were each other's saving grace. I was the only that kept him humble but helped him see the hero he was for the world. He was the support I needed to help achieve my dreams. He was the thing that kept my head above water when thingy got murky. Love isn't easy or perfect, something proven to us again and again. But I did know that this was love as we started walking along the path again, this time our arms around each other.