Chapter 15: Kimberly's Hope

Kimberly was sitting by Hannah's bed with tears falling down her face. She reached over and held her daughter's hand. "Listen to me, baby, okay? You have to come out of this. We still need you, sweetheart okay? We still need you. You keep me together, baby. You, your brothers, and your sister, you all mean so much to me," she explained. Kimberly let out a sob and she stroked Hannah's blonde hair. "You guys are the light of my world. I love you all so very much," she whispered. Kimberly sat on the edge of Hannah's bed while still stroking her blonde hair. She kissed Hannah's bandaged forehead and swallowed the lump in her throat. Kimberly looked up at the ceiling. "What did I do to deserve this? Did I do something wrong to lose my children?" She asked.

"You've done nothing wrong," a voice answered.

Kimberly looked over her shoulder and tears fell down her face in flows. "Daddy," she whispered. Captain Mitchell removed his hat. Kimberly stood up and walked over to him, throwing her arms around him.

"I'm here, Kim, I'm here," he assured her.

Kimberly let out a sob and buried her head into his shoulder. "What have I done to deserve this? What have I done?" She sobbed. Captain Mitchell rubbed circles on Kimberly's back trying to soothe her. "I want my kids back, dad," she added.

"I know, and you will," he answered.

Captain Mitchell moved so he was sitting on the extra bed and held onto his other daughter.

After awhile, Kimberly had fallen asleep against him. Captain Mitchell was still holding Kimberly like a young child when the door opened. He looked up to see Tommy coming in. He gestured for him to be quiet. Tommy nodded and closed the door behind him. "She fell asleep a few minutes ago," he informed.

"She hasn't slept," Tommy answered.

"I can tell, but have you?" Captain Mitchell asked.

Tommy sat down in a chair and sighed. "Not really," he replied. Captain Mitchell set Kimberly down on the bed and covered her up. "Wait…you're…" Tommy trailed off. Captain Mitchell nodded to Tommy.

"Captain William Mitchell," he answered.

Captain Mitchell shook Tommy's hand. "Take a walk with me, Tommy," he told him. Tommy stood up and followed him out of the room.

The two men were walking along the hospital hallways. "I see that my daughter has spoken to you about Kylie?" He asked. Tommy nodded his head slowly.

"She has," he replied.

Captain Mitchell nodded his head slowly. "I've watched Kylie grow up from a tiny baby into an adorable little girl. I've watched Kimberly grow from a frightened teenager into a beautiful woman. However, there is one thing that remains the same," Captain Mitchell informed.

"And what would that be?" Tommy asked.

"My daughter's love for you has never wavered, not for a minute," Captain Mitchell replied.

"I'm still trying to figure out how she still loves me like she does."

"Call it fate if you will, Tommy."

Tommy let out a sigh. "I don't know what kind of things Kimberly said about me…" Captain Mitchell cut him off.

"Kimberly never said a horrible thing about you," he put in.

"But…I practically abandoned her and my daughter."

"She believed that you were in love with a girl named Katherine if I recall."

Tommy cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Tommy, look at it from Kimberly's point of view. She was attacked in an alley when she was seventeen and when she woke up, she woke up with the gift of empathy. He real family thought she was crazy and wanted to put her in a home. However, your friends, Trini, Billy, Aisha, Zack, and Jason refused to let that happen to her. They knew that if they put her in a home, that she would also lose her child. They knew very well that, that would tear Kimberly apart. Your mentor, Zordon, volunteered to take her in and took care of her. Months later, Kylie was born in the place you called the Power Chamber. My daughter wanted nothing more than to tell you that you were a father," Captain Mitchell explained.

"But…I don't understand…" Tommy trailed off.

"What I'm saying, Tommy, is that Kimberly's been living on her own with four children for nine years. She was living in fear during the first few years of her Kylie's life. She had nowhere to go, no money, and a broken home. When I gave her everything she needed, I gave her hope. Kylie gave Kimberly hope the day she was born," Captain Mitchell explained.

"I'm not following."

Captain Mitchell stopped and he looked at the young man that was the father of his granddaughter. "Kylie's the hope that kept Kimberly alive. Take Kylie away and you take Kimberly's hope. Take away all her children and she'll die. Those four children keep her alive. You've kept her alive, the hope of seeing you again made her fight on," he answered. Tommy let out a sigh. "Do you love her?" Captain Mitchell asked. Tommy was stunned by his question.

"What?" He asked.

"Do you love my daughter?" Captain Mitchell repeated.

Tommy sat down and nodded his head. "Yes," he replied.

"How much do you love her? How much do you love her kids?" He asked.

Tommy closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. "I love Kimberly, and the kids…more than anything in the world," he answered. Captain Mitchell smiled and Tommy stood up. "I want to find my daughter," he added. Captain Mitchell nodded his head.

"And we will help," Captain Mitchell informed.

"We?" Tommy asked.

"You're not the only person who has tracking systems."

Tommy nodded his head. "Thank you," he told him. Captain Mitchell nodded with a small smile before turning and going back into the hospital room to check on Kimberly. Tommy stood there, knowing that he had to find his daughter or he'll lose her and Kimberly forever.