Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Hope you enjoy!
Two weeks later the kids walked into Dr. O's class and sat down. The bell rang and class started.
"Welcome class. I've got a special surprise for all of you."
His students were torn between believing him or believing that he had some thing they would hate.
"Pop quiz!" Tommy said handing out the sheets.
"Maybe… Kim should leave if he's going to spring tests on us like this." Conner whispered to Ethan.
"No talking." Dr. O instructed as he gave Conner his test.
An hour later the test was over and so was the last class of the day.
Kira went up to Dr. O afterwards.
"Hey Kira. How did you think you did?" He asked putting the papers into a neat pile on his desk.
"Fine. But I really came up to see how you were doing."
"My back still hurts a bit but it'll be fine." He reassured her.
"I meant about you and Kimberly." She said gently.
He froze at the sound of her name and then continued working with the things on his desk.
"I thought you were the one that told Conner to butt out of a teacher's personal life?" He said smiling.
"I did. And normally I wouldn't. But I just want to know why. What I gathered… it seems you love her is all and… nothing really makes sense with this."
"I'm fine." Tommy said cringing at her words. He couldn't say they were true and wouldn't that anyone would be curious but she was his student.
"Have you talked to her since then?" She asked.
Tommy sighed. He hadn't talked to anyone about it really. He had told Jason what had happened but really couldn't find the words to describe how he felt or what he wanted to do next. And Haley had politely stayed away from the subject.
"No… Kira. I haven't talked to her yet. There was a lot to think over. And I won't discuss it with you." He said.
She nodded, but he could tell she was disappointed.
"Dr. O. Today is the get together at the cybercafé. Will you come?"
"I'd really love to but I've got a lot of grading to do."
She frowned now.
Feeling suddenly guilty for his denying in her questions and saying he couldn't come he said, "I'll see what I can do but I can't promise anything."
"Thanks Dr. O!" She said smiling and left.
Dr. O smiled and went back to his paper work.
Meanwhile Kimberly was still at Reefside. She had not spoken to Tommy but had heard from Jason that he was doing fine. She heard he was disappointed that she had not been there when he awoke. She staid by her fist reason. She had come here to tell him the truth. And if he wanted their friendship to start anew it was his decision. She would not influence it by running into him. One cloudy day she ran into Kira on the street.
"Oh! Kira… I'm sorry." She said helping her with her bags and books. A guitar case had fallen as well.
"You play?" Kira asked.
"Occasionally. I'm not as good as I used to be." Kimberly said smiling sadly.
"Are you heading anywhere? I was just headed over the Haley's cybercafé. Going to play for a bit. If you're not busy would you mind listening? Their aren't really any critics there but I'd love to hear an experienced voice on how I do." Kira said hoping she's say yes.
"Oh… well… no. I suppose I can come watch you play." Kimberly said biting her lip.
"Dr. O. Shouldn't be there. He's got a lot of stuff to grade today." Kira said knowing Kimberly's hesitation.
"It's not that I wouldn't like to see Tommy… It's just that… Things are complicated." Kimberly said hoping the girl did not delve much farther.
"It's alright. I understand. Love can be complicated."
Kimberly looked down at the girl, tilting her head.
"I have a feeling you're speaking from experience?" She asked jokingly. The young girl was so easy to get along with.
The girl smiled weakly, "See… I sort of have this thing for Trent. See we were friends. But then things got weird when he was working for Mesogog."
"What?!?" Kimberly said stopping.
"Yeah…. He was an evil white ranger. But we turned him good. We have some things still to patch but maybe someday I can tell him how I feel."
Kimberly nodded. She knew all about evil rangers.
"I'm sure Dr. O and you will work things out in the end." Kira said.
"I hope so." Kimberly said as they rounded a corner.
"So… why are avoiding him?" Kira asked after a pause.
Kimberly sighed, "I came back to tell Tommy the truth about our past. I've had quite some time to ponder over the events and he hasn't. I want him to have some time to think about what he wants with out me there every time he turns around. I want to give him like the time I've had." She felt like she had repeated that about a million times already. To herself and others.
"And what do you want?" The girl pushed but Connor and Trent had joined them.
Kim blanched thinking about it. What was she doing? She shouldn't be getting Kira interested in this. She shouldn't be telling her anything of this.
"Hey Kira… Kimberly." They said approaching them.
"Ready for your gig?" Connor asked.
"It's not a gig. I'm just playing for a bunch of kids."
"It's still important either way." Trent said taking some of Kira's bags.
"Thanks." Kira said smiling, "Where's Ethan?"
"He'll meet us there."
"What's he doing?" Kimberly asked.
"He's putting up some lights and a disco ball."
"Really? What for? Is it a dance?"
"Yeah. Even though it's almost October some kids at school wanted to have a back to school get together/dance thing. The school wouldn't sponsor it, especially with homecoming coming up, but Haley said we could have it there."
"I see." Kimberly said nodding, "Well I have some things to do but I'll be there to see you play."
Kim speed her car down the street. Rain poured out of the sky. She had gotten soaked on the way to the car. This was just great. She couldn't think of anything worse. Here she was running late to see Kira play and she was going to arrive looking like a mess. This was not what she had expected or wanted at all. She pulled into the parking lot of the Cybercafé. She got out and the rain soaked through her clothes. She wiped the rain from her face and made for the entrance. Right as she was about to enter a car drove up and parked. Kimberly tilted her head looking to see who it was. So she wasn't the only one running late.
The person got out of the car, sopping wet.
Oh gosh. It was Tommy.
Kimberly started to back up toward her car. What was she thinking? She wanted to stay and talk to Tommy but she didn't want to force him into making any kind of decision. She was afraid of seeing the look in his eyes if he told her he never wanted to see her again but wasn't ready to tell her that. She knew she couldn't stand it.
Unfortunately he saw her first.
"Kim?"
"Tommy? What are you doing here- I mean that's a stupid question…. I was just leaving." She said cursing under her breath and turning around and running into the rain.
"Wait! Come back Kim!"
She didn't stop running but he caught up with her.
"Kim wait."
"Tommy, I swear I wouldn't have come if I knew you'd be here!" Kim said frantically, "I don't want to force you to be around me when you don't want to be. I mean…"
"But I know what I want." He said taking her hand.
Shocked Kimberly looked up at him.
"Listen Kim, I know I haven't called you or anything. I just needed time."
"I know. That's exactly why I should be leaving… If you still need time…" She said.
"No Kim. I should ask you now. I just don't know how to say it."
"You don't have to ask me to leave, you can just tell me to leave." Kim said looking at the ground.
With one hand still clasped to her hand he used the other to lift her chin.
"Beautiful…" He said smiling.
"Not so beautiful now." Kim said gesturing to the rain. The familiar nickname sinking in and
warming her heart. Was this for real or was this all a dream?
"You've always been Beautiful to me."
"Tommy…"
"Listen Kim… I was afraid to tell you… But despite everything I want you in my life still."
"Thank you Tommy." Kim said.
"I could be a liar and tell you that I want to start from the bottom up but I have to be completely
honest. I think there's been too much between us to really start from scratch Kim."
"What are you saying then?" Kim whispered. Was there any chance that maybe he felt the same way she did
"Kim… I love you."
There was a pause as Kim looked into his eyes. All the cloud and pain gone. It was the look she remembered from her teen years. The look of his love for her.
"I love you to Tommy." Kim answered.
Tommy pulled Kimberly to him and bent down to place a kiss on her lips. Kimberly felt her knees start to buckle underneath her. She wrapped her arms around Tommy savoring the taste of his kiss. Finally he let her go and Kimberly staggered.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." Tommy said catching her.
"Me too…" Kimberly said leaning back against him. "Me too."
Tommy looked around him as if he was just noticing the rain for the first time.
"We should go inside before we get soaked."
"Tommy! We are soaked!" Kimberly said laughing.
"Oh… yeah… I guess so." He said laughing as well.
Hand in hand they walked in the cybercafé. Haley and the others noticed and all smiled.
"I'd like to dedicate this song to a new friend of mine." Kira said into the mike, "Kim."
The slow song started and Kira's voice filled the room with warmth and meaning.
"Well. Are you going to ask me to dance?" Kim asked playful.
"Would you dance with me?" He asked smiling and reaching out his hand. Kimberly took it and they headed out onto the dance floor despite their wet clothes. And they danced the night away.
(A/N: So that's it! Please comment and add sugestions. Do be nice though. I really hope you enjoyed this!)