Hello all. This is the third story/chapter, and could possibly be the last one. It just seems to close the month nicely. Originally I had planned there being four. The last one being the actual graduation ceremony. Tell me what you think I should do. Ether leave this the end… or make one more.

Oh, and the exam system may be slightly confusing… At one of my old HS, (I've been to three) exams were broken in half, and split between two days. I.E. Instead of doing the full exam, you did only half. That's how I'm writing it here. Two days of exams, and the last day of school a halfie to clean out lockers and sigh yearbooks…

That about wraps up my AN. Hope you all enjoy!

Of Weddings and Receptions

"Kira sweetie!" The yellow ranger stopped just outside the front door. "Hold on a second." She sighed and turned around. She watched as her mother set the phone down on the table and patted the spot next to her on the couch.

Kira inwardly groaned. She had been so close to freedom. If only she would have left her room a mere minute earlier. Then her mother would still be on the phone, and she would be free.

"Your cousin Sandy's wedding is in tomorrow," Mrs. Ford began as soon as her daughter sat down.

"I know mom," Kira tried not to groan and roll her eyes.

"There's no getting out of it. So don't go making plans with those friends of yours, and telling me you forgot."

"I promise"

"Good, I just wanted to be sure. I know you like to run off at a seconds notice to go out with them."

Kira wanted nothing more then to tell her mom that she had to run off, and didn't necessarily want to when they 'called'.

Oh, right Kira, and how would you explain that? 'You see mom, it's like this: I'm the yellow Dino Thunder Ranger. You know who they are. They're the super heroes that save the city and the world form turning into a real life Jurassic Park.' Right like that wouldn't get me institutionalized. She snapped back to reality when she realized her mom was still talking.

"…And isn't it a bit unnatural for your science teacher to be calling you at all hours of the day and night? And you rushing out to meet…Oh Kira, don't tell me that you and your teacher are-"

"Of course not!" She answered quickly. Perhaps too quickly, her mom still looked slightly scandalized. She inwardly cringed and made a mental note to work on her lying skills.

"Then what-?"

"Look, I have to get to school. And unless you let me take the car, I need to get going." With that she stood and left, grabbing her backpack from beside the couch on her way. She knew all to well that she wouldn't be getting the car.

You hit one mailbox and they call you a reckless driver. She thought as she walked down the front steps. I operate a thousand ton mechanical pterodactyl almost daily, and I'm not allowed to drive to school.

"Kira!" Her mother called as she reached the still dented mail box.

"What? Are you going to give me the car?" she asked hopefully.

"You'll need a date for the wedding," Mrs. Ford said quickly. Then just as quickly shut the door to avoid an argument.

Kira groaned. Shifting her bag on to her other shoulder, she kicked the mailbox, which moved slightly.

XXX

She was just reaching main door when she heard the bell sound.

I hope that was the first bell. She thought as she quickly jogged down the hall way.

XXX

"You're late," startled, Kira turned from opening her locker. "That was the last bell."

"You're late to Tommy," she smirked and went back to grabbing her science notebook.

"I won't tell if you don't," He said, leaning in and lowering his voice.

"Deal!" Kira agreed smiling. She shoved her notebook in her back pack. "Now let's go. We wouldn't want the guys to think that we were kidnapped." Then as an afterthought added, "Again."

"Lead the way." Tommy reached past her and closed her locker. When they reached the science room he motioned for her to go first.

Shrugging her bag higher up on her shoulder Kira entered the room. And all eyes were on her. Two steps behind her, Tommy entered. A hushed silence filled the room as the class took the two people who were late, and who arrived together. The whispering started a second later.

"Sorry I'm late class, my jeep decided not to like me this morning," Tommy set his briefcase on his desk, and waited patiently for his class to quiet down.

Kira meanwhile silently took her seat, and ignored the whispering.

"Man Kira, you sure know how to make an entrance. Why you late?" Ethan asked her when she didn't immediately greet them.

"Dude, I don't even want to know why they're late," Conner made a face, and Ethan shared it with him. Kira, who had just gotten her pencil out, threw it at Conner, who ducked, causing the pencil to hit the wall.

"What was that for?!"

"You know perfectly well what that was for, now, get my pencil for me." Conner obediently retrieved her pencil with only a slight groan. Which could have been caused by the demand of pencil retrieving, or by the bruised rib he received just the day before

"Alright, everyone finished their gossiping? Good, number two pencils out," Tommy walked around the class room, "Here are your exams, you may begin."

Kira managed to concentrate on her test until she finished, which she dubbed as a miracle, seeing as how her attention skills as of late weren't exactly stellar. It took her thirty minutes to finish the final exam, leaving her twenty minutes to think about her cousins wedding. More specifically, leaving her twenty minutes to figure out if coming down with a very well timed illness would get her out of it.

That idea was thrown out of course for the simple fact that she didn't know anyone who was sick, and could spread their germs to her. And faking sick wouldn't work, her mother would take her temperature and what not. No, being sick is out of the question.

Perhaps a broken bone? Or a few torn ligaments. She mused as she idly doodled in her notebook. No, Sandy's wedding may be embarrassing and slightly traumatizing, but no so much painful as a broken ankle. She continued doodling, mentally crossing out excuses until she heard the bell ring.

"I don't think I will be able to count that as extra credit," Tommy said as Kira handed in her test. The remainder of the class; that had yet to turn in their tests; stood still, listening intently.

"What?" She was still somewhat thinking about excuses.

"That picture in the corner," He held out her test, and she looked at the indicated corner. "I don't think that a picture of a Llama with the chicken pox will earn extra credit."

"Oh," She laughed slightly, "I think that's actually a picture of my cousin Sandy with a serious acne problem." Tommy merely raised an eyebrow, and the rest of the class sighed dejectedly as one as they realized the conversation consisted of nothing gossip worthy.

"I don't think I'm going to ask you about that," He paused and considered it a moment, "No, I'm definitely not going to ask. Now get to class before you're late. I'll see you after school," He gave her a smile that she returned, their eyes telling more then they could say. The remaining students, after Kira left the room, handed in their test and made their way to their next class, slightly happier after the silent exchange then they were before it happened.

XXX

"I hate school," was the first thing out of Conner McKnight's mouth as he sat down with his lunch.

"Why's that?" Ethan picked up his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and took a bite.

"I just had my third exam of the day! And to top that off my English Lit teacher reminded me I have my final project due tomorrow," He groaned and picked up his pizza.

"You haven't even thought of a topic yet have you?" Kira asked knowingly, not even looking up from her notebook. Conner groaned again before swallowing.

"I forgot about it completely. What with soccer practice, not to mention the whole saving the world thing," He slumped in his seat and looked pleadingly at Kira, which caused her to look up.

"Oh no, I already turned my in on Tuesday. I can't give you my idea. And Conner, we were assigned this project two months ago," She went back to the lyrics she was fine tuning, only vaguely aware of the still pleading eyes of her friend.

"Ethan…"

"Look man, I'll help you after school alright?"

"Thank you!" With that Conner happily went back to his pizza.

XXX

When school finally ended Kira was no closer to thinking of an excuse to miss her cousins wedding, and had resigned herself to the fact that she indeed had to attend. She was in fact thinking of what to wear when a tap on her shoulder brought her back to her surroundings.

"You didn't need to wait for me," Tommy said as he took Kira's bag from her.

"I am in no hurry to get home, even if it means hanging around here for a while longer."

"Why's that?" They had reached the parking lot, and made their way to Tommy's jeep.

"Because my mom will be all over me about the wedding the second I walk in the door," She sighed deeply. I've already resigned myself to going, but that doesn't mean I want to let my mother do a makeover on me.

"Wedding?" They had reached the jeep and were in the process of buckling their seatbelts.

"My cousin Sandy is getting married tomorrow. My mom has been reminding me about it all week."

"And you don't like weddings?"

"It's not that I don't like weddings. It's just that I don't like my cousin. We used to be really close when I was little. Then she grew obsessed with boys, and I was still playing with Barbie's," There she paused and added, "Don't mention that to anyone."

Tommy looked over at her, silently telling her to continue. She obliged.

"She turned out to be the type of girl who, when she had something you didn't, would rub it in your face. And she seemed to like my face the most. When she got engaged, well, let's just say that I wanted nothing more then to rub it in her face that I have superpowers that help save the world." She sighed and noticed the look on his face. "Which I didn't, don't worry. Having one relative who knows is enough for me."

The ride was silent as they approached Kira's street. Tommy had merely put his arm around her as he had no idea what to say to her story.

"You think I can sneak in through my window?" Kira asked seriously as they pulled into her driveway.

"You can't run from this Kira. Besides it's only one day," She still didn't make any move to get out of the jeep. "And remember, in a week you get to spend a week away from them," That caused Kira to smile absentmindedly.

She bit her lip Alright Kira, just ask him to be your date and get it over with. At least then things will be more interesting. And you won't have to listen to Sandy's false sympathy.

"Tommy?" She looked at him, "Will you be my date for the wedding?"

Tommy smiled, "Of course. I was wondering if you were going to ask." He leaned down and gently kissed her. Still slightly aware of the fact that for 4 more days he was her teacher.

"Kira! Good, hi Tommy," Mrs. Ford rushed out the door and over to her daughter. Tommy managed to get a 'Hello' in before Kira was practically being pulled from the jeep. "Megan sprained her ankle and can't be in the wedding."

"Mom! Wait," Kira pulled her mother to a stop as soon as she was out of the jeep. "That's awful to hear, but what does that have to do with me?"

"You are going to take her place of course. Now come on, we have to be at the bridle shop in ten minutes for an emergency fitting." Mrs. Ford hurried to her car and waited for the stunned Kira to follow.

"Help me," Kira said to Tommy, who shrugged.

"There's nothing I can do, sorry. Go on. I'll tell the guys where you are," He started his jeep and Kira gave him a hard look before she got in her mothers car.

XXX

"Miss Ford I need you to stay still or your ankle is going to become a pin cushion."

Kira had been standing on a small platform for what seemed like days. In reality, when asked-and she asked quite often-she had only been standing for a little over an hour.

"Sorry," She mumbled, looking down at the seamstress that was taking up the hem of the dress another inch.

"Kira, phone for you," Mrs. Ford appeared in front of her daughter, holding out her cell phone. "Why did you give you're friends my cell phone number?"

"I didn't," She took the phone curiously, and shrugged as her mother went back to looking through a magazine in the main part of the dress shop. "Hello?"

"Kira! We've been trying to contact you for like an hour!" Was the reply she received.

"Conner?" she heard a rustling.

"Kira? Ethan here, what Conner means is that there's a small problem at the mall and you haven't answered our calls," she again heard a rustling.

"Kira we need you're help," Tommy's voice lowered slightly, "We got a lot of tyrannodrones here. And I'm betting Elsa and Zeltrax will turn up soon."

"Tommy, I don't mean this as an excuse or whatever, but I'm kinda busy at the moment. Can't you and the guy's handle it?" Kira looked down at the floor length princess gown she was currently wearing.

"I thought we could until we realized for every one drone that we get, another two appear. We need you Kira," There was a loud booming noise, "NOW!" Then the phone went dead.

Kira strained her neck to look out the window that was behind the mirror she was in front of. She saw people running out of the mall that happened to be just across the street.

"Miss Ford, please," the seamstress pleaded, a frown now fully on her face.

"I'm sorry, but I need to use the restroom. I'll be back as soon as possible," That said, Kira hunched up her dress and ran for the back door. Stopping only to grab her morpher from the pile of her clothes in the back of the dressing room.

I am so dead, I am so dead

She thought as she ran across the street, slipping her bracelet/morpher onto her wrist. Mom is going to kill me. She reached the entrance to the mall and was greeted by a throng of people pushing their way out.

"I wouldn't go in there young lady. There's a mad woman destroying the place." An older man attempted to pull her back out the door.

"Just go on, get out of here," Kira told him, then pushed her way fully inside. She grabbed her dress and took off at a run towards the center of the commotion. Stopping only to fight two Tyrannodrones near the food court.

"About time Cinderella!" Ethan greeted as he spotted Kira running towards them. Conner and Tommy knocked out the drones they were fighting and turn towards her.

"I don't think that dress is exactly fight worthy," Conner said as the group hurried to meet her half way.

"Shut up Conner. I didn't exactly have time to change back you know."

"Why didn't you answer? You know how long it took Hayley to get you moms' cell number?" Ethan asked as they all clumped together. The Tyrannodrones

Forming a circle around them.

"My mom made me take off the bracelet and my choker for the fitting," Kira explained as she and her fellow rangers readied for fighting.

"Well, you have it on now right?" Conner asked as more drones joined the already think circle.

"Yea, I grabbed it on my way out."

"Then what do you say we take these guys down ranger style?"

"Sounds good to me, I need to be back soon. I'm only supposed to be in the rest room."

"Ready?" Conner asked, taking a small step forward.

"Ready," Everyone else echoed.

"Dino Thunder power up! Ha!"

XXX

"KIRA!" The shout echoed through the empty, rubble strewn department store. "KIRA, WHERE ARE YOU?" The black ranger turned to the other two and nodded.

"Power down," they said in unison.

"Conner, you check the front of the store, Ethan, you check the center. I'll check the back. She has to be in this store somewhere," Tommy took off to the back of the store after seeing that the two teens headed their respective ways.

"Kira? Can you hear me?" He approached the bedding department and thought he heard a muffled noise near the sheets. "Kira?"

"T-Tommy?" his pace quickened.

"Kira, I'm here, tell me where you are."

"I'm over here," He paused and listened intently. "I think I'm either under a fallen display or in Martha Stewarts 'before' bedroom," At least, Tommy noted, she was well enough to be humorous.

He made his way carefully through the mess on the ground, and spotted her, demorphed, under a toppled bed display.

"Alright, I'm going to lift this up and I want you to slide out from under it ok?" She nodded, and he silently counted to three before lifting the bed.

"How did you get caught under there?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her and helped her walk through the strewn blankets.

"Elsa hit me with something, it caused me to demorph and threw me against that display. How it got on me I still have yet to figure out. I did manage to grab this from her though," Kira held up a small crystal that was on a chain. "It was what she was after. I don't think she knew I managed to grab it from where it fell during our fight before she blasted me. I don't even think she knew she dropped it." They had reached the entrance to the store. Tommy took the crystal and examined it.

"Guys, I got her," He said through his morpher, still examining.

"Kira, thank god you're alright. What happened?" Ethan said as he and Conner run up to where they were standing. Kira sighed, then glanced at the clock that was on the wall above the door.

"Oh no! I gotta go you guys. My mom is going to freak," She looked down at the once brand new pristine dress. "I'm so dead."

Tommy Conner and Ethan all looked at her dress too. Which now had the hem that they guessed was only pinned in place falling at various places, and a small rip in the side. When did that happen? Kira decided she wasn't even going to think of how it really happened, and concentrate on thinking of a believable story to tell her mom.

Not even thinking, Kira leaned up and gave Tommy a kiss before rushing out of the store and back to the Bridle shop, leaving a grossed out blue and red ranger and one black one with a smile, behind.

XXX

"Kira Ford, where have you been?!"

"Sorry mom, I had to use the restroom," Kira took a deep breath and noticed for the first time the slight pain in her chest. I am now officially mad at all beds.

"It took you forty minutes to use the restroom? And how did you manage to rip that dress?!"

Think fast Kira… come on… "Well, I- You see mom, it's that time of the month, and I had to go buy the appropriate products since I didn't have any handy."

"That doesn't explain the dress…" Mrs. Ford impatiently tapped her foot, her hands still on her hips.

"There was a fight at the mall," Very good, put as much truth in there as possible "And I, um, got caught in it."

"Oh, my, Kira are you alright?" Her mom was now over being angry and headed strait into concern.

"I'm fine mom, the Power Rangers showed up and saved the day," Kira smiled at the relived look on her moms face. "Can we get back to the fitting? I have homework to do." She slipped her hands behind her back and slid off the bracelet. When her mother turned her back to get the seamstress, Kira put it back beneath her clothes in the dressing room. I hope that was all for today…

"Of course honey. I need your help picking out my new luggage I'm getting for the cruse. Do you like the green ones? Or the Black ones?" Mrs. Ford said, holding up pictures of each.

XXX

"So the mall will be closed for a whole week?" Conner asked, looking upset. It was three hours later, and the teenage rangers were sitting at Hayleys' Cyberspace.

"That's what Hayley said," Ethan put in, looking up at Conner then quickly back to his game.

Kira meanwhile was wondering if her Grandma Ford was going to be at the wedding, and didn't pay any attention to the two boys. She also didn't notice when someone pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. It wasn't until they cleared their throat that she acknowledged their presence.

"Oh, hey Dr. O," she greeted. "Just let me finish this," She held up her strawberry smoothie.

They had agreed, after watching the reaction of Conner and Ethan when they acted (for lack of a better word) together-y, to act normal, or act not together-y in the duos presence. So when ever they were around, Kira called Tommy Dr. O, and there was no mention or motion that would suggest they were in fact together.

And thus, as Ethan would say, there was an overall semblance of normalcy. Except for the fact that Tommy's hand brushed Kira's as he stood up and headed over to talk to Hayley.

5 minutes later Kira was bidding her two best friends good bye.

"I'll see you guys later."

"Good luck with the whole wedding thing," Conner said before turning to eye the girl who just sat down at the bar.

"Yea, And I want a picture of you all girly," Ethan added then ducked Kira's elbow that came close to hitting his head.

XXX

"So did you get in trouble earlier?" Tommy asked as he and Kira sat in his jeep eating ice cream and watching the sunset

"Sort of. I told my mom that I was caught up in a fight at the mall. As soon as she heard that she left behind 'angry mom' and went full force into 'over protective mom'," She licked up a drip that was running down her cone. "I figured that fight would get some news coverage, so I used as much truth as I could."

"Very good reasoning," He slipped his arm around her waist, and pulled her close

"I know," Kira sighed. Her mind wouldn't stop counting down the hours until the wedding.

"Everything alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yea, everything's great," to accent her statement, she snuggled closer to his side. They lapsed into silence as the sun turned the sky a pink and purple color, before, some twenty minutes later, it plunged below the horizon.

"Tommy?" Kira asked, breaking the silence that lasted a good half hour.

"Hmm?"

"What if someone knows who you are tomorrow," She turned to look at him.

He steadily met her gaze, "Someone most likely will. But you shouldn't let that bother you. Frankly I'm surprised you're mother hasn't figured it out yet. The whole school knows after all."

"My mom doesn't work here in Reefside. And none of her friends live here. So unless someone tells her, she wont find out. But someone is bound to tomorrow."

"You're 18 now Kira. And in 4 days no longer my student. No one can do anything about it."

"You're right… Of course you're right…" Kira trailed off. She had a bad feeling about the wedding.

Tommy, sensing her unease still, lifted her chin up to look directly into her eyes and said, "Nothing bad is going to happen," then kissed her softly.

XXX

"This is bad… This is very, very, bad!" Kira paced her bedroom floor frantically trying to think of an idea.

"What is bad sweetie?" Mrs. Ford walked into her daughters room carrying the shoes she had been trying to find all morning. Vaguely in her head Kira wondered how her mother had found them when she had hidden them well in an old carved out tree in the back yard.

"Why didn't you tell me Cassidy was going to be at the wedding?!" She rounded on her mother holding an email tightly clenched in her grip.

"I didn't think I would have to. The three of you used to play together all the time when you were younger. Sandy thought it would be nice to have the three of you together again," Mrs. Ford said that as if it was the sweetest thing she ever heard.

"We were 8 years old mom!" Kira sat down on her bed to put on the shoes her mom was holding out for her.

"We are leaving in five minutes. I don't want to hear that tone of voice the rest of the day. Today is very important to your cousin, and she can invite whom ever she wants to her wedding weather you like them or not," That said Mrs. Ford left the room.

"Great. If there is one person who is going to spill the beans about Tommy it's little miss reporter."

XXX

"I knew something bad was going to happen!" Kira hissed through her smile. She was currently standing in the foyer of the church greeting the guests.

Tommy smiled at the people staring, "Everything will be fine."

"Cassidy is going to be….Cassidy!"

"Calm down."

"Kira, Sandy is asking for you," Kelly, the other bridesmaid, appeared in the doorway leading to the bridle room.

"I'll be right there," Kira again smiled brightly. She was beginning to wonder if her cheeks were going to fall off.

"We'll worry about Cassidy when the time comes," That said, Tommy went off to find his seat and Kira, sighing, went to see her cousin, not knowing the time was about to come.

XXX

"…and Kira's dating a wonderful guy. He's a bit older, but I trust her completely." Kira walked into the room then, only to have everyone stare at her.

"So who's the guy Coz? Anyone I know?" Sandy asked from her place at the small vanity.

"You mean you don't know she's-" Cassidy began, her eyes widening.

"Cassidy!" Kira loudly cut her off, "what are you doing back here? I thought you were sitting with Devin." She sent the reporter a look clearly stating to 'shut up right now'.

"Oh," Cassidy hesitated, "I just wanted to wish the bride luck." Kira mouthed a 'thank you' which Cassidy acknowledged with an ever so tiny nod.

"Kira spill already! Who is this hot older guy?" Sandy asked again, going back to her makeup touchup.

"This is your day Sandy, so lets hear all about your in twenty minutes new husband," If there is one thing that can get Sandy to forget about everyone else's lives it's taking about hers.

XXX

"Why did you listen to me and not tell everyone?" Kira asked as she escorted Cassidy to her seat.

"I really don't know. Call it a thank you for getting me that job at the news station," Cassidy favored her with a smile. "But you know, it will get out soon."

Kira glared at the other woman.

"But not by me," Cassidy promised holding up her hand. They had reached her seat and Devin looked at his best friend strangely. "We'll just get the power rangers identities and use that as a story." Kira's eyebrow rose.

"Oh, ok!" Devin, placated that his best friend hadn't lost her ambition, turned back to looking around the church.

"I gotta go back," Kira hesitated, "Thanks again Cassidy."

Cassidy waved her hand in a dismissive manner and Kira rolled her eyes as she walked away.

She was halfway back down the isle when Tommy caught her attention. He looked at her questioningly, and she smiled, and shook her head slightly before going the rest of the way to the bridle room.

XXX

"That's him, right there," Kelly pointed out when the bridle party.

"How do you know?" Kira asked, knowing exactly who Kelly was talking about.

"Simple. You were talking to him earlier, and when I asked you're mom she said that it was your boyfriend." Kira let out a small 'oh'

"Which one? There are lots of people here," Sandy asked looking past Kelly, she added, "I'm so popular," quietly to herself.

"The one wearing the black button down shirt," Kelly added.

"Oh, Kira if I wasn't getting married in a few minutes I would snatch him right from you," Sandy smirked, looking at Tommy then back to Kira. "How did you get a catch like him anyway?"

Kira ignoring her, thanked the heavens that her Grandma Ford hadn't come, and waited for the wedding to begin.

XXX

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. And Mrs. Michael Towers!" The DJ's voice echoed around the reception hall. Everyone rose and applauded as the newlyweds entered, followed by the bridle party.

"You look beautiful honey," Mr. Ford said when his daughter came to their table to say hello, "Doesn't she look beautiful?" He turned to the other 6 people at the table. They all nodded before turning back to their conversations. All except two people.

"You do look wonderful darling," Mrs. Ford said, smiling.

"More then wonderful Kira," Tommy said, causing Kira to blush slightly. There was a moment of silence, before Mrs. Ford gasped.

"Oh Jake I love this song, lets dance!" And she pulled him onto the floor. Tommy smiled as Kira shifted her weight to the other foot.

"Would you like to dance Kira?"

"Sure," She smiled and held out her hand to him.

The song was a slow one. Kira found herself once again lost in music, only this time she noticed she had company. Neither of them were aware of anyone else in the hall. They were in their own world, dancing, and communicating more with movement then could be expressed in words.

Their world was shattered when someone said a little to loudly "Dr. Oliver, I didn't know you were here! Cassidy why didn't you tell me?"

Tommy and Kira's heads whipped around to stare at Devin, who realized that he made a horrible mistake when he saw their frozen stares, and the mad whispering that happened a second after the words left his mouth. He let out a small "oops" before Cassidy dragged him away, looking apologetically at Kira.

Kira was silently preying her parents hadn't heard.

"KIRA FORD!" she cringed. They heard. She backed away from Tommy slowly, and turned to look at her Father and Mother.

"I can explain…" She trailed off, and looked over her shoulder at Tommy. He took the few steps that separated him and Kira, and took her hand. Hoping to give her strength. She took a deep breath. "Mom, Dad, this is Tommy Oliver. Dr. Tommy Oliver. He's my," another deep breath, "He's my science teacher."

Mr. Ford looked ready to kill, but Mrs. Ford placed her hand on his arm. "The same Dr. Oliver that you have to run off to meet all the time?" She said.

"Yes Ma'am, I'm that Dr. Oliver," Tommy responded when Kira looked to him again for help.

Mrs. Ford took a deep breath then said softly "Okay." Several reactions accrued to that small statement. First Mr. Ford stood still, clenching his fists at his sides, and looked at his wife unbelievingly. Kira stood looking at her mother curiously. And Tommy stood there thinking the whole thing was too easy, and looked between Kira and her parents waiting for someone to speak again.

"Sara," Mr. Ford said through clenched teeth.

"Jake, Kira is an adult now. And Tommy is the same guy she has been seeing for a while. All that has changed is his is name. And she's only his student until Tuesday. Plus now we at least know more about him." She looked to her daughter, "I trust you honey, but you lied to me. How many other things are you lying to me about?"

Kira glanced at Tommy through the corner of her eye, "Nothing mom. This is the only thing I've been lying about."

"We'll see about that. Come on, we're leaving. Sara, you and Kira say goodbye to Sandy, I'll get the coats and meet you at the car." Mr. Ford said with a tone that left no room for debate. He looked Tommy over, narrowed his eyes, clenched his fists, then walked away. Mrs. Ford sighed but nodded.

"You heard your father. Lets go. Tommy, I'm afraid Kira wont be leaving the house the rest of the weekend. She will see you on Monday," Mrs. Ford said, looking calmer then Kira though she would.

She took Kira by the arm and led her to her cousin, who was staring at the scene with rapt attention like everyone else.

"It was a lovely wedding dear. Sorry we have to cut it short." Kira only managed an almost inaudible "yeah".

They left the reception hall without looking back.

XXX

"Go up to you're room Kira, you're mother and I need to talk this over," Mr. Ford said, barely looking at his daughter. He walked straight into the kitchen and started slamming cabinets and banging around pans.

"Oh dear. Sweetie, I'll be up to talk to you as soon as I stop you're father from trying to cook," Mrs. Ford gave Kira a small smile and hurried after her husband.

"I knew something bad was going to happen! But no one listens to my instincts do they? Noooo," Kira ranted as she made her way to her room. Once there she kicked off her shoes, vowing never to wear them again, and carefully took off her dress.

Tying a her yellow fluffy bathrobe into place, Kira flopped onto her bed.

She could hear her parents arguing in the kitchen. This time she knew for a fact it's because of her.

Not able to take hearing the yelling, she picked up her guitar and played the first song that came to mind. She laughed at the irony. The song she was playing is the one that got her in the mess in the first place. She didn't however stop playing.

She was wondering when her mother would show up, and if she'd still have time to take a bath before bed, when her morphed beeped.

"Oh no, I so can't afford this tonight," She groaned before answering, "This is Kira."

"Kira, good, I was afraid to call," Tommy's voice came through.

"That was a wise fear," Kira whispered. Her wise fear was being ever heard.

"Are you alright?"

"Yea. So far. Their discussing," Kira winced as the sound of what she assumed was a frying pan hitting the stove, "My punishment."

"I'm really sorry about what happened. I'll call you tomorrow. I really should leave these lines open."

"It wasn't you're fault. Yea, I'll talk to you tomorrow. I hope."

"Goodnight Kira, Tommy out."

Kira went back to playing her guitar. She played 'the song that started it all' through twice before she felt the presence of someone in her doorway.

"Do you love him Kira?" Mrs. Ford asked, once her presence was known.

Kira sat still. She had refused to think about the 'L' word. When her life is risked almost daily, admitting she loves some one who also had his life in danger just as often, is something that makes doing her job ten times harder. So she refused to even think it.

"Kira, you're father and I discussed it," Mrs. Ford said walking into her daughters room, deciding to let the previous question go.

"And?" Kira prompted, setting her guitar next to her bed, and shaking herself from thinking about loving Tommy. Not yet Kira, not yet…

"And while your father thinks you should be locked up with the key thrown away, and Tommy should be driven out of the town, I think you are responsible enough to make your own choices in life. And that includes the men you date," She sat at the foot of Kira's bed and looked at her seriously.

"There is one condition," Mrs. Ford went on, Kira held her breath here it comes… "Since school ends in 3 days, we can't have you transferred out of his class. That was your fathers idea. But as I said, that can't be done, so I am enforcing a punishment," She held up her hand to stop Kira's protests.

"You are grounded until Tuesday. At which time Tommy will no longer be your teacher, and you no longer his student."

Kira stared at her mother. "Why aren't I in exile or something?"

Mrs. Ford smiled and stood up to leave. She turned when she reached the door. "You father sometimes forgets that he was one of my professors in nursing school," with that she closed the door quietly.

Kira sat stunned. How come I never knew that?! She shook her head, and decided she would question them about that once all hostility with her in the same situation died out. She was just getting up to put her guitar on it's stand when she realized her mother said nothing about canceling her second honeymoon trip. Deciding she wouldn't mention it unless they did first, Kira glanced at her clock and deduced it was not in fact to late for a bubble bath. Walking to the bathroom, Kira allowed Tommy, Love and a week still possibly alone to occupy her thoughts.

XXX

"So all you got was a grounding until tomorrow? I don't get it," Ethan said shaking his head, "I would have been shipped off to live with my Aunt if I was in you place." Kira shrugged and took another bite of her apple.

Even though it was a Monday, all the students were aware of the fact that the next day was the last day of school. And were therefore more happy then they had been on any Monday in their lives.

It was the first time Kira had a chance to tell her two friends what happened at the wedding. All they knew was what Devin let slip to them. So Kira told them everything that happened. Starting with her gut feelings that told her something bad would happen. And ending with her grounding.

"Yea, I got lucky," Kira informed Ethan when he was done telling her and Conner what would happen to him if he was in her place. She decided that she wouldn't tell anyone about her mom and dad's almost identical situation. It was their secret, not hers.

"How are you going to get out to, you know, do the ranger thing?" Conner asked her, lowering his voice. "And what about that whole week alone thing you were so happy about?"

Kira shrugged, "Don't know about that yet. But as for the ranger thing, hope nothing happens until after tomorrow, or devise a sneak-out route."

That got Conner on a rant about how parents should realize grounding was never a sure thing. Ethan debated that that shouldn't be known to parents otherwise they may remedy their mistakes and make it impossible for kids to sneak away from their punishments.

Kira excused herself, and Ethan looked up at her.

"Where you going?" He asked, Conner looked up too.

"Tom- Dr. O asked me if I would help him take down the things in him room," She watched amusedly as they both realized she and Tommy would be alone in the class room for thirty more minutes.

As one both boy 'ewwed' and shuddered, and Kira walked away laughing.

As she idly made her way to Tommy's classroom she mused about the past month and all that had happened. She knew in time Conner and Ethan would get used to the idea of her and Tommy. It would just take a while. She was willing to be patient.

And she knew without a doubt that her father would warm to Tommy after graduation. After all, she thought as she turned the last corner, even he admitted, granted after much pushing from mom, that I could do a lot worse.

When she reached the classroom door, she paused and looked through the small window. A smile crept to her face as she watched Tommy fold the periodic table that use to hang on the wall.

I love him. The thought was sudden. Her smile got wider. She just wouldn't admit it out loud just yet. A song lyric filtered through her head as she walked into the class room and greeted Tommy with a small kiss. At least out loud, I wont say I'm in love…

Fin

Did ya like it? Hope so. I liked writing it! Little tid-bit of info here, the crystal that Elsa was after will be a whole different story. Maybe. I called my cousin last night and she said she was able to get the email I sent my aunts' friends computer. I sent her the story to read, hoping to lighten her spirits. She gave me the idea for writing a longer story about the crystal… Anyway, enough of my rambles… review already!!