Part 13

Kimberly appeared in Kat's hospital room moments later and covered her mouth in surprise. Katherine was awake, sitting by the window, but Jason was standing behind her, his hands lightly massaging her back muscles. By the look on Katherine's face in her reflection, she wasn't just enjoying the contact; she was thriving under it.

Kimberly stood where she was, torn between announcing her presence to her friends and leaving them to their private moment - one she shouldn't have seen. But would Kat forgive her if she forewent her visit and simply returned to Florida? She chewed on the corner of one lip, looking away embarrassed when Jason ducked his head to say something softly to Kat, and escaped. A moment's inspiration struck her as she ducked towards the door. She was just out of sight when she made a knocking noise and then opened the door.

"You awake sleepy- oh!"

Jason had moved when Kimberly appeared, but not far; he was simply no longer touching Kat, the intimacy of the small moment having almost completely disappeared. Kimberly felt a twinge for having interrupted what appeared to be a budding romance between them, but she would have felt guiltier if she'd broken her promise to Kat.

"Hey Jason, I wasn't expecting you here at this hour." It wasn't entirely the truth but it made a good excuse. "Don't you ever spend any time at home anymore?"

Jason grinned. "Kat's not a big fan of hospitals so we're taking turns sitting with her during visiting hours."

Kimberly suspected Jason snuck in after hours and was taking more than his fair share of "turns" but she wasn't about to call him on it. She simply smiled. "You always had a weakness for the damsel in distress."

"It's a Ranger trait."

They shared a grin as Katherine held out her hand to Kimberly. Kimberly stepped forward and enveloped the blonde in a warm hug. "You're looking much better today, Kat."

"Thanks. The company helps remind me there's life beyond here. Hopefully I've healed enough for the casts to come off today."

"And to be discharged."

Katherine colored, though Kimberly didn't see what she had to be bashful about with Jason's statement, despite the mischievous tilt of his lips. She looked from one to the other, slightly confused. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"A very good thing." Jason's assurance caused Kat to blush a deeper shade of red.

Kimberly tilted her head curiously at the blonde, but addressed her words to Jason. "Mind giving us a few minutes? I have a couple of things I need to talk to Kat about."

"Something you can't talk to me about?"

She smiled, turning to look at him so it would take the sting out of her words. "I'll tell you later. Now shoo; you monopolize her enough when I'm not around!"

He didn't look at all bashful about it, simply grinned impudently. "I'll be in the hallway; holler if you need me."

Kimberly grinned as he disappeared, turning back to her still blushing friend. "Well, now that that's over with. You two looked awful cozy."

Katherine wouldn't meet her gaze. "He's been very... attentive."

"Hmm, attentive is it?" Kimberly couldn't resist teasing her. "His attention is good for you; it's nice to see you smiling."

"Surely you didn't come here just to talk about Jason."

"Nah," Kimberly dropped into a nearby chair facing Kat so she wouldn't have to move. "I can do that over the phone. I promised I'd drop by after I talked with Tommy, remember?"

The look on Katherine's face was almost comical. Whatever she and Jason had been doing, it had wiped the conversation they'd had earlier completely from her thoughts - Kimberly arched her eyebrows. "I take it you don't remember. Should I just go and leave you two to get back to whatever you were doing?"

"Oh no," Katherine reached out and captured Kimberly's hand, squeezing it tightly. "It's alright, honest. How'd your talk with Tommy go?"

She made a face. "It could have been better. I don't think we'll ever be friends again, Kat."

"Is that what you want Kim? To be friends with Tommy?"

Kimberly dropped her gaze to her hands, linking her fingers together in her lap and staring at them for a long minute. Was that what she wanted? Did it really matter what she wanted? She sighed, shaking her head sadly as she reached an immediate conclusion. "It doesn't matter what I want, Kat. He's made it very plain he doesn't trust me and can't trust me. Friendship is based on trust - any relationship is. Until I can prove to him that I'm trustworthy and earn his trust once again, any relationship between us is purely professional."

"You don't sound happy about that."

"Why would I be?" Tears stung the corner of her eyes. "Every time I see him, every time we argue, or fight, I'm reminded of a time when we never did. It hurts, Kat. A lot. More than I thought it would."

Katherine was quiet, either not knowing what to say in response or knowing that nothing she said could help. Either way, Kimberly was grateful for the chance to reflect on her words. She hadn't realized until now just how much it hurt when she argued with Tommy. Not because they were arguing but because they were arguing in earnest. They'd disagreed enough while dating that arguments between them had been more like play fights to find middle ground. This... this was something completely different. This was arguing because they weren't willing to consider middle ground, let alone look for it.

She finally sighed, shaking her head as if she could shake off the pain of the thoughts the way a dog shakes off water. Forcing a smile, Kimberly looked back at her friend. "I think I got my point across though. Tommy said he expected Jason to tell me about the battle but..." she trailed off deliberately.

"But Jason is spending all of his time with me." Katherine smiled. "I never thought I'd be able to make anyone forget you existed, Kim."

"An intoxicating feeling, huh?"

"Empowering. Even though I'm not a Ranger anymore, I feel like I could take on the world!"

"Let's got you out of those casts and braces first." Kimberly told her as she got to her feet. "Then we'll talk about world domination."

Katherine's laugh was soft, but uninhibited. Whatever Jason was doing, it was good for her.

"I've gotta run before I'm discovered missing, call me later?"

"Only if you promise not to pry about Jason."

"Pry?" Kimberly affected a wide-eyed innocent look. "Whenever have I had to pry?"

They shared another laugh before Kimberly bent down to hug her friend. "I'll keep in touch; good luck with your appointment today."

Katherine returned the hug as best she could one-armed and squeezed Kimberly tightly. "Thank you, Kim."

"For what?"

"Everything."

Not knowing how to respond to that heartfelt thanks, Kimberly retrieved Jason, was made once again to promise to call, and then disappeared - teleporting away. Only she didn't head for Florida. Appearing in the command center for the Rangers moments later, Kimberly found she wasn't alone and it was a person she had no desire to see at that moment. From the greeting, she figured the feeling was mutual.

"Oh, it's you."

"Hello Tanya."

The musician straightened from whatever she'd been doing behind one of the consoles and cast Kimberly a disparaging look. "I don't know why you bothered to take the pink powers if you weren't going to help us out."

"If you're talking about the time warp thingy, I didn't know until this morning."

Tanya made a disparaging sound. "Sure, right. You didn't know. It's not like you've got a communicator or anything - or like you wouldn't hear when we're being called in by Zordon."

"I didn't hear anything." Kimberly refused to back down in front of the other girl's hostility. "I didn't before I gave the powers to Kat either - not unless I was specifically called."

"Whatever." Tanya waved dismissively, the harsh look never leaving her face. "Just because you're on the other side of the continent doesn't mean you can shirk your duties to us simply because you feel like it."

"Let's get one thing straight, miss high-and-mighty," Kimberly shot back fiercely. "My Ranger duties come first. They've always come first. They always will come first. If you call me, I'll come. If nobody calls me or has the courtesy to let me know there's even been a battle, how do you expect me to help?!"

"Don't think for a second that I'm intimidated by you, Miss I'm the original Pink. You didn't show when we needed you, it's as simple as that."

"Tanya." They both turned as Zordon's face appeared above them, floating in its abstract way. "You are wrong to criticize Kimberly's dedication to the Power Ranger's cause."

"She didn't come when we needed her Zordon, what kind of Ranger does that make her?"

"She did not come because she was not called, Tanya. Kimberly's return to the Rangers was carefully thought out. Her communicator has been tuned to a different frequency than the rest of you to avoid having her called for every instance of an attack."

"But-" Tanya shot a venomous glare at Kimberly.

Zordon cut her off. "Being a Power Ranger is not meant to interfere with your life opportunities, Tanya. Kimberly has been given the opportunity of a lifetime and while her departure from the Rangers was because of this opportunity, with her identity still a secret it is possible for her to do both at this time."

"We don't know her identity is still a secret."

"It is logical that if the Machine Empire were aware of Kimberly's identity, they would attempt a similar strategy to Rita's, forcing Kimberly to choose between being a Ranger and her gymnastics once more."

"I've already been asked to make that choice, Zordon," Kimberly told him with a faint smile. "Once the Pan Globals are done, I'll be returning to Angel Grove to resume my duties as a Ranger full time."

"I am pleased to hear that, Kimberly, however, are you not giving up an even greater opportunity by doing so?"

"Maybe; maybe not. I think it's time I started planning what I want to do with the rest of my life and gymnastics isn't it."

"Then why not move back now and save us all the drama?"

Kimberly turned to look at Tanya in surprise. The confusion underlying the girl's hostility was clear, though the other girl tried to hide it. "Would you give up your dream when you were but weeks away from achieving it?"

Tanya stared at Kimberly, an unreadable expression on her face and for a moment Kimberly thought she had gotten through to her; that Tanya understood where she was coming from. But the moment passed and Tanya's expression turned hostile once more. "Just don't leave us hanging like that again. I don't know how you used to do it, but we Rangers don't like getting used as punching bags."

Kimberly opened her mouth, but shut it just as quickly, as Tanya teleported away. She turned to Zordon, frustrated. "Nobody got killed, what's her problem?"

"They all bear minor injuries from that particular battle, Kimberly. Tanya has had to learn to rely on her other Rangers now that Katherine is no longer one of them."

"I don't understand."

"Trini and you had a similar bond, as did you and Aisha. Each knew the other would always be there to back them up. Tanya and Katherine are the same way. Given time, and experience with your fighting style, Tanya will come to realize that she may rely on you. It will simply take time."

"And in the mean time I guess I'd better get used to that sniping."

"It is regrettable that you are finding it difficult to reintegrate with the Rangers, Kimberly, perhaps it would be wiser to retire the pink power for the time being."

Kimberly smiled. "No no, Zordon, it's alright. I understand where they're coming from and why they're hostile - and frankly, I do deserve most of it. I'll be alright. Once I'm back here for good, things should settle down more easily. It's not easy being an absentee Ranger on the other side of the continent."

"You are displaying a remarkable ability to bear up under pressure, Kimberly. Your training for the Pan Globals team has served you well."

"Thanks, Zordon. Just do me one thing for me though, okay?"

"What is it?"

"When the Rangers next see battle, send me a message after the fact that says they made it though alright so I don't have to go through another day like today."

"Agreed. May the power protect you, Kimberly."

She nodded; reset the coordinates on her communicator, and with a press of a button teleported back to Florida. She had things to set in motion, a confrontation to plan and a speech to prepare. Turning down the scouts for the Olympic team wasn't going to be easy.