Chapter 3: Promises

Tommy Oliver was getting ready to spend his Friday night grading his student's research papers. He settled down on his big leather chair with a red pen in hand.

"Damn it," Tommy muttered as his cell phone rang, though he really welcomed the distraction. "Hello?"

"Hey bro!" came Jason's voice.

"Jase, man! What's up?"

"Just callin' to discuss pre-wedding details. I called up the whole team and they're all planning on flying in a few days before the wedding."

"Nice to know that the best man is the last to know," Tommy joked.

"I told you we should've called him first!" Tommy heard Marianne scolding Jason.

Tommy laughed.

"Anyway, Kat and Tanya are staying with Aisha while Billy and Adam are staying with Rocky."

"Aisha and Rocky still aren't living together?" Tommy asked.

"Not my business," Jason laughed. "You'll have a place to stay right?"

"Yeah, I can always stay at my parents'." Silence filled the line. Jason knew that Tommy had more to say and he knew it had something to do with a petite brunette.

"So...everything good?" Jason asked.

"Uh...yeah," Tommy replied. "So...is it just us? No other teams going?"

"No other teams. Marianne just wanted a medium sized ceremony and we both wanted it to be really close friends and family only."

"Oh..."

"Well, we got other phone calls to make. Keep in touch, bro. See you soon."

"Yeah, see ya."

Tommy hung up the phone. "Stupid!" he muttered. He shook his head as if to shake away the thoughts and questions in his head. Finally he uncapped the red pen and got on with his work.

"What'd he say?" Marianne asked once Jason hung up the phone.

"Nothing. He'll be flying in early, too and he'll be staying with his parents."

"Did he ask about Kimberly?"

Jason shook his head. "I could tell it wanted to, but I don't know. I don't know where those two stand."

"You know," Marianne began as she moved closer to her fiancé. "You never really told me what happened between Tommy and Kim."

"Yes, I did. They were together, Kim moved to Florida to train for the Pan Globals, and then she met someone new and sent a Dear John letter to Tommy."

"I know that part, but you never told me what happened when they saw each other again."

"Well, you know I don't like talking about that. I dragged Kim back to Angel Grove, we got kidnapped, got turned evil, and I almost killed my best friend!"

Marianne rubbed Jason's back. "Then skip that part and tell me what happened afterwards with Tommy and Kim."

Jason sighed and leaned back on Marianne. He closed his eyes as if trying to remember everything clearly.

"Alright. Well, all I know is that, before Kimberly left for Florida again, she and Tommy went out to dinner together. From what she told me, she explained everything with the letter and Tommy got the closure he needed. But for Kim...seeing Tommy again made her realize just how strongly she loved him. But she knew she couldn't take it back. I wasn't the only one that noticed how close Kat and Tommy got."

"Didn't you say she planned to move back?"

"Yeah, but she decided that it was best for her to move away and move on too."

"What happened to her and that guy she left Tommy for?"

"Didn't work out. Knowing Kim, I think she only did that 'cause she needed someone there with her. She was lonely and she knew very well that Tommy had responsibilities."

"Yeah, saving the world is something serious," Marianne joked. Jason laughed. "How about Tommy?"

"He tried things out with Kat, that didn't work out. Then he did his own thing, too." Jason became quiet. Then he gave a small, bitter laugh. "It's funny how Kim was in my life when Tommy was hard to get a hold of. Then after Trini passed away, it's like Kim disappeared and Tommy walked back in."

"What are you trying to say?"

"True friends are the ones who walk in when the rest of the world walks out."

"Honey, you can't mean that! Kim has been your best friend since you were little! And Trini was also a best friend to her."

"Trini meant a lot to me, too."

"Yeah, I know. But sweetie, as torn up as you were about, you got over it right? Or, you learned to accept it and live with it."

"Because I met you," Jason said, turning to face Marianne, his true love.

"I know. But who did Kim have to turn to?" Marianne said in a small voice. Jason felt chills go down his spine when he realized what she was trying to say. Growing up Kimberly always turned to either him or Trini. But after Trini's death, she had no one. He was always being strong for Kim, but the death of his first love broke him down and Kim had to be strong for herself. Actually, Jason knew there was another man that could've been there for her, but he was on a dig and was too far away to reach. Besides even if he was there, would he have comforted her?

Jason shook his head. His thoughts were dizzying him.

"Are you okay, baby?"

"Yeah-" Marianne's cell phone rang.

"It's Kim!" Marianne cried happily! "Kimberly!!!"

The two girls chatted for a bit before Marianne handed the phone to Jason.

"Hey, sis," Jason said. "Long time no talk, or see!"

"I know! I'm so sorry. I've been busy! I've been flying back and forth from New York to Paris!"

"It's okay, Pinkie. Just as long as you're there for my wedding."

There was a pause on the line.

"Kim..."

"Look, Jason I can't promise anything, okay? I will try! The thirteenth right?"

Jason sighed. "Please be there Kim. I miss you. Marianne misses you. We all miss you."

"Jason-"

"Kim, stop hiding or whatever it is you're doing okay?"

Another pause.

"I will try my best."

"Promise me that you'll be there, Kim. Promise me or this conversation ends right now."

"Jason!" Marianne cried.

"I promise that I will try my best."

"That's not what I meant Kimmie." With that, Jason clicked the end call button, leaving a crushed Kimberly hanging on the other line.

Author's Note: Thank you for those who have reviewed! Yes, Marianne does know about Jason and the others being Power Rangers. The story of Jason and Marianne meeting will be coming up soon! I'm sure some of you have figured out a bit of how they met. Keep those reviews coming!