DISCLAIMER: Nope not mine. Not yet anyway...
SUMMARY: Kim's having nightmares about Tommy leaving her and she finally managed to tell Trini and Aisha about them.
A/N: I hope you guys have forgiven me for taking so long to update these. I lost internet for about two months. I'm trying to catch up but it's not easy. I do have another story waiting in the wings but I'm trying to see if anyone wants to read it. So far no takers.
Kimberly was dozing on her bed when Tommy got back from sparring. He tapped Trini on the shoulder when he walked into the room. "Trini? I'm back. Jason's waiting outside for you."
"Thanks, Tommy." The young Asian woman slipped out of the room as Tommy sat down next to Kim and brought her hand to his lips.
Turning her head to face him, Kim's eyes fluttered open. "Hi, handsome."
"Are we working you too hard, beautiful?"
"I'm okay. Once I get used to the difference between my gymnastics routine and this, I'll be fine." Seeing the look on his face, she gripped his hand. "Honest, Tommy. I'm going to be fine."
A familiar six-tone signal interrupted them. "I read you, Zordon."
"Tommy, it is good to hear your voice. Alpha and I wanted to check with you and see how Kimberly is."
"I'm doing better, Zordon. Thank you," Kimberly said, smiling at Tommy.
"That is good to hear, Kimberly. I hope to hear that you are walking again soon."
"I hope to be able to say it soon, Zordon. How is everyone there?"
"The Rangers are having difficulties with the Cogs. The Machine Empire seems to be strengthening them. It appears that the team's tie to the grid seems to be weakening."
"What's going on, Zordon? Is this because of me?" The look on Kim's face almost broke Tommy's heart as he squeezed her hand.
"We do not know, Kimberly. We have never had a Ranger injured this severely before. However, I do not want you to worry. You need to focus on getting better. We will figure out what is happening."
"We will keep you updated on things here, Zordon." Tommy smiled at Kim as he said it.
"Thank you, Tommy. And we will keep you apprised of the situation here."
"Thank you, Zordon. Tommy out." They heard the click as the channel closed.
"Tommy, do you think that I might be the reason the team seems to be having so many problems?"
"Kim, Zordon said he didn't know and he doesn't want you to worry. He wants you to get better." He smiled at her again. "The whole team wants you to get better."
"Do they? Do they really?" He saw the tears well up in her eyes. She really still thought that everyone was mad at her.
"Trust me. They do. Zordon will tell them what's going on and they'll all be sending you best wishes before you know it." Doubt filled her eyes. "Kim, they still care. They all thought you sent the letter, remember? I'm sure Zordon will be certain that they all understand that your mom sent the letter."
"Do you really think so, Tommy? Kat and Adam just hung up on me when I called to find out what was going on."
"Kim, they don't know what happened. I didn't know what happened until Rocky told me." What she said finally registered. "Kat and Adam hung up on you? Did they even give you a chance to explain?"
Kim shook her head. "The minute they heard my voice they just hung up without a word. Kevin and Ana both watched me start on a dangerous downward spiral that nearly went out of control. I wasn't eating or sleeping. I spent lots of time in the doctor's office with injuries from falls, missed grips and other stuff. Finally, Coach said that if I didn't straighten up, he'd cut me from the team." She bowed her head. "That almost didn't work."
"What finally turned you around?" Tommy felt like a heel for having ignored her phone calls when she needed him.
"Rocky and Billy. They came down to see me after Kevin called them and told them what I going through."
FLASHBACK"Kim? Kim, open the door," Billy called. Her door was locked and she wasn't answering their knocks. They waited another five minutes. "Kimberly Ann Hart, if you don't open this door right now, I'm going to kick it in."
Billy put his ear to the door and listened intently for a moment. Suddenly, he stepped back and kicked in the door. Looking around, he was surprised to see Kim sitting in the open window, one leg outside and one inside.
Rocky walked over to her. "Kim, come on inside. Talk to us."
"I'm cold. So cold." Her whispered voice sent chills down the two young men's backs.
Billy held out a hand to his friend. "Kim, please come back in. Come and sit with me."
Almost timidly, she held out a hand. Billy grasped it firmly and pulled her inside. He wrapped an arm around her and steered her toward the couch. They sat down on the couch and Kim turned her head into Billy's shoulder. The next thing anyone knew her shoulders were heaving with silent sobs that were heartbreaking to see.
"It's okay, Kim. We're here." Billy held her and soothed her for a few minutes before she took a deep, shuddering breath and pulled back, looking into her friend's face for a long moment before saying the one thing that Billy had been expecting.
"But you're not him."
Billy and Rocky made it a point to stay in close contact with Kimberly for the next several weeks. Even when they were sure that she was finally moving on, they still called her at least once a week to keep up with her and keep her up to date on what was going on in Angel Grove. Not once, though, did they mention him
After all, Kim was still fragile when it came to mention of Tommy and neither one of them wanted a repeat of the last trip they had taken.
FLASHBACK ENDS"I'm so sorry, Kim. The guys never said anything to me."
"I made them promise not to. I didn't want you coming back because you felt you had to. I wanted you to come back because you wanted to."
"I'm here now. And I'm not leaving. I came because I wanted to. After all, there's no way that letter could have been real after my reaction to your fall."
"Can I see the mark?"
Tommy stood up and turned around, lifting his shirt as he did. Kim inhaled sharply when she saw the vivid bruise that still decorated his back. She reached out and touched his back carefully.
Dropping his shirt, Tommy turned back around. "It's okay, Kim. It doesn't hurt anymore." He leaned over and kissed her forehead before sitting back down beside her.