Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.
Chapter 2 The Phone Call and Proposal
August 29, 1998
Kim left in the morning to go to college. Getting her minor in voice and major in music would give her many choices in her career. She was planning on opening a music studio after graduation.
"What to do today," Tommy wondered.
He took night classes, so Tommy would usually go visit with Adam and Rocky on their break at the dojo if he wasn't too busy with homework. Today would be different though. Unknowing to Tommy at the moment, he would do something he wasn't expecting to do for about another year or so.
xxx
Kathy Johnson, one of Kim's new friends in school, noticed the girl in pink was not her usual upbeat self.
"Houston to Kimberly Hart, do you read, Kim," she asked.
Kim still had her eyes fixed on her work. Nothing seemed to get her attention.
"Kim," Kathy yelled.
Kim shot her head up and turned to Kathy.
"Oh sorry, Kathy," she apologized.
"Did you stay up all night with that boyfriend of yours," she laughed.
"Yeah, boyfriend," Kim said to herself.
Why was he still her boyfriend?
"God, I would've imagined us getting married by now," Kim sighed.
"Oh, come on now girl," Kathy smiled. "From what I've heard, you and Tommy have something special."
"I swear, if he doesn't ask me within the upcoming month, I'll ask him myself," Kim said.
"Kim, this is only you first year in college. He'll ask you, believe me," Kathy laughed.
"I know," Kim sighed. "It's just that I've always imagined us getting married right after high school."
"Did Tommy want the same," Kathy asked.
"Yeah," Kim replied, "but nothing ever came of it."
"Did he chicken out or something," Kathy laughed.
"I hope not," Kim sighed. "We never really talked about it after moving to Florida."
"Man, Florida must've been great," Kathy said.
"Wait a minute…" Kim began.
That was it. After what happened with her and Jeff, Tommy must have wanted to wait.
"Kim, you're spacing out on me again," Kathy said.
"You know what, I don't need to worry. I'll wait for Tommy until the end of time," Kim smiled.
Kim thought it was so sweet of Tommy to wait until she was ready.
xxx
Tommy had drifted into a sleep on the couth. He smiled as he began to dream. It was not a desire, but of a memory.
DREAM
He and Kim were walking through the park, enjoying the spring weather.
"It's sad to see Jason, Zack, and Trini leave," Kim sighed.
Tommy put a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, but they'll write," he told her.
"Tommy, what's going to happen to us after high school," Kim panicked.
"What do you mean," he asked.
"Will we be going to separate colleges," Kim replied.
"I'd never do something like that to us," Tommy said.
"But what if we don't want to go to the same college," Kim asked.
"Don't matter to me," Tommy smiled.
Kim looked up at him and also smiled.
"As long as I know we're going to spend the rest of our lives together, I'm happy," Tommy said.
"When were you planning on that," Kim smirked.
They both knew they were getting married sometime. The only question now was when.
"When did you want to," Tommy asked.
"I've always imagined getting married right after high school," Kim replied.
"Oh really? So have I," Tommy said.
"You liar," Kim laughed.
"I'm not," Tommy protested.
END DREAM
Tommy's dream was interrupted by the ringing phone. He moaned as he slowly made his way to the stand.
"Hello," Tommy yawned.
"Did someone stay up too late with their girlfriend last night," Adam laughed.
"Funny. What's up," Tommy asked.
"Rocky and I were wondering if you were still planning on coming, but that question seems to have already been answered," Adam laughed.
"Na, I can't. Something came over me while sleeping," Tommy replied.
"May I ask what that something was," Adam asked.
"I feel like Kim's ready to get married. I wasn't sure when she'd be after…" Tommy began.
Tommy cut himself off. No one knew what happened to Kim that night. He wasn't about to tell anyone either without Kim's consent.
"After what happened, Tommy," Adam asked.
"Forget it," he said.
"Tommy," Adam stressed, "what happened that night you teleported to her room?"
"I don't think it's my place to say," he said.
xxx
Adam began locking up the dojo as Rocky walked up behind him. He had been noticing his friend's peculiar behavior.
"Hey man, you alright," Rocky asked.
"I'm fine, why you ask," Adam questioned.
He looked down and noticed Adam fidgeting with the keys.
"That for one," Rocky laughed.
"I think Tommy and Kim are keeping something about the night she called the Youth Center crying," Adam said.
"You think it has to do with that guy that sent the letter," Rocky asked.
"Maybe," Adam replied.
"You think he threatened her or something," Rocky wondered.
"I don't know," Adam sighed.
Little did they know what had really happened.
xxx
Back in New York, the phone at the Scott and Taylor Karate School for Kids were ringing.
"Scott and Taylor Karate School. Jason Scott speaking," he said.
"Seriously dude, change the greeting," Tommy laughed.
"I'll think about it," Jason replied. "So, what's up?"
"I think it's time to ask her," Tommy said.
"It's about time bro," Jason laughed.
"I'm planning on asking her on her birthday next mouth," Tommy said.
"Dude, you don't know how much she'll love that," Jason smiled.
"Why," Tommy asked.
"It was Kim's dream to get engaged on her birthday," Jason said.
xxx
Tommy and Kenny Parker were walking to class when Tommy told Kenny about his plan.
"Kenny man, don't be telling me that," Tommy begged.
"It's true bro," he laughed. "After what I've heard, what if Kimberly says you waited too long?"
"Believe me, if she thought that, she would've already asked me herself," Tommy said.
"Really," Kenny asked.
"That's the kind of girl she is," Tommy said.
Tommy and Kenny sat down at their table in class.
"Dude, don't worry about it," Kenny said. "She'll say yes."
"I've never been this nervous before. Not even for a test," Tommy laughed.
"Have you picked out a ring yet," Kenny asked.
"I'm getting it tomorrow," Tommy said.
He had picked out a simple one carrot diamond ring for now until it was time to pick out the real thing.
"So, what are you doing after graduation," Kenny asked.
"Kenny, that's not for another good four years," Tommy said.
"No, I mean like are you planning on teaching this Paleontology stuff to students in high school," Kenny asked.
Tommy and Kenny were both already taking chores for their majors.
"Maybe," Tommy said.
"So, what about Kathy," Kenny asked.
"What about her," Tommy laughed.
He knew his friend had a thing for Kim's friend.
"Dude, I've been trying to hook up with her forever now," Kenny said.
"And," Tommy laughed.
"She's one of your girlfriend's best friends," Kenny said.
"So," Tommy asked. "That doesn't mean I talk to the girl."
"Well, get Kim to talk to her for me," Kenny said.
"I'll see what I can do," Tommy said.
xxx
Kim was preparing dinner when the phone rang.
"Hello," she answered.
"Guess who," the person asked.
"Hey, Trini, what's up," Kim smiled.
"Kim, you're not going to believe who contacted me over email today," she said.
"Would this certain person have sent me an email as well," she asked.
"Oh, I'm sure," Trini said.
"Trini, I know," Kim laughed.
Kim had come home to find the email Trini was talking about.
"Can you really believe he's really back? This is so great," Trini smiled.
"Don't get too excited. Billy also said it's be a while before he returned," Kim reminded her.
"I don't care when Billy comes back. All that matters is that he is," Trini said.
"You've really missed him, haven't you," Kim asked.
"More than you know," Trini said.
Kim gave a little laugh.
"I'm really happy for you," she said.
"So, has Tommy…" Trini began.
"No," Kim sighed, "it seems like that's all I think about now."
"Well, you did want to get married right after high school," Trini said.
"Yeah, I know, but that's not it. Tommy did too, until…" Kim began.
She could not tell her now.
"Until what, Kim," Trini asked.
"Um, nothing. I understand in waiting," she said.
"Kimberly, something happened, didn't it," Trini asked.
She had heard something about Tommy having to go to Florida, but couldn't remember why.
"Trini, I…" Kim began.
"Oh my God, it has to do with that guy in Florida, doesn't it," she remembered. "Kim, what did that jerk do to you?"
"It's not what he did to me. It's what he almost did to me," she said.
"Kim, why didn't you tell us," Trini asked.
"It was too painful to mention. When I saw how happy everyone was when I arrived, it felt like the pain went away," she told her.
"Oh, Kimberly, I'm so thankful you were able to get away," Trini said.
"Yeah, me too. Trini, you and Tommy are the only people that know about this. Don't tell anyone," she begged.
"I won't," Trini promised, "but you do know that everyone's going to get worried if Tommy doesn't pop the question soon."
"If he proposes within a month, we're good," Kim said.
"You're going to have to tell everyone sometime," Trini told her.
"Yeah, I know," Kim sighed.
xxx
Tommy was home by 8:00 that night.
"Kim, I'm home," he said.
"Hey, babe," she smiled. "Dinner's on the table."
Tommy could tell Kim wasn't herself.
"What's going on," he asked.
"Nothing's going on, Tommy," Kim said.
"Yes, there is. You have that look on your face," he said.
"Trini called today," Kim told him.
"Is she all excited about Billy coming back," Tommy asked.
Kim had told him before he left to class.
"Yup. Tommy, she knows about what happened with Jeff," she said rapidly.
"Really," he asked.
"Yeah, Tommy, I have to tell the rest sometime," Kim admitted.
"I know how you feel. I kind of almost blew it with Adam today," Tommy said.
"Have you noticed that we're living our lives around this," Kim asked.
"We'll get back to normal, but what happened is going to take a while for us to overcome. I can only imagine how you still must feel," Tommy said.
"What happened to me can't be changed, but I've learned to face it. He's not going to hurt me again," Kim vowed.
"And if he tries to, I'll be right there to save you," Tommy promised.
"That's what helps me the must. Knowing that you'll always be there to protect me, Tommy," Kim said.
xxx
September 26, 1998
That morning, the phone at Tommy and Kim's apartment was ringing off the hook.
"Happy birthday, Kimberly," Tommy said, handing her five pink roses.
"Tommy, they're beautiful," she smiled, kissing him in the cheek. "Wait, there are only five roses."
"I know," he said.
"But it's not our anniversary," Kim told him.
"True, but it's getting close," Tommy said.
"Can you believe that we've been going out for five years now," Kim asked.
"It's been a great five years," Tommy smiled. "And hopefully, there will be many more."
Tommy was not planning on asking her until dinner, but the moment felt so right. Plus, the ring was already in his pocket.
"Kim, I love you," Tommy said, taking her in his arms.
"I love you too, Tommy," she smiled.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said.
"I do too," Kim told him.
"Then there's only one question I have to ask," Tommy said.
Tommy gave her a quick kiss and dropped to one knee.
"Tommy, I…" Kim began.
He took out the box and revealed it to her.
"Kimberly Ann Hart, will you do me the honor in becoming my wife," Tommy asked.
Yes," she sobbed.
After he slipped the ring on her finger, Kim bent down to Tommy's level to kiss him. Instead of getting back up, Tommy laid Kim gently on top of him and gazed into her eyes.
"This is going to be a birthday I'll never forget," Kim smiled.
The moment was interrupted when the phone began ringing.
"Don't answer," Tommy whispered before kissing her again.
AN:
A twist in this story will turn Kim's world upside down.
