Title: Quest
Chapter 6 – A Brief Encounter
Original Posting Date: November, 2008
When her eyes fluttered open a few hours later, darkness surrounding her entirely, Kimberly's first thought upon returning to the world of the living was that once again it had all been a very detailed dream. But the intimate touch of Tommy's fingertips on her naked abdomen coupled with his slow, steady breathing tickling against the back of her neck told her that each and every wonderful moment had been real.
If that wasn't enough confirmation, the aching in her muscles as she blinked away the darkness was currently reminding her of how long it had been since the last time she and Blake had been together. Quietly she crawled out of Tommy's embrace and onto her feet, searching the mound of clothes on the floor until she found his red tee shirt, which she pulled on with a smile at the way it hung well passed her knees.
Each tiptoed step towards the door was a constant reminder of the long, passionate night that she and Tommy had shared. It had been more amazing than she could have ever imagined, but right now she just needed to put some space between them to think about what had happened earlier.
As she reached the door she stopped and turned around, silently admiring Tommy's sleeping form. He seemed so at peace in her bed, his hair strewn wildly about the pillow he rested his head on, the sheets barely offering him any cover at all.
Part of her wanted to stay, to crawl back in bed with Tommy and fall asleep in his arms once more, but so many confused thoughts raced through her head and she knew that she needed desperately to get away. Deep down she was confident that this night had meant more to Tommy than just casual sex, but she'd also made a promise to herself and that promise had been broken as soon as she'd granted him access to her room.
She slipped out of her quarters without notice, Tommy never stirring from his deep sleep as the door slid shut behind her. The hallway's dimly illuminated lights guided her path as she made her way towards the cafeteria, the total silence around her telling her that everyone else was sleeping as well.
Her trip to the small mess hall was a short one, lasting only long enough for Kimberly to retrieve a steaming mug of raspberry flavored hot chocolate from the Meal Machine before she was on the move again with thoughts of Tommy fresh in her mind. She didn't stop until she reached the Shadow Rider's observation deck, gazing out through one of the windows upon a myriad of vibrantly shining stars.
Even the complicated, never ending reaches of space seemed so simple in comparison to what she was feeling now. She was as scared and confused as she was happy and utterly satisfied. Her wildest dreams had come true, but at the same time she didn't have a clue what that meant for her and Tommy.
Were they a couple now? Did he love her the way she loved him, or had it been just years of pent up desires that had finally reached their boiling point in the form of one incredibly amazing night?
She didn't know, and more than anything Kimberly hated not knowing, especially when it came to the direction her life was going. Sipping her cocoa, Kimberly both cursed and relished the situation she was now in. A line had been crossed earlier, and one way or another things between she and Tommy were never going to be the same. The jury was still out on whether or not those changes would be for the better, though.
"What have you gotten yourself into this time, Kim?" she asked herself in a quiet murmur, shaking her head as she stared into the depths of outer space.
"My shirt by the looks of it."
Kimberly jumped at the intruding voice, waves of hot chocolate spilling from the mug as she turned to find Tommy leaning against the doorjamb, clad only in a pair of red boxer shorts. His appearance caused a subconscious smile to cross her lips almost instantly.
"It looks good on you, by the way," he added, winking as he slowly started towards her.
"How did you know I'd be here?" asked Kimberly, watching his movements intently.
Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I just had a feeling," he replied with a helpless smile. "Why'd you leave?"
"Did I wake you?" she asked, acting as though she hadn't heard Tommy's question.
"Sort of," Tommy answered honestly, knowing that she didn't want to do the same. "I heard something moving and when I reached for you…you weren't there."
She beamed brightly, uncaring if Tommy knew how happy and warm it made her feel to hear him say that. Nodding once, she stole another sip from the ceramic pink mug as Tommy stopped next to her. "I'm sorry I woke you up."
Furrowing his brow, Tommy shook her apology off dismissively. "Don't be," he told her. "I just hope this isn't something you do every night or I'll never sleep decently again."
Kimberly's mouth fell open in surprise. There it was, Tommy's admittance that he didn't want their night to be a one-time thing. "E-every night?" she stammered, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.
Tommy nodded. "Unless you regret what happened, that is."
"Do you?" asked Kimberly, trying her best to deflect the attention away from herself.
"I asked you first," said Tommy, folding his arms across his chest defiantly. "This isn't high school, Kim, and we aren't kids anymore so stop avoiding it and just answer the question, alright?"
Kimberly sighed and nodded. "I don't regret anything we did, Tommy. I'm just scared of what it all means."
Chuckling, Tommy ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. "Of course you're scared, Beautiful. You're not the only one, either," he said softly, touching the side of Kimberly's arm as her expression suddenly changed. "What's wrong?"
It took a few moments for Kimberly to regain enough presence of mind to answer him, and when she did it was in a hoarse whisper. "You called me Beautiful."
If Kimberly had been confused before, Tommy was downright bewildered now. "Is that a bad thing?" he asked, a dumbfounded expression upon his face.
Smiling slightly, Kimberly shook her head. "No, Tommy, it's not. I just haven't heard it in so long that for a second there I forgot how nice it felt to hear you call me that," she answered, gazing deeply into his chocolate colored eyes. "Tell me what you're scared of."
"What do you mean?" questioned Tommy.
"You said you weren't the only one who's scared," Kimberly replied. "I want you to tell me what you're scared of.
Swallowing hard, Tommy sighed nervously. "I'm scared that I'll get too close only to wake up one morning and find that you aren't there. The only thing that's ever scared me about you is the possibility of losing you; and honestly, I don't think my heart could deal with losing you again. That's what scares me…more than anything."
Kimberly nodded her understanding. "No one can promise tomorrow today, Tommy," she said softly. "The only thing I can promise you is that I won't ever make the same mistake again."
"I know you won't, Kim. I can see it in your eyes," Tommy replied, reaching out and taking her hand. "Even when I tried so hard not to love you, I still did. Fate stepped in and pushed us apart once before, but it also pulled us back together, and that made me realize something; as scared as loving you makes me feel inside, I don't ever want to love anyone else. And honestly, I don't think I'll ever be able to love anyone in the world as much as I love you."
With a sigh, Kimberly turned her back to Tommy and started pacing.
"I've hated myself every day for what I did to you and to us. I'd wake up and just cry because I knew how badly I had hurt you and because I'd found a way to ruin the single best thing to ever happen to me," Kimberly murmured, clutching her mug tightly in both hands. Tommy stepped up behind her and placed a hand on each shoulder, rubbing them gently. "When I saw you on Murianthis, I knew I still loved you and I've spent every day since then praying for us to find a way back into each other's lives. Now that it's not just a dream anymore, part of me feels like I don't really deserve it."
Wincing, Tommy stepped around her and lifted her chin with his thumb so that she was forced to meet his eyes. "We're never going to have a chance to make this work if you keep thinking like that," he said softly. "I'm standing here right now, looking you in the eyes, and saying I don't give two shits about what happened in the past. Do you think I would have let last night happen if I was still pining over something from two years ago? We've both changed a lot in two years and I'm not in love with the Kimberly from high school, I'm in love with the Kimberly from today. Which Tommy are you in love with?"
Kimberly's answer did not come through speech, but in the form of a passionate kiss to Tommy's lips, her hands cupping his cheeks. When she pulled away, her cheeks were rosy red as she looked up at him with a flustered smile.
"I'm in love with you, Tommy," she whispered, gently caressing the side of his face, "the man you are today, and the boy you once were. We might be different than we used to be; we've both done a lot of growing these past two years, but one thing that has never changed is how much I love you."
Tommy smiled as he ran his fingertips through her soft auburn locks, tucking a few loose strands behind her ear. "I want you to know something," he murmured, Kimberly nodding with a curious expression. "Regardless of where we go or what happens to us in the future, last night will always be one of the most amazing nights of my entire life."
"Me too," Kimberly replied, blushing. "But I still hate that Kat got to you first."
With a chuckle, Tommy rolled his eyes. "I know you do, and I'm not exactly thrilled about this Blake character, either, but it is what it is and there's nothing either one of us can do about it. Look at the plus side, though. At least we both knew what we were doing. Isn't that better than it being awkward 'cause we're both sex-retarded?"
"Wow, you put that so eloquently, Tommy," said Kimberly sarcastically, Tommy smiling. "But yes, I guess it was better this way. Now there's something I want you to know, as well."
With raised eyebrows, Tommy wore a thoughtful look on his face. "Oh yeah?" he asked. "What's that?"
Smiling wickedly, Kimberly crossed her hands at the bottom of Tommy's tee shirt. "I don't want to wear your shirt anymore."
Tommy watched with his eyes wide and mouth agape as Kimberly slowly pulled the shirt over her head, revealing inch by inch the body that last night he'd deemed as close to perfect as was humanly possible. While Katherine had been the stereotypical image of beauty—tall, blonde, a chest that turned heads, and an ass that made the men those turned heads belonged to run into things—he could not picture anyone being more beautiful than the woman standing before him right now.
It pained him to have to turn down the image of near perfection with a sad shake of his head. "Last night was amazing, but it shouldn't have happened," he muttered, the shock evident on Kimberly's face as Tommy smacked himself in the forehead. "That sounded a lot worst than I meant for it to."
"What exactly did you mean?" asked Kimberly, her shock turning to anger almost instantly.
Pausing to gather his thoughts, Tommy closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering her. "What I mean was that we were both pretty careless. I didn't wear any protection and you've been up here alone for two months so I think it's safe to assume that you aren't on any sort of birth control. I don't know about you, but I don't really think either one of us is ready for a little Tommy or Kimberly running around; do you?"
Sighing, Kimberly shook her head and reached down to pick up his tee shirt from the floor, her hardened expression disappearing as she pulled the garment back on. "You said the one thing that could have saved you," she told him, a relieved smile crossing Tommy's lips. "But as punishment, I'm making you pay for the first round of birth control. The Walgreen's on East Flagler Street in Miami should still have all my information on file so you can take me there in an hour."
"Do we have enough time for that before we get to Phaedos?" asked Tommy.
Kimberly raised her eyes to the ceiling as she asked, "DECA, how long until we reach Phaedos?"
"Approximate arrival time to Phaedos is five standard hours, Kimberly."
"Plenty of time," Kimberly said to Tommy. "You can buy me lunch while we're waiting."
"Oh joy," Tommy muttered sarcastically. Slapping his shoulder playfully, Kimberly pointed a warning finger at him. "Can I claim domestic abuse if we aren't married?"
Kimberly laughed. "Yeah, I'd love to hear you explain that one to the cops. 'Hey, I'm six-feet tall, chiseled like a statue, have a black belt in karate, and I want to report my girlfriend who's all of five-foot-two and weighs a hundred and five pounds for abuse.' Yep, I'm sure that'd go over real well."
"Damn," said Tommy, hands on his hips in defeat. "There's not a whole lot I can really say to that, is there?"
Kimberly shook her head. "Nope, that's why I'm the best at what I do," she replied, starting a slow saunter towards the door. She looked back only long enough to remind Tommy that he now had fifty-six minutes left to get ready and then she was gone.
Once the room was empty, Tommy looked down sadly. "Sorry, buddy," he murmured, "but better safe than sorry."
And with that, he too left the observation room, opting for a quick shower followed by some breakfast before he had to tromp around Miami with Kimberly. As he started down the long hallway, though, something made him stop and raise his eyes towards the ceiling.
"DECA," he started, silently wondering if the Shadow Rider's computer answered everyone or just Kimberly. "What time is it on Earth right now?"
"Where on Earth, Tommy?" asked DECA.
"America," he answered, "Eastern Time Zone."
"It is precisely seven fifty-seven p.m."
"And what time is it where we are right now?" asked Tommy.
"Time in space is much different than time on a colonized world, Tommy. The approximate time is six forty-eight a.m., but it is theoretically impossible to give you a precise time."
"Unbelievable. I should be sleeping right now," Tommy muttered, shaking his head as he started walking again. "The things I do for love, DECA; the things I do for love."
It was twenty minutes later when he stepped out of his personal quarters, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of red board shorts patterned with white flowers, a red muscle shirt, and black flip-flops. The sunglasses Kimberly had bought for him hung around his neck, his hair pulled back in a tight ponytail as he headed for the cafeteria.
He froze on the spot, letting out a hearty laugh when he saw an extremely groggy Jason sitting at one of the tables, his hair matted down wildly as he gazed down into a mug of steaming coffee with glazed eyes, wrapped in a black bath robe. At the sound of Tommy's laugh, Jason looked up and nodded to acknowledge him but did not speak.
"You look like hell, bro," said Tommy, shaking his head with a chuckle as he headed for the Meal Machine. Standing in front of the machine, he looked over his shoulder at Jason. "Does this thing really make whatever you ask it to?" he asked, Jason grunting his confirmation. "In that case I'll have a strawberry waffle, two scrambled eggs with cheese, a couple sausage links, and two pieces of wheat toast with grape jelly."
"Pretty cool, huh?" muttered Jason as Tommy's meal appeared to the Red Ranger's utter delight.
"Hell yeah, man," Tommy answered, carrying his tray to Jason's table where he sat down across from his friend. "So what's wrong with you, bro? You look like you haven't slept in weeks."
Jason scoffed harmlessly. "It feels like it's been weeks, man, but it was just tonight. This dream I had must have woken me up at least eight or nine times, and every time I fell back asleep I kept having the same stupid dream."
Digging his fork into the pile of eggs in front of him, Tommy nodded in understanding as he raised the utensil to his mouth. He, too, knew what it felt like to have the same awful dream over and over again. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked in between bites.
"There's not a whole lot to talk about," Jason sighed. "I'm standing in that dungeon alone and then suddenly Goldar appears and he has you and the others all tied up on the floor. I try to get to you guys, but it's like there's this invisible wall blocking me. I can't get through and Goldar ends up killing you all right in front of me."
"Wow, that's some dream, bro," said Tommy, sparing a moment to take it all in as he devoured a large piece of waffle. "I wouldn't worry about it too much if I was you, though. I mean, it's just a dream, right?"
Jason shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, man. Have you ever had a dream that seemed so ridiculously real that when you wake up you can't help but feel like it will eventually come true in real life?"
Tommy's nod came without hesitation. "Yup," he replied with a smile. "And it did come true eventually. About six hours ago, in fact."
The sly grin on Tommy's face caused Jason to raise a curious eyebrow. "What are you—" he started, but he didn't need to finish. Suddenly, as the color drained from Jason's face, it all became very, very obvious and a huge smile crossed his lips. "I'm happy for you both but, please, spare me the graphic details."
Tommy laughed. "Don't worry, Jase, I wasn't planning on sharing. I just thought you should be the first to know that Kim and I are getting back together."
"How long has it been since you two discussed this?" Jason asked.
"About forty-five minutes or so, why?" questioned Tommy.
"Then I'm not the first person to know," Jason answered with a chuckle. "If it's been forty-five minutes then you better believe that Kim has already told Trini about it. You know they tell each other everything, man."
Chucking knowingly, Tommy nodded his head. "Well, then I guess you're gonna have to settle for being the first person that I told."
Looking down at his coffee, Jason laughed and took a sip. "I gotta admit, bro; I'm a little bit surprised that it didn't take you longer. I mean, part of me knew that it was only a matter of time, but it's only been a couple of days."
"Yeah, well, what's the point in fighting the inevitable, you know?" Tommy replied, shrugging. "With all of our history together, part of me knew that it was bound to happen, as well, and I'm really glad it did."
Jason smiled. "Me, too, bro; like I said, I'm happy for you both," he replied, Tommy smiling thankfully. "So where are you headed dressed like that? I know you're memory's bad, but spring break was like a month ago."
Tommy laughed at the dig. "Kim wants me to go to Miami with her," he answered, leaving out the unnecessary details.
"What are you going to Miami for?" asked Jason, wearing a confused expression.
"Stuff," Tommy answered, the look on his face telling Jason that he was swiftly approaching some rather dangerous territory. "I'd tell you what we were doing, but that might lead to some graphic details."
Tommy winked, Jason rolling his eyes. "Yeah, you better keep those to yourself. Anyways, man, I'm gonna go catch a shower and hit the gym before we get to Phaedos. I'll catch up with you in a little bit."
"Later, bro," said Tommy, nodding as Jason stood and left the room carrying his coffee mug.
Outside the cafeteria, Jason started towards his personal quarters when Kimberly entered his line of vision after she turned a corner into the hallway. He smiled knowingly as they continued towards each other and stopped once they were side by side, pulling her into a warm hug.
"Congrats, kiddo," whispered Jason, gently patting her back. "I know how long you've waited for this and I couldn't be happier for you."
"Thanks, Jase," Kimberly replied, smiling brightly as she looked towards the cafeteria. "Is he in there?"
"Yep," Jason answered, letting go of his hold on her. "And I gotta tell you, Kim, I can't remember the last time I've seen him look this happy."
Kimberly was all smiles. "Yeah, well the feeling's mutual. Trini pretty much screamed like a wild banshee when I told her."
"That's about what I expected," said Jason, shaking his head with a knowing laugh. "You kids don't be too late now, okay? Don't forget we've got big plans later."
Rolling her eyes, Kimberly swatted Jason's chest playfully. "I'll have you know that I plan on keeping Tommy occupied until the last minute possible."
Jason had to cover his mouth when he literally felt his stomach start to lurch at the mere thought of what Kimberly was implying. "Oh, come on, Kim, you know that you guys are like family to me. I don't want to think about you two doing that stuff."
Laughing, Kimberly started back pedaling towards the cafeteria. "Sex, Jason," she said to him, smirking triumphantly at the nauseous look on the Black Ranger's face, "Lots and lots of hot, steamy sex."
"I hate you so much right now," Jason grumbled, turning to walk away.
"Love you too, Jase!" Kimberly called out after him, Jason shaking his head as he disappeared around the corner. Spinning on her heels, she skipped her way into the cafeteria with a happy smile. At the sound of the door opening, Tommy looked back wearing a similar expression on his face. "You ready to go?"
"Almost done," Tommy replied, indicating the small remainder of his breakfast and then to the open seat next to him. "Come and sit down for a few minutes."
Kimberly willingly obliged; sliding into the empty space, she wrapped her arms around one of Tommy's and rested her head against his shoulder. It was clear that they were in that early stage of a relationship when the only thing they cared about was being close to each other and spending as much time together as possible.
"As much as I love having you on my arm, Beautiful," Tommy murmured, "I'm right handed and it's kind of hard to eat when you're attached to my right arm."
"Why finish your meal when you can just skip straight to dessert?" asked Kimberly in a murmur, tracing slow kisses up the side of his neck. Tommy moaned as she moved her kisses across his cheek before reaching his lips, her final destination.
He responded eagerly, his hands moving Kimberly from her awkward angle so that she now sat on his lap facing him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as they kissed, a hungry, fiery passion slowly boiling inside them. Knowing what this would eventually lead to, though, common sense kicked in and Tommy tore his lips away.
"Later," was his whispered promise, Kimberly pouting her lips which caused him to chuckle slightly. "Come on, let's go," he continued, holding onto her as he rose from his seat before setting her down.
Only when he stood before her did he get his first good look at her since her arrival. She wore a pink denim miniskirt and a white blouse that only had four buttons, leaving her perfectly flat stomach bare.
"What's the matter, Tommy? Cat got your tongue?" she asked, wearing a victorious smile for she knew her outfit had stunned him.
Tommy shook his mind clear. "N-no," he stammered. "You just look so beautiful. Isn't that the outfit you wore the last time we went to Phaedos?"
Kimberly nodded, wearing a surprised look on her face. "I'm impressed that you remembered. I figured good things happened the last time I wore it, so why not wear it again."
"It looks great on you," Tommy replied.
"Thank you," said Kimberly, smiling brightly as she stole a quick kiss. "You don't look so bad yourself, either."
"Oh, you are too kind Ms. Hart," said Tommy, stepping to the side and motioning for Kimberly to lead the way.
They exited the cafeteria side by side, and as soon as they stepped into the hallway Tommy's hand was reaching out for hers. Looking up at him, Kimberly was all smiles as they walked hand in hand down the hall.
"If you're trying to score brownie points, you're off to a damn good start," she told him.
Tommy's face was one of faux shock. "I wasn't aware that I needed to score brownie points."
"You don't," Kimberly replied, pecking a kiss to his bare arm. "But it never hurts to have backup, just in case."
Tommy nodded as Kimberly stopped and squeezed his hand to ensure that he did the same. When she stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly, Tommy knew exactly what to do.
Behind her back he reached for his Morpher. "You ready?" he asked.
"Yep," Kimberly replied softly.
"Then let's go," said Tommy, pressing the button on his Morpher that caused them to be consumed in crackling columns of red and pink energy, quickly disappearing from the ship.
Not thirty seconds later Jason came running down the hallway, his face a flushed shade of red as he scoured the ship for his teammates. His heart thumped hard against his chest, his breathing growing heavier and heavier by the second. He skidded to a stop in front of Trini's room, banging his fist on the door.
"Trini, open up!" he yelled, hitting the door one more time before moving on to Zack's door and doing the same. "Yo, Zack, get out here, man! Hurry up!"
Jason jumped around in anxious circles as he waited for them to come out; Trini was the first, stumbling groggily out of her room, wrapped in a yellow robe. "What's going on?" she moaned, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"Wait for Zack," said Jason, the Blue Ranger's door opening moments later.
"This better be good," muttered Zack, yawning as he rubbed his eyes.
"It is," Jason replied, turning on his heels. "Come on, you guys have to see this. Follow me."
With that Jason started running back the way he'd come from, Trini and Zack sharing a roll of their eyes before following after him. Looking over his shoulder, Jason slowed his pace so they could catch up to him.
"What's going on, Jase?" asked Zack as they turned a corner.
"I don't know, man," Jason answered, shaking his head. "DECA was telling me about this fight simulation thingy so I went to check it out, but I ended up getting lost. You'll never believe what I found."
"Well, what is it?" asked Trini anxiously.
"Just wait and see for yourselves," said Jason as they started their first step up two flights of stairs. Bursting out of the stairwell, he led them down a long stretch of hallway followed by two quick lefts and a hard right before stopping in front of a shadowy corner where the smallest part of a door was visible. "This is it, guys."
Trini furrowed her brow. "You just randomly stumbled upon the most obscure little corner on the entire ship?"
Jason shrugged. "Like I said, I got lost. Anyway," he replied, reaching for the button to open the door. "Go ahead and see for yourselves."
The barrier slid open with a low hiss, revealing an incredibly dark room lit only by a single dim bulb which hung a few feet down from the ceiling. Hesitantly, Zack and Trini approached the center of the room where the light shone. Trini gasped, her hands flying to her mouth when she saw what was there.
"Oh my God is that—" she started, staring down into what appeared to be some sort of glass coffin.
"Another Ranger?" murmured Zack in disbelief.
Standing in between the pair, Jason nodded. "I'd say so; silver by the looks of it."
The confined body wore a suit almost exactly identical to the one the Rangers wore, only with gold trim and five green squares across the chest as opposed to the five multicolored squares of the other Rangers. Curvy wisps of steam wafted around his body, a thin layer of shimmering ice surrounding the glass case.
"I can't believe it," said Trini, shaking her head. "Do you think Kim knows about this?"
"I don't know," said Jason, shrugging. "But you better believe it's going to be the first thing we talk about when she and Tommy get back."
--
Seated across from Kimberly at a little mom and pop restaurant in Miami was how Tommy found himself twenty minutes after they had visited the drug store. Having already eaten earlier, Tommy nursed a glass of Pepsi while Kimberly, wearing a rather thoughtful expression, picked at a Cuban sandwich and fried plantains.
"What are you thinking?" asked Tommy, sipping his soda through a plastic straw.
Flashing a recuperative smile, Kimberly shook her head. "It's nothing," she answered, waving her hand dismissively. The look on Tommy's face, however, told her that he wasn't buying it. "Tommy, really, it's nothing."
Folding his arms across his chest, Tommy leaned back against the booth's cushion. "Come on, Kim, who do you think you're talking to here? I may be forgetful, but I'd like to think I've known you long enough that I can tell when something's got you. So why not save us both the time and just come out with it?"
Kimberly sighed. "Promise you won't laugh at me or get weirded out."
Tommy chuckled. "I promise, Kim," he replied, holding up two fingers, "Scout's honor."
"Earlier in the observation room, when you said you didn't want a bunch of little Tommy's and Kimberly's running around…it got me thinking," said Kimberly, laughing when Tommy's eyes grew wide. "Don't worry, Tommy. When I said it got me thinking, I didn't say it got me thinking about the present. But I feel like we've known each other so long that, even though we've only been back together for less than a day, talking about our future together isn't so weird."
"I agree completely. So what's on your mind?" Suddenly feeling flushed Kimberly looked away, but her eyes were quickly brought back to Tommy when he reached across the table and took her hand. "Kim, listen, whatever it is you know you can tell me anything."
Taking a deep breath, Kimberly nodded. "It's just…I mean not any time soon or anything, but one day…I wouldn't mind being the mother of your children. Honestly, when we were kids I used to totally daydream about how our lives would be when we got older."
Tommy smiled. "Oh yeah?" he asked, Kimberly nodding. "Well, what'd you see?"
Laughing, Kimberly shook her head. "Oh no, you're not getting me on that one. I caved in and told you I wanted to have your kids, but I am not telling you about my teenaged fantasies."
"Aww, come on, Kim," Tommy replied, pouting his lips with his best puppy dog eyes. "You're not the only one who used to think about the future, you know. How about this, you tell me yours and then I'll tell you mine."
Kimberly rolled her eyes in defeat. "Fine, but you're going to think I'm nuts or something," she said, the look in Tommy's eyes telling her that he wouldn't. "I'm warning you it's corny, but here goes. In Ms. Applebee's class, I used to stare at the back of your head and just drift off. We were fresh out of college, both of us having gone to Angel Grove University. We pooled every dime that we had, opened a karate-gymnastics school together, and moved into this tiny little one bedroom apartment."
"Sounds like the perfect fantasy romance," said Tommy teasingly, Kimberly glaring back at him.
"That was just the start of it. I may have been dreaming, but I wasn't naïve," she replied. "I knew it wouldn't be easy at first, but we worked hard; we got by on love and that was all that mattered. This is where it gets corny, though. Eventually the school was able to turn a profit and we bought that house on Cherry Drive that we always used to walk by."
"The one you grew up in?" asked Tommy.
Kimberly nodded. "Your newfound memory impresses me more and more every minute," she answered with a laugh. "Anyways, a few months after we moved into the house I got pregnant. We had twin boys that came out looking just like their father."
"What were their names?" asked Tommy, Kimberly furrowing her brow in confusion. "You don't mean to tell me you had these elaborate dreams for our future and didn't even pick out the names of our kids, do you?"
"No, no, I did," Kimberly replied, shaking her head. "I just wasn't really expecting you to ask, that's all. Thomas James, Jr. was born first, at eleven thirteen in the morning, and Jeffrey Jason came eight minutes later."
Wearing a look that was somewhere in between disbelief and awe, Tommy ran his hand through his hair. "Wow," he murmured. "That's uh, that's a lot more detailed than what I was expecting. I have to be honest with you; I don't think mine lives up to yours."
Kimberly just laughed. "That's not even all of it, but I'm sure you get the gist of it. Now it's your turn." Now it was Tommy's turn to look embarrassed, his neck feeling increasingly warm. "You're not backing out of this one, Tommy. I told you my little daydreams now hold up your end of the deal and tell me yours."
"It's stupid," Tommy muttered, looking away.
"Hey, look at me," said Kimberly, squeezing his hand until Tommy did so. "There's nothing you can say that I would think of as stupid. I might think it's silly or funny or sweet, but it can't be stupid if it's coming from your heart."
Sighing, Tommy nodded. "The dreams I had are probably completely different than what anyone would ever expect from me but, uh, I kind of thought about going to school and maybe becoming a teacher."
Kimberly sputtered, coughing mid-bite as her hand flew to her mouth to prevent the half chewed plantain from spilling out. "A teacher?" she asked in total surprise, Tommy nodding. "You're right, that's the last thing I expected. What made you want to do that?"
"I dunno," said Tommy, shrugging. "I know I never really showed it, but I was always interested in the Dino Zords, not just the way they worked and the science involved in creating them, but the real creatures they came from. At first it was just a fleeting thought that I didn't pay much attention to, but then I started thinking about it more and more. I love karate, and it will always be a passion, but all my dream jobs from the time I was a little kid until now have always involved me helping people in one way or another."
"That part doesn't surprise me so much. I just…a teacher?" asked Kimberly, struggling to grasp the idea of Tommy doing something for a career that seemed so out of character for him. "Okay, so let's say you become a teacher. What happens with me, and what happens with us after that?"
"You taught at the same school as me," Tommy replied, a smile crossing his lips at the fond recollection of old memories. "You've always loved to read and write so I thought maybe an English teacher. You still gave private gymnastics lessons from time to time on weekends, though. Oh, and we had this awesome house that was kind of tucked away and secluded from everything. It was perfect."
Kimberly stole a sip from Tommy's Pepsi before answering. "What about kids?"
Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, ever since I found out I was adopted part of me has always wanted to give that chance to someone else. I know I can't change the world by adopting one, two, or even three kids, but I can change one person's world the same way my parents did for me."
Kimberly smiled brightly back at him. "That's really sweet, Tommy," she said softly, Tommy nodding casually. "But you're kidding yourself by saying that's not detailed. You must have spent just as much time daydreaming in Ms. Applebee's class as I did."
"I don't know about just as much," Tommy replied with a teasing smile. "But I guess I did my fair share of daydreaming in class, too. Anyways, that was the past. I don't think teaching is in the cards for me, anymore."
"Why not?" asked Kimberly.
"I've been out of school for over a year now, Kim," said Tommy, almost regretfully. "And with racing and everything, I just can't see myself going back."
Kimberly shook her head. "You make it sound like you're forty and having a mid-life crisis when you're just barely twenty years old. People take a year or two off after high school before going on to college all the time. If you want it bad enough you'll always find a way to get it done. You taught me that."
Tommy sighed. "Maybe," he murmured, silently wondering if he could do it. "I guess it might not be that hard to go back."
"The only thing stopping you is yourself, Tommy," said Kimberly.
"Yeah, and saving the whole freaking universe," Tommy scoffed.
"This isn't something that's going to last forever. You and I both know that," Kimberly replied, looking him right in the eyes. "We're going to find a way to save Zordon and everything is going to be okay."
Their conversation was put on hold momentarily when their waitress came by to drop off the check. For the short time that she was by their table, the gorgeous daughter of the Cuban-American's who owned the restaurant never took her eyes off Tommy, who was of course oblivious to the attention being thrown his way.
Kimberly, however, was not so unaware. She wasn't tacky either, though, so she didn't say anything about it until after the waitress had collected her empty plate and left their table.
"I swear, it's like women could literally be throwing themselves at your feet and you wouldn't even notice it," said Kimberly, a confused look on Tommy's face. "I know you didn't see it, but that waitress was practically undressing you with her eyes. I can't understand how you don't notice these things."
Smiling, Tommy shrugged. "What can I say? There's only one woman here worth paying attention to and she's sitting right across from me," he replied, leaning across the table for a quick kiss before sliding out of the booth. "What do you say we hit Walgreen's, get back to the ship, and start practicing for the future?"
Kimberly rolled her eyes, but the desire inside them was evident as she took Tommy's offered hand, allowing him to help her onto her feet. "Don't forget, lunch is on you."
Laughing, Tommy shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of it," he replied, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. Kimberly's meal and their shared soda totaled eight dollars and Tommy pulled out a ten. "You think a two dollar tip is enough?"
"It's two too much if you ask me," said Kimberly, glaring over Tommy's shoulder at the back of their waitress's head.
"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" asked Tommy, Kimberly shaking her head.
"No way," she replied dismissively, Tommy smiling because he knew better. "Okay, maybe a little, but can you blame me? I mean look at her! Her boobs are huge, her butt is incredible, and those lips are perf—"
Tommy's kiss both interrupted and silenced her. "Not as perfect as yours," he whispered against her lips. "Like I said before, there is only one woman in this place that's worth my attention and it's definitely not our waitress."
"Practicing for the future it is, then," said Kimberly, blushing slightly as she reached for his hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."
Fifteen minutes later they stood behind the drug store, a small paper bag hidden in the pocket at the bottom of Tommy's board shorts. Side by side, two columns of red and pink energy shot up through the sky and into the depths of outer space. No sooner had they touched down in the control room of the Shadow Rider then they were met by Jason, Zack, and Trini who all stared expectantly at Kimberly.
"Something wrong, guys?" asked Kimberly. Clearly confused, she looked to Tommy who shrugged obliviously.
Stepping forward, Jason folded his arms across his chest. "I don't know, Kim," he replied. "Is there something you want to tell us?"
Furrowing her brow, Kimberly smacked herself in the forehead. "Of course, I completely forgot," she answered, shaking her head as she turned her attention towards Zack. "Tommy and I are back together."
"Wow, that's awesome; congratulations," said Zack enthusiastically, his smile lost when Jason smacked his shoulder and glared at him. "But, uh, that's not why we're all here."
"Well then why are you here? And what's with all the hostility?" asked Tommy, standing firmly at Kimberly's side. "If you guys have a problem with something," he continued, looking down on the petite woman next to him, "or someone, you need to be up front about it."
Jason nodded. "You know what, bro? You're absolutely right," he replied, turning to Kimberly. "So since we're all being up front, who's the Silver Ranger and why is he stuck inside a frozen glass coffin hidden in the tiniest little corner of this place?"
"A Silver Ranger?" asked Tommy in disbelief. "What are they talking about, Kim?"
Caught between the proverbial rock and hard place Kimberly sighed, defeated. "I don't know who he is, other than that he was the pilot onboard your guys' ship when it went down. When I found him, his face was burned beyond recognition and he was on the verge of dying," said Kimberly, four sets of astonished eyes growing wide. "I brought him back here, put a Morpher on his arm, and activated it, but it still wasn't enough so I had Alpha help me cryogenically freeze him. His vitals are all normal, but he's basically comatose. Alpha's been trying to find a way to wake him, but so far we haven't had any luck."
"Let's forget the fact that you gave an incredibly powerful Morpher to someone you don't even know, someone who could be a freaking serial killer or something," said Jason incredulously, Kimberly rolling her eyes. "Why didn't you tell us about him? Why keep him hidden from the rest of us?"
Defiantly, Kimberly stepped towards Jason, inches separating them as she looked up at the man who towered over her. Her diminished height did not stop her from pointing a finger at him, jabbing it into his chest.
"First of all, Jason, you're not the leader of this team anymore okay, I am. You answer to me now, not the other way around," said Kimberly, Jason staring bullets at her while Tommy grinned in amusement behind her back. "I gave him the Morpher because if he wasn't worthy of it, it would have rejected him and he would have died just like he would have if I had done nothing. As far as why I didn't tell you guys, with everything that's happened in the last couple of days it slipped my mind. It's not like I was keeping it a secret, and personally I'm a little pissed off with the way you approached me about it to be honest."
"Yep, she's definitely a leader," Trini muttered to Zack who nodded his agreement.
Jason, however, didn't seem too impressed. "Whatever," he grumbled. Glaring back and forth between Tommy and Kimberly, he shook his head. "I'm out of here. You guys have fun on Phaedos and be sure to let me know when this becomes a team and not a tandem."
Turning his back to the new couple, Jason stormed towards the door but stopped just short of it, whirling around to face Zack and Trini. "Are you guys coming?" he asked impatiently, clearly intending to separate everyone from Tommy and Kimberly as much as possible.
The rock and hard place Kimberly had found herself in between a few minutes earlier paled in comparison to the situation Zack and Trini were now stuck in. The pair shared a momentary look that conveyed their obvious discomfort in having to choose between two friends that they both cared about equally.
Shaking his head, Zack muttered something inaudible and turned to follow Jason. Wearing a saddened expression, Trini looked to Kimberly. "I'm sorry, Kim," she murmured, unable to look away from her friend's tear filled eyes as she backpedaled towards the door.
Kimberly's eyes remained locked on Trini as well, or at least they did until the door slid shut and completely blocked her already blurry line of vision. She turned her focus to Tommy and just started to cry uncontrollably, burying her face against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and held on tight.
"What did I do?" she asked, sobbing. "A couple of hours ago Jason was so happy for us, now he has Trini and Zack on his side when there shouldn't even be sides in the first place."
"You didn't do anything, Kim," Tommy whispered, gently rubbing her back. "Obviously, Jason is still mad that he can't go through the jungle with us. I thought he was over it, but clearly he's not. That's not your fault, though."
"Obviously I did do something or Jason wouldn't have gotten all pissy and stomped out of here like that," Kimberly replied, shaking in Tommy's arms. "I should have told you guys about the Silver Ranger, I just…I got so caught up in everything that was going on and I forgot."
Tommy sighed. "Kim, sweetheart, Jason's not mad because you didn't tell us about the Silver Ranger. He's mad because he has to sit behind and wait while we go off without him. I'm not saying his reaction was right, but I know the feeling and I know how badly it sucks to be that guy on the outside looking in. He just wants to feel included, that's all."
"I get that, Tommy, I really do, and I can sympathize with where he's coming from, but to do what he just did…it doesn't make sense to me," she murmured, slowly freeing herself from Tommy's embrace while simultaneously taking his hands. "When we did this in high school we used to get split up all the time for all kinds of crazy reasons and I've never seen anything more than a thirty second argument."
Nodding, Tommy dropped one of her hands as he led her towards a nearby chair. "That's the thing, though. As nostalgic as this is, we're not in high school anymore, Beautiful," he murmured. Taking a seat, he pulled Kimberly into his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist. "When we were in high school we used to see each other all the time; and I don't know about the rest of you guys, but up until a few days ago I hadn't seen any of the Rangers in months. Deep down, I know that Jason is really happy for us, but right now he sees you and me spending all this time together and it makes him feel like we don't want him around. Add that to the fact that he's not going into the Neola Jungle with us, and I think you'll be able to see why he might feel a little unwelcome."
With one arm around him and the other hand resting near his collarbone, Kimberly laid her head comfortably in the crook between Tommy's neck and shoulder, snuggling up close to him. "You would think that after all these years he'd know how much he means to me. I would never intentionally do anything to make him feel the way he does."
Slipping his fingers into hers, Tommy placed a single soft kiss to her hand. "He knows, Kim. You guys have been friends almost as long as you've been alive. Once we get back from Phaedos and it's the five of us instead of just you and me, I guarantee you that everything will go back to normal."
Kimberly sighed. "I hope you're right because it's going to take all five of us, if not more, if we're going to have any chance at finding Zordon."
Confused, Tommy furrowed his brow. "What do you mean all five of us?"
"I mean the Silver Ranger, Tommy," Kimberly replied. "The five Morphers we have are all equally powerful, but the Morpher I gave that pilot is stronger than any of them. We need to find a way to wake him up and hope that he's willing to help us."
"Are you really willing to trust someone you've never met before with the responsibility of being a Ranger?" asked Tommy. "We both know it's not easy, and that's an awful lot of faith to put in someone that you don't even know."
"I trusted you, didn't I?" Kimberly questioned in retort.
Tommy chuckled. "You did, and look where it got you. I nearly killed you guys, remember? Who's to say that this guy won't try to do the same?"
"No one knows what's going to happen in the future, Tommy," said Kimberly softly, smiling up at him as she lightly traced her fingers across the hardened planes of his chest. "Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith and hope that it works out for the best. One way or another, it always seems to in the end."
Pecking a few quick kisses to her lips, Tommy smiled and started to say something only to be cut off by the intruding voice of DECA before he could get a single word out.
"Hello, Rangers. Pardon the interruption, but I would like to inform you that we will be landing on Phaedos near the eastern waters in approximately fifteen minutes. Is there anything that you require before we arrive?"
"No, DECA, that will be all," Kimberly answered. Swiveling her body so that she faced Tommy, she slinked her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Fifteen minutes, Tommy," she whispered, reaching for his belt. "Better make it quick."
"In the control room, Kim?" asked Tommy in between the onslaught of kisses being thrown his way. "What if someone walks in?"
Kimberly smiled wickedly at him. "Like I said, better make it quick."
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