I can't believe that I cranked this chapter out so fast, but you know how it goes when you get on a roll, eh? Anyway, for those of you who have been asking, the fate of our fair Kat will be revealed before I'm done with this story, so fear not. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to leave comments, it really helps.
Chapter Eight: Shadows in the Dark
Billy sat on Adam's couch, feeling dejected and frustrated that he had not been able to control the situation better. He was generally the rational member of the group and he felt as if he had let them all down by letting it get so out of hand; letting his own fear hold him back. It was that fear that had kept him from telling them in the first place. Heather dropped down next to him, patting his knee sympathetically. He couldn't even look at her.
"How much time do you think we have?"
She shrugged. "Now that the Shadow knows that you have your powers back, I imagine he'll be working full force to get to you guys before you take 100% control of your powers."
Billy nodded absently. "What about Kim?" He glanced at Tommy. "We can't do this without her."
Tommy nodded. "I agree with Jason. I think…"
A blood curdling scream cut him off. Billy and Heather jumped to their feet, but Jason and Tommy were already moving down the hall. Billy and Heather followed them with Adam a few steps behind. Tommy followed the scream into the guest bathroom.
"Kim!" He tried the door knob. It didn't budge. "Kim, answer me!"
Jason beat on the door with his fist. "KIM!"
From inside, they could hear splashing water amidst Kim's garbled screams.
"Get back." Tommy said. Jason nodded and moved out of the way as Tommy took a step back and with a solid blow splintered the door with one swift kick. Kim was in the tub flaying her arms, sending water in every direction. Suddenly, she was pulled under the water, still kicking.
"Kim!" Tommy made it to the tub first. He reached in the hot water and grabbing Kim's wrists jerked her upward. Her eyes were closed but she continued to kick and scream, coughing up water simultaneously. "Jason, help me!" He screamed.
Jason bent down to help when Kim suddenly convulsed again kicking him hard in the nose. He jumped back quickly, holding his hands to his face. Blood began streaming down his water soaked face. "Shit!" he mumbled staggering backwards.
Adam immediately stepped in where Jason had been by the tub, while Heather took hold of Jason, trying to stop the bleeding.
"Grab her ankles!" Tommy ordered, desperately trying to the keep a grip on Kim while shaking water out of his face.
Adam ignored the near scalding water as it splashed his face. He reached in barely avoiding another wild kick from Kim. He seized her ankles and struggled to hold them still. It was all Tommy needed. Wrapping one arm around her back and the other under her knees, he scooped her naked body out of the tub. He stood and turned to the others.
"Towels!" He yelled as he nearly trampled them getting Kim out of the bathroom. He dropped her convulsing body on the bed, regaining his hold on her wrists.
"She's dreaming!" Adam said as he brought Tommy clean towels.
Tommy began to shake Kim's arms roughly. "Kim, wake up." He shook her again. "Wake up, god damn it!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.
Jason was now beside him, trying to wrap dry towels around Kim. "She's still fighting. We've got to go in after her. Heather…" He turned to where Billy and Adam stood waiting for instruction. Heather was gone. "Where's Heather?" Billy and Adam looked around and then at each other.
"She was just here." Adam said.
"Oh, no." Jason jumped up and sprinted down the hallway to the living room. When he got there he realized that he was too late. Heather lay perfectly still, her eyes closed, on the couch.
"Jason!" He heard Tommy calling him from the bedroom. "What's happening?"
He shook his head. "She's gone after Kim… alone."
Kim screamed as the shadow rushed at her. Throwing her arms up instinctively, she braced herself for the impending impact. It never came.
"Stop!" A new voice called.
The shadow stopped, suddenly distracted, giving Kim just enough time to duck out of his path. The shadow focused its attention on the intruder. "You!" He turned to move toward her. "You are the dream walker that's been standing between me and victory."
Heather released a slow breath in an attempt to slow her heart hammering in her chest. She managed a small unconvincing laugh. "If you want to give me that much credit, that's fine by me." She glanced past him and locked her gaze on Kim. "Get out of here, Kim!"
The Pink Ranger stood still, not yet ready to abandon the woman who had just saved her life. "Not without you!" she called.
Looking back at the shadow, Heather smiled. "You've just lost your prey again, asshole." With a simple hand gesture, Heather motioned to Kim.
Kim began to feel lightheaded as she began crossing back into consciousness. "No, wait." She reached out a hand, even as her vision got fuzzy. She heard the shadow screech loudly and launch itself at Heather. One of the last things that Kim saw was a bright pink light that appeared in front of Heather just as the shadow reached her.
Kim's body suddenly went limp on the bed. Tommy felt panic rise in his chest as he feared the worse. He opened his mouth to call to her again, but he seemed to have lost his voice. He looked helplessly at Billy still standing in the doorway. He too felt the heaviness that Tommy did. The common fear that they were unable to help their friend was almost overwhelming.
"Tommy?" The small voice was barely audible.
His head whipped back around to his friend still lying perfectly still on the bed. She was now looking up at him, her hazel eyes still glassy from sleep. Without thinking, he gathered her in his arms in a fierce hug. "Omigod, Kim!" He breathed into her hair.
Kim allowed herself to simply be held by him in the protective embrace, grateful for something familiar. She felt his strong muscles against her cheek and was suddenly transported back to high school when it was all too common for her to rest her head on that chest. She stiffened unconsciously, and her eyes flew open as she felt his hand lightly caressing her bare back and was hit with the notion that she was practically naked wrapped up in her ex boyfriend's arms. Tommy sensed her change in demeanor and was now acutely aware that she was very exposed as she lay in his arms.
Almost simultaneously they each jumped back; Kim reached down and grabbed the blankets at her feet. Tommy blushed furiously as he quickly looked away, "Sorry." He mumbled, spying Billy still in the doorway trying not to laugh at the irony of the situation.
She sat up straight quickly pulling the blanket around her. "Heather, where's Heather."
"She's in the living room with Jason and Adam." Billy offered.
Kim jumped out the bed, a rustle of blanket trailing her. "We have to help her, Tommy. She's still in there with the Shadow." She grabbed her head as she began to sway violently. Tommy reached out grabbing both arms to steady her.
"Take it easy, Kim."
"But she's…"
"Why don't you get dressed, and Billy and I will go check on her, okay."
Realizing how ridiculous she must look standing there dripping wet in nothing but a blanket, she conceded defeat.
Tommy and Billy quickly left, closing the door behind them. When they got to the living room, they found Adam and Jason sitting on either end of the couch, holding a vigil over Heather's still form. Billy kneeled down close to his friend. He brushed a piece of hair out of her face. "Any change?"
Adam shook his head. "Nothing. In fact, she hasn't moved since Jason found her. What about Kim?"
"Kim's awake." Tommy told him. "She said that Heather was with the shadow. God knows what's happening now."
The men turned as Kim hurried into the room, pulling her robe tightly around her. Despite her recent ordeal and almost drowning in the bathtub, she moved with a new determination that her long time friends recognized. Jason quickly moved to stopped her before she reached Heather.
"Kim, wait."
"No, Jason, she saved my life. We have to help her."
Billy joined Jason in an attempt to calm her. "There's nothing we can do, Kim. Even if we could all join together in the dream realm, there's no guarantee that we could find her."
Kim sat in the arm chair dejected. "What are we supposed to do now?"
Before anyone could speak, the answer presented itself. Without warning, Heather sat straight up on the couch, her eyes wide. Her face was pasty white as she stared at each of the Power Rangers, gulping for breath.
"Take it easy." Adam was still sitting next to her, his hands on her shoulders.
Kim vaulted out of the chair to kneel down next to her. "Omigod, Heather! What happened? I wanted to stay and help you, but…"
Heather waved her off. "Its okay, Kim. I purposefully sent you back."
"But how did you escape?"
Heather blinked several times, searching for an answer to her question. "I'm…not really sure, to be honest. One minute I was face to face with that black monster, and then there was this light."
"I saw it just before I left." Kim nodded. "It was pink light, just between you and the shadow."
"Yes," Heather's eyes reflected the memory. "It was like it attacked the shadow directly, giving me enough time to get away. But where did it come from?"
Billy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, Kim was present. And she was…is the Pink Ranger. Is it possible that she released some kind of kinetic energy just before she returned?"
Kim was thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose. I mean, when I was first attacked, I wasn't sure that I would even know how to defend myself, and then suddenly, I was fighting without thinking. Like my Ranger instincts took over or something. But I've never done anything like what you're describing."
Now Tommy stepped into the conversation. "Yeah, but, you were in the Dream Realm, is there a chance that maybe we have different powers in our dreams that we might not know about?"
"Most people do." Heather answered.
Kim looked in wonderment at her hands, studying them for any sign of kinetic energy. After a moment, she crossed her arms firmly across her chest. "Okay. So, what's our next move?"
Her answer was a sea of curious expressions. Jason lifted a playful eyebrow at her. "What are you saying, Kim?"
"I'm saying that this creep needs a swift ass-kicking, and I think the Power Rangers are the only ones who can do it."
"Hell yeah!" Jason jumped off the couch and threw an arm around her. "That's Kimberly Hart, Pink Ranger, that we know and love. Now let's go kick this bastard's ass all over dreamland."
Ten minutes later, the group was one again gathered in the living room, having changed into dry clothes; the mood was somber as they began to mentally prepare themselves for what was to come. Heather emerged from the bathroom, tying her auburn hair into a long braid and tossing it down her back. As she entered the living room she was taken aback at the sight before her. Giving a wan smile, she made an observation.
"Did you guys plan this?" She was met with blank faces. "Your chosen attire?"
Billy was the first to catch on and let out a loud laugh. Each of them had unwittingly donned their own Power Ranger color. "We're wearing our Ranger colors." He indicated his own blue polo shirt. As the others realized what had happened, a ripple of nervous giggles moved through them.
As the laughter faded, Tommy cleared his throat loudly. "Are we ready to do this?"
Heather nodded and took her place in the arm chair. While Kim settled herself down on the couch between Tommy and Jason, Billy and Adam sat on the love seat. "Alright. Before we begin, there are a few things that you need to know." Heather's tone was serious. "Once we cross over into the Dark Realm, the Shadow will most likely feel our presence almost immediately. He will send his demons after us."
Jason chuckled. "No sweat." His smile faded when Kim elbowed him severely in the ribs. "Sorry."
Clearing her throat, Heather continued. "The further we travel into the Dark Realm, the more dangerous it will get. As we go, we will be moving away from our consciousness and our physical selves so our dreams get a lot more real."
"What does that mean?" Billy asked.
She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "It means that when we reach the Dark Tower, what happens in our dreams happens to our physical bodies. This is because our brains will begin to believe what our mind sees and will manifest itself in a physical form."
"And we could die." Adam's voice was almost inaudible but the weight of his words was not lost on any of those present.
"Yes." Heather realized that more than anyone in the room, Adam was aware of the true dangers involved.
"Wait." Kim quickly said, jumping up. She hurried to where her purse rested on the dining table. Digging through it, she produced her cell phone. "I'm sorry, guys, give me just a second." She walked out to the back porch, closing the door behind her, and dialed a number. After several rings, a familiar voice came over the line. "This is Sean. Sorry I missed your call. Leave your name, number, and a message, and I'll get back to you soon. Thanks."
Kim closed her eyes at the sound of her fiancé's thick Irish accent. "Hey, it's me. Um, something has come up, and I'm going to have to take a later flight home. I'll call you back when I know when I'll be in." She paused, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. "I love you so much, Sean. I'll talk to you later." Letting out a deep breath, she closed her phone and walked slowly back inside to sit back down on the couch.
"Everything alright?" Tommy's concern touched Kim.
"Yeah, I just had to call Sean and tell him…" She hesitated. "That I would be taking a later flight…so he wouldn't worry."
He gave her an empathic smile. "He'll get his Kim back, I promise."
Tommy's uncanny ability to seemingly read her thoughts never ceased to amaze Kim. With everything she had put him through; he was still able to be her rock. She nodded and granted him with a grateful smile. "Thanks."
"Okay everybody." Jason interrupted. "Let's get this show on the road."
Heather wound the metronome and set it into motion. "Right. Everyone clear your minds…"
"By the way, Jason," Kim whispered, leaning near his ear. "Sorry about the nose."
He snickered. "I always knew you had a helluva kick. Now put it to some good use and kick a little butt."
She smiled. "You got it."