Dear Grumpy Reviewer.

Why do you leave anonymous messages? I want to send you a pm and thank you properly for your honest, fairly blunt reviews but I can't! And I wanna ask you about some of the stuff you've written as well... Anyway, I really appreciate that you take the time to review.

That is all.

Jen

Tommy regretted yelling at Katherine. He knew she was trying to help.

He knew that on some level, what she was saying was true.

But he couldn't admit it… he would not.

Tommy bent down, picked up a smooth stone and flicked it across the water. It bounced once and sunk.

He was never good at skipping stones.

"You never recovered ... You were never the same after she left."

"Even if it was totally unfair that she needs you now, you need to realise that you need her too, Tommy. You need each other."

Kat had always been perceptive, and Tommy knew that she was trying to help, but he just couldn't handle this. Kim had left him; left him. She was meant to be happily married with children and a house and whatever else came with the image of domestic bliss.

Instead she was beaten, broken and alone.

He was angry at her… and at himself. Ever since he realised who it was he had rescued on that God-forsaken roadside, he had wanted nothing more than to leave her, and Angel Grove, and everything and anything that reminded him of her.

"Then why are you still here?"

Tommy changed his mind; he didn't regret yelling at Kat at all. Why was it she always saw so much? And why the hell was she interfering like this? Last time he checked, she was still in love with him.

He knew why he was still here. Tommy couldn't leave Angel Grove while Kim was like this… because he still loved her. He always would. He had tried not to, but the original Pink Ranger had altered him irrevocably. Maybe you couldn't go through what they had, taken care of each other like they had, without being changed.

And even if he couldn't bear to be with her, Tommy could not leave her. He would keep his promise to Katherine; he would stay in Angel Grove.

At least until she's out of hospital.

The sun had nearly her finished her long descent; she rested lazily on the horizon, casting an array of deep oranges and reds jumping and sparkling across the surface of the lake. Now that he wasn't moving, he did indeed notice the chill in the air. It had been cool since the storm that had accompanied his ex into Angel Grove. It was weather rarely seen in California, but at least the sun had been out today. Tommy grabbed his jumper, a plain black hoodie that he had been wearing since the funeral (he had only brought two changes of clothes) and looked pensively over the park.

Maybe it was time to head back. Tommy had been spending a lot of time up here, around the lake and the park, away from his friends. He did not begrudge them flying to Kimberly's side. To the contrary, he was grateful that they could do what he would not.

What he could not.

But it was difficult to be around them, to see the worry in their faces as they returned from their bedside vigil… to see the pain they had experienced when Kimberly had turned them from her hospital room in favour of Kat, who claimed to hate her.

He heard the sound of leaves crunching underfoot

t behind him but did not bother to turn around. The footsteps became clearer, closer, and stopped. Tommy felt his heart accelerate; somehow, he already knew who had intruded upon his moping.

Kimberly.

"Tommy," he recognized her voice; it wasn't as weak and hoarse as it had been.

Tommy's eyes turned down, his face suddenly melancholy. What was he supposed to say? What was appropriate?

What do I want to say?

Kimberly remained silent. Was she as lost for words as he? Tommy settled for turning around.

She wore the dirty, worn-out sneakers she had been wearing when he had picked her up, and the same grey coat. Even after days of airing out, Tommy could see (and smell) that the garment was still damp. Her hospital gown peeked out from underneath it; her legs were bare, pale and unshaven.

Hospital gown.

He swore and removed his hoodie unthinkingly, handing it roughly to her. "Get out of that thing and put this on," he snapped. "You can't tell me that they let you out of the hospital like that."

Kim's face was still drawn and pale, but her complexion had more colour than the last time he saw her, and a blush spread across her prominent cheekbones as she admitted the manner of her departure.

"You mean you ran away," Tommy surmised, shaking the hoodie at her insistently.

Kim's eyes darted from the offered jumper to his exposed arms, when their eyes met she looked away, but quickly took the jumper and shed her coat in favour of the hoodie's promised warmth. The ungainly grey monstrosity fell forgotten to her feet.

Kimberly's thin hospital gown did little to hide her slight figure, but Tommy refused to look away as she pulled on his jumper. His dark eyes were reproachful, and she nervously ran her left hand through her hair. Tommy thought he saw the faint markings of a bruise at her temple. "I'm going back," she clarified, "I needed to talk to you about something Katherine said."

Tommy's right eye ticked at the mention of his "friend's" name; he exhaled angrily and crossed his arms. "There's nothing to talk about, Kim."

Liar.

Kimberly's eyes were sure as she spoke, "Kat said you deserved to know why I sent the letter. I decided she was right."

"I thought the letter made it pretty clear."

She licked her lips, suddenly nervous. "You must know that there's more to it than that," she whispered.

"Clearly," he drew his lips back as he enunciated the word, his eyes cool. "But it has nothing to do with me. Just because the person you 'wanted to spend the rest of your life with' wasn't who you thought they were-"

"That's not true," Kim hissed, "I knew-" She broke into a fit of coughing, and grasped at her chest in pain.

Tommy's heart ached and he automatically took a step forward to support her, but stopped himself in time. He dashed angrily at a rogue tear that escaped his eye and watched passively as she hacked away, whimpering in pain. It killed him.

She remained hunched over after her coughing settled, her arms wrapped securely around her chest. "I knew what I was getting into," she insisted, her voice hoarse.

Unbidden, a throbbing rage flared in Tommy as he registered the meaning of her words, "So you chose someone you knew would hurt you, over me? That's great Kim, is that what you came all this way to say?"

A sob interrupted his rant, Kim's face crumpled and her voice trembled over her staggered breathing, "You would never have taken me if you knew what had happened." She turned her small face up to look at him, sorrow etched in every corner of her delicate features. "I am so sorry."

Tommy felt his face rearrange itself into a mask of indifference, protecting himself – and her – from the unspeakable grief and anger which was threatening to consume him.

He watched as two great, silent tears began to roll down her face. Unable to take it anymore, Tommy closed the distance between them and raised his hand instinctively to wipe them away. Her skin was cool to his touch, but his fingers burned where he touched her. He cupped her face with one hand, his thumb resting gently on the rise of her cheekbone.

Kimberly lifted her face to his, and her full lips parted slightly. Tommy could feel her warm breath upon his lips.

She drew in a sharp breath, pressed her lips together and drew away, pain filling her eyes, her jaw clenching. "I still think you deserve to know. I wrote a letter in case you didn't want to listen… or in case I couldn't bring myself to tell you." Kim knelt down and fished a few pieces of paper from the pocket of her discarded coat and thrust them towards him. "You don't have to read it. I don't want anything from you, but please take it. So you have the option," she turned her head away, her breathing sounded laboured. "I don't know if I'll have the courage to do this again."

Tommy numbly reached out and took the letter, his mind still processing what had just happened. What had almost happened.

When Kim turned to leave, he didn't stop her. He watched her go with mixed emotions, all knotted up together inside him so tightly he knew not how untie them, much less how to comprehend them.

When she was out of sight, Tommy kicked himself mentally. When had he become so emotionally clueless?

His thoughts turned to the letter in his hand. He didn't know if he could handle another letter from her. The last one he had received from her killed a part of him, but if this one explained some of it...

"You never recovered."

Kat always seemed to see things so clearly.

Tommy had once trusted Katherine with his life and what was left of his heart, and she had not led him astray. He would trust her one more time.

He moved back to the lake and took a seat (Tommy momentarily regretted giving away his jumper) and opened the letter.

In a messy, smudged scrawl, Tommy began to see Kim's life since leaving Angel Grove. The first three lines had been crossed out, but Tommy could still read them.

Dear To

Dear To whom it may

Tommy

Leaving the letter unaddressed, she had begun to write in a barely legible hand:

When I arrived in Florida, I was the 'new girl'. I never realised how spoilt for friends I had been. I had grown up with my best friends and had never had to deal with being the odd one out. I didn't want to make things harder for you; I knew you missed me almost as much as I missed you, so I pretended everything was fine. And things weren't bad... I always knew it would take time to settle in.

A girl on my gymnastics team invited me out. She knew of a club that let in people underage. It wasn't really my thing but she seemed nice, and I was happy to be going out with people.

There was a guy, older, who seemed nice. He knew the girl who had invited me out and danced with us at the club. He was attentive, flattering; he was interested in martial arts, too. He bought me a drink. One drink. I don't remember much after that.

I was so confused when I woke up... ashamed, embarrassed and sick. It didn't occur to me until much later it wasn't only alcohol in that drink. He gave me his number but I didn't want to call. I wanted to tell you but I knew how hurt you'd be. I knew I'd been drugged, or something, but I was the one who went out, accepted a drink from a guy I had only just met. I was to blame.

My friend gave him my number and he started calling me, but I never answered and he gave up after a few months.

In the next month and a bit everything seemed to be settling down, I hooked up with some nice people through school. You and I spent that weekend at your uncle's place. I thought it was behind me.

Then I realised I was late. Pregnant.

Distraught, I called my mum and when she answered I told her I was pregnant and she started cursing your name. You... like you would ever hurt me that way. I told her it was someone else, but when I couldn't remember his last name she hung up and wouldn't take any of my calls. She sent me a letter telling me how disappointed she was, telling me I was no longer her daughter.

After the divorce my parents told me they would love me forever, and I believed them. If my own mother could turn on me, then how could I possibly hope that you and the team could still care for me?

I was alone.

So I called him. The father.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it probably wasn't what he offered me.

He wanted to marry me. He had a job. He could provide for me. I had no other options. I wrote that letter, hoping our paths would never cross again. That you would never discover how low I had sunk.

The marriage took place within a few weeks, low key, no guests. It wasn't what I had thought my wedding would be like but I knew I could do worse. At least I wouldn't be alone.

I guess you know by now that the marriage wasn't what I had hoped. He would get drunk, and hit me. At first I fought back, but he was very strong, and he knew quite a bit about martial arts. One beating caused me to lose my unborn child. I didn't fight much after that.

I was a traitor to the memory of the Power Rangers.

I gave up gymnastics because I was pregnant, and couldn't take it up again because I was constantly covered in bruises. While you were off saving the world, I was hiding in my room, mourning my baby and trying to hide my injuries from my school friends.

There were good times. He would bring me flowers and cook candlelit dinners. I told him about our friends, and you, not the 'being a super hero' part of course. He was always interested, asked why I didn't talk to you anymore. Sometimes, most times, everything seemed so normal I wondered if I didn't just imagine the part where he occasionally came home drunk and attacked me.

One evening Jason called. My husband answered the phone. I hadn't told you guys that I was married; I can't imagine what he thought after that conversation. I found out about it that night when I came home from school.

Things deteriorated after that... We moved away, and I didn't re-enroll in school. I stayed indoors... I don't know where he was working; he often stayed out late as well. I guess years passed, but I didn't really realise. I didn't get pregnant again, and he stopped taking me to the hospital when he hurt me. The good times became less frequent.

Occasionally he told me Jason, or Aisha had tried to call... To tell me news, when you got married, and stuff. Then one day, a few weeks ago, he told me Aisha's parents had died.

I didn't believe him. I couldn't. My friends, the Power Rangers, were meant to be living happily. That's what he'd told me. It didn't sit right. They couldn't be dead. Aisha and everyone else was happy and enjoying life without me. I guess the shock revived some of what I had lost to my depression.

When he raised his hand I hit back, I don't know where I got the strength; I hit him with everything I had. I didn't think I was having any impact. I don't remember the last time I went outside, or did anything remotely resembling physical exercise. I guess I took a blow to the head and passed out.

When I woke up he was dead. I tried to resuscitate him but... I didn't even know what had killed him.

I was about to call the police when I realised what it would look like.

I went upstairs, to our bedroom. I changed my clothes, and found some money from his wallet. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I was getting ready… I didn't even recognise the pale, broken thing that looked back out at me.

I decided to go to Angel Grove and see Tiani and Kiros, just from a distance. I wasn't going to make my presence known, and then I would go and… live somewhere. Die somewhere.

I caught a bus for most of the way, using the money I had taken. When I'd almost run out of money I started walking.

And then you found me.

Dear Tommy, I don't want anything from you. I'm sorry I intruded on your life. But I've defiled the name of the Power Rangers long enough. I'm going to stay in Angel Grove until I'm well, and then I'm going to talk to the police. I'll do my time, and then I'll go away, start over as best I can.

So don't worry about me. Don't let me keep you in Angel Grove, away from your life. You deserved to know, and now you do.

I'm sorry.

Kimberly

In the distance, Tommy could hear the rising and falling of a police siren. This letter contained too much to be processed all at once. He'd have to break it down and work through it later, but right now he had to find Kim and set some things straight.

The siren drew closer as Tommy began to make his way back, and he watched as the flashing lights of the police car drew nearer as the van turned into the park and drove out onto the oval.

Ran away from the hospital.

Police.

Wanted for murder.

Tommy was running before he even realised it, towards the police car and the officers who were approaching a tiny figure who was huddled over on a park bench. Towards Kim.

Thank you to all reviewers, your feedback is invaluable; it is humbling that you take time to read my story and review.

sabina21 – thank you for always taking time to review, you will need to wait another chapter to see Tommy's reaction sorry

RKF22 – will do! Thank you for review and compliments

Ghostwriter – Glad you like Kat, I have some more in store for her, but probably not for a few chapters yet. Thank you for taking time review

andyg2525 – Thank you for your ongoing support

general-joseph-dickson – Thankyou, although I'm not sure my writing warrants such a compliment

Kelleigh – thank you, I will try my best