Author's Note: An issue that came up in Tommy's and Kat's relationship in Power Rangers Turbo was Tommy always being absent because of his racing. It was hinted at in the episode "A Drive to Win" that Kat and Tanya were a bit annoyed by this, but this issue was not really further explored beyond that. As an established couple, it is perfectly natural and normal for Tommy and Kat to have some disagreements, but time was not given to really explore this potential disagreement. So, in this short fic I want to explore the implications of Tommy and Kat essentially taking different paths during Turbo: Tommy is doing his racing and Kat is doing her ballet.
Note: This short fic takes place after the episode "A Drive to Win" but before the episode "Cars Attack."
Kat sighed to herself as she looked at her watch. Tommy was late. Again.
Kat was currently sitting by herself at a table in the Angel Grove Youth Center. Tommy had promised to have lunch with her, but he had yet to show up. And Kat couldn't afford to wait much longer. She needed to get back to her ballet practice. Auditions to get into the Royal Academy were quickly approaching, and Kat needed to prepare herself as much as possible.
Kat needed to be doing her ballet routine for the upcoming audition, not waiting for her boyfriend who had serious issues with arriving on time.
"Hi, Kat, sorry I'm late," Tommy's voice suddenly spoke. "I was…"
"Racing," Kat finished sharply. She had heard that excuse way too many times.
Tommy looked at Kat with a surprised, shocked expression on his face.
"Are you going to sit down or not?" Kat asked impatiently.
"What's wrong with you, Kat?" Tommy asked as he hesitantly sat down across the table from the Pink Turbo Ranger. "Have you been having a bad day?"
Kat had to be having a bad day because it wasn't like her to be snippy with anyone, especially with Tommy.
"No, Tommy, I was having a very good day until just now," Kat answered. "You're late. Again."
"I'm sorry, Kat," Tommy replied softly, not wanting to get in an argument with his usual patient, sweet girlfriend. "I sometimes lose track of time when I'm racing around the track."
"You always lose track of time when you're racing around the track," Kat corrected.
"What really is wrong with you today, Kat?" Tommy demanded, starting to get a little angry himself. He had not been having a good day and he had a lot of improvements to make when he got back to the track, but he had taken the time to come have lunch with Kat. He had not, however, made time to have Kat snap his head off.
"I hardly see you these days, Tommy," Kat sighed. "You are always at the track."
"I'm not at the track right now," Tommy replied. "I'm here, with you. Even though I don't know why. I haven't been having a good day, Kat; and if you're going to be this way with me, I'm going to go ahead and leave before I say something I know I will later regret."
Tommy began to stand up.
"No, Tommy, don't," Kat quickly said. "Please, sit back down. I'm sorry for my attitude. You don't deserve to be treated that way. But there are some things we really need to discuss."
Tommy looked at Kat for a moment before sitting back down, an angry expression still on his face.
"Look, Tommy, I know that you love me," Kat began, "and you know that I love you. It's just that I feel like we've been drifting apart lately, and I'm worried about what that could mean for our relationship."
Kat noticed with relief that Tommy's face had softened slightly at her calmer tone of voice.
"I understand that racing is important to you," Kat continued, "but getting into the Royal Academy is important to me and it would be nice to know that I have your support. You know how nervous I get with auditions. I know that you care, Tommy, but it would be nice to see you a little bit more."
"Have you ever stopped for a moment, Kat, to think that I might appreciate your support as well?" Tommy asked. "I have yet to see you at the race track when I'm practicing."
Kat shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She could not deny that Tommy had made a good point. What was wrong with her? She was usually able to look at things from various points of view, not just her own.
"I'm sorry, Tommy," Kat said. "I've been acting like such a selfish brat lately. I've been acting like my ballet career is more important than your racing career, and that's not true. Racing is meaningful to you, and I should be more understanding of that. I really am sorry, Tommy."
Tommy was silent for a moment before saying, "You are the most selfless person I've ever met, Kat. You are always putting others before yourself. You deserve to be placed first for once. Besides, I enjoy racing, but I really don't know if I want to make a career out of it. You, on the other hand, have always been dedicated to your ballet."
"But even if racing is just a hobby to you, Tommy," Kat replied, "that doesn't make it unimportant. And don't deny that I have been acting like a spoiled little girl lately."
Tommy busted out laughing. "A spoiled little girl is the last thing I would ever call you, Kat."
"But I have been thinking too much about myself lately," Kat insisted.
"Do you want me to be mad at your or something, Kat?" Tommy asked in a puzzled voice. "Yes, you have been talking about the Royal Academy a lot, but I know that's because it's important to you. Getting into the Royal Academy will be a huge step for you. Winning a race is great and all that, but it's nothing like becoming a big ballet star."
"Tommy, stop," Kat said. "My ballet is no more important than your racing."
Tommy busted out laughing for a second time. "We definitely make a great pair, Kat. We both have the bad habit of always trying to blame ourselves for all the problems in the world."
Kat couldn't help but laugh as well. "We are acting pretty silly, aren't we? But I really am sorry for all this, Tommy. I have been a little self-centered lately. Please don't try to deny that."
"How about we agree that we were both wrong?" Tommy suggested.
"Okay," Kat answered, "that sounds fair to me."
"And how about we also agree to be more visually supportive of each other?" Tommy offered. "The Royal Academy auditions is coming up soon, so you need to focus on that."
"And a big race is also coming up soon, so you need to focus on that," Kat continued.
"Okay," Tommy replied, "I can agree with that. But afterwards, I will watch more of your ballet practices than I've been doing lately."
"And I will definitely begin watching some of your racing practices," Kat added, "even though I don't know how much I will be able to look. I don't doubt that you're a good driver, Tommy, but I'm always afraid that you're going to crash."
"I won't take any reckless risks when I'm in the car," Tommy promised gently.
"I'm glad we had this conversation," Kat smiled, "even though it didn't start smoothly."
"That's okay, Kat," Tommy smiled back. "I think you're kind of sexy when you're angry."
Kat laughed. Tommy always knew the right words to say to make her feel better.
Tommy pushed his chair closer to Kat's. "Besides," he whispered seductively into her ear, "this new agreement of ours will be very beneficial to me. Nothing turns me on more than when I see you stretching out those long, sexy legs of yours."
"Keep those hormones of yours in check, Mr. Tommy Oliver," Kat replied in mock anger. "This is supposed to be torture for you."
"Being with you, Kat, is never torture," Tommy smiled. He then turned serious. "I'm just sorry that I will be torturing you when I'm racing around that track at fast speeds."
"Yeah, that will scare me a bit," Kat admitted, "but we have already been through more than our share of scary times together."
"We sure have," Tommy said softly, a haunted look suddenly appearing in his eyes.
Kat gave Tommy a slight kiss on his lips before saying, "But we have always emerged from all those scary times stronger than we were before, and I know that we will continue to do so as long as we stand together. We give each other strength, Tommy."
"Two heads are better than one after all," Tommy smiled, thinking about one of the monsters that Rita had created when he had still been the Green Ranger.
Before Kat had come into his life.
Tommy didn't want to imagine what his life would be like now if Kat had never arrived in Angel Grove.
He knew that he would be lonely.
No, lonely was not a good enough word to describe what he would be like if he didn't have Kat in his life.
"Kat," Tommy suddenly spoke, "we're always going to be together, right?"
"There's no telling what the future holds for us, Tommy," Kat answered gently but honestly, "but I believe that everything we've been through together has created a bond that can never be severed."
"You're right, Kat," Tommy replied, managing a slight smile, "but for now, let's just focus on the immediate: your Royal Academy audition and my big race."
"That sounds like a plan to me," Kat said, "but I can think of something that we need to focus on that's even more immediate than ballet or racing."
"What could that be?" Tommy asked in a confused voice.
Kat kissed Tommy on his lips. "This," she breathed seductively.
"I think I can focus on this," Tommy smiled, pushing his chair even closer to Kat's.