A/N: Here we are guys! The last chapter. I really hope that you enjoyed this. Quite honestly, this might have been the one scene I've imagined right from the start. Please let me know what you think.
Kimberly
The energy in the Grid picked up as Abby pointed the crystal towards Drakkon. It felt like there was intense heat in the room but it didn't burn. I lifted my hand, blocking the light as it grew even brighter. It hit Drakkon right in the torso before enveloping his entire body. A glassy film covered his eyes as I watched him change right before us. The dark purple veins on his face disappeared, his hair going from the silver and black tones back to its original dark brown color. I gripped Tommy's arm with my hand, unsure of what was going to happen after this. He watched without breaking concentration, seeing an older version of himself appear without any trace of evil that had been threatening us for years.
Just as quickly as it started, the light vanished. I dropped my hand to my side, looking over at Drakkon who was looking at his hands like he had never seen them before in his life. He touched his chest, making sure he was still there. "Are you alright?" Kimberly asked, gingerly taking a step towards him. Drakkon raised his head towards her, his eyes widening as if he was seeing her for the first time in a long time. He moved, walking towards her now. Fear came to mind, afraid that he was going to try to hurt her again. Instead, he threw his arms around her and pulled her into his chest for a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head before moving to her lips. Tears slid out of both of their eyes as she placed her hands on his cheeks.
Emotions swelled in my chest as I watched Kimberly and Lord Drakkon - Tommy - embrace for the first time in a long time. Tommy wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into his side. Glancing over, I saw that Abby was smiling up at Jason who nodded slightly. I walked over to her and pulled her in for a hug, careful of the crystal in her hands. Kneeling down, I smiled at her. "I've never been so happy to see someone before in my life."
"I missed you too, Mommy." She said, her cute little smile on her lips. This was the version of my daughter that I knew so well and loved with my whole soul. I was happy to see her this way again, knowing she'd be able to have her whole life to enjoy growing up now. She was speaking as if she was still older mentally, something I couldn't quite explain. None of that mattered right now though as long as she was back with me.
"I want you to meet someone special," I said, turning to look up at Tommy who was shyly standing off to the side and looking over. I nodded my head, signaling him to walk over. He did, stopping next to me. "Abby, this is your Daddy. He's waited a long time to meet you."
"You can call me Tommy if you don't want to call me Dad yet," Tommy said quickly, his fingers fidgeting in a nervous fashion in front of him to the point that he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Hi, Daddy," Abby said, smiling up at him.
"Hi." He replied, emotion thick in the back of his throat. "I heard you were a great kid. I don't think I imagined this though."
"Yeah. I try." She said, causing Tommy and I to laugh. "I'm glad we are here. I wasn't sure if it had worked or not."
"Your powers brought us here?" I asked, confused by what she was saying. She nodded, letting the crystal lower slightly to rest her arms.
"I was scared and asked for help. I was instructed to come here to safety. That's why we are all here."
"Instructed by who?" Tommy asked.
"The Morphing Grid," Abby said. "It spoke to me through my powers. It told me to come here to save everyone." Behind me, I heard the other versions of Tommy and myself approach. Abby smiled at them and I stepped back out of the way.
"I should thank you, kid." The now reformed Tommy said, kneeling in front of her. "I don't think it was just the crystal either."
"I knew you weren't all bad in there," Abby smirked, wrinkling her nose. "I just had to find it again."
"Well, I'm glad you did." Abby stepped forward and hugged him around his neck. He returned the hug, closing his eyes as he did. Drakkon really did love Abby deep down. It wasn't something that he did for a show or something to get the upper hand. They had a connection that I had recognized before and could see clearly now. There was something about her and their relationship that reflected the positive and warmth in him still. It was why Abby had been the one who was able to purify him and the crystal. Releasing her, he stood and turned towards Jason. "I owe you an apology too, man."
"Water under the bridge," Jason said, smirking at him. "All that matters now is that you are right where you belong." He nodded toward Kim. "With her."
"There's nowhere else I would rather be, that's for sure." He wrapped an arm around Kimerbly and smiled down at her. She returned it, putting a hand on his chest.
"Me too." She whispered. "Now what though? Do we go back to our universes and fix things?" Abby shook her head.
"The crystal will be able to reset everything back to the way it was supposed to be before the war began for this universe." She explained. "In your time, it will be a world where Drakkon's time never existed. You've just been Tommy in that timeline now."
"I think I can live with that." Older Tommy said, stroking Kimberly's cheek with his thumb.
"Wait. You didn't explain why this all had to happen." My Tommy said. "Was it just about having the crystal whole again? We needed to be together to make sure that you were born to fuse the piece back together? Does that mean the Grid will be strong enough to sustain itself now?"
"It will but it won't be because of the crystal," Jason said, looking between Tommy and me. "The crystal's job is just to reset everything to a state of normal. It was supposed to protect the Earth from evil beings trying to take over. Now that it's here and will be used to reset everything, it will be powerless. It's not going to power the Grid."
"I don't understand," I said, shaking my head. "Does that mean there will be no Grid then? No more Power Rangers." It didn't sound like a bad thing to me. Now that Drakkon was gone, I could picture a life for Tommy, Abby, and me without having to fight evil aliens. She'd be able to come home with us and we could raise her together, something I had only dreamed about since she was born. I could see us having the happy ending I prayed for during my time in the other universe.
"If the world is resetting, does that mean that the Grid is going to lose its power still?" Tommy asked next to me. "Is that why?"
"No. The Grid has the power it needs now." Abby said. "Once I generate the power for it, everyone will be sent back to their worlds. Even little Tommy. He's going to go to an orphanage so that he will be adopted by Daddy's parents to stay within the timeline."
"Explains the green flashes in my memories," Tommy muttered under his breath.
"So, the Grid will power itself. You, Daddy, and I will go back to our world and we can finally give you a normal childhood. Well, as normal as it is for us." I said. Abby looked up at Jason again before looking back at me.
"There was a reason other than joining the crystal back together as to why I needed to be born." She said softly. "I have the power of two Power coins in me as well as the power I absorbed from being between the two universes. That means that I have powers that are strong enough to keep the Grid powered for the next few centuries if not longer. Once the crystal resets everything, my powers will join the Grid. It'll be like I was never born." My eyes widened at her statement.
"What? No!" I shook my head. "Absolutely not. There has to be another way. I don't care if the Grid doesn't exist anymore or if there are no more Power Rangers ever again. You are not staying here and just disappearing into the Grid." I looked at Tommy for help but he seemed to be in a state of shock as well.
"This can't be true." Older Tommy said. "There needs to be another power out there. Something that can keep the Grid going on until we figure out something else."
"That's how it was always supposed to be," Abby whispered. "Even if I don't stay here when the world reset, I won't be there. My fate is to be here." Tears welled in my eyes as I hugged her tightly.
"No. I can't lose you. I just got you back." I whispered, dropping to my knees. "I have so much planned for us. We are going to be the perfect family I always told you about. You can't leave me."
"Hey," Abby said, handing Jason the crystal. He took it and she rested her hands on my cheeks. "You've been the perfect Mommy that someone could ask for. I was only meant to have a short time here and you've made it the best life possible." I felt Tommy kneel down next to me, putting a hand on my back.
"There has to be another way." He said. Abby shook her head.
"There isn't." She said. "It's why my powers were so powerful to begin with. I was the combined result of the coins merging and joining with the Grid. That's why the Grid wanted you two to meet and for the war to start. Without it, you wouldn't have gotten pregnant with me and Lord Drakkon wouldn't have helped release my powers for his own purpose. It all needed to happen this way because of this."
"It's not fair!" I exclaimed, turning my gaze to Jason. "You can stop this. You know what is going on. Tell her to come home with us."
"I tried. She wouldn't listen to me. I see where she gets it." He said softly.
"The voices," Tommy said next to me, shifting towards Jason. "The ones we heard each time we came through the Grid. I thought it was just other rangers from across time. It wasn't though." Jason shook his head.
"It's Abby's voice. Just at different points in her life. She will continue to live here for as long as the world needs the Grid."
"Then I can stay here with you," I said. "I can be here in the Grid with you."
"You can't. When everything resets, you won't remember me. You'll go back to your world and return to the moment before the world connected." Abby whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. "It's okay, Mommy. I know I'll be safe here. And I'll always be with you each time you use your powers to fight the bad guys. I'm needed here to make sure you can protect the world though."
"I can't leave you," I whispered, my voice barely loud enough for myself to hear.
"You have to. Rita will still exist and you need to help the other Rangers fight against her to keep the world safe from her control. This is my destiny. You need to keep living to fulfill yours."
"I'll be with her," Jason said, giving me a smile. "I'll make sure she is on her best behavior."
"You aren't going back to our world?" The Ranger Slayer asked, looking surprised. "I thought everything would be going back to the way it was as if Drakkon never existed."
"It is. I can't explain it now but you'll understand. Take care of Trini for me though, won't you?" She nodded, tears brimming her eyes. "I have work here to do to make sure this one gets everything she needs." He smiled down at Abby who nodded. She shifted to look at me again.
"It's almost time to go." She said softly. Sobs shook my body as I felt tears slip down my face. Tommy rubbed my back, his own sniffs heard next to me. I couldn't stomach the thought that after all of this time, all of this pain, I needed to say goodbye to the best part of me. I had to leave her here and erase all memories of my only child. She is the main purpose for everything I have done for the last five years. How was I just going to walk away from her? I had just made her a promise I would never leave her. Now, I was just expected to do exactly that. My body shuddered from the crying as I grabbed her hands.
"I love you so much, honey." I said, "I have never regretted any decision that I made that resulted in you being born. You are the best part of who I am and I will forever be grateful for the time I was able to spend with you. Please, never forget that I love you with my entire heart and soul. You're the reason I breathe." My breath hitched in my throat as I tried to speak. "I don't understand why this had to happen but there is a reason why you were chosen. Even the Grid knew just how special you were and how you are the only person who would be able to do this the right way."
"I'll never forget you," Abby said. Next to me, older Tommy knelt down so that he was at eye level with Abby.
"Take care of yourself, kid." He said. "You're tough as nails and know how to get things done. Make this place your castle now. I only wish I could bring you the little zoo you love so much to keep here with you." Abby giggled, the sound echoing around us. "I've always thought of you as my daughter. In some ways you are, I suppose. You mean the world to me and I know that you'll get the job done here. If there is ever anything I can do for you here, you know where to come to find me. Okay?"
"Okay." Abby hugged him again before taking a step back. He stood, reaching for the Ranger Slayer as he did. Abby stepped toward her father. "Can you do me a favor?" She asked. Tommy nodded, red blotches forming on his cheeks from crying.
"Anything."
"Take care of Mom." She said. "And I know you aren't going to understand this now but make sure you make phone calls. Like, a lot of them. No matter what happens."
"I think I can do that." He said, giving her a small smile. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"I think you would have been the best daddy in the world." She whispered, her voice only loud enough for Tommy and I to hear. Tommy hugged her tightly, a tear slipping from his eye.
"For you? I would have done my best." He replied, letting her step back from him. Tommy stood, leaving Abby and me on the floor together.
"I'm not going to remember you at all?" I asked. She shook her head.
"No. You can't. If you do remember, it will cause issues with the timelines." She explained. "It's easier this way. But I will always remember you." Stepping towards me, she wrapped her arms around my neck tightly. I pulled her into me and tried to burn this feeling into my memory the best I could. Images of her as a baby came to mind, transitioning into her toddler years. The times we spent together in the castle garden, watching her play hide and seek with the kids from the kitchen. Her sweet laugh while she played and the first time she called me Mom. The whole reason I was born was to bring the person in my arms into this world and I was honored I was able to do so.
"It's time," Jason said, pulling me from my thoughts. Abby slipped from my arms, wiping at her tears. Reaching up, she took the crystal from him. I stood, walking over to Tommy who put an arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.
"She'll be okay." He said, rubbing my back.
"I hope so," I replied, wrapping my arms around myself. Abby held the crystal up and I saw that it began to glow again. It had a white hue to it, and the core looked like it had colors. I saw that it was pink and green, the irony not lost to me.
"When you touch the crystal, it will reset everything. You'll return to the moment where you were before the wars started." Abby said. I couldn't even recall where I had been then, the last five years feeling like a blur now. Jason walked over and put his hands on Abby's shoulders. Taking a deep breath, the Ranger Slayer and her Tommy stepped closer to us and the crystal. She smiled over at me before giving me a hug.
"I'm glad I was able to spend some time with myself." She said, pulling away. She gripped my hands and looked at me. "We did some good work together. It's not easy to take care of these two. Starting to think we might need to unionize with other Kimberlys." I laughed, nodding slightly. Her Tommy reached out a hand to my Tommy who hesitated for a moment before shaking it.
"I'm sorry for everything." Older Tommy said. "I know it doesn't make up for it entirely but I truly am."
"Everyone has to start somewhere. Learn from those mistakes." Tommy said. The two nodded at each other before older Tommy set his sights on me.
"I owe you an apology too." He said. "I stole five years of your life."
"It was the best five years though," I whispered, both of us looking over at Abby. I looked up at him again. "Just make sure you take care of her." I nodded towards the Ranger Slayer. "You won't get another chance like this. Don't blow it."
"I'll do anything to make sure that doesn't happen." He said, smiling at her. The four of us turned our bodies to face Abby.
"Is everyone ready?" Jason asked. There was a collective hesitant nod as we looked around at each other. I gazed over at Abby who smiled up at me. Slowly, we all reached our hands out and placed a few fingers on parts of the crystal that were closest to us.
"May the power protect you," Abby said, the white now glowing brighter as it began to spread up our fingertips and arms.
"I love you," I said, tears streaming down my face.
"I love you, too." She said as I looked at her sweet little face one last time before everything vanished.