I don't own any rights to anything but this story. Someone very dear to my heart asked if I could include something for her in it and decided to write it and see how many people could or would enjoy something like this.

Chapter 9

"Don't be" he said sincerely "I would never change a single part of you and I treasure every thing and every new surprise you have. I could be really happy just holding you close to my heart everyday for the rest of my life."

With that Kimberly leaned in and kissed Tommy again.

Later that night as the group was getting ready for bed Kim pulled Rocky aside and said "Rocky after everyone goes to sleep meet me down by the water."

"No way Kim" he said "I know what this is about and there is no way I'm meeting you anywhere alone, in the dark, with no witnesses."

"Oh come on Rocky" Kim said "What on earth has gotten into you? I just want to talk about something and since you have been picking on me a lot lately I just thought I could tell you something first privately and then use you on my side when I tell the others. I talked with Tommy and it hasn't worked out with just him knowing so I want to try again."

Rocky felt bad as he knew he had been picking on her and if she needed his support to help with the others he would give it. Besides she assured him it was nothing more than that. "Okay Kim I will meet you. Just come and get me when you are ready."

"Great" Kim said relieved "Thanks Rocky you're the best." Then she gave him a quick hug and went back and helped clean up for the night.

As Kim finished and was heading for her tent Tommy stopped her and said "So Rocky came up to me and let me know that you are going to talk to him tonight."

"Yuppers" said Kim "Not that I mind but I wonder why he let you know"

"Because he said that I had already knew and he wanted just to give me a heads up that you two were going to be talking and not anything else just in case I happened to see you two down by the water together. He also said I could probably join in the conversation but I declined as you asked to speak with him alone."

"Well it isn't anything personal Tommy" said Kim. She really didn't want to hurt his feelings and feels like she may have done just that. "I just want to get the teasing done in private and I also need to get him back for a certain something."

Realization dawned on Tommy and he started laughing. "Let me know how it went in the morning."

Smiling Kim said "Don't worry I will."

With that Tommy walked her the rest of the way to her tent, he kissed her cheek, and wished her a good night with the sweetest of dreams. "Hey Kim if you don't want to be alone after you can always join me, you know if you want" Tommy added quickly

"Thanks Tommy. Good night to you and sweet dreams"

Sighing he said "Good night Kim. Sleep sweet tonight."

As Kim laid down on her sleeping bag she thought "you too Tommy, you too." She did want Tommy back but with her being a mermaid and him a power ranger would it really work? She would always need to be on guard because his moments with morphing and teleporting have become second nature to him and at some point they could slip up and she could get hurt. "My coming here may have been my biggest mistake" she thought. If she left this time she could hurt him and she would be there in person this time. She had already done so in the past and even though it wasn't on purpose the next time would be and how many times did she have the right to break his heart and continue to do so? She didn't want to know the answer to that because she really didn't want to be that person. Once she heard some of the guys snoring she knew that this was the moment to get and to meet with Rocky. So after she climbed out of her tent she went over to his and said "Hey Rocky are you ready?"

Rocky had been sleeping but since he was expecting her he woke instantly. "I sure am Kim. I will meet you down by the water in 5 minutes."

Nodding Kim said "okay I will see you there. Bring your swimsuit as we are going in the water."

Rocky didn't know why she wanted to go into the water but he figured that since whatever she wanted to say had to be big the thought that she needed the comfort of something. So he said "Sure thing Kim."

Five minutes later once Rocky made it to the shore he noticed that Kim was already in the water. Deciding to head in he ignored the coldness of the water and walked over to her. "So Kim what did you need to talk about?"

"Well" said Kim "I need to say what I have said before."

"Kim I thought we had been over this. You are not a mermaid."

Smiling Kim said "Yes, yes I am."

"Then where is your tail?" said Rocky trying to make her see sense

Pointing down Kim said "It is right here Rocky."

Starting to get filled with dread Rocky looked down only to see the very bottom of the tail out of the water. Getting startled and jumping backwards Rocky said "What are you?"

"I'm a mermaid" Kim said again. She was getting worried now. Rocky was a good three feet from her and looking at her as if she was some kind of sea monster.

"You're a freak!" yelled Rocky

Startled Kim started to reach for him "Rocky I am who I always was."

This seemed to scare him more and he yelled out even louder "YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU FREAK!"

The first time Rocky yelled out it had woke everyone and then the second had them running for the water. They had thought he ran into trouble. Tommy had heard the words being spoken as he was woken up and he just hoped those words were not being directed to Kim. When the others reached the water they just stayed there in shock at the scene before them. Tommy however ran into the water and then went to a now weeping Kim.

"Kim are you okay?" Tommy asked as he held her

"YOU KNEW?" yelled Rocky "You knew she was telling us the truth and you let her come around us, let her eat with us, and let her hug us? What kind of leader are you?"

Tommy was trying to keep his calm and said "Rocky she is still the same person she has always been. It's just now she can change into a mermaid."

"She is a monster who needs to be locked up and studied somewhere. How dare you allow that… that thing to be around us." Rocky said pointing to the crying young woman in Tommy's arms. "Are you so desperate for someone to love that you would try and be with someone who is that disgusting?" At that point Rocky turned and swam for the shore.

Everyone was now even more shocked and didn't know what to say. No one has ever spoken to Tommy that way and no one would ever speak to Kim that way. Jason deciding that she was his little sister no matter what went into the water and swam over to them. Right before he reached the two he went underwater so he could see the truth for himself. Just as he thought 2 inches below her belly started her mermaid tail. As he was looking it was so beautiful to him that he reached out and touched it. Seeing and feeling the evidence for himself he resurfaced and said "Kim you are absolutely beautiful. Don't let what Rocky said get to you."

Needing to hear something positive Kim just nodded. "He is just in shock and apparently doesn't handle it very well at all" Jason added

Nodding again Kim buried her face even more into Tommy's chest. "Come on Kim lets get you out of here and you can sleep next to me tonight. I'm not taking no for an answer." said Tommy

Again Kim nodded "Will it hurt you to leave the water with you tail until you dry and get your legs back?" asked Tommy

Kim shook her head no so Tommy scooped her up and carried her to the shore. He walked right past everyone and took Kim into his tent. Once she was inside he came out and faced everybody "Kim is what she is. She tried telling you all so I don't want any rude or mean comments coming at her. If you don't want to hang around us anymore you tell me and not her." As he faced Rocky he said "I will deal with you another time. I mean what I said though. She had better of heard anything you have to say because you will say no more about it to her."

Even though Rocky was angry he nodded and everyone went back into their tents and fell asleep.