Author's Note: I don't have a whole lot to say this time, other than I'm glad that people don't hate me for chapter 21. It made me sick to write, but it's a big piece of the clue to the 'Angel Killer's' psychological process. Anyone think they have it figured out? I know Ghostwriter is paying close attention to the clues dropped throughout the story.
Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing and/or adding me to favs and alerts. I really appreciate it! I will however get back to my shoutouts now that I have time to sit and respond lol
Shoutouts: AlexAlexander- Sorry I didn't respond in the last upload I did, but I figured you deserved a shoutout this time. Thank you so much for your kind words, I smiled and blushed when I read your review. I'm glad you find this original and well written. It has taken me quite a few years but I think I have finally settled on a style of writing that is both easy and natural for me. I too love the relationship between Jason and Kat, if I hadn't already fallen in love with Kat/Tommy on the show I would have loved to have seen these two together. I hope you stick around to see the conclusion to this story, it's by far the most massive story and plot line I have ever done for a fanfic. This story, while the plot is thickening, it no where near done. It's still got a few more twists and turns. Enjoy the ride! AND thanks for adding this story to your favs!
Ghostwriter- DON'T stop watching crime shows! They are the most awesome shows in the world LOL As you can tell I'm addicted to shows like that too. 'Unsub' I forgot that terminology. I keep calling him 'perp' or just 'our guy' lol I think you've been paying the most attention trying to put the clues together... And for your last review... I felt bad for Kat too after everything going on and then Jason yelling at her. It broke my heart to write, but I had to do it for the story. As you saw in the last chapter, Jason needed to be set straight. Thank goodness for his Mom, even if he's still confused about what he should do with Kat. Hopefully, he gets his mind clear and realizes how important Kat is to him.
brankel1- Yes, it is very sad what happened to the 'unsub' (thank you Ghostwriter for the term LOL) and you're right it doesn't mean that he should go around doing what he's doing, but sometimes when things like that happen to kids they break and loose their morals and standards. And even more sadly, this happens in real life to people, which is one reason why we have serial killers and psychopaths running around. Hopefully the team and put the pieces together and catch this guy and lock him up from the rest of society so he can't hurt anyone anymore... And your last review... I feel so bad for Lilly loosing her Mom at such a young age. Jason spoke out of anger and hurt before he even had time to think. With a little help from his Mom he's starting to sort out his feelings, but 'betrayal' is a feeling that runs deep and doesn't disappear over night. (Yes I realize Kat didn't actually betray Jason, but he sees it as such). Hmm... so now Kat's back in New York and Jason's in California still... what's gonna happen now that they're apart? Does the 'Angel Killer' think he's won? We'll find out! PS thanks for adding this story your Favs list!
Jeremy Shane- Thanks for taking the time to drop a line. Glad you like and here's another chapter! And for you last review... I have wrestled with including Kat's powers into the story, going back and forth with it. But figured that even without Zordon, the rangers would still be held by the moral sense and the promise they made to their former leader. Plus by using her powers to get rid of the 'Angel Killer' Kat would be risking exposing herself and possibly the other rangers. (Try explaining to your supervisor how the bad guy got a laser blast in his head) Plus, Kat doesn't know who she's looking for so even using her powers is useless without the ground work as an agent. Anyway... hope you enjoy this chapter.
Shievi- Thanks for adding this story to your favs! That makes my day to see that in my inbox
mafanatic- Thanks for the add to your alerts! Hope you enjoy this story as it continues to unfold.
Okay Sorry about the long intro guys... Here's chapter 23... A little Rachel and Tom... Aren't they cute? LOL
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Chapter 23
Rachel and Tom sat quietly on his couch in his small apartment, sharing New Years Eve together. Rachel rested her head on his shoulder as both stared at the television, although neither would have been able to say what was playing.
Rachel let out a sudden sigh. Tom pulled back to look at her. "What's wrong Rach?"
"Director Burns called us back to New York."
"What? When? Why?" Tom asked bewildered.
"Russ got the call today before I came over." Rachel answered. Regret and sadness showing clearly in her soft brown eyes. She trailed a slender finger over Tom's square shaped face. "I don't want to go."
"I don't want you to go either Rachel." Tom replied softly. "But what are we to do?"
"You could move in with me." Rachel grinned.
"Rach..." Tom started.
"I know, I know. I was only teasing." Rachel attempted a smile, but Tom could tell she wasn't joking.
"Rachel, I..." Tom swallowed against the lump forming in his throat.
"Please Tom, don't go all sentimental and crap on me." Rachel held up a hand. "Let's just enjoy our time we have together."
"When do you have to go back?" Tom asked after a moment.
"Two days, unless we get a lead before then." Rachel replied with a sigh.
"I'll have to make plans to take a vacation soon and come to New York."
"Really?" Rachel's eyes lit up. Tom grinned back at her, his own chocolate eyes sparkling. "Well I'll make sure to hide the other men in my closet before I pick you up at the airport."
"Oh, you're so funny." Tom laughed. He pulled Rachel into a hug. "We'll make this work Rach. I promise."
"Tom I know we haven't known each other long, but I... I really... care about you." Rachel said quietly.
"I care about you too Rachel." Tom chuckled. His face suddenly turned very serious and he swallowed hard. "I more than just care about you Rachel... I love you."
"You... you do?" Rachel gasped, her eyes wide.
"I do." Tom nodded. "When I'm with you, I can't even remember any other girls name. When I'm apart from you I don't think of anyone but you. I can't wait to see you in the mornings and I long for the nights I get to bring you here and keep you all night. I love you."
Rachel's eyes teared up slightly and she gave a small laugh. "So Mr Playboy himself has fallen for someone?"
"Yeah." Tom let out a hearty laugh. "Caught by Ms Playgirl herself."
"I love you too Tom." Rachel admitted. Tom cupped her cheek in his hand and wiped the single tear away. "I honestly never thought I was good enough for anyone. But then you..."
"Rachel, you're perfect to me. You'll always be more than 'good enough'." Tom argued gently.
"Imagine that, you have a sensitive side." Rachel laughed through her tears.
"And you make everything a joke." Tom laughed.
"You do too."
"That's why we get along." Tom nodded. Before Rachel had the chance to say anything more, Tom pressed his lips to hers. Rachel's eyes slid closed and Tom circled his arms around her slender waist and pulled her flush against him. One of his hands slid up her back to cradle the back of her neck and the other remained on the small of her back.
Rachel had always imagined this kind of thing, but for reason unknown to anyone other than her, she never allowed herself this. She kept her relationships short, mostly one night stands. Pick a guy up at the bar or club, take 'em home or go home with them, bed them, and then kick them out or ditch them in the morning. No phone numbers, and sometimes no names. No mess, no broken hearts, no worries.
The real reason she never let herself indulge in something like this, was one man. The only man who had ever truly loved her. He would have moved mountains, stopped time, and split the oceans for her if she had asked. Only, she didn't know how deep his love went for her until it was too late. Once she finally understood how much he loved her, he was gone. He'd left her, even though he'd promised he never would. She couldn't stand the thought of having another man promise her to stay and then walk away, so she chose to avoid love altogether...
Until she met Thomas 'Tom' Dunham. He was tall, handsome, and so much like her that she couldn't help but want to know why. His chocolate eyes seemed to bore into her when he looked at her just right. He was funny, and sweet in his own way, sensitive, and caring. Exactly what she had always wanted in a man. She had started flirting with him hoping to get a little fling going, one that she could walk away from when she went back to New York, but after the first time he made love to her she knew she couldn't just walk away anymore. He didn't just use her like all the men she met in New York, he'd been slow and gentle. He'd worshiped her body and driven her insane with his teasing, until all she could do was cry out for him to take her. He'd obeyed, but he didn't just take her body that night. He'd taken her heart and soul as well. She'd fallen for him the first night, she just wouldn't admit it until now.
Tom slowly pulled back from their kiss and stared into her eyes. "Come on." He grinned. "It's nearly midnight."
"Okay..." Rachel raised an eyebrow, slightly disappointed that he'd ended their kiss. Tom held her hand and guided her out to his balcony. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around and held her back against his front. He was tall enough to rest his chin on the top of her head as they stared out at the night sky. "What are we doing?"
"Just wait." Tom whispered. "Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One..." The night sky lit up with fireworks of all types and colors. "Happy New Year Rach."
"Happy New Year Tom." Rachel replied. She turned around in his arms and shared another kiss beneath the bright display. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Uh, sure."
"Why have you avoided relationships before now? What happened to you that you didn't want love?"
"You really want to know?" Tom asked cautiously.
"Yes, yes I do." Rachel nodded. "Only if you're willing to share it with me."
"Sooner or later I would have told you." Tom replied. "I was engaged once."
"Really?"
"Truly." Tom nodded. "I got off work early one day to surprise her, but when I got home Tracy wasn't anywhere I could see. I started thinking that maybe she had run to the store or something, but then I heard something coming from the basement. When I went to investigate the sound I found Tracy and some guy, going at it like animals. Needless to say, I didn't get married and I haven't had a steady girlfriend since then."
"Oh Tom, I'm sorry. I shouldn't joke about hiding other guys..."
"Hey, don't worry about it Rach." Tom placed his hands on both sides of her face. "I trust you and I know you're only joking."
"Still, I'm sorry."
"I'm fine now, I have you." Tom grinned. He gently kissed her again. Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss.
She pulled back from him, breathing heavily. "Your room, now."
"Anything you want." Tom grinned as he picked her up and carried her to his room.
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"Aren't they beautiful Daddy?" Lilly grinned as they watched the fireworks from their backyard. Everyone was there, including Tommy and Anna in from Reefside and Zack and Kimberly from LA, since Jason's backyard was the biggest and offered the best view of the fireworks.
"Yes they are Lilly-Pad." Jason nodded.
"Hey Lil! Wanna play ball?" Bobby called as he tossed a football in the air.
"Yeah!" Lilly grinned and stood up from her place on the ground next to Jason. Bobby, Mitch, Lilly, and even Rosa played football. Lucy was on the ground with her mother playing with the two babies of the group, Liam and Kyle. Kimberly and Aisha each were holding their respective baby as they sat on the ground with Trini and Lucy. Rocky and Zack were standing around with a beer talking about what Jason didn't know. Billy was sitting at the picnic table with Adam just watching everyone else and occasionally making a comment to one another. Tanya sat in a lawn chair next to Anna, they seemed to be in a deep conversation.
"Hey Bro." Tommy said as he plopped onto the ground next to Jason.
"Hey." Jason replied.
"So... how you doing?"
"I've been fine. Just... Lilly's having a hard time still. She's going back to school next week, but I'm not going back to work until I'm sure she'll be okay."
"You told me about Lilly earlier Jase, I'm asking how you're doing?"
"I..." Jason looked down at his lap. He couldn't lie to Tommy. "I'm horrible Bro. I... I keep getting reminders of her everywhere I go. Everywhere I look. It hurts, worse than when Liz and I split up."
"I know how you feel." Tommy nodded.
"How did you cope?"
"I just keep pushing forward, and for a long time kept hoping she would come back."
"I don't think she'll come back." Jason said sadly. "I really blew it with her."
"Just give it time bro." Tommy placed a hand on Jason's shoulder.
"I miss her so much Tommy." Jason looked at his friend. Tommy hadn't seen Jason this broken since the gold ranger incident, he was taken back by the vulnerability and weariness in his gaze. "She was going to move here."
"She was?"
"Yeah, she told me around Thanksgiving that she was going to transfer to the west coast and move in with me." Jason shook his head. "And then I had to tell her I made a mistake sleeping with her."
"That's what you said?" Tommy gasped.
"I had just seen a message from the 'Angel Killer' that basically said he'd killed Liz because Kat and I..." Jason bit on his bottom lip as he looked up at the fireworks still going off. "He recorded Kat and I our first time together."
"That's disturbing." Tommy grimaced.
"I had a million emotions running through me on that day, so when I saw the message, I freaked out. I didn't mean to lash out at Kat. She was just... right there and it was, easy. I've never regretted something more in my life."
"I hear ya." Tommy nodded, Jason looked at him with a questioning gaze. "I never told you about the day Kat left me, did I?"
"No." Jason shook his head.
"It's not pretty, and it's something I'll always regret..."
Flashback...
Kat was sitting on the floor in the room that was supposed to have been the nursery. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She rested her chin on her knees as she stared out blankly at nothing in particular. They had buried Charlie nearly five months ago, and she had spent almost every day doing this.
Tommy sighed heavily as he stood in the doorway watching her. Finally frustrated to no end with her, he walked into the room. "Baby, you can't sit here all the time, it's not healthy." Kat didn't respond, she didn't even flinch. "Kat really, please, leave this room."
"I can't" She said in such a low voice Tommy almost missed it. He knelt down in front of her, but her gaze didn't waver from wherever she was looking.
"Hun, you can't waste your whole life sitting here mourning Charlie."
"He's only been gone a few months Tommy!" Kat snapped, finally looking up to met his eyes.
"Kat, sitting here staring at his crib won't change the fact that he's gone." Tommy urged. Kat chewed on her bottom lip as her eyes welled up.
"I miss him and I never even got to met him."
"I miss him too Kat, but there's nothing we can do. Please, come back to me. Leave this room."
"I can't." She placed her chin back on her knees and stared ahead again. Tommy ran a hand through his hair and walked out of the room. "No one should have to go through this." She whispered to herself once she was alone again.
Tommy left the apartment and went for a walk around the neighborhood. He had been gone for nearly two hours by the time he returned. Kat had fallen asleep on the floor of the nursery. She seemed to sleep a lot recently, Tommy had noticed. He gently scooped her up and carried her to their bed. He covered her up and placed a kiss on her forehead.
He started back toward the livingroom but paused when he passed the doorway to the nursery. He let out a sigh as his gaze fell on the crib. It had never been used. The clothes in the dresser were still folded neatly, some still bearing their tags in case they had been the wrong size.
It's not healthy for Kat to spend all her time in here. Tommy told himself. It's got to go. Mind made up Tommy went to the kitchen and found as many grocery bags as he could find. Quickly and quietly he began bagging up the clothes. Once the dresser was empty he slid it out of the room and drug it to the front door. Thank goodness we live on the ground floor.
Tommy hauled the dresser out to his truck and loaded it in the back. He followed suit with the bags of clothes. He took apart the crib with much less trouble than he'd had putting it together. It too joined the dresser in the back of the truck, along with the changing table his future in-laws had sent them from Australia. He returned to the nursery and took down the decorative pictures Kat had hung. Those he put into a box, along with a few stuffed animals he couldn't bring himself to get rid of. He closed up the box and placed it on the shelf in the closet for later.
He then took the dresser, crib, changing table, and clothes to the secondhand store downtown. It pained him to do, but if it wasn't in the apartment, Kat couldn't sit and stare at it all day. He drove himself back home. As he walked in the door, he barely missed the glass thrown at his head. Splintered glass rained down on him, thankfully not cutting him.
"What the hell Kat!" Tommy shouted.
"Why? Why did you take his stuff?" She screamed.
"Because he's not here to use it." Tommy narrowed his eyes at his angry girlfriend. "And you've become obsessed. You can't sit in the there day after day just staring at his stuff."
"You're a bastard Thomas James Oliver!" Kat hissed. "How dare you...!"
"How dare I? Kat, you don't eat much, you spend all day either sitting in the nursery or sleeping. It feels like I lost both you and Charlie that night. You haven't even looked at me since. You won't let me touch you or hold you. It's like you want me to go away and leave you alone."
"That's not what I want." Kat shook her head. Tears welled up in her sapphire eyes, threatening to cascade over. "I just.."
"Kat, we have to move on." Tommy was growing frustrated with her. He'd been trying to reach out to her since the first night at the hospital, but she kept shoving him away from her. Her habit of bottling everything up and not letting anyone in was really grating on his nerves. He'd thought they were past that, but apparently they were back at square one.
"I don't want to move on." Kat shook her head. Tommy moved across the room in a flash and took hold of her arms.
"If you don't move on Kat, I'm going to leave you behind. I have to keep moving. I can't spend the rest of my life mourning a child that maybe we weren't ready to have..."
"Are you saying you didn't want Charlie?"
"No, that's not what..."
"Get out!" She screamed pushing him away from her. "Get the hell out!"
"Kat, I didn't..."
"I said get the fuck out of here." Kat's body was shaking with barely contained rage. Tommy knew it was bad, she hardly every cursed let alone use the F-bomb.
"You want me gone, fine! Now you're free to sit and stare at the wall all day all you want!" Tommy shot back as he walked out the door, slamming it behind him. He'd spent nearly a week at his parents house, unable to tell them what had been said in their fight.
When he finally returned home to apologize to Katherine and make amends for his thoughtless comment, she was gone. Her acceptance letter to the FBI training left on the table and small handwritten note from her.
I'm so sorry for how things have turned out between the two of us Tommy. I really am. I never wanted to do this in a note, but you didn't come home and I made up my mind. I'm joining the FBI, maybe I can help others who've suffered like I have and hopefully prevent someone else's suffering. Maybe after some time, we can find each other again. I'm just not as ready as you are to forget that I should have a son. Please forgive me for running out like this, I really didn't want to leave you a note. Take care Tommy.
Katherine
End Flashback...
"Wow." Jason gave a low whistle.
"See why I never told anyone about our fight?" Tommy nodded. "I managed to track down a phone number to reach her at after a couple months, we talked briefly and I apologized like crazy. I told her that I hadn't meant what she thought I did. She told me she already knew that, and she had forgiven me right after I left and that she'd sat up on the couch waiting for me all night."
"She forgave you though?"
"Yeah, but I've never been able to forgive myself." Tommy nodded. "I usually think before I speak and that day I didn't. I was hurting because Kat was pulling away from me when I needed her most and frustrated I couldn't reason with her... I hadn't meant to say what I did especially the way I said it. Somehow, Kat knew that. She always knew."
"But she didn't come back." Jason's face fell.
"She had been planning to go to the FBI before our fight that day." Tommy explained. "She was going to talk to me about it once she knew if she passed her test. Kat wasn't just sitting quietly in Charlie's room. She had been studying and preparing for something she felt she had to do. Sitting in Charlie's room had kept her motivated..."
"Because seeing his empty crib would remind her that somewhere out there, there was a killer running lose, and that only pushed her harder." Jason nodded.
"That's exactly what she said." Tommy smiled. "You sure she didn't tell you that story?"
"She didn't." Jason shook his head. "I understand what she was doing when you said she was studying in there."
"Cop intuition?" Tommy raised an eyebrow.
"No, I did something similar."
"Oh?"
"I kept that picture of you, me, and Kat on my desk. Every time I thought it was getting too tough and thought about dropping out I would look at that picture and remember the pain you two went through and I pushed myself harder to ace a test or get a higher grade. Once I finally made the force I put that picture on my desk to serve as a reminder to never let Charlie's case die. I still keep it on my desk."
"Hmm." Tommy pursed his lips together as he studied his best friend.
"What's 'hmm' about Oliver?" Jason raised an eyebrow.
"You and Kat really do think a lot alike, and I'm convinced now more than ever that you belong together."
"Well she's not talking to me right now." Jason rolled his eyes.
"Give it time, she'll talk to you. Kat's used to pig headed men saying things they don't really mean. She'll talk to you eventually."
"I hope you're right Tommy." Jason sighed. "I hope you're right."