Thomas stood in the waiting room and just stared down towards the O.R. While he had done his job to get Kimberly out of there- he could not believe what his brother had done. What he had tried to do. His brothers and parents had arrived shortly after the O.R. doors had swung closed and he found that he could not even look at them. He knew that they were waiting to see who else came in. They were waiting to see what condition David would be in and he was waiting to see what condition the baby was in. If Tommy had killed David, he wouldn't blame him one bit. He wasn't sure that he would not finish the job if Tommy spared him at this point.
"Thomas," Scott said as Thomas shook his head and looked at his ranger. He had no idea how long Scott had been standing there. "I thought you would know what to do better than me."
"Hey," Thomas whispered as he took the bundle out of Scott's arms and started doing the mental math. He was sure that if Tommy had been here- he would know if the baby needed to go to the NICU, but he had no idea. Currently he was crying loudly in his arms, so he just bounced and rocked him as best he could. "You going back out?"
"Yeah, whoever this Kiros guy is- he brought in a lot of back up," Scott stated as Thomas nodded before he quickly teleported away.
"I'm going to take the baby down to the nursery- don't do anything stupid," Thomas directed at Mitchell and his father seethed. Theo had escorted his father to the hospital when they saw the condition Kimberly was in. They all knew they were going to be lucky to see David alive. He just hoped his father would have a shred of self preservation in that moment, because he doubted anyone could stop Tommy if Mitchell mouthed off at him at this point.
"Did I miss something?" Aisha asked as Thomas walked up to her and he shook his head. "So not your baby."
"Kind of. It's complicated, but I need to get them checked out. I'm pretty sure they're a little early and well…" Thomas trailed off as Aisha nodded and then took the baby from his arms. She carefully unwrapped the makeshift blanket and began checking the baby's vitals. Thomas stood a short distance away, keeping an eye and ear out for the rangers returning. He knew that this was a fight that was going to end in multiple injuries. He just hoped there were no deaths. The last ranger related death had been because of Kiros and he did not want that history to repeat. There had been close calls over the years, but he had stayed good to his word that no one else would have to go through what he went through.
"He looks really healthy, his APGAR score is great. He's also a big boy, 8 pounds, 21 inches long and my goodness does he look like JJ," Aisha stated as Thomas just nodded but avoided her gaze. He didn't want to talk about this with anyone, especially not someone who had met Kimberly a time or two. "So the rumors are true- there's another Kimberly."
"She has her own Tommy, I'm just the default mentor here today, which means I am on baby duty while he takes care of some things," Thomas stated as Aisha gave him a knowing look as she placed the baby back in his arms. "He doesn't need to stay here?"
"I'll come check on him in an hour, he'll need to start nursing- so he should be near mom," Aisha replied and Thomas let out a long sigh. "What?"
"Ish- she's in the O.R. and it's not looking great. David…he basically gutted her to get the baby out. So formula…if you have it," Thomas forced out as Aisha just stared at him, in horror, and he tried to shake off the feeling in the pit of his stomach. "He has a lot to answer for."
The rangers ushered Tommy into the E.R. and the staff immediately jumped into action to take care of him. He glanced down and saw that he was covered in blood, but shook off the attention as he knew it wasn't his own. He had a more important person he needed to get to from the little bit that he had seen as he sprinted after David and his son.
"Thomas, you're in shock, sit down!" Ethan ordered as Tommy looked at him and just shook his head. Was he ever going to catch a break on this planet?
"Not Thomas. Where is the O.R. waiting room?" Tommy asked as he batted away hands and Ethan stared at him a bit harder, trying to figure out why Thomas would lie. "Look- I don't have time to explain- I just need to get to my wife."
"Katy hasn't been admitted," Ethan stated as Tommy glared at him and then looked back at the rangers that had escorted him in. Hopefully they would step in and help, but if they didn't he was willing to do what was necessary to get Ethan out of his way. "I really need to check you."
"Probably should worry more about him," Tommy stated as the last rangers stumbled in carrying David and Tommy slid off the bed as Ethan glanced over at him. "And you should restrain him, we don't need him going anywhere when he wakes up."
"Tommy…glad you're here…they need you. Floor six," Katy said as she ran up to them and Tommy barely nodded before running off towards the stairs. Katy looked over at David and her face hardened. He had caused enough damage to people that she loved and that was going to stop here. "You three- keep guard. No one in or out aside from medical personnel or Thomas. And that includes every other Trueheart."
"Will do," Scott said as they settled outside the E.R. bay and she then turned to head back up to the O.R. suite.
Tommy sprinted up the stairs, ignoring the burning in his legs and lungs. He had felt his connection to Kimberly lessening and it terrified him. He could not lose her. Not now. Not after everything they had to go through to be happy. He burst onto the sixth floor and slowed his pace ever so slightly as he jogged towards the waiting room. He heard a newborn baby cry and he froze. His child. Was his child alright?
"This is her soulmate," Thomas nodded as Tommy jogged up next to him and the doctor looked over at him. He glanced at his blood soaked clothes and then shrugged before he motioned for Tommy to follow. Apparently this doctor was used to people coming in, in this state. "Your son is fine, Tommy. You just worry about her."
"Thanks," Tommy whispered as he gave Thomas a weak smile. He followed after the doctor and waited for them to say something, to give him some idea of what he was walking into. "Why do you need me?"
"You're her soulmate. Her injuries are critical and we're doing everything we can…but we need you in there and we need you talking to her. It's one of the soulmate benefits, you help heal each other," the doctor remarked and Tommy looked at him like he had grown a third eyeball. "Doesn't your ranger hospital know that?"
"This is a ranger only hospital?" Tommy asked as the doctor gave a firm nod and Tommy tried to put that knowledge together with everything that was happening in his world.
"They'll get you in some scrubs and help wash off…well…all of that blood," the doctor said as Tommy was handed off to a couple of nurses and they stared at him. "It's a long story- he doesn't have time to rehash it. I need him in that O.R. as quickly as possible."
"When did Thomas get another soulmate?" Ashley asked as she helped Tommy strip out of his clothing and she then paused again. "When did you get tattoos?"
"Hi, I'm Tommy Oliver. That's my wife, Kimberly and we were brought here to defeat Kiros. Which I've done, but I'll be damned if I lose her because we're discussing my tattoos," Tommy said as he stripped out of the rest of his clothing and stepped into the makeshift shower area as Ashley aimed the water at him and began spraying off the blood. "My therapist is going to have a field day when we get back."
"Why is that?" Ashley asked as she passed him a towel and he quickly dried off before slipping on the pair of offered scrubs.
"How many times have you had your friends come back from the dead?" Tommy asked as Ashely froze and Tommy followed the other nurse who helped him put on a mask, gloves, and cap before he headed into the O.R.
"Ash- you okay?" the nurse asked as she came back and Ashley shook her head no. "Maybe you should go sit with the Truehearts- I know this is harder for you."
"Yeah. Yeah maybe I'll do that," Ashley said as she walked off and went out to the waiting room where she settled down in a chair across from Thomas. She stared at him for a long moment before looking at the bundle in his arms. "What the hell is going on?"
"It's a long story," Thomas hedged as he looked around the waiting room and noticed the number of mentors and former rangers that had gathered in the room. "But I guess we have time."
"Tommy, we've got everything sewn up as well as we can. The recovery is going to be hard whoever did this nicked a lot of organs and I can't guarantee that we won't have to go back in. She's going to be in ICU for at least a few days and then we'll go from there," the doctor stated as he walked over to Tommy's side and the man looked up at him. "She wouldn't have made it this far without you."
"Thanks, Doctor…" Tommy trailed off as the doctor gave him a sad smile.
"It's Uncle Robert for you," Robert said as Tommy stared at him. How had he not recognized his voice earlier? "You've had a lot on you. We're going to do everything that we can to help her. I'm not losing another Kimberly Hart on my watch. You should know- Atlantis has been called in to take care of Mitch and David."
"A…a..at…atlantis?" Tommy stuttered out as Robert nodded his head and Tommy shook his. "Is there any way I don't have to see him?"
"I'm not sure, but I would expect that he would like to hear from you," Robert said and Tommy let out a ragged breath. "I take it you didn't have a good experience with Atlantis in your world."
"He was the one who killed all the rangers," Tommy supplied and Robert met his gaze and he saw the horror there. "So yeah, I'd prefer not to see him."
"We're ready to move her. Follow me," the nurse said as Tommy nodded and Robert turned to go to the waiting room. He was not sure what shocked him more. That his brother had been complicit in his son's crimes or that Atlantis had killed all the Power Rangers in another world.
"Uncle Robert?" Brittany asked as he realized he was standing in the waiting room and he looked to see how many people were there. Aside from his family, it seemed that a steady trickle of current Power Ranger mentors had arrived as the school day ended. "How is he?"
"He?" Robert asked as he glanced up at Thomas and he grimaced. He hadn't exactly told his family who was treating Kimberly or David.
"You were treating David, right?" Brittany asked and Robert just shook his head. He understood why the family was worried about anyone treating him, especially if they knew what he had done.
"No. If he needed surgery I am sure another doctor took good care of him," Robert said as the ranger mentors started moving forward and slowly gathered around him. Thomas nodded as he got the bottle settled for the baby in his arms. It reminded Robert far too much of the day they'd lost Kimberly. Thomas had gone straight into dad mode on that day as well. "She made it through surgery, but she's still not out of the woods. The next 24 hours are going to be critical."
"In more ways than one," Atlantis chimed in as the mentors spun around to face him and saw how livid he was. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"Sorry…who…" Jason trailed off as Atlantis turned around to see Mitchell slowly moving towards the back of the waiting room.
"You don't get to escape me on this one, Mitchell. What the hell were you thinking?" Atlantis roared as several rangers hit the deck as a powerful burst shot at Mitchell. "You have risked…you have stood by…you knew. You knew what David did all of those years ago and you told no one and that allowed him to nearly accomplish the same thing again."
"You're all for protocol except for the one where Power Rangers and Prophets do not marry. They do not have children," Mitchell snarled as he stood to face Atlantis. "You took my choice away. Why the hell did Thomas get to have his?"
"Yours was a teenage fling. His was his soulmate. There is a marked difference in how stopping a soulmate from being with their partner can affect a ranger. You saw what Tommy can do because he still has his soulmate," Atlantis stated as he walked over to Mitchell and then looked back at the Trueheart children. "You have to answer for what you knew. David has to answer for what he did. The longer you stall, the harsher your fate will be. Do not frame me as the evil one here or should I remind you about how long you overstepped your role and I ignored that?"
"Where is my husband?" Candice asked as she stormed into the waiting room and Thomas let out a groan. His sister-in-law was someone that he had once greatly respected, but his view of her had changed over the years. "What happened to him? Who did this, Mitchell?"
"Candice, come with me and we'll find his doctor for an update," Robert said as she snapped her attention to him and he quickly ushered her out of the room.
"I suggest we move this conversation elsewhere," Thomas said as Atlantis and Mitchell looked back at him. "They'll find out soon enough what happened and what he did, but that probably shouldn't be while he is in surgery."
"How do you still have compassion for him?" Gordon asked and Thomas just shook his head. "You don't?"
"For him- no. For his family? Yeah, Candice and the girls are going to suffer enough as all of this comes out. We shouldn't add to it," Thomas stated as the baby in his arms cried out and he started gently patting his back and bouncing him. "I'm sure you can find somewhere. Katy- I'm going to hang around here until I can take him to Tommy- why don't you, Jase, and Rocky go with?"
"My pleasure," Katy said, coldly, as Atlantis and Jason each grabbed one of Mitchell's arms and led him from the room as the Trueheart children glanced between Thomas and their father.
"You don't have to stay with me. You should be there to hear what he has to say," Thomas said as his brothers gave him a grateful nod and Brittany gave him a tight hug. He watched as they all trailed off and he looked to see who was left in the waiting room and he noticed Theo still sitting in the back of the room. He walked over to him and sank down in the chair next to him before he handed the baby to him and lost it. "Dad…we couldn't…I can't…"
"I know," Theo whispered as he rubbed Thomas' back and he looked up to see the other rangers staring at him. Most of them were far too young to understand how much that woman meant to him, in any world. "Is there anyone left at the academy?"
"It's all hands on deck here. We can't be sure who else…" Tanya trailed off as Candice walked back into the waiting room and sat down in one of the chairs. "This is where we need to be."
The machines beeped around Tommy as he rested his head against the bed rail and he tried to get some rest. Each time he had moved away from Kim, her vitals had dipped and he had had to move right back to her. He desperately wanted to get their son and have him with them, but he couldn't leave her. The doctors had basically told him as much after his last bathroom break.
"Tommy?" Robert asked as he peeked in and Tommy slowly sat up. "Is there anything you need?"
"My son," Tommy croaked as he cleared his throat. "Can someone…I need to have eyes on the both of them. I need to know…I…please."
"I'll get Thomas to bring him in and we'll get a bassinet in here as well," Robert said as Tommy gave him a grateful look and he walked in to check her vitals. "She's stabilizing with you here, which is good. We may be able to start weaning her off the sedation to wake her up tomorrow if this continues."
"Thanks," Tommy whispered as Robert clapped him on the back and he then walked out of the room. Tommy leaned forward in his chair and gently ran his fingers through Kimberly's hair, pushing it back off her face. The color of her skin scared him, but he didn't want to say that ot anyone. "We both need you, babe."
"Hey, someone would much prefer you to me," Thomas said as he walked in and handed Tommy his son. "Thank you for trusting me."
"You've helped my family and kept them safe. Why wouldn't I trust you?" Tommy asked as he sat back down in the chair and reached to grab Kim's hand.
"My brother…" Thomas trailed off as Tommy held up his hand for a moment.
"Your brother is not your fault. He betrayed you long before he betrayed me and it sounds like you've brought in Atlantis to handle the situation. I don't imagine he's happy with what has happened and I've seen what he can do when he isn't happy," Tommy said as Thomas grimaced and then nodded. "You've done what you can. You helped me save my wife and you've kept my son safe while I couldn't take care of him. You know where to find me if your world ever needs me again."
"Do you need anything?" Thomas asked as he stood up and Tommy shook his head. He knew how many rules they were breaking to allow him to stay and as much as he might want a cot- it would get in the way if anything else went wrong. "I'm going to be posting extra security outside this room- anyone you don't want?"
"Preferably not your family- unless it's Katy or JJ," Tommy said and Thomas nodded. He had already decided that he would be calling in the previous team to help the current team split the work. He did not want Kimberly or Tommy to have to face Erick again and he soundly wanted to keep Erick's family as far away from the Olivers as possible. He hoped they wouldn't cause problems, but he also was not risking it again. "Thanks."
"Try to get some rest," Thomas said as Tommy just nodded as he pulled off the scrub top and placed his son against his chest before leaning back against his chair.
"Is he in there?" Candice asked as Thomas closed the door behind him and he looked down at his sister-in-law. He desperately just wanted a few moments to process all of this before he had to go sit in the inquisition that was going on just a few floors down. It didn't seem like he was going to get that relief. "The man that did this to my David."
"Candi- not now," Thomas said as she let out a shriek and tried to go for the door before he picked her up and carried her away from the ICU- back towards the surgical recovery floor. "You don't know what happened today. You should enjoy the time with your husband while you can."
"Everyone keeps saying that. What could he have possibly done to merit such a threat?" Candice asked as Thomas just shook his head as he looked up and down the hall. He liked Candice, she had been a great partner for David, but she was also someone who wouldn't abide this kind of betrayal. "Thomas…please, tell me."
"He colluded with Kiros to capture Kimberly Oliver and then deliver their newborn child to Kiros- to be raised as his own. When we got there too soon- he…he nearly killed her, Candi and almost got their baby to Kiros before Tommy stopped it. And that's all I know, for sure, that he has done. He mentioned something about…about my Kimberly…" Thomas trailed off as he got choked up and tried to shake it off but couldn't. He struggled with it as Candice stared at him in horror and he finally managed to get his voice back. "I think you can see why everyone wanted to spare you this, at least for now."
"How do I tell the girls?" Candice whispered as she wiped her tears and Thomas just shook his head. They had far surpassed anything they had ever thought would happen to their family over the last 24 hours. "That's not fair to ask you. Was Atlantis called for David?"
"And also for Mitch," Thomas said as Candice's eyes widened and he let out a sigh. "He knew about whatever David's involvement was with my Kimberly."
"Thomas- I am so sorry," Candice said as she grabbed his arm and Thomas just shook his head. He would do anything to hear his father or brother apologize but he knew that was not going to happen. He was far more likely to have his father try to disown him after what he had done today.