Day Six:
It had been late when Zedd finally decided that he no longer required Kimberly's presence, and she had been completely worn out. Instead of going back to Tommy as she had promised, she had gone to get some sleep. However, sleep had been anything but restful. She had relived the dance in her mind, only her mind carried it to that final step she and Tommy nearly achieved. Then the dream switched, and she watched, aroused and ashamed, as she felt up her other friends. Other dream-like snippets kept interfering, fragments of Goldar abusing Tommy. In her mind's eye she watched as Goldar landed a kick to Tommy's back; she felt as if Goldar had hit her. Kim felt Tommy's pain and woke up.

She found herself covered in sweat and gasping for breath. Her body still ached with the combination of pain and pleasure. As with the nightmare from the first three days, the sequence with Goldar fighting Tommy had been in Tommy's perspective. If she was somehow picking up on Tommy's dreams, that he had sustained a terrible beating at Goldar's hands. She needed to go to him at once. She needed to tell him she was free, that the others were here. She had to give him some hope.

Kim reached out for the first garment she could lay her hands on as she scrambled out of bed; however, the first thing was her Power Slut costume. She refused to wear that ever again. She searched about and spotted the tattered remnants of her aunt's ballgown. Kim picked it up carefully. It was completely ruined. The full, feather-trimmed skirt had been completely ripped away, and the remaining hem was torn and split resembling a jagged maw of teeth. The bodice was torn down to about where her navel would be; both side seams were coming undone, and the silver straps had been pulled out from the back of the dress. Kim slipped the dress on, finding it apropos. It had been shredded just as her life had been shredded. Kim remembered the way Tommy's eyes shone the first time he saw her in the gown. He'd never look at her that way ever again. Admiration will have been turned to disgust and loathing.

A tear trickled down her cheek, and she wiped at it angrily. She glanced at the reflection in the obsidian walls of her chamber; she looked like one of the scantily clad heroines off the cover of an old pulp fiction magazine. She tied the straps halter style behind her neck, and she looked about to see if she could find a safety pin to close up the bodice. However, all she found was one of her hairpins.

A hairpin! Kim reached for it with a sort of reverence; she was almost afraid to blink or breath, lest the precious pin vanish. She carefully straightened out the wire and held it up in a sort of triumph. Hairpin no longer, it was now a control pick; here was the key to Tommy's freedom!

Kim raced down the corridors, her bare feet slapping the cold stone loudly. She didn't care if Zedd or his henchmen saw her; all that mattered was getting that pin to Tommy. She all but flew down the stairs to the lowest dungeon; she actually tumbled down the last six or seven in her haste. However, when she reached Tommy's cell, she pulled up short. The force field had been deactivated, and Tommy was gone!

Where could he be? Kim's mind and body went numb with fear. Then, the fear was replaced by blazing anger as she realized that it wasn't Tommy's dream she had somehow intercepted. She had picked up on his present situation. Goldar was beating him now! As she stood there nursing her fury, something inside the cell exploded. The blast knocked Kim to the floor. Picking herself up, she crawled over to examine the debris. There wasn't much left of her leathers or the stereo. She wondered what had caused the explosion. She turned to leave and stepped on a hot piece of metal. Swearing, she picked up the offending item; it was the remains of the silver choker she had worn. Running through the center of the silver coils was a collection of hot wires. She knew without a doubt that the collar had been the bomb--a bomb meant for her. She hadn't planned on taking the thing off; she had done it as an afterthought. Why had Zedd activated it now, unless it had something to do with Tommy's battle with Goldar?

Thinking of Tommy's plight spurred Kim to action. She raced back up the stairs, but this time her steps were guided by her white-hot anger and the cold, hard edge of her determination. As she sped through the corridors, she ran into Squatt and Baboo.

"Power Slut, what are you doing here?" Baboo began.

"It's Kimberly to you, bub," she snarled, grabbing him and shoving him up against the wall. "Where has Goldar taken Tommy?"

"Why should we tell you?" Squatt asked.

"If you don't, I will rip your gizzard out and stuff it down your throat!" Her eyes were dark and dangerous.

"I think she means it," Baboo gulped.

"He's taken him to the Arena of Darkness."

Kim shoved Baboo away and continued up the winding stairs. She was going to need a weapon of some sort; there was no way she could fight Goldar barehanded, but where to find one? Finster's workshop! There was bound to be something there, but the only way she knew to get to Finster's lab was through Zedd's throne room. It was late; Zedd was probably sleeping or recharging or whatever it was he did. The odds were good that he wouldn't be parked on his throne. Still, Kim exercised caution as she arrived at the throne room. She kept to the shadows, ducking behind whatever cover she could find.

Unfortunately, Zedd was on his throne. His attention, however, was riveted to a viewing globe. In it, Goldar was fighting Tommy, but it was hardly a fair fight. Tommy still wore the control belt. He was not only receiving blows from Goldar but also surges from his shackles. Even so, he was trying to put up resistance.

"Your resistance has cost you dearly, White Ranger," Zedd rumbled. In the globe, Tommy looked up to find the source of the disembodied voice. "Remember that darling piece of jewelry your former girlfriend was wearing. The Pink Ranger is no more!"

"You didn't kill the Pink Ranger, Zedd, only your Power Slut," Tommy shouted back defiantly. Zedd merely laughed, but as Tommy continued to fight, Zedd stopped laughing.

"Perhaps I had better check on Kimberly's remains."

That was Kimberly's cue to get moving. She quickly slipped from the throne room into Finster's workshop. As she had hoped, there were a wide variety of weapons along with the monster molds and clay for the putties. Most of the implements were too heavy for her to handle, but she finally found a wicked looking mace. She hoisted it onto her shoulder and started to take her leave when she spotted something in a cabinet. Their Morphers and communicators! The door was locked. Kim briefly thought about smashing it, but that would alert Zedd to her presence. She would do no good against him by herself. Kim hesitated. She had to free the others, but Tommy needed help too. However, freeing the others would do Tommy more good in the long run. If he could hold out a little longer....

Kim cut back through the throne room; Zedd was no longer watching the proceedings in the Arena of Darkness. His viewing globe was trained on the cell where Billy and the others were still chained to their craggy supports.

"If Kimberly is on the loose, she will no doubt pay her friends a visit," Zedd rumbled.

As Kim slipped out of the chamber, her mind was racing. How could she free the others with Zedd watching her?

Kimberly stood at the top of the stairs leading into the holding pen where her friends were held; she was relieved to see that they had managed to drift off to sleep. What she intended to do with Billy was going to be difficult enough; she didn't want them all to know. Kim tore the bodice of her dress even further and loosened the straps until the top of the gown barely covered her breasts. She plumped herself up to give herself even more cleavage. She ripped the skirt so she could show more leg, and she even pulled apart the back seam so that she showed more ass. She fluffed her hair out, and did her best to assume the Power Slut's deliciously wicked grin. She fingered her hairpin nervously. Where would she hide that? She settled for bending it slightly and slipping it into her mouth. Then, with a sexy swagger that came far too easily, Kim started down the stairs.

As she drew nearer to her teammates, she observed the flicker of Zedd's viewing globe. She forced herself to ignore it as she approached Billy. She began the charade by simply admiring him. He had changed so much since they had first received their power coins; he was no longer the geek whose every sentence Trini had to translate. She should have been able to understand him better; after all, she had known him almost as long as she had Trini and the others. Kim appreciated the way his body had filled out--his muscles weren't as hard or defined as Tommy's, but they were nice ... his fair hair blown back stylishly, his blue eyes ... and he really did have a cute ass. Kimberly could see herself attracted to her quiet, intellectual friend if she hadn't fallen for Tommy.

However, she had to remind herself that she wasn't there to speculate about Billy; she was there to grope and hopefully free him. Offering Billy a silent apology, she stepped closer and reached for the bulge in his shorts. She must have done quite a number on him earlier for he was still rather hard. She squeezed him gently then began stroking him through his shorts until he started to come around. When he opened his mouth to speak, she covered his mouth with a kiss.

"Don't say anything," she hissed against his lips. She raked her fingers through his hair and stood on tiptoe to lick his ear. "I'm being watched. Just play along, please!" To Billy's astonishment, she kissed him again, harder than before. This time when she French kissed him, she transferred the hairpin from her mouth to his. Kim came up for air, then started kissing and licking his neck. She flicked her tongue over his earlobes and whispered further instructions. "With the pick, press the squares around the central square in this sequence: top, bottom, left, right. That will deactivate the force field."

"Why are you doing this?" Billy stammered as Kim slid down his body to play with the hairs on his chest. Billy found her attentions exceedingly distracting, as he had earlier in the day. His sleep had been fitful, thanks to the erotic images conjured by his hormone-saturated imagination. The gown she had looked so spectacular in at the talent show looked even more inviting on her now. However, Billy realized that there was something else going on here besides her arousing perusal of his person. It was with monumental effort that he attempted to focus on her words and not on what she was doing to his body.

Kim slowly licked her way down to his bellybutton; she could feel his cock pressing between her breasts. Kim quickly scampered around behind him and undid the chains that held him to the stalagmite-type projection. Once he was standing free, she began running her hands all over his ass. A shudder ran down Billy's spine. Kim wrapped her arms around his chest and began placing tiny kisses all over his back.

"Zedd's spell wore off three days ago," Kim began, keeping her voice low. She used Billy's body as a shield so Zedd wouldn't see the pained expression on her face. "Oh Billy, I've had to do terrible things!"

Even as Kim's confession came pouring out, her hands continued to play with Billy's body. Billy was torn by his ever increasing sexual excitement and his growing concern. As Kimberly held him, he could feel her body trembling against him and could feel her silent tears slipping down his back. To his astonishment, Kimberly did not gloss over the sordid details of her ordeal. She confided everything to him, from having the putties strip Tommy for her to the near-culmination of their sexual contest. At the conclusion of her tale, she fell silent. Billy could feel the tremors in her body lessening; however, her body suddenly went rigid, and she gasped. It sounded to Billy like she was in pain. Kim swung around and knelt in front of him; she began nuzzling her face against his pelvic area--to dry her tears, Billy tried to tell himself. When she felt composed, she stood up; she continued to stimulate his lower anatomy.

"Goldar has Tommy," Kim said, returning her attentions to his hair, face, and neck. "I've got to find out where they are; Baboo said something about the Arena of Destruction."

"Two levels up, directly under Zedd's throne room," Billy whispered. Kim's face brightened at that, and she kissed him with genuine emotion.

"Your Morphers and communicators are in Finster's lab, so are mine and Tommy's. You guys go after them first. When we meet up, I want you guys to get Tommy out of here."

"What about yourself?"

"How can I go back after what I've done? I sexually molested and damn near raped Tommy! Hell, I molested all four of you guys!"

"But Zedd's spell ...."

"Acted on fantasies I already had, dreams and desires I kept suppressed. The spell freed me to act on them. The enchantment lasted only three days, Billy; I did the worst of the damage of my own free will. I even enjoyed it! I can't bear the thought of what Tommy thinks of me ... I know I can't forgive myself." Kim pulled away from Billy. If they kept up the conversation much longer, Zedd was going to become suspicious. She cast a surreptitious glance over her shoulder. The orb was still glowing. Kim forced Billy to his knees. She grabbed his face, kissing him roughly. "Just promise me you'll get Tommy out of here. As long as he's safe, I don't care what happens to me."

"Kimberly ...." Billy gasped.

"Promise me!"

"Very well. We'll take care of Tommy first."

"Thank you, Billy. Do me one other favor. Someday, when he's forgiven me, tell Tommy I loved him." Kim gave Billy one last kiss, then she slapped him aside brusquely. She strutted away haughtily and prayed that Zedd had bought the performance.

In the darkness behind Kimberly, Billy struggled to sit up. His hormones and emotions were in a raging turmoil. Kimberly's caresses had been the most incredible things he had ever experienced; he had never dreamed her capable of provoking such responses in his body. He never thought she could be so lascivious, and yet his excitement was tinged with great concern. Her words had troubled him greatly. He never thought he would ever hear such contempt and self-loathing in her voice. He knew why she had told him so much so freely; she could no longer bear the burden. Her pain was like a knife in his heart. For all her play-acting, Billy would never forget the look in her eyes as she extracted her promise from him; it had chilled him to the bone.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?" Aisha queried sarcastically.

"We didn't mean to wake you," Billy apologized.

"I'll bet. Billy, how could you!"

"It's not like I had much choice in the matter considering I'm the one wearing the restraints."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that I can't believe this is happening. The things Kim's doing to us--how could she!"

"She has no choice either; she's Zedd's prisoner too," Billy said with obvious pity, and Aisha picked up on it.

"You know something," Aisha hissed. Billy glanced up towards the orb that Kimberly had been so worried about; presently it was dark.

"I know how to get out of these manacles," Billy answered cautiously. He forced the implement Kim had given him out of his mouth.

"How'd you get that?"

"There is no time to go into detail. If I give you the pick, do you think you can reach the control grid on my belt?"

"I can try." Billy edged himself closer to Aisha, being careful not to loose the pick.

"Kim cut you loose while feeling you up; she slipped you that pick," Aisha realized. "That means she's no longer under Zedd's influence! Then why was she ...?"

"Please, don't ask," Billy requested. "And don't say anything to Rocky or Adam about it. Kim has experienced enough humiliation with regards to her captivity already."

"Something's really wrong, isn't it," Aisha said, picking up on the catch in his voice.

"Here, take the pick. Hold it steady ... you have to touch the control panel in a precise sequence ...." Aisha held the tiny wire as still as possible while Billy tried to align his belt's control grid to her level. He didn't want to cause the grid to flare up and burn either one of them. Billy moved himself close enough for Aisha to reach, but it was also close enough for her fingers to brush the bulge in his shorts.

"Sorry," they murmured simultaneously. After a few more attempts and intimate contacts, Billy had to give up.

"This is most distressing. I wish Kimberly had brought her manual stimulation of my anatomy to its ultimate conclusion," Billy confessed with a blush.

"I never realized that the male anatomy was that sensitive," Aisha remarked, carefully using Billy's euphemism.

"It is extremely sensitive. The least amount of hormonal stimulation or physical contact can bring about engorgement."

"Yeah, well, how about we try a different tactic," Aisha suggested, quickly changing the subject. "Do you think you could used your teeth to insert the pick into my control grid?"

"An excellent suggestion; however, I should warn you that the procedure could be easily misconstrued for an activity of a more licentious nature by the uninformed."

"Just pick the lock, Billy."

Billy knelt up once again. It took some doing, but he was able to brace his hands against Aisha's legs. He carefully picked the hairpin out of Aisha's hand with his teeth and leaned in closer. He was careful not to burn his face.

"What in the world ... ?" Adam gasped as he came around.

"Way to go, Billy," Rocky cheered.

"Don't even think it," Aisha snapped, "and don't distract the man."

Kim hurried through the dark corridors. She had to get to Tommy quickly. Billy would soon have the others free. She marveled at how much more calm she felt. She hadn't planned on unburdening herself to Billy, but she hadn't been able to stop herself. She hadn't seriously considered staying behind, but once she had said as much to Billy, she knew that was what she had to do. Once Tommy was safe, what happened to her wouldn't matter; perhaps this would help atone for all she had done to Tommy. She only hoped she wasn't too late.

"Had enough, Tommy?" Goldar gloated as his latest blow sent Tommy reeling across the chamber.

It took some doing, but Tommy managed to pull himself to his knees. He tasted blood on his lips; was it from a new cut or an old one? Tommy had sustained far too many blows from Goldar's armored fists; in the back of his mind, he was grateful Goldar wasn't using his sword. His body screamed with agony, but Tommy welcomed the pain. There was something clean about it, and he welcomed the opportunity to lash out.

"All you have to do is say the word," Goldar continued with mocking laughter.

"You won't break me, Goldar; I'll die before I beg for mercy," Tommy spat with more confidence than he felt.

"Little Kimberly finally broke you," Goldar taunted. "I saw you give in to her at last ...." With a choked cry, Tommy hurled himself at Goldar, knocking him to the floor. The massive arms flailed out, and Tommy rolled clear. Zedd's lackey had struck a nerve; anger and guilt boiled just beneath the surface of Tommy's emotions. He was angry and ashamed for not being strong enough, for having given in, for wanting Kim so badly, and for enjoying her dancing so much. His emotional distraction proved costly; Goldar grabbed his hair and pulled him to his knees. Tommy glared at Goldar defiantly as he drew his massive hand back. However, something flickered on the edge of Tommy's already blurry vision, and he fell backwards.

"Back off, Goldilocks!" Kim snarled as she swung the mace with all her might, smashing Goldar in the face. The winged lackey roared with agony as he staggered away from Tommy. "Tommy, are you all right?"

Tommy didn't look up. He couldn't. He didn't want to see Kim as the Power Slut. However, she wouldn't let him alone. She brushed the hair from his eyes as she tilted his face towards her. Her face looked pale and haggard; her eyes had dark circles under them. Her expression was concerned. She chewed her lower lip anxiously, and tears trickled down her cheeks. When she became aware of the intensity of his gaze, she looked away.

"Kimberly?" he asked hoarsely. He couldn't bring himself to hope; so many times it had proven to be a cruel trick.

"It's me this time, Tommy," she said. "Hang in there ... ow! Hey!" Goldar yanked Kim's hair and tossed her aside.

"You'll pay for that, harlot," Goldar threatened. "Tommy is no longer your concern."

"Leave him alone; he's suffered enough already," Kim answered, assuming a fighting stance. Goldar laughed at her.

"You seek to do battle with me? You are nothing, pathetic Power Slut!"

Kim did not waste words but launched herself into a series of back handsprings. She landed a solid kick to the center of Goldar's breastplate, knocking him backwards. Enraged, he drew his sword and charged at her. She dropped and tripped him up. Really losing his temper now, Goldar slashed out blindly. Kim dodged but she was a fraction too slow. Goldar's sword bit into her side, drawing blood. Fortunately, the cut wasn't deep. Kim ignored the wound and got to her feet.

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size," Tommy interjected as he kicked out, sweeping Goldar's feet from underneath him. He couldn't just sit by and let Kimberly face Goldar alone.

"I'll deal with you when I'm finished with the slut," Goldar rumbled. He picked up Tommy and wedged his energy belt over a projection in the floor, which caused the energy to feed back into Tommy's system excruciatingly.

Kim was grateful to see Tommy out of danger for the moment, and she relished the pain from her wound. It helped clear her head and keep her focused on the matter at hand. Goldar was still menacing her with the sword, so she cast about in search of the mace. It was difficult to see through the fog that enshrouded the floor, but she finally spied it a few feet away. The head was twisted, but that didn't matter. She only wanted it to parry the sword strokes. She cartwheeled--or rather started to; the move ripped her wound open further. She collapsed with a scream. Goldar swatted her with the flat of his blade, catching her in the rib cage. She sailed across the floor, unable to catch her breath. She winced as she tried to get up.

You have to keep moving, for Tommy's sake. Painstakingly, she got to her knees. She held herself upright with one hand and hugged her injured side with the other. You have to keep Goldar away from Tommy long enough for Billy and the others to get here. Where was Billy? What was taking him so long? While her thoughts were elsewhere, Goldar got the drop on her.

"Look out!" Tommy shouted. Kim dropped flat to the floor to avoid the blow. Goldar towered over her, his sword poised to pierce her belly.

"Now you will die, Power Slut," Goldar sneered, but Kimberly kicked with all her might, planting her foot firmly in Goldar's groin. The blue-furred monstrosity dropped to his knees, then he teleported away. Kim climbed to her feet and staggered over to Tommy.

"I've got to get you out of these things," she gasped. Belatedly, she remembered giving her hairpin to Billy. She had nothing else to use. Goldar would be back at any minute, or worse, Zedd might be with him. Think! she urged herself, then she recalled Finster's words regarding the belt. "No time for anything else ... I'm sorry, Tommy." As Kim's knees gave out, she grabbed the control panel and pushed against it. The fierce energies reacted by flowing into her body. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth against the pain. She could feel the fire racing along her skin; the blood in her veins seemed to be boiling.

"Do it!" she screamed at Tommy. "Break free!"

Tommy had gone cold inside when Goldar's blade caught Kimberly's abdomen. He wasn't toying with her as he had been with him. Goldar plainly meant to kill Kim. Even on her best day, Kim was no match for Goldar. He had hoped to draw Goldar's attention away from Kim; instead, he wound up being propped up on a pole unable to do anything but watch the unequal contest.

When Goldar's blade caught Kim in the ribs, he knew she was in a world of hurt: cracked ribs, possibly broken. Tommy's heart sunk at that point; he knew Kim was done for, so it came as quite a surprise that she had the energy for so vicious a kick (in spite of everything, Tommy winced in sympathy as her foot nailed Goldar). Even though Goldar had retreated for the moment, Tommy knew he would be back with reinforcements, additional firepower, or something. He prayed Kim's strength would hold out long enough for her to find a way to get him down.

"I've got to get you out of these things."

Kim seemed disoriented, like she had lost something, but when she looked up at him the second time, there was fierce determination shining in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tommy."

Then, she did the impossible and grabbed his belt's control grid as her knees gave out. Tommy closed his eyes and braced himself for the jarring shock, but it never came. Startled, he opened his eyes to find the current had completely surrounded and permeated Kim's body. Secondarily, he realized that he was untouched by the deadly energy.

"Do it! Break free!"

Kim was giving him the chance to break his restraints by diverting the energy flow. Tommy strained against the bonds with all his strength. The belt didn't seem to want to give way, even though the material was stretched out to accommodate the pillar.

"Control ... grid, touch ... top, bottom, left, right," Kim gasped out. She was weakening. Tommy did as she directed, frantically pushing the buttons on the grid. At first, nothing happened. When he tried a second time, he repeated the sequence only going to her left then right. It worked. The field shut off, and the catch clicked open. Kim fell away, still clutching the belt, and Tommy almost dropped on top of her. Tommy gathered her in his arms; touching her was the most wonderful thing in the world.

"Tommy?" Kim groaned, struggling to remain conscious.

"I'm right here, Kim." He jerked the remains of his shirt out of his waistband and wound them around Kim's abdomen. She gasped in pain, and Tommy felt something stinging his eyes. "Take it easy, Kim; I'll get you out of here."

"Billy and the others ... they're here," she murmured.

"All right! Just hold on a little longer, Kim. Everything's going to be all right."

"No it won't ... I'm sorry, Tommy ... I .... "

"Hush; save your strength." Tommy was beginning to get scared. Kim's face was even more pale than it had been, and her breathing sounded shallow and gurgly, like she had fluid in her lungs. Goldar couldn't have done that much damage, could he?

"So, Tommy, you're free," Goldar bellowed as he reappeared. He carried a lance of crimson energy. "Good. Soon you'll join the Power Slut in death!"

"The only thing I'm going to do is make you pay for what you've done to Kimberly."

"Tommy, no!" Kim protested weakly as Tommy launched himself at Goldar. She struggled to sit up. Goldar used his pulsating staff to swat Tommy away. The inconsequential blow seemed to stagger Tommy. Was it her imagination, or was the lance glowing more brightly? Tommy hit Goldar with a roundhouse kick; again Goldar fended him off with the staff. This time, Tommy groaned, weakening, and the lance was definitely shining brighter. Kim realized that the lance must be absorbing Tommy's energy!

No! she screamed silently. She hadn't endured so much ... she hadn't come this close to saving Tommy to lose him now. She had to get up. She had to stop the fight somehow.

Tommy backed away to reappraise the situation. He felt so weak all of a sudden. He had to keep Goldar away from the projection where he left Kimberly. Tommy didn't think too much of his lack of strength; he attributed the drain to his week of captivity. He wished Billy and the others would hurry up. Then he heard sounds that were music to his ears: an explosion and mayhem.

"Tommy!" Billy shouted as he and the other three Rangers raced into the chamber. After they were free of their restraints they had crept through Zedd's throne room to Finster's lab to retrieve their Morphers; however, they had been discovered by Zedd's chief monster maker, who had sounded the alarm. With Zedd distracted by other matters (mainly the battle between Goldar, Tommy, and Kim) they were able to break away before reinforcements arrived.

"Man, am I glad to see you guys," Tommy sighed, relieved.

"Here's your Morpher," Billy said, tossing it to him. "Where's Kimberly?"

To Kimberly, it's as if the world began moving in slow motion. She could see it all happening and how it would all fall out before anyone else could move: Billy and the others rushing into the chamber, Tommy glancing back to look at them, Billy throwing the power Morpher. Tommy looked up and extended his arm to catch it. Goldar brought back his arm to throw the lance.

"Please let me get there in time!" Somehow, some way, Kim found the strength to move. As she hurried through the mist, it was as if she was outside her body, watching the proceedings. She threw herself forward, catching Tommy in the small of the back. Someone shouted a question at her. She stumbled forward, recovered herself and stood as the tip of the lance reached her chest.

Surprisingly, it didn't hurt. It felt rather like an intense flashlight beam focused on the center of her chest. Then she felt the cold kiss of the metal handgrip. She grasped it. She was dimly aware of her momentum carrying her backwards. Her back struck the wall ... it all seemed so far away. She looked up to see Tommy staring at her, his expression indescribable. Why was he looking at her that way? Tommy reached out towards her, she started to reach back, but she saw Goldar advancing on Tommy. He didn't even realize it. She had to warn him.

"Tommy ...!"

Tommy's Morpher clattered to the floor as he landed hard, face first, knocking the wind out of him. Gasping, he rolled over to find out who had pushed him. Impossibly, there stood Kim, looking like death warmed over. She wobbled unsteadily as she tried to assume a defensive posture.

"Kim, what the ...." he began, but the sentence died on his lips as a streak of crimson light buried itself in her chest. The missile's momentum carried Kim with it to the far wall.

"NO!" The scream ripped forth from deep within himself. He scrambled to his feet, tears blurring his vision. He had to help her. She was trying to pull the lance out. Her expression was frightening--one of surprise and serenity. She didn't cry out, not a gasp or a cry of pain. When she finally spoke, she said only one word: his name.

"Behind you!" Aisha shouted. Tommy reacted automatically, lashing out with a vicious back kick.

"Rocky and Adam, keep Goldar busy. Aisha, get Tommy out of there. I'll get Kim," Billy directed. Yet, even as he tugged on the lance that pinned her to the wall, Billy knew in his heart it was too late. Billy fought his tears as Kim's body fell into his arms. The expression on her face was so peaceful, it made his heart ache all the more. He pulled her close and stifled a sob. This was not the place to grieve.

"Billy, let's go," Aisha called out as she all but dragged a stunned Tommy behind her. Adam and Rocky were coming up behind them. Billy handed Aisha the lance.

"We may need this," Billy said. Then he activated his communicator. "Zordon, get us out of here!"

Aftermath:
Billy, Alpha, and Zordon were gathered in the Command Center's infirmary. Kimberly lay on an examination table bathed in a suspension ray.

"Is there anything you can do, Zordon?" Billy asked.

"Very little, I am afraid."

"Kimberly's life signs are non-existent," Alpha reported.

"Can't you at least try?" Billy insisted. "What about the lance? Have you been able to figure out what it did to her?"

"Not yet," Zordon answered. "I understand your concern, Billy; Alpha and I are doing all we can."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that ...."

"It is not easy for me to lose one of you in this way. We shall do our best."

Billy left the infirmary feeling very cold and lonely inside. He had never appreciated how much Kimberly's friendship had meant to him. Ever since First Grade ... he had met Kim through Trini but they became friends in their own right that day when she took him under her wing because she couldn't stand to see the other kids pick on him .... Billy tried to compose himself and keep his expression neutral as he entered the Command Center proper. Aisha, Adam and Rocky all hovered close to the infirmary door. Aisha was in tears, and Rocky and Adam looked like they were on the verge themselves. Tommy, however, was off by himself. He sat on the steps facing the viewing globe looking for all the world like a zombie. Since his one exclamation in Zedd's citadel, he had not uttered a word. This concerned Billy. Of them all, Tommy had always been the most open with his emotions; he had never held back his concern or his affection for his friends, especially Kimberly. That he could not grieve for her told Billy there was a much deeper problem involved.

"Billy, what's the word?" Aisha asked eagerly.

"Nothing yet," he answered with uncharacteristic simplicity. "Zordon and Alpha said they'd do their best."

"Not very reassuring, is it," Adam mumbled.

"Zordon's best has to be better than an ordinary doctor's," Rocky reasoned.

"How are you holding up, Billy?" Aisha wondered.

"As well as can be expected."

"I'm really worried about Tommy," Adam whispered. "This silence isn't like him."

"Yeah, I'd feel better if he was beating the stuffings out of a punching bag or something," Rocky added.

"I'm worried as well. Let me see if I can talk to him," Billy said. He crossed the floor and took a seat next to Tommy. "Tommy?" There was no response. Billy flashed his hand in front of Tommy's face; he didn't even blink. This was going to be more difficult than Billy had anticipated. Making up his mind, Billy grabbed Tommy's arm and touched his own teleporter.

The two reappeared on an outcropping of rock overlooking the lake in Angel Grove Park. It was one of Billy's favorite locations: secluded but with an incredible view. He came here often for astronomical viewing and data gathering.

"Billy? Where are we? What gives?" Tommy asked bewilderedly, finally coming out of his funk. Billy sighed gratefully.

"Tommy, I ... I really need to talk about what happened," Billy began. The awkwardness he conveyed was not feigned. Tommy might not be in the mood to talk for his own sake, but he wouldn't shut out a friend in need. "I'm not sure I can deal with it, and seeking out a therapist isn't exactly an option for us, is it?"

"I guess not."

"We've all been hurt before; it's just that until now, none of us has ever sustained life-threatening injuries. In many ways, it seemed as if we were invincible. Between our powers and Zordon's science ...."

"I know what you mean," Tommy agreed. Then he fell silent again. Billy did his best to curb his frustration.

"What happened to you two while you were Zedd's captives?" Billy asked bluntly.

"Lots of things; I'm not sure I can talk about them yet."

"I'm not asking out of mere curiosity. When Kimberly came to set the four of us free, she made me promise to get you out of Zedd's citadel, and she asked me to tell you, someday, if you were ever able to forgive her, that she loved you. Tommy, the look in her eyes scared the hell out of me. She looked like someone who was ready to die." The description, while melodramatic, was accurate and it had the desired effect of shaking up Tommy.

"Why did she do it, Billy?" Tommy asked helplessly. "The whole mess started when Kim let Zedd cast a spell on her. She didn't resist or anything; in fact she practically begged him to cast it."

"Weren't you there? Didn't you know what was going on?"

"I must have blacked out after Goldar had smacked me around; I came to just as Kim was telling Zedd to go ahead."

"How was Goldar able to use you for a punching bag?"

"Zedd threatened to have Goldar break Kim's neck if I didn't cooperate. He put an explosive collar around her neck and told me that he would detonate it if I didn't cooperate."

"Is it possible while you were unconscious Zedd told Kimberly to submit to the spell or he'd let Goldar continue pummeling you?"

"I suppose so."

"What happened next? What did the spell do to Kimberly?"

"It turned her into the sexiest thing on two feet," Tommy sighed heavily. He hadn't meant to be so candid, but the words were said, and Billy was his friend. Billy wouldn't make judgments; he might even be able to help him make sense of his topsy-turvy emotions. "She was hot; seeing her in that leather get-up gave me an instant hard-on. She was like sex personified; she was all over me, doing things that I always wished she'd do to me. But she was cold, hard, evil. The fact that she had my hormones in an uproar amused her. Granted, Kim could be something of a tease, but not like this."

Tommy paused to collect his thoughts; Billy was rather surprised that Tommy was opening up to him so unreservedly, much as Kimberly had. From Kim, he knew it had been a terrible ordeal. Billy needed to learn from Tommy how he felt about it.

"Zedd made Kim--the Pink Power Slut as he called her--my jailer. Kim told Zedd that she intended to break me by seducing me; she wanted me to be her pleasure slave."

"And did she? Seduce you, I mean."

"Man, did she ever!" Tommy stood up, suddenly filled with nervous energy. The afternoon breeze was cool. Neither Tommy nor Billy had a shirt on; both were still dressed as they had been in Zedd's citadel. Billy shivered, but Tommy didn't seem to notice the cold. "The last six days were the most awesome and the most awful days of my life. Those first three days ... the things Kim did to me ... wow! She didn't really do anything to hurt me, well maybe a few things on day two, but for the most part she was driving me out of my mind with her mouth. Man, she has a talented tongue. She has this way of rolling her tongue around my cock ... sort of the way she French kissed me."

Having experienced one of Kim's kisses, Billy had an excellent frame of reference. He sat down to conceal his hard-on, but there was nothing he could do about his blush. Tommy turned at that point and noticed Billy's distress.

"Hey, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Don't worry about it. If any of this is to be resolved in our own minds, the graphic details are going to have to be discussed. The emotions can't be analyzed without knowing what produced them." Tommy eyed Billy puzzledly. "Trust me, Tommy; I have an excellent reason for pursuing this. You mentioned the first three days ...."

"The first three days, Kim had me stripped and strapped to a table while she had her way with me. She did anything and everything you could think of."

"How did you feel about that?"

"I hated it, but I liked it, too," Tommy admitted with some difficulty. He couldn't face Billy as he said it. "I hated being forced; I hated knowing Zedd was watching, but most of all I hated seeing Kim that way ... as a whore. Even so, I couldn't help but enjoy what she was doing to me. I mean, how many times had Kim done me in my dreams just like that--but without the restraints?" Tommy paused thoughtfully. "Actually, the first three days were less seduction than a contest of wills. She was trying to get me to beg to come, and I was trying not to. Towards the end of the third day, I was pretty sure she had me."

"What happened?"

"Kim was starting another tongue bath; my hands were at my side instead of clamped to the corners. Kim was standing right over my hand; she didn't have any underwear on. I honestly don't know what made me do it, but I started playing with her pussy."

"You sound rather guilty about it," Billy observed.

"I guess I do feel a little guilty. Normally, I wouldn't have touched Kim without asking permission, and I certainly wasn't under Zedd's spell. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was desperation, I don't know." Tommy shrugged self-consciously. He reached up to massage the back of his neck; it was a nervous gesture. Billy waited, letting Tommy continue at his own pace.

"Kim was so hot and wet--literally. That was the first time it occurred to me that she was as turned on by her games as I was. I had barely begun rubbing her clit before she came. And when she did, I nearly lost it too. It was so intense; the expression on her face, her moans ...." Tommy closed his eyes, savoring the memory. "I really loved watching her come; damn, but that was the sexiest thing I had ever seen. This may sound strange, but I felt really pleased with myself."

"A little bit of vindication? You were able to do to her on the first try what she had failed to do over the course of three days?" Billy wondered.

"No, at least not consciously. You know the feeling you get when you've done a job really well--a sense of pride and satisfaction--that's more what it was."

"I take it that after this episode, the routine changed," Billy prompted, getting to the all-important fourth day.

"I'm not sure what happened. I know that night I had a really intense dream; I think I sort of relived the first couple of days. When I got to the part where I was jerking Kim off, I came. It woke me up, I came so hard. After three days of holding back, it felt wonderful. The next morning I felt ready to face Kim again; I was confident I could withstand her tortures, but she didn't do any of that stuff. When she came into my cell, she hardly looked at me. She certainly didn't touch me. She wasn't wearing her leathers either; she was dressed in something she'd wear to school. I was willing to swear that she had shaken off the spell, but then Goldar arrived and told Kim Zedd wanted her to send the putties after you guys. I knew it had only been wishful thinking when she instructed one puttie to tickle you to render you helpless. I couldn't believe it. It was bad enough what she was doing to me, but to turn against you guys too ...! After that, she started dancing."

Tommy closed his eyes and could almost hear the drums and bass guitar. In his mind he could see the blissful smile on Kim's face, the power in her shapely legs, her hips undulating enticingly, her breasts moving as her shoulders rose and fell to the beat. A shiver ran down his spine, and he felt his cock stirring.

Tommy's prolonged silence caused Billy to look up; he had never observed an expression of complete rapture on Tommy's face. If Billy were to wax romantic, he would say Tommy was all but glowing.

"Oh, God, Billy, it was awesome," Tommy finally continued. "She was so into it; she was really enjoying it, but it wasn't like how she enjoyed playing with me. It's hard to describe. The expression on her face was so full of joy. There was no coldness in her at all. She was all movement and fire and ... everything! I'd never seen her look so open. It was like she had nothing to hide. She was sexual and yet she wasn't. I mean, nothing was forced. The way her hips moved, the way she stripped, the way she touched herself--it was right. It was perfect.

"There was something so real about her dancing, so honest. She had shown me something so incredible ... I mean, this was Kim, really Kim. It was like she had shown me a piece of her soul. She had me, Billy. I wanted Kim the dancer so badly, I would have given in. And I think she wanted me just as badly, at least for a second it seemed like it. Then she destroyed it all by laughing at me," Tommy concluded with a touch of bitterness. "That was the only time I was ever really angry with her. It was like she was saying that none of it had been real; it had all been a put on.

"Day five--I spent the most frustrating night of my life watching her dance in my dreams. If she danced for me one more time, I was done for. I called her a bitch when she came in that day; I had to lash out, hurt her in some way just to hang on. That didn't stop her. She was in her leathers again, and when she danced, she was like sex personified. It was even more intense than the previous afternoon." Tommy hung his head for a moment. "I couldn't hold out. I started to say the words, but Kim wouldn't let me. She knew. She started kissing me as if she was going to eat me alive. I didn't care any more; all I wanted was to be as deep inside her as I could. We came real close to going all the way. If it hadn't been for Goldar ... I'm still not sure whether I'm grateful for his arrival or pissed at him.

"Goldar had come to fetch Kim; Zedd wanted her for something or another. Goldar gave her a new costume to put on. It was funny, she stripped in front of us, but I never really got to see anything. The outfit was a sexy mockery of her Pink Ranger costume. After she had been teleported out, I creamed myself."

"I can imagine. I nearly ejaculated when she strutted into our cell in that outfit," Billy murmured.

"You saw her?"

"Apparently she was entertaining you while we were breaking into Zedd's citadel," Billy explained. "Shortly after Zedd captured us, he presented us with our jailer: Kim. Zedd said that he had enjoyed Kimberly's handling of you so much, he was giving her some new `playmates.' He had Kim come forward and inspect us."

"Inspect you?" Tommy queried, his curiosity piqued by Billy's fierce blush. "She felt you guys up?"

"Most definitely. Her cursory examination of our anatomies was quite disconcerting and exceedingly arousing."

"She check all of you out? Even Aisha?"

"None of us escaped untouched."

"That was some spell Zedd had her under," Tommy whistled.

"Not really," Billy murmured hesitantly.

"What do you mean?"

"There's more to it than that, Tommy," Billy began. "When Kim came to set me free, she told me what had been going on."

You mean you knew all this already?"

"From the first blowjob to the vibrator to the final near-culmination of your contest."

"Then why did you have me relive all this!"

"I wanted to hear your side of the story; I need to know how you feel about the whole episode."

"Why? I'm not following you on this. What was that you told me earlier, about Kim wanting you to tell me she loved me? You said she looked like someone who wanted to die. Why?"

"She despised herself. She said she couldn't bear to face you or any of us after what she had done to us."

"Why? We all know she was a victim of Zedd's spell."

"I don't know if I should tell you this or not."

"Tell me what?"

Billy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was his turn to stand and pace with nervous energy. His actions were not instilling confidence in Tommy.

"You'd better sit down," Billy recommended. "What I'm going to tell you--as she told it to me--you will find disturbing. Keep in mind that everything Kim did, she did because she loved you and couldn't bear to see Zedd hurt you anymore."

Billy related all that Kim had told him--why she agreed to let the spell be cast, of having no memories of the first three days save what came to her in a dream, of breaking free of the spell and having to continue the charade. He told Tommy the nature of the spell and from whence the erotic tortures had originated. He told Tommy everything, including how Kim freed him under the cover of seducing him.

Through it all, Tommy listened, stony faced and silent, never interrupting. When Billy finally finished, Tommy was quiet for so long that Billy began to regret telling him the truth. What harm could it have done to let Tommy have his illusions now that Kimberly was ... but therein lay Billy's dilemma. Kim had told him that she couldn't face Tommy because of what she had done and what she felt about herself. If she had survived, it would have destroyed the team. Tommy had to be able to forgive her knowing the whole truth. Billy owed it to Kim to try.

"So all that time she was acting out her own fantasies?" Tommy sounded lost, and Billy wondered just how much Tommy had cherished Kimberly's appearance of innocence. Did Tommy really believe that Kim was beyond the dreams of adolescent females? If so, he was treating her as something less than human.

"Not quite. As Kim explained it to me, the enchantment did not superimpose the evil on her; it only acted on the darkness within her, magnifying it. She considered her sexual fantasies as something forbidden instead of a natural part of the adolescent condition. She was ashamed to admit that she had such fantasies. What Kim failed to perceive was that when you magnify something, it becomes distorted, even if only slightly. The fantasies weren't inherently evil, only the purpose to which they had been put."

"I never imagined Kim even knew about half the stuff she did to me," Tommy murmured.

"That was very naive of you. Adolescents of today are rarely as innocent of such knowledge as adults would like to believe. You had your fantasies about Kimberly, didn't you?"

"If she hated what she had done, why did she keep on doing those things after she shook off the spell?"

"Don't be so dense," Billy snapped, losing his patience. "You guys had no powers. You had no idea if help was on the way. At that point, Kim didn't know how to get you free of your restraints, and she couldn't have fought Zedd single handedly. She also couldn't risk Zedd casting the spell a second time. She had to remain cognizant if she was to be of any help to you."

"Why couldn't she have at least told me she was free of Zedd's spell?"

"She was monitored constantly. She told me that she had been masturbating in her sleep, and Zedd gloated about it the next morning." Tommy pulled a face at that revelation. "Could you and she have put on as convincing a performance if you knew she wasn't the Power Slut any longer?

"She felt badly enough already. Kim wanted to spare you any further humiliation. You were the victim; you had no choice. Even if you enjoyed what she was doing to you, you would still be guilt free; you hadn't asked for any of it to be done to you. When Kim resorted to the dance, she thought she was doing you a favor. She didn't know how powerful it was going to be. She had no idea that she'd get so caught up in the dancing or that you'd be so aroused by it. After that first dance, she wanted you as much as you wanted her, and when she realized that she had made you come, she was devastated. She had been beaten; she gave up all hope for herself. The only thing that kept her going was knowing your life was in her hands. She no longer cared what happened to her. She only hoped that you wouldn't be too angry with her and could forgive her."

"I was a little angry, but never with Kim! I was angry with Zedd for turning her into a whore and at myself for not being strong enough to resist her."

"You're only the White Ranger, not Sir Galahad."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're a seventeen year old male with a beautiful, spirited, sexy girlfriend who was determined to get his hormones in an uproar. There was no way you stood a chance; it's rather amazing you withstood her attentions as long as you had."

"You know, I'm not going to be able to look at her and see the same old Kim, " Tommy said with a sigh. "It's going to be hard to deal with her being both cute and sexy. I know I had my fantasies and all; I just never considered Kim really being that sexual."

"Kim has always been a very sexual person, but it has always been unaffected. She doesn't try to be sexy; she just is."

"Then why was she so ashamed of having sexual fantasies about me?"

"I can't answer that. Not every teenager is comfortable with his or her sexuality. Maybe having hers flung in her face so brutally threw her off balance."

"I don't suppose it really matters at this point," Tommy said. "What matters is getting Kimberly to realize she has nothing to be ashamed of. I've got to talk to Kim as soon as possible. She can't go on hating herself for what she did to me. So what if her actions were based on her private fantasies? Had she been in control of herself she never would have acted on them. As for the stuff she did after the spell wore off, she isn't to blame. Even though she thought she was in control, she really wasn't.

"Heck, even if I had wanted to hold all the kinky stuff against her, how could I after what she did to save my butt from Goldar? I only wish I could have done more so she wouldn't have been hurt; if anything from this mess eats at me, it'll be that. Come on, let's get back to the Command Center. Maybe Zordon can tell us when Kim will wake up." Tommy got to his feet then realized that he didn't have his communicator/teleporter. When he looked back at Billy, he found him sitting on the edge of the outcropping with his face buried in his arms. "Billy?"

"Kimberly is dead, Tommy," Billy croaked out hoarsely.

"She can't be ... Zordon and Alpha ...." Tommy began, grasping at straws. However, Billy could see the denial for what it was.

"She was gone before we left Zedd's Citadel," Billy continued quietly as Tommy dropped to his knees, numb with shock. "She had no life signs when we got to the infirmary; there was nothing Zordon and Alpha could do. They're going to repair her obvious physical injuries so her parents won't have to see how badly she was ... I'm sorry, Tommy."

"Billy ...." Tommy began helplessly. Propriety and convention did not prevent Billy from reaching out to his devastated friend even as his own tears slid down his cheeks.

"Where are Billy and Tommy?" Zordon queried as he reappeared in his column in the Command Center proper.

"We're not sure," Aisha answered. "Billy said he and Tommy needed to talk, and then he teleported out of here."

"Here they are," Rocky said. "Alpha found them in the viewing globe. They all turned to the globe as Billy made his solemn announcement.

"Zordon?" Adam asked in disbelief.

"Billy is correct. I am sorry, Rangers."

"Turn the globe off," Rocky choked out as he turned away, wiping his eyes. Adam was already holding Aisha as she began to cry. "We should let Tommy grieve in private."

Billy had no words with which to comfort Tommy; he was equally distraught. After several minutes, he felt the tremors in Tommy's shoulders abate.

"It should have been me," Tommy said slowly, his tone cold and eerie. It concerned Billy. "I should have been the one to die; I was the one Goldar was trying to kill."

"Goldar was trying to kill both of you," Billy reminded him. "Tommy, Kim gave her life for you; don't do anything to devalue her sacrifice. She wanted you to live."

"Zedd will pay for this," Tommy murmured darkly.

"That's not the answer."

"You can't mean to let Zedd get away with this!"

"That's not what I'm suggesting. All I am saying is that we can't go after him with anger and vengeance in our hearts. We do that and we could lose the protection of the Power. If that happens, Zedd will truly have won. That's not what Kimberly would have wanted.

"Lord Zedd wanted to destroy you; he failed because Kim's love for you was greater than his evil. Kimberly died a true hero. She had a smile on her face and your name on her lips. Always remember that."

Back from the Edge

Tommy entered the infirmary with his heart in his throat. The others had tried to talk him out of this, but it was something he wanted--no, had to do. The lights were dimmed save for the nimbus that surrounded the medical table. An aura of blue-white light surrounded Kim's body. He was grateful Zordon and Alpha had repaired her wounds; there were no traces of the injuries that had claimed her life. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful ... it was difficult to believe that she wasn't merely sleeping.

"Hey Beautiful," he said, his voice husky. He pulled a stool up next to the bed. He deactivated the stasis field. His hand trembled as he reached down to stroke her hair. "I had to tell you that Billy told me everything. I am so sorry you had to go through all that. You don't have to feel ashamed of anything--not for what you did, for what you felt, or for what you fantasized about. I had my fantasies about you, too. However, if you really need to hear the words, I forgive you. I just wish you could forgive yourself.

"Actually, there are a lot of things I wish you could hear at this moment, like how much I'm going to miss you and how much I ...." His voice faltered, and his eyes misted over. He buried his head in his arms on the edge of the table, trying to regain control of his emotions. He allowed himself to shed a few silent tears, and then he became aware of a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Billy next to him. The others were standing behind him. Tommy wiped his eyes and mustered a brave smile.

"I can't help but think of how much Kim really loved fairy tales," he began with difficulty. "I wish this was a fairy tale. I'd give her a kiss; she'd wake up, and we'd live happily ever after. I guess I wasn't much of a knight on a white horse."

"Come on, Tommy; you need to get some rest," Billy said.

"Alpha and I have determined the nature of the crimson lance," Zordon interrupted.

"What did it do to her?" Tommy demanded.

"It drew the energy out of her body and stored it."

"Can the process be reversed so the energy could be reinfused in Kim?" Billy asked hopefully.

"There is a way to reverse the process, but I'm afraid it would not bring Kimberly back. The energy would restore her body, but Kimberly has no brain activity. Her body would be nothing more than a living shell. The spirit has fled; all my science could not restore it."

"I couldn't do that to her," Tommy said. "It's better to let her go."

"A wise decision and a difficult one," Zordon concurred. Knowing he had done the right thing didn't make Tommy feel any better. He hung his head.

"Let's go, Tommy," Billy urged him. "There's nothing more you can do here."

"Just a second, okay?" Tommy leaned over and gently kissed Kim's lips. Then he reactivated the stasis field; however, as the field re-energized, a brief surge rippled through it.

"Zordon, what was that?" Billy gasped. He hurried over to the control panel to check the monitor. The field pulsation was supposed to match the life signs of the patient within it.

"I saw it, Billy, but I'm still getting no life signs."

"Tommy, drop the field and kiss her again," Billy directed with urgency. Tommy needed no prompting. With the second kiss Billy's monitor registered a second blip.

"She's alive!' Aisha squealed.

"Was it a spell?" Adam asked.

"My scanners register no arcane energy about her," Zordon reported.

"Then it's a miracle," Rocky murmured.

"I don't care what it is," Tommy said as he sat down on the edge of the table. He scooped Kimberly into his arms. "I'm not letting you go until I have you back." Tommy pressed his lips to hers and shut out everything else. His heart was racing. Was it his imagination or was there warmth in her lips now?

"I'm not getting any regular pulse, just these blips," Billy said with frustration.

"Tommy!" Aisha yelped as Tommy's body dropped to the table. He appeared as lifeless as Kimberly. Billy hurried over with a portable scanner.

"Life signs are barely there, but there is brain activity," Billy related.

"What is going on, Zordon?" Adam asked.

"Alpha, scan Kimberly and Tommy for mensonic waves," Zordon directed.

"What are mensonic waves?" Rocky queried.

"Mensonic waves are common in most telepathic species," Zordon began.

"Kim told me that some of her dreams seemed to be from Tommy's perspective," Billy interjected excitedly. "She was also experiencing strange pains while she was freeing me; they were almost like physical blows. Could it be possible that some kind of mental link was established between the two of them during their ordeal?"

"It would be highly unlikely but not impossible."

"Zordon, I'm picking up low level mensonic waves in Tommy," Alpha confirmed.

"What about in Kimberly?" Aisha asked eagerly.

"They're very faint and unstable," Alpha said.

"What does this mean?" Adam queried.

"Kimberly's psyche is still alive, as it were, but almost on the edge of flickering out of existence. It's up to Tommy. It is my guess that he has somehow projected himself onto the mental plane in search of Kimberly. If he can bring her back, there is a chance we can re-energize her body, but if that last spark dies on the mental plane, Kimberly will really and truly be dead."

"Alpha, let's switch the polarity on the lance and be ready. There won't be time to spare if we're to save Kim," Billy said.

Tommy had been cradling Kim's body in his arms. Then, he felt a sort of snap, and suddenly he was no longer in the infirmary. He was some place cold, silent, and dark. It was so quiet he could hear the beating of his heart. He looked around in confusion. Where was he? Where was Kimberly? He was supposed to be trying to save her.

"... got to hang on ... got to find out ...."

The voice was faint, but it was definitely Kim's voice.

"Kimberly!" Tommy shouted, happiness bursting within him. He had thought he would never hear her voice again.

"Tommy?"

"Where are you?"

"Help me, Tommy; I can't hold on much longer!"

"I'm coming!"

Tommy ran through the darkness toward the sound of her voice. He ran until he came upon the edge of a sheer drop; in his haste he nearly toppled over the edge. He spied Kim hanging on, just barely. With a cry of joy, he dropped to his belly and grabbed Kimberly's wrists.

"Man, Kim, I thought you were gone forever," he gasped as he pulled.

"... so weak, Tommy ... couldn't hang on much longer, but I had to ...." Kim babbled. With a great heave, Tommy hauled her back from the abyss. He sat down and smothered her in his arms as if he was afraid to let her go.

"I just couldn't let go," Kim continued, gasping for breath. "I saw Goldar coming for you, and then I wound up here. I didn't know what had happened; I couldn't let go until I knew you were all right."

"Now that you're here, I'm more than all right." He bent to kiss her, but she pulled away. "Kim?"

"Please, Tommy ... I can't ...." she began with a sob. She tried to scramble to her feet and run away, but Tommy held her fast.

"I'm not letting you go ever again. I love you."

"Tommy, don't ...."

"Billy told me everything, Kim. I know all about the spell and about what you did. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's true. You only did what you had to do. Please, come back with me. We can work this out together."

"I don't know," Kim said hesitantly. "After everything I did ...."

"Everything you did was to prevent Zedd from hurting me, but if you can't get through this, it would be like saying Zedd won after all. Because, if I lose you now, it would destroy me as surely as if Zedd had blasted me himself. Please, Kim."

"I didn't endure all that humiliation and Goldar's beating to let Zedd win," Kim declared indignantly.

"That's my girl. Come here." He wrapped his arms around Kim and pulled her close.

"I'm scared, Tommy." Her body was tense in his embrace.

"So am I. A lot of pretty intense things happened to us, but I'd rather learn to deal with them together than by myself." He looked down into her anxiety filled eyes and smiled with warmth and gentleness. He felt Kimberly start to relax. He softly touched her hair and her face. He cupped her chin and tilted her face upwards, then he tenderly kissed her cheeks and eyelids. Kim finally gave him a diffident smile as he leaned in close to kiss her lips.

As suddenly as he had found himself in the darkness, Tommy was back in the infirmary. Tommy began to wonder if he had really left. Kim was still limp in his arms.

"I'm getting brainwaves on Kimberly," Alpha reported.

"Rocky, Adam, pull Tommy out of there and hold him," Billy ordered. Tommy was quickly yanked from Kim's side.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked. Then, to his amazement and horror, Billy climbed up on the exam table with the crimson lance poised over Kim's breast. "Billy, no!" He struggled with Adam and Rocky, but he was too disoriented and dazed from his unusual experience. "Don't! I found her; she was coming back!"

"It's all right, Tommy. Billy isn't hurting her," Adam said while they tussled.

"Billy and Zordon reversed the energy flow of the lance; they're putting back what the lance stole," Rocky added. "He has to put the lance back into her the way it was in Zedd's palace."

"She's not in any pain, Tommy," Adam hastened to say. Tommy forced himself to calm down. Kim was still lying on the bed unmoving; her features were as composed as they had been when the lance first pierced her breast. If any thing, Billy looked to be the one in pain. He had his eyes closed, and his expression was a mixture of intense concentration and concern. Tommy observed that the crimson color of the lance was being leeched out the longer the energy was in contact with Kim.

"Give me some good news, Alpha," Billy called out.

"I'm getting a weak, erratic pulse," Alpha said.

"Let me know when she's stabilized and close to being normal; not all the energy stored in the lance belonged to Kim."

"Goldar hit me with it a couple of times; Kim can have my share," Tommy offered. "It looks like this is killing Billy."

"Billy wouldn't let anyone else do this," Aisha informed him softly. "It's pretty risky."

"I should be doing this," Tommy said.

"You had the harder task in finding Kim and pulling her back; if you hadn't succeeded, there would have been nothing any of us could have done," Aisha reminded him.

The process continued for several agonizing minutes. At last, Kim began to stir. She gasped, and her body arched up along the shaft. Her hands reached up as if to grasp the pole.

"Pull out, Billy," Tommy shouted. Billy removed the energy shaft and hopped off the table. Tommy quickly replaced him.

"Tommy?" Kim murmured weakly.

"I'm right here, Beautiful," he said as he hugged her. Around them, the infirmary was filled with happy cheers.

"Are you ready?" Tommy queried. He held Kimberly in his arms. She nodded against his chest but didn't say anything. She hadn't said much since being revived. She couldn't make herself look anyone in the eye, especially Tommy or Billy. The others were not overly concerned; she had just undergone an overwhelming experience. They knew Kim needed time to recover.

Zordon had determined that as Kimberly was dying, she was so concerned about Tommy that she refused to let go fully--as symbolized by the sheer cliff face she clung to. Thanks to the minor telepathic link Zedd's magic inadvertently created, Tommy was able to find her on the psychic plane and bring her back. As the two were not proper telepaths, their minds were only accessible to each other only under periods of intense emotion. Zordon felt confident that the link would fade in time.

Tommy and Kim were preparing to teleport back home. Billy and Aisha were morphed and ready to accompany them. Tommy, Billy and Zordon had managed to concoct a plausible tale to tell their parents. While the preparations were being made, Tommy remained close to Kimberly, holding her hand or just somehow maintaining physical contact as if he was afraid to let her go. Kim wasn't sure she liked the attention or not, but she was too afraid to let him go as if she might lose her lifeline.

"I called your folks, Tommy," Billy said. "I asked them to meet us at Kim's house. I told them that we finally had something to report."

"Great! Let's go, guys," Tommy replied. The Command Center faded from view, and a moment later the four of them reappeared in the Harts' living room. Their sudden appearance took Kim's mother by surprise, even though she had been forewarned. For a minute no one spoke; no one moved. The quartet presented quite a spectacle with two colorfully costumed superheroes, Tommy dressed in the remains of his tuxedo trousers, and Kim wearing an oversized lab coat, clinging to Tommy like a frightened child. The moment quickly passed, and Tommy and Kimberly were mobbed by their deliriously happy parents. Tommy tried to set Kim down so her parents could hug her, but Kim clung to him even tighter, emitting a frightened whimper, to the consternation of Billy, Tommy, and Kim's parents.

"Why don't you take Kimberly to her room," Billy suggested. "I'll explain things to your folks."

"All right, and thanks." Tommy clasped Billy's hand for a moment then left Billy to dispatch his unenviable task.

"Do you think our folks will buy Billy's story?" Kim murmured as Tommy carried her down the hallway.

"Sure, why not?"

"It's going to sound too weird for them to believe."

"He's only telling them a watered down version of the truth. We were captured to be used as bait; you found a way to get free and get word to the Rangers, then they came and rescued us after fighting some of Zedd's monsters. He's not going to go into explicit detail; there's no point in upsetting our folks further." Tommy entered Kim's room and set her down on her bed. He tucked her under the covers, then he sat back and studied her. She still looked really pale, and there was an uncomfortable distance in her eyes. "Are you going to be all right for now?"

"I don't know. I think I just need a little time to sort things out," she said dully.

"Whenever you're ready, we'll talk. All right?"

"All right."

"Now get some sleep. You've earned a decent night's rest." Tommy kissed her on the forehead. "I'll check on you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Tommy.

Dreams
"Hey, Tommy, it's good to see you. You had us all pretty worried," Ernie called out as Tommy entered the youth center.

"Believe me, I am glad to be back," Tommy replied. He spotted Billy at the far end of the counter and joined him.

"What did Mrs. Hart have to say?" Billy queried.

"Kim still refuses to see anyone; she won't even come out of her room," Tommy answered.

It was Monday, and Tommy's return to school and the news that Kimberly was at home recuperating lifted the dark cloud that seemed to have settled over Angel Grove High. Tommy had tried to visit Kimberly on Sunday as he had promised, but she wouldn't see him. He called Monday morning, but Kim's mother told him that Kim didn't want to talk to him.

"I don't like this, Billy; how can I help her if she won't talk to me?" Tommy asked morosely.

"Her withdrawal concerns me also," Billy agreed. He was beginning to wonder if they had done Kim any favors by recovering her. He found it difficult to accept that she might really have preferred death; she had always been a scrapper. Billy shook his head sadly and took a sip of his Smoothie. As he looked up, he spotted trouble coming through the doorway. "Oh, no. Not them."

"Bulk and Skull?" Tommy asked, cringing.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make the Rangers' involvement common knowledge," Billy sighed.

"The entire student body saw us get snatched by the putties; putties and Rangers naturally go together." Tommy waited until he was sure Bulk and Skull were behind him, then he turned around. Bulk was halted in mid-tap with his mouth open. "Yes?"

"We want to ask you some questions about the Power Rangers," Bulk began. Tommy merely sighed tiredly.

"Don't you guys ever give up? What can I tell you other than they got me and Kim out of Lord Zedd's citadel? You guys have seen them more than I have; they've rescued you a couple of times. Didn't you learn anything from them then? Look, I've already said all I'm going to say about it; now, will you buzz off? I've got a week's worth of homework to get caught up on."

"Come on, Skull; maybe Kimberly will tell us what we want to know," Bulk groused. However, as he turned to leave, Tommy grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He had hold of Bulk's jacket collar and glared at him.

"Don't you dare pester Kimberly about this! She's endured enough without having to deal with you two bozos. You bother her and I promise I will feed you to the next monster that shows up in Angel Grove." Bulk opened his mouth to protest, but there was a dangerous glint in Tommy's eyes and his jaw was set. It was a look Bulk had never seen in Tommy's eyes before, and for once Bulk exercised a little common sense and left the matter alone.

That night, the dreams began. At first they were fairly ordinary if erotic--variations on his favorite fantasies. He woke up the next morning drenched in sweat and in sticky pajamas. The next night, the visions were of Kim's erotic tortures and her dancing. However, several times during the sequences the perspective seemed to shift. It was like he was viewing the scene from Kim's point of view, and the emotions he experienced were definitely not his own. By the third day, he was unable to get the dreams out of his head even when he was awake, and these sequences left him either highly aroused or feeling sick and dirty inside. The arousing dreams were of him and Kimberly making love, but they weren't from any of the fantasies he had ever conjured. The nauseating ones involved him and Kim, but what happened amounted to rape.

After four days of trying to get to see Kimberly and four days of have been driven to distraction with dreams, Tommy finally figured out what was going on. The answer came from yet another sequence of dreams, and he found these even more disturbing than the ones of him abusing Kim. They were of the final fight with Goldar. As he watched Kim stand against Goldar, Tommy re-experienced his feelings of anger, helplessness, and grief. At other times, he was Kimberly. He found her emotions a puzzling mixture: remorse, guilt, anger, determination, and triumph. Tommy was chilled by the sense of peace Kim felt as the lance pierced her chest ... to feel her life ebbing away ... only peace, no pain--until Goldar lumbered up behind him. He had awakened at that point shouting his own name. Remembering what Billy had told him, Tommy realized that these were Kimberly's dreams. Somehow, she was projecting her dreams to him through their tenuous bond. Tommy knew he had to see Kim in spite of her refusals. He planned to go to the Harts' house after school; however, he received a call from Mrs. Hart asking him to come by.

"Tommy, please, you must tell me what happened to you and Kim while you were this Zedd's prisoners," Mrs. Hart said as soon as Tommy arrived. She ushered him into the kitchen and gave him a glass of ice tea. "I need to know. Kim hasn't left her room since you two were brought home. She refuses to eat. She doesn't sleep hardly at all, and when she does, she's troubled by terrible dreams."

"I know; I've been having trouble with dreams too," Tommy replied, almost inserting a "her" before "dreams" in his sentence. He hesitated; he knew they were probably going to have to tell Kimberly's mom something, especially with Kim's withdrawal, but how much should he tell her?

"I want to help her, but I don't know what to do," Mrs. Hart continued. "For instance, I've checked on her a few times and found her talking out loud in her sleep; the things she's said and done...." To Tommy's amazement, Mrs. Hart appeared to be blushing. After a lengthy pause she asked, "Tommy, did you and Kimberly have sex while you were Zedd's prisoners?" Tommy felt himself blushing and took refuge in drinking his tea.

"I know it's none of my business," Mrs. Hart continued in a rush as if she was afraid to hear the answer. "I had told Kim that I preferred she wait until she was older but that I'd respect her decision. I trust her to act responsibly, and I know you both are responsible young adults; it's just that some of her outbursts have been very disturbing."

"No, Mrs. Hart, we didn't have sex," Tommy replied without hesitation. Although, it was about the only thing that didn't happen to us. "However, some of the things Zedd did to us were really...." Tommy floundered for a word and wished he had Billy's thesaurus-like facility. "They were really intimate and embarrassing. Please don't ask me to be more specific; it's hard for me to talk about them." For a moment, Mrs. Hart considered pursuing the subject, but something in Tommy's unsteady voice and his distressed expression dissuaded her.

"Are these `things' the reason Kimberly is acting the way she is?" she asked instead.

"She definitely had a worse time than I did," Tommy answered. "I'd like to try and talk to her. I think she and I can work this out together."

Mrs. Hart led the way down the hall to Kim's room; even before they got there, Tommy knew that Kim was in the grip of a dream; he could feel her anger and desperation. She was facing Goldar again.

"Kim?" Mrs. Hart called out softly as she knocked on Kim's bedroom door. "Tommy's here, Kim." When Kim didn't answer, she opened Kim's door and let out a startled gasp. Tommy didn't need to look to know what she was seeing. In his mind's eye he watched Kim take the lance which had been meant for him. In her bed, Kim's body arched upwards sharply, and her hands wrapped around the phantom shaft. As her body relaxed, a smile slowly crossed her lips.

"I've seen this before," Mrs. Hart murmured, shivering slightly. "I don't know why, but it bothers me more than anything else I've seen her do. It's all I can do to keep from running in there and shaking her awake." She turned to look at Tommy and found him pressed up against the wall in the hallway; his face was pale, his eyes tightly closed, and his expression agonized. "Tommy, are you all right? What's wrong? What does this dream mean?"

"This is the one thing I haven't been able to come to grips with yet," Tommy murmured. He looked up and saw fear in Mrs. Hart's eyes. He didn't want to tell her what happened; he didn't want to think about it any more than he had to, but to say nothing after having Mrs. Hart see his reaction would be cruel. "During the final fight with Goldar, Kim ... saved me. She took a blow from a lance that was meant for me. Fortunately, the Rangers were able to save her." The less said about it the better. "Just let me sit with Kim a while, all right?"

"All right. Help her, Tommy," Mrs. Hart requested, flashing her daughter a look of concern.

"I'll do my best."

"If you need anything, call."

Mrs. Hart left, and Tommy closed the door. He took the chair from Kim's desk and pulled it up to her bedside. She was tossing and turning fitfully; her moans were not of pain but of pleasure. Tommy caught her hand and kissed its palm.

"Hey, Beautiful, you have company," he whispered as he brushed the hair from her eyes. She didn't react to his touch or his words. He folded his hands over hers and rested his chin on their entwined fingers.

He didn't know if what he had in mind would work. He was going to attempt to reach Kim on the mental plane like he had when he pulled her up from the edge of the abyss. The link obviously hadn't faded as he was still picking up on her dreams. The problem was he had no idea how to get into her head. The first time it had happened, he had been kissing her. He tried kissing her now, but nothing happened. He studied Kim's face; her expression had softened with the change of her dream. He couldn't resist tracing the outline of her lips; they looked so sweet. He drew his finger over the curve of her cheek and slid it down her neck to her collarbone. Her skin was so smooth and soft, if slightly moist with perspiration.

Tommy stopped himself suddenly. He was not there to grope Kimberly while she slept, but he couldn't help himself. He had wanted to touch her so badly the whole time he had been Zedd's prisoner. He was beginning to pick up snatches of her present imaginings. Her free hand began moving over her body, and Tommy was entranced as he watched it caress her breasts, slip down her abdomen, and dip between her legs. Tommy felt his cock stirring.

"Oh Tommy!" she gasped, still in the grip of her dream. "Touch me, Tommy, please!" She emitted a squeal of delight and a giggle. Tommy gave a start of surprise and felt a familiar snap. He was once again wandering in the darkness of the realm of the mind. This time, all was not silent. He followed the moans of pleasure and found a rather unexpected sight.

Kim was lying naked on a bed--not her own, Tommy noted--and "he" was sitting next to her, dressed in white Lycra shorts and nothing else. "He" was busy caressing Kim's body from head to toe. Tommy was mesmerized by the performance. The dream-version of himself expertly knew where to touch Kim and how hard or softly to elicit her squeals of delight and moans of ecstasy. "He" was taking his time in pleasuring her, playing her body like a concert pianist. Kim's sighs were music to his ears.

Tommy found it rather kinky watching himself as "he" began kissing her toes. "He" kissed, licked and sucked his way up her calf. "He" tongued the backs of her knees and proceeded up the insides of her thighs.

"Don't stop now," Kim begged as "he" neared her pussy. Tommy remembered her heat and wetness from the time he had masturbated her. He longed to be a participant in this fantasy and not merely a spectator. His doppelganger gave Kim's clit a teasing flick of the tongue and licked his way up the curve of her ass cheeks. Kim's skin glistened wetly as her lover licked his way up her spine and concluded by kissing and nibbling at the base of her neck. With a contented sigh, she rolled over to embrace him. Tommy nearly gasped out loud as "he" began kissing his way down to Kim's breasts. "He" swirled his tongue around her areola then brushed the hard, pink nipple. "He" gently nipped at it and drew it into his mouth.

All the while, Kim was writhing in ecstasy. Her body trembled with her building orgasm. She arched her back and thrust her hips forward as if seeking relief for her hot, throbbing pussy. It was all Tommy could do to keep from rushing forward and burying his face between her legs. His double worked his way back up her neck to her lips. "His" tongue darted into her mouth, and while their tongues performed their erotic dance, "his" hand slid down to her pussy and began stroking her. Kim's body stiffened at his touch. She was close; Tommy remembered the signs. The expression on her face was exactly the same as the one she wore when he got her off. Then "he" abandoned her mouth and attacked Kim's clit. She gasped, and her hips raised up off the bed. For a moment her eyes opened, and it looked to Tommy that she might have caught sight of him, but then her climax hit. Kim's body spasmed with the force of her orgasm. She bucked hard against "his" face; as the pleasure rippled through her, she grabbed "his" hair and forced "his" face deeper into her pussy. His doppelganger continued to eat her out until laughing, sobbing, and gasping, she collapsed on the bed. As his simulacrum sat up and began caressing Kimberly's quivering body, Tommy approached the bed.

"Mm!" Kim purred as she began to stir, a dreamy smile on her lips and lust in her eyes. She reached for her lover and spotted a second Tommy walking towards her. "What the...?" The Tommy in bed with her faded away, but the other remained.

"That was pretty awesome," Tommy said, his smile bright and his face flushed.

"Tommy?" Kim gasped. The bed suddenly vanished, but she was still naked. She was very confused. Tommy realized she didn't know where she was or what was happening. Kim was looking around for something to put on, so Tommy offered her his shirt.

"You're really here and not part of my dream," she realized, "but how?"

"I'm in your mind, just like when I pulled you up from the cliff."

"What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

"Tommy, I...."

"Don't turn away, Kim." He reached and caught her arm as she tried to flee. "I want to help, and I think deep down inside you really want my help. I think that's why you've been projecting your dreams to me. We have to discuss what happened and what's happening still."

"I guess so," she agreed diffidently. Tommy concentrated, seeing if he could manipulate the environment. He succeeded in re-creating the promontory where Billy had taken him for their talk. He adjusted things slightly so he was able to dangle his feet in the water when he sat down; this way he would have an outlet for his nervous energy instead of pacing. He motioned for Kim to sit down next to him. She did so, reluctantly, leaving plenty of distance between them.

"Where do we start?" she asked nervously.

"How about at the beginning? What do you remember of those first couple of days?"

"Nothing," Kim admitted, "except for stuff from a dream I had, but I think it was your dream."

"Then why don't I tell you what happened." Tommy began relating the events as he had told them to Billy. His descriptions of the exact nature of her tortures were more in depth, but she needed to know what she had done more than Billy needed to.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Kim shouted, burying her face in her hands. "Please, don't make me remember!"

"Just because you can't remember what happened doesn't change the fact that it did," Tommy said as he gently pulled her hands away from her face. "Listen to me, Kim; those first three days you were under Zedd's spell--regardless of the nature of that spell. You were not in control of your actions; you weren't responsible."

"But I allowed Zedd to cast the spell on me!"

So Billy told me. That was something I really wanted to ask you about. Why did you do it--all of it, I mean. Why was it so important to you not to let Zedd hurt me any more?"

"I just couldn't stand by and let him hurt you. He's done so much to you--him and Rita both. When they stole your Green Ranger Powers, I hurt so much for you. I wanted to help, but there was nothing I could do. And those two won't leave you alone! It was worth everything to me not to see you suffer at their hands." Her eyes flashed with protectiveness and determination.

"Even though you saved me from Zedd and Rita, it's destroying you to know that you caused me pain," Tommy pointed out. "You know what hurt the worst during those first three days? It wasn't what you were doing; man, it felt incredible! It was how you were doing it. You were so cold and cruel; it just ate me up inside to see you like that. That didn't come from any fantasy you might have had; that was Zedd's handiwork."

"We all have dark sides, Tommy. You should know that better than most, having had yours pulled up for all to see several times. Zedd freed my dark side; at heart, part of me is a heartless, wanton bitch," Kim remarked bitterly.

"It's not as bad as all that," Tommy said. "You told Billy that the spell magnified the darkness already inside you, right?"

"Yes."

"What happens when you use a magnifying glass? It makes things bigger, right?"

"Right."

"Your dark side couldn't be as bad as it was under Zedd's spell because Zedd's spell made it bigger than it really was." Kim still looked puzzled. "I wish I could explain this to you the way Billy explained to me," Tommy grumbled in exasperation.

"I think I see what you're getting at, but that doesn't take into account what I did after the spell wore off."

"All right, let's look at that. What's the first thing you did once you realized you were no longer under Zedd's control?"

"I visited you in your cell and gave you a blowjob while you slept."

"How did you feel about that?"

"I was mortified! I shouldn't have known what to do, but I did. I shouldn't have touched you, but I couldn't help myself. I shouldn't have...."

"Enjoyed it?" Tommy prompted. Kim's head shot up, and she stared at him with wide eyes. "You did enjoy it, didn't you? Maybe just a tiny bit, and you feel that you shouldn't have." She hung her head, ashamed. "The dancing, feeling up Billy, Adam, Rocky and Aisha, freeing Billy under the pretext of seducing him, and even though you don't consciously remember it, all the stuff you did to me on the first three days--you enjoyed it all, didn't you?"

"Yes!" Kim admitted, in tears. She glared at Tommy blackly. "There, I admitted it. I enjoyed all that stuff. Satisfied?"

"But you hated it, too. And you hate yourself for having enjoyed it," Tommy added softly. "Why? Why do you feel so guilty about it? What are you so afraid of?" At that, Kim sobbed helplessly. Tommy put his arms around her.

"Hey, it's all right. Take it easy, Kim," he said, trying to soothe her. When words of comfort didn't work, he tried a different tactic. "The graphic details have to be discussed because you can't analyze the emotions without knowing what caused them." Kim sniffled and looked up at him perplexedly.

"That sounds like a really bad imitation of Billy," she said, grinning slightly as she wiped her eyes.

"Well, he said something like that," Tommy muttered sheepishly. It did him a world of good to see that tiny grin. "We know you're upset because you liked what you were doing, and according to what you told Billy, your fantasies were the root of what you were doing, so maybe we need to examine your fantasies to see if they really are as bad as you think them."

"I couldn't tell you my fantasies!" Kim objected.

"Why not?"

"They're ... personal."

"But you spent three days acting them out!"

"It's bad enough that I have them and that you know I do," Kim shot back, her face crimson.

"Why are you so embarrassed to admit that you've fantasized about doing kinky things with me? I have my own fantasies about you," Tommy said.

"You do?"

"Mm hm." Tommy sighed deeply, a look of longing on his face. Kim found it rather disconcerting. "Definitely. Does knowing that bother you?"

"I don't know. I'm surprised, but I'm not. Actually, I'm kind of glad; I'd always sort of hoped...."

"Same here. It isn't easy being seventeen and having your hormones in an uproar, is it?" Tommy said ruefully. "I have my fantasies; you have yours, and I'll bet Billy has his too. I don't think it's possible to be a teenager without thinking about sex."

"I guess you're right," she admitted grudgingly.

"I suppose if you really don't want to tell me, you don't have to, but I have to warn you, I have seen bits and pieces of some of them."

"You have? How?"

"Well, there's the one I walked in on when I popped into your head, and I have been picking up on some of your dreams." Tommy's demeanor suddenly became serious. "There was one..." Tommy concentrated and called up a snippet of one of the more troubling visions Kim had projected. In it, he had Kim pinned to a table, holding her arms with one hand. With the other he stripped off her clothes. "Now for a taste of your own medicine...." Tommy stopped the scenario abruptly. He looked at Kim pleadingly; for her part, she couldn't meet his eyes. "Please me tell that's not something you'd really like me to do."

"I thought you might want to get back at me for what I did to you," she admitted with difficulty. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"Kim, how could you think that I'd do something like that? I don't want to hurt you or humiliate you, and I'd never take you by force--as long as I was in my right mind; just as you would never have done those things to me if you had had any choice. I'm not going to punish you for what you did, and you've punished yourself enough." Tommy lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "I want you to stop torturing yourself. It isn't worth it. Promise me?"

"All right," she agreed hesitantly. She managed a brave smile. However, her expression became pensive, and she chewed at her lower lip anxiously.

"What is it?"

"You mentioned your fantasies...."

"Yes?"

"What sort of things did you fantasize about?" Kim asked nervously. "Would you share one with me? I'd kind of like to know."

Kim's question took Tommy by surprise. The thought of letting her see what he had the two of them doing in the privacy of his mind brought the heat to his cheeks. The shoe was on the other foot; he understood how Kim felt when he had asked her the same thing. The whole subject of fantasies had been his idea; he was the one insisting on discussing the matter and being honest. He couldn't back out on her request.

"Is something wrong?" Kim wondered, noting his distress.

"Not really," Tommy fibbed. "I just have to figure out which one I want to share. You see, my favorite one has sort of already come true."

"It has?"

"It was the one where you seduced me with your dancing," he said carefully, uncertain of what Kim's reaction would be.

"Really?" Kim murmured, taken aback by his admission.

"Uh huh, but the reality completely blew the fantasy away."

"Oh?" Kim didn't want to admit it, but she was curiously pleased by Tommy's statement. Even so, she had the feeling Tommy could see it because he smiled at her more warmly.

"We're in each other's minds; it's kind of hard to hide thoughts and emotions," he reminded her. "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I hope I get to see you dance like that again someday. Wow!" Kim had no words; she merely blushed.

"Let me see," Tommy continued, contemplating his options. "I have another favorite that involves dancing, a shower and a chocolate-raspberry Smoothie." Kim cocked a questioning eyebrow. Tommy laughed at her doubtful expression. "Late Night at Ernie's it is!" As Tommy concentrated, the lake and the outcropping vanished to be replaced by the Youth Center.

"How are you doing all this?" Kim wondered.

"Well, I'm not really sure how all this mental link business works. What I've been doing is picturing a place in my mind then trying to think the pictures to you. Whatever it is that I'm doing seems to be working. Hey, maybe I could try and imagine that we're watching this on a movie or TV screen; we could pretend to be watching a dirty movie." Kim's scowl made him laugh. "All right, all right. Here goes."

Tommy's fantasy opened with him pulling his 4 x 4 into the parking lot at the Youth Center just as Ernie was leaving.

"Hey, Ernie, is Kim still here?"

"Yeah, she's finishing up her beam routine; she said she'd make sure the lights were off and the door was locked behind her when she was done," Ernie said.

"Would you mind if I waited inside for her?"

"I don't see why not; I think I can trust you two not to get into any trouble." Ernie unlocked the door to let Tommy in.

Tommy made his way into the gym area quietly; he wanted to surprise Kim. He could hear the music from her radio as he came down the hall. Kim was completely absorbed in her beam routine; even so, Tommy hung back in the doorway to watch. Kim performed a series of back layouts into her dismount. Tommy was about to applaud, but something in the way Kim stretched out as she stuck her landing caught his attention; it was the curve of her back and the way her behind filled out her black Lycra shorts.

Kim walked to the side of the beam and continued to stretch out: her legs more than shoulder width apart, her hands on the beam, and bent at the waist with her bottom thrust out nicely. As she worked her muscles, "Let's Put The X in Sex" began playing. She started a series of deep knee bends, going down and coming up on her toes and rhythmically thrusting her bottom out. Once through the song's introduction, she began dancing, strutting about sexily, leading with her hips, rolling them around, shimmying her shoulders causing her breasts to bounce enticingly. Her eyes were closed as she sashayed around the beam. During the guitar solo, she pressed herself up onto the beam, and in verse three when the drums were heaviest, she began humping the beam. Before the final the refrain, Kim tore off her racer-back top and continued gyrating her hips and running her hands over her body until the song faded out. She seemed to recover herself after that, and collecting her towel, scampered off for the showers.

Standing in the doorway, Tommy was breathing heavily and sporting an aching erection. Without realizing what he was doing, Tommy headed towards the girls' locker room. He paused for a moment at the doorway, but his desires overcame his sense of propriety, and he walked in. The layout was similar to the boy's locker room. Tommy spied Kim's discarded clothing on a bench outside the showers. He peered cautiously around the dividing wall. Kim was luxuriating under the spray, leisurely soaping up her body. Her mind was far away, but a blissful smile crossed her lips. Tommy couldn't hold back any longer. He stripped off his clothes and grabbed a towel from the laundry.

"Hey, Beautiful, want me to wash your back?" he queried, a smirk of satisfaction on his face as he casually reclined against the edge of the dividing wall.

"Tommy!" Kim yelped as she whirled around. She looked as if she was going to attempt to cover herself, but realizing that Tommy must have been there for quite a while watching her, she gave it up. She settled for putting her hands on her hips and nailing him with an indignant glare. "Just what do you think you're doing?" To Tommy's delight, she didn't tell him to leave.

"I thought I might join you," he replied as he unwrapped the towel from his hips. Kim's eyes went wide and her breath caught in her throat. "You don't mind, do you?" She numbly shook her head as he walked towards her. He didn't stop until he was standing under the spray with her. Tommy smiled as she looked him up and down and then looked again. He held his hand out for the soap that she was clutching in her hands. He turned her around and soaped up her back.

"I saw you dance; that was awesome. I didn't know you could move like that," he said as his hands slid up and down her spine. They kneaded her shoulders and dropped lower to lather up her ass. Kim emitted a startled squeak and gave a little jump, then she leaned into his soapy caresses. Her body relaxed into his, at which point Tommy reached around to massage her breasts. His cock slid along the crack of her ass. Kim's head canted back, and she moaned deep in her throat.

"What are you doing to me?" she sighed, giving herself over completely to his caresses.

"I just want to make you feel good." Tommy let one hand drift lower until his hand was on her pussy. Kim gasped but didn't move away. Tommy slipped a finger between her legs, finding her nether lips. Kim's hips rocked in time with his strokes. Meanwhile, his other hand continued to play with her breasts. His fingers pleasantly tormented her aching nipples.

"Tommy, please!" Kim moaned. Tommy bent forward and kissed the side of her neck. He felt the tremors shaking her body.

"Does that feel good?"

"Yes."

"Want to feel something even better?"

"Yes!"

Tommy quickly spun Kim around and pulled her to him. He literally lifted her off the floor as he kissed her, thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth. Kim wrapped her legs around his waist to keep from slipping out of his arms. Their mouths devoured each other's while the warm water rinsed away the last of the soap. Tommy had to finally break for air; Kim was gasping for breath. He then began kissing her neck and let his lips trail down her chest. Kim leaned back, offering her breasts to him, which he eagerly accepted. He backed Kim against the wall of the shower as he licked her full mounds. Kim sighed with needy delight. Tommy began to find it difficult to support her. Giving Kim another breath-stopping kiss, he scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the shower.

"Tommy, what are you doing?" she protested as Tommy continued to steal kisses. He carried her up to the snack bar and laid her out on the counter. The youth center was now dark save for the neon lights behind the counter. Kim's body fairly glowed in the warm red and orange lights.

"Where better to have a snack than at the snack bar," he teased, his eyes gleaming mischievously. Kim giggled as Tommy stretched her out, allowing her legs to hang over the edge. He leaned himself over her, and starting with her forehead, kissed his was down her body, pausing for a prolonged suckle at her breasts. His mouth wandered lower and lower. His hands parted her thighs. Tommy seated himself on one of the barstools, lifted Kim's hips and buried his face in her snatch.

As his tongue probed her pussy, Kim began moaning uncontrollably. She writhed all over the counter; her hips bucked harder against Tommy's face. When her hands weren't bracing herself against the edge of the counter, they were playing with her nipples.

"Yes!" she gasped as her back began to arch. "Eat me, Tommy!" She grabbed his hair and forced his head deeper between her legs. Her muscles were pulling taut. As Tommy glanced up from the tongue job he was giving her clit, he observed that her eyes were closed, and an expression of joy akin to the one she wore while she was dancing filled her face. Her hips were thrusting more sharply. Her muscles trembled. Her breath was coming out in heavy pants.

Tommy concentrated on swirling his tongue around the hardened knob of her clit. His tongue lapped at the warm juices that trickled out of her. He licked slowly, savoring every drop. Above him, Kim was going wild. Her legs closed about his head; her hips raised off the counter further. Tommy thrust his tongue deeper into her pussy. While his tongue danced around her clit, he slipped a finger into her hole. That sent Kim over the edge; her orgasm hit hard, sending her into spasms as she screamed with ecstasy. Kim's body bounced around the counter hard as she kept coming and coming. Tommy kept his mouth glued to her pussy, not wanting to miss a drop of her sweet-tart juice. Finally, the climax ebbed, and Kim collapsed against the snack bar exhaustedly, releasing Tommy. Her body continued to tremble. Tommy wiped the come from his chin and licked his fingers clean as he observed Kim's quivering body.

"Ohmigod," Kim groaned weakly.

"You were incredible." Tommy leaned over her once again and kissed her. "You taste pretty good too. I'm not sure which I like better: you or a chocolate-raspberry Smoothie," he teased.

"Tommy!" Kim moaned in protest.

"Hey, I know. Don't move," he instructed her. He slipped behind the bar and disappeared into the kitchen. Kim's hands skimmed down her body reminiscent of Tommy's hands on her body, and she turned her head to see if she could see what Tommy was doing. "Ah ha! We're in luck!" Tommy emerged moments later with a filled glass.

"What's that?" Kim asked warily.

"Left over chocolate-raspberry Smoothie," Tommy declared.

"What are you going to do with it?"

"I thought I might try combining my two favorite treats."

Tommy took a sip of the thick, shake-like concoction, liberally coating his lips with the drink, then he kissed Kimberly, allowing her to lick the foam from his lips.

"Not bad," she murmured. Tommy's next move took her completely by surprise. He poured the drink onto one of her breasts; the frigid beverage caused her nipple to harden instantly. "That's cold!" However, Kim didn't have long to suffer from the cold; Tommy's warm wet tongue eagerly lapped up every thick drop. Kim squealed again as Tommy poured the Smoothie onto her other breast; once again he licked it clean. The alternating cold and warmth plus the sensation of Tommy's broad tongue wrapped around her tits had Kim beginning to writhe once again. Tommy trickled the shake down her breastbone and abdomen, filling her bellybutton, all of which he eagerly consumed. Kim was whimpering in anticipation as he held the cup over her pussy, and she gasped and sat up as the thick drink dribbled onto her hot, swollen clit. Tommy eagerly ate his dessert until Kim came a second time.

"Ugh," Kim complained as she recovered from her orgasm. "I'm all sticky! I need another shower."

"I'll wash your back again," Tommy offered.

The fantasy faded. Tommy glanced over at Kimberly. Her eyes were glazed, and she was breathing rapidly. He could see her nipples pushing against the fabric of her shirt. Her cheeks blazed with scarlet. He wasn't unaffected either; his cock throbbed with his appreciation of the scenario he had created.

"What did you think?" he asked. He was anxious to hear her opinion. He wanted her to have enjoyed it as much as he had.

"That was something else," she managed, swallowing hard. Her mouth was unusually dry. "Do I really look like that when I dance? I look so into it, so ... sexy."

"I know. I love seeing that look on your face; I have to admit, the details are a lot more defined since I saw you dance in Zedd's citadel," Tommy said. "The same goes for what you look like when you come. I never imagined you could ever look so good. You're not too embarrassed, are you?"

"Maybe a little," Kim replied. She hesitated then plunged on, "but it did look like fun." Tommy was very relieved.

"Since I showed you one of my fantasies, will you show me the one you thought so terrible?" For a moment, Tommy thought she might refuse. He gripped her hand to reassure her and said nothing.

"It's not as detailed as yours--I mean with a set up and all that," she said self-consciously.

"It doesn't have to be. Just show it to me the way you see it in your mind," Tommy urged her. Kim took a deep breath and tried to form the images as Tommy told her to. She was nervous, and the picture wavered, losing resolution around the edges. "Relax, Kim. Let your mind drift like you would if you were sitting in the park daydreaming."

Kim's fantasy came into focus. She was in a bedroom, waiting. She was wearing a satin kimono-style robe as she paced back and forth nervously. Then she forced herself to sit down on the bed. Suddenly a streak of white light appeared out of nowhere, and Tommy, dressed as the White Ranger, materialized at the foot of the bed.

"Kimberly, what's going on?" Tommy queried. "When you contacted me, you said it was urgent."

"It is," she answered, but she sounded nervous.

"Then why aren't you morphed?"

"It's not that kind of emergency, Tommy." Tommy cocked his head in puzzlement. Kim sat up and reached for the buckles on his helmet. She smiled at his bewildered expression as she removed his helmet.

"What sort of emergency is it?" Kim didn't answer. She leaned closer and kissed him. She had wanted it to be a soft kiss but could hold back no longer. She kissed him passionately, her need burning through. She held Tommy's chin as her tongue probed the depths of his mouth. However, she couldn't seem to get enough of him and had to come up for air.

"Kim?" Tommy gasped. Kim's robe slid off one shoulder, revealing a creamy white shoulder and the swell of her breasts, as she reached up for his ponytail. She swiftly freed his long brown locks.

"Don't say anything," she murmured, laying a finger against his lips. "This is something I've wanted to do for a long, long time." She kissed him a second time, more gently. She purred deep in her throat as she pressed herself up against him. "First things first; this uniform has to go."

"I'll power down," Tommy offered.

"No, let me take care of it in my own way." Kim slipped off the bed and walked around behind Tommy, grazing her hands over the white Spandex of his uniform. She was delighted to see the noticeable bulge in front. Kim reached up to unfasten his breast- plate; Tommy had to help her remove it. She reached around and unbuckled his swordbelt. Then off came the gauntlets and gloves.

Kim unzipped the back of his uniform to his waist, then she slowly peeled it down his body, uncovering his naked chest. She stood behind him running her fingers over his smooth, tanned chest. Her fingers played along the ripples of his muscles, exploring the contours and ridges. She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his back. When Tommy groaned, she heard it rumble up from deep within his chest. Merely feeling his flesh under her fingers was intoxicating, and she planted a trail of tiny kisses down his spine.

The boots had to go next. Kim knelt by Tommy's feet and pulled them off. She slowly slid herself up the outside of his muscular legs. Her hands caressed his ass through the form- fitting fabric. The shudder that ran down his spine at her touch caused her breasts to swell with excitement.

"Do you know how long I've dreamed of seeing you naked?" she queried, her voice thick with emotion. Kim paused, her hands clutching the folds of his uniform that hung about his waist; her moment of indecision was caused by her being unable to make up her mind whether she want to take him from the front or the rear, so to speak. Finally she settled for behind (after all, she had done everything else from the rear). She remained kneeling on the floor, her face level with his ass and oh-so-slowly skinned the rest of his uniform down around his ankles.

"You have an incredible ass," she sighed longingly. Her hands wandered all over the rounded globes of his bottom. She delighted in playing with the tiny, silky hairs that covered his ass. She pressed her cheek to his, a lusty smile lighting her face. She placed a tentative kiss on one cheek and continued to run her hands over his behind. Kim wanted to stay and play longer, but she had other areas to explore. She slipped around and stood before Tommy. Keeping her eyes on Tommy's face, she slowly eased herself down the length of his body. She watched as his eyelids fluttered closed, his lashes long and dark against his tanned face. His head tipped back and he moaned as the satin of her robe caressed him. Kim's eyes were closed, too, until she felt the tip of his cock brush her face.

When she opened her eyes, they went wide with surprise and appreciation. His cock stood tall and proud, commanding her attention. She reached out tentatively to touch it. The moment her hand touched his smooth, hard flesh, it was like the floodgates had been thrown open. Kim's hands wandered all over the shaft and down to his balls. Her lips brushed the head, and her tongue darted out to take a taste. Tommy groaned, and another tremor shot through his body. As Kim bent to take another taste, he guided her head to his crotch.

Kim closed her lips around his cock and made his rod slowly disappear into the depth of her mouth. Tommy's audibilization of his pleasure sent a shiver through Kim as she endeavored to take him all in; however, there was just too much. Still, she bathed his cock with her tongue, swirling it around, licking him from tip to root, and sucking as if she would draw his very being into herself. She felt his cock swell in her mouth; it seemed impossible that it could get any bigger. Tommy's knees began to buckle; his whimpers became more pronounced. Kim wasn't ready for him to come yet. With great effort, she pushed herself away.

"Don't stop," Tommy pleaded. He reached out a hand to touch her breast, but he held back, not certain if he should. Kim guided his hand the rest of the way, allowing him to caress her through the robe. It was such a delightful sensation that she released a moan of her own.

"Don't worry; I'll finish what I started. There are lots of things I want to do with you before I make you come," she assured him. She caught his hands in hers and guided him onto the bed. "Just lay down and enjoy."

Kim had him lay out on his stomach. She sat back for several minutes just admiring the view, then she straddled his hips. The first thing she reached for was his hair.

"I've been dying to play with your hair," she murmured as she buried her face in it. "It's so sexy!" She allowed her fingers to romp through his long brown locks, combing it out, twirling it around, nuzzling her face in it. Tommy demonstrated his appreciation of her attention with a deep sigh. Kim reached for a hairbrush, and with long, slow strokes ran it through his hair. Kim played with his hair until she felt her nipples grazing the satin of her gown and the moisture between her legs. She could have easily gotten off just playing with his hair. She forced herself to put the brush away, and after indulging herself by burying her face in his tresses once again, she moved on to something new.

Her hands wandered all over his back and shoulders and down his arms. Her lips and tongue traced the same route. Kim pulled her robe off her shoulders so that her breasts came in contact with him as she worked his upper body over. Inspired by Tommy's long hair, she shook hers down and proceeded to massage his back with her hair, which Tommy seemed to enjoy immensely. Then Kim ran her tongue down his spine; she slid herself down over his behind and continued licking her way down to "v" at the base of his tailbone. The globes of his ass rippled as his muscles clenched and unclenched. Kim drew her tongue down the crack of his behind, and Tommy nearly jumped off the bed. She gently stroked her finger along the division between his buttocks, watching as his ass wiggled. She had to stop herself once again lest she become too engrossed in any one activity. She reached over to the nightstand and picked up a bottle of baby oil.

Tommy yelped with surprise as Kim slowly trickled the cool oil down his back. She worked the slippery substance into his back with penetrating strokes. Her hands smoothed the oil into his shoulders and arms. Kim rubbed long and hard, liberally reapplying the lubricant. It was difficult to keep from losing herself in the feel of his satiny smooth skin and powerful muscles under her hands. She all but purred as she pressed herself against his back, coating her breasts with the baby oil.

Next, she poured the oil between the cheeks of his ass and massaged it in. With her finger, she made sure to probe the deepest reaches of his crack. Tommy's body gave a telling jerk as her finger explored the rim of his hole. The oil allowed her to slip her fingertip in, causing him to gasp at the sensation that ripped through his body. She slowly rotated her finger around but did not insert it any further. Already Tommy's hips were snapping against the mattress. She abandoned her probings to slide her finger down the length of his ass until she tickled the underside of his balls.

Before oiling up Tommy's legs, Kim pressed her face to his leg and ran her cheek down from the swell of his bottom, over the thigh, to the base of his calf. Then, she ran her tongue back up his leg, pausing to tickle the back of his knee; she repeated the procedure with his other leg. Then came the oil.

Kim sat back once Tommy was oiled from head to toe and examined her handiwork. His skin glistened warmly with the oily sheen. She had brushed his hair until it shown and lay softly against his shoulders. It was a sight that took her breath away.

"You look good enough to eat," she purred softly in his ear. She flicked her tongue over the contour of his ear. "Roll over."

Tommy obeyed, and Kim straddled his hips once again; this time his cock was nestled between the crack of her ass, and when she tilted her hips forward, it slipped up between the lips of her pussy. Kim rocked her hips back and forth experimentally, reveling in the current that went shooting through her body. Tommy smiled up at her and gazed at her through heavy eyelids. He reached up to undo the belt on her kimono. She didn't stop him. She let him slide the robe off her completely.

"Wow," was all Tommy said, bringing a pleased blush to Kim's cheeks. She leaned over him, staring directly into his eyes. Her fingers found his hair again (she just couldn't leave it alone) as her lips found his. This time, she kissed him slowly, savoring his mouth. She traced the outline of his lips with her tongue. As her tongue slid into his mouth, Tommy pulled her closer; their kiss became harder and hotter. Kim's mouth wandered down from his, finding his sensitive neck. She licked and nibbled her way down to his collarbone; she swirled her tongue in the hollow of his throat then kissed her way back up the other side. She chewed on his earlobe and licked the outer edge of his ear. Tommy tossed his head from side to side; his responses were beginning to chip away at her restraint.

Kim drew her fingers down his chest, leaving faint red trails from her fingernails. She spent several minutes tracing the outline of his abdominal muscles. Next she took his arms and placed them up over his head. She slid her hands down the insides of his arms and toyed with the hair under his arms.

"You seem to have this thing for hair," Tommy teased her. "Too bad I don't have any on my chest."

"Oh, but I like your chest bare," she murmured. "It's perfect just the way it is." Her hands glided down to his belly button, then she kissed her way up in a line from his navel to his sternum. Her mouth explored his right pectoral, licking and kissing her way across his flesh. She danced her tongue around his areola and flicked the tiny nub of his nipples. Tommy sucked in a deep breath.

"You like to have your tits sucked as much as I do," Kim giggled as she continued her sweet assault with greater abandon. She nibbled at the right side for several minutes longer while her fingers played with the left, then she switched sides. Tommy's body was rocking beneath hers; tiny thrusts of his hips sent his cock sliding against her pussy. Kim's mounting excitement had her drenched with her own juices, which were slowly coating Tommy's cock. When she was done with the tongue bath, she reached for the oil and rubbed him down until his chest gleamed as his backside had.

"Mm," she sighed, looking him over hungrily. She rubbed her oil slick hands down her chest, to Tommy's obvious gratification. His moans were like a drug, inflaming her senses and her body. Her nipples were as hard as the cock trapped between her pussy lips. She tweaked them, then rolled them around with her palms. Tommy continued to groan, an expression of bliss lighting his face. Kim let her hand wander down to her pussy, and she started rubbing her clit. Tommy's body went rigid beneath her. Kim laughed playfully as she unfurled her arms and reached up to play with her own hair. She was feeling dangerously carefree.

"We'll explore this a little more later," she said breathlessly. "Right now, there's a nice, hard cock here I've been dying to taste." When she raised up from Tommy's cock, she noticed that it was sticky with her own fluids. She glanced up at Tommy with a devilish gleam in her eyes. "You know, I've never been brave enough to see what I taste like; I've always kind of wondered."

"Oh man!" Tommy gasped as Kim all but swallowed his cock. She literally licked him clean. His hands dug deeper into the covers as he fought not to lose his load. When Kim sat back, she slowly licked her lips.

"Interesting," she murmured. Tommy shook his head in disbelief. "Would you like a taste?" That received an enthusiastic nod. With a sly grin, Kim slid a finger into her pussy, generously coating it with her come, then she offered her finger to Tommy, who eagerly sucked it into his mouth. "May I have my finger back? I'm going to need it."

Kim resumed the blowjob she had begun when she first stripped Tommy. She knelt between his legs and went down on his cock, taking it as deep in her throat as she could. Where her lips and tongue could not reach, her hands serviced with firm, gentle strokes. Her tongue licked the whole of his organ, paying special attention to a sensitive spot just beneath the head. As she bobbed her head up and down, her hair tickled Tommy's balls, much to his enjoyment. Kim detected a tightening throughout Tommy's body which was her signal to seriously start sucking. She applied some suction, hollowing out her mouth and surrounding his cock with air. She tried not to touch him with teeth or tongue. Tommy started going crazy; he couldn't keep still. Kim had to fight a smile or she would have lost the effect she had created. With one hand, she held his cock in place; with the other, she caressed his balls, finding a sensitive spot to rub. Her fingers continued lower between his legs and up between his ass cheeks, which were slick with sweat and baby oil. She resumed her head bobs as her finger slid up and down his crack in perfect rhythm. Tommy's groans were becoming more intense. The tightening continue in his muscles; Kim could feel his cock swelling in her mouth. Tommy was trying to gasp out something but couldn't form the words. He was on the verge. Kim's mouth didn't let up, nor did her finger. She found his hole and slid her fingertip inside.

Tommy's cock erupted, and he came with a shout, shooting come down Kim's throat. She gulped at it, trying to swallow it all. Some slipped out and oozed down his cock. Kim licked it up eagerly. Tommy's body rocked with the intensity of his orgasm, leaving him quivering in its wake.

Kim's fantasy abruptly faded as Tommy grabbed her and kissed her, a move that took her completely by surprise.

"Tommy?" she gasped when he let her go.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "That was just too powerful. I think I just creamed my jeans."

"Really? Wow!"

"That was an awesome fantasy. I'm really glad you shared it with me." She smiled diffidently and curled up next him. "Do you still think your fantasy was so bad?"

"I guess not; it was no kinkier than having you lick a Smoothie off me," she admitted.

"See, your fantasy wasn't evil; only the purpose Zedd put it to was," Tommy said reassuringly.

"I suppose. Another thing that bothers me is how uninhibited I get when I'm aroused. I've always tried to keep it in because I never know what I might do, but I really liked letting go. That's going to take some getting used to."

"You won't have any complaints from me."

"Do you think we'll ever do stuff like we did our fantasies again--I mean, for real?" Kim asked after a thoughtful pause.

"Do you want to?"

"I know I liked doing those things to you, and I really wanted you to touch me when I started coming on to you after I finished dancing. So, I'd have to say yes; what about you?"

"I'd love to make your fantasy--or mine--come true someday," Tommy said. "We will one of these days when we're more ready for it. For now, we can step back and see how things go. We don't have to do anything we don't want to, okay?"

"Okay. And Tommy, thanks for everything."

"Any time, Beautiful." He gave her a hug and kissed her on the top of the head. "You know, I just realized something. In our fantasies, neither one of us fantasized about going all the way."

"Maybe that means we both feel we're not ready for it yet."

"There'll be plenty of time for that later, too," Tommy assured her. "Are you going to be okay now?"

"I think so."

"Good. Now I have to figure out how to get out of your head; I'm not real sure how I got in here in the first place."

"Wait a second, Tommy. I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure."

"Billy told you about how I seduced him while trying to free him, right? You're not angry about that, are you?"

"No, you did what you thought you had to. Billy told me that Zedd was watching you at the time and that you had to keep up the charade."

"You're not angry even though I said I enjoyed it?"

"No. Billy was really worried that I might be angry, too."

"Why would he be concerned? It wasn't his fault I did what I did to him."

"I don't think he intended to tell me, but I think he felt guilty because you really blew his mind."

"Really?" Tommy caught the inflection in Kim's tone and noted a glimmer of pride in her eyes. He smiled broadly at that; when she caught his glance, she blushed. "You can't help being so sexy, and he can't help being a seventeen year old with an overdose of hormones. Can I ask you something? Why Billy?"

"I don't know," Kim murmured self-consciously. "Maybe because I've known him for so long. I do know that I couldn't have done what I did to Adam or Rocky. Do the others know that I wasn't under the spell when I ‘inspected' the prisoners?"

"No. Billy and I talked about it, and we felt that there was no need to tell them. Billy told me that Aisha woke up towards the tail end of your `performance,' but he explained the necessity for it. She understands."

"It's going to be hard to face them for a little while, especially Billy."

"They're your friends. They know that Zedd had you over a barrel."

"I suppose you're right."

"I should probably warn you about Bulk and Skull; since it's known that we were rescued by the Rangers, they are determined to interrogate us. I warned them that they'd better not give you any trouble."

"Will they never learn?" Kim asked with a sigh. Then, a grin spread across her face, and a spark flashed in her eyes. She began to giggle.

"What is it?" Tommy queried, his heart skipping a beat. It was good to see a smile on her face.

"I hope they do bug me about the Rangers; I know exactly what I'll tell them."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I'll tell them that the White Ranger has the most incredibly sexy ass. Can you see them going around checking out the butt of every guy in Angel Grove High?" Kim burst out in peals of laughter.

"That's cold, Kim," Tommy replied, laughing also. Their merriment was sufficient to disrupt their link. The two soon found themselves back in their own bodies.

"Ugh!" Tommy complained as he came to. His muscles were cramped, his hair was plastered down with sweat, and his pants were soaked with his come. Kim was equally sweaty and had soiled underwear. They both looked at each other and grinned ruefully.

"How are you feeling?" Tommy queried.

"A lot better. Thanks for everything, Tommy." Tommy leaned forward and kissed her.

"How can you stand to touch me? I need a shower," Kim grimaced.

"So do I. Say, I could always wash your back," he offered. Kim gave him a look that said "don't be stupid." Tommy laughed it off then looked down helplessly at his stained pants. "How am I going to explain this to your mother?"

"I think I know a way," Kim said with a mischievous grin that totally escaped Tommy.

"Great! What will you ... hey!"

Kimberly took the glass of water that had been sitting on her nightstand and dumped it in Tommy's lap. He yelped and recoiled, overbalancing and falling out of the chair. Kim slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle.

"Mom!" she called out. "Can you bring a towel?"

"Kimberly ... ?" Mrs. Hart began as she hurried in. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she saw her daughter full of life once again. Tommy was busy picking himself up off the floor; his expression was one of embarrassment and exasperation.

"I accidentally knocked my glass over--right in Tommy's lap," Kim explained.

"You what ... oh, Tommy, you're soaked," Mrs. Hart exclaimed. "I'll go find you something to put on, and I'll throw those pants in the dryer for you."

"Thanks, Mrs. Hart."

"Mom, what's that you're cooking?" Kim asked eagerly as she inhaled deeply. "It smells wonderful, and I'm starving. Can Tommy stay for dinner?"

"Of course he can, honey." Mrs. Hart smiled tearfully. "Thank you, Tommy."

"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Hart."

"Where's Tommy?" Adam whispered to Billy. Class was about to start, and Tommy was no where to be seen.

"I'm getting kind of worried, guys," Aisha added.

"The last time I saw him was last period yesterday," Rocky said. "He never showed at the youth center for our work out. Have you heard anything, Billy?"

"All right, class; let's get started," Miss Appleby said as she turned away from the chalkboard. Just then the classroom door opened. It was Tommy.

"You're late, Tommy," Miss Appleby began.

"I know. I'm sorry. Mr. Caplan gave me a pass," he said. He handed her the paper from the principal; however, when he went to take his seat, he looked around in confusion.

"Lose something?" Bulk sneered.

"That's enough, Bulk," Miss Appleby warned.

"Hang on a sec." Tommy popped his head out the door for a moment then stepped out of the room. He returned a moment later, holding the door open. In walked Kimberly, clutching her books tightly and chewing her lower lip nervously.

"Hi, guys," she said awkwardly.

"Kimberly!" Billy exclaimed with genuine relief. In an instant he and the other three were out of their seats and trying to hug her all at once.

"We're glad you're back," Billy said, hugging her tightly.

"I'm glad to be back."

Epilogue:
In his lunar palace, Lord Zedd, Master of Evil and would-be emperor of the universe, watched their reunion with nausea.

"I can't believe this! The White Ranger's spirit was crushed! The Pink Ranger was dead! How did Goldar manage to screw things up this time?" he fumed. He let his ire simmer until his red aura subsided. His meddlesome minions had thought it best to stay out of his way in the wake of the recent fiasco. "Some day, Power Brats, I promise you, I will have my victory!

"Ah well, at least things weren't a total loss," he hissed in a fashion his underlings would have found peculiar. He stared at the crystal globe he held in his hand. Pictures flickered within the orb, pictures of Tommy and Kimberly. Zedd watched Kim's dance with interest and pleasure.

"Zeddy, I'm home!"

Zedd cringed as his wife's strident voice echoed throughout his throne room.

"Blast that woman!" he rumbled as he tucked the globe away. This was an episode he wasn't quite ready to share with her. A chill that had nothing to do with cold raced down his spine. He didn't want to give Rita any ideas.

E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net