Where is she?

Amadan paced his personal quarters, furious at his inability to locate the former Pink Ranger. The viewing globe had failed. Scrying and other arcane means had proven ineffective. Even the psychic tracers designed by Kel-Theteme's Blue Ranger could find no trace of her.

It's as if she has ceased to exist.

Amadan drew in a calming breath. It had been eons since he had felt so out of control of a situation, and he did not care for the feeling that fluttered around inside him. He would almost call it panic, but he was beyond that! He was First of the Temple! It was merely Xia's presence after all these centuries that had unsettled him, if for but a moment. It was a natural reaction to seeing a woman he had admired and revered for the first time in fifteen millennia. Although, he found her displeasure incomprehensible; after all, he was following in her footsteps.

All this fuss over a human female. Bah!

How could Xia hold the girl in higher regard than one who had served her as loyally and as long as he? How could she call the Pink Ranger little sister?

Though he could not fathom the guardian's reasons, he would respect them as he must. He would find the child as Xia requested and restore himself to her good graces.

Gahdi's tracker has never failed before; perhaps it is not properly calibrated for human thought patterns. For a race so simple biologically, how can their brain waves be so complex?

"AMADAN!"

"Now what?" Amadan hissed as the cry echoed up from the depths of the temple. He recognized Tommy's voice. "How can I possibly concentrate on locating...?"

Something in the timbre of the cry gave Amadan pause. It was a note of desperation, of devastation.... His heart had made that sound when he watched his world die. There was only one thing he could think of that would produce such a feeling in the Red Zeo Ranger: Kimberly.

Sleep continued to elude Dulcea, so she simply surrendered to her wakefulness. Leaving her bed behind, she wandered out onto her balcony.

I miss the violet glow of Phaedos' moon, she reflected as the cold white light bathed her. She had been away far too long; she missed the heat of the Ninjetti plains and the sounds of the Cattar Sea crashing against the rocks. She even preferred the mysteries of the Neola to the lush jungle below her. It had been centuries since she had been away from Phaedos for an extended period of time, and it surprised her to realize she was homesick.

Still, she was grateful that Xia had summoned her to aid the Rangers.... Seeing Zordon's protégés was like catching a glimpse of her old companion. Each Ranger carried a piece of him inside. Their presence, however, had reawakened other feelings she had not experienced in millennia.

Ah, friend of my body and spirit, it has been too long. Would that you could see your children; they do you proud.

She tried to picture the Rangers as she had come to know them from their adventure: intelligent, clever and resourceful, determined... but the only image that came to mind was their stunned expressions from when she had spoken to them last--when she had told them that they could take no memories of their experiences with them. Dulcea sympathized with them. It was not fair to deny them the knowledge they had gained here... among the other things they had acquired. After all, were they not the crystal's champions? Surely they were due some consideration....

Dulcea felt a faint brush at the back of her mind; her first instinct was to close herself to the telepathic contact. She did not care for others to be inside her mind, but something in the touch was familiar, almost soothing, and she opened herself to it.

"If there was any way around this, do you not think that I would take it?" Xia queried.

Dulcea mulled over the guardian's words. Apparently, Xia liked this as little as the Rangers. Perhaps it might afford them some comfort to know that....

"AMADAN!"

Dulcea spun around upon hearing the cry that reverberated through the ancient edifice. It was Tommy.

"By all the ancient gods...." Her heart had made a sound like that--an anguish so deep it resonated into the soul--the day Rita Repulsa had trapped Zordon within his timewarp, and she knew what had to be the cause: Kimberly.

Dulcea raced through her chamber, grabbing a robe and her staff in passing. Tommy would not be the only one Amadan would answer to if any harm had befallen the Pink Ranger.

Billy awoke with a gasp, filled with a nameless dread. The last fragments of his dream sluiced from his consciousness like rain down a window pane leaving only vague impressions.

A nightmare, he mused. He was unsurprised that his nocturnal visions were unsettling--he was simply surprised he could sleep at all. He had been racking his brain trying to devise a way to locate Kimberly; he had also explored the possibilities for preserving their memories. No answers were forthcoming. His level of frustration was such that he wished he could vent his energy in a physical fashion... in short, he dearly wished for a punching bag. However, that would solve nothing.

As he was about to lay back down, Billy heard another soft gasp and saw Tanya bolt upright.

"Oh God," she groaned.

"A nightmare?" he queried.

"A doozy. You, too?"

"Definitely."

"I don't think any of us are resting well," Tanya murmured, gesturing to Adam who tossed and turned in his sleep.

"We should try, though. Tomorrow is likely to be a long day."

"I know. It's just that... I'm afraid, Billy. Something's happened to Kim; I just know it," Tanya sighed, wrapping her arms around her knees and rocking slightly. "We should have heard something by now!"

"I, too, fear that we are in for some unpleasant news," Billy confessed.

"What will that do to Tommy? He's just barely hanging on as it is... say, where is he?"

Billy looked around and noticed that Tommy was not in the muddle of somnambulant bodies. A quick glance at the bed revealed that it had been slept in but was presently vacant. Billy slipped free of Kat's sprawled arm and padded softly over to the terrace doors.

"He's not out here either."

"Where could he have gone?" Tanya wondered, pulling free of her own sleeping partner.

"Let the others sleep; the two of us can...."

"AMADAN!"

The others were immediately awakened.

"Whawazzat?" Rocky slurred, trying to clear his eyes.

"It sounded like Tommy," Kat said.

"He sounds like he's hurt," Adam added.

The five exchanged glances. They all knew how Tommy felt about Amadan. They could not imagine any injury that would make Tommy seek out his help so frantically, unless....

"Kimberly," Billy realized grimly, and the five hurried off in search.

"AMADAN!" Tommy called a second time as he mounted the steps of the dais, gently cradling Kim's limp body in his arms. The fear he knew as he held her--she was so cold and still!--was unlike any he had ever known. He had to fight it back with every ounce of will he could muster. Kim needed him to be strong....

He topped the platform just as Billy and the others dashed into the chamber. Dulcea arrived shortly thereafter, her white robe trailing behind her. Amadan appeared last, moving as quickly as the others but with less obvious disarray.

"Omigod!" Kat gasped upon seeing Tommy's precious bundle.

"What happened?" Billy asked, immediately checking Kim's vital signs.

"I just found her... laying face down in the pool...."

"Lay her down on the rise by the pedestal, and let Kat and Rocky try CPR," Billy directed.

Tommy forced himself to release his hold on Kim, knowing he had to turn her over to those more qualified to help her. As he gave way so that they might have room to work, he let his hand slide down the length of her arm as he released it, as if to imprint the feel of her in his mind and heart. It was a gesture that normally comforted him, but this time there was a wrongness about it. Perhaps it was just that he was afraid that if he let her go....

"Oh, man, those cuts," Adam gulped, paling as he observed the lacerations which criss-crossed his teammate's body. "It looks like those snakes were all over her."

Tommy was trying not to think about that--or about the fact that though he had held Kim close, very little of her blood stained his skin or clothes. He didn't want to consider what that meant.

There was silence in the massive chamber as Rocky and Kat performed their emergency procedure. However, as the minutes ticked by and they began to tire, it became obvious that they were doing no good.

"Amadan, please!" Tommy entreated, turning to face the keeper. "Can you heal her--will you heal her?"

"That is what I was born to do, Zeo Ranger," Amadan responded as he drew nigh the podium's base.

"What did he mean by that?" Kat queried.

"The Galridians were healers," Dulcea explained. "Amadan's selection to become a keeper was based upon his physic talents as much as upon his prowess as a warrior. Even among his people, Amadan was known as a healer of the first order; he could accelerate the body's natural recuperative processes as no other of his kind could. I have witnessed Amadan's healings many times over the millennia; I have yet to see a patient he could not aid."

Tommy took heart from Dulcea's words as he watch Amadan press his fingers together in a triangle and close his eyes, slipping into a trance. A white nimbus of light formed around his hands, faintly at first then flaring into a brilliant silvery flame. Amadan extended his arms over his patient, and the fire raced down his limbs and surged forth to envelop Kim.

Her body shuddered as the energy surrounded her. Before the Rangers' eyes, the gouges healed over, the bruises faded, and the swelling subsided. Then, once the surface injuries were repaired, the flames penetrated Kim to heal that which no one could see.

He hadn't realized it, but Tommy had reached out and caught hold of someone's hand, squeezing it as tightly as he could. He felt himself growing lightheaded as he watched and prayed for a miracle.

"Breathe, Tommy," Dulcea reminded him, her words startling him. She seemed not to notice the crushing grip he had on her hand.

"Sorry," he murmured, releasing her as his hand began cramping. The Ninjetti priestess merely smiled.

Long minutes passed, and anxieties began to mount anew. Nervously, Tommy looked to Amadan. The keeper's face was marked by deep concentration, brow and mouth puckered into a frown. Tommy's gaze flickered over to Dulcea and saw concern etched into her features.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Tommy whispered. At his words, his friends drew closer.

"Too long... it's been too long," she remarked.

The curative fires continued to flow between healer and patient, and the toll was beginning to tell. Convulsions rippled through Amadan's body, and he began to sway slightly.

"He's gone too deep. We have to break the connection or we'll lose them both," Dulcea ordered. Adam and Rocky were already moving to Amadan's side as the Galridian nearly collapsed on top of Kimberly. The moment the two touched him, the circuit was disrupted, and Amadan sank to his knees. Tommy and Billy also surged forward.

"Anything?" Tommy asked hopefully.

Billy shook his head. "Nothing."

Tommy whirled on Amadan, his emotions barely held in check.

"I thought you said you could heal her!" Tanya interjected bitterly.

"I don't understand," Amadan panted. "It should have worked. I've never failed in a healing." He could not meet the Rangers' accusing glares. "Never!"

"For all your vaunted powers, First of the Temple, you cannot bring the dead back to life," Xia chided as she took on the form of the scholar she had shown to the Rangers earlier. This close to the crystal, the apparition glowed with a blindingly white luminance. Her demeanor, however, was that of the warrior.

"N-no...!" Tommy sputtered. Billy moved to Tommy's left and Kat to his right to steady him.

"Not even the Zeo Crystal can restore a life spark already extinguished," she continued. She glowered down at Amadan. For his part, he could not look up at her. "See where your pride and arrogance have brought you. Look to the innocent blood that stains your hands. How will you undo this? How will you set this to rights?"

The Rangers and Dulcea watched as Amadan looked up at last. The self-assurance that fairly glowed in his eyes was gone, replaced by a dull, almost vacant stare. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I cannot," he admitted softly. He looked to the Rangers. "I never intended for this to happen...."

"Perhaps not, but the fact is that it did. Kimberly Hart is dead because of your interference in matters that did not concern you."

At Xia's words, a terrible cold settled over Tommy, and his knees gave out. Billy and Kat were barely able to catch him and ease him to the floor.

"No...." he repeated, shaking his head in fierce denial. There was a wild look in his eyes as he gazed upon the body on the dais. Kim looked for all the world as if she was sleeping, yet her unnatural stillness was testament to the fact that it was not sleep which held her.

"Tommy...." Billy began delicately, feeling the tightness in the muscles beneath his hand and the tremors rippling though his friend. He glanced around at the others. Tears streamed down Kat and Tanya's cheeks, and Rocky and Adam were looking a little moist around the eyes themselves. He could feel his own tears welling up, and he did nothing to check them. If anyone was worthy of his tears, it was Kimberly. Then, he noted Xia's approach and stepped back.

The guardian placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder. Though her form was pure energy, the touch was surprisingly solid. However, none of her warmth could penetrate the cold that enveloped Tommy's soul. "I am sorry for your loss, Thomas; it pains me more than you could know that this has come to pass." Tommy gave no sign that he even heard her words, but Xia seemed to understand. She turned, leaving Tommy to his grief, and regarded her compatriots.

"Let us leave the Rangers to honor their companion in private," Xia recommended, addressing the two keepers. "There is much to do if the Rangers are to be returned home on the morrow."

It was not quite dawn when Billy awoke. He still couldn't believe that Kimberly was truly gone. None of them could. He looked to his friends. Kat had cried herself to sleep in Adam's arms, and Tanya and Rocky clung together for support and comfort. They had offered him that comfort, and for a little while it seemed to help, but there was nothing any of them could do to console Tommy.

Billy wandered out to the balcony. The first pink of daylight flared on the horizon. He was deeply concerned about Tommy. They had tried to get him to return to his room, but he would not be budged. In fact, he hadn't moved or said a word since Xia, Dulcea and Amadan had left them alone. Billy had briefly glimpsed Tommy's feelings, but the emotions were trapped, unable to come out. Tommy would not let them.

Excepting Kimberly, Billy had known Tommy the longest of the current team, and while he was not especially close to Tommy, he had a pretty good idea of what made his friend tick. He was afraid for Tommy right now--afraid that he might sink deeper into his role as leader of the Rangers to escape from his pain until there was nothing left of himself except the Red Zeo Ranger.

His role as a Power Ranger had been many things to Tommy: an honor, a responsibility, a means of redemption, and lately a refuge. Billy knew the taste of the first two, and only Kat could understand redemption. He doubted any of them could fully appreciate the last.

Tommy had been a much different person as the Green Ranger. He had always felt things deeply, but in the early days of their association, he was able to give vent to those feelings. That changed when Zordon made him the White Ranger and team leader. Billy always thought that Tommy saw his role as the White Ranger as a means to atone for his sins as the Green Ranger--not just for his actions while under Rita's spell but for all the times his powers hadn't been enough, for the times he felt he had let the team down.

But even though the White Ranger was far stronger than the Green Ranger, it was still Tommy under the suit--Tommy who felt things deeply, only now he felt like he couldn't let those feelings show... that he had to be strong for the whole team. Except when it came to Kimberly. Tommy was never bashful about expressing his feelings for her; it often seemed that Kim was the only thing that kept Tommy human.

When she left for Florida, Tommy hid from the pain of their separation by becoming even more of a soldier than before, and when she had broken up with him, he had developed an almost fanatical devotion to duty. Though she tried, Kat could not balance Tommy out the way Kim could. Still, even when Tommy thought all was lost, there at least had been a faint glimmer of hope he could cling to: the hope that maybe someday Kim might return. Not that he would have ever admitted it--even to himself--but Billy sensed it was there. Now, there was not even that. What would Kim's death do to Tommy? Billy was truly afraid that Amadan had not only killed Kim but destroyed Tommy as well.

There was a sound in the room behind him; Billy turned to see who else was awake and was astonished to discover Dulcea. In her arms she carried Tommy as easily as if he were a small child. Billy hurried over to Tommy's bed and turned down the covers. Dulcea laid Tommy out and tucked him in.

"The needs of the body finally overcame his grief," she murmured. In a surprisingly maternal gesture, Dulcea brushed the hair from his face and place a kiss on his brow. "Poor Tommy. Perhaps it will be a kinder mercy for him not to remember what transpired here."

"No, it won't," Billy answered. "He'll know. On some level... there'll be this emptiness inside him--a hole in his soul--and he'll wonder about it for the rest of his life."

We all will.

"Rangers, please join us in Amadan's antechamber."

Xia's words echoed through Tommy's chamber. The Rangers were already awake--save for Tommy. They had been greatly surprised to find that the servants had been in to lay out fruit and bread for them, but no one had much of an appetite.

"I suppose we should get this over with," Adam said morosely, forcing himself up from the cushions. The rest followed suit, but there was still no movement from Tommy.

"Tommy?" Billy called softly. Unable to return to sleep, he had kept something of a vigil over his teammate and friend. "They need us...."

"I heard," Tommy muttered darkly without rolling over. "They can go to Hell."

Startled, Billy glanced back at the others and shrugged.

"I don't blame him," Rocky commented quietly. "We've been jumping to their tune ever since we got here and look what it's gotten us."

"That was Amadan not Xia," Tanya reminded him.

"What difference does it make? Kim's still dead!"

"Billy, let me try," Kat offered. She had dealt with enough of Tommy's black moods when he grieved for Kim the first time he lost her. She had tried everything to get him out of his rut and still couldn't believe some of the things she had said to him; it was a wonder that he had ever talked to her again after a few of those sessions: "For pity's sake, she's found a new boyfriend; it's not like she's dead or anything!" Ultimately, she had gotten through to him by reminding him of his duty. "The team needs--the world needs--Zeo Ranger Five."

Now she wondered if that had been such a good thing. It had worked almost too well. It had been difficult pulling him out of blind duty to see that she cared and that he had a life worth living. With a sigh, Kat claimed the seat Billy had vacated.

"Go away, Kat," Tommy rumbled when she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't go away the first time, and I won't go away now," she said firmly.

"Why? You have Adam; you don't need me."

His sharp, bitter words cut like a knife; Kat could almost feel Adam bristling behind her.

"Thomas Oliver, that is enough!" she snapped. "You know that's not why I'm doing this."

"I know," Tommy muttered after a prolonged silence. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay; I know it hurts," she murmured, stroking his hair, "but you can't let it consume you. Kim wouldn't want you to do that. She wouldn't want you to wallow in your grief. She'd be the first to tell you to get up off your bum and get on with your life."

"It's not much of a life without her."

This was going nowhere; it was time to try a different tactic. "Do you believe in Heaven, Tommy?"

"Huh?"

"Do you believe that when someone we love dies he or she goes to a better place--a happier place where there's no pain or suffering? Do you think that they watch over us from wherever it is?"

"I dunno. Do you?"

"Yes. I know my grandmother is out there somewhere; sometimes I can even sense her near me when I'm feeling lost and alone. Kim is out there, too, and she'll always be there for you. She probably feels as badly as you that she was taken from you so soon, and she'd hate knowing that her death was making you miserable."

"Kim would want you to find happiness wherever you could," Tanya added, joining the pair. "You have an awful lot to live for yet."

"Grieve for her now, then live for her," Kat added gently.

"We're all hurting, Tommy," Adam said, adding his support. "We all cared for Kim; we need each other to get through this."

"Kim will always be with us as long as we remember her, and she'll get us through the tough times--like at camp the other night," Billy interjected.

"Amadan may have taken Kim from us, but don't let him get you, too," Rocky contributed.

Tommy rolled over, and while he smiled gratefully at his friends, there was a harsh glint in his eyes.

"He won't," Tommy assured them coldly. Then, his expression softened somewhat. "Thanks, guys."

"Don't shut us out; let us be here for you," Kat insisted.

"I'll try, but it's going to be so hard letting go. I don't want to believe she's really gone."

Kat said nothing and hugged him. His fierce grip nearly robbed her of breath. She could feel the emotions he refused to acknowledge in that embrace.

"Come on. Let's see what Xia wants," Kat said gently, and Tommy nodded.

As the six made their way to Amadan's quarters, they passed through the main hall and paused at the podium to pay their respects to their friend. They were quite surprised by what they found.

Kim's body had been laid out on a low table and covered with a satin sheet. Standing beside the bier was a crystalline statue of her. It was a good likeness; every detail of her injuries had been exactingly recreated, and the craftsmanship was such that they could read in Kim's expression determination mixed with pain. In her hand, she held a staff from which fluttered a white ribbon; the material swirled around the statue in a frozen helix, clothing her in a manner of speaking.

"It looks so real," Kat murmured.

"I wonder who put it here," Billy remarked.

Tommy had not yet spoken. He reached out and pulled the rose-pink coverlet away from Kimberly's face. More surprises lay underneath. Behind Tommy, someone gasped even as his fingers curled into tight fists.

Kim's hair had been intricately braided and woven about an ornamental headdress reminiscent of Xia's. An elaborate jeweled collar encircled her neck, and various gold bands and bracelets bedecked her arms. Heavy make-up gave Kim a surreal appearance.

"No offense, but I've seen better looking corpses in cheesy horror movies," Rocky muttered. "I mean, even the statue looks more like Kim than Kim does."

"I want to know what's going on," Tommy said. Though his voice was level, it was obvious that he was furious.

By the time the six reached the antechamber, it appeared that Xia had given up waiting for them. In warrior guise, she sat in judgment upon Amadan's 'throne.' The First of the Temple stood at the base of the dais in an attitude of repentance. Shoulders slumped, he kept his gaze on the floor as Xia spoke.

" ... I see that you appear to regret your actions in this matter, but do you truly?" Xia queried. "For millennia you believed yourself above the lesser emotions--as you termed them. Appearances can be deceiving."

Amadan raised his head to look on the guardian at last. "It was never my intent to destroy the Rangers, merely to discredit them. I had no desire to harm the former Pink Ranger--I sought only to negate her influence on the team."

"If your true intent had been to harm her, we would not be having this conversation; you would already be dead," Xia glowered. She leaned forward slightly as she continued. "Have you any idea of the damage you have done? Not just to Kimberly and her companions, but to the future? You claimed that neither Kimberly nor Billy mattered, but they do. Just because they do not hold the Zeo Powers now does not mean that they would not one day. They had been among the Chosen, but Master Vile's altering of the timestream altered their destinies as well. Their day will come--or would have but for your interference. Now, there is no knowing."

The Rangers traded astonished glances. Billy and Kim should have been Zeo Rangers? It was an idea that would have to be hashed out later. A silence had fallen over the chamber, its weight almost palpable.

Xia stared down at Amadan; her gaze seemed to reach deep beyond the surface to measure what lay within. To his credit, the keeper did not flinch but bore the scrutiny without wavering. Then, the guardian sat back and closed her eyes.

"It is enough that you will have to live out your days with the knowledge of what you have done," she announced.

"What?" Rocky sputtered, unable to keep silent. "Kim's dead and all he gets is a slap on the wrist?"

"Answer me this, Rocky DeSantos; could you live with yourself knowing you were responsible for another's death? Or would the guilt eat at you, punishing you in ways no other sentence could?" Xia demanded sternly.

Rocky fidgeted under the intensity of her gaze, knowing she was right.

"As a keeper, Amadan will have eons to think on his actions--that his pride and arrogance claimed an innocent's life, that he not only failed Kimberly and the Zeo Crystal but himself as well. One's conscience can be an effective warden, no?

"However, there is also the matter of what brought this tragedy into being." Xia rose from the chair, her demeanor chilling. When she spoke, her voice was cold and forbidding; there would be no appealing her sentence. "You must learn that which the Rangers already know--what you perceived as their weakness: the lessons of the heart. Those cannot be learned here. You have one last task to perform, then I banish you from the temple and this dimension until such time as you have demonstrated that you've learned the error of your ways."

Amadan nodded his understanding and acceptance of his fate. Xia dismissed him with a wave. He then turned to face the Rangers.

"Before I go, I shall restore you to your conditions before I interfered with your lives." Without waiting for their permission, Amadan unleashed his silver flames. Dancing tendrils of energy surrounded the Rangers much as they had Kimberly. As the warmth rushed over and through them, the six could feel the changes taking place in their bodies.

The glow faded. Tommy's hand smoothed over his abdomen; the horizontal scar was gone. Adam's inspection of his ankle revealed that the marks of his tug-of-war had been wiped away, and Billy tried his best to get his eyes to focus without success.

While they were going through their personal inspections, a second wave of energy enveloped the weary heroes. The sensation was not unlike the teleportation effect. This time, the energy left the Rangers dressed exactly as they had been at the party--save for their Zeonizers.

With that, Amadan took his leave. However, he stopped as he drew near Tommy.

"I am truly sorry for your loss," he began, to the astonishment of all in the chamber. "If I could undo what I have done, I would. I hope you can find it in you to forgive me."

It was several moments before Tommy spoke. When he did, it was in a flat, lifeless voice. "Don't ask me to do that; I don't think I can--not right now."

"I understand. Someday, then."

"Yeah. Someday. Maybe."

Then, Amadan was gone.

"So that's it?" Rocky gasped. "It just doesn't seem right that he gets to live happily ever after some place else with nothing more than a guilty conscience."

"Maybe not even that," Adam remarked. "If Amadan leaves here, won't he be stripped of his memories, too?"

"No, Amadan's memories will still be intact," Dulcea answered. "Keepers may come and go from this dimension without memory loss."

"That sucks!" Rocky muttered, kicking uselessly at the step.

"What would you have Xia do?" Dulcea queried.

"She could have taken his powers away or something," he snorted.

"Amadan is mentor to the Rangers of Kel-Theteme; to punish him thusly would also punish them and the people they protect," Xia responded. "Amadan's powers will be diminished somewhat in that he will have to learn how to harness his abilities differently. The knowledge will still be there, just not the means to access all of them."

"It just seems so unfair," Adam continued. "What about Tommy...?"

"Does it really matter?" Tommy asked tiredly. "Nothing Xia does to Amadan will bring Kim back."

"A very wise observation, Thomas."

"All I want right now is to get out of here."

"Of course, that is why your Zeonizers have yet to be returned. I shall open the portal before I resume my place in the crystal," Xia explained. "You will return to your world at the party in the Youth Center."

"What of Kimberly?" Billy wondered.

"You will be returned to a point in time slightly ahead of when Amadan removed you," Dulcea elaborated. "Billy will arrive at the party but with word of a tragedy. Kimberly will have died in a traffic accident on her way to the airport in Florida."

"An accident?" Tommy echoed with a harsh snort. "Kim deserves better than that!"

"If you can take us back in time to reset things, then why can't you turn back time to prevent Kim from dying?" Tanya queried.

"Altering the path of time is a delicate matter. Amadan has already put enough strain on the flow of time by damming it up. The changing of a few moments will have no great impact, but over a day...."

"I thought time moved differently in this dimension," Billy pursued. "That's how we passed two months here while time was suspended at home."

"You are correct, but whether it be a day here or a day on earth, moving time back that long would have serious repercussions on the time stream. Were you not listening when I mentioned the damage done by Master Vile? The crystal could have just as easily broken down into six shards as five. Tanya would have remained in Africa, and Kimberly would have returned home to reclaim her powers after her gymnastics were finished. Master Vile changed all that."

Xia descended from the dais, shifting to her less intimidating aspect. "I understand your desire to undo what happened to Kimberly, but you cannot. I have no power over death; there are some things you cannot undo."

"Then how could Amadan have promised that nothing that happened here would be permanent?" Kat asked. "What if Tommy had died from being ripped open or if Kim hadn't removed the poison from Billy in time? He wouldn't have been able to bring them back."

"Amadan would have intervened before their life sparks faded," Dulcea explained. "Once they reached the point where their life energy was nearly depleted, Amadan would have placed them in a type of stasis. To you it would have appeared that your friends had died; after you had made your burial arrangements, Amadan would have transported them here to enact his healing. Had he been able to locate Kimberly in time, he would have done the same for her."

"Speaking of burial arrangements, what's with Kim's get up?" Rocky questioned.

"She wears the ceremonial burial garb of my people," Xia replied. "I have honored her as I would any I considered s'Eohla'ki."

"Why is the statue all cut up?" Tanya queried. "It's pretty... gruesome."

"Again, a tradition of my people. We would have all who honor our dead know them as they were at the moment of their ultimate sacrifice. Now, Rangers, it is time to send you home."

Xia swept through their ranks and out the door, leaving them no choice but to follow. She led them back to the main hall. The guardian stood before the podium, arms raised. Her body dissolved into a shimmering, spiraling cloud of light. Then, a multi-hued bolt shot out from the Zeo Crystal, combining with Xia's energy. A tiny, pulsing sphere of energy separated from the coruscating whole.

"Dulcea, take the sphere. This will open the portal and set things to rights once the Rangers have reclaimed their powers. Do not release it in the temple," Xia directed, then her energy was reabsorbed into the crystal.

"Are you ready?" Dulcea queried.

No, they weren't, but deep down they knew they could not stay. One by one, each of the Rangers stepped up to the bier to offer their heart felt good-byes to Kimberly until Tommy was the only one left.

"Would you guys mind giving me a few moments alone... to say...." Tommy began, his choked voice faltering.

"Of course," Billy said, clasping Tommy's arm. Kat and Tanya came forward and hugged Tommy tightly. Adam and Rocky joined in the group embrace. The only one with dry eyes when the bond broke apart was Tommy.

"Go on with Dulcea. I'll catch up," he said, and he watched as his friends disappeared down the obsidian stairs.

"Hey, Beautiful," he murmured, his voice thick and uncertain as he sat down on the edge of the bier. Without really thinking, he took Kim's right hand in his and lightly stroked his finger across the cool flesh as he had so many times before. His fingers ran over the embossed metal of Kim's gauntlet; absently, he removed it.

"I thought saying good-bye to you when you left for Florida was the hardest thing I'd ever done," he began tremulously, "but this time... it's forever. Man, am I going to miss you. I'll miss your smile, your laughter, your love...." Tommy's emotions overwhelmed him, closing his throat. As he fought to put his feelings into words, he continued removing Kimberly's jewelry.

"Why can't I cry?" he asked suddenly. "The tears are there--they just won't come out! I cried when I got your letter... well, I did after I got home and locked myself in my bedroom. And now that I really have lost you forever, I can't even grieve. Why? Is it just that part of me refuses to believe you're really gone? Or is it that I'm afraid if I give into my emotions I won't be able to function? You deserve better than that.

"Good-bye, Kim; I'll always love you," he murmured as he folded her hands across her chest.

He stroked her cold cheek then bent forward as if to kiss her brow, but something stopped him. He sat back and frowned.

"This isn't right. This isn't you," he muttered as he unfastened the elaborate collar. He unwound the braid from the hair ornament and combed his fingers through the strands. With a corner of the satin sheet, he cleaned the make-up from her face. It was an improvement, but.... "Rocky was right. It's like looking at a stranger. Your statue has more of your personality in it than your... corpse. I know that sounds weird, but...."

Tommy looked up at the figure standing guard over Kim's body. He knew that this was how she looked when he pulled her out of the pool, but there had been no expression on her face. He gazed up into those determined eyes. Is this what you really looked like when you set off into the tunnels? He tentatively reached out and touched the statue's face; he found the crystal surprisingly warm. His finger traced the same path down the crystalline cheek that he had on Kimberly's. He outlined the lips then dropped his hand to her arm and slowly glided his fingers across the scarred surface. The statue was perfect down to the last detail.

Tommy looked away, his heart torn. His eyes fell on Kim's body once again. Amadan's healing powers had removed all traces of Kim's suffering, returning her--as he had the rest of them--to the condition she was in when she first arrived in this dimension. A kindness on his part perhaps? Or simply an offshoot of his efforts at reviving Kim? Whatever the reason, Amadan had done his job almost too well. Kim looked as perfect and flawless as a mannequin.

I think I would have preferred it if he hadn't cleaned you up, he mused as he set about restoring the coverlet and taking his leave; however, he paused, something tugging at the back of his brain. For some reason the words 'flawless mannequin' would not leave his mind.

NO! he screamed in silent denial. He was grasping at straws. It was ludicrous--impossible! There was a perfectly logical explanation.... He had witnessed her wounds healing over....

"Billy...!" he called out, his voice cracking even as he grabbed Kim's arm and turned it over. "BILLY!" The strident urgency of his tone had his friends returning at a run.

"What is it, Tommy?" Billy panted as he topped the stairs.

"The scar, Billy; where's the scar?" Tommy asked, trying to quell his excitement.

"What scar?" Rocky wondered.

"The one on her right wrist," Tommy answered.

"Amadan probably healed it when he tried to revive her," Billy responded.

"But he was only supposed to put her back the way she was when he kidnapped her."

"You heard Dulcea; when he was trying to heal Kim, he went too deep. No doubt he did more than he was supposed to."

"Kat, Rocky, when you guys were doing CPR, did either of you check for a pulse on Kim's wrist?"

"Sure," Rocky answered.

"Did you notice a scar?"

"Come to think of it, no. If there had been one, I'd have had to find a different pulse point because the scar tissue would have been in the way."

"I didn't either," Tommy jabbered excitedly. "When I let her arm go, I ran my fingers down it like I always do--kind of an automatic gesture. Something bugged me about it then, but I didn't know what. Now I do--the scar was missing before Amadan tried to heal her!"

"Are you saying that...?"

"... this isn't Kimberly," Tommy interrupted Kat.

The others traded uncertain glances, unconvinced.

"I think he's really lost it, " Rocky whispered to Tanya.

"This is a fake--that's why Amadan couldn't revive her; she was never alive to start with," Tommy continued in a rush. "She doesn't look like herself because she's not!"

"That sounds a little far-fetched, Tommy," Kat ventured sympathetically.

"Wouldn't Amadan have discovered the difference when he tried healing her," Adam added.

"Amadan was so full of himself and obsessed with the crystal that he barely acknowledged that we were intelligent beings," Tommy snorted.

"It doesn't make sense," Tanya interjected. "Who, besides Amadan, would want to make us think that Kim really died?"

"Maybe Amadan was supposed to believe it was Kimberly, too," Billy spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Rocky asked.

"Xia stated that it was never the five of you being tested as far as she and the crystal were concerned; it had always been Amadan," he reminded them.

"You mean this was part of the test, too?" Tanya questioned dubiously.

"Precisely."

"If so, he failed pretty miserably," Adam murmured.

"In a way, it makes sense," Kat agreed. "By using a fake Kimberly, Xia could test Amadan's reactions without endangering Kim."

"Dulcea?" Adam prompted.

"Your reasoning is logical, but if this was part of Xia's test, then I was not made party to it," the Ninjetti priestess answered.

"Well, if that isn't Kim there, then where is she?" Rocky demanded.

Tommy's eyes were drawn to the crystal effigy standing guard over the body. "The statue," he murmured in awe. He stepped around the bier and touched the jewel-like face. "You're in there, aren't you! You're alive inside that crystal shell... I can feel it!"

Suddenly, the Rangers became aware of a low humming noise. On the podium above them, the Zeo Crystal pulsed with a brighter light. The body on the marble slab lost all color, becoming translucent, then crumbled into iridescent powder.

"Xia...?" Tommy began.

"My apologies for subjecting you to this emotional upheaval, Rangers," Xia responded. The light in the crystal flickered with her words. As William surmised, this was part of Amadan's test. No one, not even Dulcea, could know else your reactions would not have rung true and Amadan would not have responded so unguardedly--so honestly. I had to know if he was past all reclamation; it was I who named him First of the Temple. I am as much responsible for what has taken place as Amadan. I never considered that his eagerness to combat the forces of darkness would consume him."

"How could you know?" Dulcea queried. "When Amadan first came to the temple, you were not yet one with the crystal."

"The signs were there. I had seen them in my younger self. Only, I thought that Amadan would be able to grow beyond them as I had."

"Does it really matter?" Tommy interrupted anxiously. "Kim's alive, and we have to get her out of this crystal casing."

"Do you think she's conscious in there?" Kat wondered.

"I hope not," Tanya said, shivering. "It'd be like being buried alive."

"And with her claustrophobia...." Rocky began.

"I don't believe Kim is conscious," Billy remarked. To Xia, he said, "Am I correct in assuming that this is a version of Amadan's stasis spell?"?

"You are correct, William. Kimberly is being held in suspension through the crystal's powers."

"Can you release her?" Tommy asked. Xia was silent for a long while. "Xia?"

"You do not require my aid. The power to free your friend lies within you."

"Within us?" Adam reiterated. None of them knew what to make of the guardian's words.

"Oh, man," Rocky sighed in frustration.

Tommy echoed the sentiment privately and leaned against Kim's froze figure in an attitude of frustration, exhaustion, and exaltation. The icy hand which had clutched his heart since Kim's disappearance had loosened its hold, and the weight which had pressed down on him smotheringly was gone. Part of him wanted to laugh. Kim was alive!

"Hang in there, Beautiful; we'll get you out of there somehow," he promised in a choked whisper, his head dropping forward until it rested against the hard warmth of Kim's crystal-encased brow. Then, to his astonishment, he felt something warm and wet on his cheek--a tear! It trickled down until he tasted its salt on his lips. It was followed by another.... This one splashed onto Kim. Then a third... the tears of grief he could not shed flowed freely now as tears of relief, and Tommy did nothing to check them.

"Tommy?"

At Billy's prompt, Tommy looked up and noticed the others were staring at him with concern and understanding. He composed himself, wiping his eyes, but offered no explanation or apology. Neither was necessary.

"Any ideas?" he queried when he finally found his voice.

"I wish Xia had been a little more forthcoming," Billy began.

"Uh, guys...." Adam gulped suddenly.

"Omigod... look!" Kat gasped, pointing directly behind Tommy.

He spun around to see a shimmering light run down the length of Kim's body just as his tears had coursed down his cheeks. It was followed by a second luminescent streamer, which originated from the exact spot where Tommy's tears had touched Kim's head. Then, the first drop of liquid crystal hit the floor.

"The power of the heart... for all Amadan's skills, he would not have been able to free your friend. The key to this spell lay within you: only one who truly cares can shed tears," Xia murmured, and her tone seemed tinged with pride.

The Rangers watched in joyful amazement as the silicate sloughed off Kim, freeing her. They never heard a sound more wonderful than the ragged breath Kim drew in.

Tommy snapped out of his happy trance as Kim fell forward. He caught her gently and eased her onto the vacant bier, wrapping her in the rosy sheet.

"Billy?" he asked nervously; he didn't like the sound of Kim's breathing.

"She's pretty bad," Billy murmured. "The crystal must have caught her just in the nick of time. Some of these lacerations are deep; the amount of poison in her system must be considerable. We don't have a lot of time."

"The Zeo Crystal has the power not only to destroy but to heal as well," Dulcea interjected. "That power is yours to command as the crystal's champions."

Tommy surrendered his seat at Kim's side to Billy and bounded up the secondary dais. He paused for but a moment at the podium, then he reached out to reclaim the crystal--and their powers. As his hands closed about the diadem, his Zeonizers appeared on his wrists. The same happened to all the other Zeo Rangers.

"All right!" Rocky cheered.

"Should we morph, Tommy?" Kat queried as the five drew together just beyond the bier.

"No," he replied. "We shouldn't break up the power just yet."

"What do we do?" Tanya asked.

"I guess we just concentrate on willing the power into Kimberly." While he received no confirmation from Xia, the idea felt right. Tommy looked to where Billy sat with Kimberly. "Billy, you going to join us?" He extended a hand to the former Blue Ranger.

"Huh?" was all Billy could say.

"We're going to need your help with this, too."

"My help? But I'm not a Zeo Ranger," Billy protested.

"No, but you're Kim's friend; Xia said it was up to us to save her, and I think it'll take all six of us to do this right."

"Tommy is correct," Dulcea remarked. "Healing requires more than mere power; it must be tempered with the emotions of those who care."

"Come on, Billy."

"You know you're still one of us."

"Even Xia said you should have been a Zeo Ranger."

"And you care about Kim as much as any of us."

Billy nodded, too choked up to speak, and he rose to take his place with his teammates.

"For Kim, guys," Tommy murmured and closed his eyes. The others placed their hands on the crystal and also concentrated.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the crystal began to glow--cool red at first then up through the spectrum to a hot blue-white until at last it was bleached of all color. A sound--the deep bass rumbling of thunder--filled the great hall, the vibrations shaking the temple. At last, a flare of energy shot out from the heart of the gem and plunged into the heart of the young woman so dear to those who fueled the crystal with their love and friendship.

The transference continued until Kim's body was completely enveloped in a fiery nimbus of light not unlike Amadan's silver flames. The energy permeated every part of her body until she seemed to glow by her own power. Luminance grew until Dulcea--the only witness to the crystal's healing--was forced to shield her eyes from the brilliant glare.

Then, as suddenly as the process had begun, it was over. One moment a blinding white light filled the temple, then there was nothing. Dulcea lowered her arm to find Kimberly laying peacefully on the pallet and the Rangers collapsed upon the floor. The crystal itself had resumed its inert state.

"Rangers?" she queried. She held her breath until someone stirred, offering a low moan.

"Oh, my aching head...."

"Did we survive?"

"I hurt too much to be dead."

"Does anyone have some Tylenol?"

"I'd settle for willow bark."

"Kim?"

Tommy pulled himself up from the muddle with no little effort and staggered over to the low slab. He gingerly touched Kim's cheek and looked to her arms. The lacerations were completely gone. With a bit of trepidation, he turned her arm over, and a brilliant smile lit his face as he noticed the scar.

"Back to the way you were before this mess began," he said softly. Even her clothes had been replaced.

"T-Tommy?"

Kim's eyes fluttered open. Tommy felt the others gathering around them as he smiled down into Kim's confused face.

"Where am I?" she stammered. She struggled to rise, and Tommy helped her sit up. Suddenly, she threw her arms around Tommy and hugged him fiercely. "I am so glad to see you! It was awful... being dragged under water by that snake--I think I hit my head or something. I woke up in a cave--Amadan was there; he gave me a torch and told me to stay put. As if! I tried not to let it bother me, but I could feel the walls pressing in on me and could hear the snakes... they were moving all around me! Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to follow one. It was so dark.... I could feel the scales cutting into me whenever one moved past me. The poison started to make me sick, but I kept going until I found myself in this stream that ran right through a wall. I... I don't remember much after that. What happened?"

"It's a long story," Tommy murmured, wrapping her tightly in his arms. "The main thing is, you're all right. We made it to the temple, and we got our powers back."

"And now you must return home," Dulcea reminded them; the portal spell still pulsed in her grasp.

Tommy helped Kim up, and solemnly the seven followed the master warrior to the courtyard before the temple entrance.

"Do not worry, Rangers. Though you will have no memories of anything that transpired here, I shall insure that Zordon knows that you acquitted yourselves well," Dulcea promised.

"If you tell Zordon, won't he be able to tell us what happened?" Adam asked hopefully.

"He will be bound by the rules of the temple; he will not be permitted to tell you anything. I am sorry."

"We won't remember anything?" Kim gasped, looking at Tommy anxiously. He shook his head sadly, and her grip on his hand tightened. "What about us?"

"I don't know, Kim. We'll just have to trust that things'll work out somehow."

"Farewell, Rangers." Dulcea tossed the sphere into the air, and it began to expand.

"Do you have any good lines for the occasion?" Tanya asked of Rocky as the vortex swirled before them. Everyone clasped hands as space and time started to fold around them.

" 'Oh Auntie Em, there's no place like home.'"

"How far did you get, Billy?" Kat wondered.

"Have you told her about graduating?"

"About going to Aquitar?"

"About Skull being a concert pianist?"

Tommy sat back, letting the bubbling chatter wash over him without joining in. For a moment, he'd felt slightly disoriented, but the sensation passed. He wished the rest of his nervousness would, too. He just could not keep his eyes off Kimberly; he was trying not to stare, but.... He felt himself frowning as he watched her go through the motions of being animated and cheerful; just like on the medal platform, her apparent joy never touched her eyes. She seemed edgy--almost scared.

What did you expect? This couldn't have been easy for her either.

Tommy wanted to believe that. This sort of reunion wouldn't have been easy for the Kimberly who had kissed him under the mistletoe at Christmas, but then, that Kimberly wouldn't have broken his heart.

He sighed. He had known seeing her again was going to be hard; he just hadn't realized how hard. Not having the heart to join in the conversation and wanting to do more than just watch Kim, Tommy reached for a sandwich, even though he had no appetite. As he did so, he felt the muscles in his abdomen protest. It was the same kind of painful warmth he experienced whenever he pulled a muscle, but he couldn't remember doing anything in his workout earlier. Absently, he ran his hand across his stomach.

Kim took a sip of her drink to hide the fact that she just could not keep on smiling and nodding politely as she tried to absorb the tales of her friends' adventures. She wanted to join in the conversation, but her heart wasn't in it. She just didn't feel like she could, like she didn't belong anymore. As she let the buzz of conversation fade into the background, she felt someone watching her. Glancing up quickly, she noticed Tommy's gaze. He was staring at her pretty intensely and frowning.

Does he know? she wondered. Can he tell how much it hurts me to see him again? She had known it would be difficult to face him. She supposed she should take some comfort from the fact that it was apparently just as difficult for him to see her again. If he had loved her as much as she had thought he had, it wouldn't have been easy. Of course, if he had loved her as much as she loved him, he wouldn't have been going out with Kat behind her back. Although Billy had forewarned her, it was still like a knife in her gut to see them together. To see them sitting so close together, to see the hand Kat placed on Tommy's arm and the shy smile and shining eyes she turned his way.

Why, Tommy? Kim sobbed silently. What did I do wrong? I thought we loved each other! I know we were far apart and if you'd have just talked to me, we could have worked something out. You didn't need to go find someone else behind my back! And not just anyone--you had to pick a friend. Although, I suppose I can't fault your taste; Kat's so nice, intelligent, tall, blonde and beautiful--all the things I'm not.

However, amid Kim's bitter reflections, a new thought pushed to the fore. You're not really being fair to Tommy, you know. You've never heard his side of the story. How do you know he was dating Kat behind your back? All you have is a brief conversation with his father and you know Mr. Oliver isn't always the most reliable source of information on his son. There may be a perfectly innocent explanation for why Tommy was out with Kat.

Kim quickly dismissed that thought. It had to have happened the way she thought; it was the same thing that happened with her folks. It just had to be like that! If not, then....

"Yoo hoo! Kim!" Rocky teased, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh?" she muttered, coming out of her trance.

"Are you all right?" Billy queried.

"Yeah, I'm all right. Just tired; it's been a long day," she fibbed.

"It looks like Kim isn't the only one who's gone spacey on us," Kat mused, nodding across the table at Tanya.

"Earth to Tanya," Adam teased, giving her a little shake.

"Excuse me?" she murmured as she blinked and seemed to shake off her thoughts.

"Where'd you go?" Kat asked.

"Sorry. I was trying to remember.... It was something important, but it's fluttering just out of my reach--like a butterfly."

Kim frowned as she noticed the start Billy gave at Tanya's words and his hand went to his right wrist, kneading it absently.

"Okay, who ordered the pizza?" Ernie boomed out. The seven looked up to see a pizza delivery boy standing in the doorway.

"All right! The pizza's here!" Rocky cheered.

"Rocky!" Tanya chided. "Why'd you order a pizza? Ernie provided all the sandwiches."

"A party is not a party without a pizza from Antonio's," he declared, rising to go pay the bill. "You all can pay me back later."

As Rocky bounded off, Kim noticed that Adam seemed unusually fidgety. "Is something wrong, Adam?"

"Naw, I just can't seem to get comfortable," he muttered, tugging at the collar of his t-shirt. "Maybe we should have had a pool party or something."

Kim was inclined to agree. Even though she had worn a light knit top and her skirt was flared, she still felt confined in her clothing. She was sorely tempted to slip her shoes off.

"Okay, everybody, dig in!" Rocky declared, depositing the jumbo pizza on the table. He didn't need any prompting to follow his directive. He sat and down and helped himself to a hefty slice loaded with everything. He scarfed it down with gusto.

"Take it easy," Kat scolded.

"You act like you haven't eaten pizza in months," Adam snorted.

At Adam's words, a chill raced down Kim's spine.

"Kimberly?" Billy queried. "Are you sure you're all right? You're looking awfully pale. Maybe I should have just taken you straight home from the airport."

"No, I'm fine. Really. It was just... I don't know, a weird feeling. I want to be here with you guys. It was really sweet of you to throw a party for me and all," she demurred, helping herself to a slice.

"So where were we on getting Kim caught up?" Rocky queried, seemingly oblivious to the strained pause.

"I think we were up to the Defoliator monster," Adam said helpfully.

"Oh yeah, that one! Gave 'global warming' a whole new meaning."

"Wasn't that the weekend Billy and I took Tommy up to the mountains to go skiing after he got Kim's letter...." Kat began but fumbled over the end of her sentence, seeming to realize what she was about to say.

Kim flashed a pained look at Tommy. His gaze flickered her way briefly then away. Kim tried to look anywhere but at him; however, perversely, her eyes seemed to be locked on Kat and Tommy's entwined fingers.

"Sure was," Rocky confirmed, blissfully unaware of the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over the table, "and after that was the time when you and Tommy were trying to go out on your first date together and the cogs kept showing up and... ow! Hey, who kicked me!"

Tanya flashed Rocky a stern look and Adam elbowed him, nodding minutely in Kimberly's direction. She was the picture of misery.

"Oh," he mumbled contritely and busied himself with another slice of pizza.

Kim fought her tears. She refused to cry in front of the others. They hadn't gone on their first date until after Tommy got my letter? That means that he wasn't going out on me.... Oh, God, tell me it's not true! But Kim could almost hear Tommy telling her, "I was hurt when I got your letter and I wasn't looking to replace you, but Kat was really patient with me. She was there for me and she waited until I was ready."

But Tommy had never told her that! They had never spoken at all... not since Christmas; that was part of the problem. It didn't make sense. However, that was secondary to the fact that she knew it to be true. She felt it in her heart. Tommy had never betrayed her. Instead, she had betrayed him. Oh God, I gave him up for nothing! I thought he'd gotten together with Kat, but instead, I pushed him into her arms!

Kim's eyes swept over the table, trying to see what was in her friends' faces--anger, accusation?--but all she found was concern and pity. No doubt for Tommy; it couldn't be for her, not after what she had done.

Into the tense silence, Billy asked, "So, Kim, what will you be doing now that the Games are over?"

She knew what he was trying to do and was grateful for it. "I'll be in town for a week, then I'm heading to Paris to see my mom. I haven't seen her since... Christmas, either."

"Will you stay in Paris then or will you return to Angel Grove?" Tommy queried. It was the first time he had spoken to her since they had sat down.

"I don't know," she answered tiredly. "Coach seems to think there's a good chance I'll be invited to the Olympic trials." Around her, her friends were bursting with excitement at her words.

"All right!"

"Fantastic!"

"The Olympics... wow!"

"You don't look very happy about it," Tommy observed quietly.

Kim sighed heavily, eyeing the medallion that still lay on the table. "I just don't know if I can go through it again."

"Go through what?"

Kim shrugged. "All of it. By myself. Again."

She could tell that no one was sure how to respond to her statement. The awkward moment was disrupted as Skull came skidding past with Bulk, who was dripping with strawberry smoothie, in hot pursuit.

"Take it easy, Bulkie," Skull gulped, trying to keep the table with the teens between him and his best friend. "It was an accident!"

"I hate strawberry--especially when I'm wearing it."

"Bulk!" Kat protested as she leaned away from him. "You're dripping on me!"

"Why don't you go get cleaned up before you kill Skull," Adam recommended.

Rocky and Billy ducked to avoid being hit by Skull's flailing arm. It was Tommy's turn to try and avoid Bulk's sticky countenance.

"Will you guys get out of here," Tanya sighed.

"Here, Skull, distract him with this," Kim recommended tiredly, handing the gum-cracking teen a slice of pizza.

"Great idea! Thank, Kim," Skull sighed, gratefully snatching up the gooey triangle. "Oh, Bulkie, lookie what I have!"

"Huh?"

"Pizza, Bulkie."

"Pizza?"

"Uh huh. With lots of cheese. Promise not to kill me and it's all yours."

For a moment, Bulk looked indecisive; however, his appetite won out in the end.

"Oh, all right," he agreed grudgingly, holding out his hand. Skull handed over the tomatoey slice. "Come on, Skull; let's get out of here. They're going to start the music. Dweebs and dancing...." Bulk shuddered dramatically.

"Right behind you, Bulk!" Flashing Kim another grateful smile, Skull trotted after his friend obediently.

"Nice save," Billy said appreciatively.

"Still, what a waste of a perfectly good piece of pizza," Rocky grumbled.

Kim didn't hear them, the conversation once again fading into the background leaving her alone in an island of silence. She picked up her medal and idly watched it twirl on its colored ribbon as she dangled it above the table. A Pan Global gold medal... almost as prized as Olympic gold; most athletes train their whole lives for one of these. Not her. Sure, she had dreamed of the Pan Globals and the Olympics--what kid didn't? It was sheer luck that Coach Schmidt happened to be in Angel Grove for the district competition. If only he hadn't been....

She felt someone watching her; glancing up, she was surprised to find it was Tommy. In spite of her efforts to keep from crying, she felt moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes. Her fingers trembled and the medal slipped off, clattering loudly to the table, drawing everyone else's eyes to her. She stared numbly at the disk.

"Kim, what's wrong?" Kat asked.

"It wasn't worth it," Kim sighed at last, shaking off the momentary spell.

"What do you mean?" Tanya wondered.

"Do you think Ernie might like to have this to display in the Youth Center?" Kim queried in response, indicating her award.

"Don't you want your medal?" Rocky gasped.

"No."

"Why? If I'd won something like that, you'd have to pry it off of me with a crowbar!"

"It's an awesome achievement, Kim; aren't you happy you won?" Adam asked.

"Do you know what I see when I look at this medal? I don't see something that I won; I see everything that I lost."

"I don't understand," Kat murmured.

"You did make a lot of sacrifices to achieve your dream," Billy interjected softly.

"Yeah and it wasn't worth it. I'd trade this medal in a second for a chance for things to be the way they were," Kim answered bitterly. Suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore and jumped out of her chair. "I-I need some air. Excuse me a minute." However, instead of fleeing to the restroom, she headed out the front doors.

For a moment, no one spoke. They stared after their retreating comrade in shock and surprise.

"What was that all about?" Adam ventured.

"I knew I should have just taken her to my house," Billy muttered at last. "I thought the party might cheer her up--prove to her that we're still her friends...."

"Why would Kim think we weren't her friends?" Kat wondered.

"Tanya was right, guys," Billy said by way of explanation. "There was more to her letter than we all thought. With Aisha gone, no one kept in touch with Kim; she felt like we cut her out of our lives and she wonders what she did to make us turn our backs on her."

"How can she think that? She didn't do anything wrong," Rocky insisted.

"She gave up her powers and went to Florida to chase a dream. She thinks she let the team down by being so selfish."

"That's stupid!"

"That's the way she feels."

"Tommy, didn't you keep in touch with Kim?" Kat queried.

He shrugged as all eyes turned to him. "When she saw me at Christmas she said she might not have a lot of time for letters so she'd call, but she never did."

"Didn't you ever call her?"

"That's when all the stuff happened with Master Vile and everything."

"She called, Tommy," Billy interjected quietly, knowing it to be true without knowing how he knew. "You just never got the messages."

The two regarded each other for a moment. Then, Tommy slid his chair back. "I think it's time Kim and I had a talk." He collected Kim's medal and headed for the door.

"Tommy?" Kat began plaintively, rising as if to follow him.

"Let him go, Kat," Billy advised.

"But...."

"Tommy hasn't been able to move forward with you because Kim is still holding him back," Tanya said gently. "Let him have his answers so he can put this behind him."

Tommy found Kim outside sitting on the curb, her face buried in her hands and her shoulders shaking. The sight made his heart ache; he'd never been able to stand seeing her cry. As he drew nearer, Kim got to her feet, wiping her eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off a chill. She looked so tiny and fragile as she bowed her head, still combating tears. Tommy reached out as if to put a comforting hand on her shoulder then stopped himself. It wasn't his place any longer to....

To hell with that! Whatever else we might have been, Kim's still a friend.

"Kim?" he queried softly, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder. She practically jumped out of her skin.

"T-Tommy," she stammered.

He could almost see her trying to blink away the tears. "Something's wrong. You're hurting... we can all see it. We're your friends; we'd like to help, if you'd let us."

"Even you?" Kim sniffled.

"Even me." He smiled gently as he turned her around; if they were going to talk, he didn't want to do it to her back. God, she looked terrified.

"You have no idea how scared I was to see you again," she said in a raspy whisper, as if reading his mind.

"Actually, that pretty much sums up how I felt, too," he confessed.

"I thought you'd hate me for what I did. I thought you'd never even want to see me again and I know I deserved that."

"I don't hate you, Kim; I could never hate you. I admit that for a while I was pretty upset; you really hurt me when you sent that letter. I thought we had something special. Now, I just want to know what happened."

"I thought we had something special, too," she sighed. Tommy found her remark puzzling and watched as she chewed on her lower lip as if trying to summon her courage. "Tell me one thing first. When did you and Kat start dating? Was it really after you got my letter?"

The query took Tommy by surprise. "Of course it was after. I wouldn't have gone out with someone behind your back."

Kim started laughing, but it was a cold, bitter sound that gave way to choked sobs and she had to turn away from him again.

"Kimberly?"

"I did it for nothing!" she gasped.

"I don't understand."

Kim spun around suddenly. "If you weren't sneaking around behind my back, why didn't you ever return my calls?" she demanded.

"I never got the messages," Tommy insisted, desperate for her to know that that was the truth.

"But that doesn't explain why you never called at all! I thought we were going to keep in touch. I tried, but you never did!"

"I know," he admitted guiltily, hanging his head. Surely she could understand that with all the things going on with the Rangers... but that was only an excuse and Tommy knew it. He could have made time for her, so why didn't he? "I'm sorry. When you left after Christmas, I almost couldn't let you go again. I knew I'd miss you when you were gone, but I didn't realize how much. For a while, I lost myself in being a Ranger--to hide from how much it hurt to be without you. I guess I just buried things too far down and forgot for a while that you meant more to me than anything else in the world--being a Ranger included." Tommy smiled at Kim's astounded expression and absently wiped the tears from her cheek.

"Would you tell me something?" he queried after a moment's pause.

"Sure."

"When did you and Todd get together? Was it after you sent the letter?"

Kim drew in a deep breath. "Not quite. Todd was just a friend; when I couldn't get through to you and all, he noticed I was upset and offered me a shoulder to lean on. That's all. There really wasn't anything between us... at least, not until after I talked to your dad and had my worst fears confirmed--or so I thought. Once I thought I had lost you, it just became easier and easier to turn to Todd for comfort...." Words failed her at this point and she had to look away.

Tommy felt a sickening knot in the pit of his stomach. "So, when you sent that letter, you thought I was already with Kat."

"Uh huh. I thought you just didn't know how to tell me or something and Todd advised me to do something and not just let things remain unresolved. I figured if you were happy, I wouldn't stand in your way and Todd was there for me...."

"Kim, did you really want to break up with me? Did you fall out of love with me?" he asked oh-so-seriously. His gaze held hers imploringly; she didn't look away as she answered.

"No."

Looking into those doe-brown depths that glistened with tears was like looking into her soul and he could almost hear her saying, "I loved you! I wanted to die when I sent you that letter... I think, maybe, part of me did." He knew she was telling the truth.

"Oh God, Kim, I thought... man! if I'd have just called once--even after I got that stupid letter...!"

"I guess we both messed up," Kim murmured, smiling wanly.

"I shouldn't have taken you for granted...." Tommy began.

"...and I should have trusted you more," she concluded.

Tommy noticed Kim's sudden look of puzzlement; it mirrored his own. Those words sounded very familiar. Actually, the whole conversation had a ring of familiarity to it. However, he shook the feeling off. "I guess I can't really blame you for not trusting me. After all, what with the way your parents' divorce came about and my dad certainly didn't help matters any by telling you only half the story when you called...."

The words died on his lips. Where had that stuff about her parents' divorce come from? Kim hadn't said anything to him, but he had heard it somewhere--from Billy! But, how would Billy have known and when would he have told him? They hadn't had time to talk since Kim arrived.

"I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions so quickly," Kim added with a heartfelt sigh. Tommy hadn't realized they were holding hands until Kim let go, turning away from him. "I wish I'd never have seen that stupid article about Coach in the paper! If I hadn't been so stupid and selfish and run off to Florida to chase a dream...."

"You weren't being stupid or selfish," Tommy assured her, stepping around to face her again. He pulled her medal out of his back pocket. They both stared at it. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to chase a dream. Heck, if I'd been offered a chance to go to the Pan Globals or the Olympics...."

"You'd have agonized over whether to leave the team or not...."

"...just like you. And just like you, my friends would have had to convince me to go and I would have worked my butt off to bring home a medal and make all of you proud." Tommy placed the medal around her neck. "We are proud of you, you know. You didn't let us down; your dream became our dream, too. We wanted you to win just as much as you wanted to and you did."

"Thanks, Tommy," she choked out, getting misty-eyed as she looked at the medallion. Rather impulsively, Tommy placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess. So, um, what happens now?" Kim wondered.

"What do you want to happen?"

"I don't know. I know things can't be like they used to... you have Kat--you guys make a gorgeous couple and I hope you're happy together--and I'll be going to Paris soon. I doubt my mother will let me out of her sight again.... Do you think, maybe, we could still be friends?"

"We never stopped as far as I'm concerned," Tommy answered, pulling her into a hug. They stood together in each other's arms for a long, long while. Kim finally broke the embrace.

"I bet the others are wondering where we've gotten to," she murmured, brushing the last of her tears away.

"I'm surprised Rocky hasn't come looking for us yet," Tommy agreed. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I want to go fix my make-up first before I go back to the table," she said as they started back to the door.

"I'll meet you there."

As they parted in the doorway, Tommy gave her hand a squeeze. When he glanced back at the table, he noticed the other five watching them. He offered them a half-hearted smile and did his best to compose himself as he rejoined them.

"Is everything all right?" Billy wondered.

"Yeah, Kim just wants to fix her mascara," he replied as he took his seat. He wasn't quite ready to fill them in yet. There were still a lot of things he needed to get straight in his own mind first.

The five friends exchanged puzzled glances but respected Tommy's silence. Kat reached out as if to lay a comforting hand on Tommy's shoulder, but his whole demeanor seemed to discourage the contact. That he was shutting her out hurt Kat. She and Tanya traded glances across the table; Tanya shrugged helplessly. The others attempted to resume their conversation, made all the more difficult because of the music. Kim had yet to return from the restroom and Tommy seemed to be withdrawing into himself, absently toying with his straw. This roused Kat's sense of outrage. She hadn't spent the last several months painstakingly drawing Tommy out his last round of depression just so he could slip back!

"Tommy, would you care to dance?" she queried, unable to stand his silence any longer.

"Sure," Tommy agreed robotically. Although he tried hard to hide it, Kat caught his surreptitious glance towards the locker rooms.

For a while the two simply swayed to the music, but neither was able to relax in the other's arms.

"Did you get your answers?" Kat asked after awhile.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I did. We had a good talk; I understand what happened now. We agreed to stay friends," was his listless reply.

"It was all a mistake, wasn't it. She never wanted to let you go, did she?" Kat asked.

"How did you know?"

"Billy told us what happened."

"Oh."

Tommy's back was to the door when Kim reentered the Youth Center. Kat saw her glance their way and noticed the brave front Kim tried to assume as she started towards the table.

"You still love her, don't you," Kat said at last, almost unable to get the words out.

"Huh?"

"Kim. You're still in love with her, aren't you."

Tommy blushed as he tried to find his voice. Kat's eyes were tearing as he finally looked at her. Her answer was in his pained expression, but she needed to hear him say it. She needed to make him say it. "Yeah, I guess I am. I'm sorry, Kat."

"Don't be. I think I've always known that you were. I just hoped that maybe...."

"But it doesn't really matter," Tommy hastened to say. "She and I can't go back to the way things used to be. She has Todd now...."

Kat blinked in surprise. Why hadn't Kim told Tommy that she and Todd weren't together? "What did Kim have to say about us?"

"She told me that she thought you and I made a good couple and that she hoped we'd be happy."

Again, Kat wondered why. Billy had told them that Kim had mistakenly concluded that Tommy had left her for herself, so why would she want them to be happy? Because she loves him so much, she realized. Deep down, Kat knew that Kim would do anything for Tommy--even give her life for him. If he was happy with someone else, she would let him go. It was Kim's nature. After all, hadn't Kim forgiven her for trying to hurt her and stealing her powers while she had been under Rita's spell? Kim had given her a chance to redeem herself when she asked her to take her powers and become the new Pink Ranger.

Kat lowered her head to Tommy's shoulder. She knew what she needed to do. Kim and Tommy were both her friends and both were utterly miserable without the other. The question was, could she do it? Could she give them the second chance they deserved?

"Kat, is something wrong?" Tommy queried and Kat realized he could tell that she was trembling.

"Tommy, Kim doesn't have Todd," Kat said softly.

"What?" He stopped moving and pulled back to look at her, his face filled with astonishment. Kat bravely held her emotions in check and met his eyes.

"Todd had a fiancée back home he never told Kim about. He never intended their relationship to last beyond the Games."

"Why didn't she tell me?" Tommy queried anquishedly and the hope Kat saw flash in his eyes made her heart ache.

"Because she loves you," Kat replied, raising a hand to touch his cheek. "She thinks we're happy together and doesn't want either of us to be hurt. The thing is, we aren't happy together--are we?" Tommy ducked his head guiltily. "Go to her, Tommy."

"Kat?"

"Tell her you love her and give her a second chance."

"I don't understand. What about us? I thought you...."

"I thought so, too, but it just isn't meant to be, Tommy. If we stay together, you'll always wonder and I'll always worry... we'll just wind up being miserable and hurting each other."

"I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Although it hurt, Kat knew she had done the right thing; she could tell by the joy that shone in Tommy's eyes. She had never made him so happy in all the time they'd been dating.

"Thank you," Tommy murmured, his voice laden with emotion as he hugged Kat and kissed her on the cheek.

"Go," she whispered hoarsely and shoved him towards Kim.

Kim stared at her reflection in the mirror and wiped at the mascara smudges.

Come on! You have to get a grip on yourself, she told herself sternly. She realized she didn't have her purse with her, so she couldn't reapply her make-up. Then, without really thinking, she turned on the water and scrubbed off the rest of her cosmetics. She never wore a lot of make-up, but for some reason the little bit she had on felt as if it had been caked on like grease paint.

Better, she decided once her face was clean. Her smile faltered. You can't hide in here all night; your friends are waiting. Yes, they were still her friends. If Tommy was willing to be, then she could believe it of the others as well. Thus fortified, she decided to brave the Youth Center once again.

Outside the restroom, Kim found herself surrounded by well-wishers and, surprisingly, autograph-seekers. It only just occurred to her that for the time being she was something of a celebrity. I sure don't feel like one, though.

She smiled and posed for pictures and signed until she was finally able to make her polite excuses and head back towards the table. She glanced over and caught Billy's eyes. Her smile held a little more warmth than before and Billy looked relieved. Then Kim noted that neither Tommy nor Kat were at the table. She glanced out at the dance floor and found them swaying together. Her smile wavered.

What did you expect? You're going to have to get used to seeing them together.

Kim happened to catch Kat's glance--briefly--and she hoped she conveyed her happiness for the two in the small grin and dip of the head she managed. Kat looked away, resting her head on Tommy's shoulder.

They really do make a striking couple, Kim sighed. She would have to have a talk with Kat to let her know that she had nothing to worry about. After all, it had been her choice to let Tommy go rather than fight for him. She didn't want to cause trouble for Kat and Tommy. That was why she hadn't told him the truth about her nonexistent relationship with Todd. I don't have the right to interfere.

"So, guys, did you save anything for me, or did Rocky eat it all?" she quipped jauntily as she reached for her chair.

"I resemble that remark!" Rocky snorted around a mouthful of food.

"Kim! Wait... can I talk to you for a second?" Tommy called out breathlessly as he dashed toward the table.

Kim halted as she was halfway into her seat; she found Tommy's whole demeanor puzzling: shining eyes, flushed cheeks and a smile that radiated warmth, tenderness, love and hope. It was a smile she knew all too well. She glanced over at Billy who shrugged, as mystified as she was.

"S-sure," she agreed and Tommy grabbed her hand and towed her over to a quiet corner. "What is it?"

To her surprise, Tommy pulled her close and kissed her heatedly, as if their break-up had never occurred and he was simply reuniting with her, his months of pent-up emotions just waiting to break free. For a moment, Kim allowed herself to be swept away by her own repressed love for him. Tommy's mouth on hers felt so wonderful! She had missed his kisses so much...! Then, she remembered herself and their situation. She pushed herself away.

"What are you doing?" she gasped. Tommy's hands fell away from her body only to reach up to cup her face, tilting it upwards so that she was looking into his all-but-glowing face.

"Kim, I love you," Tommy said. "I don't care about what you thought about me and Kat; I don't care about what happened with Todd. You never stopped loving me and I never stopped loving you. That's all that matters."

"T-Tommy?" she stammered, her mind and feelings in a whirl over his declaration. He still loves me?

"We can be together again, if you really want to. Please say that you want to."

Kim felt tears threatening; her heart swelled with joy. Was this really happening? She found herself needing to look away from him, lest she completely lose herself in the depth of his shining eyes. Then, she saw Kat standing forlornly on the dance floor.

"W-what about Kat?" she stammered, trying to get her bearings. "I thought you and she were... you didn't...?"

"I didn't. She did."

Kim's eyes went wide with amazement and she flashed another glance towards the dance floor. Kat seemed to understand the question in her eyes for she nodded and smiled as if giving her blessing. Tears crept into the corners of Kim's eyes as she turned back to Tommy. "But why?"

"She could see even better than I could that it was you I loved and would always love."

Kim didn't know what to say or do. The pledge of Tommy's friendship had been more than she had expected, but this was beyond her wildest dreams.

"Tommy, are you sure?" she asked hesitantly, biting at her lip.

"I've never been more certain of anything," he replied soberly, though the smile never left his lips or his eyes. He gazed at her intently. "Kimberly, do you love me?"

There was room for nothing but honesty under that soul-piercing gaze. "Always."

"Then what else is there?"

With a choked, joyous cry, Kim flung her arms around Tommy and kissed him passionately--the way she had always longed to kiss him.

"What in the world...?" Billy gasped as the four at the table watched the former couple embrace.

"It looks like they're back together again," Rocky murmured.

"How could Tommy do that!" Adam fumed. His gaze traveled from the entwined lovers to where a tearful Kat was fleeing the dance floor. "I hated to see him and Kim apart, but he didn't need to hurt Kat like that!" He had risen out of his seat slightly as if to charge after Tommy and demand an explanation.

"Easy does it, Adam," Tanya cautioned, placing a hand on his arm. "Before any of us go jumping to conclusions, I'll go see if Kat will tell me what's wrong. If Tommy did hurt her, you can go pummel him with my blessing."

Adam acquiesced with a nod and Tanya hurried after her best friend. She caught up with her in the restroom. Kat was seated on the bench just inside the doorway.

"Are you all right?" Tanya queried.

"I will be," Kat sniffled, trying to wipe her eyes.

"What happened? Did Tommy break up with you?"

"No."

"No? I don't get it. Why is he with Kim then?"

"I let him go," Kat sighed and the rest of her explanation followed in a rush. "I had to, Tanya. He was never really in love with me; he never stopped loving Kimberly. If I hadn't let him go, I'd have wound up hurting him as much as Kimberly had. I couldn't do that."

"You did the right thing," Tanya assured her with a hug.

"I know, but it still hurts." Kat rested her head on Tanya's shoulder.

"The pain will pass in time," Tanya murmured, stroking Kat's hair.

"I hope so."

"Kat?"

Both girls looked up at the timid query. Kimberly stood nervously before them.

"Hey, Kim," Kat managed.

"I just wanted to thank you. Y-you didn't have to do that," Kim said, wringing her hands anxiously.

"Yes, I did," Kat said quietly. Suddenly, Kim threw her arms around Kat's neck, hugging her fiercely.

"I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you," she choked out around a sniffle.

"You gave me a second chance when I needed one; I'm just returning the favor," Kat replied, hugging Kim back. They clung to each other until they both regained their composure.

"I--um--thought I should let someone know. Tommy and I are gonna take a walk; we still have a lot to talk about and stuff," Kim reported awkwardly.

"Good luck, you two," Tanya interjected.

"Thanks."

"Promise me one thing, Kim," Kat said.

"Anything."

"Don't ever hurt Tommy again."

"Never again."

After Kim departed, Tanya pushed herself up from the bench. "I'd better get back to the table and let the guys know what happened before Adam goes and slugs Tommy."

"Why would Adam do a thing like that?" Kat wondered.

"He thinks Tommy dumped you."

"That's no reason for him to hit Tommy."

"He just doesn't like to see you hurt," Tanya replied with a knowing smile.

"That's really sweet, but why would he be so concerned for me?"

"He's concerned because you're his friend and he cares a lot about you."

"But I thought you and he were...."

"No, we're not. We're just really close friends."

"Oh."

Tanya's grin broadened. She had said enough for now, but later, when Kat wasn't hurting so much.... "Why don't you take a few more minutes and I'll meet you back at the table."

"Okay."

"Tommy and Kim left for a walk," Rocky reported when Tanya returned to the table.

"I know. Kim told us."

"So...?" Adam prompted anxiously.

"It's legit. Kat let him go," she announced and she explained Kat's reasoning.

"A wise and difficult decision," Billy concluded. "Tommy couldn't have loved Kat the way he loved Kim; the conditions that created the bond between him and Kimberly did not exist for him and Kat."

"This from a man who's never had a steady girlfriend," Rocky teased.

"And you've had significantly more luck when it comes to relationships with members of the opposite gender?" Billy shot back and Rocky shut up.

"Billy's right," Tanya interjected. "Kat knows she did the right thing, but it's going to take some time for the hurt to pass. We can't let her dwell on her pain." She looked pointedly at Adam, who gulped nervously.

"Tanya, she's not going to be looking for anyone to replace Tommy right away," he mumbled.

"I'm not suggesting that, but we are her friends and it wouldn't hurt to show her that we care and that we're there for her."

"After all, this is a party; we can't let her sit around here and be miserable, can we?" Rocky chimed in.

Adam scowled at him. "What did you have in mind?"

"It would not be inappropriate for you to ask her to dance," Billy recommended.

"Why me?" The three just looked at him and Adam's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Am I that obvious?"

Rocky was about to offer a glib retort when his eye caught someone across the room: Elizabeth. His good humor swiftly vanished.

"If I have to dance with Kat, you have to talk to Elizabeth," Adam challenged.

"No way. Remember, she dumped me," Rocky muttered sourly.

"Rocky, do you really care for Elizabeth?" Tanya queried. She gave him her best no-nonsense glare. He sighed defeatedly.

"I think so," he replied.

"Then talk to her. Ask her about the letter. Don't make the same mistake Tommy and Kimberly made," Billy recommended.

"I don't know what to say to her," Rocky protested.

"Just be yourself and tell her the truth," Adam suggested.

"I know you get nervous when you get close to a girl, but don't give in to the urge to hide behind a joke," Tanya advised. "That's why Elizabeth broke up with you in the first place."

Rocky blinked, startled. "How'd you know...?"

"I'm not sure, but it's the truth, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Just tell her the truth and if she can't accept the truth then she isn't the one for you."

"All right, all right." As Rocky abandoned his seat, he turned back to Adam. "Just remember to hold up your end of the deal."

"Where's Rocky off to?" Kat queried as she arrived at the table just as Rocky left.

"To try and work things out with Elizabeth," Billy answered.

"Ow!" Adam winced as Tanya kicked him under the table.

"Are you all right, Adam?" Kat wondered.

"Yeah, I just bumped my shin against the table leg," he fibbed. "Say, Kat--um--would you, maybe, like to dance?"

"Thanks, Adam, but...."

"Oh, go on, Kat; after all, they're playing one of your favorite songs," Tanya slipped in oh-so-helpfully.

"Well...."

"Why don't you and Adam go on and Tanya and I will join you shortly," Billy added, to the astonishment of everyone.

"Okay," Kat agreed and she accepted the shyly offered hand Adam extended to her. Neither said a word as they awkwardly positioned their hands and arms about each other. For a few moments they rocked together in silence.

"Oh, look," Kat piped up after a few moments.

"What?" Adam asked, turning to follow her gaze. The move put them cheek to cheek.

"Rocky and Elizabeth are dancing."

"That's great! I'm glad they were able to work things out." Adam's enthusiasm was unfeigned.

"Yeah, it is," Kat responded dispiritedly.

Adam didn't know what to say, so the two resumed their silently swaying. Near the song's end, he finally worked up the courage to say what was on his mind. "Kat, Tanya told us what you did for Tommy and Kim and I just wanted to tell that I think that was the bravest thing I've ever heard of."

"Really?"

"Yes. I know you're hurting now and all, but just remember, there's someone out there who would like nothing better than to make you happy--someone who wants to love you the way you deserved to be loved." Adam frowned, wondering where those words had come from; it was as if he had heard them before.

"Adam, that's beautiful," Kat murmured; smiling, she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you."

Blushing, Adam held her a little closer as the next song began to play.

"'Tanya and I will join you shortly?'" Tanya reiterated as the pair watched Adam and Kat wander off. "I don't recall you asking me to dance."

"It was all I could think of to help the situation along," Billy confessed with a sheepish shrug. "It worked, didn't it?"

"That it did," Tanya agreed, smiling as she observed the pair. "You know, I think everything's going to work out just fine."

"So, would you care to dance?" Billy queried.

Tanya's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't think you liked dancing."

"Not usually, but this is a celebration--although, the guest of honor is no longer present--and us single persons have to stick together."

"Now, where have I heard that before!" Tanya laughed.

"It does seem vaguely familiar now that you mention it," Billy agreed, frowning.

"I'd love to dance," Tanya accepted and the two rose from their seats as Ernie came by to collect the seven's empty glasses.

"Billy, did I miss something?" Ernie queried, shaking his head in befuddlement. "Kim and Tommy go off together. Kat and Adam are dancing...."

"Don't worry, Ernie," Billy said reassuringly. "Things have simply reverted to the way they were meant to be."

Kim and Tommy left the Youth Center and headed for the park. Hand in hand, they strolled in the moonlight hardly speaking; it was enough that they were together. They made their way through the gardens to the bend by the pond. Kim felt her heart beat faster. This was where Tommy first kissed her--first asked her out. It was where Tommy always brought her when he was feeling romantic.

Suddenly, Kim found herself swept off her feet. Tommy lifted her in the air and spun her around. Both laughed for the sheer joy of being together again.

"I just can't believe you're back!" Tommy declared happily, crushing her in an exuberant hug. When Kim pulled back to catch her breath, Tommy softly brushed his fingers in wonderment across her face and hair. "It's like the last few months have been a nightmare, and I've finally woken up."

"I know," she agreed, her voice husky. Diamond-like tears gathered in her eyes.

"Hey, I thought we said no more tears," Tommy murmured, wiping the moisture away.

"It's just that I can't believe you can forgive me so easily. If you hurt half as much as I did--and I felt like I ripped my heart out!--you have every right to hate me."

Tommy silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. "You made a mistake--we both did. If I hadn't given you a reason to doubt, you would never have done what you did. We just have to learn from our mistakes so we'll never hurt each other like that again."

"Never," Kim promised knowing she would never doubt Tommy's love for her again.

"Besides, I had to forgive you. It was the only way for us to be together again. I love you."

"And I love you."

Their lips met in an affectionate press, but feelings neither realized were there bubbled to the surface, swiftly overwhelming them. The kiss deepened as passions surged forth. Their embrace tightened as tongues probed mouths in a fiery dance. Hands roamed with frantic need--and an unexpected sureness.

"T-Tommy?" Kim gasped as his mouth trailed off hers, leaving a burning wetness in its wake as he kissed his way down her throat. "What's happening... here...?"

The almost-panic in Kim's tone brought Tommy up short as if he, too, just realized what they had been doing.

"I don't know," he gulped, trying to catch his breath. The two stepped apart nervously.

"We've never kissed like that before," Kim stammered. Although, there had been many a time when she had wished they had. She shivered with the memory of his mouth hot against hers and the feel of his strong hands caressing her. Her whole body was a-tingle with the excitement of Tommy's touch. The reality was every bit as thrilling as she had imagined. Kim recalled how reluctant she had always been to let go; the fear-mixed-with-excitement had been enough to paralyze her. However, the tiny taste of what passion could be was intoxicating and had her thirsting for more.

"Yet it seemed like we'd been kissing that way forever," Tommy continued, shaking Kim from the warmth of her musings. "It's weird, I know, but...."

"I felt like that, too," Kim replied. The sense of familiarity in what they had done was uncanny.

"So, what do we do about it?"

"I don't know."

Confused and excited, the reunited couple wandered over to a park bench.

"Would you like to try again?" Tommy ventured awkwardly. "To see what happens?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

They came together--softly--a second time, but the fire of desire flared much more quickly this time. Kim moved her hands between their bodies, her fingers tugging at the buttons on Tommy's shirt. She practically purred upon discovering his bare chest underneath. A shudder raced through her as her hands glossed over the smooth, hard expanse. She felt Tommy's moan deep in his chest as her fingers teased the tiny nubs of his nipples.

Tommy's hands weren't idle either. As his mouth descended to the curve of Kim's throat, his hands slid under her pink knit top and up to the curve of her breasts. His thumbs lightly massaged the soft swells through her lacy bra until her own nipples were taut with anticipation. Then, his hands settled on the swell of her behind, scooping her up and shifting her onto his lap. Kim leaned back into his supporting arm as his mouth continued moving lower. Her fingers played with the pearlized buttons of her garment until she parted the eyelet fabric in invitation--which Tommy eagerly accepted.

"Ohh...." Kim sighed as Tommy's full lips moved across her delicate flesh. He seemed to know just where to touch her to make her feel the most incredible sensations.... "Tommy?" she asked suddenly.

"Hm?" His mouth continued down to the gentle swell of her breasts.

"H-have you ever done this before?" Kim gasped. It felt so good...! Why did she care whether he had ever done this or not?

Her query made Tommy pause. "This...? Oh, you mean what we're...?"

"Uh huh."

"No." He favored her with a shy smile. "This is my first time."

"Then how do you know what to do?"

"I don't."

"You could have fooled me. I've never felt anything so wonderful before."

"You mean you haven't... either?"

"Uh uh... but it's weird. It's like I know what to do--not just in general, but for you." Kim threaded her arms around Tommy's neck and leaned in close, her hips rocking against his most delightfully, causing her to offer a tiny gasp. "Like, I know if I nibble on your earlobe...." Her tongue flicked out to tickle the soft flesh, and Tommy groaned deeply as she took a small nip.

"Just like I know that you'll turn into a quivering pile of Jell-O if I do this...." Tommy ran his tongue across the underside of her right arm. Kim shivered at the burning racing through her veins.

A slight breeze blew across the pond, giving the neophyte lovers cold chills. Kim leaned into Tommy's arms, pressing her cheek against his bared chest. She smiled as she listened to the pounding of his heart. Her own seemed to be hammering just as strongly. She couldn't believe what she was doing: her shirt unbuttoned, her skirt bunched around her waist as she straddled Tommy's lap.... She bit her lower lip indecisively. She was confused, excited and scared all at once. The sensations carrying her away were too powerful; she couldn't control them, and yet, she didn't want to stop. Sure, she was a little unnerved by it all, but it felt so good...! Once she thought she wanted to wait, but now.... She wondered if Tommy felt the same way. He did--if the hardness pressing between her legs was any indication.

Kim shifted a bit, trying to get more comfortable; she felt the ridge of Tommy's arousal rub against the thin lace of her panties, teasing her sex. The fire that simple movement created caused her to moan ever-so-slightly. She moved about again. Bigger tingles this time--huge, fiery bolts of excitement that exploded from the core of her being and raced outward to the rest of her body. She snuck a quick peek at Tommy. His eyes were closed; he seemed to be enjoying what she was doing as much as she was. His grip on her behind remained steady as she continued rocking her hips. She grabbed hold of his shirt to brace herself and let herself go.

Tiny moans, needy whimpers, and gasps of excitement passed over her lips as Kim ground herself against Tommy's hardness. She was completely lost in the pleasure surging through her body. She knew what she was building to, and never had it been so powerful. She was close. Tommy could feel it, too. Leaving one hand on her bottom, he slid the other up her back, holding her closer, and when the fiery explosion hit, Tommy's mouth closed over hers, swallowing her cries of joy.

The kiss lingered as Kim slowly slipped away from the heights of ecstasy. She didn't want to break off the sweet meeting of mouths... didn't want the moment to end. However, they had to breathe sometime. As Kim reluctantly pulled away, her eyes finally flickered open, and for a moment she glimpsed an image of Tommy bending over her, his hair falling loose about his face. He was smiling. She could almost feel the warmth and strength of his naked body pressed against hers and the cool grass beneath her; she could see the brilliant jewel-blue sky above. Then, she blinked, and the fleeting vision was gone, but it left a nagging sense of... something. As Kim's eyes focused on Tommy anew, she noticed that he was regarding her with a look that was a mixture of surprise, amusement, and hopeful excitement--very much the way he had looked at her when she admitted to him on that long ago afternoon that she had missed him.

"Kim?" he began, his tone full of astonishment. "Did you just do what I think you did?"

Kim blushed; the urge to look away was strong, but she held his gaze. "Yes."

His smile brightened. "That was amazing. You looked so... wow!" His hands resumed moving softly over her still-quivering body. "You are just so beautiful...."

There was something he was wanting to say; Kim could sense it, but words seemed to fail Tommy. "What is it?"

"I know we should take things slow right now... and I know how we talked about waiting--way back when, but... oh, man, Kim! Right now, all I want to do is lay you down on the grass, peel off your clothes, and make love to you," Tommy confessed, his eyes searching hers imploringly.

Kim's heart surged with joy, and she smiled up at Tommy. She knew they probably shouldn't, but.... "I'd like nothing better than to make love with you," she murmured. Tommy scooped her into a heated embrace, his tongue insistently probing for hers; however, Kim pushed him back. "But not here. While I like the park as much as you, I'd rather we went some place a little more private."

"There's no one around," Tommy pointed out, grinning mischievously.

"I know, but I just can't shake the feeling that someone is watching." She shivered involuntarily.

"Well, it is a little cool," Tommy acquiesced. "But where? We can't go to my house; my folks are home."

"If Billy hadn't canceled my hotel reservation, we could have gone there," Kim sighed.

"We could always try and get a room...."

"That sounds so... cheesy," Kim remarked, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. If Billy canceled your reservation, where are you staying?"

"In the guest room at his house. We could always go there."

"What about Mr. Cranston?"

"Billy said he was going to the symphony tonight and wouldn't be home until late."

"But Billy won't be out all night. With you gone from the party, he's not liable to stay all that long," Tommy pointed out. He stroked Kim's cheek. "I don't want to rush through this; I want our first time to be something special."

"I know, that's why I don't want to fool around in the backseat of your 4 x 4," Kim teased. "I think it'll be all right."

"Will we even be able to get in?"

"Billy gave me his spare key," Kim announced, holding up the little treasure that had been in her pocket all evening.

"If you're sure...."

"I've never been more sure of anything."

Tommy's hands weren't idle either. As his mouth descended to the curve of Kim's throat, his hands slid under her pink knit top and up to the curve of her breasts. His thumbs lightly massaged the soft swells through her lacy bra until her own nipples were taut with anticipation. Then, his hands settled on the swell of her behind, scooping her up and shifting her onto his lap.

"I trust you have had your answer," Zordon murmured, his tone rather discomfited.

The image in the viewing globe shifted to that of Dulcea in Amadan's former antechamber. She had contacted Zordon in order to inform him of events at the Temple.

"I expected a reconciliation between Kimberly and Tommy, but not this quickly," Dulcea admitted.

"The bond between them has always been exceptionally strong," the Rangers' mentor continued, his discomfort in discussing the topic so painfully obvious that Dulcea laughed.

"What is the matter, my friend?"

"While I am as overjoyed with Kimberly and Tommy's reunion as any of the other Rangers, I would have preferred learning of it from them--without invading their privacy."

"Being trapped in your timewarp has made you rather conservative," Dulcea teased. "I can recall the days when you were as frisky as your proteges. There was a certain incident when you used the viewing globe to find me in my bath.... Why, Zordon, I do believe you are blushing!"

"We were little more than children ourselves in those days," he replied, embarrassment making his tone gruff; however, there was a note of nostalgia there as well. It had been a very long time since the days when he had simply been a man.

"Hardly children. We had both lost mates and families by the time we came to serve in the temple," Dulcea sighed heavily.

"Why so concerned about Kimberly and Tommy's relationship?" Zordon wondered. "I could understand your concern about the Rangers' safe return and wanting me to know about Amadan's actions against them, but why such an interest...?"

Dulcea shrugged. "Xia seemed to think it important." She regarded Zordon's expression with interest. "What troubles you?"

"Amadan," he confessed with a sigh. "I have a difficult time accepting that he would become so consumed with his obsession."

"He had changed greatly from the man we called friend in our younger days," Dulcea admitted sadly.

"Did he not realize that the next champions would have fallen under his jurisdiction? That each keeper was to have the honor of mentoring the Zeo champions?"

"Apparently, he could see nothing but his own perceived failures. I tried to counsel him, but he would not listen. I could but watch as his madness claimed him."

"Do you think he will learn Xia's lessons on Kel-Theteme? As I recall, he may have enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh as much as anyone, but he always scorned the pleasures of the heart."

"I believe he shall. Never has Amadan had to contend with soul-bonded Rangers. If anyone can teach him that the joining of hearts is a strength and not a weakness, it is Tarjiji and Aryssta. Although, now that he has been humbled, I believe Kimberly and Tommy could teach him as much."

Silence fell over the pair. All that needed to be said had been, but both were reluctant to sever their contact. It had been far too long since they had last spoken, and at one time there had been much between them.

"Your Rangers have acquitted themselves well; you should be proud of them," Dulcea murmured awkwardly. Both she and Zordon knew that small talk was not her forte; she had always been a woman of action.

"I am, and I must thank you for aiding the Rangers in my stead."

"It was an honor to work with such worthy champions."

"It is a shame that they can never know what they have done. That Xia should appear to them...."

"She felt likewise, my friend. Xia seemed very impressed with the crystal's chosen; if there had been a way for her to preserve the Rangers' memories...."

"Oh, they will remember... and sooner than you think."

To both keepers' immense surprise, the Zeo crystal in its housing began to glow. It flashed brilliantly, and in the fading luminance the image of Xia the scholar took shape.

"Lady Xia, it is an honor," Zordon greeted her.

"It has indeed been a long time, Zordon of Eltar. It is good to see you again as well, Ninjetti priestess."

"How is this possible? Did you not tell the Rangers that you cannot appear outside the crystal when the powers are active within the champions?" Dulcea wondered.

"For the moment, the powers are at rest, and I do not think they will be called upon any time in the immediate future," Xia said with a knowing smile.

"What did you mean when you said, 'they will remember?'" Zordon queried. "Once one passes through the dimensional portal, the enchantment removes one's memories. It is for this reason that the keepers are allowed access without using the portal."

"True, the exit spell wipes the memories, but it cannot erase what is not there."

"You removed the Rangers' memories prior to them entering the portal?" Dulcea queried.

"Their memories have not been removed, merely submerged. When you activated the portal spell, Dulcea, you also activated a second bit of enchantment. The moment the Rangers stepped into the vortex, their memories were buried so deeply that the exit spell could not find them to remove them."

"Then the Rangers' subconscious recollections--their feelings of deja vu--are a result of the repressed memories."

"It is as William assured Dulcea: they would remember on some level. This is the foundation upon which the spell was built. Even without the blocked memories, they would still be experiencing this deja vu. However, simply telling the Rangers the truth will not restore their memories. They will not regain their conscious recollections until the proper physio-emotional connections are restored."

"Physio-emotional connections?"

"The Rangers formed specific physical and emotional bonds during their journey--bonds which may or may not have evolved without Amadan's influence: physio-emotional ties between Kimberly and Thomas and Adam and Katherine, as well as purely physical ties between Kimberly and William, William and Tanya, Tanya and Katherine, and so on."

"Many of these pairings may not come about without the conditions of the adventure," Dulcea pointed out. "So, the Rangers who do not bond in this fashion will not regain their memories."

"However, Kimberly and Tommy have reconnected," Zordon said. "Once they have regained their memories, they are certain to try and restore the others'."

"I assumed as much," Xia replied. "However, the bonding I was most concerned about was Kimberly and Thomas'. That is why they are the keys to the restoration of the other Rangers' memories. Their bonding was the only one that existed prior to Master Vile altering the time stream. That it be restored without further interference is of great importance to the integrity of the timestream."

"The love of two teenagers matters that much?" Dulcea questioned dubiously.

"Not merely two teenagers but two who were chosen to wield great powers."

"Do the relationships of the others not matter then?" Zordon queried.

"That remains to be seen. Thanks to Master Vile, two who should have held the Zeo powers did not, and two became Rangers before their time. In the case of Adam and Katherine, their meeting also happened before its time. Perhaps they are destined to stay together or perhaps their destinies lie with other partners. I have been unable to properly chart the timestream's new course, so at the present, I do not know the ramifications of their bonding."

"As Kimberly and Tommy have reestablished their emotional relationship, should that not be sufficient to...?"

"No, the block is a physical entity and requires a physical release. Kimberly and Thomas must fully consummate their bond to free their memories--anything less than full intercourse will leave them in an even more pronounced state of deja vu. The trigger is in the orgasmic release of hormones by one who promoted that state in the other on their journey. The same applies to the others."

"It would appear the Rangers are in for some interesting moments," Dulcea murmured, smiling as she considered the full implication of Xia's spell.

"It is best that the restoration of their memories takes place as soon as possible," Xia continued. "Without their full memories, their powers are slightly out of balance, and there is a danger that the Machine Empire will discover this and try to capitalize on it. And as with the original spell, we cannot interfere. The Rangers must make these discoveries on their own."

"Was it necessary to make the release mechanism dependent up on the Rangers' sexual interactions?" Zordon asked, obviously uncomfortable with the idea.

"I did nothing more than work with the bondings the Rangers created themselves."

"They may be young, but they are not children," Dulcea countered. "That was where Amadan made his first mistake."

"I realize that. It is just that I have come to regard all the Rangers as family...."

"...and it is difficult knowing your children are children no longer," Dulcea concluded. Neither of their children-of-their-bodies survived to see adolescence, but she understood his feelings. She had passed through that millennia ago with her Ninjetti Rangers. "You must trust them to handle this new aspect of their lives as you trusted them to wield the power coins."

Xia suddenly burst into peals of laughter. "Such talk! You sound as if you are ancient! To me, the pair of you are little more than children yourselves."

Though Dulcea and Zordon had been adults when they were first summoned to the Temple, Xia had been the Zeo Crystal's champion for untold millennia before their births.

"Children with the welfare of the universe on our shoulders," Zordon responded with an affronted sniff.

"And how does that differ from the Zeo Rangers?" Xia retorted. "When was the last time either of you was able to enjoy simply being alive? Dulcea--not since the Ninjetti fell, confining you to the sacred plains? And Zordon--not since Rita Repulsa ensorcelled you, I imagine."

The two traded wistful expressions through the viewing globe.

"It has been a long time," Zordon agreed.

"So, what are you waiting for? The dimension of the temple exists outside the laws of this universe; you can assume your former condition in the Temple just as Dulcea can be there without aging."

Xia gestured, and Zordon disappeared from his luminous column. Moments later, he stood beside Dulcea in the antechamber of the Temple, and he arrived in much the same state as the Rangers had before him--to Dulcea's amusement. Though she hid her smile, she could not keep the laughter--and appreciation--out of her green-flecked gaze.

"You could have provided me with an acolyte's robe at the very least," Zordon muttered with as much dignity as he could muster.

"To what end? I well remember what the two of you were like as acolytes. Dulcea would have had you out of your clothes before I turned off the viewing globe--and do not bother to deny it!" Xia charged, forestalling Dulcea's protestations. Still, the warrior's eyes flashed as the heat flared in her cheeks. "Why are you standing there gawking at me? The dark forces in the universe will not behave themselves indefinitely. Have your fun, and I shall keep watch. I will return you when you are needed."

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Xia made their images vanish. She simply shook her head with a soft laugh. Then, she reactivated the viewing globe, settling upon the image of two young people on a park bench. Kimberly was leaning against Tommy, her eyes closed as she recovered from a very powerful experience.

Oh yes, Zordon had chosen his Rangers very well--intelligent, courageous, strong in body and spirit, morally upstanding.... Well, one could not expect them to be paragons of virtue. After all, Zeo Champions or not, they were only teenagers and human ones at that. Allowances needed to be made. If physical purity was a requirement for holding the Power, there would be very few champions or keepers out there.

"I know we should take things slow right now... and I know how we talked about waiting--way back when--but... oh, man, Kim! Right now, all I want to do is lay you down on the grass, peel off your clothes, and make love to you."

"I'd like nothing better than to make love with you," she murmured. Tommy scooped her into a heated embrace, his tongue insistently probing for hers; however, Kim pushed him back. "But not here. While I like the park as much as you, I'd rather we went some place a little more private."

"There's no one around," Tommy pointed out, grinning mischievously.

"I know, but I just can't shake the feeling that someone is watching."

Xia smiled and turned the viewing globe off, offering the lovers their privacy, and as she returned to the Zeo crystal's embrace, the first Guardian of the crystal found herself wondering just how long it would be before the rest of the Rangers remembered their little coed naked jungle adventure. She did not think it would be long at all.

E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net