"Curse that infernal do-gooder Zordon!" Zedd fumed.

"What's eating you now?" Rita asked boredly.

"He's surrounded the Command Center with a signal scrambler; I can't pierce it to see what those Power Brats are doing."

"Kim and Tommy? Why do you want to see what they're doing?"

"You can't appreciate the exquisite torment they must be going through as they try to save Kimberly's precious life," Zedd murmured, practically salivating. He did not want Rita to know of the pleasure he derived from watching the pair's amorous activities. The thought of them fornicating had his blood simmering, causing his visor to fog up.

"Instead of whining about not having a good view, why don't we take advantage of the fact that they're shy two Rangers to crush those miserable pests," Rita suggested.

"An excellent idea, and I believe I have the perfect instrument for their destruction!" Zedd produced one of the toys left over from Kim and Tommy's previous stay. Rita snatched the slender, golden object and inspected it suspiciously.

"Is that what I think it is?" she queried. "Where did you get that?"

"Kimberly used it on Tommy during their stay here."

"You still haven't told me what that was all about."

"Later." Zedd aimed his staff at the device, using his magic to bring it to life. "We shall send Vy-Brator to Earth to shake things up a bit!"

"They've been at it for over twenty-four hours," Rocky burst out. He, Adam and Billy were to meet Aisha in the park, ostensibly to do homework, but none of them could concentrate on their school work. Aisha still hadn't arrived yet. "You'd think Kim would be cured by now."

"The spell had a month to build up force," Adam reminded him. "Something with that much momentum behind it will not be easy to break."

"The fact that her fever had come down a few degrees and that she had marginal control by yesterday evening is a good sign," Billy reminded them. He was still dealing with his guilt for having watched Kimberly and Tommy. He had relived the scene over and over in his dreams last night, leaving him in an extraordinarily high state of hormonal agitation.

"Man, can you imagine what it must be like to have sex for twenty-four hours straight?" Rocky continued.

"You can't even imagine what it would be like for twenty-four minutes," Adam jibed.

"My guess would be exhausting," Billy remarked. "Any strenuous physical activity engaged in over a prolonged period of time would seriously deplete the body's stores of energy."

Rocky and Adam exchanged puzzled glances, finding Billy unusually verbose. He only got wordy when excited or unusually distracted.

"Hey guys," Aisha called out as she wandered over.

"What's wrong, Aisha?" Adam queried, noting her troubled expression. "Have you heard anything more on Tommy and Kim?"

"No, but we may have a bigger problem. I think my mom has found out about us being Power Rangers."

"What?"

"How ...?"

"Yesterday morning, she was wondering where Kim was at lunch time and was all concerned about Kim and Tommy spending too much time together. Last night, she didn't say two words about Kim's absence at dinner. When I tried to bring it up, she said, ‘You can't expect young people with so much responsibility to keep regular hours. Kim will be home when she is able.' And she hasn't said a word about the fact Kim was gone all night."

"That's too weird," Adam commented.

"Tell me about it. When she thought I'd gone up to bed, she went to the family room and started digging through old newspapers and magazines. Every one she looked through had the Power Rangers on the cover or in the headlines."

"Uh oh," Rocky muttered.

"I suggest we consult Zordon about this," Billy said. The four teleported; however, when they arrived in the Command Center, the alarm was going off, and everything was shaking.

"What's going on? An earthquake?" Rocky queried as he was knocked to the floor by the vibrations. The others also had to pick themselves up.

"Lord Zedd has sent another monster," Alpha ay-yi-yied.

"Behold the viewing globe," Zordon directed. "This is Lord Zedd's latest creation: Vy-Brator."

The Rangers looked but couldn't believe their eyes.

"No, he couldn't have ...."

"He didn't .... "

"That looks like a .... "

"A giant vibrator!" Rocky burst out laughing.

"That is really sick," Aisha muttered.

"This is no laughing matter," Alpha scolded Rocky.

"Alpha is correct. Vy-Brator has the power to create earthquakes. If he is not stopped, he could very well level all of Angel Grove." Even as Zordon spoke, Vy-Brator struck. A stamp of his foot created minor trembling. He found a construction site, and inserted his head into one of the large drainage pipes; the resulting tremor leveled the site. The Rangers were as grim as their mentor, except for Rocky who was trying his best to contain his mirth.

"What's so funny?" Adam wondered.

"Think about it. Zedd first turns Kim into Power Slut and siccs her on Tommy. Then he tries to destroy their powers by forcing them to have sex. Now he sends a giant sex toy to destroy Angel Grove. He must not be getting any! If Rita would put out, maybe Zedd would leave us alone!"

"That's gross!" Aisha snorted.

"Come on, guys; it's Morphin' time," Billy interjected. The four quickly transformed and teleported to the west side of the city. Vy-Brator was working his way towards the school district.

"Ah, Power Rangers! It gives me such pleasure to see that there are only four of you. I shall enjoy shaking your precious city down around you!" Vy-Brator gloated.

"We'll see about that, you overgrown dildo," Rocky shouted.

"Man, this has to be the most embarrassing monster we've ever had to fight," Adam complained.

"What will my mother think of her daughter kicking a vibrator's butt?" Aisha moaned as the four charged at the monster. Vy-Brator leveled them with a touch of his golden tip to the ground.

"Thank goodness Angel Grove does not lie on a major fault line," Billy observed. "Perhaps the Zords' stabilizers will enable us to keep our footing."

"But will Tommy and Kimberly's Zords function?" Adam asked.

"Zordon can route their controls through the other Zords," Billy said, "and if that doesn't work, we'll just have to use the Zords independently."

"We need Ninja Zord Power!"

"They think I'm frustrated!" Zedd fumed. Fortunately, Rita was not in the throne room. "I'll show them frustrated." He powered up his staff and sent a bolt of magic to Earth to make his monster grow. However, the bolt bounced off uselessly.

"What now?" Zedd rumbled with growing annoyance. "Of course, Vy-Brator is emitting a frequency that deflects my magic. I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way. Goldar!"

"Yes, Master?"

"Take Rita's staff to Earth and make Vy-Brator grow. Be sure to touch him with the staff to make sure the magic doesn't bounce off. Then help him defeat those Power Pipsqueaks. Without the White and Pink Rangers, they should fall easily."

"As you wish, Master."

"Curse those Rangers! I don't want my wife to put out. The thought of seeing what's under that gown of hers gives me the willies," Zedd muttered with a shiver.

"Guys, we are getting our asses royally ...."

"Don't say it, Rocky!"

"... kicked by a 335 foot vibrator."

"We could sure use Kim and Tommy's help," Adam said. "We're having enough trouble operating the Ninja Zord without having to control the other two Zords by remote control."

"What about calling Ninjor?" Aisha asked.

"Zordon has tried, but Vy-Brator is emitting a powerful jamming signal. We can't punch through it," Billy replied.

"Now what?"

"Let me go back to the Command Center and see if maybe Tommy and Kimberly are finished. The sooner we know if they have their powers, the sooner we can formulate a plan of attack."

"Don't be gone too long, Billy; we were barely hanging on with four of us," Aisha reminded him. Billy flashed her a thumbs-up then teleported to the Command Center.

He materialized just outside the infirmary; the door was still open. He had forgotten to close it when he visited yesterday. As he paused in the doorway, he removed his helmet. By the sounds of it, Kim and Tommy were still going at it. He felt the heat in his cheeks. He waited a few moments to see if they were close to finishing. It wasn't a long wait. He heard their moans as they climaxed and heard their bodies hit the floor. Both were breathing very hard. When Billy peered around the corner, they looked exhausted and were barely moving. His heart went out to the two of them.

"Tommy?" Kim mumbled in a tiny voice.

"No more, Kim, please," Tommy begged. Billy never heard Tommy's voice sound so desperate before. "I don't think I have anything left right now."

"I'm sorry," Kim said with a sniffle.

"Don't cry. I didn't mean to snap."

"I can't help it! I'm tired and sore, and I feel filthy inside and out ...."

"How's your fever?"

"Fuck my fever!" Kim screamed. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Tommy gathered her into his arms. "I'm sorry, Tommy. I didn't mean that."

"I know. We're both pretty wasted right now."

"Just hold me for a little while, okay?"

Billy pulled back from the doorway. Finished or not, Tommy was in no shape to fight. Billy was tempted to leave without saying anything, but they had to know: did Tommy and Kimberly still have their powers? He was drawn back to the door as Kimberly's tears began to subside.

"Tommy?"

"Yes."

"There aren't any flames. I can't feel any burning."

"Thank God!" Tommy's exclamation was almost a sob.

"Thanks, Tommy." Kim could barely keep her eyes open.

"Sh, don't mention it. You get some rest," he instructed; however, Kimberly was already out. Tommy was tempted to leave her on the floor, but if Zordon was going to need to do a bio-scan to determine if the spell was really broken, she would need to be up on the exam bed. Tommy tried to gather her up, but he didn't have the energy.

"Allow me," Billy said, announcing his presence. He had been unable to stand by any longer.

Unable to catch his breath, Tommy merely nodded. Billy wrapped Kim up in a sheet and lifted her limp body. He laid her down on the examination table then snatched another cover off the floor and draped it over her.

"What's up?" Tommy queried. He was trying to get to his feet, but his legs didn't seem to want to support him.

"Lord Zedd has sent a monster which can create earthquakes," Billy explained as he helped Tommy up. He couldn't bring himself to tell Tommy they were fighting a giant vibrator. "And Goldar is running amuck near the elementary school. We could sure use the White Ranger's help--if he's able.

"I have no idea if my powers are gone or not," Tommy said. "Man, Billy, I don't think I could do it another time. She's literally pumped me dry."

"Do you think she's cured?"

"I hope so. If not ... I may have to take you up on your offer to help. She fucked me so hard...." Tommy suddenly looked up and noticed Billy's scarlet cheeks. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"It's all right. I sort of overheard ... I arrived as you two were finishing," Billy stammered. He almost slipped and told Tommy about having seen them.

"Not a pretty sight, was it?" Tommy groaned. "Come on, let's let Kim rest and see if my powers still work."

"Do you think you can fight?"

"Right now, nothing would make me feel better than kicking Zedd's butt. Since he's not here, I'll settle for Goldar's."

"Maybe you should get dressed first," Billy suggested tactfully. "You never know when you might de-morph."

"Good idea."

Billy retreated to the doorway as Tommy took the satchel into the lavatory. He was relieved for Tommy; it sounded as if he was going to make it, but would Kimberly?

"Tommy?"

Billy glanced over at the exam bed and noticed Kimberly was sitting up. Her eyes were open, but she did not appear to be awake. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and hopped down. She swayed back and forth unsteadily.

"Tommy, where are you? I need you, Tommy," she murmured as she started across the infirmary towards Billy. She bobbed and weaved drunkenly as she walked. The sheet had come untucked and was slipping from her body, providing Billy with an unobstructed view of her lithe, petite frame. His throat went dry as she held her arms out towards him in supplication.

"Uh, Tommy!" Billy yelped, his voice cracking.

"Tommy, more," Kimberly begged. She threaded her arms around Billy's neck and kissed him hard, forcing her tongue into his mouth. Billy staggered backwards, losing his balance. He found himself grabbing Kimberly to steady himself, but that did nothing except make him grateful (and a tiny bit regretful) to be wearing gloves as he had his hands full of her exquisite ass. Kim was busy devouring his neck as they crashed into the wall. Over Kim's shoulder Billy caught a glimpse of Tommy who had emerged from the lavatory. Billy wanted to die.

"Mm, you have a great ass," Kim purred, giggling wickedly as her hands wandered all over his body. He tried to push her away. Suddenly, she grabbed his buttocks and pulled his groin into her hips. As she ground her hips against his cock, Billy shut his eyes tightly. He couldn't believe this was happening--and in front of Tommy no less. "I want your cock in me!"

"Kimberly, stop this, please! I'm not ...." Billy protested, but Kim silenced his weak attempt with another ravenous kiss.

"That's enough, Kim," Tommy said softly. Billy opened his eyes to find Tommy standing right behind Kimberly so that she was nearly sandwiched between the two of them.

"But I want more," Kim pouted. Her arms fell away from Billy heavily, and she swayed slightly.

"Later. Right now, be a good girl and go back to sleep."

"Yes, Tommy," Kim responded dreamily and she collapsed against Billy. Tommy collected her and carried her over to the bed. In the meantime, Billy's knees gave out. He sat down hard on the cold floor. The fire in his cheeks burned as hot as the erection under his uniform.

"I think she was sleepwalking," Tommy said as he motioned for Billy to follow him out of the room.

"Tommy, I ...." Billy tried to apologize, but the words wouldn't come out.

"Don't worry about it. You didn't do anything, and she was having a dream--at least as far as I could tell from our link. Kim won't know what she did when she wakes up."

"I think I'll stay in my Zord until the battle redistributes my hormone levels," Billy said. Tommy laughed and patted him on the back.

"Why don't we see if I have my powers?" Tommy and Billy exchanged worried glances, then Tommy held up his Morpher.

"White Ranger Power!"

Kim awoke, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. For a moment, she didn't know where she was. Then, the disorientation passed, and reality crashed in on her. Hot tears scalded her cheeks as she let her anger bubble to the surface.

Zedd had finally done it. He had won. She was alive, but there was no way she could still have her powers after what happened in the last twenty-four hours. And what about Tommy? What had she done to him? She recalled his sob of relief when she finally collapsed. She remembered the exhaustion in his eyes, though he tried hard to hide it. Her cure had extracted a terrible toll from him.

"Damn Zedd!" she swore. She grabbed the first thing she could lay her hands on and flung it across the room. She scattered her sheets every which-a-way, kicked the pillows and cushions, and upended the overnight bag. All the while she screamed and cried and swore. Her fury boiled in her veins until another blow struck her, this time across her back. It was so strong it forced her to her knees. There was no one in the infirmary but herself, so who had hit her? No, not her, she realized, Tommy! She tried to calm herself long enough to reach him through their link. The perspective was rather strange; she couldn't see Tommy at all. There was another monster--tall and shiny. It was battling the crippled Ninja Megafalconzord. Goldar was there too. Pain ripped through her as Goldar's blow caught her--rather, Tommy's head. Tommy was fighting Goldar!

Kim's anger exploded. She snatched up her chemise, grabbed her communicator, and teleported. She kept low as she arrived at the battle scene. The Ninja Megafalconzord reeled as the ground quaked. It was difficult to keep her own footing. Where was Tommy? She had to find him fast; the pain was worse the closer she was to him. She spied Tommy and Goldar at the foot of the hill. A bubble of happiness rose out of the dark fire of her anger as soon as she saw Tommy. He was dressed as the White Ranger; he hadn't lost his powers after all! But what was wrong with him? Why was he so weak?

What do you think is wrong with him? He just spent the last day fucking your brains out to keep you alive! Of course he's going to be weak.

Kim knew what she had to do. She searched about for something to use as a weapon, and found a discarded staff. It looked suspiciously like the one Rita always carried. At the moment, Kim didn't care whose staff it was. She picked it up and started down the hill as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her.

"Prepare to die, White Ranger!" Goldar laughed, his sword held high. Tommy rolled clear, and as he did so, 105 pounds of infuriated female slammed into Goldar's back, flattening him. Kim somersaulted over him and came up with the staff ready. Goldar started to rise, but she brought the ornate end of the rod down on his head hard, knocking him silly.

"Kimberly?" Tommy queried, taken aback by her presence and the black expression twisting her features.

"Get back to the others," she ordered him coldly. "I'll deal with Goldar."

"He'll pulverize you. What are you doing out here? Why aren't you morphed?"

"Why the hell do you think I'm not morphed!"

"Kim, I'm really ...."

"Don't say anything," she snapped. "I love you, Tommy, but if you don't get your ass up into the Zord, I'm going to kick it from here to Zedd's dark dimension!" Just then Tommy's communicator went off.

"Tommy, come in. If you're done with Goldar, we could really use your help up here," Billy radioed.

"Go on," Kim urged him, her tone softening. "You were there when I needed you most, and right now, the others need the White Ranger. Don't let them down."

"Kim, please, go back to the Command Center," Tommy pleaded.

"Go!" Kim reached over and activated his teleporter. Tommy was still protesting even as he vanished in a flash of brilliant white light.

"Come on, you maggot-faced monkey," Kim glowered at Goldar as he slowly regained his feet. "You want me, come and get me!"

"With pleasure, former Pink Ranger." Goldar raised his sword and charged. Kimberly deflected the blow with the staff. Then, she kicked out, catching him in the backs of the knees.

"No fair," Goldar complained as she hit him before he recovered from her last blow.

"Fair? You want fair?" she raged, catching him in the midsection again. "Is it fair what Zedd did to me? He's taken my innocence, my powers ... he's stripped me of every last shred of dignity and self-respect! He's taken everything good in my life and left me with nothing but anger and hatred!"

Meanwhile, Tommy landed in an unceremonious heap in the cockpit of the Megazord.

"Tommy? What's going on?" Billy queried.

"Kim's down there facing Goldar without her powers."

"Oh no!" Aisha gasped.

"I've never seen her so angry. I think she's really lost it this time."

"Can you blame her?" Adam remarked.

"Let's polish off this oversized sex toy and get back to Kim as soon as we can," Rocky said.

On the ground, Kimberly landed a solid kick to Goldar's groin; his knees buckled, and he went down.

"Damn you, Goldar!" Kim ranted, punctuating her invective with another debilitating blow to the groin. "Damn Zedd! Damn Rita! Damn Zordon! And damn me for having anything to do with the lot of you!" Goldar was down, unmoving, but Kimberly did not ease up.

"Rangers, you must stop Kimberly," Zordon radioed the others. "Goldar is down; if she succeeds in killing him, Kimberly will be lost to us forever."

"We're on it, Zordon," Aisha replied.

"See if we can spot her from up here," Adam said. Billy was able to bring her up on the monitor. The male Rangers all grimaced as Kim delivered another telling blow.

"Remind me never to make her mad at me," Rocky joked weakly. "I almost feel sorry for Goldar." Tommy was unusually silent.

"Kimberly, stop it!" Billy radioed. When she didn't acknowledge, he turned to Aisha. "Use a low level repulsor beam to separate her from Goldar then use the tractor beam to pull her into the Megazord's hand."

"Right," Aisha acknowledged. The twin beams functioned as requested, and Kimberly was dragged kicking and screaming into the Zord's grip.

"Put me down; damn it, let me go!" Kim shrieked, continuing her tantrum. She kicked futilely at the Zord's thumb. As soon as she was clear of Goldar, a pair of tengas arrived and carted him off the battlefield. That infuriated Kimberly further. "He got away. Now he'll be able to come back and hurt us some more!"

While the Rangers' attention was on their comrade, Vy-Brator headbutted the Megazord. The vibrations knocked Megazord to his knees, and Kim fell, screaming, out of its hand. Fortunately she was able to land in one piece, and she quickly regained her footing. Another tremor sent her tumbling over to where Goldar had been downed. Kim landed on the discarded staff.

"This looks like Rita's staff," Kim mused. "If it is, this ought to work." Kim stomped over to where Vy-Brator was pounding on the Megazord. She stabbed the end of the staff viciously into Vy-Brator's toe. "Shrink, you son-of-a-bitch!"

Lightning crackled and enveloped the monster. It shrank, achieving human proportions. However, Kim hit it with the staff again, causing it to reduce down to its original form: a vibrator. Kim tossed the staff aside and bent to retrieve the object. When she realized what it was and where she had seen it before, she screamed and flung it away from her with all her might.

"I can't take this any more!" she shouted, pounding the ground in her rage.

"Kimberly!" Tommy called out as he and the others emerged from the Zords and hurried towards her.

"Go away," she sobbed. "All of you. Just go away and leave me alone!" Just then her communicator beeped. "Damn it, Zordon! that goes for you too!" Kim hit her teleportation control and vanished before her friends could reach her.

"Let's get back to the Command Center fast," Tommy said, a knot forming in his stomach.

The quintet reappeared at their base of operations just as Kimberly concluded her heated tirade against Zordon.

" ... and I'm sorry I ever heard of you and the Power Rangers! You can take your damned Morpher and shove it up your ass--if you have one!" Kim flung her Morpher at Zordon's energy column then teleported out of the Command Center. Moments after she vanished, her communicator reappeared.

"Kim, no!" Tommy protested weakly. He pulled off his helmet, sank onto the steps and buried his face in his arms.

"What's going on, Zordon? What's wrong with Kim?" Aisha wanted to know.

"Why is she so pissed?" Rocky asked.

"Tommy?" Billy crouched beside Tommy; his friend's haggard expression shook him.

"Both Kimberly and Tommy have been through a great deal of stress these last few weeks. I expected some sort of emotional release, but I had not anticipated Kimberly's anger or her violence. Of course, her reaction may not be solely emotional. There is still a considerable amount of residue from Zedd's spell in her system," Zordon explained.

"You mean she isn't fully cured?" Tommy asked bleakly.

"I believe so, but I cannot be certain without a full bio-scan. Any time Zedd casts a spell on any of you, it leaves a residue behind which normally dissipates within a matter of minutes after the effects of the spell have worn off depending on the length of time you were under the spell's influence. Kimberly's anger is her own, but the accompanying violence is a by-product of the spell. However, once her anger has burned itself out, she should return to normal."

"I can feel her anger through our link," Tommy murmured to Billy. "She's angry, ashamed, cheated ... she feels like she's failed me, the team ...."

"Get out of my head!"

"Ow!" Tommy grabbed his head, his ears ringing. To Billy's inquisitive gaze he said, "She tried to close off her end of our link. I want to help her, but how can I when she won't let me?"

"Let her anger burn itself out, and don't take it personally," Billy advised.

"Billy's right," Aisha added. "Kim will need you when she's calmed down. Just be there for her when she's ready."

"And we're here for you," Billy reminded him. He felt it in the hand he had on Tommy's shoulder--a tremor, the cracking of his armor. "Come on, you need some rest. Then we'll have to figure out what to tell your parents about where you've been for the last twenty-four hours."

"Speaking of parents," Aisha began, addressing Zordon. "I think my mom knows I'm a Power Ranger. What am I going to do?"

Billy helped Tommy down to the infirmary. They were both startled to see it in such a shambles.

"Kimberly must have commenced her tirade as soon as she woke up," Billy observed.

"Oh man," Tommy groaned as he flopped onto the first available examination table. "I don't know how much longer we can keep taking hits like this. I'm really scared for Kim. We don't even know if she's cured. What if she has a relapse? How will she handle that?"

"I admit to having serious concerns about your state of mental health as well. You've both endured more in the last six months than most people do in a lifetime."

"Tell me about it. Kim and I haven't really known each other all that long--a little over two years; I can't believe we've gotten so close so quickly or that we'd both care so much."

"You two have been through some extraordinary experiences together that have strengthened your attachment to one another," Billy said. "You've learned quickly how precious love is."

"It's all happening so fast. I mean, I just turned 18; Kim will turn 18 in four months. Where do we go from here?"

"Only you and Kimberly can answer that."

"I hate seeing her hurt so much; I wish she'd let me help."

"Hold on to those thoughts, Tommy. Keep them where Kimberly can pick up on them. If she knows you're waiting, she'll be back," Billy advised. "Maybe you ought to catch a nap before you head home. I have the feeling the next few days are going to be very difficult."

Use your best judgment. Aisha repeated Zordon's words as she returned home. It wasn't very helpful advice. Part of her really wanted to tell her mother everything. With all that was happening to Kim and Tommy, she could use her mother's support, but if she did take her mother into her confidence, it wasn't just revealing her own secrets but those of her friends as well.

"Aisha, is that you?" Mrs. Campbell called out from the family room.

"Yes, Mom, sorry I'm late."

"You're father was running late, too. Dinner is on the stove; help yourself."

Until her mother mentioned food, Aisha hadn't realized how hungry she was. She fixed herself a plate and took it with her into the family room. Her mother was on the couch watching the news. Aisha sat on the floor near her mother's feet. The top story of the day was the giant earthquake monster who was repelled by the Power Rangers. There was footage of the four of them tangling with Goldar and Vy-Brator and the White Ranger's late arrival.

"Where was the Pink Ranger?" Mrs. Campbell wondered. "The Rangers looked like they had their hands full without being short staffed."

"She was there," Aisha murmured without even thinking. "Even without her powers, she couldn't let the team down." A tear slipped down her cheek. "And then she ran off. No one knows where she's gone. We don't know if Zedd's spell is broken. We don't know if she's all right. We don't know if her powers are gone for good ... what good is it to have the power to save the world when you can't help your best friend when she needs you the most?" Aisha looked up at her mother. Nothing else needed to be said.

When Kimberly haphazardly teleported, she materialized above Indian Lake on the north side of the city, which was much larger and a lot less popular than the lake in the park. She dropped into the cold, murky water before she could correct her teleportation error. Fortunately, she had not been too far up in the air nor too far from shore. She made sure to send her communicator back to the Command Center so the others couldn't track her. Then she had to get herself to shore. Swimming inland helped to burn off some of her anger. She was exhausted by the time she pulled herself onto the deserted beach near the formation known as Stranger's Rock. It was an enormous, free standing, wedge-shaped stone. The lake-side of the stone arched high and towards the water; once upon a time, it might have connected with the cliff across the lake. The city-side of the formation formed a crescent. It had once been popular for kids to climb to the top, but not any longer.

Shivering fiercely, she sat in a huddled lump beneath the overhang alternately swearing and crying, feeling utterly miserable. She sobbed until she had no tears left, then she lay on the sand and stared into the grey sky which was thick with rain clouds. The dark anger that had held her so smotheringly was slowly dissipating, leaving her weary in body and spirit.

Not one of your brighter moments, she scolded herself. She shivered as the wind picked up. Why didn't you think to grab something a little more substantial to wear before tearing out of the infirmary? You'll be lucky if you don't catch your death of cold. She stood up and tried wringing the water out of her lingerie and her hair. She walked up and down the stretch of sand, rubbing her arms to warm herself up.

I feel awful. How could I have said all those horrible things to Zordon and my friends. It'd serve me right if they never wanted to see me again.

Deep down, she knew why. It was because she hurt, and she wanted to lash out and hurt just as much as she had been. It wasn't her friends' fault that she got nailed by Zedd's spell, and she had no one to blame but herself for allowing her condition to become life threatening. If I hadn't been so stubborn and overconfident ... if only I had confided in Tommy sooner ... oh, poor Tommy! More than anything else, I'm sorry for what I've put you through.

A loud crash of thunder caused her to jump. A jagged bolt of lightning danced in the air over the lake. A large raindrop splashed against her arm.

"Great," she muttered sourly. She had to find shelter quickly. She raced back the way she had wandered as the heavens opened up and the deluge hit. She made it back to Stranger's Rock before the rain became so bad she couldn't see. She tried finding shelter under the overhang, but the wind forced the rain into the protected area. The wind was so heavy and so wild that even standing in the lee of the rock was no help.

"Wonderful," she muttered. Stranger's Rock sat on top of a slight rise; there were no trees close by, no other cover of any kind. As she stood in the cold rain, Kim recalled an old legend about a cave that was supposed to have existed at the base of the formation. No one in recent memory had ever seen it, so if it really did exist, someone had sealed it up a long time ago. The base of the formation was overgrown with grasses and weeds, still it was worth a shot. On her hands and knees, Kimberly poked and prodded around the base of the wedge-shaped stone. She was about to give up, when she found a small opening in the crook of the crescent. Kim pulled the stones out and dug into the sand at the base until there was a space large enough for her to squirm through. She crawled inside; it was pitch black, but Kim didn't care. She collapsed on the cool, dry ground and fell asleep.

The toll of the last several days had finally caught up with Kim. Her nap had lasted several hours. It might have lasted several more had it not been for a noise inside the silent cave. Kim's eyes snapped open, and she was wide awake when she realized that there was something in the cave with her--and it was lying on top of her! It took all of her willpower to keep from moving and stay calm.

Oh God, why did I send my communicator back? I'm cold, wet, hungry, frightened, and there is something sleeping on me! Tommy! Tommy, answer me. Please! I want to go home!

In his own bed, Tommy was sleeping fitfully. He couldn't rest. Zordon had been unable to locate Kim once she had teleported away. Billy and Alpha had scanned on every frequency they could. Tommy knew she couldn't be too far away because he could still perceive the storm of Kim's emotions. Zordon had theorized that Kim must have teleported into a null zone--a location naturally impervious to Zordon's sensors.

Tommy clung to the turbulence in their link like a drowning man would cling to a life preserver. As long as he could touch Kim's mind, however slightly, he was fairly certain that she was all right. As the hours passed, he detected an easing of her emotional turmoil, for which he was grateful. As her mind quieted, so did his, and he was able to get some rest.

Tommy! Tommy, answer me. Please! I want to go home!

Kim's plaintive cry woke Tommy. He glanced at the clock; it was almost 1:00 a.m.

"Kim, is that you?"

"Tommy? Thank God! I'm so sorry for everything."

"Don't worry about that now. Where are you; are you okay?"

"I'm in the cave under Stranger's Rock. I'm cold, hungry, and there's something sleeping on me!" Tommy couldn't help but smile at the last.

"Just stay calm and stay put. I'll contact Zordon and tell him where you are. If he can't get the teleport signal through, I'll have him teleport me to where you are."

"All right, I ... hey, where'd that light come from? It kind of reminds me of the time ... oh Lord, the thing on my stomach ... a snake! Tommy ... ooh!"

Kim's mental yelp was abruptly cut off.

"Kimberly?" Tommy reached out to her with his mind and touched only emptiness. "Kim!" Frantically he groped about in the darkness for his communicator. "Billy come in!"

"Tommy? What's going on? It's after one o'clock," Billy responded sleepily.

"Kim's gone. She reached me through our link; we were talking, she screamed, and then she was gone. I can't feel her mind at all!"

"Meet me at the Command Center. We'll find her Tommy. Somehow, we'll find her."

Kim fell screaming through the time hole and landed face first in the dirt. The offending reptile was nowhere to be seen. Groggily, she picked herself up and brushed herself off. It was early morning, the sun just peeking over the horizon. Already it was unusually warm for early November. Stranger's Rock was behind her, but the city of Angel Grove was not in front of her. Below her vantage point and in the distance lay a collection of weather worn, ramshackle buildings.

"Oh no, not again," Kim groaned, recognizing Angel Grove circa 1880. "How will Tommy find me now?"

She had to remain calm and think. If Tommy and the others started looking for her, they'd begin at the cave. Billy should be able to find the traces of the time hole's energy--chronoton particles, he called them. The best thing for her to do was to stay by the cave and wait.

She walked back up the hillside and into the arms of the crescent. Large bushes grew up against the curve of the formation. Kim pushed her way through the brush and found the opening to the cave. The cave was larger than she had imagined, and when she entered it, she discovered someone was living in it. There was a fire burning low near the entrance. She found a straw pallet covered with blankets. On top of a tattered footlocker she found a lantern, cooking utensils, a tin cup and plate, and a box of food. The whole place smelled of horse. Fortunately, the cave's occupant was not home. Kim knelt by the fire, grateful for the warmth. She found kindling and tossed a few extra pieces on the fire. She then rummaged through the box of supplies and discovered what appeared to be jerky strips. She bit gratefully into one; she'd repay her unknown host for his or her hospitality somehow.

Kim's adrenaline rush began wearing off, and she started dozing by the fire when she heard the whinny of a horse; it was fairly close by the sounds of it. She cautiously crept out of the cave, thinking it best not to be caught inside. It could be a bandit's hide-out or something like that. She stayed behind the scraggly bushes and peered out. A rider was approaching, but he was slumped low in the saddle. The horse neighed loudly, rearing and stamping about nervously. The rider was unable to hang on; he was thrown and hit the dirt. He didn't move. Then, Kim heard an angry rattle.

Without hesitation, Kim grabbed the poker by the fire and dashed out to help. The rider was obviously hurt and in danger of either being bitten by the snake or trampled by his horse. Stones and barbed plants bit into Kimberly's bare feet as she skidded down the incline. She spied the snake close to where the rider lay. Kim launched herself forward, brandishing the iron poker. The snake never stood a chance. With the reptile dispatched, Kim's next task was to try and calm the frightened horse down so he wouldn't step on his rider. She edged closer carefully.

"Easy--uh--boy. Good horse. Come on; I'm not going to hurt you," she crooned soothingly. "The nasty ol' snake is dead. There's a good boy. Yeah, good horse." She kept talking and inching her way closer until she was able to reach the reins and pet the horse. "Good boy. Now, let's see about your rider."

The man lay on his side, his face obscured by his hat and his long brown hair. There was something disturbingly familiar about his clothing, but Kim brushed the thought aside as she noticed the bright red stain on his right sleeve. Then she saw the blood soaked trousers.

"Oh my gosh, he's been shot!" she gasped. Carefully she rolled him onto his back. There was blood on the rock where he had hit his head. She pulled his hat off to check his wound.

"Tommy!" she screamed, panicking. The name echoed across the open span between the rock and the town.

"Gran, is that you callin'?" the fallen rider groaned. Hearing the heavy drawl brought Kim to her senses. This wasn't her Tommy, but his ancestor, the White Stranger.

Regardless of his identity, he needed help and fast. His face was far too pale, and he was losing a lot of blood from his leg wound. Kim undid his bandanna and wiped the blood from his face. Thankfully, the cut on his forehead was small, but he had a fairly good-sized goose egg.

"Tommy, can you hear me?" she called, lightly slapping his face. This wasn't Tommy, she had to remind herself. She wished Tommy had been a genealogy buff, then she might know something about this particular ancestor of his. However, a smile brightened Kim's face as the White Stranger's eyes flickered opened. He had Tommy's devastatingly beautiful brown eyes.

"An angel," the White Stranger murmured. "Am I dead?" He suddenly began struggling with Kim. "You can't take me yet! I won't go!"

"Lay still; you're hurt," Kim grunted as she wrestled with him. "Damn it, Tommy Oliver; I wouldn't let you die in my time. I'm not about to let you die in this one."

"You're not? Who ... the Pink Ranger?" He passed out.

It took some doing, but Kim managed to drag her patient back to the cave on one of the blankets. She laid him close to the fire, then hurried out to get some fresh water. She had some first-aid training--enough to know that she was way out of her depth with a bullet wound. Still, she knew enough to keep the patient warm and clean the wound. She had used the White Stranger's bandanna to make a tourniquet to help stop the bleeding. The White Stranger was like a dead weight as she tried to remove his coat and shirt. She felt a sharp warmth building within her, This isn't Tommy, she had to tell herself; this wasn't the man she had been intimate with, but Lord, he sure looked like him!

The wound on his arm was superficial, but the leg was another matter. The gaping hole in his thigh made her queasy. When she poured the water on it, the White Stranger's body spasmed, and he gasped as he came around.

"I must be dreaming. Is that really you, Miss Kim?"

"Sure is, partner."

"But how ...?"

"I guess time holes like dumping me here. What year is it?"

"1882." The White Stranger tried to sit up, but the pain prevented him. That's when he realized that his clothing, save for his underwear, were missing. "Why don't I have any clothes on?" Incredibly, he was blushing.

"I had to get to your wounds to clean them. Lay still."

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" Kim glanced down at her still-wet chemise.

"It's a long story," she murmured, a little embarrassed.

"Check my footlocker," the White Stranger directed. Kim crawled over and cleared the top off.

"Is this your hide-out? The horse came right in and made himself at home."

"White Lightning knows ...." A flare of pain interrupted him. Kim opened the chest and found several changes of clothes.

"Help yourself."

Kim gratefully slipped on one of his spare shirts, which more than adequately covered her, so she stepped out of her damp lingerie and set it by the fire to dry. Next she rummaged through the chest to see if she could scavenge something for bandages. Behind her, the White Stranger sighed with relief. She found his reaction amusing.

"I still feel a mite uncomfortable being stripped to my drawers in the presence of a lady," he mumbled.

"Don't worry about it; I've seen you in less than this," Kim answered tiredly, not really thinking.

"Excuse me?" the Stranger gulped. It was Kim's turn to blush as she turned back to her patient.

"Sorry. It's just that you look exactly like Tommy. I keep forgetting you're not him."

"Who's this Tommy fella?"

"My ...." What to tell him? Boyfriend? Lover?

"Your beau?" the Stranger replied. Kim nodded. "Is that why you've been calling me Tommy--because I look like him?"

"Yes. I think Tommy's a descendant of yours."

"He's kin? This is getting stranger by the minute."

"Tell me about it. By the way, what do you want me to call you? I can't keep calling you Tommy, and White Stranger isn't going to cut it. I know all about having a secret identity."

"Actually, my name is Thomas," he admitted sheepishly.

"All right, Thomas. I know a little first aid, but I'm not familiar with bullet wounds. You're going to have to help me out here; what do I need to do?"

"You did just fine with my head and arm, Miss Kim .... "

"Just call me Kim."

"Okay. The bullet is still in my leg. You'll have to dig it out."

"Ugh! No way," Kim refused emphatically. "If I go digging around in your leg wound, I could damage your nerves, your muscles, or something like that possibly crippling you. You need a doctor to treat your leg. Is there anyone you can trust who makes cave calls?"

"Doc Hart knows who I am and all, and he's had to patch me up on a few occasions."

"Hart? Not Zachariah Hart."

"Do you know him?"

"I've heard of him," Kim said evasively. "Where's the best place to find him?"

"His surgery. White Lightning knows the way, just ask him to take you to Doc's. But you can't go dressed like that," Thomas protested.

"Maybe not, but I can go dressed like you." Kim sorted through the footlocker and located a second pair of white trousers, another jacket and a bandanna. She commandeered Thomas' boots, suspenders, gun belt and hat. Everything was too large and hung loosely on her petite frame.

"What in tarnation ...."

"I won't fool anyone up close, but from a distance ...." she let the suggestion hang in the air. She covered Thomas with the blanket from the straw pallet. "Get some rest. I'll be back with the doctor as quickly as I can,"

"You are something, Miss Kim," Thomas murmured appreciatively.

Kim had never ridden a horse before; fortunately White Lightning was a patient and intelligent animal. He seemed to know there was a stranger in his saddle, but he didn't give her any trouble. Perhaps he sensed that she was trying to help his master. As Thomas had directed, she told White Lightning to take her to Doc Hart's, and he started right off. Kim imagined that Thomas had trained the horse to find the doctor in case of emergencies. The horse took off at steady clip, and the route he followed was extremely circuitous--no doubt one of Thomas' precautions against being followed to his hide out.

Kim found herself wondering what had prompted Tommy's ancestor to become the White Stranger. Tommy didn't know anything about him; he knew surprisingly little about his family history. She had asked Rocky if he had come across any mention of the White Stranger in the history books; one of Rocky's hobbies was the history of the old west, Angel Grove circa 1880 in particular. He had plied her with dozens of questions after her first adventure back in time. He found nothing more than a brief footnote regarding the White Stranger and nothing at all about Angel Grove being attacked by putties, a winged monkey, and a walking cactus. Kim would have thought there would have been something--at the very least tall tales or something from an early newspaper.

Considering the problems of history made Kim consider a more personal problem: what was she going to say to her four-great grandfather? And what if she ran into her double--she assumed she had one since everyone else on the team had. She had to think back to her own family history. Grandpa Zack only had one child--a son; his wife had died young. Joshua Hart had married Karen Johnson, and they had three or four children. Josh was supposed to have been in the army in the 1880s, but Kim couldn't remember the dates or where he had been serving.

Kim was nervous, but Tommy--rather, Thomas--was counting on her. In a way, Tommy was counting on her too; after all, Thomas was his ancestor somehow or another. By the time White Lightning began slowing up, Kim still hadn't figured out what she was going to say. All too soon she found herself at the back door to the doctor's surgery. As Thomas instructed her, she let herself in. Inside the door was a series of colored bell pulls; she gave the green one two quick tugs, then she slipped down the hall to the doctor's private office. Her hands were shaking as she waited with her back to the door for her ancestor's arrival.

"Thomas? Thank goodness you're all right," Zachariah Hart burst out excitedly. "The word all over Angel Grove is that the Black Seven gang took you down last night. What's up? It's not like you to come here in broad daylight. Is something wrong with Melissa or little Tad?"

Kim still hadn't found her voice, so she settled for turning around. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. The sandy blond hair, sideburns and bushy moustache were unfamiliar, but she'd have known those eyes anywhere. They were the same blue eyes her father and grandfather had. Just as she stared at him, Kim felt his piercing gaze on her. She kept her face mostly covered by the bandanna, and she pulled the hat low. She had used soot from the fire to darken her hair, eyebrows, and to give herself a five o'clock shadow. Even so, it was obvious she wasn't who she was pretending to be.

"Who are you?" Zachariah demanded warily.

"The Black Seven gang did nail Thomas, Doc," she said, trying to drop her voice an octave; she wasn't entirely successful. "A bullet grazed his right arm, and he took a shot in the right thigh. The bullet is still in his leg, deep. He needs your help."

"You still haven't told me who you are. How do I know this isn't some kind of trick?"

"How else would I know his real name? Why did White Lightning bring me here?" she queried in return without answering his first question. Before Zachariah could answer, there came a knock at his office door. A moment later in rushed Kimberly's twin. Kim tried not to stare, but it was impossible. The young woman standing before her had her features and slender build, but her coloring was darker. A wealth of chocolate brown curls cascaded down her shoulders and back. She was dressed and carried herself like a lady. Kim felt plain in comparison.

"What is it, Karen?" Zachariah queried. So this was Karen Johnson Hart, Kim mused.

"Papa, I just heard from William and Alicia that the sheriff found a trail of blood out by the hanging tree where the bandits said they shot the White Stranger! It doesn't look good for him," Karen related excitedly. Then she spied the white garbed figure behind her father-in-law's desk and let out a squeak of surprise. "Oh! It's you! You're all right!"

"Just fine, ma'am."

"Karen, if you will excuse us ...." Zachariah hinted delicately. He guided her back to the door; he whispered further instructions to her. "Please don't let it get around that you saw the White Stranger here. If the Black Seven gang got wind of it, we could have big trouble."

"Can I at least let William and the others know that he's all right? They're all really worried."

"Just be discreet," Zach cautioned.

"I will, Papa." Zachariah quickly sent her on her way.

"Nice bit of reasoning there," Zach said to Kimberly once Karen was gone. "The Black Seven won't get too uppity if they think the White Stranger is still up and around."

"I'd better keep a high profile--from a distance," Kim agreed. She hadn't really considered taking Thomas' place, but it was a brilliant idea.

"Where is Thomas? Did he make it back to his hideout?"

"Yes."

"I have some patients this morning, but as soon as I'm finished, I'll come out to the cave."

"Is there anything I can do for him now? Do you have something for the pain?"

"Give him this." Zach prepared a powder and rolled it up in a bit of paper. "Mix it with a little water. It'll be bitter, but make sure he drinks it all. It'll numb the pain and knock him out. Also, keep pressure on the wound. Were you able to get the bleeding to stop?"

"For the most part, but he's lost an awful lot of blood. I'd better get back to Thomas. Thanks for everything."

"You just be careful. With the Black Seven gunning for Thomas, you're going to be a target in that white suit. And be real careful around the lake. That's Indian territory."

Thomas was finally resting quietly, so Kim gathered up his stained clothing and took them down to the lake to wash them out. She padded down in her bare feet, tripping over her pant legs as they came unrolled. At the water's edge she stripped off her clothes; she couldn't afford to get them soaked. The hot sun felt good on her back. Her pulse was still racing from her ride back from town; her bottom would be sore for a week.

As she scrubbed the bloody clothing, Kim had the oddest feeling that somebody was watching her. She glanced up, shading her eyes from the glare. She could have sworn she had seen someone on the bluff across the lake, but when she squinted to take a long, hard look, the only thing she saw was a bird of prey take wing.

A falcon, she wondered hopefully. She stood up and watched it as it gracefully circled above the water.

Tommy, is this your way of letting me know you're watching over me?

The falcon swooped and dove towards the water, skimming its surface. It arced skyward with a fish clutched in its talons. Kim continued watching until the bird vanished from sight.

"Thomas, you are a mess," Doc Hart murmured as he unwound Kim's bandages. Kim stayed in the background holding the lantern; she was careful to keep in the shadows as much as possible. She didn't want her "grandfather" to get a good look at her.

"I'd have been a goner if Miss Kim hadn't shown up," Thomas gasped.

"Miss Kim? Sweet Lord, I thought you were a lad, not a woman," Zach sputtered. "So this is the mysterious Pink Ranger."

"Not any more," Kim sighed ruefully. "Zedd finally succeeded in stripping me of my powers. At least Tommy still has his." A fierce pride lit her eyes as she uttered the last part. Thomas found her expression most curious; he wondered what she meant by her words. However, Doc Hart's probings drew his thoughts back to his predicament.

"All right, I've located the bullet. It should be a clean pull, provided you don't move around, Thomas. Miss Kim, I'm going to need your help."

"What can I do?"

"Put this leather bit in his mouth and keep him still."

"Got it." She placed the strip between Thomas' teeth. "No anesthetic--God, Thomas, hang in there." She gave him a quick peck on the forehead. Then, shocking the men, she straddled Thomas' hips, bracing her feet against his legs, pinning his arms to his sides with her knees, and holding his shoulders down with her hands.

"Ready, Doc."

"Hm. Er, yes. Steady now, Thomas."

Thomas screamed behind the bit, and Kim felt his body go taut. She shifted her weight, putting more pressure on his hips. Kim's position was providing Thomas with a great deal of pleasure--as evidenced by his swelling erection--in spite of his pain. Kim noticed a blush burning Thomas' pallid cheeks. Every time Thomas' body spasmed, his cock rubbed up against her pussy. If Doc Hart didn't hurry, Thomas was going to cream his drawers.

Thomas wasn't the only one enjoying Kim's position. The feel of Thomas' cock pressed against her sent fire shooting uncontrollably through Kim's body. Involuntarily, her hips ground against his. Kim's eyelids fluttered shut, and it was all she could do to keep from moaning out loud as the blaze in her veins caused her nipples to harden.

"Got it!" the doctor declared triumphantly, startling Kim. She had begun to lose herself in her proximity to Thomas. "Hold him steady just a little while longer while I clean and stitch the wound." Kim caught a whiff of alcohol moments before Thomas screamed against the bit.

"Don't think about the pain," she murmured, stroking his hair. It was astonishing how quickly she became aroused by merely handling his soft locks. She didn't know why she loved Tommy's hair so. She ran her fingers through his hair, sighing deeply, and wanted desperately to bury her face in it. Next she ran her finger down his cheek, tracing his cupid bow lips. Kim leaned closer to whisper softly in his ear. "Think about how good it would feel to have your cock buried deep inside me right now, Tommy. Mm, I can hardly wait!"

Thomas regarded her with eyes wide with shock, but Kim couldn't see him. Her eyes were closed and her mind a century away. The hungry look on her face made him whimper helplessly. His body gave another jerk as the doctor began sewing his wound shut; his body shuddered underneath hers. He started to cry out again, spitting out the bit, but suddenly Kim's mouth descended on his in a fierce kiss. Her lips ravaged his, and he couldn't stop her as her tongue slid into his mouth. Kim kissed him until she had to come up for air. Thomas no longer felt the pain in his leg because his body was screaming for release.

"There we go," Doc Hart grunted as he snipped off the threads. When Kim didn't budge, he cleared his throat. "You can ease off Thomas now, Miss Kim."

"What?" Kim shook herself as if waking from a dream. When she realized what she had been doing, she blushed bright crimson. She quickly scrambled off Thomas, a glimmer of fear in her eyes. What had she been doing? How could she have lost it so completely? It was that damned fire .... No, not that! Please, not again! I thought I was cured!

"If we can keep the wound from getting infected, you should be all right," the doctor was saying to Thomas. Kim forced her mind off her potential difficulties and tried to pay attention. "I am concerned about the amount of blood you lost. You're going to be weak for quite a while."

"What about a transfusion," Kim suggested tentatively.

"A what?" Zach queried.

"You know, a blood transfusion," Kim insisted. Upon seeing his perplexed expression, Kim thought back to the chapter on blood they had just finished in biology class. "Oh, I forgot. You guys don't know about those yet. Can you give him an iron supplement to increase the

production of red blood cells?"

"Like I was to treat him for anemia? That might work," Doc agreed. "How do you know about that sort of thing?"

"We just studied it in biology class," Kim answered with a yawn. The morning's activities were starting to catch up with her, and she really hadn't had a good night's rest.

"You look pretty worn out yourself; why don't you lay down and get some rest," Doc recommended.

"Tommy needs me," Kim protested around a second yawn.

"Thomas is out of danger for now. I want to keep an eye on him for a little while longer. I'll wake you before I leave."

"Okay. Thanks, Grandpa Zach," Kim murmured. She curled herself up into a tight ball next to the fire and was sound asleep almost immediately. Shaken by her words and actions, Zachariah reached over and removed her hat.

"Sweet Lord in Heaven! It's Karen!" he gasped.

"No, merely her many times removed granddaughter," Thomas spoke up, finally comprehending Kim's reaction when he first mention Doc's name. He spoke with admiration and affection, and Zachariah found himself beginning to understand Thomas' behavior over the past two years a little better. He found himself wishing that he had told Thomas about Joshua.

"You know, I really didn't believe you when you first told me about the Pink Ranger; I thought you'd smoked your Injun friend's peace pipe one too many times. I'm still not sure I believe it all."

"She's laying right there, Doc: your own flesh and blood."

"No granddaughter of mine would behave in such an outrageous fashion. Parading around in pink tights, wearing men's clothing, behaving like a two-bit whore ... I can't believe you didn't try and stop her!"

"What could I do?" Thomas protested, his guilt giving his words a sharp edge. "You told her to keep me still, and she did just that. Besides Doc, you didn't see her face when she climbed off me. She didn't know what she was doing, and she was scared to death. It was like she had no control. I know it wasn't me she was seeing while she was kissing me. It was Tommy."

"Who is this Tommy fella? Can't be much of a gentleman if her lets her carry on like such."

"He's her beau, and a bit more I reckon. Apparently, he's a descendant of mine."

"Can't say as I think much of your kinfolk then."

"Doc, please, don't be too harsh with her. She hasn't said much--she's been too busy saving my hide, but I think something's really wrong. I'm sure it has to do with what she said about losing her powers." The two men were silent for a moment.

"I expect you'll be wanting me to make excuses to Melissa again," Zach said with a sigh.

"If you wouldn't mind. You can tell her I'm off on another spirit quest or something."

"I never could understand your fascination with all that Injun mumbo jumbo. You know, Thomas, you're going to have to tell her about being the White Stranger someday. She and little Tad need you."

"Not like they used to. They have Walt now; he's real sweet on Missy. Besides, I swore I'd bring in the villain who killed my brother." A shiver ran through Thomas' body. "Every time I close my eyes, I see him being gunned down again, and there wasn't a thing I could do to save him."

"You'd serve Tad's soul better by taking care of his widow and son." Thomas made a face, and Zachariah sighed resignedly. "All right, you stubborn mule. I'll figure out something to tell Melissa. You're going to be down for a week at least."

"Thanks, Doc."

"By the way, do you know what Miss Kim here intends on doing? She's planning to masquerade

as you for a spell."

"What for?"

"I guess to keep the Black Seven from getting out of line."

"She can't! Those scum will tear her apart."

"I've faced worse varmints than outlaws," Kim murmured as she stirred from her nap. "I beat Goldar without any powers; I can handle those goons."

"Miss Kim, these men are vicious killers. They're wanted all over for murder, robbery, and just about every other crime you can think of," Thomas insisted.

"I know; Rocky told me all about Black Jack Wilson and his Black Seven gang," Kim said. "They were wanted all over the western United States."

"Black Jack Wilson? I don't think I've ever heard the name of the gang's leader," Zachariah murmured.

"He was a notorious gambler from back East. His two favorite activities were playing twenty-one and killing people, lawmen in particular. He always left a calling card: the ace of spades ...."

"... with a bullet hole in the center," Thomas finished, his blood running cold. "I found a card just like that by Tad's body. So, I've been after the Black Seven gang all this time."

"It's time you got some rest, Thomas," Zachariah interjected, noting the other's haggard features and waning strength. "You've had enough excitement for one day. Here, drink this." It was another dose of the sleeping medicine Kim had given Thomas earlier. In a matter of minutes, Thomas was sound asleep. Zachariah regarded Kim as she knelt next to Thomas, brushing the hair out of his eyes. It was an eerie sensation to look at her and see his daughter-in-law. As he saw the exhaustion and concern in Kim's eyes, Zachariah felt himself softening somewhat towards his enigmatic descendant. He finally stood up and motioned for Kim to follow him outside.

"I really wish you hadn't told Thomas Black Jack's name," he murmured as he lit a cigarette.

"I really wish you wouldn't smoke; you'll live longer if you give it up," Kim countered. "Why shouldn't I have said anything? I thought Thomas already knew about Black Jack if he was tangling with the Black Seven gang."

"No, he didn't know. Do you know much about the White Stranger?"

"No. Tommy doesn't know much about his family history, and there are little to no records left of the White Stranger in my time," Kim answered.

"Thomas became the White Stranger after his brother was gunned down," Zachariah began. He felt that if Kim was to pretend to be Thomas, she should at least know the part she was going to play. "Tad was sheriff at the time. Thomas had just come west to see his brother's new son. He hit town about the time the Black Seven did. Thomas ran afoul of them first thing. The men were having a little fun with an Indian girl, and Thomas took exception to it. He saved the girl, but got himself thrashed in the process. Tad took it personally and went hunting for Jack. Jack found him first. Thomas had followed Tad and arrived in time to watch his brother take the bullet. He swore he'd avenge his brother. The gang hightailed it out of town after that; a few months later, the White Stranger first appeared.

"Thomas is a good man and a skilled fighter. He's got strong beliefs about what is right, but this thing with Black Jack ... it's wrong. Thomas should just let it go. He's no killer. If he keeps after Jack, he's like as not to wind up with a bullet through his heart. He seems to think an awful lot of you; I wish you'd talk some sense into him."

"If his mind's made up, it wouldn't do any good. However, I'll do what I can to help out."

"You mean take on the Black Seven gang?"

"If that's what it takes."

"Are you a killer?"

"I'm a Power Ranger--or was." After a long silence, Kim said bluntly, "You don't think much of me, do you Grandpa Zach." She didn't look at him as she spoke. Her directness shook her ancestor, but he didn't shy away from her words.

"I can't say that I do, least ways, not right now. I've been wrong about my first impressions before, and I'm man enough to admit it."

"That's okay; lately, I haven't thought much of myself either. My only consolation is that I did what I did to save Tommy, and I'd take that damned arrow again in a heartbeat even knowing the consequences. Tommy means the world to me, Grandpa Zach; there isn't much I wouldn't do to keep him safe. That's why I've got to help Thomas. If anything happens to him, Tommy might not ever be born."

Zachariah studied her, seeing the fierce determination in her eyes. On occasion, he'd catch a flicker of that steel in Karen's face--when it came to Joshua.

"There is something else you might tell Thomas about: Joshua," Zach requested. "I know he's sweet on Karen, mainly because of you."

"Why haven't you told him?"

"We haven't told anybody yet. Josh and Karen stayed back East when I first came out here; then, Josh went into the army. Karen couldn't stay by herself, so I brought her out here, calling her my daughter for propriety's sake. It's been two years since Josh left, and months have gone by since we've heard from him. I'm beginning to wonder if he's all right."

"Josh and Karen don't have any children yet, do they?"

"No."

"Then don't worry so much. Josh will be back. I wouldn't be standing here talking to you if he never came home."

"Billy, over here! I think I've found the cave!" Tommy called out. It was early Monday morning. Before heading to school, Tommy had wanted to head out to Stranger's Rock to see if he could find any clues to Kim's whereabouts. Billy had gone with him, having retrieved a scanning device from the Command Center. Billy scrambled around to the bow of the crescent and found Tommy kneeling in the wet grass at the apogee of the arc. He could see where the rocks and plants had been disturbed.

"Kim must have barely fit through that opening," Billy mused, observing the small size of the entrance. Together, he and Tommy cleared a space large enough for them to enter. Once inside the cave, Tommy lit the emergency lamp they had brought along in addition to the flashlights. The cave was much larger than either had expected.

"It looks like this place was purposely closed up," Billy noted, inspecting the wall through which they had forced entry.

"There's an awful lot of stuff in here," Tommy said as he stooped down to examine the remains of a blanket. There was also a battered footlocker and other artifacts. Tommy picked up a tin cup. "It looks like someone once lived here."

"I believe I found the location where Kim was laying; the residual heat patterns match those from Zordon's file of Kimberly's bio-scans," Billy remarked, consulting the scanner Alpha and Zordon had programmed for him. "What can you recall of your conversation with Kim before she vanished?"

"Right before she disappeared, she mentioned seeing a light and said something about it reminding her of time--I didn't understand that part--then she saw the snake and ...."

"The light reminded her of time ... hm, let me try scanning for ... ah ha!"

"What did you find?"

"Chronoton particles."

"Chronoton ... you mean she got sucked into another time hole? Oh man, she could be anywhere or any when!"

"And without her communicator, it will exceedingly difficult to track Kimberly's biosignature through the time continuum."

"Let's get back to the Command Center and see if Zordon has any suggestions," Tommy said eagerly.

"That will have to wait until lunch hour. If we don't teleport, we're going to be late for class," Billy reminded him. Tommy sighed with frustration but did not argue.

Dawn was breaking as Kim returned to Stranger's Rock. She was tired, sore, singed, and still coughing on smoke. Fortunately the fire had been detected early, and they were able to get everyone out of the building. She had a feeling it was arson, and she suspected Black Jack was behind it. Her first day as the White Stranger had been eventful. She hadn't really minded; just seeing the relief on the faces of the townsfolk when she rode by made it all worth it. She did think it odd that for someone who was such a hero to Angel Grove, no tales survived.

Kim slipped out of the saddle and walked White Lightning into the cave. Upon entering, she found Thomas waiting up for her. He had made breakfast.

"Bless you, Tommy--I mean, Thomas--you're a sweetheart," she declared with a yawn.

" 'Twas no trouble, Miss Kim; it's the least I can do," he said as he handed her a tin cup full of coffee and a plate of something lumpy and white. Kim didn't care if it was oatmeal, mush or mashed potatoes. She was famished.

"Busy night?" Thomas queried. His concern grew as he smelled the smoke that had permeated her clothes.

"The miserable bastards set the dry goods store on fire. We were lucky we caught the fire before it spread," she mumbled around a mouthful of food. "We got the Masons out all right, and the rescue helped establish that the White Stranger is alive and well." Kim finished her meal then stripped off her sooty clothes before Thomas could avert his eyes. To his relief, she wore her chemise underneath.

"I owe you a lot, Miss Kim--first you saved my life and now this," Thomas said, struggling with the words as Kim sat down next to him and snuggled in close. She leaned up against him and fell asleep almost instantly. He noted that she smelled of sweat, smoke, and horse, and somehow he found that much more appealing than Miss Karen's scents or Missy's home cooking. Thomas put a check on his thoughts. Miss Kim was already spoken for, but he couldn't put the memory of her kiss out of his mind. He'd never experienced anything like it before. The way she had talked, the way she had sat on him ... the way she looked in his clothes ... recalling her outrageous pink costume ... and seeing her in her present little slip of a garment brought heat to his cheeks and to his loins.

Stop this. Somewhere--some when, there's a young man who is probably worried half to death about where Miss Kim has gone. He's probably looking for her right now. You should be thinking about a way to help her get home and not how her breasts nearly spill out of her bodice.

Kim shifted position slightly, and Thomas' arm dropped around her shoulder. He was about to pull it away when Kim grabbed his hand. She drew it over until his fingers brushed her bosom. Thomas swallowed hard, and Kim giggled in her sleep.

"Oh Tommy!" she gasped.

Thomas found himself envying his kinsman in the future. He didn't want to wake Kim, so he carefully reached around to adjust his rampant anatomy.

Kimberly woke to the sound of bells frantically pealing in the distance.

"What is it?" she asked as she shook off her drowsiness and her dreams of black flames.

"Those are the school bells," Thomas reported as he tried to get up. "It means trouble."

"Stay put; I'm on it," she directed him. She quickly dressed and led White Lightning from the cave. She swung herself into the saddle and set the steed thundering down the hillside toward town. As she reached the main thoroughfare, she noticed that the citizens were rushing to the western end of town.

"What's up?" she queried, reining White Lightning in.

"One of the students has gone missing at the school!"

Kim urged White Lightning towards the sound of the bell. When she arrived at the schoolhouse, there was quite a gathering of people, and she belatedly realized that she had put her charade in serious jeopardy. In the gathering she spotted William, Billy's ancestor. She dismounted and sought him out.

"What's going on?" she queried. William hadn't heard her approach and jumped when he heard a low voice behind him.

"The White Stranger! Am I ever glad to see ... wait a minute. You're not the ...."

"Sh!" Kim hissed, clapping her hand over his mouth. "It's me, Kim." William's eyes went wide as she tilted the brim of her hat up so he could see her face. "The real White Stranger is recuperating from a gunshot wound, but keep it under your hat. What's happened here?"

"My cousin Johnny wandered off from the school yard, the young uns say, then he started hollering and carrying on. They saw a man in black carrying him off. They think the varmint carried him out to Stone Canyon Gorge and tossed him over the side," William explained. "Can you use your Pink Ranger Powers to get him out?"

"There is no more Pink Ranger, William, merely plain ol' Kimberly Hart, but let's go have a look. Can you get me to the edge of the gorge without anyone else getting a good look at me?"

"Follow me. There's a trail down the way a piece." William and Kim hurried away from the school and found the trail. It led them to the gorge about a hundred yards from where the townsfolk were gathering.

"I see him," Kim murmured, spotting a huddled shape curled up on a narrow ledge. "Poor little guy, it looks like his foot's caught or something. See how he's tugging at it?" Kim peered over the edge of the canyon rim to see what lay below her. "The ledge runs all along the cliff. Find a rope and lower me down."

"Are you sure? That ledge can't be more than four inches wide," William noted. Kim smiled at that.

"I can walk that with my eyes closed," she said confidently. ?"I'll fetch the rope from the school bell," William offered, and hurried off. While Kim waited for him to return, she wondered why no one else had ventured down with a rope to rescue the boy. Simply lowering a line wouldn't do with his foot caught. There had to be something else that she wasn't aware of.

"Here you go, Miss Kim," William panted. He dropped the line over the edge and braced it around his body. Kim kicked off Thomas' boots; she'd have better luck in her bare feet than in the oversized clod hoppers.

"I'll go down here, but have the rope waiting over where Johnny's stuck. I'll pry him loose then tie the rope around him and send him back up," Kim instructed.

"How will you get back up?" William wondered.

"I'll figure something out once the crowd has thinned out."

Kim started her slow climb down the canyon wall. William kept the rope secure. The ledge was a good fifteen feet below her, and Kim wondered how Johnny survived the fall, if indeed he had fallen. It was possible that he was deposited via another route. She was half way down the rope when she heard a gun shot. Seconds later a bullet sheared through the rope. Kim quickly tucked herself into a somersault position so she could better control her fall. Even so, she hit the ledge hard and nearly fell. She maintained a hold of the edge and quickly scrambled back up. Another shot rang out; there was her answer: a sniper.

Kim lay flat on the ledge and tried to spot the gunman. The bullet that had snapped the rope had come from Johnny's direction. Kim took that to mean the villain was probably concealed somewhere nearby. She stayed on her belly and crawled closer to the child. She covered nearly half the distance, waiting all the while for a third shot to ring out, and she was not disappointed. This time she caught a glimpse of sunlight off metal. There was a clump of bushes up the trail from Johnny; she'd have put her money on the gunman being hidden there. Her hand slipped back to the gun in Thomas' holster. The cold, metal butt sent a shiver running through her. No, that wasn't the answer. She had never fired a gun; she didn't even know if the gun was loaded. Kim had to figure out another way to stop the gunman; if a gun fight ensued, Johnny might be hit by a stray bullet. Kim wished she had her power bow.

Kim continued forward. Another shot rang out. This one was high, ricocheting off the cliff face. The bullet knocked several rocks loose, sending them cascading down on her head.

"Ow!" she yelped, covering her head with her arms. They were good sized stones--approximately baseball sized. They gave her an idea. She carefully got to her knees and hefted one of the rocks. Her throw wouldn't have won any baseball games, but at least the rock reached the bushes. She scrambled a few feet closer and launched a second missile. She kept up the barrage until she heard what she'd been waiting for: a groan. She had finally hit her unseen target. Even more gratifying, she was rewarded by the sound of a gun careening off the side of the canyon. She watched carefully and caught a glimpse of a fleeing black clad form.

With a sigh of relief she hurried along the ledge to where Johnny was trapped.

"The White Stranger!" the boy sniffled. Kim guessed him to be around six or seven years old. He wiped his eyes furtively, and Kim pretended not to see.

"Hang on, Johnny; I'll have you out in a jiffy," she murmured, careful to keep her face shadowed.

"You won't tell the others I was crying, will you?"

"That'll be our secret. You sure are wedged in here real tight," Kim grunted as she reached down into the crack in the ledge. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain on the back of wrist. "Ow! Something bit me." She freed Johnny's leg and glanced at the marks on the back of her hand. They looked rather like a spider bite. After the initial sting, the discomfort wasn't bad, so she paid it no further attention. She glanced upward and spotted William leaning over the edge of the canyon. Next to him was Doc Hart. "Send the rope down, William!"

"Now, when they start pulling you up, you can help by sort of walking up the side of the cliff," Kim directed as she fastened the rope around Johnny's waist. "You let Doc Hart have a look at that ankle of yours, all right."

"What about you? How are you going to get back up?" Johnny wondered. "And how come your voice sounds so high? You sound like a girl."

"I inhaled too much smoke at Mason's store last night," Kim fibbed. "You tell William that I've gone to see if I can find the guy who was shooting at me, all right."

"Sure. Thanks."

"Up you go, Johnny."

Kim waited until William and Zachariah had hold of Johnny before she wandered further up the ledge. She approached the bushes carefully, but no one was there. The bushes concealed a narrow gap in the cliff. Kim followed the hidden trail. It meandered quite a ways; when she emerged from the miniature canyon, she found herself on a hillside overlooking the school. There were several large trees on the hill, and Kim dragged herself over to one of them to sit and rest.

Kim felt drained, overheated, and a little lightheaded. She looked at the back of her hand again; it was slightly swollen and tender to the touch. She didn't feel real good. Of greater concern to her was the burning in her veins. She recognized the sensation; she could no longer deny that Tommy hadn't fully cured her. She was back to the first stages of fever induced by Zedd's spell. What was she going to do? Tommy wasn't simply miles away; he was separated from her by 110 years or more.

Kim had to get back to the cave. She roused herself to check the schoolyard. She watched as William and Doc helped Johnny over to a wagon; no doubt they intended to take him to Doc's surgery. With their departure, the rest of the crowd gathered in the yard dispersed. Kim waited until everyone was gone before venturing down the hill. White Lightning was patiently waiting by Thomas' boots. It was all Kim could do to get herself up in the saddle; she had never felt so weak and nauseous under the spell before. She nudged White Lightning.

"Come on, boy, take me home."

"Miss Kim, is something wrong?" Thomas queried as Kim returned. She all but fell out of White Lightning's saddle and staggered drunkenly across the floor. "What happened?"

"The Black Seven gang snatched William's cousin and dropped him down Stone Canyon Gorge. I think he was the bait so they could take potshots at the White Stranger," Kim related as she sat down exhaustedly. Her face was flushed, and she was sweating profusely. She cradled her hand in her lap as she settled down next to the fire. "I got him out all right; thank goodness I'm a gymnast or I'd have never have made it across that ledge even without the sniper."

"What's wrong with your hand?" Thomas asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing much; I think something bit me."

"Those are teeth marks," Thomas said as he dragged himself over to examine her hand; he gently probed the punctures. Her hand was red and puffy. Thomas placed his hand on her brow. Kim was burning up with fever.

"I felt something when I reached into the crevice ...."

"You had better lay down," Thomas recommended. There was no telling what the critter had been or what sort of poison it may have injected into her system.

"Sounds good to me, I'm beat," she agreed. She stripped off everything but her chemise and curled up on a blanket by the fire. "Mm, that feels good. Why am I so cold?"

"Just rest, Miss Kim," Thomas said. She had drifted off almost as soon as her head hit the blanket. Thomas was concerned. She really needed to see Doc Hart and get some medicine, but there was no way either of them could ride. He thought a moment longer then recalled he had something on hand that might be of use. He dragged himself over to his footlocker and rooted through the items until he found a small leather pouch. It had been a gift to him from Soaring Falcon, the medicine man to the local Indian tribe.

Thomas had met Soaring Falcon the afternoon when he had first encountered the Black Seven gang; they had been molesting a young Indian woman. He helped her escape from them. Shining Crane was Soaring Falcon's granddaughter. Thomas and the shaman hit it off; Soaring Falcon named him One Who Seeks and offered to help him find what his soul was searching for. He also began teaching him the ways of his people's mysticism. Thomas wasn't sure he believed in everything Soaring Falcon had to say, but some of his words brought him comfort, and the shaman's herb lore had proven useful on many occasions.

Thomas sorted through the herbs in the pouch until he spotted the sprig he was looking for. According to Soaring Falcon, the dried flower was good for treating poisoned bites. Thomas set about to making a pot of tea. Once the water was almost boiling, he crushed the sprig into the water and stirred it until it dissolved. He held Kim's head in his lap and poured the brew into her mouth. Her fever sleep was so deep that she didn't even budge as he forced the contents of the cup down her throat. Now for the worst part: waiting.

"Tommy," Kim moaned in her sleep. It had been several hours since Thomas had administered the herbs. Kim seemed to be doing no better. Presently, she was tossing and turning. Thomas tried to keep her brow wiped, but she was perspiring too much. She had worked off the covers he had thrown over her, and at the moment she was tugging fitfully at her undergarment.

"Settle down, Miss Kim," Thomas urged her. It wouldn't do to have her undress herself in her sleep.

"Tommy, please, the flames are back. I'm not all better!" she whimpered piteously.

"It'll be all right," Thomas said soothingly.

"Make it stop hurting, Tommy," Kim pleaded frantically.

"You've had medicine. What else should I do?"

"Make it stop like you did before! I need you, Tommy."

"All right, Kim, I'll help you," Thomas agreed. What would it hurt to assume the role of her beau as long as he got her to settle down? "Just tell me what to do."

"Take me, Tommy; take me now!" Kim sat up suddenly; her eyes were opened but glazed with fever. She was not awake. Her hands caught her chemise and all but ripped it from her body. Thomas swallowed hard as he tried not to look at her, but it was impossible to tear his eyes away. Kim's expression wavered between agony and appetite as she advanced towards him, crawling slowly, like an animal stalking its prey.

"I need you inside me now, Tommy," she said beseechingly. "Make me feel so good it won't hurt any more!" Thomas had no clue what to do, and he wasn't prepared for Kim's strength or the ferocity of her desire. She pounced on him, pinning him to the cave floor. Her mouth savaged his as her hands tugged at his shirt. Once his chest was bared, she kissed her way down his chest and stomach. Upon reaching his belt buckle, she gave a cry of frustration and whipped the belt off. In no time, she had his trousers and drawers pulled down around his ankles. With one fluid move, Kim straddled his hips and impaled herself on his cock. Thomas groaned in disbelief and pleasure, and the ride was only beginning.

Kim moved herself hard and fast on his organ. She had her hands braced on his chest as she rode him. Her head whipped up and down, and her hair flew hither and thither in her frenzy. Thomas had given up trying to disengage her; he settled for trying to hold on to her, his hands digging into the soft flesh of her buttocks. His eyes went wide as Kim sat up straighter and began playing with her breasts. The pain was ebbing slowly from her face to be replaced with a sort of glow. Thomas had never seen anything so exciting in his life.

"Please, Tommy," Kim whimpered. "I need to come, Tommy. Make me come!" Her frenetic actions were beginning to slow, but her hips were pounding against him harder than before. Her back arched sharply, thrusting her breasts forward. In spite of himself, Thomas released his grip on her haunches and reached for one of her bouncing mounds. He found her breasts surprisingly soft and her nipples surprisingly hard.

"Yes, oh yes!" Kim's moans were becoming throaty growls as she worked him harder. He felt the warmth of her fluids bathing his cock, and felt the velvety walls of her pussy contracting, hugging his rod tighter than anything he had ever felt. It was both excruciating and exhilarating.

"Fuck me, Tommy! Oh God, fuck me! Make the fire stop!" she screamed. Thomas nearly screamed himself as the walls of her vagina clamped about him with vice-like strength. Pleasure exploded through every nerve ending in his body. Kim's body began to shake, and she literally pounded against his hips. Kim screamed long and loud as her climax hit. She continued to writhe about like a wild woman as ecstasy rippled through her. At last she began to settle down. With an exhausted sigh, she kissed him then collapsed on his chest. As she fell forward, Thomas' cock slipped out. He lay there gasping with relief for several moments before he realized that he, too, had come.

Suddenly, Kim began stirring, and Thomas felt his heart go cold in his chest. What if she woke up now? What would she think? Thomas didn't know what to do; he hadn't the strength to lift Kim off his body.

"I'm sorry, Tommy," she murmured sleepily. "I didn't mean to lose it like that. It's just that the flames were back ... I was so scared .... Please tell me you didn't lose your powers this time." Thomas was startled to see that she was crying, but she was no more in her right mind than when she had ridden him.

"Don't cry, Kim; everything will be all right," he assured her, and Kim snuggled down next to him, drifting back to sleep.

Thomas' mind was in a whirl. Never had he experienced anything like what had just happened. He had never been with a woman before, but he always thought that a lady would be as genteel in bed as she was in public. He never dreamed that a woman, much less Kim, would be so raw and wild. Yet, when he looked down at her as she pressed against him, there was no trace of the wantonness. There was no trace of the tormented shadows that had darkened Kim's face. She was at peace. Thomas groaned softly. It was too much for him to handle at the moment. He had dozens of questions--about her actions and about his reactions--but they would keep for now. He allowed himself to pull Kim closer and drift off to sleep.

E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net