All things Power Rangers belong to Saban and Disney. All things Carri belong to KJ, with many thanks. Some conversations in NY were taken from KJ’s Big Apple and Oh Brother. Demonking belongs solely to Daniel White and Teeg and Rexo belong to KS & me. The premise of the Coin Series has been borrowed from a story written by Terry, Chris, Daniel, Brice, Katey and myself, but has seriously digressed since then and bears little resemblance to the original.

All events in The Coin Series take place in an alternate dimension

Name change: Kanara is now Kemora

Author’s note: This is the fastest I’ve ever written a chapter of the Coins, pretty much only 5 days, but I made my deadline and it’s really nice to be back in the swing of things. I hope you enjoy. Thank you for the emails and get well notes, I really appreciated them.

Power Rangers: The Coin Series
Thanks A Lot

Andros found his wife exactly where he thought she’d be; in the tiny back office she’d set up as a temporary workshop. Her parent’s detached garage had been converted into a small guest suite nearly fifteen years ago with a small loft bedroom, sitting room, and office. It was Thanksgiving Day and even though he had to admit he was very thankful that he and his family were alive and well, he was in very little mood to celebrate.

It wasn’t as if their home had been huge, but fitting the three of them and Ashley’s business into the guest house had been uncomfortable at best. The little apartment was nicely furnished and, having lived there nearly ten years ago before he and Ashley had gotten married, he was no stranger to calling it home. It was just that he was now a grown man, with his own family, and the little guest house was less than fifty feet across the little back yard from his in-laws; offering very little privacy.

It had taken the Zeo team less than three hours to find those responsible for burning down his home and the Angel Grove police nearly three days more to confirm the findings arrest them. The three teenage boys were all under eighteen and all attended Stone Canyon High School; which had shocked everyone involved and fueled a huge media frenzy. For the last few weeks, they had been held without bond in Juvenile Detention, while the charges were debated, but yesterday lawyers for the youngest boy had succeeded in getting him released to his parent’s custody; which infuriated Andros and increased his anxiety for his family’s safety.

It had been explained to Andros that the prosecutor had to be very careful or the defense lawyers might be able to get some of the charges dismissed or the chance of conviction lessoned. This didn’t make sense to him. The three had thrown homemade bombs through his windows and destroyed his home. If his daughter had been in her bedroom at the time, she would have been killed. The three had admitted they did it and only one had expressed any remorse, why they had to have a trial or quibble over charges was beyond him.

The charge of arson was a given, but officials still didn’t know what degree. The authorities had gone back and forth and when the local and national and even world politicians had stepped in, things only seemed to get more confusing. What the three had done was obviously a hate crime of some sort, but unfortunately there weren’t any current laws in the US for hate crimes against aliens, so no one really knew exactly what the trio would eventually be charged with. It didn’t help that Tommy was maneuvering the situation to lay the way for the new city project, encouraging the politicians to change laws and developing public awareness.

Andros didn’t want the public aware of him and his family. Awareness had caused enough damage. He had agreed to let the local law enforcement handle things, but the process was painfully slow and he’d come to the sad realization that there wasn’t going to be much justice for him; at least not what he considered justice. He wanted the boys punished and his life restored.

He just didn’t understand why the sentence wasn’t automatic. The boys had confessed, they weren’t sorry, the authorities had found bomb making materials in their bedrooms, the oldest boy’s car was seen by several people speeding out of his neighborhood just as the fire started, and there were even emails where the boys had bragged to others that they were going to do it. If they had been monsters or attacking aliens, the Rangers would have destroyed them by now. But the local legal system didn’t work that way and the delays only fueled his anger, anxiety, and resentment over the situation.

Slowly but surely, as the weeks trailed on, the daily news coverage had lessoned as other stories peaked the public’s interest and Andros felt a little easier about moving out of the high security zone of level eight and back into his in-laws little guest house. Life had gradually begun to take on a normal shape again, but he was still troubled and had yet to have a full night’s uninterrupted sleep. Nightmares haunted him and it wasn’t unusual to find him up and pacing in the early morning hours until it was time for him to go to NASADA.

Ashley seemed to recover easier than he had, although whether that was an outward show for his sake or due to the security of moving back into her family home, he wasn’t sure. Fortunately, most of her designs had been recovered from the laptop she had carried with her in the car, but many others were completely lost and the work to meet her deadlines had been overwhelming. To her credit, or perhaps just to get her mind off things, she’d been able to dive back into her work immediately, re-creating some of the lost designs from memory and simply starting over for other projects. Andros hadn’t had nearly as much success returning to normal life and not even an extended trip back to KO-34 had been able to distract him from obsessing over the matter.

As he stopped in the doorway of the small room she’d claimed, he found her busily pinning piles of silk onto a manikin she’d bought the day before. She jumped when she saw him and pins went flying all over the tile floor.

“I’m sorry.” He said, stooping to help pick up them up. “I shouldn’t have crept up on you like that.”

“It’s fine.” She said, cupping her hands so he could drop the pins into them. “I should have taken the time to take the pins out of the box and stick them on my wrist cushion. I knew better. I just bought them yesterday and I was too lazy to do it.”

“What’s all this?” He asked as she tried to fit the large pins back in their container.

“Kat’s silk arrived yesterday from the supplier.” She said, placing the open box back on her small worktable and stretching. “I wanted to get a head start on it before she changed her mind again.” She smiled mischievously and he grinned at her. Katherine Hillard’s idea of the perfect wedding dress seemed to change daily. She’d backed off since the fire, but he knew she’d begun calling regularly again to check the progress.

“What’cha need?” She asked, smiling at him. Even after all the time they’d been together, her smile still captivated him and he briefly re-considered bringing up the conversation he had sought her out for. She was not going to be happy with what he wanted to say and he wondered briefly if he should bring it up at all.

“Just wanted to see where you were.” He said simply.

“The baby’s ok?” she asked and he nodded.

“Your mother’s introducing her to the parade on TV.” He said, giving her a well known look of cultural bemusement.

The idea of Thanksgiving baffled him. He understood it was a day of thanks and he understood the history behind it, but the actual cultural observation of it was perplexing. It started off with the frenzied over buying of food, followed by two full days of cooking by the women of the house, involved a traditional early morning parade full of advertisements for television shows, a glutinous feast of foods which included traditional recipes no one really liked, and was followed by the men retiring to watch sports while the women cleaned the dishes and re-packaged all the food that hadn’t been consumed. The following day, the women were gone before daylight to fight hordes of other women and purchase consumer goods at prices that weren’t all that much lower than on regular days and the men fended for themselves, digging leftovers out of the refrigerator, until the women returned late at night with their massive purchases for the next holiday that was more than a month away.

For some reason, it was looked forward to with great excitement all year by his in-laws and they were rather sad when it was over with. After nearly ten years, it was still simply beyond him, where the thanks came in he didn’t know, but he put on a good face for his wife’s sake and never said a word when the credit card bill came in.

“Do you have a moment to talk with me?” He asked and she nodded, following him out to the small living area and sitting on the overstuffed sofa that was probably older than she was. He was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Finally, taking her hand in his, he said simply, “I’m not happy here.”

“I know.” She responded, reaching up to touch his hair. It still seemed strange to her that he’d cut it. He’d done it after the baby had been born, giving up the last link to his old life, but the shorter length had made the odd blond and brown patterns stand out more obviously and it made him look far younger rather than more mature. “It’s only temporary, my parents really are trying to give us some space, they just love having the baby so close, and the realtor says she has several good leads on gated communities with homes in our price range.”

Andros leaned into her hand for a moment, covering it with his own, but shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. Yes, you’re right, the lack of privacy here at your parent’s house is wearing, but I meant in the bigger sense of things.”

“Oh.” She said, lowering her hand. She’d been waiting for this conversation and was resolved to hear him out and get it over with.

“I don’t want to live behind a gate Ash. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life watching over my shoulder for an enemy I can’t see and don’t understand. Children attacked our home. Monsters I understand, but children? How am I supposed to protect my family from that?”

Ashley wanted to reply that they hadn’t been much older when they had saved the entire galaxy, but she held her tongue; it was hardly the same thing. Her husband had had a hard time adapting to her world before the fire. He was having an even harder time grappling with things after.

The oldest boy involved was seventeen and had been in a lot of trouble the past few years, but the two younger ones were only fifteen and both from really good families. One of the boys mother’s had even gone to high school with her mother and had called to say that she was absolutely mortified her son was involved. Everyone, the Rangers included, had been stunned to discover that the three were responsible.

It was inconceivable that, with all that was going on in the galaxy, three kids had caused so much heartache in their lives. The seventeen year olds father had been one of the few local name-callers when she and Andros had married, but he’d never actually broken the law. Except leaving a few nasty messages on her telephone, he’d never even been considered a serious threat. Ashley had a feeling Andros knew more than he was letting on, but no one had seen fit to include her in the loop of information.

She sighed deeply, resolved to listen to him patiently like he always listened to her, but knowing in her heart what was coming. “What do you have in mind?” She asked.

“I need you to hear me out.” He said earnestly and she nodded. “My home world, the colony on KO-35 was abandoned in favor of KO-34 because there just weren’t enough people left to safely re-colonize both worlds.” He began and she nodded again, a sinking feeling overcoming her. “We couldn’t settle on KO-34 because you’re from Earth and it wasn’t allowed, but now KO-35 has been released to non-Kaoan colonization.”

“That’s what Tommy said.”

“Karone and I still own our parent’s land.” He said earnestly.

“Alright.”

“While I was on KO-34 this last trip, I learned that all the former colonists and their families will be given first right to the lands previously settled. If we don’t come forward and claim it, it’ll be opened up for others to bid on. I did some checking and my family’s acreage is right in the middle of a zone reserved for human colonization. It makes sense, the city’s already set up, it’s just dormant.”

“Andros,” Ashley said, trying hard to remain calm, “You want to claim that land?”

“We could re-settle there, help to re-build the colony.”

“What would we do there?”

“The same things we do now, it’s just that we’d be in an intergalactic community with all the best things the core worlds have to offer.”

“But we have that now…the new city they’re building.”

“Which won’t be ready for ten years at best.”

“KO-35 is right in Gruumm’s territory, what if he turns direction and attacks it?”

“There’s no reason for him to go in that direction. It’s a space colony; he’s proven himself to be more ambitious than that.”

Ashley sunk back into the cushions of the couch and his shoulders deflated. He knew she wasn’t going to like the idea, but he had to try and he was ready to counter any protests she might have. He honestly didn’t know if it would be any safer for them on KO-35, but at least he would understand the culture there. He’d given it his best; he’d tried harder to settle here than anywhere else in his life. Kaoans were a hardy race and very adaptable, but he would never understand her society completely and he was done trying. If the people here didn’t want him and what he had to offer, he’d take his family back to his home.

He was beyond angry and that anger had only intensified as he realized there would most likely be no ramifications for the three boys other than a little imprisonment and, because of their young ages, even that was most likely going to be only for a few months at best. To him, the loss of his home and his peace of mind demanded more. He wanted restitution, but he wouldn’t get it. Even their insurance company wouldn’t replace everything that had been lost…and, to add insult, their rates had gone up astronomically. It wasn’t fair.

“You won’t go.” He said simply, shoulders sinking a little more.

Ashley rubbed her eyes and tried to think of something to say. She would never feel at home in the intergalactic community anymore than her husband would feel at home on her world. They were too different, their worlds just too far apart. Still, before the fire they had made it work pretty well. She knew he was content, if not completely happy.

He’d been able to travel home enough to where it didn’t matter, but if the situation was reversed and they settled on the colony, she knew she wouldn’t get to come home much at all. She would have to give up her family, her way of life, her business, everything that was precious to her except her husband and her baby. Their daughter would probably never know her parents and she would most definitely never know much of her culture and her traditions. No, she didn’t want to go, but she would if Andros pressed her. She loved him too much and always had. Slowly, she raised her head and met his eyes. “My home is with you.” She said simply, stunning him with the same words he’d given her years ago. “I don’t want to go, but if you choose to leave, I’ll always choose to go with you.”

Rocky surveyed the busy grey cityscape outside Carri’s tiny Manhattan apartment with a combination of amazement and dread. Amazement that he was actually in New York via her father’s corporate jet and dread at the realization that he was about to meet Carri’s parents and older brother for the first time over a post parade Thanksgiving luncheon.

The decision to go to New York had been spur of the moment at best. The jet had taken several executives to Los Angeles and was headed back to the east coast to refuel before heading on to London, so her dad had offered to divert it to Angel Grove and pick them up. They would be in New York until Sunday, when the jet would fly them back to Angel Grove and then pick up the original group of execs in LA.

Flying across country in a private jet was a far cry from the economy trip he’d taken in junior high school to DC. It was beyond first class with wide leather seats, satellite TV, hot towels, and their own private steward. Carri had gotten a kick out of watching him ogle over things and he realized for the first time what her cousin really meant when she commented that Carri had been brought up with all the best things in life. It was only now dawning on him what life must have been like to be the spoiled daughter of an extremely successful television producer.

The Carri he knew was so down to earth and practical, he could hardly imagine her growing up in a household that spent millions on one simple vacation. What wealth she had now, and he knew that was fairly substantial, she had earned for herself, but she lived rather simply considering. Learning from Kim’s stepfather and her dad’s advisor’s, she’d been a tyrant about investing her income and, just like Kimberly, she never spent more than the monthly interest checks those investments yielded. Although she appeared frivolous in her shopping sprees to him, he realized she was actually quite frugal; considering how she’d been raised.

Rocky considered himself comfortable financially. He’d done a hell of a lot in his short twenty-nine years and he was actually rather proud of what he’d accomplished. He’d started from nothing, less than nothing if you considered the bills his dad had left behind, he’d worked hard, had opened three schools in ten years, and had managed to support himself, his mother, and his five siblings…but he had never dreamed of touching this kind wealth. Suddenly he wasn’t so peeved at her for running out and buying him new clothes to wear. He’d adamantly, and with a great deal of grumbling, packed his own suitcase and refused to try on anything in her bags. She’d simply shrugged and tossed them onto the luggage pile, bringing her purchases along anyway. However, after the plane ride and a quick drive by of her parent’s building, he had quietly put on the new outfit she’d laid out on the bed while he was in the shower.

Tiny wasn’t the word to describe her small apartment. Growing up in southern California, he was used to economical living space, but New York apparently had an entirely different view of compact. The dining and living area was about the size of his dorm room at UCLA; only with a tiny kitchenette. The kitchen area itself was laughable, consisting of two small sunken burners and a tiny sink, with a microwave suspended above and a mini fridge below. Pulling back a sliding pocket door in the back of it, he’d expected to see the pantry, but instead found the only bathroom with the smallest shower he’d ever seen.

The master bedroom consisted of a double bed and small dresser and the second bedroom was no more than a closet with a twin bed frame crammed in; it didn’t even have a window. It’s only saving grace, in Rocky’s eyes, was the view. A huge window in the living room gave an absolutely incredible view of Manhattan that promised to be absolutely spectacular at night. He also had to admit that it was beautifully decorated and he’d been stunned when she told him what she was considering putting it on the market for.

As he looked out over the city below him, he thought again about meeting Carri’s parents. Jason had pulled him aside just before they left for the airport for a few encouraging words, but those words hadn’t been nearly as heartening as his friend had hoped they’d be. Jason had told him to be himself, her dad and brother would most likely be friendly, but not to expect a warm welcome from Carri’s mother. She apparently didn’t like anyone…unless, of course, you were heir to something. It wasn’t that she was prejudiced, she apparently didn’t discriminate at all in her view that anyone outside her set in New York was worthy of her company.

She had liked Jason, but his friend claimed that was only because he went into the first meeting not giving a damn if she liked him or not. He’d matched her dig for dig, snide for snide, and even one-upped her one the distain meter. She apparently appreciated this common personality bond and, to his amazement, by the end of the evening he’d had her in the palm of his hand. Jason was, in Carri’s mom’s eyes, the only worthy replacement for Carri’s ex-fiancé, David Meyers, and she’d been complaining of massive migraines for the last three months since the two had “broken up” and Rocky had moved onto the scene. Unfortunately, Rocky cared what her mother thought, he cared a great deal, and that left him at a huge disadvantage.

As Rocky looked around the tiny apartment now, his eyes spied the tiny second “bedroom,” where his friend had left some of his things on his last visit to the apartment over the summer. While it was nice to see some physical evidence that the two had indeed kept separate bedrooms when they traveled together, it still brought home the reality that the two had carried on an effective rouse of a relationship for several years. He never once considered the two would lie to him about feigning a relationship, Carri had always been brutally honest about her past and would have no reason to lie now, he just didn’t understand it and was painfully jealous despite himself. The fact that Carri’s mom apparently adored Jason didn’t make the situation any easier.

His watch indicated it was a good fifteen minutes past their agreed upon departure time, and he shifted uncomfortably. Carri was still primping in the bathroom and showing no desire to hurry things along. She was never usually one to over primp, but today she was taking far more time with her hair and makeup than she would normally.

“We’re gonna be really late babe.” He said, glancing at his watch and then looking out the large living room window again.

“You that anxious to see my folks?” She said, emerging from the bathroom and dropping a few cosmetics into a matching purse.

“Not particularly.” He commented, not turning from the window and she snorted.

“The clothes look good.” She commented, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. His hands automatically came up to meet hers and he squeezed them as she pressed into him.

“You think I’m acceptable?” He said dryly.

“Trust me hon, I know fashion. The size looks good on you too, I was a bit worried.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He said gravely, still looking out the window and she chuckled.

“Well, she’s not gonna call you a whore and toss you back out of the street if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“That’s not funny.” He said, turning around and then stopped as he caught a glimpse of her.

She wasn’t quite as dressed up as she had been for the reunion, but she still looked like she’d just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine. It completely took his breath away. Not that he didn’t appreciate her on a daily basis, but he’d grown accustomed to a more day to day beauty; with less makeup and a pony tail or jeans. She looked absolutely incredible and even in his new clothes he felt under dressed standing next to her. Her hair was pulled up in a carefully messy twist and she was wearing a high necked gold and brown pant suit with a cashmere brown jacket.

The look on her face told him she was well aware of his appreciation and she raised her arms casually around his neck, a seductive gleam in her eyes.

“You like?” She asked invitingly and he wasn’t quite sure if she was referring to her outfit or not.

“Oh yeah.” He breathed, not quite sure what else to say. She grinned and turned, walking to the small kitchenette counter and picking up her purse and keys. Pressing a button near the door, she asked the doorman to flag her a cab, then put her coat on. She turned back to him with a flirty look in her eyes and opened the door.

“If you still weren’t on restrictions,” he said, closing the space between them and kissing her neck just below her ear, “I’d rip that suit right off you.” Although they’d continued to sleep together, she’d been given explicit orders by the Aquitian staff caring for her to refrain from all human sexual acts until her body had had adequate time to heal and adapt to the skin grafting.

It hadn’t been that difficult. Until just a few days before her departure, she’d been in an incredible amount of pain and far too tired to think about fooling around. But since she’d been back on Earth, it hadn’t been as easy to adhere to the restrictions that were still in effect. Carri had always been rebellious and now that she was feeling better, it became more and more absurd in her mind for a race of beings that abhorred physical contact to ban her from it…especially when she felt absolutely fine.

“Good thing restrictions end at midnight.” She purred and he frowned at her as he put his own coat on.

“Carri, restrictions are in force for one week after we left Aquitar. We have to wait until Saturday at least.” He countered firmly and she surprised him by turning and pressing into him in a way that made him groan involuntarily. The last week had been painful at best for him, but he refused to do anything that would hurt her.

“Nope.” She purred smugly. “Aquitian days are shorter than Earth days. If you do the math and compare hours, restrictions are actually over around eleven something, but it’s easier to round up.” She said firmly.

“Are you sure?” He asked, not that he was complaining; that was the best news he’d heard in a long time.

“You want me to call Billy?” She countered. Actually, she was lying through her teeth. She had no idea the ratio of days to hours, but it sounded good. Besides, she felt fine and she really missed that side of their relationship. As far as she was concerned, it was far better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission to skip a few days; especially given the absurdity of the restrictions. “Give you something to look forward to.” She said mischievously, walking out into the hall and locking the door behind them.

“Honestly? I think that’s gonna make sitting through the afternoon with your parents a lot harder.” He said, a slight whine in his voice. She laughed, patting his cheek and striding down the hall to the elevator.

“Maybe we can cheat on the last few hours.” She said, punching the down button.

“Carri…” He responded scoldingly.

“Oh come on, what’s a couple of hours?”

Kim had a problem; actually a series of problems. She had wandered away from the chaos of the rehearsal while the tables were being set up for the dinner to find a quiet moment to think. Bridgewell Manor, where Trini and Billy were getting married tomorrow, wasn’t large, but the ten acre lawn was well manicured and the gardener in Kim was very appreciative of its details.

She found a bench in a small ivy covered alcove and sat down to contemplate what she wanted to do. Thanksgiving Day had been a disaster so far and they still had the rehearsal dinner to get through and then dinner again over at the house where her mom was staying. They had known the day was going to be divided up between families, but Kim had no idea just how hard that was going to be.

It had started off well enough with a very early Thanksgiving brunch, which was really no more than coffee, with Tommy’s brother, nephew, and Sam. That had been fun and they had been in good spirits when they arrived for lunch itself with Tommy’s mom and a few of his relatives. His mother had been very sweet, but his Aunt Libby had been strange at best.

Kim couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something more than a little unnerving about the woman; something more than that just her propensity to call Kim by Katherine’s name the first half of the visit. Kim understood Libby knew damn well that she wasn’t Katherine, but she seemed to really enjoy the reaction on Tommy’s face each time she said it. The first hour of the visit, each time she’d mistake her name, she would regal Kim with all kinds of cute antidotes concerning Katherine and how well she blended with the family, but it was the second hour that really had her concerned. She’d peppered Kim with questions about her dad and her little brother, then made comments about how odd it was to be sharing the holidays with a member of the Hart family again. It was obvious that her odd comments and questions were more than a little irritating to Tommy’s mother and the entire luncheon had been strained at best.

To further the uneasiness, Libby had gone on and on about how Kim and Tommy had been inseparable as children and how cute it was that they were so joined at the hip now. Tommy had looked curiously between his Aunt and his other relatives, to the best of their knowledge they had met each other as teenagers the second half of Freshman year, but his mother brushed off his Aunt as mistaken and the rest of the family present had simply looked uncomfortable and not commented. Kim knew Tommy had questioned his mother privately afterwards, but she didn’t know the outcome of that conversation. It had all been weird and unnerving and certainly didn’t bode well for future holidays to come.

From there they had driven out to her father’s condo on the beach. She hadn’t originally planned to go see him, but her brother had laid a massive guilt trip on her, so she made the effort. She really wished she hadn’t. Michael had promised to keep him from getting too nasty with her, but even her brother’s presence, coupled with Tommy’s silent reassurances, hadn’t been enough to keep her from storming out on him in under an hour.

She wasn’t sure what it was about her father that drove her to distraction, but even on a good day the two just couldn’t seem to be around each other for more than a few minutes before they both began snapping at each other. Before they arrived, her father had already started the blender going for his Thanksgiving “beach party” and as they walked in, it was obvious the rum and tequila were already flowing heavily.

Kim wasn’t a huge drinker, but Andre had introduced her to the benefits of a glass of wine with dinner and, very rarely, she and the girls would do a few shots if they went out dancing; but that was a rare exception now a days. They were barely through the door before her dad handed out the first round of Mai Tais. Kim had rolled her eyes and received a kiss on the forehead from Tommy, but after a large and stressful Thanksgiving lunch with Tommy’s mom, all she had wanted to do was go home and lay down before the rehearsal started. Dutifully, she accepted the very strong drink and sat down with a slightly forced smile on her face. The conversation was dull at best and stopped and started several different times before coming crashing down when her dad announced that he would soon to be walking down the aisle again himself with wife number four.

Apparently number four, his hair dresser, was the “perfect” wife for him and before she could stop herself, Kim made a snide comment about “perfect” meaning she must have her own house and a good paycheck. Her father immediately snapped back that Tommy, an unemployed high school teacher, had obviously also scored himself a good house and sizable trust fund through Kimberly and the two had ended up shouting each other. Michael had intervened and things quieted down, but everything exploded again when her dad pressed her for details about her own up and coming wedding.

Kim’s decision not to have her father walk her down the aisle had been explosive at best. She hadn’t intended on telling him on Thanksgiving Day, but he had pressed her and she’d been honest. In truth, she didn’t want him at the wedding at all, let alone have a prominent role to play in the ceremony, but he seemed to consider it his God given right and her exclusion of him was vocally chalked up to just one more arrogant slight by her and her mother.

If Kim had a choice, she’d ask her stepfather Andre to step into the role of giving her away, but she knew very well that would ignite a huge war between her parent’s families. In the end, she’d decided to walk down the aisle by herself. Her father’s poor reaction to that decision had brought up a whole host of slights and angers and within seconds the two were actively yelling at each other again.

Tommy had tried to diffuse the situation, but that only caused her dad to turn on him. Kim had leapt to Tommy’s defense and a whole new argument started in which her father had spat out several nasty, stinging, but slightly true comments about Kim, her personality, and her choices in life. She had stormed out the door, leaving Tommy no choice but to follow her. He’d bought her some coffee and they’d walked through Angel Grove Park for a few hours until Trini and Billy’s rehearsal started, but the day was ruined and they weren’t even half way through it.

The rehearsal itself was fine. It was the normal chaos of the night before a wedding, with the mother of the bride running around frantically, yelling at everyone in Vietnamese… and the mother of the groom noticeably absent. Trini was taking the whole thing calmly in stride, but Billy was in a foul mood and was scowling at everyone and everything. They had practiced walking down the aisle six times, with Trini’s mother barking instructions for Kim’s head to come up or for Trini to lower her practice flowers so that her belly didn’t show so much. She yapped at Billy to smile, which he never quite managed, and she snapped at the few relatives who were attending the rehearsal dinner to stop complaining about her barking.

On any other day, it would have been humorous, but it was unusually hot for November and the morning had already been difficult at best. The whole thing seemed to be a gross foreshadowing of her own ceremony to come. A ceremony she didn’t want and was now having serious regrets about committing to. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be with Tommy. It floored her how easily they’d managed to come together again and she adored him as much, or more, than she had when she was younger, but the more she and her mother planned, the more she was having serious doubts about actually going through with it.

She was in a bad mood and she was hot, sweaty, and her head and feet hurt. So while Tommy was actively engaged in conversation with Billy and his father, she slipped away to find a moment alone. But now that she had found that moment, she wasn’t sure exactly which problem she should tackle first. There were so many of them it wasn’t funny. They varied in degree of severity between cosmic and strictly personal. Two of them she couldn’t change and, although she still fretted about them, she understood they were out of her hands.

The Pit of Eternal Fire had been irrevocably altered. Muirantias was now inexplicably linked with Phaedos. For the time being, Dulcea was fine with watching over both power chambers, but those that be had made it very clear that Muirantias was Kim’s responsibility and as soon as her tenure on her own world was done, she was to retreat to island as it’s guardian. Dulcea assured her that guardianship wasn’t a bad assignment. Since the chambers were linked, they’d have each other to talk to, but the idea of spending several thousand years in one lonely place was devastating to her. She hadn’t talked to Tommy about it, but she had briefly spoken to Jason when he’d pulled her aside and pointedly asked her why she was broadcasting such loud feelings of being overwhelmed. He had assured her that they had gone into Muirantias together and he would be there to see her though it, but that only brought up the reality that she was most certainly going to outlive all her loved ones, including Tommy, and that had left her utterly depressed.

The other thing she couldn’t change was her association with the Dimensional Guardians. Tommy had apparently thwarted the main plan for her dimension by saving her and Thomas and the Mystic Mother were both accused of direct interference. Mostly, Kim didn’t interact with the DG much, she left that to Thomas, but in changing the dynamic of the pit, she’d also unwittingly changed her status.

Some of the DG had a tendency to be territorial and the guardian in charge of her timeline, Netau, happened to be one of them. She couldn’t say she fully understood everything that happened, but he had challenged Thomas and the DG ruled against him. Thomas, like most Tommys, had an extraordinary lucky side. By interfering and giving the Mystic Mother the answer she needed to give his alternate, he had succeeded in shoving their timeline from orange to green; something even no one, even Zordon, had been able to do for almost 200 years. In had been embarrassing to Netau that he had been wrong and killing Kimberly wouldn’t have saved the timeline, but destroyed it, and he had stormed off, but Thomas assured her all would be well when he calmed down. Still, Kim worried. Netau was powerful and she was uneasy making an enemy of him.

Unfortunately the whole affair had brought her squarely to the DG’s attention. No one was sure if it was her, her relationship with Tommy, or her influence on Tommy that had changed the dynamics of her world, but everyone suddenly seemed far more interested in her. She knew from experience that this wasn’t necessarily a good thing and she was very uneasy about it. She was even more uneasy when she testified to the moderators that her future plans were to marry Tommy. They had agreed with this decision and then immediately began the debate whether her offspring should be hers or whether donor genetic material from an alternate Kimberly, who wasn’t linked to Muirantias, should be used.

Kim had heard these discussions before, but not when she herself was the focus. They blatantly discussed the direction of her life in front of her as if she wasn’t present and her anger at the indignity of it exploded. Thomas had placed two firm hands on each of her shoulders and told her to calm down, but he just wasn’t as good as her Tommy at cooling her temper.

Kim had already chosen to stay with her Tommy, but she resented being told that she now had to stay with him, had to marry him, and had to produce children… and within the same timeframe as the other Kimberlys who had married their Tommys. This didn’t give her much time to catch up and the powers that be bantered back and forth on whether they should interfere or not. Thomas strongly urged her not to take it too seriously, but the whole thing had left her shaken and unnerved. In the end, she had been given just over a year to successfully “breed” on her own or they would interfere. Kim was outraged, the last thing she wanted was to wake up one day and find herself pregnant, but Thomas had promised to lobby with them. He was high in their esteem since his success in transplanting Kimora’s last victim into a dimension that had lost its Kimberly and he assured her they were likely to listen to his reasoning. She had returned home overwhelmed and frustrated and with a serious desire to rebel.

That led her to thoughts of Kimora’s missing orb. Thomas had been so focused on saving her last victim, he hadn’t noticed the orb was gone until it was too late. Where the orb was now, was anyone’s guess, but Thomas was concerned enough to warn her to be careful. All she needed now was another showdown with her doppelganger; she’d barely survived the last time. If the demon was loose, she’d most definitely be back and very likely to come after her, Thomas, and maybe even Tommy.

Then there was the matter of Teeg. Kim hadn’t been aware that Teeg thought she was dead. Her sudden appearance with the Novas had brought out the worst in villain and Kim just wasn’t sure why. The battle for the Triceratops coin had been vicious and although Teeg had effectively beaten the crap out of her in a battle of sorcery, the Novas had managed to get the coin safely away from Rexo and the viratrons and back aboard their ship. Teeg hadn’t been about to give up that easily though and had followed, the battle continuing well into space. Eventually, they had shaken her forces, but it hadn’t been easy and the Ensway had sustained serious damage. They had managed to limp back to Rheiga 4, but the ship was so badly damaged that even docking it in a repair port had been dicey. The techs had marveled that the crew had been able to hold it together and stories and speculation of what happened had begun to circulate quickly.

The race for the Sabertooth Tiger coin was now on and they had rushed through the legalities for Garan and Kee so they could get back into space as quickly as possible. Neither of the kids had seemed to mind. They were so enthralled with one another she was almost embarrassed for them. Elemi hadn’t handled the situation well at all and she had been glad she’d been there to smooth things out, but it had been difficult to be around her ex for that much time. There was a wall between them that had never existed before and, although she was glad for the distance, it made things difficult for them. That didn’t bode well for the future when they’d have to confront Teeg directly for the Dragonzord and Mastodon coins.

To make matters more complicated, word had reached her this morning that Teeg’s henchman Rexo may have already secured the Sabertooth Tiger coin. That would give Teeg a full fighting force of three evil Rangers. She wasn’t sure Earth, or anyone else, was ready for that development.

The Phantom and Solar Force Rangers were also demanding her attention. They had the hottest lead yet on Zordon’s possible location and wanted her to join them as soon as possible. They didn’t understand why she was so hesitant and were actually a bit angry at her for seemingly abandoning them, but she was pulled in far too many directions as it was. She wanted nothing more than to find Zordon alive, but she was also beginning to recognize the signs that he might actually be the one thwarting their quest; which indicated more and more that Rita was right and he didn’t want to be found.

From there her problems drifted more into the personal category. She loved Tommy, but he was overwhelming her. He was crushingly over protective on the battlefield and in some ways downright clingy off it. He was also too used to making decisions and ramming them through and was not very good at stopping to consider her opinion or feelings. Jason and Carri were loudly demanding she put him in his place and were both angry at her for cow-towing to him and letting him railroad her, but it was more complicated than that. She was going to have to stand up for herself fairly quickly, she realized that, but she also really didn’t want to screw up her relationship with him. He had a lot more going on than anyone realized and, although it seemed like she was caving in at every turn, mostly she was simply helping him handle the massive load of responsibilities he was in charge of.

But that didn’t explain the clinginess. She couldn’t go anywhere without him following her and couldn’t even find an hour alone to have lunch with Carri before he was calling her to see how she was. She understood, more than anyone, how close she’d come to dying a few weeks before and she’d brushed a lot of his actions off as simply an overreaction to Kimora’s attack. Now, nearly a month later, she wasn’t so sure his actions weren’t becoming a habit. Jason was constantly giving her grief about not standing up for herself and now that Carri was back, she’d joined that chorus. Jason insisted that Tommy was doing the same thing he’d done as a teenager, becoming overprotective and jealous of everything, but Kim didn’t remember that part of her teenage relationship. Perhaps, like Kee, she was just too smitten with him to care the last time around.

She absolutely, positively did not want the press relations job he was forcing on her and that had been the first real major battle where she’d put her foot down. Tommy had firmly made the decision that she was perfect for the job and when Tommy made a decision, that was usually it; end of discussion. She was frustrating him by digging in her heels on what he considered a trivial matter and she had thus far failed to impress upon him the ramifications of accepting that job.

Kimberly had been famous. She was the darling of the sports world for more than two years and, although the television show hadn’t made her nearly as recognizable as Carri, she still got fan mail from it. She’d done commercials, personal appearances, autograph signings, magazines, and talk shows and she really didn’t want to back to that life. She liked being able to go to the mall and walk mindlessly without being recognized. Tommy didn’t get it, this was a press job, media management, she wasn’t going to be a celebrity again, but Kim disagreed. She would be a human contact, the voice of the Power Rangers; that could possibly bring her more fame than she’d ever had before. He also failed to realize that, as her spouse, he would also possibly be thrust in the limelight. Their quiet life could be ruined. She’d even gone so far as to ask Carri to take the job and she’d flatly refused for the same reason. She already couldn’t keep her and Rocky out the tabloids; the media job would only make the gossip worse.

Then there was her house. Tommy had already borrowed the equipment from NASADA to dig a new foundation and basement and he was planning on moving it over the Angel County line in less than a week’s time. He was beyond furious with Stone Canyon County and absolutely would not be dissuaded from picking the whole thing up and moving it. She understood the dynamics behind why he was doing it, she just thought he was insane. He’d squashed her protests and refused to listen to her, even though it was her house.

The fact of the matter was, she needed his help on it. That reality, coupled with her unwillingness to damage their new relationship, had caused her to cave in and allow him to do it. The problem now was, she really liked the changes he’d made. She was still angry to be overridden on something that was obviously her territory, but she liked the new location and what he was doing with the basement was nothing short of incredible.

“You alright?” Tommy asked, walking around the edge of a large bush and into the clearing where she was sitting. He’d seen her slip away, but hadn’t been able to break free of his conversation with Billy and his dad. She nodded, but didn’t say anything, so he walked over and sat down next to her.

“Still upset about your dad?” He asked. She shrugged, but still didn’t say anything, so he put his arm around her and pulled her next to him.

She leaned against him with a sigh. It was too hot to cuddle, but she still loved the feeling of being close to him. She pressed her head against his shoulder and he leaned down and kissed the top of her hair. She warbled again, loving the feel of him next to her and wondering if she was making more out of the situation than she should. True, he was extreme sometimes, but he was an intense person. That’s what made him what he was. She wanted to be with him, she knew that, but she was going to have to find a way to get him to back off a little without offending him.

“So what’s up?” He asked, rubbing her arm. “Why are you sitting out here alone?”

“I just needed a second to reset.” She said simply. “My head hurts.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“Which part?” She asked ruefully.

“All of it.” He said and she laughed ruefully, pulling away from him.

“Most of it I can’t talk about.” She said and again he felt the uncertainties in his stomach over the time she’d spent on the Ensway with Elemi.

“Of course you can.” He reassured, “We’re a team.”

“Are we?” she asked seriously, giving him a strange look.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked defensively.

She scooted away a bit and shook her head. “Forget it.” She said after a few seconds. She wasn’t entirely sure it was worth bringing up anyway. She didn’t want to lose him again.

“Kim, what’s going on.” He asked pointedly.

“Nothing,” she insisted, standing up and rubbing her temples. “My head hurts, that’s all. I needed space.”

“Beautiful,” He said, standing up and placing a hand on each of her shoulders. “Talk to me, what’s going on?”

“Nothing.” She insisted, “Just feeling overwhelmed by everything, that’s all.”

“This morning?”

“Partly. I think this morning just sort of emphasized things.”

“Like what?”

She broke free of him and sat back down on the bench. “I’ll get over it.” She said, not looking at him. He sat down next to her again with a sigh. He’d known something was wrong since she’d gotten back, but so far she’d been unwilling to communicate with him. It worried him. He didn’t think she’d up and leave him again without warning, but the insecurities of his youth wouldn’t let him dismiss the idea. She’d also just spent several weeks in close quarters with her ex-husband and that had him more than a little jealous and concerned.

“Does it have anything to do with us?” He asked hesitantly.

“Somewhat.” She admitted.

“Then let’s talk it out.” He said, sitting back down next to her.

She shook her head and brought her knees up to her chest. “I don’t want to ruin things.” She said softly.

“You gonna leave me?” He asked, the uncertainty breaking through in his voice.

“No.” She said, shaking her head and he relaxed considerably.

“You happy?” He pressed.

“Yes.” She said, less than convincingly.

“But…” He said, leaving the door open for her to confide what was bothering her.

“But...” She repeated and turned to look at him seriously. “Do you think we’re rushing things? I mean, running around trying to pull a whole wedding off in six months? Maybe if we waited a little…finished the house…I mean, this is crazy… We’ve been back together less than one month…a few weeks ago we weren’t even considering dating again, now we’re living together and planning this huge event…maybe getting married really isn’t such a good idea….” Her words tumbled out in an almost hysterical tone and he fought every instinct in him to overreact. She was nervous, he could see it in her eyes and, once he squashed his initial reaction, he could sense it in her too.

“Yes, I think we’re pushing it a bit; considering how hard it is to get things booked in this town.” He said honestly, “But it’s not something I want to change. I want us to be together. I want us to be married. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s today or in six months or in six years, but if we know it’s going to happen sometime in the future…why wait? Let’s get the formalities over with now and live our lives.” He said and she shook her head, turning away from him and scooting to the edge of the bench.

“What changed your mind from yesterday?” He asked, far more calmly than her felt.

“Nothing…everything…I don’t know.” She said helplessly.

Tommy rolled his eyes and fought for patience. Once the initial fear was suppressed, his temper began to rise. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He slid next to her and, wrapping is arms around her, kissed her shoulder.

“Talk to me.” He said softly. When she shook her head, he gently turned her around and lifted her chin so her eyes met his. “Does this have anything to do with what your dad said? With the bitter feelings you have about that divorce?”

Kim shook her head and released the gentle hold he had on her chin. This was a can of worms she would have rather not opened, but it was out now and she was going to have to explain herself. He wasn’t going to stop pressing her for details until he had an answer he was happy with.

“No.” She said honestly, “But he was right. There’s a lot of him in me. I put up a good front to the outside world, but I really am selfish and difficult and he’s right, I’ve sabotaged every good relationship I’ve ever been in…ours included.”

“Kim…” He said, patiently, but she shook her head and focused on a rather large white blossom on the bush behind them.

Tommy rubbed his face with his hands and willed patience, reminding himself that the day had been a disaster so far and she was upset. He needed to figure out the root of her discomfort and fast…before she turned her ring back over to him. He wanted to marry her more than anything else in his life. He never, ever, thought he’d get a second chance or would even be willing to trust her enough for a second chance.

He’d loved her since he was kid. He never realized how much that was until he’d nearly lost her. He still woke up at night terrified that she was gone and it was too late. He didn’t understand why she didn’t feel the same overwhelming sense of urgency to be with him. He knew she hadn’t really wanted to get married, and maybe he’d pushed her too soon, but after that damn letter from Florida, he needed that pledge of loyalty, that commitment from her. In just one short month, he’d fallen further in love with her than he’d ever thought possible. Marrying her was right; he could feel it in the very fiber of his existence and was surer about this direction than he’d ever been.

“Yes or no, answer me some questions.” He said and she turned to look at him. “Do you love me?” He asked.

“Yes.” She said without hesitation and he relaxed visibly. Without a positive answer to that, his other questions were mute.

“Are you happy?”

“Yes.”

“Are you ok with living with me?”

“Yes….and no.” She said, a little hesitation in her voice. He watched her reaction closely trying to gauge what she was feeling. “Ok,” He said slowly, looking directly at her. “Full stop. Let’s talk about it. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing.” She insisted, frustrating creeping into her voice. “I’ll get over it.”

“Kimberly, talk to me.” He said and she made an exasperated sound.

“I’m overwhelmed.” She said testily.

“By me?”

“Partly.” She said, turning to face him. “I love you.” She said earnestly. “I want to be with you..but you don’t stop to ask me about anything, you just do it.”

“Like what?” He asked, genuinely confused.

“Like everything.” She said, the dam finally breaking a little. “You make a decision and that’s it. Whether it’s what closet and bathroom I’m to use, or moving my house, or telling me I have to take that damn press job…even our schedule today: who we’re going to see and when. You don’t listen to me. You direct me like I’m not even there.”

Tommy sat back, honestly stunned. He hadn’t realized that was how she’d felt and he honestly didn’t understand it. Decisiveness was something he’d learned early on. Everyone, on all levels needed decisions from him on a minute by minute basis; he just made them and went forward from there. His life was like that now; there was so much that depended on his choices and determinations. If he stopped to analyze things, he’d go crazy. He wasn’t trying to be controlling, he just did what made sense to him. Besides, he had good reasons for everything he did.

In regard to the bathroom and closet issue, he was just trying to be nice. He’d lived with a woman before and knew very well the petty squabbles that went along with moving in together and sharing the same bathroom and closet. He had wanted to forestall the arguments he’d had with Kat and given her the master bedroom closet and bath, which were tiny, but they were bigger than the ones he’d taken. He’d wanted her to feel welcome, to feel like it was her house too.

Moving her family house was the only thing he could do. Stone Canyon County had stopped them from working on it. The county had refused to approve electrical and gas connections from Angel County and had told him they needed to pay for lines from Stone Canyon to be brought to the house. It was going to cost a freaking fortune, not to mention months of delays, to get those lines put in and he couldn’t do it himself, he had to wait for a county approved crew to do it. They’d be living in his small house well after they were married if he let that happen.

She was also the only one who could do the press job. He needed someone he could completely trust for that job. He wasn’t fooled, that was going to be an incredibly hard job once word of New Tech went public. There weren’t many people he could completely trust to answer the questions that were bound to come and even fewer with her qualifications. True, he could press Carri to do it, but Carri had a temper and the world press could be irritating; which was why they dealt with it via computer. He didn’t need her going off on someone. Kim was even tempered and could handle herself really well when the questions got dicey. She was the only one he could completely trust in that position and he desperately needed the security of having her there.

He told her as much, trying his best not to sound defensive or angry and she nodded at everything he said. “I know, I know.” She said miserably. “I understand. It all makes sense…I just wish you’d listen to me a little more.”

“I thought I was listening.” He said helplessly. “I thought we were doing all this together.”

“No.” she said softly, shaking her head. “Between you deciding my life for me at home and mom deciding everything about the wedding coming up…and everything else…I’m just feeling lost somewhere.”

“Look, I promise to make a conscious effort to talk to you a little more, let’s not talk about changing the wedding just yet, ok?” he asked and her shoulders sank a little.

“It’s not just that Tommy.” She said.

“Then what?” He asked, “Help me understand what’s going on.”

Kim thought about her meeting with the DG and what she’d been ordered to do. Rebellion was a stupid reason to screw herself out of spending the next few decades with Tommy. She thought about her father, who really shouldn’t be influencing her either, given his own lousy record with marriage, and then she thought about Kat and how absorbed she was with her wedding. Katherine was obsessed with her plans, it was such a stark contrast to what she felt.

“Do you think,” She began and then made another exasperated sound. “I dunno. I mean, what happened Monday with Kat. She’s so incredibly wrapped up in the details of her wedding, Carri said it’s just all consuming to her; her total focus. I don’t feel anything like that... ” She confessed. “Is that a really bad omen? I mean, mom’s going to town on this thing and, aside from my dress, I could honestly care less what the ceremony and reception are like. What’s wrong with me? ” She paused and rubbed her temples with her fingers. “I’m…I mean….I’m being pulled in so many directions I can’t even thing straight. With everything that’s going on in the universe, I barely have time to think about morphing and Aisha’s calling me every half hour yesterday about some pearls she found online for my hair…and then there’s the whole thing with my dad not walking me down the aisle…my mom is freaked because the church is unavailable the same day as the reception hall… Carri’s threatening to strangle me if she has to wear anything pink…and not being able to have a rehearsal dinner because Kat’s got the whole place booked the entire day and everyone’s going to be busy with her wedding anyway…oh my god, we’re getting married in the same place as your ex-girlfriend… on the very next night. Doesn’t that bug you?”

“Not as much as when I thought it was going to be the same night.” He teased and she rolled her eyes and made an annoyed sound.

Tommy sat back and regarded her for a moment, considering her words. In truth, it was a little unnerving to know that Kat’s reception was in the same place, just one day before, but it really didn’t bother him all that much. He thought about offering to move the venue, then something about the gist of her words struck him. “Answer me this.” He said, looking directly at her and gauging her reactions. “Is it just the wedding itself that’s bugging you? If we got married tomorrow, just the two of us…no friends, no family, no pomp and circumstance…would you feel better about it?”

“We can’t do that.” She said irritably, shaking her head. “My mother…your mother….You’re her only child. You want the ceremony; all the bells and whistles. You told me yourself.”

“I don’t give a damn about the ceremony if you’re about to bolt and call the whole thing off.” He said, the slightest bit of anger creeping through into his voice. “I want to marry you, to spend the rest of my life with you. Answer me, if we eloped and didn’t tell a soul until after it was over, would you feel more comfortable?”

“Yes.” She said simply, surprising herself.

“Then let’s do it.” He answered. “I have to go back home next week to help Hayley out, that’s plenty of time to get the license… and the two of us going to Reefside won’t draw nearly as much attention as flying out to Vegas. We’ll just do it.” He paused and watched her closely. She’d relaxed a little and seemed to be considering his words carefully.

“And the ceremony?” she asked. He mother was going to throw a fit if she eloped. Hell, his mother would throw a fit; she was as excited as Kim’s mom.

“We can either have it or not. Almost everyone will already be in town anyway for Kat’s wedding or the reunion…we’ll throw a party. The Grand is already booked and mostly paid for, if you want to renew the vows in front of our friends, fine, if not… we’ll just have a simple, if expensive, get-together and enjoy ourselves.”

“You’re serious?” She asked, eyes lighting up for the first time that day. A party didn’t sound so bad. She could handle a party. Her mom would still get to plan the big event she wanted and Kim wouldn’t have to fret over bridesmaids, rehearsals, and flowers.

“Damn right I’m serious.” He said, and relaxed completely as she smiled brightly at him. She scooted over and threw her arms around his neck.

“That would be absolutely wonderful.” She said, tucking her chin between his neck and shoulder and squeezing him tightly.

He returned the embrace, relieved to the point of being dizzy. It was going to be ok, he told himself, she wasn’t going anywhere. She was just overwhelmed and he’d failed to see it. She had a right to be overwhelmed, he thought. So much had happened in so little time; just a few weeks ago he’d almost lost her for good.

He was too used to making a decision on his own and moving forward. He hadn’t stopped to consider things from her end and he vowed to be a little more understanding of her feelings in the future. She was right. If they were going to be a team he needed to consult her more. “Anything else worrying you that I should know about?” He asked, rubbing her back. She released him, sat back and laughed a bit hysterically, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Ahhh…” she sighed, shrugging her shoulders slightly. “Well let’s see…” She said, running her hand through her hair in a nervous gesture. “Teeg is furious that I’m still alive and just might follow me back to Earth again. The Phantom Ranger has all but accused me of abandoning the search for Zordon. The powers that be are not at all happy about what happened on Muirantias and have decided that, since I was the one who screwed it up, I’ll be the one who takes care of it. Kimora’s orb is missing and might just be in evil hands. And I received a communication this morning that Teeg’s henchmen may just have secured another power coin; which would give her enough power to form her own evil Ranger team.” She left out her other encounter with the DG; he didn’t need to know that part just yet.

“Is that all?” He asked, no wonder she was feeling inundated. “Is Kimora’s missing orb something I need to be concerned about?” The last thing he wanted was Kimora attacking Kim again.

Kim nodded slowly. “I think the idea of Teeg having a full team of three evil Rangers is more pressing, but yes, if Kimora gets loose, she’ll come after me again. Thomas has already warned me to be careful.”

“And what’s to be done about Muirantias?” He asked. She shrugged, hand coming around to prop her head against the back of the bench.

“I’ve basically been given Dulcea’s job.” She said simply, watching his reaction. He raised an eyebrow and she looked away, chewing her lip slightly. “Like Lerigot, I’m going to be allowed to live a normal life for a while, whatever that means, but eventually I’ll have to go back through the nemesis triangle and protect the power chamber that exists there now.” What she didn’t say was that she was only being allowed to stay so she could marry Tommy and have children. After her children were grown and Tommy was gone, she’d have to go permanently.

“So how long do you have?” He asked seriously, but she didn’t have a chance to answer as Billy came around the corner in search of them.

“I was beginning to think you two had slipped off to fight a monster and just not told me about it.” He said accusingly and Kim smiled at him.

“You’re right, we wouldn’t have told you.” Tommy said plainly and within two second his communicator went off.

“Ugh.” Kim said with exasperation, looking at Billy. “You jinxed it, you realize that...”

“Who’s in the Command Center?” Billy asked quickly.

“Kat Manx.” Tommy answered. “You go back to the rehearsal dinner and stay with Trini. We’ll call if we need you.” He said firmly.

Before Billy could protest, Tommy and Kim both transported out. He stared in annoyance at the empty space they had occupied for a few seconds before turning and making his way back to the tables. He supposed it was better to have a monster attack on Thanksgiving rather than during the wedding tomorrow, but he was uncomfortable at best with not being in the Command Center. Manx would call him if he was really needed, he was sure of that, but he still fought the urge to teleport himself back there just to make sure.

“Will you relax?” Carri said as the doorman opened the door for them. “You’re starting to seriously freak me out.” He’d fidgeted the entire ten minute cab ride and she could feel the sweat on his hand when she held it.

“I’m just nervous.” Rocky countered. “What if they don’t like me?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just go in and be yourself. My mom’s going to give you the same judgmental eye she’s gives everybody at first so relax and don’t worry about it. Once they get to know you, they’ll love you as much as I do.” Carri said, then paused, grinning at him mischievously. “Well maybe not as much as I do but they’ll still think you’re great.” They had stopped in front of the elevator and she reached up to adjust his collar for him. She was glad she’d bought the outfit for him. Jeans and kakis were fine for California, but she’d seriously understated her mother’s judgmental eye. Rocky was a great guy, and her mother would eventually realize that, but getting him past the first impression as going to be painful.

Everything Carri knew about fashion she’d learned from her mother. In her youth, Becky White had been a runway and magazine cover model and had later worked with some of the top fashion houses. She’d been introduced to Carri’s father while working as a fashion consultant for one of his television dramas and, as Rebecca Hillard, her advice was still much sought after. Carri had grown up wearing all the latest fashions and it had thrilled her mother to no end that her daughter was now considered one of the next generation of trend setters; and she’d been devastated when Carri just up and walked away from it.

“I hope you’re right.” Rocky sighed as the doors opened.

She grinned. “Come on, when have you known me to be wrong.”

Rocky rolled his eyes. “Please, do you want me to start naming things?” He asked, and at that moment, their communicators went off. Carri scooted out of the elevator before the doors could close on them.

“Fabulous.” She growled under her breath, storming back through the lobby and flagging the doorman’s attention. “Would you tell my parents I forgot something at home and we’ll be right back?” she asked him.

“Would you like me to hail a cab Ms Hillard?” The doorman answered.

“No thanks Martin.” She called over her shoulder, pulling Rocky down the busy sidewalk after her. “Just tell my mother I’m going to be unusually late, even for me.”

Emily walked into the small reception area of the nursing home and stopped short. Jason was leaning back in one of the large wingback chairs; feet stretched out in front him, seemingly sound asleep. Six old ladies, current residents if she wasn’t mistaken, were occupying the large sofa and other wingback chair; simply staring at him.

“He’s been here for about two hours.” The receptionist said with a wry smile, “And his entourage keeps growing.”

Emily took a deep breath and let it out slowly in frustration, eyes rolling heavenward. This was the fourth day in a row he’d followed her somewhere. Monday night’s dinner had been short and fun. The conversation had been light and about absolutely nothing, but she had made it very clear afterwards that she had absolutely no intention of dating him again. However, no didn’t seem to be a word Jason took very seriously; either that or he was just plain nuts.

Still, she had to fight very hard not to chuckle at the sight of him being ogled by half a dozen near centurions in the waiting room. As one old lady pointed out, he was a very pretty thing to watch. She didn’t believe for one second he was really asleep. She signed out on the visitor register, pulled her keys out of her purse, and quickly walked out the door. Sure enough, not three seconds later he was behind her.

“Hey hold up.” He said.

“Why?” She asked coolly, hitting the remote unlock to her car door.

“Maybe because I’ve been waiting the better part of the morning for you to finish visiting your dad.”

“My dad died three months ago.” She said, turning around to face him. He stopped short and looked at her in amazement.

“I’m sorry.” He said earnestly. “I just assumed…”

Yeah well, I guess you don’t know everything about me after all.” She said, opening the door and sliding inside.

“Hey wait a minute.” He said, keeping her from closing the door. “I want to invite you to Thanksgiving dinner at my mom’s.”

“Why?” she asked, looking up at him and trying to keep a calm expression on her face. Her heart fluttered despite herself. She really didn’t want him back in her life. She was pretty sure what he did for a living at NASADA and she was done losing the people she cared about from high risk living.

“What do you mean why?” He asked, frustration creeping into his voice. “Because it’s Thanksgiving and we have a ton of food and you have no other family in town.”

“Jase, I told you. I’m not going to date you again.” She said firmly.

“It’s not a date, it’s a family dinner.” He insisted. “Do you honestly think I’d take a date to my mom’s house? You’re an old family friend. My mom and my sister both adored you… and they were excited when I suggested it.”

“Old family friend…” She said, deadpan, “I’m your ex-girlfriend.”

“There’s no rule that says an ex-girlfriend can’t be a friend.”

“Jase…” She said, hands coming up to rub her temples. “We slept together.”

“So…” He said, shrugging his shoulders. “Come on Em, what else are you going today?”

She leaned her head back against the headrest and sighed wearily. The truth was, she had nothing else planned. She hadn’t even bought a turkey breast. She really didn’t have any immediate family other than her uncle; and he was traveling around in Australia with his buddies. She’d spent the morning visiting the people in the nursing home that she’d become acquainted with while her father was still alive. It was sad really, there were so many residents there that never had a visitor. Many had passed on in the three months since she’d been away and many others didn’t even know who she was, but she still went to visit them.

“Why do you keep following me?” She said despairingly and he grinned at her, squatting down so he could see her better…and to keep her from closing the door in his face. “I mean it Jase, I’m not going backward. I’m not going to date you again.”

“I get it.” He said with a mischievous grin that belied his words. He held both hands up in submission. “Hey, it’s a Thanksgiving dinner at my mom’s house with her new husband, his two punk ass kids… who just happen to hate me, and my sister… who talks incessantly about absolutely anything that floats through her bobble head of a brain. Do you honestly think, if I was trying to get you into another relationship that I’d expose you to that?” He asked with such a silly look that she grinned despite herself. “A date would mean dressing up and trying to impress you. I mean, maybe actually shaving… borrowing my friend’s car and taking you out to dinner at a really nice restaurant… someplace quiet with violins playing…”

“Ok fine.” She said, cutting him off. “What time?”

“Anytime.” He said, his grin spreading into a full fledge smile. “They’re just waiting on me to call them.”

“I’m not riding your bike.” She said firmly and he nodded. Her father’s accident had occurred while he was riding his motorcycle and he knew she wouldn’t ride one.

“Why don’t you follow me?” He said. “That way you could…” but he was interrupted by his communicator chirping. His shoulders visibly sagged and he swore fiercely under his breath.

“Maybe another time.” She said, reaching out to grab the door again. He reached out and stopped her from closing it, raising one finger for her to wait.

“Go ahead.” He said, not bothering to hide the conversation from her. Tommy would probably have a shit fit if he found out, but he really didn’t care. He hadn’t actually come right out and told Emily he was a Power Ranger, but he already knew that she knew. Interrupted dates for stupid reasons wore thin way too soon and he wasn’t about to play that game again. Besides, he’d already decided that if he was going to try and get her back, he’d have to tell her eventually anyway.

He wasn’t in a hurry. It wasn’t as if he was ready to settle down anytime soon, but having Emily back in town, and having her work in a high security job at NASADA was too good to be true. They were both working on the New Tech City project, a project that was scheduled to last for more than two decades, and he intended on taking full advantage of that.

“We have a monster with two full squadrons of claybots on the beach with confirmed civilian casualties.” Kat Manx’s voice came over the speaker. He was a bit surprised to hear her, then remembered that Billy and Trini were most likely still at their rehearsal.

“Alright, I’m on my way.” He said gruffly.

“Maybe next time.” Emily said again, reaching for the door. He stopped her again, hand coming up in a halting gesture.

“Go home, lock the door. I’ll be back to pick you up within an hour with my car.”

“An hour?” She repeated.

“An hour.” He said firmly. “If I’m late, you’ll know where I am and you know I’ll be there as fast as I can after I’m done.”

“You’re serious?” she asked.

“I’m serious.” He said firmly. “Now get out of here and get off the freeway as fast as you possibly can. Those things have a tendency to be the first thing a sixty foot monster steps on. Go!” He said roughly, standing up and closing her door.

She started to roll down her window and protest, but as she did so, he transported out in a streak of black light. “Well I guess that answers the question of which uniform he wears.” She said to herself.

"You have got to be kidding.” Carri sneered as she transported in and got her first good look at the monster. “Are Rita and Zedd out of their minds or do they just have a sick sense of humor?”

“What?” Rocky asked, pairing up with Carri as the claybots began their attack.

“It looks like some kind of turkey baster. At least, I think it’s a turkey baster...one with beady looking eyes and long spindly legs anyway.” Kim said, joining Jason on the counter flank. Sirius had already begun to circle around Tommy and he’d told her he didn’t want her anywhere near the henchman during a battle.

“What’s a turkey baster?” Rocky asked, also noting that Sirius had singled out Tommy again.

“A hollow tube with a suction ball one end…you use it to spread hot broth over a turkey.” Kim said in-between kicks. She was getting really tired of claybots. She’d fought hordes of them for more than two weeks with the Novas, only to come home and fight more of the nasty things. At least Rita and Zedd hadn’t perfected their monster making yet. She just wasn’t up to another serious monster battle.

“That’s not what I was talking about.” Carri said, back flipping to avoid a rather nasty snarl of grey warriors. She came to a halt at the edge of the fight and pointed an accusing finger at it. “Call it whatever the hell you want, that thing’s a god damn seven foot penis.”

Kim and Rocky both stopped in their tracks and stared at the monster, earning themselves several direct hits by claybots. Carri was right, in a way. Kim was a pretty good cook and had immediately recognized it as a kitchen utensil, but Carri didn’t cook at all and wouldn’t know what it was. She hadn’t really considered the phallic nature of the thing, but once Carri pointed it out, she began to giggle.

If Rita and Zedd were going to do a Thanksgiving Day themed monster, there were probably many other objects far more worthy of consideration. Whatever possessed the evil duo to use it would probably remain a mystery, but it shot out scalding hot liquid, which burned through nearly everything it touched, so perhaps there was an answer in that.

“As if it wasn’t hard enough to deal with restrictions, Rita and Zedd have to go and rub it in.” Carri complained.

“Ha!” Kim giggled.

“What?” Carri asked “What’d I say?”

“Rub it in…” She snickered, flipping backward to avoid another claybot.

“Oh grow up.” Jason yelled at them, maneuvering over to Kim’s new position. It was useless to fight a claybot on your own, they had to be taken out in several steps. Without a partner to work in tandem with you, you’d fight them forever without much success. “It’s obviously been taken out of someone’s kitchen.”

“Lighten up Jase…” Carri called, from the other side of Rocky. “Mr. Happy over there is a decent distraction, but I would exactly classify him a major threat.”

“Not unless we both end up pregnant afterward.” Kim snorted.

“Both of you are worse than a bunch of fourteen year old ninnies.” He snarled. “My sister has more sense.”

“What’s with him?” Kim asked, coming back to back with Carri and allowing Jason to team up with Rocky.

“I think he might be a little intimidated.” Carri offered Kim grinned behind her helmet.

Actually, there was nothing at all either lewd or lascivious about a kitchen utensil, but Kim was over stressed as it was and, once she started giggling, Carri did too. Each time the monster would shoot at them through its top spout, they would burst out laughing; even when the droplets burned through their uniforms. The result was that the two got knocked around a lot more than they really should have, but neither seemed to care much.

Tommy had his hands full between Sirius and the viratrons and didn’t clue in right away to the girls misbehavior, but neither Rocky nor Jason were much amused. Jason was pissed to begin with that he’d been interrupted just when Emily had agreed to go with him to his mom’s house and Rocky was just plain pissed off Carri wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing. The girls actually stopped fighting at one point, cracking lewd jokes and enticing the monster to attack them head on.

With the boys actively scolding them for their misbehavior, they did straighten up a little but, every time the monster would shout out insults or make a threat, Carri would crack another lewd joke and their antics would start all over again. The problem was, the laughter would take their minds off the fight at hand until the claybots nearly had them. Only when they began to get seriously beat up, did they seem to come back to their senses and continue the battle in earnest. That kind of rollercoaster fighting after weeks of sitting by Carri’s bedside on Aquitar sent Rocky’s temper into overdrive and he got more than a little knocked around himself trying to keep an eye on the two unruly girls.

“How the hell are they gonna sensor these photos for the kids?” Carri asked as Kim pulled her out of the ever present row of cameras and news crews where they had been unceremoniously dumped by an untimely explosion.

“Not sure I want to answer that one.” Kim giggled.

“If you two are done…” Jason growled. “We could use a little help here.”

The two girls nodded and ran back to the fight, pistols drawn. “I think I need a little more height.” Carri called and Kim nodded, leaning down, hands cupped. Carri ran forward, jumping into the offered stirrup and Kim slung her upward. Pistols firing in rapid succession, she scored direct hit in the monster’s “eyes” causing it to stagger backward. She landed on the other side of the battlefield and sprang to her feet just in time to see it warble around unsteadily. Tommy scored a direct hit from the opposite side and it bounced around even more chaotically, losing its balance, and the two girls both stopped fighting and laughed again.

What’s up with them?” Tommy asked, eyes following Sirius and watching the villain re-direct the viratrons.

“Don’t ask.” Jason said.

“They’re gonna get themselves killed is what’s up.” Rocky complained, temper boiling. “Let’s end this thing.”

Jason nodded. He’d had enough of the monster, the claybots, and the girls combined; it was time to finish the battle. “We need some heavier equipment.”

Tommy agreed and ordered the Zeo Cannon, calling everyone together in position. When the monster finally exploded for good through its top spout, the girls fell out of formation and rolled on the ground until their respective boyfriends pulled them up and told them angrily to knock it off. Unfortunately, it did the predictable thing and grew to sixty feet and the two females immediately fell back to the ground and laughed until they nearly hyperventilated. Eventually, the sixty foot creature got their attention and their training kicked in for real, but not before the guys present were ready to smack them both.

The battle, now that the girls were fully onboard, went true to form and by the time Tommy gave the order for the Zords to unite, the whole thing was over in only fifteen minutes…which got the girls giggling again. The boys were beyond reprimanding them at that point and simply transported out, leaving the two girls to goof around the wreckage. Eventually, they realized they’d been left behind and teleported out as well; leaving behind a very confused Rita and Zedd spying on them through their viewing globe.

“You’re not still mad at me are you?” Carri asked as they walked back through the door to her parent’s building a few minutes later and Rocky scowled at her. Dr. Manx had treated her for multiple burns and minor injuries; none of which would have happened if she’d been paying attention.

“I can’t believe you. That was totally unprofessional.” He admonished softly so the doorman couldn’t hear. Carri burst out laughing, drawing the attention of several people in the lobby.

“So was that monster.” She said jovially, rolling her eyes. “At least we got it over with and can enjoy the day now. Still nervous?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I got most of the adrenaline out of my system fighting that thing. It wasn’t a joke Carri, that was a hard monster.”

Carri threw her head back and laughed again and he pulled her roughly through the elevator doors when they opened. “Knock it off.” He hissed as the doors closed. “I’m serious.’ He growled.

“I know you are.” She teased and he rolled his eyes.

She brushed passed him, sliding against him even though she actually didn’t have to, and placed a key in the slot next to button for the top floor. He took a deep breath as the elevator began its silent ascent. Carri’s parents lived in a huge two story penthouse in the Manhattan; not all that far from Carri’s place. If Carri was serious about the price she was going to ask for her little hole in the wall, Rocky couldn’t even fathom what her parent’s house was worth. Fortunately, most of his nervousness had been worked out on the monster and the rest of it was channeled into the anger he felt at her recklessness. It had been a stupid object to turn into a monster, he admitted silently to himself, but Carri’s unruliness had cost both her and Kim direct hits that they otherwise wouldn’t have suffered. He always worried about Carri out on the battlefield, he couldn’t help it, but stupid mistakes could easily be avoided.

“I love you.” He said, the irritation still clear in his voice. “It scares me when you’re reckless like that.”

Carri’s shoulders dropped a little and she regarded him seriously before moving toward him and wrapping her arms around his neck. She bit back a retort about being able to take care of herself and blowing off another inane monster. “I understand.” She said simply.

“Do you?” He asked. “Do you have any idea how hard the last few weeks have been? Sitting by you, comatose in the Command Center? Watching the Aquitians tear you apart and put you back together again? It was painful Carri; maybe not as painful as the actual procedures, but it hurt. And then to have to watch you go out and goof around…” He took a deep breath and let it out with exasperation. “I love you.” He said again earnestly. “And it scares me to death you’re antics are going to get you killed. I don’t want to lose you.”

“I love you too.” She said simply, silently refusing to apologize for her behavior. Maybe she’d been a little sillier than she should have been, but the monster Rita and Zedd sent down had been just ridiculous. She didn’t like being told what to do and she didn’t like the insinuation that she couldn’t handle herself in a fight. Yes, it had been a hard fight and yes, she’d been a little out of line, maybe even a lot out of line, but she had always been in control and she honestly hadn’t felt like she was in any real danger.

She debated telling him how energized her new Ninjetti powers made her feel, then thought better of it. She didn’t know the extent of these new powers and firmly resolved to make the time to sit down with Kim first before saying anything… if Tommy would ever leave her alone long enough.

The elevator stopped at that point, saving her from having to say anymore to him. The doors opened with a thud to her parent’s hallway and before they’d even stepped out of the elevator, her parent’s butler opened the door for them.

“Welcome home Miss Hillard.” The older man said.

“Happy Thanksgiving Stewart.” She said lifting up to kiss him loudly and unceremoniously on the cheek. He smiled briefly, eyes twinkling, but otherwise ignored her action. “This is my boyfriend Rocky.” She said, turning and linking her arm through Rocky’s arm. “Rocky this is Stewart, he’s known me since before I born and probably knows more about me than both my parents combined…and don’t let him fool you, he’s only stuffy when he’s on duty.”

The butler nodded at Rocky, but didn’t shake his hand when Rocky offered it. Carri shooed the hand away with a smirk and took her coat off, handing it to Stewart and gesturing for Rocky to do the same.

“So, did they eat without us?” Carri asked

“No Miss, I believe Mrs. Barrett was instructed to hold dinner until your arrival.”

“Great…” Carri drolled. “I’m sure I’m gonna hear about this one for a while.”

“Yes Miss,” Stewart said, turning to walk away with their coats. “I’m sure you will.”

Carri gave Rocky a mischievous grin and pulled him down the hall and into the main apartment. The penthouse itself was not overly large, but it had high ceilings and was lavishly decorated. The main area downstairs consisted of one large, ornate room with a long dining room table, grand piano and several seating and conversation areas.

Large, floor to ceiling windows showed an extensive view of the city below and a set of French doors off to one side opened up to an equally large balcony area.

“This is where my parents entertain.” Carri said, brushing past the lavish room and heading for the staircase tucked away to one side. “It’s almost totally for my dad’s business and was completely off limits to me when I was kid, but we did eat holiday dinners down here sometimes.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him up the staircase only to be met half way by a tall blond man with bright blue eyes.

“Is that really my daughter or is it a mirage?” He teased in a heavy Australian accent.

“It’s me.” She said in a silly voice, releasing Rocky’s hand and hugging her father. She pushed back, kissing his cheek, and turned around to Rocky. “Dad, this is Rocky DeSantos.”

“Jonathan Hillard.” He said, nodding at Rocky. Rocky shook the firm hand and they turned to continued up the stairs.

“So Carri says you’re in business for yourself.” Her father said.

“Dad…” Carri warned, reaching back to take Rocky’s hand again.

“What?” he father asked, “What could possibly wrong with that question?”

Carri grimaced and asked after her mother, only to be told she was resting and didn’t want to be disturbed. “Well if she’s going to be that way, I’ll just go back to California.” She answered testily. “I mean if no one here wants to see me...”

“Hey what am I, chopped liver?” a voice called from down one of the two hallways that split off at the top of the stairs.

They had reached the upper story and walked into what Rocky felt was really a very comfortable family room. Where the entry and main floor had been lavish, this was decorated more toward family living, with warm colors and large leather sofas. There was a big screen television and stone fireplace on one side and off to the other was a good size glass table that was littered with puzzle pieces. Family photos were scattered across just about every surface and Rocky was surprised to see photos of Kim and Jason as well as other people he knew. There was even a small photo of him with Kat and the other Rangers from their high school graduation.

“What? You don’t wanna hang around long enough to deal with me?” Her brother Josh said dramatically, making his way from the hall into the living area.

“Eh…” Carri said, noncommittally, but she grinned and returned his hug enthusiastically. She turned and introduced her brother to Rocky, who was taken aback by the physical similarities between the two. Josh was a big guy, slightly bigger than he was, but it was strikingly obvious he and Carri were related. Even though he knew Josh was four years older, they could, without a doubt, have passed as twins. Their father however, with his blond hair and blue eyes, looked far more like Kat’s father than the parent of these two and Rocky was stunned just how much the two must have favored their mother.

It struck him then that he’d didn’t remember seeing many photos of Carri’s family. He knew she had them, and that he’d seen them somewhere, but where her parent’s family room was bursting with personal photos, Carri had few to none. Even her apartment here in New York didn’t have any personal photographs that he was aware of. That seemed more than a little odd to Rocky and he made a mental note to ask her about it later.

“So how much have I pissed her off this time?” Carri asked, plopping down ungracefully on the sofa next to Rocky and re-taking his hand.

“You’re only forty minutes late.” Josh said dismissively. “I think she just figured your message meant you were going to be hours not minutes, so she took one of her headache pills and went to lie down.”

“Crap.” Carri said icily. “That means she’ll be out of it for at least another hour.” She looked up at Rocky, scowl still firmly in place. “You want to go and come back later?” she asked.

“Carri lie off a bit love.” Her dad said easily. “Your mum ‘ll be out in a bit…let her rest while you visit with us… besides, she’ll be happier after she’s relaxed a bit.”

Josh snorted and Carri shot him an icy look. Carri knew damn well what was going to happen when her mom took one of her headache pills. If she’d taken it with water, she’d be out a good two hours, but if she’d taken it with a martini, they weren’t going to be eating dinner until much, much later.

“So, you follow football?” Josh asked Rocky, indicating the pre-game show which was muted, but still playing on the television.

“A bit,” He answered, “But I’m a bigger baseball fan.”

"Hey, I love baseball.” Josh said enthusiastically. “She won't admit to it, but Carri was a really good pitcher. She’d blow the socks off most of the guys I used to play with. It was pretty cool ‘cause she was so little… of course, I taught her most of what she knew." Josh said.

"Really? You pitched?” Rocky asked, turning toward her. She shrugged noncommittally and he grinned at her. The shrug probably meant Josh was right and she was really good. He knew she liked baseball, and they argued enough over their favorite teams, but he didn’t know she’d actually played. Then again, Carri didn’t offer up too much information about her childhood and what little he knew was mostly second hand. “So you played on a high school team?” He asked her brother, who nodded.

"Yup, I was a drifter, most comfortable at first, or in the outfield… preferably right." Josh told him.

"I used to play right field." Rocky said. “We’ll have play sometime.”

"Ah… no,” Josh answered with a laugh. “I haven’t played in years, but I still follow it on TV."

“So… you an Astros fan like Carri?” Rocky asked and Josh burst out laughing.

"Oh god, no. Don’t tell me the two of you actually root for the Astros?”

“Uhm… no, I’m a Dodgers fan. Carri and I bicker over it constantly.” Rocky admitted nervously.

“Ha! Good man, so you pick on her for that too?" Josh countered

"You mean I'm not the only one?"

"Are you kidding me! She and I still go into shouting matches over who’s better…even though they’re not in the same division anymore.”

"I think we just have one long drug out debate which will never end." Rocky said ruefully.

"Don't give ever in.” Josh advised “She’ll never let you live it down. That’s the thing about my sister, she’ll keep at you until you cry for mercy and then she’ll laugh in your face about it the rest of your life.”

“Hey!” Carri all but shouted indignantly, “You’re gonna be that way and I’ll leave the two of you to stare at each other until mom wakes up.” She said, gesturing between her brother and her dad who both raised their hands in mock defense.

Carri pretended to scowl and stew, but Rocky could tell there was a lot of love between her and her brother and dad. The conversation switched to other sports and even though Carri pretended to protest, she joined in animatedly when her brother would dig at her or tease her about her facts. The hour passed quickly and Rocky relaxed, enjoying their company and feeling very welcome. But as easily as the conversation had flowed, it came to a sudden stop and Rocky turned to see that Carri’s mother had made her entrance.

Tommy sighed heavily as he exited the freeway and turned his Jeep onto the street where Kim’s mom was staying. Kim was sound asleep in the seat next to him and he seriously debated whether or not to turn the car around and drive her home.

She and Jason had argued loudly over her antics with Carri and, even though he’d agreed with his friend, he’d had to tell Jason in a quiet, yet firm, voice that he was overstepping himself. That hadn’t gone over well at all, on either end, and Kim had ended up giving him a positively evil look that didn’t cool until well after the rehearsal dinner was over. He didn’t like being angry at Kim, especially with her re-considering marrying him, and had found himself being overly affectionate to her throughout the rehearsal dinner until she warmed up to him again.

She was excessively tired and way more stressed out than he had realized and with all the bruises and burns she and Carri had chalked up, he wasn’t sure if she should really go through one more Thanksgiving event. But even as he made a decision to do a U-turn and take her home, her eyes opened and she insisted that they make the last rounds with her family.

Her mom had greeted him with the most affection she’d yet shown him, which he took as a good sign, but one look at the huge banquet she’d prepared and both of them were ready to gag. All they had done, all day long, was eat, but one look at her mother’s pale face and both resolved to quietly get through just one more meal.

“So both of you have had a busy day thus far yes?” André asked in his accented English as they sat down to the heavy laden table.

“It’s been eventful.” Kim sighed, gratefully accepting a large glass of red wine, and her brother covered a chuckle.

“And yet the relatives on both sides have not driven you completely insane, no?” Andre said with a smile as he held a chair for Kim’s mom and took his own.

“Mike told us what happened at your father’s.” Molly said quietly.

“It’s fine mom…whatever.” Kim said dismissively.

“Well at least you didn’t storm out and call everything off.” Michael said jokingly, but Kim dropped her fork with a loud clatter and, instead of picking it up, covered her eyes with her hands. Tommy reached down and picked it up for her, then patted her back.

“Oh god…” Her brother moaned. “I was joking Kim, you honestly didn’t let dad get to you did you? He was drunk off his ass.”

“Watch your language around your little sister.” Molly admonished and then turned to her older daughter. “You don’t have an announcement for us, do you Kimberly?”

“Molly, leave the girl be…she looks to have had a difficult day.” Andre said sympathetically, although he also studied his step-daughter carefully. Kim gave a small bark of laughter at the understatement, but shook her head and held Tommy’s hand visibly on top of the table.

“No.” She said quietly. “No announcements.”

“Good.” Charlotte piped up, “Cause momma and I already ordered my dress and I want to be a Jr. Bridesmaid.”

“You’re the flower girl Charlotte.” Molly reminded her as everyone began passing dishes of food around.

“I’m too old to be a flower girl.” Charlotte pouted. “That job’s for babies.”

“It’s a lovely little dress Kim.” Molly began and the next half hour was spent eating and talking about the wedding plans that were being made.

Kim gave Tommy a rueful look, but he just squeezed her hand. He didn’t care if the wedding happened or not. First thing Monday morning he was taking her to Reefside before she had a chance to change her mind again. The conversation switched from wedding plans to Kim’s house, and that led to the topic of Michael’s business, and then some good hearted teasing about Michael’s lack of a love life, before finally winding down over a huge desert that threatened to send everyone’s stomachs bursting for good.

“Well,” Andre said at last, “Before we dismiss you children from the table to wallow in our state of miserable gluttony, your mother and I have an announcement of our own…well, several announcements as the cases may be, yes Molly?”

“I’m gonna go to school here in California.” Charlotte said smugly, causing both Kim and her brother to look at their mother in astonishment. The gallery in Paris was their mother’s dream job and nothing, not even her older children growing up and moving back to the States could cause her to give it up.

“Well…” Their mother said slowly. “Andre and I have decided, actually I wanted it and Andre agreed…” She explained with a smile and nod in Andre’s direction. “With Kim getting married and both of you living so far away, and with Grandma getting older and not doing so well, I’m just having a difficult time with the idea of going back to Paris in January. So we’ve contacted a realtor and we’re going to re-settle here.”

“That’s….that’s…” Michael began.

“That’s wonderful news mom.” Kim finished.

“Please curb your mutual excitement.” Their mother said drolly.

“No…mom…honestly, that’s wonderful. We just didn’t think anything would take you away from the gallery.” Kim said.

“Well, Sharon and I are going to trade.” Her mother said. “She wants to be closer to her daughter and I want to be closer to you two.”

“And there are other reasons for this move as well…” Andre pressed, looking directly at Molly. Their mother seemed to squirm slightly in her seat then steeled herself, looking directly at her two older children.

Kim had a sinking feeling and unconsciously grabbed Tommy’s hand again. She knew her mother had been very sick lately and had seen several different doctors to find out what was wrong with her. With everything else that had gone wrong that day, an almost overwhelming sense of panic built up inside her. Her mother got on her nerves quite often, but she loved her and if anything was seriously wrong, Kim wasn’t sure how she’d handle the news. Tommy gently squeezed her hand in reassurance, and she silently took a deep breath.

“Yes…” Her mother said, pausing for just a moment. “It seems that Andre and I are going to have another baby.”

“Are you completely insane?” Karone asked, just a little too loudly and Andros shushed her, grabbing her arm and pulling her outside. Karone had come over for Thanksgiving dinner. Although she didn’t understand the holiday any more than her brother did, it was nice to be included, and she liked visiting with her brother and his in-laws. She knew Andros was frustrated and unhappy with their situation since the fire, but what she didn’t expect was for him to excitedly try and convince her to move back with him to the colony on KO-35. “If your wife doesn’t have the hutzpah to stand up to you, then I will.” She said firmly as he closed the front door behind them.

“Where do you get those words…hutzpah?” he asked, baffled, and she made an angry face at him.

“You can’t honestly think it’s a good idea to go back to that colony.” She said, heat still in her voice.

“Yes.” He said honestly. “I can’t guarantee my family’s safety here. I want to take them home.”

“And you think you’ll be any safer there…with Gruumm storming around the galaxies?”

“Gruumm’s nowhere near the colony.”

“No, not until the refugees flock in from the other core worlds and beef up the infrastructure. That world is as high in raw minerals and materials as Earth is; add in the best and the brightest that have fled from the world’s he’s already conquered and he’ll definitely start looking at it.”

“The homestead is already ours.” Andros argued. “If we don’t settle it, we’ll lose it forever.”

“Then let it go.” Karone spat. “When you’re done fantasizing about going back to your roots, maybe you can wake up and realize that little homestead wasn’t the utopia you remember it to be.”

“What are you talking about? The colony was a wonderful place to grow up.”

“Oh sure it was,” she said snidely. “It only killed both our parents.”

“I don’t understand why you’re acting like this.” He argued, his own voice rising slightly. “You’re my sister, that property is half yours, you should be excited that the colony is being re-settled and we can go back.”

“Go back?” Karone spat, “Why the hell would I want to go back there?”

“Because it’s our home, where we were both born. After years of deterioration and abandonment, it’s going to be settled again, become a thriving community. Aside from the shipyards, there’s been nothing there for decades. It’s going to be a thriving planet again. We can be part of that, Sage can grow up with all the benefits of a truly modern society.”

“Oh please.” Karone sneered, confusing him even more. “If by chance your very Terran wife manages to adapt to the realities of that kind of society, the harshness of colony life is going to drive her insane… and don’t forget the most glaring reality of moving back into that little house…”

“What’s that?” he asked harshly, his anger starting to rise at his sister’s attitude. This wasn’t what he’d expected. He knew Karone had as difficult of a time as he had on Earth, he thought she’d jump at the chance to go home.

“That little house is the exact spot our mother sent us out into the backyard to play…and I never got to come home again. I hope to hell you have a better plan for insuring the safety of my niece, or maybe you’re just so impressed with the way I turned out you want your daughter to follow in my footsteps.”

She turned on her heel and stormed back through the front door, leaving him to sink miserably onto the front steps. He hadn’t thought Karone might not have the same good feelings of their family home. She had a point…she never got to go back home. Darkonda had kidnapped her barely fifty feet from their house. She didn’t have the same good memories he had of childhood; her childhood had been far different. He rested his elbows on his knees and rubbed his face firmly with his fingers. He didn’t know what to do.

Carri hugged her mom, kissing her on both cheeks. “Carri dear, I’m glad you decided to finally join us.” Her mother said evenly. It wasn’t really a reprimand and it wasn’t snide, but the sarcasm in her voice was obvious.

“Face it mom, your life would be hopelessly boring without me.” Carri responded evenly. Her mother made a sound, but Rocky couldn’t really tell what kind. He stood as they came back around the couch and Carri wrapped her arms around his elbow. Rebecca Hillard was not what Rocky had expected. Her dad and Josh had been so down to earth and easy, he was almost ready to call Jason and tell his friend he was full of shit. Carri introduced him and he shook her mother’s soft, and very limp, hand a bit too firmly before she retracted it, looked him up and down, and glided past him.

As Carri pushed him back down on the sofa, her mother sat regally on the side arm of her husband’s chair and Rocky was struck by three very significant things. First of all, although Carri had told him her mother was nearly forty when she’d been born, Rebecca barely looked more than a decade older than her daughter. The second thing he noticed was that she was incredibly, strikingly, beautiful; if painfully thin. Carri was gorgeous, no one would deny that, but both women seemed to already know and understand that she was not, and never would be, her mother. The third thing he realized, was that this was where Carri got her waspish side.

There was no doubt in his mind now where Carri got the iron bar that steeled up her personality and the temper that was just plain fierce at times. There was such a familiarity in the way the woman looked him caustically up and down that Rocky actually relaxed at bit. He loved Carri and, despite the fact that her temper drove him to distraction sometimes, he loved that aspect of her personality as much as the sweet and loving side.

Carri’s temper was not a front. It was a very real side to her personality that she tried very hard to control. Living and working with her for the past few months, he’d come to understand that personality trait, both the good and the bad sides, and it didn’t seem nearly as intimidating in her mother as it was in his girlfriend. He’d seen his girlfriend take down aliens; he seriously doubted her mother was the physical type. In fact, in an odd sort of way, he felt calmed by the coldness. It was familiar, he knew what to expect from it and it didn’t bother him any more than when Carri had one of her fits.

“Carri tells us you’re a karate teacher.” Her mother said sweetly, although the black eyes staring at him were cold as ice. They were much darker than Carri’s. His girlfriend’s eyes had definitely been tempered by her father’s. They were a lighter brown, with gold specks, although he’d seen them twice as hard and cold as the look her mother was giving him now.

“I have my own school.” He said simply, nodding and smiling warmly at her.

“Nothing wrong with being in business for yourself.” Jonathan said casually. “The way to go if you ask me. Been telling Josh that for years. Builds character…makes a person strong. Carri gets it.” He said, giving his daughter a nod. Her mother continued to stare Rocky down. It was so similar to the way Carri looked just before she went into battle that he almost laughed.

“And your parents?” He mother asked casually.

“They’re not together.” Carri said, giving her mother an equally cold look that said loud and clear she wasn’t going to tolerate her mother’s digs. Kat had already told them all about Rocky and his family. She could have smacked her cousin, but she hadn’t done it out of spite; Rocky was her friend. Josh had asked her and she’d told him.

“My dad abandoned us when I was seventeen.” Rocky said honestly. “I’ve supported my mom and my brothers and sisters ever since.”

“Good man.” Jonathan commented, taking a swig of his beer. He was impressed with the kid his daughter had brought home. He was a good, stable, sort of fellow and Jonathan could appreciate that. He hadn’t started from nothing, like this kid, but it had been pretty close. If there was one thing he respected, it was hard work and the tenacity to make things happen.

“Rocky managed to buy them a house and put the himself and the older ones through college.” Carri said casually, to her dad. “But I think I might have sabotaged things for the younger ones.” She admitted.

“What do you mean?” Josh asked, standing and pulling another beer out of the bar refrigerator for himself and Rocky.

“I think I convinced him they were taking advantage and needed to be out on their own for a while.” The tone she used was sheepish, but her face was anything but repentant and her brother chuckled softly.

“You were right, they were.” Rocky said squeezing Carri’s hand, “But I’d already come to that same conclusion before I met you.” He added firmly.

“And your father? Where is he?” Rebecca asked, not liking the fact she’d somehow lost control of the conversation. The boy was a damn martial arts instructor, she was going to make absolutely sure he knew her daughter was far out of his league, but somehow her husband and son had already welcomed him with open arms and the boy was acting way too comfortable in her home.

Rebecca Hillard prided herself in the fact that she could make just about all of New York society squirm if she wanted to and this kid was regarding her as if she was no more than a bobble-headed housewife. It didn’t sit well with her; not at all.

“He’s in New Mexico with his girlfriend and three more children.” Rocky said easily, although it was not a topic he liked to discuss. “I’ve told each of the kids when they graduated high school where he is, but none have wanted to contact him so far.”

“Oh my.” Rebecca answered, her tone and tilt of her head indicating it must be an embarrassing subject.

“No different than some of people we know. Josh said, earning a scowl from his mother. “God, half the people coming tomorrow must be on their second, third, or fourth family.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Carri said uneasily.

“They didn’t tell you?” Josh asked. “Damn, I wondered why you showed up.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Carri asked her mother coldly.

“I’ve upped the date for our holiday annual.” Her mother said coolly, a sweet cat-like smile spreading across her face. Rocky knew that smile, it was the one Carri got just before she destroyed something. “I thought it would be nice to hold it while both my children were actually in town at the same time.”

Carri stiffened and the hand holding Rocky’s became almost painfully tight. “I’m afraid we have plans tomorrow.” She said simply, giving her mother a merciless look.

“What could you possibly have planned that could take precedence over my holiday annual?” Her mother asked coolly. “Especially since I’ve rescheduled it specifically to coincide with your visit.”

“We didn’t bring any formal wear with us mom.” Carri said and Rocky watched as the muscles of her jaw began to spasm. “And I, for one, refuse to shop in New York for something that specific on the biggest sale day of the year.”

“Oh posh.” Her mother said dismissively. “I picked you up something myself, although you seem to have picked up a little weight in California. I’m sure Joanna can easily alter it though.”

“I think she looks healthy.” Her dad offered; only to be ignored by the women in the room.

“Rocky doesn’t have a tux.” Carri said firmly.

“Well I’m sure Joanna would have no problem cutting one of Josh’s down. Would you like that Rocky?” Her mother asked a bit too sweetly.

Something in Carri’s reaction and the way her mother asked him clued Rocky into the knowledge that he should really refuse. “I’m sure I can find something for myself.” He said.

“No, it’s not that simple.” Carri argued tersely, “And he’s not wearing Josh’s hand-me-downs.” Carri said firmly.

“I could take you to my tailor tomorrow.” Josh offered. “I mean, you’d have to buy something off the rack, but that’s no crime.”

“No, it’s not possible.” Carri said firmly.

“Carri it’s just a party.” Her dad said. “Lots of people changed their plans at the last second because your mum said you and your new boyfriend would be there.”

“They’re coming just to see you darling.” Her mother insisted.

“I think it’ll be fine Car.” Josh piped up and Carri scowled at him. “It’ll give me someone normal to hang out with all night.” He added, drawing a slight smile from one side of her mouth.

“Why don’t you go and take a look at the dress I laid out on your bed.” Her mother offered and Carri surprised everyone by jumping up and saying that was a fabulous idea. She grabbed Rocky securely by the hand and pulled him firmly down the hallway after her.

Closing the door behind them, she whirled. “This is so not a good idea.” She said decisively. “She’s totally setting you up. You don’t know the first thing about New York society and she’s gonna dish you up and serve you to the wolves… what?” She asked as Rocky stared past her.

“It’s pink.” He said, astounded. “Lots and lots of pink…everywhere.”

“Well what’d you expect? It’s my childhood bedroom.”

Rocky turned slowly, three hundred and sixty degrees, taking in all the pink on pink on pink ruffles and frills and delicate white and gold furniture. Only two things belied the décor and rang true to its former owner: there were two small Brad Pitt posters stapled to the wall over her desk and several Astros stickers slapped haphazardly over the ancient computer monitor that sat on her desktop. The rest of it was just pink. A fluffy, frou-frou, soft and cuddly pink that made him want to burst out laughing.

Then something else caught his eye; something almost hidden by the pink cotton candy canopy that covered her bed. They were belts, karate belts, marking her rank from white all the way up nearly to nearly black. “You took karate?” He asked, turning around and looking at her in astonishment. Her arms were crossed and she had an irritated look on her face.

“Where do you think I learned to fight?” She said acidly. “Cheer practice?”

“I didn’t know.” He said, still dumbfounded. “Sometimes that happens. You know…” He lowered his voice and glanced back at the door. “You get your powers and sometimes you just know…that’s what originally happened with Kim and Kat.” He looked back at her rack of belts, calculating the years she must have studied and level she must have been. From the look of the tape attached to them and from the medals hanging off to one side, she’d known her stuff and been to more than one tournament. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, turning back to her with an almost hurt look on his face. Her shoulders deflated a little and she loosened the grip on her arms, but still held them crossed in front of her.

“You’re a Karate instructor, you know as well as I do that I cheat when I fight.”

“Sometimes you have to.” He acknowledged. Actually, Carri didn’t have a bad form, she was better than Kim in many respects and Kim was a mean fighter; trained by Dulcea herself. “You didn’t get your black belt?” He asked and she shook her head.

“I tested, I just never showed for the belt ceremony.”

“Why?” He asked incredulously.

“Well for one, I ran off with Kim and Adam…and for two…I didn’t need a belt to tell the world I knew how to stand up for myself…that I respected myself.”

Rocky shook his head. Something about what she said made sense to him, but there was something else in the way she said it; a vulnerability in her eyes that told him there was far more to the story than that. He regarded her curiously. He had absolutely no doubt that if he opened that closet of hers he’d find trophies. Why they were kept carefully out of sight was anyone’s guess.

There was a reason she’d kept her past sealed tight; a reason he didn’t know yet. Carri, as a child, by all accounts of those who’d known her, had been a mousy, quiet little thing that had one day shocked the world by turning into a hellion. Yet, there, in her room, were several years worth of Karate belts; belts earned during the same years she was supposedly a little cheerleading clone. “You want to tell me about it?” He asked.

“No.” She said firmly.

“Someday?” He pressed, not wanting to give it up.

“Maybe.” She shrugged.

Again, he caught the slight vulnerability in her eyes and wondered at it. He doubted he’d ever really understand her; even if he spent the rest of his life trying.

Kimora gasped, the feel of the air coursing in and out of her lungs shocking her out of the stupor she’d fallen into. Her last memory was of being trapped in the orb, but where she was now, she had no idea. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and was startled to find that they’d actually focus.

“Welcome back to the land of the living.” Teeg purred. “I have a job for you.”

The End

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