Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Power Rangers just the ones I make up in the story.

Title: The Secrets We Keep

Summary: Kim gets some news after her fall off the beam but does not know how Tommy will take it. She wonders how long she can keep her secret before Tommy and the other rangers will find out.

Chapter 1: A Bitter Pill to Swallow

Angel Grove Community Hospital, Angel Grove

January 16, 1996

12 pm

Kim was asleep in her hospital bed when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Kim woke up and answered.

"It's Dr. Beckett. May I come in?" the doctor said.

"Sure," Kim said as the doctor came in.

"I have the results of your bloodwork and urine tests and your blood tests are fine. The urine one, though, was unusual."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we ran a pregnancy test, and it came back positive."

"But, me and my boyfriend were very careful," Kim said.

"Well, there's always a 3% chance that birth control can fail, and you and your boyfriend were in the unlucky 3%," the doctor said.

"What are my options?" Kim asked.

"I brought some pamphlets on abortion and adoption for you to look at. You also need to get a second opinion to confirm the pregnancy," Dr. Beckett said.

"Okay I'll look through these, thank you," Kim said as the doctor left.

Kim leafed through the brochures and one caught her eye. It was a brochure for a pregnancy counseling center. She made a note to call the number on the brochure once she was released.

Aisha's House, Angel Grove

January 18, 1996

3 pm

Kim ran up the stairs and shut the door to the bedroom. She went over to the phone on Aisha's nightstand and dialed the number for the pregnancy counseling center.

"Horizons Pregnancy Counseling Center, Amy speaking. How may I help you?" the receptionist said.

"Hello, I need to speak to someone. I…I just found out I'm pregnant and I need some advice," Kim said.

"Okay, I just need your first name and I'll put you through to one of our pregnancy counselors," Amy said.

"It's Kimberly," Kim said.

"Okay, Kimberly, it'll be just a moment. I'm connecting you now," Amy said.

The line was silent for a few moments then a caring voice came on the line.

"Hello, Kimberly? This is Angie, one of the pregnancy counselors here at Horizons. How may I help you?" Angie said.

"Hi Angie, I really need your help. I just found out I am pregnant, and I am almost 17 years old. I am scared to death. I just need your help deciding on what option would be best for me to handle this," Kim said.

"Okay, Kimberly, I will help you. Start from the beginning starting with when you found out you were pregnant," Angie said.

Kim told her everything that happened when the doctor came in to see her, told her her test results, and gave her those brochures.

"Well, whatever option you choose will impact your life both negatively and positively. Abortion is a medical procedure that will end your pregnancy. It comes with complications and consequences. Most women will feel guilty after going through with the procedure and you would need to rest for a few days afterwards. Adoption, on the other hand, gives a couple who cannot have children a chance to become parents. There's an open adoption where you can be in close contact with the adoptive parents and see your child after the adoption has been finalized, and a closed adoption where you would have no contact with the adoptive parents and your child."

"Can I go through with adoption even if the father of the child doesn't give consent?" Kim asked.

"Yes, but you would have to prove that the father wouldn't be able to be a good father to the child. Are you thinking of not telling your boyfriend about the baby?"

"Yes, no…I don't know. I'm afraid of how he'll react," Kim said.

"Tell me about your boyfriend," Angie said.

Kim told her everything about Tommy, about how caring and kind he was, how he treated her, how much he loved her above everything else.

"Sounds like he's a very kind, loving boyfriend. Why are you afraid to tell him?"

"I just don't want to ruin things for him. He's got dreams for his future, and I don't want to put me and the baby between him and his dreams," Kim said.

"Okay, Kimberly, I would like to set you up with a mentor, someone who experienced pregnancy at your age once, and who has a lot of advice and wisdom to share. She will be a tremendous help to you in the days ahead," Angie said.

"Okay," Kim said.

"Okay, I have the perfect mentor in mind. Her name's Mariah. She was seventeen when she found out she was pregnant and ended up keeping her baby, a boy named Tristan. She is 22 now and Tristan's 4 now. He is the cutest little boy you'll ever meet," Angie said.

"Okay, when will she contact me?" Kim asked.

"As soon as I give her your information. Good luck, Kimberly. I'll be here if you need me," Angie said.

"Thank you, Angie, for everything," Kim said as she hung up.

Thanks a Latte Coffee Shop, Angel Grove

January 20, 1996

4 pm

Kim briefly talked with Mariah on the phone and said she would rather talk to her in person. So she was meeting Mariah at a small coffee shop in downtown Angel Grove.

Kim checked her watch. Then a young woman with long black hair came to her table.

"Kimberly, right?" Mariah asked.

"Yes, are you Mariah?" Kim asked.

"Yes I am. Nice to meet you," Mariah said, shaking Kim's hand.

"Same here," Kim said.

"So, tell me everything from the beginning and be honest," Mariah said.

Kim told her everything and Mariah listened carefully. Then Mariah spoke.

"Okay, sounds like you have a lot on your plate. So, the first piece of advice I can give is that you should see a doctor to confirm the pregnancy. They will check you out to see how things are going and give you your due date. Once that is done you can make the decision on telling the father of the child about the baby," Mariah said.

"How did you tell Tristan's father about him?" Kim asked.

"I told him to come over to my house, sat him down, and told him about Tristan," Mariah said.

"What did he do?" Kim asked.

"He got up, told me he didn't want anything to do with me or the baby, and left. I've been raising Tristan by myself ever since," Mariah said.

"What about your parents?" Kim asked.

"I was lucky to have a mother who had been a teen mother herself, so she knew where I was coming from. She helped me with the baby until I had enough money to get myself an apartment. My father acted the same way as Tristan's father did when my mother told him about me. I never met him and probably never will."

"Wow. How are you doing now?"

"I finished college last year, and work as a nurse in a labor and delivery ward at a hospital in Stone Canyon."

"Good for you. I was going to compete for a chance at participating in the PanGlobals as a gymnast, but now that I'm pregnant I can't," Kim said.

"Sometimes life does not always go as planned, but there is always something else waiting for you at the end of the rainbow. I wanted to be a fashion model, but with a baby that was hard to do, so I went to college, got my bachelor's in nursing, and got licensed to be a nurse."

"Will you help me find a doctor and help me make that appointment?" Kim asked.

"Sure, that's what I'm here for," Mariah said smiling.