It had been several hours. Several hours of writhing and pained sobs that tore from Trini's weary form. Her stomach feeling as if it was being torn apart. Her eyelids tightly shut, legs trembling with the utmost pain that coursed throughout her body. Trini's voice grew hoarse from the continuous screams echoing in the small hospital room. The contractions began to intensify, her body shuddering violently. The twenty year old woman's eyes burned with tears when the doctor stood between her legs forcing liquid to spill out from in between the two limbs.
"Trini," the doctor ordered, wanting the young woman's focus. "I need you to began pushing now."
Propping her legs apart and pinning them, the doctor pulled Trini's hips forward. Nurses scattered the cramped room moving a blinding light near Trini's lower abdomen.
"I need you to take slow and steady breaths and start pushing." The doctor instructed again.
Trini nodded breathlessly and heaved herself forward - wishing her wife was here. The youngest Power Ranger wanted to see the innate pleasure on Kim's face when the doctor revealed their crying child to the world. Her heart gave a pang at the knowledge that Kim and the rest of the Power Rangers were fighting some unearthly creature, while she laid on a hospital bed.
The brunette loved being a 'superhero' and fighting crime - it was her life's calling, but she had truthfully stayed on the team for a more personal reason. A selfish reasoning. If anybody had known while she agreed to join the band, they'd call it selfish act of joining. In truth and honesty, the reason was love. Nothing more, nothing less. Trini adored Kimberly when they had first met three years ago. Three years ago when they first became a team of misfits and crime fighters - teenagers with attitudes. Three years ago when Trini fooled herself into thinking her feelings for the pink ranger were a mere crush and most definitely not something more.
Pain began to grow steadily. Trini felt a stretching sensation as she pushed; the doctor's gloved hands worked around the baby's surfacing crown. Tears fell freely from the twenty year old's tired eyes.
"One more push," the doctor announced. "You're doing incredible."
Immediately, Trini let out a heartbreaking cry, calling out for Kimberly's missing presence. Trini heaved one final time - pretending the nurse's hand that she clutched in a death grip was her wife's. All muscles throughout Trini's entire body sagged at the sudden relief once the baby's tiny frame was carried within the doctor's arms.
"Congrats! It's a healthy baby boy," the doctor proudly declared with smile.
Pure bliss assorted with tears that simmered behind heavy eyes, Trini watched with awe as the doctor handed the fragile newborn to a nurse, who cleaned the boy of vernix and wrapped him in a white blanket.
With the doctor finishing the mess around Trini, she held out her sore arms for her surprisingly silent son. She felt emotions begin to bubble within her chest as the baby was carefully given to her. His endearing mocha colored eyes were alert taking in his surroundings. His tiny fingers flexed outward, he started to fuss softly, making Trini panic that she was doing something wrong. A nurse chuckled taking note of the new parent look that took over Trini's face, the nurse gently readjusted the infant in his mother's arms, allowing Trini to breastfeed him.
"He's beautiful," Trini murmured astonished.
Kimberly Hart launched to her feet as a stunned Rita fell to her knees. Jason immediately leapt to Kim's defense - prepared for another one of Rita's assaults.
"It's not over," Rita grinned, bestowing her blood stained teeth. "I'll never stop!"
The corrupted ranger sprang to her feet in a flash of green. Rita's armored hands encased themselves around Kim's neck, thrusting them both back into a vacant shop. Debris collapsed around the pink ranger and villainess. Kim let her hands clamp around Rita's arms, striving to free herself from the vice grip around her neck.
More Putties emerged from the ground up, drawing the rest of the Power Rangers from Rita and Kim. The two women continued to wrestle. Kim's right leg bent as she lifted her left foot, sending a hefty kick to Rita's ribcage. The alien woman staggered back, allowing her grip on Kimberly to fall. Rita grunted giving a subtle smirk - watching the pink ranger with a eagerness that made Kim's skin pale. Kim swallowed thickly securing herself in a fighting stance.
"Once I finish slaughtering you and your fellow Power Rangers," the green ranger threatened. "I'll murder that weak and brainless child of yours."
Kimberly's chest felt taunt. Her thoughts felt crazed as her fists balled with anger. The pink Power Ranger stood amongst the maniacally cackling villain.
"Shut up!" Kim thundered, her fists slammed harshly against Rita's jaw.
Kimberly's throat felt thick her eyes brimmed with frustrated tears, it was hard to breathe suddenly. Her heart felt like a pendulum swinging dangerously to what she considered wrong and right. Disgust, hatred, and fear all surrounded her being. She wanted to kill Rita so desperately - that it frightened her.
"I see it. The anger that festers inside you," Rita hisses, blood trickling down her lips. "Do it! Kill me, it's what you desire, is it not."
"Kimberly," Jason's panicked voice called out. "You okay?"
"Yes, are you okay Kimi." the villainess mocked with a laugh.
Jason's face was riddled with concern for his silent teammate. Soon Zack and Billy hurried to their leader's side, watching along with him as Kim remained uncannily quiet. Kim felt broken again, she felt like the shallow girl she once was. She swore she would change and be the better person she truly was. For Angel Grove, her friends, parents, Trini, and their child. The deafening silence that staled the air made Kimberly choke. She watched as Billy and Zack began taking an unconscious Rita back to the ship.
Jason placed a tentative hand on his friend's shoulder. "You did the right thing," he whispered. "Trini would be proud of you."
"Thanks, Jace." Kimberly breathed, looking down at the wreckage surrounding them.
The red Power Ranger nodded with understanding, before he left to join Zack and Billy, leaving Kimberly to her thoughts. Kim sighed tiredly as her armor dissipated leisurely. She sprinted with inhuman speed toward Angel Grove's small hospital; where she knew Trini and their newborn would be waiting for her.
Kimberly watched with a small smile as Trini slept beautifully in the hospital's bed. She looked so naïve and tranquil to Kim; that she knew in her heart she could never be able to live with herself if anything happened to Trini. The yellow ranger was like the sun, who warmed Kim from the inside, making her feel happy when she felt she least deserved it. Kim leaned down and placed a faint kiss on Trini's brow. When Kim turned she saw the hospital crib in the corner of the room. She could hear soft and short breaths of the newborn sleeping as she drew closer. Kim leant over the glass frame of the infant's bed, spotting the light blue beanie resting on it's head.
"I knew it," Kimberly whispered with breathy laugh. "I told your mother you were going to be a handsome baby boy."
The Power Ranger carefully cradled the boy in her arms. The boy's eyes lit up with wonderment at the new stranger holding him. Kim felt different, she felt an uncontrollable stir of protectiveness within her chest. It scared her, yet it felt incredible.
Eventually the newborn's tiny eyelids grew heavy. Without thought the exhausted boy clutched onto the lapels of Kim's leather jacket, making Kim bite her lower lip to keep herself from crying like a complete idiot. 'Trini would totally get a kick out of this', Kim thought with a smile.
Kim ran a careful finger down her son's plump cheeks, down to his tan nose, and pouty lips. 'He shares the same cute features as Trini.' Kim mused.
Offering a kiss to the baby's supple cheek, Kimberly soundlessly laid her son back in the crib. Kim trudged toward the single armchair in the hospital room. She slumped within the chair with a quiet sigh and took Trini's small hand - lacing their fingers together.
"Out of all the things I've done in my life," the Power Ranger uttered in a hushed tone. "This is what matters."
