Written in the Stars
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers.
:: A one-shot. In this story, Dino Thunder never happens though Tommy is still teaching in Reefside. Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you like this.
"Oh, Kim, please don't tell me that you're leaving now," Aisha complained when she saw Kim gather her stuff and coat. They were having a good time, reminiscing of the good old days, when suddenly her best friend since high school said that she was feeling tired from the long day at work. Somehow Aisha got the feeling that it was just an excuse Kim had come up with since she had accidentally brought up a taboo topic nowadays less than five minutes ago. "I promise I won't mention his name again or I would get you those Jimmy Choo's for Christmas,"
Smirking, Kim looped an arm around Aisha's shoulder and squeezed her tightly. "First, I personally don't care if you want to say his name a million times and second, I know you've bought me an antique statue. You know, the one that I said would look great in my living room if it's put side by side with the one Jason had given me,"
Kim glanced at the amount of shopping bags sitting near her chair. It was a last minute shopping with Christmas was just right at the corner. It's not something that she usually did, but life had been so busy, especially at this time of the month. Working in a magazine corporation and teaching six year old kids gymnastics were tough at first, but more importantly, it busied her enough that she didn't have the time to think about the man that he hadn't heard from since almost two weeks ago.
Aisha took a sip of her tea and fixed the strap of the little yellow dress that she had on underneath a matching jacket. Meddling in people's business was not something that she enjoyed to do, but Kim was one her oldest friends and the topic was too hot not to touch. Being such an insensitive friend wasn't something that she intended to be, but someone should knock some sense into Kim's head and she would gladly volunteer. "How about Tommy? What'd you get him?" She asked in a light tone, amused when Kim raised her eyebrows. "You said it yourself that it shouldn't matter for me to say his name,"
"You know, there's actually a difference between saying his name and asking me questions about him," Kim reminded her, trying to play it cool. It was too late to play any games with Aisha and still too early to get hot and bothered. Talking about Tommy would always cause her getting hot and bothered. Kim picked up her last shopping bag and smiled at Aisha. "Besides, that guy over there had been eyeing you practically since we set feet on this place, so making him wait any longer wouldn't be so nice of me, right?"
Aisha made an effort to glance over her shoulder to see the man Kim had pointed out. A thirty-something-year old tall guy was sitting by the window, typing at his laptop and peering over his Mac every once in a while. "He is okay, but he reminds me of Rocky too much and you know that Aisha and Rocky is not a good mix these days," The man that she had been dating on and off through out high school and college was giving her mixed signal that was not very much appreciated.
"He'll come around," Kimberly moved over to give Aisha a hug. "But seriously though, we have some serious issues with guys,"
"If you're not too stubborn, you wouldn't be in this mess," Aisha chided gently with a cheeky grin. She sighed and looked at the huge Christmas tree near their table, her hand reaching out to carefully graze the lights. "Alright, I take that back. You're born that way and there's only one man who could live with your obstinate so you'd better get his ass back here,"
"I thought we agreed not to talk about him again?"
"Just get out of here, girlfriend,"
"You're right," Kim checked her watch and released a yawn. The day was finally catching up with her and the thought of her warm, comfortable bed was so inviting. "I'll see you tomorrow,"
"I'll call you,"
Waving at Aisha, Kim grin's broadened when she saw the guy in the blue coat closed his laptop and stood up. Once she stepped outside the café, her hands automatically tightened her jacket around her body. It was getting even colder by the day.
A single glance towards the taxi stand told her that she didn't have many options tonight. Since her apartment wasn't that far, she decided in a split second that walking would help her clear her mind.
It had been three years since she moved back from Florida. As much as she loved Florida, Angel Grove would always be her home and besides, the news of Tommy coming back was helping her a lot in making the decision. The last she heard he was somewhere in UCLA studying to be a paleontologist. As if it hadn't been a surprise enough, the PhD had nearly knocked her off her chair when he told her about the title he had earned. And don't forget the email about him wanting to do an interview in Reefside. She wouldn't have dreamed that Tommy Oliver would be a high school science teacher. The female population was surely fortunate to have him as their teacher. She vividly remembered about her, thirteen years back, sitting in the front row of Mr. Parker's English class just to ogle at him.
The letter was no longer an issue since they had long cleared the air. They talked after Muranthias and after many tissue papers, they were officially friends once more. He was with Katherine at the time and as much as she wanted to tell her blonde replacement to back off, she simply couldn't do that. She had made bad decisions; writing that letter and letting Tommy go were two of those mistakes.
But just like her and all of her dates, it didn't last. Once she moved back to Angel Grove, emails and phone calls were replaced by weekly hang-out and she was pleased to know that they slowly but surely were putting up pieces back. Nine months later, he properly asked her to 'be' with him again. It surely took them long enough to get there, but she would say it was worth every pain and tears she had shed.
Reefside and Angel Grove wasn't that far and Tommy came by often enough so they could spend some time together. Besides, with the technology nowadays, all she needed to do was turn on her web cam and they could play naughty together. Did she just seriously say that out loud? Ouch.
When Kim waited for the light to change, her cell phone vibrated and she struggled with her bags and coffee in one hand to take the call. Now she realized that she should have taken a cab. "Hello,"
"Hi, Kim,"
Kim froze and stopped at her track. After two weeks of no contacts, what the hell was Tommy Oliver doing now? "Tommy?"
"The one and only. How are you?"
Rolling her eyes, Kim straightened her back and started walking. The street was almost empty but the street lamps and the bright lights coming from the Christmas ornaments were more than enough to make her feel safe. "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"
"Very funny, Kim," Tommy replied, laughing dryly.
"Why are you whispering?" She couldn't help but asked.
"Um, somebody's sleeping right now and I don't want to wake her up," He answered calmly, successfully making Kim see red.
Two weeks ago Tommy had asked her to go with him to Texas to meet his family. Due to some deadlines in her workplace, she had turned him down. Then Tommy went on about that wasn't about her job but that she was afraid to meet his folks. He had tried to be an understanding boyfriend, but that was the third time she rejected him and he wouldn't let it go.
Somewhere between the arguments, many old issues resurfaced and it had got even worse for both of them. At the end of the day, Tommy found a letter from Luke, a former boyfriend of hers back in Florida and the man that she'd left him for, informing her that he would come for a visit and asking her to pick him up at the airport.
That was the last time she talked to Tommy. That was immature and childish and sure, she realized that she was too old to act like a sixteen year old girl. They were not perfect. Many of their friends saw them as a perfect couple; the white knight with his pink princess. It was sad to say that their relationship was just like any other relationships there were out there and she didn't adore the color pink anymore. In fact, she recalled there were only two pink dresses in her wardrobe.
"I'll pretend I didn't ask you that question and you didn't answer me with that answer," Kim replied. It could have been his niece, but she then remembered that Beth lived in Texas right now. She had been living with her boyfriend, ex boyfriend now, for almost a year when she caught him cheating on him. Kim new for a fact that Tommy and Beth had been pretty serious back then and they had been fighting so much lately that she was getting slightly hesitant if Tommy wouldn't mind getting serious with Beth now. She never doubted his loyalty and feelings to her, but she had her own insecurities.
"I'll do the same then," Tommy agreed. "I'm glad that I don't have to come up with a fake answer that I'll know you won't appreciate,"
"What's with the sudden phone call, Tommy?"
"Couldn't a guy check on his girlfriend after not seeing each other for weeks?" Tommy asked politely and Kim felt a ton of bricks leave her shoulders.
Feeling a little relieved that he still considered them as an item, she said, "Honestly I'm kinda glad that you called me first,"
"I aim to please. That's why I contacted you first even though you're the one who owe me an apology,"
"Don't make me take my words back, Tommy," She shot back and shook her head. She knew that she has long been forgiven and that she still needed to say the words to him, but she enjoyed this little game nonetheless. She had missed him so much and she wasn't lying when she said she was glad that he called her.
"How's work and those cute angels?"
"Just the usual," Kim answered, slowing down a bit.
"So the Lucifer's daughter is still treating like you're her rival and your students still haven't nailed the routine you taught them," Tommy concluded and Kim could picture the smug smile that she knew must be there on his face. How she missed that smile… "Give them a break, Kim, they're four,"
"Six actually," Kim corrected. "And no, they're doing well, but you're right about Patty. Can you believe that she turned down the four page article I made for her? She said I didn't talk about clothes and shoes enough or something like that,"
"Well, actually, I can,"
Kim closed her eyes, mentally beating herself up. But this was probably for the best. She couldn't run forever. If she wanted things with Tommy to go back as the way they used to be, maybe now was the best time to talk. "It's not that I don't want to meet your folks, Tommy. You know that I always love your mom and dad, it's just that-,"
"Just in case you're worried, they don't hold a grudge against you for dumping me ten years ago," Tommy said quietly, his choice of words making Kim cringe.
"Couldn't you use a better word than 'dumping'?"
"For sending a letter to the Youth Center and having Adam read it out loud for us, then?"
Kim sighed. He didn't make it any easier for her. However, before she could utter one word, Tommy continued and this time he chuckled. "Come on, I was only pulling your legs, alright. That happened a decade ago, Kim. They never thought badly about you. Teenagers break up everyday; I guess that's another thing that you get to see when you chose to become a high school teacher,"
"I know that," She hated being a coward, but Tommy was partially correct. All the letter aside… "I guess, I'm just nervous,"
"It's not like I'm going to ask you to marry me," Tommy said softly, dropping another bombshell. "Not now, anyway,"
"How did you…,"
"It's not important from whom I got the information, but really, Kim. I would have never thought that the story about your friend's boyfriend proposing her when he brought her to see his parents, freaked you out that much,"
"Now I know that I won't tell Jason anything, ever," Kim vowed between greeted teeth, promising herself that she would call Jason as soon as she got home. It's not the prospect of being proposed that scared her, it was the thought of getting married itself. She had watched her parents arguing and fighting too much not to feel concern about herself being married. The last thing she wanted was to disappoint Tommy and drive him away to another woman's arms.
"And I'm sorry if my talking in my sleep worrying you," Tommy finished.
"Oh well, I won't give Jason and Aisha their Christmas present this year," Kim huffed. She couldn't believe Aisha told Tommy about that!
"Did I really propose to you in my sleep?"
"Do you really want me to answer that question?"
"Because I think it's not so romantic, isn't it,"
"For the umpteenth time, I'm asking myself how I could have fallen for you," The real reasons were so many and beyond comprehension that all she could do was thank whatever power out there to give them another chance.
"Because I was very cute?" Tommy dared to suggest.
"Shut up, Tommy,"
"Why is it so embarrassing for you to admit that? I called you Beautiful in front of our teammates, Alpha and Zordon. But of course, you took the spotlight by fainting in my presence," His voice was full with mirth and she knew she wouldn't let him get away with it if only he were there.
"Have I told you I hate you?"
"Everyday,"
"Good,"
"Where are you now, Kim?"
"I'm at-, oh great," Kimberly stopped. Cursing under her breath, she swirled around. She was at least 300 meters away from her place. "I just got back from Starbucks with Aisha and-," The words failed to come when she was greeted by a grinning Tommy Oliver standing a few meters from her. "What the hell are you doing here?" Fighting her instinct to tackle and smother him with kisses, she held her ground.
"You know that it's not safe to walk alone late at night," Tommy flipped his phone and put it back in his pocket. It had been a while since she last saw him and he looked even more handsome in her eyes. Clad in a black V-neck sweater and jacket, he was the love of her life. That's the truth that she had long stopped to deny.
"Someone's sleeping, eh?" Kim shot back, narrowing her eyes at him.
Tommy closed the distance between them in ten long strides and gazed down at her with a smile. "I had to make sure you didn't know that I was following you,"
"At least you admit that you're stalking me," Kim shrugged, feeling the butterflies in her stomach flutter when Tommy moved closer. He leaned over and took the bags from her hands, leaving her with her half empty coffee and the pink Victoria's Secret bag.
"Is that my Christmas present?" Tommy asked with a leer.
"Dream on," She walked passed him, heading back to her apartment. She would ask him when did he arrive and why, but she would save those for later.
He walked close behind her and seemed to be enjoying this as much as she. Kim ascended the stairway and reached for her key. When they were standing in the doorway, Tommy put the bags on the floor and surprised her by hauling her to his chest and kissing her right there.
His kisses were wonderful as always and he smelt incredible. Her resistance broke and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as the exchange growing even more passionate. Long moments passed and they pulled back, getting a bit out of breath.
"What was that for and who invited you to come inside?" Kim asked, smiling.
He pressed an affectionate peck against her forehead and looked up. "Mistletoe. I just followed the rules," The former leader of the Power Rangers then collected Kim's bags once more and walked inside the building as if he owned it. Halfway he turned around and explained innocently, "I want to hang my sock, cause I guess Santa doesn't know my address in Reefside,"
Shaking her head, Kim closed the door and walked up to him. "Now that you're here, why don't you make yourself useful? You can help me wrapping all the presents,"
Tommy leaned down to shut her mouth with a sweet kiss. "Merry Christmas, Beautiful,"
"Merry Christmas, Tommy,"
:: Alright, I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think and no flame please. Just a little heads up, I think I'll add another chapter for Chrysalis because after I thought about it, I would be pissed if I read a story and the ending made me want to choke someone, lol.
Happy Holidays!
-Yuuri