Title: Temporary Home
Author: Mykkila09
Chapter (s): 1/1
Settings: Just before and after Kim arrives in Florida.
Summary: Kim's thoughts on leaving her friends and what accepting Gunther Schmidt's offer means for her.
Story Word Count: 2,456

Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all its affiliates belong to Haim Saban and I am making any money off of this. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: based on Carrie Underwood's song of the same name, though the fic has nothing to do with it...except maybe the chorus. I heard the song and this story came to mind. I've read so many stories of Kim before she leaves for Florida and how she feels about going but not many about how she felt after she got there, so I decided to write one. Read and review and let me know what you think.

A/N 2: oh and the letter doesn't happen—so no Tommy and Kat—and Kim wasn't kidnapped with Jason.

Kim sighed as she stood in the airport with her friends around her; she knew she should be happy, but she still couldn't help but to be sad. She was leaving behind everyone and everything she loved.

"It's ok," Aisha said. "We'll talk every day and it'll be like you're still here."

Both girls looked at each with tears in their eyes, knowing that Aisha was wrong; it wouldn't be the same. It'll be different.

"No it won't," Kim sniffed as a tear spilled over. "We'll be so far apart from each other."

"I know," Aisha nodded as her own tears fell, "but we'll always be best friends. Nothing and no one is going to change that."

"I hope so," Kim said softly, referring to the newest member of their little family, the blonde she had chosen to replace her as the new pink ranger.

Aisha, knowing her friend like she did, knew immediately who the former pink ranger was talking about. "Not even her Kim. Kat's an ok girl, but she's not you. And even if she and I become friends, she and I will never be near as close as you and I are."

"You don't have to be worried about that Kim," Rocky took a step closer to the girls and pulled Kim into a hug. "'Sha's right; Kat may be the new pink ranger, but she will never replace you or what you mean to us as friends and as a team."

"You'll always be the pink ranger to me," Adam smiled sadly as he hugged Kim after Rocky let her go. "It doesn't matter if you're clear across the country or if Kat's now the new ranger; in my heart, you will always hold that spot."

"Thanks frog prince," Kim kissed his cheek when they pulled back. And then she turned to Billy.

"You've been one of my best friends since we were babies," Billy grabbed her hands in his. "You've stuck by me and stood up for me so much that I'll always be grateful for it. I love you sis, and Adam's right, in our hearts, you'll always be the pink ranger." He pulled her close and kissed her cheek before hugging her. "Fly strong beautiful and graceful crane."

"As long as I know my faithful wolf is watching from below," Kim smiled tearfully, "I will."

She looked around, hoping to spot him but she didn't. "Where is he? I don't want to leave without saying goodbye."

"He'll be here Kim," Aisha reached out and grabbed her hand. "You know how he's always late. Don't worry, flyboy wouldn't let you leave without saying anything."

"Flight 2573 to Miami, Florida is now boarding at gate D4," came over the system.

Kim looked to where the gate was and saw the people boarding before she looked back towards the others. She looked past them, her expression worried.

"He'll be here," Adam reassured her, though he too wondered where their leader was.

They talked for a bit more before the final boarding call came over and Kim looked resigned as she looked at her friends.

"I guess he won't make it," Kim said before smiling at the others, hugging them all once more.

"Call me as soon as you get settled," Aisha demanded when they pulled back from the group hug.

"I will," Kim nodded before she wiped her tears and grabbed her carry-on bags. She turned and walked towards the gate when she heard her name. She looked back quickly and spotted her boyfriend running towards her. She dropped her bag and hurried towards him, flying into his arms when they were close.

"I thought I'd leave without seeing you one last time," Kim whispered as she cried softly.

"Wasn't gonna happen," Tommy vehemently replied before he pulled back from the hug and set her down on the floor.

"I'm scared Tommy," Kim looked up at him.

"I know you are Beautiful," Tommy wiped her tears. "So am I, but I believe in you and us. I know the thought of being away from us is scary, but I know you can do this. This is your dream Kim."

"I know," Kim nodded before she took a few deep breaths. "I love you...so much."

"I know," Tommy smiled at her, "and I love you too. You're not going to be gone forever. Just think of it as your temporary home; a place to rest while you do your thing at the games before you come back to us...to me."

Kim smiled up at him, completely amazed by her boyfriend; he always seemed to find the right things to say to her to make feel better.

"Ok," Kim nodded before she leaned up to kiss him once more. "I really do love you and I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," Tommy kissed her again before he gently pushed her away and grabbed and her bag. "Come on; the sooner you get to Florida, the sooner you train and win and get back to us."

Kim laughed and let him lead her to the gate where she checked her ticket.

"Have a good flight," the lady at the desk smiled at Kim.

"Thank you," Kim nodded before looking back at Tommy. "Just temporary, right?"

"Yep," Tommy squeezed her hand. "Go on."

"Bye Tommy," Kim gave him a final hug before taking her bag and walking through the gate; just before she turned the corner, she turned around and waved goodbye, tears once more filling her eyes at the pained-looked in her boyfriend's eyes. Blowing him a kiss, Kim turned and walked away before she gave in to the urge to sob her eyes out.

~...~

Kim looked around the room she would be staying in. She had come straight from the airport to the compound. Tonight, she would go to the gym and be introduced to everyone. But for now, she was thankful that she was alone...or so she thought.

"Oh hey," a brown-skinned girl walked out of what Kim assumed to be a bedroom. "I'm Isabel Daniels, you're roommate. I'm guessing you're Kimberly Hart, from California?"

"Yeah," Kim nodded, immediately relaxing in the girl's presence. Something about her put her at ease. "Angel Grove actually."

"Really?" Isabel looked at Kim with wide and excited eyes. "So, have you met the power rangers?"

"You know about them?" Kim raised an eyebrow.

"Yep," Isabel laughed. "I'm always on the internet and I came across a news article from Angel Grove about them and since then, I'm always on the net reading about their latest battles. I think they're really cool."

"Me too," Kim smiled and it was tinged with sadness. "Uhm, I don't mean to be rude, but, do you think I could be alone for a while?"

Isabel looked at her before her expression turned sympathetic. "Sure." She walked over to Kim and touched her arm. "I know it might not seem like it's too overwhelming, all the things you're feeling about being so far from home, but it will get better."

"How do you know?" Kim asked the girl.

"I'm from Tortola," Isabel told her, "but my mom used to train here and she wanted me to come to this gym because of that. Just know that if you ever want to talk, I'm here."

"Thanks," Kim smiled at her.

"You can take the room on the right," Isabel gestured to the door on the opposite side of the room before she grabbed her bag and headed to the door. "Stay strong Kim, it'll get better. Oh by the way, you can call me Izzy." The girl smiled once more before opening the door and walking out, closing it softly behind her.

Kim shook her head and walked over to her bedroom. She opened the door and walked in, placing her bags near the bed before sitting on it and falling backwards.

"Well," she murmured softly. "I'm here. I'm fulfilling my childhood dream." Not surprisingly, tears sprang to her eyes and she turned to curl on her side. Being in the Olympics was something she had wanted ever since she was a kid, but now, when she thought about leaving her friends and Tommy, she wasn't sure she wanted it. All she wanted now was to get back on a flight and go back home, but she knew she couldn't. Tommy and the others wouldn't want her to; they wanted her to follow her dream.

Make no mistake, she was happy about being here, she just never thought it'd be that hard to leave everything behind. And the worst part, she was alone; at least Jason, Trini and Zack had each other when they left for the Peace Conference in Switzerland, but she had no one and that thought crippled.

Sobs broke free from her throat as she continued laying there. She wanted to be there but she wanted to be home too. She's never been this far from her friends before and she hated it. She didn't want to stay there; at that moment, her childhood dream meant nothing to her. She didn't want it if meant being away from home and feeling the way she was right now.

She didn't want Kat to be the new ranger; she didn't tell anyone, but she was scared that the blonde would replace her in every way with the others. As childish as it was, she was afraid they would like her better and a tiny part of her was afraid Tommy would fall for the tall and leggy blonde. But even as that thought completed itself, she threw it away; Tommy wasn't like other guys and he wouldn't hurt her like that. Tommy was in love with her; when they were together, he never even looked at other girls—his eyes were for her alone.

Her cries continued, though they weren't as loud as before. She knew that any other gymnast would be ecstatic that one of the best coaches in the industry had come to personally train them and ask them to come and train at their gym, but she couldn't help but to partially resent the man. If he hadn't come to Angel Grove, she would still be home; if he hadn't given her the hope that she really could make it to the Olympics and win, then she wouldn't be there.

'I should've said no' she thought sadly. 'I never should've accepted it. Being a ranger was bigger than being an Olympic winner. I want to go home.'

The thought prompted more tears and Kim cried until she fell asleep.

Later that afternoon, she was awoken by Izzy to go to the gym. The brown skinned girl made no mention of her red eyes or the dried tear tracks on her cheeks; she just hugged for a few minutes which surprisingly made Kim feel a lot better.

After she was introduced to the other gymnasts, Kim was walking through the gym, her eyes taking in everything; from the beams, to the parallel and uneven bars, to the mats.

'It's a great place,' she thought, 'but it'll never be home.'

At that thought, Tommy's words from the airport came back to her;

...just think of it as your temporary home; a place to rest while you do your thing at the games before you come back to us...to me...

And she realized suddenly that Tommy was right; this was just a temporary home. It wasn't where she belonged. People go through lots of things in their lives, and this was just something that she had to do on her own. This was just a stop in her life path. She was going to do what her friends encouraged her to do. She was going to train and be the best gymnast she could and see how far that would take her and then, when she was done, she would return to her loved ones.

It was time for her to stop being afraid, because she wasn't going to be there forever. Being in Florida was just temporary. So, she would try; she would train and she would make them proud of her. And then when she was done, she would go home.

"Kimberly!"

Kim shook her head and looked back to where she heard her name and saw Izzy standing at the door waving her over. She couldn't help the smile that came on her face as she looked at the girl; in the few hours since they met, Kim found that she liked being around the girl. As she started towards her, she couldn't help but to think that she would like her temporary home just a little.

Epilogue

Kim stood at the door as she watched Jason, Tommy and Adam in the ring; her friends and boyfriend had no idea that she was in town and had been for the past two days. She had been to the Command Chamber as Zordon had teleported her there to congratulate on her medals and he had also told her what was going on with the others.

Cheering drew her attention back to the ring and she watched as Angel Grove won the match and Jason, Tommy and Adam were handed the trophy. She laughed when she saw Jason and Tommy place Justin on their shoulders, Adam having given the pre-teen the trophy to hold. Still smiling, she made her way through the crowd and to the ring.

The others hadn't noticed her as yet, but Tommy, who had allowed Justin to return to the ground, spotted her and her heart fluttered when she saw the way his dark eyes lit up in happiness.

"Kimberly!" his shout of her name drew the others attention, but neither one noticed as they only had eyes for each other.

Still smiling, Kim quickened her pace; Tommy, seeing made his way out the ring and was just in time to catch Kim in his arms.

"I missed you!" Kim laughed as they hugged. They pulled back after a few minutes before smiling at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Tommy looked at his girlfriend in amazement.

"I'm home Tommy," Kim smiled. "I'm finally home." She shook her head slightly. "You were right; Florida was just my temporary home, but now I'm back where I belong."

"I'm so happy," Tommy grinned. "I love you Beautiful."

"I love you too Handsome," Kim replied before they shared their first kiss in a year. Being in Tommy's arms firmly cemented the thought of being truly home in Kim's mind. Yes, she would leave and go other places, but those places would only be her temporary home because Angel Grove and Tommy would always be her permanent home.

This is my temporary home, it's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know
This is my temporary home

A/N 3: so...what'd you think? I hope it was ok. I wasn't too sure if I should've added the epilogue or not, but if it you guys think it fits, then I'll leave it. If not, I will remove it. Review so I can know your thoughts...