A/N: I don't own anything but the concept. This idea came to me while I was watching Just Wright and I hope that everyone enjoys this one-shot. Also this is a birthday present for mae-E and an early Valentine's gift for my loyal readers.
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Tommy knew the moment that the car behind him had clipped him would change his life. There is just so much you think about in the time from the moment of impact to the moment you are freed from the car. The one face he could focus on and remember was of Kimberly. Those beautiful brown eyes smiled back at him and told him to fight through this. Closing his eyes, he still saw her face as the emergency people worked to free him. He wasn't hurting anywhere but his knee which was good news considering the fact that he had been tossed around the track in the car and even hit the wall at one point. What he wasn't sure was if he would ever race again.
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A Few Weeks Later
"You are going to need physical therapy on that knee or it will never be right again." The doctor said as Tommy sighed. He had hoped that he would get good news considering he had taken it easy over the past month and tried to work with his knee.
"So the work I've been doing at home hasn't helped?" He asked looking up at the older man who had been with him since he started racing. He trusted him almost as much as he had trusted Zordon while he had been a ranger.
The doctor removed his glasses and sighed before answering. "Tommy, you drive cars for a living and if you would like to continue doing that then I suggest therapy. Honestly I can see no change from the last time you were in here in fact I believe that it has gotten worse." Dr. Wilson said as Tommy nodded. He did want to continue racing because it was the one thing that had reminded him of being a ranger and he was really good at it.
"I understand. Do you recommend anyone?" He asked knowing that he couldn't give up driving now. He was so close to the title. Four years of racing could not be thrown down the drain because of his knee and his hatred of getting help. He could work through this and get back to the track and win.
"Actually I do, she just finished with some baseball player and has flown here on my request." He stated putting his glasses back on. "She has had much success in her short career."
"But you didn't even know if I would need her." Tommy protested as the doctor just gave him a look. "Well you didn't." He muttered looking down while the door opened.
"I think he knows you better than you think." A voice said to Tommy's left. He looked over as the door closed and revealed someone he really didn't want to see at a time like this. She was the only one who had really seen him at his worst and that time he didn't want to remember now. He wasn't that boy anymore and he wasn't a ranger.
"Kimberly Anne Hart, to what do I owe this meeting?" He asked thinking that she hadn't really changed since he last saw her. She was still toned even though she had done gymnastics in three years. She also had that chestnut colored hair that he had loved so much in high school and who could forget that smile that would brighten anyone's day. It was like the first day he had met her in high school.
"I assume that you know each other?" The doctor asked looking from Kimberly to Tommy. He had known that Kimberly was from Angel Grove but he didn't know that Tommy and Kim knew each other. She was the best though and could help Tommy if he let her.
"You could say that." Tommy muttered crossing his ankles. He would have preferred to be back in his clothes instead of the paper gown that the doctor had insisted he put on. He remembered the last time he had been this undressed in front of Kim and that wasn't a memory he needed in a doctor's office or anywhere public for that matter.
"We went to high school together. You could say that we were close then." Kim said with a smile. "We sort of lost contact over the years since I left for Pan Globals." She said extending her hand to the doctor. "I'm sorry the nurse told me to come on back here that you were ready for me." She explained as the doctor nodded.
"No need to worry about that, now as far as he's concern you have a lot of work to do. You will need detailed therapy on his right knee. I will fax my notes to your office so that you can set up a therapy schedule." He said as Kim nodded. "Now I will leave you so that you can reconnect." He said walking out of the room.
"So you went into physical therapy? I thought you wanted to be a coach." Tommy said tugging on the gown. He was self-conscience of the scar on his right knee. It would teach him to take the inside lane for now on during a pile-up.
"You want to talk about that now? Don't you want to get dressed?" She asked eyeing his gown with a hint of a smile.
"I guess so; could you turn around or better yet leave the room?" He suggested as one of her eyebrows shot up. "Really."
"Okay fine, I'll wait in the parking lot for you." She said spinning around before leaving him alone.
Tommy stood up and got dressed as fast as possible. Tying his shoes, he thought about Kimberly waiting outside for him. Could his life get any worse? Seeing her after all this time had to be ironic since his only thought was of her when he had wrecked. Jason would laugh once he told him that Kim was his therapist but if she was as good as the doctor said then he could be back racing in no time and she could go back to her therapy.
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Kim leaned against her white Tahoe and waited for Tommy. He had really changed in the past three years. The biggest change was that his long hair was gone. She had known that it was but just seeing him without sort of jolted her. The spikey hair suited him though and upped his hotness more than she would have liked. She had had to count to ten once she left him to get her wayward heart under control.
When Dr. Wilson had called and told her about his condition, she knew that it would be a challenge to actually be that close to Tommy and help him with his knee but she had accepted the job anyway. She could help him if he would let her. Sighing she looked back at the building and saw Tommy finally walking out without crutches. This was it, time to convince Tommy that she was the only one who could help him.
"Kim is this your ride?" He asked pointing to the Tahoe behind her.
"Yea, its nice and big." She replied. "Where's yours?" She asked looking around the lot for anything that looked like Tommy would drive but didn't really see anything that fit him.
"Uh well Jason dropped me off earlier and I'm supposed to call him to pick me up." He said scratching the back of his neck. He was suddenly nervous around a girl that knew his biggest secret because she had been a ranger too.
"I can drive you home, I mean if that's what you want. We do have to discuss some things." She said opening the driver door.
"Okay." He said walking around to get in. The Tahoe seemed to fit Kim now that he seen her in it.
"As for your questions earlier, I did want to be a coach until I helped one of the girls with physical therapy. Everything clicked in that moment and I knew that I wanted to be a therapist once I retired. I got done with school rather fast since I did most of the basic things online." She informed him as he nodded. "I have been pretty successful at your type of injury." She stated as she cranked the car.
"When the doctor called did you know it was me he was talking about?" He asked leaning back in the seat as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed to his uncle's track.
"Since you are the only Tommy Oliver that races cars, yea I knew." She replied with a smile. "If you don't want to work with me, I understand. I just thought that I could help."
"No that's fine. I mean you probably can help since you know the body and know how it moves more than anyone I know and I guess I would feel better if it was you helping me." He commented. "Why?" He asked suddenly.
"Why I took the job?" She responded as he nodded. "I am moving my office back to Angel Grove and it was a good opportunity for me besides you don't need someone who is in awe of you because you are the best thing to happen to this sport in a long time." She stated making a left turn.
"In awe of me? So you think I need tough love?" He asked seeing the sign for his uncle's track. "How did you know where this was?" He asked. She had never been out here as far as he knew.
"Tommy, you need more tough love than most people know and I know where this is because I stopped here first to discuss your therapy. Your uncle seemed surprise to see me before wrapping me in a hug. Apparently someone was happy to see me." She commented as he stared at her.
"I'm happy to see you just wished that it was under different circumstances." He muttered. "How's that boyfriend treating you?" He asked noticing her hands tightening on the steering wheel. It wasn't a fair question he knew.
"I have no clue and I don't really care considering I broke up with him before I came back to Angel Grove after winning Gold and you know that since you asked me the same question last time I was here." She said pulling into a parking space in front of the race track entrance. "If we are going to work together to get you back in top form, there are some things that you are going to have to get over and that blasted letter is number 1." She said unbuckling her seat belt to look at him.
"Okay anything else?" He questioned knowing that he had said the wrong thing. They had really talked everything out the last time he saw her after the incident on Murthanies. He just wanted to make her mad by asking that question but he wasn't sure why. It was probably the fact that she still had an effect on him that made him want to revisit memory lane with her.
"When I think of anything else, I will let you know." She said opening the door. "Now show me the workout room."
Tommy smiled and got out her ride. "Follow me, Princess." He said as Kim huffed. This was going to be fun she thought.
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"So the doctor finally assigned you a therapist?" Steve one of the mechanics said as Tommy walked back into the room. He refused to use crutches anywhere so his walk was a little uneven. Kim knew that was one reason his knee wasn't healing right.
"Yea and this is her." Tommy said. "Steve this is Kimberly Hart, Kim this is Steve my main mechanic." He said introducing them. "Anything you want done with a car, he can do it."
"Nice to meet you." Kim said extending her hand for him to shake.
"Nice to meet you too but if I shake your hand; you will get grease on you. Sorry I have been working on this guy's car all morning. Its worse than he is." He said holding up his hands to show her. Tommy knew that his car wasn't that bad but Steve always told him it was. Tommy had driven it around the track yesterday and all it needed was a tuning.
"That's fine, I'm actually use to grease my uncle owes a garage too." She said with a smile.
"Yes he does and I tried to talk him into joining me but he refuses to leave Portland." Tommy's uncle John said walking out of his office.
"He says its too hot down here." Kim said with a laugh. "I bought your wayward driver home." She said indicting Tommy.
"I can see that but who said I wanted him back. I'm pretty sure I can replace him with you if you want. I've seen you drive girl and I think that you would have that trophy won in no time." He said while laughed. Tommy sighed before smiling. His uncle was right, Kim could drive but she didn't have that killer instinct it took to win.
"Now you can't replace me, I'm your top driver and what about family loyalty?" Tommy asked leaning against the nearest wall finally feeling easy with the banter with his uncle and Kim.
"How many times, I've got to tell you, this is a business." His uncle said winking at Kim.
"Don't worry; I'm not taking your job Tommy." She said shaking her head. "Now show me where we can work." She said as Tommy straightened away from the wall and cupped her elbow.
"Come on, its through here." He said pushing through two sets of doors.
"I don't think I have ever met a Gold Medal gymnast before. Do you think she would want to date my son?" Steve asked John as they watched Tommy and Kim make their way to the gym. Steve's son Bret was the same age as Tommy and sometimes worked in the shop when they needed an extra hand. He had broken up with his girlfriend two months ago so he was single again.
"Since Tommy is still in love with her, I wouldn't even suggest that. I hate to say it but my nephew gets a little jealous over her even though they broke up years ago." He said before walking back into his office. Tommy didn't know that he knew about his feelings for Kimberly but it was plain to see even after all these years.
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"Whoa this is nice; you have a great setup here." Kim said walking around the gym. Tommy was the only one to use it so they wouldn't be in anyone's way.
"When do you want to start?" He asked watching her walk around the equipment.
"Are you okay with today, I need to go home and change. Also I need to grab your records but the sooner we start the sooner your knee gets better." She said turning to face him.
Tommy shrugged before answering. "Today is fine." He said as she nodded and walked away. He could survive this or at least he hoped so.
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"Well according to your scans, we have a lot of work to do." Kim said walking back into the workout room an hour later. She was in a pink t-shirt and black yoga pants. He did notice that she wore pink tennis shoes as well. At least one thing about her didn't change; she still wore pink and looked good in it.
"I don't understand how, I worked with my knee after I got it out of the cast." He stated looking over at her. He had been bench-pressing waiting for her to get back.
"Really?" She asked as he sat up. "Well whatever exercises you did do, didn't help because for one you don't use your crutches and you are stilling driving when you are not supposed too." She said with her hands on her hips. Her tone told him all he needed to know and that was that she was not pleased.
"How do you know that I have been driving?" He asked skipping over the fact that he hadn't been using the crutches. They made him look weak or at least he thought so, so he never used them.
"Tommy, I know you and you would have not giving up driving at least around the practice track. Anyway the scans show that your knee has been stressed in a certain way that indicates driving." She said as he sighed. Trust her to be great at her job. She always put all her focus in whatever she did, nothing half-hearted in her work.
"So what do I need to do first?" He asked walking over to her with a noticeable limp.
"First you will start using your crutches." She said looking at his right leg.
"Kim, I hate those things is there anything else I can use?" He asked sitting down on the exam table. His uncle had bought it when he had wreck the first time. It was just easier to do exams here than take him to the hospital for the small stuff.
Kim looked at him before smiling. "Well you could use a wheelchair but I assume that you wouldn't like that anymore than the crutches." She stated sweetly.
"No, I would not." He answered as she nodded. "So crutches it is, what else?"
"Well no driving at least for the next two weeks. We need to get your knee healing correctly before you will need surgery." She said pushing him on his back on the table. "Now let me see what I've got to work with." She said as she placed her hands on his right knee. "This might hurt." She stated as she rubbed his knee side to side and up and down.
Tommy didn't make a sound but his knee was hurting and the motion of her hands was making it worse. It was like fire shot through every fiber of his knee and up and down his leg.
"Okay by the look on your face, I know that it hurts but that's good. It means that you haven't done permanent damage to it. The nerves are doing what they are supposed to do with letting you know that I am hurting your knee." She said while stopping her hands. "I'm going to massage the muscles above and below your knee. Now this will hurt too but I need to get those muscles loose before we start working that knee." She said as he nodded. "Breath in and out slowly." She ordered when she got to work on his leg muscles.
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One Month Later
"Tommy push through the pain." Kim said as Tommy struggled to push the weigh up. Kim had him in the leg push with more weight than he was use too. She had been upping everything so that his knee would get a little stronger every day.
"Oh that doesn't feel good." He whispered as she knelt down next to him. She had never heard him whisper like that before so he had to be in lot of pain.
"Where does it hurt?" She said placing her hands on his knee. She hoped that she hadn't pushed him too far today.
"There." Tommy said bringing the weight down slowly. "Right there." He said firmly as Kim rubbed it harder. "Crap that hurts, Kim." He said as she pressed harder.
"Breath, you need to work this out or it will always hurt." She said as he breathed out.
He watched her rubbed his knee until the pain got worse again. This time he closed his eyes and tried to think of something else. It wasn't working though because all he could think of was Kim's pink t-shirt and white shorts. It was a very normal outfit but something about it made him sweat.
"You're not breathing deep enough." Kim commented while easing up on his knee.
"Sorry just distracted." He muttered opening his eyes. He looked directly at her.
"Tommy, where is your mind today? You have been doing so good these past few weeks." She said looking up at him. Her hands still rested on his knee though they were no longer moving which in a way he was thankful for but in a way he wasn't.
"I'm sorry its just that, oh I don't know." He said taking her shoulders in his hands. "Kim, I'm tired of fighting this." He said pulling her closer until their lips touched.
She pulled back before she could respond to that kiss. "Tommy, we can't." She whispered looking away from him.
"Why not? Its not going away no matter how hard we try." He said easing her chin up so that he could look her in the eyes. The past month had been torture with her so close to him and him not being able to do anything about it.
"I know that but we have to try. I am your therapist and right now that is top." She said leaning back away from him. "Now you are doing really well with therapy."
"So I can drive again?" He asked. She had let him stop using the crutches but she hadn't given him back his keys yet even though she had told him no driving for two weeks at the beginning.
"No, since the way your knee is hurting means that driving will only make it worse. Now come on, we are done for today." She said locking the weights in so that he didn't hurt himself.
"So when can I drive again?" He asked getting up slowly.
"Why do you have a girlfriend that you need to take out on a hot date?" She asked with a laugh. He smiled because he loved to hear her tease him.
"I would have a date if a certain therapist would go out with me but she thinks that her job is more important." He said as he came up behind her.
"Tommy." She warned as his arm slip around her. "We really ca…" She started as he kissed her neck slowly. "Oh." She moaned as he smiled and turned her in his arms.
"Say that this isn't right, now." He urged before kissing her lips. "You know that we are good together." He whispered into her ear. Pushing her back against the table, he leaned into her body to take weight off his knee which was starting to throb more now that he was standing on it.
"Tommy, oh sorry." John said before backing out of the workout room as fast as he could.
"Crap." Kim whispered while easing Tommy back. "We can't do this." She whispered.
"Kimberly, we are both single so there is no reason that we can't do this." He argued.
"Actually you are my patient for the moment so we really can't do this." She said escaping his arms.
"I'll make a deal with you." He said at her retreating back.
Swinging back around she looked at him warily. "What?" She asked keeping her distance even though he knew that her body was screaming to be back in his arms.
"I'll use the crutches and stop asking you when I can drive and also do the therapy without complaining." He began.
"Okay what's the catch?" She asked knowing that there had to be a catch. It was Tommy and when he wanted something, he went after it with full force.
"The moment that I am clear, we date and I don't mean just a meal here or there. I mean really dating as in dinners, movies, and events together." He said walking closer to her.
"Why? We did that before and look how it ended." She pointed out remembering the stupid letter that she had written him. It was the lowest point of her life and she wouldn't hurt him like that again.
"Because we both want it, forget the past. I want you to focus on the future while I focus on the present and getting this knee ready for the chase." He said coming towards her again. "What do you say?" He asked stopping a few feet in front of her.
"Okay but only if you back off right now so that we can get you back in that car." She said holding up her right hand when she saw him advancing on her when she had agreed.
"Deal." He said sticking out his hand. "You want to shake on it or should we seal this deal with something more pleasurable?" He asked as she shook his hand quickly before leaving him alone. "Well I guess we're done for today." He muttered as his uncle came back in.
"Sorry but you need to look over this specs for the new exhaust." John said setting the plans down on the exam table. "Should I report Kimberly for abusing her position to seduce you?" He asked with a straight face.
"I wish she would abuse her position and seduce me but no you don't have to report her." He replied as John smiled.
"I wondered when you two would give it a try." He said as Tommy looked over the specs. "I mean you have been circling each other for weeks. Steve is threatening to bring his son by the garage so that he can see her." He informed Tommy.
"Bret is not Kim's type and if he touches her, I'll break his arm." Tommy muttered without looking up. He knew that his eyes were probably flashing but the thought of Kim with anyone else made his blood boil. It was just like high school all over again but this time they were adults and knew what the real world was. This time when they entered the relationship it would be deeper and mean so much more or at least that's what he planned.
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Kim sighed as she pulled into the house she was renting. Resting her head on the steering wheel she breathed deep. Tommy had stirred her up and to be honest she liked it. Tommy could always do this to her but now she knew what it meant. They were not in high school and saving the world, they were adults.
Lifting her head, she gathered her purse and bag before climbing out of the car. She walked slowly to the front door and let herself in. Why did he want a relationship with her when she had broken his heart the first time? It just didn't make sense but then neither did their pull for each other. She had tried to just say that it was lust but it wasn't and that scared her. She would stick to end of the bargain though because she wasn't strong enough to throw him away again. They would just have to get him back on the track before they did anything. Both of their careers depended on it.
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Three Weeks Later
"I must say girly, you do quick work. I honestly didn't think that he would be back out on the track until next year." John said through the headphones. They were both down at the pit waiting for the race to begin.
"I knew he would be." She replied as she looked at the cars at the starting line. Tommy had literally pulled out all the stops to get back in the car today. He would be working out when she got there in the morning and pushed past any pain he felt. She had been worried about him pushing too far, too fast but he told her he would back off if it starting hurting too bad.
They had gone to the doctor earlier this week for more scans and he had been impressed by the difference he saw in less than two months. He had cleared Tommy that morning for the race this weekend which was a good thing. It was the first race in the race for the chase. She had learned a lot from Tommy over the past weeks about racing and she saw his passion for the sport. It reminded her of her passion for gymnastics.
If he raced cleanly then next weekend would put him in the top of the pack which he assured her was the best place to be going into the final races. Looking out past the starting line, she saw thousands of people in the stands waiting for the green flag to drop. Her nerves were shot from the waiting but she knew that Tommy was calm. He was always calm before a race; he had told her yesterday when she expressed her concern.
"It's the calm before the storm." He had called it and now she understood.
"Are you ready?" John asked into the headphones but she knew that he was talking to Tommy.
"As ready as I'll ever be, Kimberly with you?" Tommy asked as Kim smiled. Only Tommy would ask about her before the race.
"I am, now focus your thoughts on the race." She replied as she heard his laugh.
"I am more focused on what happens when the race is over. You owe me a dinner date tonight, beautiful." He said as she blushed. John just laughed beside her.
"I hate to break up your plans for dinner but everyone in the pit is laughing their heads off at you, son." John said as Kim snickered and looked at the rest of the crew. They were laughing.
"Its fine as long as Kim remembers our date, I would hate to have to have you tie her up so that she doesn't vanish." He said as Kim just shook her head.
"I'll be here when you finish the race. I'm not going anywhere." She stated.
"You promise?" He asked.
"I promise." She agreed as the green flag waved in front of them and the drivers took off. Her heart started beating harder as she searched out Tommy. His car was lost in a sea of cars for the first couple of laps until he finally pulled out ahead.
"That's my boy." John said grabbing her hand. "Thank you." He said looking down at her. He knew that she was the reason that Tommy was back on that track after his wreck.
"You're welcome." She mouthed back as the pit crew talked back and forth with Tommy about tire pressures, gas levels, the rear end, and other things that she wasn't sure what they were. Apparently Tommy really did more than just sit in the car and drive like a maniac. She had learned a lot over the past several weeks about the history of racing that she had never known. Last week, Tommy had let her drive his race car around the track and she had to admit it felt awesome going almost 100 mph and not having to worry about seeing blue lights in her rearview mirror. He wouldn't let her go any faster and she was happy because she wasn't sure if she could control that car if it had gone any faster.
"Okay he is coming into the pit for a quick air up. I want you to see how fast this happens." John said as Kim nodded. Tommy came to a stop and the men got to work and Tommy was pulling out seconds later.
"How fast was that?" She asked in amazement.
"I'd say about 13 seconds." He said as she looked up at him.
"Really? Is that the fastest?" She asked looking back at the pit crew.
"No but about normal, the fastest would be around 10 seconds." He said as Kim just stared. How could anyone change tires and put gas in the car in 10 seconds? It just wasn't natural. "Don't worry, if they weren't good then I would have them out there on his car. Tommy is like my son and I don't want to see him hurt over a pit crew mistake." He said placing his hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him and nodded. She knew that John thought a lot about Tommy. "So how many more laps to go?" She asked changing the subject.
"Do you really want to know?" He asked as she smiled and shook her head. "Thought so, tell you what go hang out in the trailer and when its close I will come get you." He said.
"Thanks but no, Tommy watched all my competitions that he could and I owe it to him to watch his race." She stated as John nodded. He knew that he always liked her. She was showing her support even though Tommy would never know if she went to the trailer till the end of the race.
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A Few Months Later
Kim screamed as Tommy crossed the finish line ahead of everyone else. She ran over to where he had parked his car in the infield and jumped into his arms as soon as he got out of his car.
"Congratulations!" She said as his arms came around her. She locked her ankles around his waist as other people started coming over to them.
"Thanks beautiful." He whispered as his kissed her cheek. She leaned back so that she could kiss him properly. He finally pulled back as she unhooked her legs. He set her back on her feet but didn't let her leave his side. She had stood beside him through every race since his first one back which he had won with ease.
Keeping her promise, they had started dating even though they were taking slow. Tonight he planned to take it a step further. She had moved her practice back and they had spent every day together since then. He couldn't stop thinking about her and he didn't want to try. They had discussed marriage in general terms but nothing personal so he was a little nervous that she would say no. Jason had assured him that Kim wouldn't say no but he was still worried.
"Pink dress, hair up, and high heels tonight." He whispered as the reporters made their way over to them.
"Demanding." She laughed back as he nodded. He was looking forward to tonight and couldn't wait to see her dressed up. She hadn't really dressed up since they started dating and he wanted to see her looking fancy.
"I'll pick you up at 8." He said as she nodded. He finally released her and watched her walk away from him as the reporters started shouting their questions at him.
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"You look amazing." Trini said as Aisha, Tanya, and Kat agreed.
"Thanks, Tommy said dress, heels, and hair up." She said spinning around in front of them. She had been staying with Trini and Jason while she house hunted after she moved out of the rental house. Looking was hard though because she couldn't really find anything she liked. Most of the time she had been at Tommy's though so she wasn't in too big of a hurry to find a house.
"I haven't seen you this happy since you left for Florida." Aisha pointed out as Kim sighed.
"I wasn't." She admitted before sitting down next to Tanya. "I wasn't happy." She whispered.
"Well being in love suits you." Kat stated placing her hand over Kimberly's "I mean you have a glow about you."
"I'm not in love, guys. We haven't been dating but a few months, I mean I not ready for anything." She protested as the girls laughed.
"Kim, you dated Tommy for three years in high school. You have kept in touch with him even though you deny it to anyone. Face it, girl you have been in love with that boy since high school." Aisha said closing her magazine.
"No, I mean we broke up and we…" She said as the girls gave her a look. "Oh okay, I love him. Its scary though because I don't know how he feels." She admitted.
"Kimberly, you didn't know that Tommy really liked you in high school either even though everyone else did even Bulk and Skull." Trini pointed out.
"Well its hard to know what he's thinking sometimes." She muttered as the girls laughed.
"All the guys are like that except for maybe Zack." Tanya supplied.
"I would have to agree but they will let you know when you do something that they don't like." Trini muttered while standing up. "When is Tommy picking you up?" She asked as the doorbell rang.
"Right now." Kim said as she smiled brightly before going to the front door. She was nervous even though this wasn't their first date. It was just that Tommy wanted her really dressed up for tonight. He had something planned but she had no clue what it was. Taking a breath, she opened the door and saw the man of her dreams.
"Beautiful." He breathed as she smiled. "Are you ready?" He asked as she nodded and grabbed her purse.
"Bye guys don't wait up for me." Kim called out as she shut the door on the chorus of byes. "Oh wow." Kim breathed as she noticed his car parked at the curb.
"I thought that you would like this more than the Jeep." He said taking ahold of her hand and leading to the Red Corvette.
"I do but why haven't I seen this before?" She asked as he opened her door. "I mean don't get me wrong, the Jeep is nice but this is a car." She said smiling.
Tommy laughed as she got inside and he shut her door. Walking around the hood, he folded himself in the car before starting it. "I only drive this on special occasions." He said before pulling away from the curb.
"Special occasions? Well I am impressed, Mr. Oliver. My uncle would love to get under the hood of this car." She said as he shifted into second.
"I know he stops by every now and then to see it." He said shifting into third. "It took me a little over a year to get it finished but I am happy with it." He said as she laughed.
"You know with all that prize money that you could have bought a new one." She informed him.
"Oh I know but I remember some girl in pink that told me the best car was a 1969 Cherry Red Corvette with four on the floor. You know it took me two years to find the frame. It was in rough shape but I saw the outcome." He said while shifting back into second then first as he came to a stop at the red light.
"That girl must have known what she was talking about." Kim muttered as Tommy laughed.
"I will say, you always had good taste in cars but then again you learned from your uncle." He said finally taking off.
Kim nodded and felt the power of the car around her. Tommy controlled it well but then again it had to do with the fact that he handled a racecar on a daily basis. He had done an amazing job restoring the car to its former glory and she was impressed. The 69 had always been her favorite year and the fact that it was a Stingray was awesome. "Cars was the only thing that my uncle knew anything about so I learned from him. He was the first one to show me how to drive." Kim said quietly as Tommy pulled into the park. "Uh, Tommy I thought that we were going to someplace nice." She said as he got out of the car. "I mean don't get me wrong I love the park but you did say to dress up." She said as he opened her door.
"I did, didn't I." He said taking her hand in his and led her through the park. It looked different at night with the stars and moon lighting the way instead of the bright sun.
"You know I always keep an eye out for Goldar or the putties when I come here." She revealed with a smile.
"I do too." He whispered as they rounded a corner and she saw the lake. It was her favorite place in the park and Tommy knew it. The stars and moon made the water glisten and it almost looked glass. She looked at the rock that she and Tommy had shared their first kiss in front of and saw a blanket and basket sitting in front of it.
"Oh Tommy." She said as he smiled and led her over to the rock.
"I had Rocky set it up and watch over it so that no animals got into it." He shared as he helped her sit down.
"You let Rocky watch over food?" She asked smiling up at him.
"Well he made it so I trusted him enough to get it here for us." He said sitting down across from her. They sat and talked while they ate. Tommy finished his dessert before Kim and waited for her to finish before taking her hands in his. "Kimberly, I want to thank you first and foremost for helping me over the past few months." He said as she blushed.
"I just did my job." She whispered as he shook his head.
"No, you went above and beyond but that's not the reason that I bought you here." He said taking a breath. "I love you and I realized over the past few months that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You are my other half, my soul mate. I want to be yours." He said.
"You are." She answered. "You are my other half and my soul mate." She said squeezing his hands.
"Then my question should be easy." He said taking a deep breath. "Kimberly, will you marry me?" He asked waiting for her answer.
"YES, Yes!" She yelled as she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes I will marry you." She said as she started crying.
"Why are you crying, beautiful?" He asked pulling back and wiped her tears away with his thumb.
"I just never thought I would get this chance with you again." She whispered as his kissed her cheeks.
"Don't worry, that's all in the past." He breathed into her ear. "Now I think you are going to want to see this." He said pulling back from her to reach into his pocket. He opened his hand to reveal a tiny ring. He picked it up and showed it to her.
"Oh, Tommy. It's perfect." She said as he slid the ring onto her finger. Looking down at the ring, she saw the center white diamond sparkling up at her while the two smaller pink ones bought fresh tears to her eyes. It was just like the ring she had described to him back in high school.
"I do remember some things." He whispered as she looked up at him. He leaned in and kissed her lips softly. She pulled back when she heard cheering behind her. Turning, she saw all their friends walking towards them.
"You know that we couldn't let you do this alone." Rocky said as Tommy helped Kim to stand.
"No, we just wanted to warn Kim what she was getting into." Jason remarked as everyone laughed.
"I know what I'm getting." She said leaning into Tommy's side. "I'm getting a man I love and that loves me." She said as the girls sighed. The boys all making puking sounds before the girls hit them. They all talked for a while but they noticed the time. The last ones to leave were Tommy and Kim. She looked down at her ring again and smile.
"What has you smiling?" Tommy asked leaning in close to her.
"I just can't believe that we are getting married after all this time. It just seems unreal." She said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Believe it, its real." He said before kissing her. It was just like their first kiss all over again only this time it was better. They were engaged. They would start planning their wedding tomorrow but tonight they would just enjoy this moment.
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I hope that everyone enjoyed this. Happy Valentine's Day!