There In Spirit

Written: 8/27/1998

Revised: 12/10/2000

By: Jaya

Kimberly ran out of the Compound in tears, she hated it here, she hated being alone, she hated all the other trainees who called them selves her friend. They where never there for her, and now she'd lost the one true friends she'd ever had. Gaining nothing in the process, except for a broken heart.

~ * ~

It was about four in the morning when Kimberly finely walked back into her room. There was a tinny smile played across her lips. She had decided what to do, and now that, the decision was made she felt more at peace then she had ever felt before. She went over to the desk, sat down, and pulled out a hand full of white stationary. It had pink, red, and green hearts around the edges. After a couple minutes she began to write.

Slowly Kimberly slipped the wad of paper into a stamped, and addressed envelop. Tiredly she stood up and fell into the bed exhausted. For the first time in a long, long, while she felt at peace inside.

~ * ~

The next day Kimberly Hart, was awakened by a loud bounding on her door. "Oh shut up,"she muttered under her breath. She slowly got up, threw on a robe and headed for the door.

An hour later when Kimberly entered the Coaches office, she had a set look on her face.

"Good Morning Kimberly or should I say afternoon,"said the Coach.

"Um Coach Smit I'm leaving,"said Kimberly, not pausing to reconsider her choice.

"But Kimberly you have such promise. I would hate to let it go to waste,"said Coach Smit, looking surprised.

"I know,"she paused,"But I'm just not ready for this maybe in a few years I will be,"

"If you ever change you mind Kimberly there is always a place for you here,"

"Thank you Coach,"cried Kimberly jumping out of her seat. She planted a kiss on his check, before she turned and darted out of the door.

Kimberly entered her tinny apartment and quickly started to pack her few belongings, into the suitcase.

"Knock, Knock,"slowly Kimberly set the letter down on the table, and headed for the door.

"Hi Linda,"she said when she saw the girl standing outside her door.

"Hi Kim,"replied Linda. She slipped past Kim and plopped down on the bed, with a sign.

"Um so what are you doing?"asked Kimberly as she started to pack again.

"I guess the rumors are true,"she said,"Your really leaving?"

"Yep,"Kimberly sat down next to the only girl who had ever even made an attempted to make her feel welcome,"Linda I feel like this is the right thing to do, I just have this feeling deep down inside of me,"whispered Kimberly as the tears started to form in her eyes,"I want you to give this to Keith,"and she handed Linda small white envelope,"Tell him that I'm sorry. I just can't face him right now,"

"Are you sure you really want to leave?"asked Linda,"I know things haven't been exactly heaven here, and that you miss your friends and all but I mean......"

"Oh Linda, I'll miss you,"cried Kimberly,"But I have to do this,"

"That's okay Kim,"said Linda finally,"I.....I....I understand,"

"Thanks Linda,"She paused,"Now do you want to help me finish packing?"

"Sure,"

~ * ~

Kimberly slipped into her seat on the plane with a sigh it was good to finally sit down. She felt like she'd been standing up for hours. Kim leaned over to look out the window but she couldn't see her friend Linda. The terminal could only be seen from the other side of the plane. Slowly Kimberly turned away and started fiddling with the letter in her pocket, she'd addressed it. But hadn't had the nerve to send it. She had a feeling deep down inside her that she should write down everything that she wanted to tell him.

That she might not ever have a chance to tell Tommy how she felt and what had really happened. It was weird she couldn't really describe it and yet she knew something was going to happen. She didn't feel nervous or anything like you might expected instead she felt calm inside.

Finally she reached down and pulled out a flat metal box, she opened it and slipped the letter inside. No matter what happened she had to make sure that the letter stayed safe. Even if something happened to her Tommy would know the truth. Though it might be a little late in coming.

~ * ~

It was dark out side the plane. But no matter how hard Kimberly tried to sleep wouldn't come. Finally she gave up and got out the book she'd been trying to read. She couldn't concentrate on the words, they seemed to blur, and reform to spell one word, over and over. Until she couldn't stand it and slammed the book shut. Then came a tinny voice that keep whispering in her head. She couldn't shut it out, it kept saying,"Death, Death, Death, Death, Death comes to all, Death come's to all, Your time has come, Your time has come,"whispered the voice over and over again.

The plane bounce and started to fall, and in that instant Kimberly under stood. Her thought's where of one thing only, the people she'd left behind. The people she'd never see again. There was a sickening crash, and everything exploded in a ball of fire. Then it all went dark as Kimberly clasp the thin box containing the letter to her chest, and let the tears flow.

~ * ~

Tommy stared at the article on the front of newspaper in shock, it couldn't be. -I just read it wrong, that all- though Tommy. But every time he looked back there it was on the front, Pan Global Gymnast Kimberly Hart Died in Plain Crash.

"Tommy your going to be late for school again if you don't..." his mothers voice trailed off. When she the look on her son's face,"Tommy what's wrong?"she asked. Silently Tommy handed her the paper, unable to say anything.

"Oh Tommy....."whispered his mother letting the paper fall to the floor. All of the sudden the door bell rang, Mrs. Oliver stood there for a second, then she went over and opened it.

"Hello Mrs. Oliver is Tommy still here?"asked Kat as she and the others crowed around the door.

"Your I'm afraid your too late he's already seen it,"replied Mrs. Oliver in a low voice. She stepped back to let them in,"I'll call the school and tell them you won't be there today,"she added after a minute.

"Thanks,"said Adam.

A few days latter a package arrived in the mail.

"Tommy there's a package here for you,"said his mother softly. She lay in on the bed near his pillow. He just lay there and didn't even acknowledge her presents. He'd been like this for almost a week now. He hadn't even eaten all day and his mother was really starting to get worried. However she figured that he'd get over it soon enough. That right all he needed was some peace and quiet.

Slowly Tommy picked up the package, it was wrapped in plane brown paper. Inside there was a slightly tarnished silver box. Tommy gasped it was the box he'd given Kimberly for her last birthday. Quickly he got up and locked the door, slowly he sat back down on the bed. For a long time Tommy just sat there and stared at the box.

Finally he gently opened it, inside was a bright pink envelope with his address on it. Tears blurred his eyes, the hand writing was defiantly Kimberly's, and quickly he ripped it open. Slowly with drew a large wad of folded papers. Each written in Kimberly's neat handwriting, and as he read the paper became blurred by tears.

~ * ~

The next day at the funeral Tommy was wearing a pair of black slacks, and a dark green dress shirt. He heard the words of the pastor and those of his friends. As if they where in another word, he could hear them. Yet they seemed to so far away and disconnected. Then when it was over, Tommy carefully lay two roses on top of the casket. One green and the other pink, he turned and walked away. Not really caring where he went just as long as it was away from the crowd.

They where all trying to get him to talk saying that it would make him feel better. But none of them really understood how he felt, they all said they did, yet how could they. They couldn't know what he and Kim had shared. There was no way any of them could possibly understand what he was going through right now.

~ * ~

Hours later Tommy found himself standing on the edge of the Angle Grove Cliffs staring at the waves crashed on the razor sharp rocks hundreds of feet below. For some reason it didn't make him feel in the least bit dizzy. Right then he understood what he had to do. For a long time he stood there as the wind whipped his hair around madly remembering all the happy times he and Kim had shared here together.

With a calm look on his face Tommy stepped over the edge. As he fell Tommy smiled and closed his eyes, knowing that soon he and Kimberly would be together again. Like they where meant to be. She had been coming back to tell him, to tell him she still loved him. That was why she had died. Now he would go and tell her how much he loved her.

~ * ~

-How did this happen.- wondered Adam as he stood in the cemetery again for the second time that week.

Watching as the casket of another friend was lower into the ground. He tried to comfort the others. They'd managed to get a hold of Trini, Zack, Jason, but as for Aisha, and Billy they had no way of reaching them. In a way Adam understood why Tommy had done what he'd done.

Adam seen how close he and Kimberly were, he'd seen how hurt Tommy was when Kim he left, and he'd been there when Tommy had received Kim's letter. The one telling him she was breaking up with him because she'd met someone else. Adam had tried to get Tommy to call her and talk to her. But he said that it that was Kim's decision, and that he would respect that and not bother her about it.

-And now look what happened- thought Adam -Ironic isn't it-

~ * ~

All the other mourners had left, and the Rangers stayed on. Just standing there staring at the two bare patches of newly turned dirt. Kat was crying, Tanya was trying to calm her down. All of the sudden there was a slight shimmering in the air above the graves. Suddenly two figures appeared in between, the graves.

Adam and the others gasped in surprise.

"Hi guys,"said Tommy, with a smile as he slipped his arm around Kimberly.

"Miss us?"she asked with the same laugh they'd all be so used to hearing before.

"Tommy, Kim?"asked Adam slowly stepping forward,"But..But aren't you dead?"

"We are?"replied Kim laughing again at the looks on their faces.

"We came back to tell you not to be sad. We're happy the way things are,"Tommy paused,"I'm sorry I had to leave you, but I have confidence that you will all manage with out me,"

"Maybe even better,"teased Kimberly.

"We'll make you proud of us,"whispered Adam, and the others silently nodded in agreement.

"We already are,"replied Kim with a smile,"But now I'm afraid we have to go,"

"You must get on with your own lives, say good by to Zordon and Alpha for us will?"asked Tommy, and the Rangers nodded.

"Good bye,"whispered Kimberly and Tommy raised his hand and saluted them. They started to shimmer and then in a flash they disappeared from sight. The Rangers stood there for a long time staring at the place where they had disappeared. Only this time more with joy then sadness. Finely they headed over to Rocky's, where they discussed what they where going to do now that Tommy was gone.

THE END

9/22/1998