Disclaimer: Not mine, Saban's. This is set fairly early in Zeo. Billy hasn't graduated yet. It gives a different slant to all of Zeo. This is dramatically different from ANYTHING seen on the show, both plot-wise and, to an extent, character-wise. You have been warned. I rate it PG-13 for violence and sexual situations. It's not really meant for anyone under the age of 13, at least, due to the sexual content. It's not graphic by any means, but it is somewhat adult. And yes, this is a pretty big stretch from what I normally write. You might be thinking to yourself, "His mind is in the gutter." Well, I'm a nineteen year old male. My mind is in the gutter. So, you've been warned. Proceed with caution. Viewer discretion is advised. Oh yeah, and Ellen, I'm eternally grateful for your invaluable help in writing this. And Akiko, psychoanalyze me to your heart's content. 8^)
ByJeremy Ray Logsdon
"I'm sorry, Kimberly," Tommy whispered.
Kimberly closed her eyes briefly to force the tears away. "It's okay," she said inaudibly. No it's not okay! Why?!
"I really, really think this is for the best," Tommy said.
"Are you going to tell the others, or should I?" Kimberly asked after a long silence.
"I don't know," Tommy said as he shifted the phone to his other ear.
"Would you please te-tell me why?" Kimberly asked.
"We're on different coasts, Kimberly," Tommy said. "We can't have a relationship like this. We should just break up now and not be tied down."
Kimberly said nothing as she looked at the boxes around her apartment. I'm not gonna tell him. I'll let him find out when I come home. "Okay," she said. "Whatever…"
"Kimberly, please don't be mad at me."
"I'm not," she said woodenly. I'm too hurt to be mad.
After their awkward phone conversation came to an end, Kimberly wrapped her arms around herself and cried. She had decided to quit Coach Schmidt's training program to come home for Tommy, only to have him call her the night before she went home to be dumped.
Kimberly told herself over and over that it wasn't a big deal, but that only succeeded in making her cry harder.
Three thousand miles away, Tommy was feeling the exact same emotions, and crying the same bitter tears.
Three Days Later…
"Kimberly!" Katherine shouted.
"That's her?" Tanya asked.
"Come on," Billy urged. He and the two Rangers, the only ones that knew of Kimberly's return to Angel Grove, ran across the bustling airport to their chestnut-haired friend.
"Billy!" Kimberly shouted upon seeing her old friend. With a cry of her own, she dropped her luggage and rushed to meet him. Maybe returning to Angel Grove won't be so bad after all. I'll get to see my other friends.
Katherine was next in line to give Kimberly a hug. "How was Florida?"
"Dull as dirt," Kimberly said. "I have never been so tired of gymnastics in my life. Billy, are you sure your parents mind me staying with you all for a while? I hate to impose."
"No, we don't mind," Billy answered. "We've got a spare bedroom just waiting to be filled."
"Hi," Tanya said, stepping to the forefront. "My name is Tanya."
Kimberly smiled and gave the virtual stranger a hug. "I'm sure we'll be good friends," Kimberly said truthfully.
"I have heard so much about you from Tommy," Tanya told her.
Kimberly's smiled immediately dropped off of her face, although she attempted to hide it. "Kimberly?" Billy asked.
"Tommy dumped me," Kimberly said dryly.
"What?" Katherine asked in shock.
"He dumped you?" Billy echoed in awe. "Why didn't he tell us?"
"I don't know," Kimberly said. Let's change the subject before I start bawling again! "Let's go get something to eat and talk about … anything else. Okay?"
Billy, Tanya, and Katherine looked at each other. "Okay, Kim," Billy spoke for the three of them. "Let's get your bags and go."
Adam and Tommy collapsed roughly at the Juice Bar. "Man, I'm wiped," Tommy complained. Adam nodded in agreement as he sipped his smoothie.
"Where are the others?" Rocky asked as he ran up to them.
"The girls and Billy went somewhere," Adam said. "I don't know where though." He paused for a moment and looked over at the forlorn Red Ranger. "Tommy? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I guess," Tommy said. Rather than get cornered into a conversation he wasn't ready to have, he jumped off of his stool and ran over to the punching bag.
"Something's wrong with him," Rocky murmured. Adam nodded in agreement.
"You're gonna have to see Tommy eventually," Billy told her.
Kimberly sighed and pulled the pillow in her arms even closer. "I'll see him tomorrow at school," Kimberly said. "C'mon Billy. I've only been back in Angel Grove for six hours. I'm not ready to see Tommy yet."
"Don't think badly of him, Kimberly," Billy said. "It sounds to me like he was doing it for you." Kimberly immediately shot him an icy look. "Sort of…."
"I have spent the last two days so hurt all I could do was cry," Kimberly growled. "Now that I'm back in Angel Grove, though, I am so mad… I don't even know if I can face him without…"
"I wish I knew what to say," Billy said. "I'm just… not… good with relationships."
Kimberly slid off of the bed and sat down beside Billy with a thump. "I don't know why you aren't," she whispered. "You're very handsome, you've got those bedroom eyes…"
"Kim," Billy said, half-stern half-bemused.
"Maybe you can help me," Kimberly said thoughtfully.
"How so?"
"Tommy dumped me," Kimberly said. "And Tommy is gorgeous. He's going to have women all over him now that he's free."
"I don't follow," Billy murmured.
"I want to make him jealous. I want to make him regret ever dumping me."
"That's pretty spiteful."
"Are you willing to help me or not?"
"You want to make Tommy jealous? How?"
"By showing up with a new boyfriend," Kimberly said, slipping an arm around Billy's. "Who just happens to be Tommy's best friend." She leaned close to Billy and gave him a very gentle peck on the lips. "Do you get it now?"
"You want me to…. date you?"
"Yeah," Kimberly said with a big smile.
Kimberly Hart wants to date me? Thank you God! "You want to date me?"
"Uh huh," Kimberly nodded. "Whaddya say?"
"I say yes."
"Good," Kimberly said with a grin. "Now don't you worry about anything. I'll take care of the whole ordeal. I don't want Tommy to be mad at you."
"So, I basically just … do what you tell me to?"
"Right," Kimberly said. "You don't mind, do you?"
"I guess not," Billy said thoughtfully.
"Kimberly?!" Rocky cried.
"Yeah!" she shouted back. He dropped his books and darted at her. With a squeal, she leapt into his arms and spun him around in a hug.
"What are you doing here?!"
"I moved back!" she cried. "Now put me down."
"Kimberly," Adam said happily as she moved on to give him a hug. "Tommy will be so happy to see you. Does he know yet?"
Tommy suddenly stepped up to his locker. He glanced over at Kimberly, and did a quick double-take. "Kimberly?"
"Hello Tommy," Kimberly said coldly.
"Let's go, Adam," Tanya said, taking his hand and pulling him away.
"You too, Rock," Katherine murmured, yanking the Blue Ranger away roughly.
"Watch it," Rocky complained as he was drug away.
Billy was immediately at Kimberly's side. "Hey Tommy," Billy said warmly.
"Yeah, hi," Tommy said, still shell-shocked at Kimberly's sudden reappearance. "Kim, what are you doing back?"
"I decided to move back home about a week ago," Kimberly said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Tommy asked. "Uhm, Billy? Would you mind leaving us alone?"
"Don't go, Billy," Kimberly told him forcefully. "I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you. But, it looks like you surprised me, instead."
"If I had known you were coming home, I would have never, ever broken up," Tommy said. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I just … figured you had met some guy in Florida but weren't seeing anyone because I was keeping you tied down. Take me back?"
"No," she said in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Kim?"
"I've already got a new boyfriend," she said. "I'm sorry, Tommy. C'mon Billy." She took the former Blue Ranger's hand in hers, and they walked off to their first class.
With a sick moan, Tommy leaned against his locker. "I'm such an idiot…"
"It was so great to be back," Kimberly as she, Adam, Billy, and Rocky sat at their old usual table in the Youth Center. "I didn't realize how much I missed all of my friends. I even missed Miss Appleby."
"We're glad to have you back," Billy said, giving Kimberly a very warm smile.
"I'm sorry, but I still can't believe you and Tommy broke up," Rocky sighed.
"Believe it," Kimberly told him with a determined look on her face. She leaned over to Billy, flashed him a pleading look, and gave him a quick kiss. "Billy and I are dating now."
"Dude, that's like me or Adam dating Aisha," Rocky said. "Too weird."
"We've known each other our whole lives," Kimberly said. "You aren't going to find two people closer than we are. It had to happen eventually. Right?"
"Right," Billy agreed.
"What does Tommy think of it?" Rocky asked cautiously.
"Personally, I could care less," Kimberly affirmed.
"Hey, there's Tommy now," Adam said.
"Let's go, Billy," Kimberly said.
"But-…"
"Please?" Kimberly asked.
"All right," Billy said. "If Tommy saw us, tell him I had to tutor somebody."
"Okay," Rocky relented.
"Thanks," Kimberly said as she and Billy slipped out the back.
"Kimberly, I know you're mad at Tommy," Billy said, "but you can't do this forever."
"Just give me time, Billy," she requested. "Okay? I'm still jet-lagged."
"Okay," Billy agreed. "Tommy really did love you, Kim. He thought he was doing the right thing."
"No," Kimberly said firmly. "If he loved me, he would not have broken up with me."
Billy sighed. He leaned into Kimberly and pressed his lips to hers.
What the-? Kimberly thought as Billy kissed her. Unsure of what to do, she found herself kissing him back. It was then that the realization hit her. Billy thinks we're really dating! What have I done?!
When Billy broke away from her, Kimberly forced a happy smile, but quickly looked away. I've got tell him, but I don't know how. I can't hurt Billy! What am I gonna do?! With another phony smile, she allowed him to take her hand as they walked through the park. Why couldn't I have picked somebody like Bulk or Rocky? Somebody with thick skin. Geez, this is going to break his heart! She tried her very best to keep a happy face, while mentally she ran through the many possibilities of how to break up with Billy. Nothing she could think of was going to turn out good.
Later Monday Night
"Kimberly?" Billy asked, knocking on her bedroom door. "You seemed distracted earlier."
"Huh?" she asked, raising up to look at him. "Oh. I've just been thinking about … stuff."
"Oh," Billy said. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," she said, sitting up on her bed. "Come on in."
"Kim, I was thinking…"
"What about?"
Lowering his voice, Billy said, "We probably shouldn't tell our parents that we're dating. They might think it's weird since we're living in the same house."
Kimberly started to tell Billy everything, but instead blurted, "I agree."
Billy smiled, so completely smitten with the thought that Kimberly Hart was actually his girlfriend, he didn't even consciously notice her odd behavior.
Wednesday Morning
Kimberly quickly acclimated herself back into the society of Angel Grove High. She managed to avoid Tommy at every turn. She wasn't able to use Billy to make Tommy jealous, for fear of hurting Billy's feelings any worse than they were going to be when he found out the truth. Katherine and Tanya were the only two who knew of her predicament.
"You're gonna have to tell eventually," Tanya said. "The longer you take, the more it's going to hurt Billy."
"I know," Kimberly said. "Aw geeze. I really don't want to hurt Billy. I just don't see him the way he wants me to see him."
"He has such a crush on you, Kimberly," Katherine said sadly. "Billy is on cloud nine. Tell him the truth now, before it's way too late. Besides, Billy is pretty smart. He'll figure it out sooner or later."
"Man, I have messed up," Kimberly chided herself. "I shouldn't have ever tried to hurt Tommy! I'm going to end up hurting a good guy instead."
"Tommy is a good guy, Kimberly," Katherine said.
Kimberly sighed and nodded in agreement. "I know. I was just mad. But lately, I've been feeling so sorry over myself because of Billy, I haven't had time to stay mad. Or hurt. I just feel … wooden."
"Do you want Tommy back?" Tanya asked. "Because all you have to do is say the word…"
"Maybe later," Kimberly sighed. "I've got to take care of Billy first."
"What do you mean?" Billy asked, suddenly appearing beside them. Kimberly slammed her locker door shut in a panic and stared at him.
"Uhm…," Kimberly stammered.
"Girl talk," Tanya covered for her. Kimberly smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Good, I hope," Billy said with a smile.
Tommy suddenly walked up between Tanya and Katherine with Rocky and Adam in tow. "Hey guys," Tommy said.
Kimberly took one glance at Tommy, and then at Billy. Without a moment's hesitation, she reached up to Billy and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
Tanya's face immediately dropped into a frown. She and Katherine exchanged a look, and then turned to Tommy. His face was immediately broken by a pained grimace, although he desperately tried to hide it with a weak smile.
When Billy broke away from Kimberly, it didn't take him more than a second to realize something was very off. He was beet red from his public display of affection. He would have expected Kimberly to know that a kiss, especially a kiss like that, in front of his friends would have absolutely mortified him. He took one look at Tommy, though, and realized just what had happened.
"I don't believe you," he spat.
"Billy," Kimberly began, reaching out to touch his hand.
"You were serious Sunday night?" he asked. "I thought you were…" With an angry shake of his head, he ran off.
"Billy!" Kimberly cried after him. "You don't understand!"
"Sounds to me like he hit the nail pretty square on the head," Tanya said angrily. Her eyes glared angrily at Kimberly, but rather than give the girl a piece of her mind, she ran after her distraught friend. "Billy! Wait up!"
"What's going on?" Rocky asked.
Biting back tears, Kimberly pushed through the three guys and ran in the opposite direction. Tommy, Rocky, and Adam turned to look at Katherine. Kat started to say something, but instead put her hand up to say forget it, and walked away.
Tanya darted into the courtyard, out of breath. "Billy?" No answer. She looked around and finally saw him sitting at an out of the way bench. Shouldering her backpack, she strode over to him. "You should be on the track team."
"Tanya, I don't feel like talking right now."
"So you just want to sit here, feeling sorry for yourself, thinking bad thoughts about Kimberly and women in general, keep it all bottled up inside, and eventually lose your mind?"
"Okay."
"Well, that's not how I work," Tanya said. "Billy, I know you feel awful now, but Kimberly really didn't mean to hurt you."
"I know," Billy said, never once taking his eyes off of his feet.
Tanya slipped an arm around his shoulders and whispered, "She feels horrible. Worse than you do. Now I can't explain what just happened in the hallway. That was low. In fact, Kimberly Ann Hart has got a very high position on my Shit List right now. But it still remains, she has felt horrible since Monday night. She thought she knew you were just pretending to be her girlfriend to get back at Tommy."
"Shit List? I've never heard you cuss before."
"Until just this minute, I haven't heard you cuss before either," Tanya countered.
Billy sighed and said, "Tanya? Have you ever had a crush on somebody since kindergarten, and then start dating that person, have them kiss you in public, in front of people, and then have it turn out to be a big joke?"
"No," she said simply. "I haven't."
"Then you don't understand."
"But I do know what it's like to be abused," she said. "I know what it's like to have people not like you for no good reason."
"What on Earth could anybody have against a person like you?" Billy asked.
"That's what I love about you, Billy," Tanya said. "There are some very simple things you just don't get because they just don't make sense to you."
"I don't … follow…" Tanya took Billy's hand in hers and held it before him. He just shrugged.
"I'm black, Billy!" Tanya finally cried. "Some people hate me because I have darker skin than you do. The same thing happens to Adam because he's oriental. You can't even imagine some of the looks we've gotten in public when people realize a black girl is dating an oriental boy."
"And I guess it hurts like hell."
"More than you can imagine."
"But those people don't claim to be your friends. Those people don't pretend to like you…"
"Kimberly is your friend, Billy," Tanya said. "That's probably why she thought she could use you. You wouldn't stop loving her. I'm not even going to start on the fact that she was trying to hurt Tommy, I'm just saying that she used you because she knew that you two have a bond unlike any other people I've seen."
"I guess," Billy relented.
"I know it sounds like I don't like Kimberly…"
"You just said she's on your Shit List."
Tanya smiled and said, "And I don't, right now. But I'm not going to totally disregard her. I just don't know her very well. Talk to her sometime. Heck, you live in the same house. You'll have to talk to her eventually."
"I'll talk to her after school," Billy promised.
"Good," Tanya said. "Why don't you talk to Tommy, too?"
"Do you think Tommy and Kimberly will ever start dating again?"
"I don't know," Tanya murmured. "I do know of one person who really hopes they don't. Well, two people, actually."
"Who?" Billy asked.
"You'll see," Tanya said. She gave Billy a kiss on the cheek and ran off to class.
"Of course I'm not mad at you, Billy," Tommy said. "There's nothing you could do to me that would make me mad at you."
"Really?"
"Really," Tommy said. "Billy, you are my best friend. I've known you longer than any person in this school. Even if you were dating Kimberly, I wouldn't be mad."
"But you don't know why we were pretending," Billy sighed.
"I figured it out, Billy," Tommy said. "I personally don't think I deserved it, but I can understand why Kimberly is so mad. And I can understand why you helped her. I had a friendship like you have with Kimberly before I moved to Angel Grove, too. Her name was Mary Grace. I would have given my life for that girl. But, she never paid any attention to me. I was just a friend to her. If the opportunity had ever arisen to boost myself up in her eyes, I would have taken it."
"You don't think badly of me?"
"Never," Tommy promised. "You're a true friend, Billy. It's gonna take more than that to make me forget it."
Billy started to leave, but turned back to his long-haired friend. "Tommy? Are you going to try and get Kimberly back?"
Tommy thought about it for a moment, and finally answered, "No. If she wants me back, I'll go, but I'm not going to try. Oh, and Billy, I don't mind about that either."
Billy blushed red and nodded his thanks. He didn't know why he was still so enthralled with Kimberly, especially since he was pretty upset with her at the moment. But he wanted to make absolutely certain that if the situation arose, he wouldn't be hurting Tommy again.
"Billy!" Kimberly yelled from across the duck pond. "Stay right there!"
Billy sighed. He had hoped to meet Kimberly on his own terms, but she had found him. He made his way over to a very worn rock that people often used as a seat. Don't act like a child, but say everything you want to say. Don't give in as soon as she flashes those big, brown … eyes… Stop it! Don't give in!
Kimberly ran up to him, red-faced and out of breath. "I have run all over this city looking for you."
"I've been around…"
"Billy, I'm going to just say what I wanted to say," Kimberly began. She sat down on the rock and turned to face him. "Billy, you are my best friend and I would NEVER do anything to hurt you. Ever. Ever! I thought you knew that I was just pretending. If I had known that … well, if I had known that you had a crush on me, I would never have even brought it up."
"Oh God," Billy moaned, burying his face in his hands.
"No," Kimberly said, "I think it's sweet."
"You do?"
"Yeah," she said. "Please don't be mad at me."
"I … you kissed me this morning like that in front of everybody, just to hurt Tommy!" Billy cried. "I've talked with Tommy. He didn't deserve that."
"I know," Kimberly sighed. "And I intend to talk to Tommy. Eventually."
"Are you all gonna make up?"
"I don't think so," Kimberly answered. "I don't feel like being with him, romantically, anymore. I doubt he'd have much to do with me now, anyhow. I really messed up."
"Don't say that, Kimberly."
"No, I did. What's that old saying? Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned?" Billy smiled weakly and nodded. "I was just so … mad at him, all at once, I didn't know what to do. Now, everybody is mad at me. Tanya thinks I'm the biggest jerk to grace Angel Grove, you don't think as much of me, and Tommy… I've just screwed everything up."
"I don't think less of you," Billy promised.
"Thank you," Kimberly whispered.
Didn't I have something to say? Dang it! Oh well… "Kimberly, can we go out Friday night?"
"Hmm?" Kimberly asked, raising her eyebrows.
"N-never mind…"
"No," Kimberly whispered to him. "I'd love to. It sounds like fun. Are we talking about a date, though, or just two friends going out?"
"Uhm, two friends?"
"Okay."
"Okay," Billy sighed.
Friday morning
"Billy," David Cranston said, gently shaking his son awake.
"Huh?" Billy sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. "What's going on?"
"There's been a family emergency," David said.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing too serious. Your mother's aunt slipped and broke her hip. Rebecca wants to go spend some time with her."
"In Chicago? Aunt Bernice?"
"Yeah. It's pretty spur of the moment. Will you and Kimberly be okay here by yourselves?"
"We'll be fine," Billy murmured. "When will you be back?"
"I'll probably be back Sunday afternoon," David told him. "We need to go though. If you need anything…"
"We know where to reach you," Billy affirmed.
Friday afternoon
"Billy, calm down," Rocky said. "You're making me nervous."
"I'm sorry," Billy said, setting his cup down with a clink. "I just … I can't believe that … Kimberly is going to the movies, with me…"
"You've never been to the movies with her?" Adam asked.
"Well sure, but not on a date."
"Are you sure this is a date?" Rocky asked nervously.
"Well, nooo… but still…"
"You all should come with us later to the horror movie marathon," Adam suggested. "It starts at 10:15 at the multiplex."
"We might just do that," Billy said.
"Can I ask a question that's bothering me?" Rocky asked.
"Shoot."
"Don't you find it even a little weird that the person you are dating tonight is living with you, and your parents won't be home this weekend?"
Billy snorted his smoothie and stammered, "What?! What do you think is gonna happen Rocky?"
"Just making small talk," Rocky sighed.
"I can't believe I'm nervous!" Kimberly cried.
"I think this is more than just two friends going to the movie," Tanya said.
"Mmm hmm," Katherine agreed.
"Maybe," Kimberly mused.
"Uh huh," Tanya said with a grin. "I don't think Billy's the only one with a crush on an old friend."
Kimberly paused to ponder the possibility of Billy as more than a good friend. A lop-sided grin crossed her face before she could stop it. "Maybe," she said again.
Several hundred thousand miles from the Earth, King Mondo watched the lives of the Power Rangers unfold beneath him like a soap opera. "KLANK!!!" the metallic dictator shouted. "Get in here!"
"Aye, yer majesty," Klank said as he hustled into the main throne room.
"I want a serum to make the former Pink Ranger's emotions and hormones become super-sensitive," King Mondo demanded.
"How so, sire?"
"If she's mad, I want her furious. If she's laughing, I want her deliriously happy. Think you two can handle that?"
"I believe we have such a serum in our databanks," Orbus informed him. "When do you want this made, your highness?"
"How about … now?!" King Mondo bellowed.
"Right away," Klank said hurriedly. "Come along, Orbus." The two quickly ran away from the raging mad machine.
King Mondo chuckled to himself. If he knew Red Ranger like he thought he did, then what was going to happen tonight would destroy his heart tomorrow morning. And Kimberly could finish the rest, later.
Several Cogs tiptoed down the hallway past Kimberly's room. She leaned out into the hallway and looked around. "Nothing," she said to herself. She turned to go back into her bedroom and found a silver face right before her. Before she could scream, the Cog lashed out at her with a thin needle. It pierced her flesh, and the sedative in the needle immediately took effective.
"Ay, excellent work, Cogs," Klank said. He ran a scan over her body, and once satisfied that the serum was working, pulled a small golden device from his own pocket dimension. "My little Pink Ranger," Klank whispered, holding the golden rod before her face, "you won't remember a thing." A white light flashed onto her face, and the short incident with the Machine Empire was forgotten. She woke up and finished getting ready for her date with Billy.
10:04 p.m.
Billy and Kimberly walked toward their house in the brisk autumn air, both dressed very casually and laughing. "We have to do this again some time," Kimberly sighed.
"Yeah," Billy agreed. "I had a lot of fun."
"Uhm? Billy? It's been a really long time since I've been on a first date. Are we supposed to kiss or something?"
"Huh?"
"That was as smoothly as I could bring it up," Kimberly said with a sheepish grin. She stopped walking, as did Billy, and the two regarded each other for a moment.
"Huh?" was all Billy could manage again.
"I want to kiss you, Billy. Besides, should we make our first date symbolic."
"Yeah," Billy said. "I guess we should. Do you want to … right now?"
"We can…"
"Okay. Uhm, do I kiss you, or do you kiss me, or…?"
"I think we kiss each other."
"Okay," Billy agreed. He bent close to Kimberly, and she met him halfway. She was suddenly savagely passionate, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. He returned the kiss as best he could, although he was no match for Kimberly. A few moments later, they broke away, both out of breath and smiling. "That was pretty nice," Billy murmured.
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed. "It was. Have you ever wonde-… Never mind."
"Wondered what?"
"Nothing," Kimberly said. "Just forget it."
"I've wondered about it, too. Would you…"
"Like to?"
"I don't know. I think I probably would. Would…?"
"Uh huh," Kimberly nodded. "I think so. But is it too soon? Wouldn't this make us easy or something?" Please say yes, please say yes. God help me, Billy, if you don't say yes I'm gonna have to rape you…
"I don't think so," Billy said. "We've been best friends forever. It's sort of like we've been dating for twelve years."
"Well, that's not too soon."
"Not at all."
"If we do … want to …" Don't act too eager. He'll suspect something…
"Talk?"
"Yeah, talk, then we'll need … supplies."
"Supplies?"
"Supplies," she repeated. Billy stared at her blankly for a few moments. "Unless you already have some."
"Oh! Supplies. No. I've never … talked before, so I've never bought any."
"Me neither," Kimberly said with a shy laugh, and then blushed a shade of red as deep as Billy's typical embarrassed color.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Are you sure you want to… talk?"
"I honestly don't know. Part of me says yes, part of me says no." YES YES YES!!! For the love of God, YES!!!!!
"Me too."
The two regarded each other in silence for a few moments. "I know what we can do," Kimberly said. "You go get what we would need, so if we decide to talk…"
"We can. And if we don't want to, we don't have to."
"Right." We're gonna talk, Billy. We are gonna talk for a looooong time…
"There's a drug store near here," Billy said. "Do you want me to go…?"
Kimberly nodded her approval. "Give me the keys, and I'll go ahead and run home."
"Okay," Billy said, taking the keychain from his pocket and handing it to her. He bent down to her, gave her one last kiss, and then ran off.
Billy ran into the drug store and made his way to the personal supplies. His eyes widened at the display before him. "Large? Medium? Hmm, no wonder there's not a small. What man in his right mind would buy that?" He picked a green box and looked at it curiously. "What the hell are pleasure dots?" He glanced over the assortment before. Let's see. Thin is good, super thin is better, I guess. Super sensitive? Where does that fit in the scale? I wish they made birth control pills for men. That would be so much simpler than this.
Closing his eyes, he reached out and grabbed a box. "Trojans? Three-pack, super sensitive, ribbed for her pleasure." He held the box thoughtfully for a moment, and then traded it for an identical twelve pack. Better safe than sorry.
He hurried to the front of the store and set the box on the counter. Billy yanked his wallet out and waited impatiently for the clerk to come up front to ring up his embarrassing purchase.
"I'll be there in a sec," an all-too familiar voice said. He heard footsteps approaching the counter, and the same voice said again, "We're normally not open this late, but I'm waiting for some friends to show up."
Billy groaned uncomfortably as Rocky stepped up behind the register. "Hey Billy," Rocky said happily. "Is this all- oh…"
"Yeah," Billy said frantically, looking down at the ground.
Rocky moaned uncomfortably as he attempted to scan the box. The bell rang, and another person came into the store. "Hey Billy!" Adam called.
"Oh God," Billy groaned, wanting to just disappear.
"We're about to go to the Horror Movie Marathon. You and Kim gonna come?"
Rocky snorted in spite of himself. "Noooo," Billy droned.
"You have other plans?" Adam asked.
"Something like that…"
"Billy?" Adam asked cautiously. His eyes then fell on Billy's purchase. He, too, turned beet red and looked away.
"It won't scan," Rocky grumbled. He turned the box over and began to enter the UPS code by hand.
"Protection is good," Adam said.
"Yeah," Billy agreed woodenly.
"Yep," Rocky added. "Safe sex or no sex. One of these days I'd like to try the other one."
Billy moaned again and stared at the wallet in his hands. "I'm sorry, Billy," Rocky said. "It's not scanning. Let me go run back there and check the price."
"Forget it," Billy said hurriedly. Taking a twenty dollar bill from his wallet, he slammed it down on the counter and grabbed the box from Rocky's hands.
"Thank you, come again," Rocky said.
Billy, as red as Tommy's wardrobe, ran for the door. Suddenly, a tall muscular body was before him, and Billy slammed into it. "Whoa, slow down," the body said. "You dropped this." Billy watched in horror as Tommy bent down to pick up the infamous box. Holding his breath, his eyes scanned Tommy's face for any weird quirk. Tommy glanced at the box and then handed it back to him. "Here," Tommy said, turning slightly red in the process.
"I have to go," Billy said hurriedly as he tore out of the building.
Billy's face was still red as he entered his bedroom. Kimberly sat on the edge of his turned-down bed. "Hi," she said.
"Hi."
"Did you get it?"
"Uh huh."
"Can I see it?"
Billy paused, and then said, "Why don't you tell me exactly what it was I was supposed to buy, because if we're thinking of different things, I really embarrassed myself."
"I was talking about condoms," Kimberly told him bluntly.
"Oh, good," Billy said. He handed her the box and quickly excused himself to the bathroom. After all, if things go how I hope they do, I'm not gonna want to take a bathroom break…
He turned his overhead lights off as he came back in the bedroom. Kimberly was reading the back of the box intently in the light from his night table lamp. "How expensive were these?"
"Twenty dollars."
"What? You're kidding."
"Long story," Billy said, sitting down on the bed. "So?"
"So," Kimberly murmured. "You've never done this before?"
"No. You?"
"No. Nope. Not me. I'm still pure."
"So, I don't guess you know what to do."
"Not really," she said. "I mean, I know the basic mechanics, but I don't really know how we start. You know?"
"Yeah."
"I guess we could kiss, and see what goes from there." Closing her eyes, she bent towards him and met him in a gentle kiss. The gentle kiss quickly elevated itself into a passionate kiss that put their previous kiss on the sidewalk to shame.
Billy pulled Kimberly closer and rolled onto his back. She traveled with him, and they lay on the bed, still fully clothed, but in each others arms. "Mmmm," Billy sighed as she pulled away. "That was nice."
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed. They stared at each other for a few moments before kissing again.
Saturday morning
Billy woke up with a happy sigh. Oh wow. That was the most amazing dream I've ever had. However, as soon as he realized that he was not wearing his usual pajamas and there was a warm lump in bed pressed against him, he knew that it was anything but a dream.
It had started out a bit awkwardly, and frantically, but the night had soon escalated into the most memorable time of his short seventeen and a half year life. They had broken two condoms due to Kimberly's fingernails and Billy's trembling fingers before anything was accomplished in their frantic attempts to get one on, but they had eventually figured the simple device out. The rest of the night, though, had been everything he had hoped his first time would be – sensual, beautiful, loving, and the most pleasure he had ever felt. Repeatedly. Kimberly was more energetic and into it than he would have expected, and he almost had a hard time believing that it was her first time.
"Mmm?" Kimberly sighed. "You awake?"
"Yeah."
"I can't believe we did this," Kimberly said, turning over in bed to face him.
"You don't regret it, do you?"
"No," Kimberly breathed, pressing a hand to his chest. "Not at all. Do you?"
"Never," Billy said. "But…"
"What is it?"
"There's something I have to know," Billy said. "And whatever the answer is, I won't be mad, or hurt."
"Okay," Kimberly promised.
"There were an awful lot of I-love-you's bandied around last night, and I need to know," Billy said. "Do you love me, like real love, or was last night just a fluke between best friends? It's fine if it was, I just need to know."
Kimberly's answer was a slow, sensual kiss. "Is that an answer enough, or do I need to elaborate?"
"Well, a little elaboration would be nice," Billy said teasingly. Kimberly eagerly obliged.
"As much as I'd love to stay here all weekend," Billy moaned, "if I don't get out of bed and get dressed, I'll never get anything done."
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed. "When do your parents come home?"
"Dad will be here tomorrow afternoon," Billy answered.
"Don't think I'm a slut or something, but we should make our time count," Kimberly said. "Tonight is going to be it for a while."
"Yeah," Billy agreed. "Are we going to tell our parents?"
"No," Kimberly said hurriedly.
"I meant that we're dating," Billy said with a lopsided grin.
"Oh," Kimberly mused. "I don't know. They might think it's weird, since we are living under the same roof. If you remember, our big selling point in letting me stay here was that we're like brother and sister."
"Eew," Billy complained. "Nasty mental image."
Kimberly elbowed his ribs and sighed. "We'll give it a little time. I doubt they would understand how we could start dating in just one week."
"You have only been here one week, haven't you?"
"Yeah. And what a week." Kimberly smiled warmly and nestled even tighter against his body.
"Well, we can figure out all of the fine details later," Billy said, kissing the side of her neck.
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed dreamily. "Later. But first,…"
Billy finally managed to get away from Kimberly around noon. She had finally overexerted herself and fallen asleep. He felt dirty just leaving her alone in his bed, but if he had stayed and slept with her, the way things were going, he would have never escaped.
"Have fun last night?" Rocky asked with a sly grin as Billy approached him and Adam in the Youth Center.
The teen blushed and sat down with a thump. "Well, yeah." He blushed a darker shade of red.
"Oh yeah," Rocky said, taking his wallet out. "Here's your change."
Billy took the folded up bills and stuffed them into his pocket. "Thanks. Tommy … well, did he say anything about… it, last night?"
Rocky and Adam traded a glance. "He didn't really mention it," Adam stammered, "but I think it sort of bothered him."
"Man," Billy groaned, running his hands through his hair. "He and Kimberly still haven't talked yet. Where is he?"
"We haven't seen him since last night," Adam said. "We were late getting in. He might still be asleep."
"I'll probably catch up with him later," Billy sighed.
"Billy!" Kimberly cried, popping up beside him. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving. I was soooo worried."
"I'm sorry," Billy said. "I didn't want to wake you."
"Don't worry me like that again," Kimberly chided sternly. She took his chin in her hand and tilted his face to hers. She caught his lips in a passionate kiss. Still kissing him, she straddled his hips and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
Rocky and Adam looked at each other wide-eyed. Kimberly slid a hand up beneath Billy's shirt and began to kiss a path down his neck.
"Uh, Kimberly," Billy stammered, pulling away from her. "We're in public."
"So?"
"So, we're in public," Billy said, red-faced.
"All right, all right," she relented, climbing off of him and sitting in the chair next to him. "Later though." Adam blushed beet red and looked away.
"Kimberly, are you all right?" Rocky asked warily.
"Of course I'm all right," Kimberly said. "Why? Do I not look okay? Oh my God, is something wrong?"
"Nooo."
"It's just-," Kimberly began, and then started to cry, "I just got really worried when you asked me if I was all right, because if I wasn't all right, then that would mean something is wrong."
Billy, Rocky, and Adam looked at each other. "Come on, Kim," Billy said. "Why don't we go home? I think you could use some rest."
Kimberly nodded happily and immediately stopped crying. "Okay, Billy," she said.
"We'll catch you guys later," Billy said.
"I think my mom was right," Rocky mused as the two teens left. "Pre-marital sex does cause insanity."
"Billy, last night was amazing," Kimberly gushed. "It was the best night of my life."
"Mine, too," Billy agreed.
"Oh my God," Kimberly said. "I had sex last night. Over and over." Billy raised his eyebrows questioningly at her. She suddenly burst into tears and sobbed, "I gave up my virginity. Oh my God! I'm not pure anymore!"
"Kimberly, what is wrong?" Billy asked. "You're really starting to scare me."
"Oh no Billy, I don't want to worry you," Kimberly said. She gave a bright smile and said, "I wouldn't want to worry you for anything. Why don't we go home, and … talk?" She giggled at herself, and then began laughing hysterically.
"Kimberly?" Billy asked cautiously. "What is wrong?"
"What do you mean, what's wrong?!" Kimberly yelled. "Can't a woman express herself without scaring everybody around her! Huh?!"
"I-I'm … sorry?" Billy tried, horribly confused.
"That's okay," Kimberly said. "I love you, ya know."
"I love you, too," Billy whispered. I'm just worried that you've lost your mind…
Kimberly looked up and down Billy's body and smiled. Leaning in close, she whispered, "Let's go back home…"
Tommy took his frustrations out on the punching bag angrily. Kimberly never would lay a hand on me, he griped mentally. Lo and behold, she comes home for a week and screws Billy! "I thought I was doing the right thing by breaking up," he grunted outloud.
"And what makes you think that?" Kimberly asked, leaning against the doorframe to Tommy's room.
"What are you doing here?" Tommy asked, reaching for a tanktop to put on.
"Don't bother," Kimberly growled. "I've seen you without your shirt before."
"Did my mom let you up here?"
"You're the only one home, Tommy," Kimberly said. "Why did you dump me?"
"I thought I was doing the right thing," Tommy countered. "Why should I have kept you tied down?"
"Because we were happy," Kimberly snarled. "I didn't care that you were on the other side of the country. We were happy. Do you know how I felt when you broke up?"
"Do you know what I felt like?" Tommy asked. "Do you really think I was dumping you so I could find another girl? No. I broke up because I didn't think it was fair to keep you tied down when only God knew when we'd see each other again."
Kimberly's eyes flickered angrily, and her fingers curled around the switchblade in her front pocket. "Kimberly?" Tommy asked warily.
She yanked the knife from her pocket and flipped it open. Screaming wildly, she lunged at him with the knife high above her. He grabbed her wrists and wrenched the knife from her grip. She lashed out at him with a side kick, catching him in the groin and falling him to his knees. She recovered the switchblade in one quick movement and towered above him. Kimberly pressed the cold blade against the side of his neck and muttered, "Rot in hell, you son of a bitch."
Tommy lurched forward, using the element of surprise to his advantage. She fell onto her back, and the knife once again left her hands. He crawled over her and attempted to get away.
She drew her knees up and launched them into Tommy's unprotected stomach. He gave a dry heave and rolled away. Kimberly scrambled for the switch blade. Her fingers closed around the black handle and she lashed back at Tommy.
The silver tip caught his chest, and though the wound wasn't deep, it was long. Blood began to flow down his chest and abdomen, but Kimberly wasn't finished.
"NO!" Billy yelled, teleporting in just in time. He wrapped his arms around Kimberly and pulled her away.
"LET ME GO!!!" she shrieked. "I'VE ALMOST GOT HIM!!!"
"STOP IT!!!" he cried at her. He took the knife from her hands and turned her to face him. "He's not worth it." He kissed Kimberly deeply and tossed Tommy a wadded up note, unbeknownst to Kimberly. "Come on. Let's go back home."
"Really?" she asked, suddenly smiling.
"Yeah," Billy said. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his communicator. They both melted into a stream of white light.
Tommy gingerly touched the wound on his chest. It wasn't too deep, and it was too fresh to hurt much. He quickly unfolded Billy's note, hoping it would explain something.
Teleport to Power Chamber. Have Alpha set up stasis field around my bed. I'll keep Kimberly occupied as long as possible. Scan for spell. -Billy
"What the hell is going on?!" Tommy bellowed angrily as he teleported into the Power Chamber. "Kimberly just tried to kill me, Billy insulted me, and I'm bleeding."
"Tommy?" Alpha asked. "What do you mean?"
"Kimberly just came in my bedroom and tried to kill me," Tommy said plainly. "And Billy gave me a note that said to scan for a spell."
"On Kimberly?" Alpha asked.
"Alpha, please scan Kimberly, Billy, and Tommy for a spell," Zordon said. Tommy started to protest, but the look on his mentor's face made him keep his mouth shut. He waited impatiently as a red line of light traced up and down his body. A few moments later, the results came back as he expected. Negative.
"Now to scan Billy," Alpha said happily. He punched in a few controls, and waited for the results.
"I don't want you to kill Tommy," Billy moaned. Stop doing that! You're driving me wild!!! Kimberly's lips brushed lightly against the base of his neck.
"But he hurt me," Kimberly said, kissing a line up his neck and across his jawline. "He made me mad."
"If you kill Tommy, then you'll be arrested and go to prison and I'll never see you again," Billy said as though he were speaking to a child. "I don't want that to happen."
"I hadn't thought about it that way," Kimberly said. She stopped kissing him long enough to pull his shirt up over his head.
Hurry up and do something, Alpha! Billy mentally screamed. His efforts to merely detain Kimberly long enough to run a scan on her were proving futile, and if she didn't stop what she was doing to him soon, Billy feared he would publicly embarrass himself on the viewing globe.
He suddenly felt the familiar tickle of a scan. He looked up, and wondered if he was directly in the viewing globe's sights. "Hurry," he mouthed, just in case.
Kimberly started to take her shirt off, but Billy quickly stopped. "No," Billy said.
"Why?"
Billy's mind worked frantically for an excuse. "Let's get under the covers." Kimberly smiled her approval.
"Alpha, you had better do something, quick," Tommy said. He winced at the sight of Billy and Kimberly on the viewing globe. He didn't like the fact that his best friend and ex were sleeping together. He certainly didn't intend to watch it.
"Billy is clean," Alpha said. "Scanning Kimberly."
Kimberly wiggled out of her clothing beneath the covers and tossed them to the floor. Billy grinned nervously. His body and mind were telling him two very different things.
ALPHA!!!!!
Suddenly, Kimberly winced. "Billy?" Kimberly asked, looking up. Billy quickly jerked the covers up over her bare back. "Why was I just scanned?"
"Hmm?" Billy asked, feigning ignorance.
"I just felt a scan," Kimberly said firmly. "Billy Cranston, what did you have Alpha do?"
"I'm worried that you're under a spell," Billy said cautiously. Dear God, don't let her get mad at me, too…
"But I'm not evil," Kimberly said sadly. Tears began to slide down her cheeks.
"Honey, it's not your fault if you are," Billy said, wiping away her tears with his thumb.
"But what if I'm not?" Kimberly asked. "What if I'm not under a spell? What'll happen to me then?"
Suddenly, a stasis field was set up around the entire bed. "You must be under a spell," Billy whispered. He reached out his hand to brush the stasis field. A white flash of light spread out on the field where his fingertips touched it. "See? A stasis field."
"We can't get out, can we?" Kimberly asked. Billy shook his head. "That means we can't get my clothes, right?"
Billy looked over the edge of the bed. Kimberly's shirt and bra lay just outside the stasis field. "Nope."
Kimberly blushed beet red and covered her face with her hands. She began to breathe heavily, and was just short of tears.
"No, Kimberly," Billy said. "It'll be okay. We'll just stay under the covers until Alpha … does something."
"Right," Kimberly groaned. Suddenly, white light flashed all around them, and they were immediately teleported to the Power Chamber. "Oh, God…"
"Just stay under the covers," Billy whispered to her. Louder, he asked, "What's the verdict Alpha?"
"It appears that Klank has injected some type of serum into her blood stream," Alpha told them. "Although I don't have this particular serum in our databanks, it appears that it has made her hormones and emotions hypersensitive."
Billy looked at the trembling teen beside him in the bed. She was terrified. So far, he had seen an extreme display of many different emotions – fear, joy, humor, hatred, anger, shyness, and … "Sexuality," he murmured. Groaning, he buried his face in his hands. "She's gonna hate me when she's back to normal and knows what we did."
"Billy?" Alpha asked.
"Nothing Alpha," Billy groaned. "Would you synthesize Kimberly and me some shirts?"
"Fix me one, too, Alpha," Tommy sighed.
Five minutes later, Kimberly and Billy sat in the middle of the bed, still surrounded with a stasis field. They each wore a slightly oversized flannel shirt, one in pink and one in blue. Billy realized that it was the first time in a very long while that he had worn blue, and he also realized that he missed his color more than he would have thought. Tommy was currently having his chest wound tended to by Alpha while the computer looked for an antidote to Kimberly's serum.
"It's not deep, Tommy," Alpha told him, "so it should heal just fine." Alpha handed him a red flannel shirt, which he promptly put on.
"Billy, I'm scared," Kimberly whimpered, pressing herself against his chest.
"Trepidation," Billy whispered to himself.
"Huh?"
"Nothing, Kim."
Tommy walked over to the contained bed. "Are you okay, Tommy?" Billy asked.
"Getting there," Tommy said feebly. "Kim? Are you-"
"Don't you dare talk to me you son of a bitch!" she screamed suddenly.
"She's still a little bit angry," Billy said sympathetically.
"Oh wow," Kimberly said. "I actually feel sorry now. I'm sorry Tommy."
"It's o-"
"But I'll still gut you like a fish if you step close enough," she threatened, quite seriously.
"Uh oh," Alpha said slowly.
"Alpha?" Billy asked.
"There isn't an antidote!" Alpha cried. "The serum has already worked itself into her cerebral cortex!"
"What does that mean?" Kimberly asked, suddenly confused.
"It's a part of you now, Kimberly! There isn't a cure, because it's worked itself into your brain!"
Kimberly looked at Alpha, and then burst into tears. Wailing uncontrollably, she buried her face in Billy's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against him. "We'll find a way to stop this, Kimberly," Billy whispered. "Somehow…"
Kimberly slept on the bed, still contained in a stasis field. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally drained since every emotion she felt was greatly magnified. Billy and Alpha were trying their best to find a cure for Kimberly's problem, although they were having little luck.
Suddenly, alarms began to screech, loudly and painfully. Kimberly jumped up in bed and shrieked at the top of her lungs with her hands clamped over her ears. "It's okay, Kimberly," Billy said, running up to the bed. He leaned against the stasis field and pressed his palm against it as though it were a pane of glass. Kimberly mirrored the move on the other side.
"It startled me," she whimpered. Her eyes quickly ran up and down the length of Billy's body, and she immediately had a savage look in her eyes. "You know," she whispered, twirling a strand of hair around her little finger, "we never did do what we said we were gonna do this afternoon…"
Suddenly, the Power Chamber began to shake, prompting Kimberly to start screaming again. "What's going on?!!!"
"Billy!" Alpha cried. "A ship of some sort is landing near the Zord Holding Bay."
"Alpha, contact the Rangers," Zordon instructed.
"It's … a pyramid," Billy said in awe. "And…" His eyes immediately widened. "No way… I'll be right back." Billy teleported away in a flash of white.
As soon as the Rangers reached the Power Chamber, they immediately went into battle. King Mondo promptly sent down WolfBane, his newest creation.
"Alpha, what's taking so long?" Kimberly whined. "Where is Billy?"
"I don't know, Kimberly," Alpha answered. "Aye-yi-yi, he went to intercept the pyramid that landed here, but I'm not getting any of his life readings, yet he isn't measured as dead. I don't understand it!"
"You guys!" Tanya cried. "Look!"
"What on Earth-?" Adam asked in disbelief.
A shimmering golden figure, seemingly composed to light, walked toward WolfBane. Immediately, the golden figure broke apart and coalesced into three forms. The center form became solid, revealing a Black Zeo Ranger with a golden shield. Another fragment changed into a female Ranger, wearing white with a silver shield, while the final, also female, became a Ranger wearing bronze armor with a black shield. All three had a triple bar as the visor.
"Three extra Rangers?" WolfBane asked. Throwing his metallic wolf-head back, he began to laugh wildly. "I can defeat eight Rangers as easily as I can defeat five!"
The three mysterious Rangers said nothing, but outstretched their right hands. A black and gold staff appeared in each hand, carrying the triple bar symbol at the top. "It's time for a gold rush!" the Black Ranger shouted. All three pointed their staffs at WolfBane. Before the wolf machine could attack, hundreds of tiny balls of golden fire burst from the staffs and surrounded him. In seconds, he exploded in a fireball.
The five Zeo Rangers ran up to the three new Rangers. "Who are you?" Rocky asked.
The three Rangers traded a glance, and Black Ranger answered, "A friend." They turned to walk away. Golden light began to glow around all three, and they merged into a golden being of light. The light immediately disappeared, revealing the lone male Black Ranger. A golden streak of light swooped out of the sky and ran across his body, and he immediately disappeared.
"Let's get back to the Power Chamber and see if Zordon has any answers for us," Tommy said.
The five Zeo Rangers teleported into the Power Chamber just as Billy ran in from a side entrance. "Alpha? Were you monitoring the fight?" Katherine asked eagerly.
"Zordon, the ship appears to be sentient," Billy said. "It let me in, although I didn't find any trace of a Zeo Crystal or its energy."
"Three new Zeo Rangers appeared in battle," Tommy said.
"What ship?" Tanya asked.
"Could somebody come back to Earth and pick me up because I am like totally lost?" Kimberly asked. She began giggling hysterically as soon as she said it. "Remember that, Alpha? That was the very first thing I said to you!"
Alpha chuckled nervously and looked at Billy. The former Blue Ranger shrugged.
"They all had the same visor," Adam observed. "And the same basic armor, just different colorations of it."
"The three Rangers put themselves into … one Ranger," Tommy said, scratching his head. "It was weird."
"You said there was a ship," Tanya said.
"A golden pyramid landed just a little ways f