As Hayley stood at the top of the stairs shaking her head, she let tears fall and finally collapsed there on the kitchen floor. Kimberly got up and went her, putting her arms around the woman who had tried so hard to save him.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, "I'm so, so sorry. There was nothing I could do."

"Sshh…its okay," Kimberly whispered, her own tears falling now, "You did what you could. That's all we could ask of you." Just then, the telephone rang and Jason got up to answer it. He stood talking for a few moments and then hung up the phone. He looked around at his exhausted, tear-stricken team and wished that he didn't have to tell them this news.

"There were other losses," he began.

Several days later, every surviving Power Ranger gathered at the ruins of the California Command Center in the desert for the funerals of their fallen friends. They entombed the ashes of Karone, Andros, Tori, Cole, and Tommy. Afterwards, everyone gathered at Hayley's Cyber Café.

Kimberly and Kira took the stage in front of their Ranger family, Kira at the piano and Kimberly at the microphone with her guitar. She looked at all of her family and wished that they had gathered here under different circumstances and took in all that she had lost in the recent weeks. The love of her life and the father of her son was gone now, forever. Friends that she had barely gotten to know lost their lives in an unnecessary battle. Her life now seemed without direction, but she knew that she had her friends to lean on and she would never cut them out again.

"I've spent my time here writing a song that I think is appropriate, given everything we've all been through. I wrote it based on personal experience but now it takes on a deeper meaning. We've lost a lot because of the evil we've faced for years. Its been a long road. One that seems never ending, but I've never seen anyone give up. We are a family. We always will be and I have never met anybody with more courage and strength than the people I see right now. This song is called "Courage Is…" and its dedicated to those we have lost and to all of you," she nodded at Kira and the piano began.

"Take all my vicious words, and turn them into something good. Take all my preconceptions and let the truth be understood. Take all my prized possessions, leave only what I need. Take all my pieces of doubt, and let me be what's underneath…."

At the back, in a dark corner there was a figure that nobody saw that listened to the voice of an angel and cried silently.

"Courage is when you're afraid but you keep on moving anyway. Courage is when you're in pain but you keep on living anyway. We all have excuses why, living in fear something in us dies. Like a bird with broken wings, its not how high he flies….but the song he sings…."

Hayley watched from the bar, a sad smile displayed on her face. She turn at the sound of a soft sniffle and walked to the back of her café.

"You shouldn't be here," she whispered to the darkness, "We don't know that it's safe yet." Without a word, she was alone in the dark.

"Courage is when you're afraid but you keep on moving anyway. Courage is when you're in pain but you keep on living anyway. Keep on living anyway…keep on living anyway….It's not how many times you've been knocked down, it's how many times you get back up. Courage is when you've lost your way but you find your strength anyway. Courage is when you're afraid. Courage is when it all seems grey. Courage is when you make a change and you keep on living anyway…You keep on moving anyway….You keep on giving anyway….You keep on loving anyway…"

The crowd clapped, wiped at tears and several hurried to hug a very teary-eyed Kimberly and a crying Kira.

"It was so beautiful Kim," Jason said as he hugged her.

"Tommy would be so proud of you," Tanya whispered.

"Thank you, guys," Kim sniffled and then turned to her son and held him in her arms for what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes.

"I'm so, so sorry Castiel. I will never leave you, ever again," she vowed. He nodded and buried his face in her shoulder. Though he had only just met his father, he felt a terrible loss in his heart.

Connor hugged Kira and wiped her tears away. She gave him a brave smile, but couldn't completely mask her pain.

"I wish this had ended different," he whispered in her ear.

"Me too," she mumbled. He kissed her forehead and then rested his cheek there. She clung to him like he were her lifeline. "Can we get out of here?"

"Sure," he replied and led her to the door, saying goodbye as they went. Once they got to his jeep, she climbed in and waited for him.

"I don't want to go home," she said once he was in the car and they were pulling away.

"Where do you want to go," he asked.

"I don't care," she said, "Anywhere I can be with you. I just don't want to go home."

"Okay," he said and took her hand.

Connor's jeep was parked in Dr. Oliver's driveway when the other Rangers got back to the house, however there was nobody in the house. Kimberly checked everywhere, but found nothing.

"I'll go look for them," she said as she grabbed her coat by the door, "Kat, do you think you could put Castiel to bed?"

"Of course," Katherine responded and Kimberly headed out the door. Jason ran out after her and she nearly jumped out of her skin when he caught up to her.

"Jesus Jas!" she all but screamed.

"I'm sorry, Kim. I just think you shouldn't be alone and besides you forgot the flashlight," he said, handing her the lit light.

"Thanks," she said and playfully hit him in the chest with the light.

Jason and Kim set off in the darkness towards the back of the house and the dark woods beyond that looking for Connor and Kira.

Connor sat with Kira on a blanket in a clearing more than a mile into the woods behind Dr. Oliver's house. He felt her shiver in his arms and wrapped a second blanket around them. She snuggled into him, but despite all the comfort he offered, she couldn't get her emotions in check.

"Are you okay," he asked.

"Yeah," she answered, "but all I can think is that we lost Dr. O. and yet I was a little relieved because it could have been you. I don't ever want to lose you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kira," Connor promised her, "I promise you." She turned to him to see the look he wore. It was a far away stare but it was very serious. He met her eyes and wasn't sure what he saw there. She looked lost and sad, but he'd also never seen anyone look at him the way she was looking at him now.

"I love you," she whispered. That was unexpected, but surprisingly, he was not shocked or afraid of what to say.

"I love you too," he said, tightening his embrace and leaning forward to kiss her soft lips. She turned her body a little, balled up his shirt in her fist, crying and he cradled her head in his arm. The kiss intensified as he ran his fingers through her thick, curly hair. There were faint calls from somewhere in the dark for them, but they ignored it; completely lost in each other.

"I want you," Kira said, as she pulled away from him. She stared at him intently waiting for him to respond. Now he was shocked. He had never seen this side of Kira. He'd only ever seen her tough, rocker chick side and that was one that he loved. Now she was vulnerable and he didn't want to take advantage of that.

"Are you sure," he asked.

"Connor, I need to feel like I'm not dying inside. Everything we've been through has made me realize, our lives are precious and short and I don't want to waste another minute," she pleaded, "Please, Connor. I want you….to be my first, my only. Please?" Her tear filled eyes pleaded with him and he couldn't bear to see her in more pain than she was already in.

His response was a simple kiss on her forehead and a nod. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. He turned them and gently laid her on the blanket, kissing her lips and then her throat. She worked at the buttons of his shirt and pulled it open, exposing his bare chest.

"Touch me, Connor," she begged and he obliged with gentle caresses along her stomach, lifting her shirt. She sat up just enough for him to get it over head and then he unhooked her bright yellow bra before laying her head on a makeshift pillow of red and yellow shirts. His lips and his warm hands roamed the exposed top half of her body and a cool breeze traveled across the clearing just as he disappeared under the blanket. Her eyes watched the stars and then she let out a pleasure-filled sigh.

"CONNOR! KIRA!" Kimberly and Jason called, walking to through the darkness finding nothing. After a few more steps, Kimberly heard an unusual noise.

"Stop. Did you hear that," she whispered.

"Hear what," Jason whispered back. Without responding, she turned and walked toward a thick brush. She turned off her flash light because the moon was right overhead and it was clear enough for her to see. She pushed aside the brush until she'd made a small hole.

"I found them," she whispered. Jason came over and peeked through the hole.

Through the hole in the brush, they found the students on a blanket under the stars, clothes strewn around them, breathing labored and in the middle of intense love-making.

"We should sto…" Jason began to whisper.

"No," Kim interrupted, "They've already been through enough. Let's save them this embarrassment." Jason gave her a look of disapproval.

"Look, at least they're being safe," she whispered, pointing to an empty condom wrapper next to the blanket, "That's more than I can say for most teenagers their age." Jason just nodded and pulled her out of the bush she'd managed to get stuck on.

The rustling of leaves had to effect on the intertwined teens as Kimberly and Jason made their way back to the house.

"I can't believe you don't want to stop them," Jason said when they were far enough away.

"Jas, if I'm being honest, I'd be doing the same thing," she said, "Actually I've done the same thing."

"Oh really," Jason said in mock shock.

"Yes, really," she responded.

"Oh, I have got to hear this," he said, stopping and crossing his arms as he faced her.

"It was after you had left the team. Rita and Zedd had released Ivan Ooze and he destroyed the Command Center and nearly killed Zordon. We were on Planet Phadoes and the rest of the team was sleeping. I felt lost and alone. Tommy heard me crying and came to comfort me. I thought that we might not survive it. We were so in love and time just seemed like it was against us. We made love for the first time that night. Nothing mattered to me more than him and the way he made me feel," she confessed, "I'd give anything to have that back. God, Jase…I miss him so much. I feel so helpless without him." She sobbed and Jason hugged her close but said nothing. What could he say? Nobody felt Tommy's absence more right now than Kimberly.

3 Months Later

After everything, Kimberly moved her whole life to Reefside and moved into Tommy's house. She'd changed a few things to help her let go, but she still felt Tommy all around her. She swore that sometimes she could feel him watching her. But at least she knew that she'd always have a part of him, in more ways than one and that was comforting to her.

One night she laid in bed, reading and planning for the next day. She'd taken over teaching at Reefside High for Tommy. It was storming really bad outside and she was surprised that Castiel wasn't climbing in bed with her yet. She looked at the clock. Eleven. She set her book and planner aside and reached for the light when she heard a knock on her door.

"What the hell," she said to herself and got up. She walked to the door and slowly unlocked it.

On the front porch, completely soaked was Kira. Her face was red and puffy from crying and she held her left arm with her right.

"Kira, honey, what are you doing out in this weather," Kim wondered aloud, "Come in. I'll get you a towel."

"Thank you Ms. H. I didn't know where else I could go. This was the safest place I could think of," Kira said. She looked as though she had been crying for a while. Her eyes were very red and puffy, her make-up smeared, hair disheveled and she wore wrinkled faded blue jeans a yellow tank and one of Connor's red flannel shirts over her tank. Kim was certain she had seen a few leaves in her hair and her shoes and the knees of her jeans were muddy like she'd fallen while running.

"I'll get you a towel and some dry clothes," Kim offered, "Why don't you follow me up stairs and go take a hot shower. I'll set some clothes on the counter for you." Kira only nodded and followed Kimberly upstairs and then disappeared into the bathroom.

Kimberly knew Tommy had let the three teens keep some clothes here for emergencies or for after a long battle, but they never took them after their Power Ranger duties were over. Kim started to gather some of Kira's under garments but realized how late it was and that there was nothing suitable for her to sleep in, in her drawer.

"Shit," Kim muttered under her breathe. She went to her own drawer and pulled out a pair of black Mickey Mouse lounge pants and her red and white striped Mickey Mouse sleep tank. Kimberly folded everything neatly and set it on the bathroom counter while Kira showered and then went downstairs to make some hot cocoa from scratch.

Kira came down, hair a curly mess and make-up gone, she sat down at the table and pulled one knee up to her chest and rested her cheek there. Kimberly set a steaming cup of cocoa in front of her with a heaping bowl of marshmallows and a box of tissues just in case.

"So, you wanna tell me what's going on," Kim said, sitting down in the adjacent chair with her own steaming cup. She added a few marshmallows to her cup while she waited for Kira to find her voice.

"Kira, you can talk to me. Whatever it is, I'm not going to throw you back out in the rain if that's what you're afraid of," Kimberly said after waiting ten minutes. Kira looked up then and seemed to relax a little more.

"You promise," Kira asked.

"I promise," Kim said, "Besides, you're wearing my pajamas and they weren't cheap so, I'm sorry but you're staying here whether you like it or not." Kira let a shy smile cross her face and then it immediately disappeared.

"My parents kicked me out and Connor's not allowed to see me," she started and her voice started to get shaky.

"It's okay, Kira," Kim said, taking her hand, "I'm not going to do that. Can you tell me why your parents kicked you out?" Kira looked down and tears fell again.

"Because I'm pregnant," Kira sobbed into her hands, "And I'm not allowed to see Connor anymore because his parents think a baby will ruin his chance of a soccer scholarship and any career he might have. I'm not even sure I want to keep it but nobody will listen to me. My parents threw me out and I have no place I can go. I'm so scared and I don't know what to do…" Kimberly immediately got up and wrapped her arms around Kira. She knew exactly the place that Kira was in because once upon a time she had been there too. Her mother was furious and if she hadn't already moved to Florida, she wouldn't have had any place to go because her mother would have done the same and Zordon had advised her to keep the baby a secret because of the natural power he might possess because he had power ranger parents, so she couldn't go to Tommy. Although, she knew his parents would have been far more understanding than her own.

"You're safe here. You're always safe here," Kimberly told her, as she pulled hair out of Kira's face, "You can stay here as long as you need to. I will help you with everything. We'll go talk to your parents tomorrow and pick up some of your things." Kira nodded and then just sipped her cocoa quietly.

After sitting up with Kira and talking for another hour, Kimberly looked at the clock and realizing that it was almost two in the morning, she led Kira to the already made up guest bedroom and then took herself to bed. She sat in bed and shook her hair out, closed her eyes and sighed. Then she opened her eyes and reached over to turn the bedside lamp off, but something caught her eye. A shadow in the closet that was not there before.

"Is someone there," she asked, slowly starting to move to the other side of the bed and make a run for it. The shadow in the closet began to move toward her and she moved farther away, but then the light caught the side of his face and long hair. She stopped moving and leaned forward and squinted because he was still three quarters shrouded in shadow. Kimberly let out a gasp and covered her gaping mouth with her hand. Tears filled her eyes as the realization hit her. Then he came fully into the light.

"But how," she whimpered, "You died. We burned your body." He came to her side and wiped her tears away.

"No Beautiful," he said softly, "You burned A body. Not mine. Hayley and I faked my death to be sure that nothing else came after you. I had to stay away long enough to make sure there was nobody else waiting to make an attack."

"Oh Tommy," she whispered, finally reaching up to touch his face to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Nothing about him had changed, except his hair.

"You let it grow out again," she said with a smile, touching his dark, wavy locks and brushing them out of his face.

"Yeah, Hayley suggested a change of appearance might help," he said, taking off his jacket to reveal his bare but tattooed arms. He had a celtic cross on his right arm with the names of the fiends they'd lost tattooed around it and on his left arm and intertwined falcon and crane with a banner in their talons. On the banner, Castiel's name and his birthday was written in script.

Kimberly pulled herself up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his and holding on to him like her life depended on it. He cradled her in his arms as she started to sob, letting go of three months worth of pain and stress.

"Sshh baby," he whispered, stroking her head, "I'm here now. Its going to be okay. I promise, I will never leave you like that again."

"You were gone and I was left here all alone. Why? Why did you leave me," she sobbed. Tommy just held her and let her cry but she wouldn't fall asleep. She was still in shock.

"You should go wake up Castiel," she said, starting to move out of his lap.

"No," he said, gently pulling her back, "There is plenty of time for that. Let him sleep." She just fell back into his arms and let him hold her. There was nothing that could have made that moment more perfect, except….

"Tommy," she asked, looking up at him.

"Hmmm," he hummed, meeting her gaze.

"I never thought I'd get to say this to you," she said with a smile, "but I'm pregnant."

He let a smile cross his face, remembering that day in her hotel room shower. He must not have noticed her bump because she was wearing a night shirt she all but swam in. He kissed the her forehead and then ran his hand over her belly that seemed larger than it should have been for someone who was almost four months pregnant. He looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"I probably should mention," she said, knowing why he was giving her that look, "We're having twins." The smile that crossed his face said it all and she knew that from that moment on, they would be okay.

The End