Death

"Where am I?" Tommy questioned as his eye flew open. "I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore." Tommy looked around he was in a beautiful meadow surrounded by trees. The sky was a brilliant blue. Almost the same color as Kat's eyes.

"Tommy, it is good to see you again." A familiar old voice called from behind Tommy. He turned around and saw a man he didn't recognize. "You don't recognize me in bodily form, but you did remember my voice."

"Of course Zordon, how could I forget your voice. I have missed you so much and so has everyone else."

"I know, and I miss all of you, but I had to what I did."

"I understand Zordon." Tommy was silent for a few moments finally he spoke again. "Am I dead? I mean I was fighting Kevaris then, the next thing I know here I am."

"No Tommy, you are not dead. Kevaris knocked you out. You re in a dream." Zordon chuckled.

"That's a relief."

"Just to let you know Tommy. Andros got to you just in time and teleported you out. You are in the megaship in the medical room. Alpha is taking care of you."

"What about Kat. I mean she was hurt bad... by me." Tommy let his voice trail off at the end of his sentence. Zordon's face fell into a somber look.

"I'm so sorry Tommy. Kat didn't make it through. Her injuries were far too great."

"No, I killed her!"

"Tommy, don't blame yourself! Katherine did what she thought was right. However, even she had survived she would have only caused trouble for you. Kevaris used a rare potion on her. She would never have remembered you or your son.;"

"I'll get him if it's the last thing I do."

"Tommy! I came here for a reason. Katherine is with me and she wanted to speak with you!" Tommy's head snapped up. His eyes focused in on the most beautiful person in the universe.

"Kat?" he barley whispered.

"Tommy, I needed to talk to you." She knelt down to him. Her blue eyes covered with sadness. "I want you to take care of Jared for me. He already knows about us, Zordon told him everything in dreams. For what reason I still don't know, but he'll understand when you tell him about me. Don't worry about what if he doesn't like you. I used to tell him stories of you. even though he didn't know who you were he adores you. I told him that you weren't there because of my choice. He doesn't hold that against you. Tommy, he'll love you and I know that you'll love him." She kissed his cheek "Also know that I have always loved you."

"I love you too Katherine." Tommy cried. The tears he was fighting fell at her last words to him.

"Good-bye my love. I'll always be there for you and Jared."

"Don't Leave me!" Tommy screamed as he shot up out of the bed.

"Well look who finally woke up." Rocky said. Rocky's smile quickly changed when he saw that his fearless leader was crying. "What’s wrong Tommy?"

"I know about Katherine." He sobbed.

"But, how?"

"Zordon brought her to me in a dream."

"Zordon? She's with him?"

"Yes."

"What are you two talking about?" Adam asked from the doorway. The others were right behind him. They had heard Tommy yell and came running.

"He knows about Katherine." Rocky whispered.

"How? You were unconscious for two whole days!" Carlos exclaimed.

Tommy told them about his dream with Zordon and with Katherine. his tears fell even harder. Every one else felt his pain. Kat had been a sweet, caring person. She had been the light of the team. Even the astro rangers loved her, they had only met her briefly but she had left a big impact on them.

"Well, there isn't much any of us can say. I'm so sorry Tommy." Ashley said.

“Has anyone contacted her father yet?” Tommy choked out.

“No, not yet.” Tanya replied. “We did contact Jason and Kimberly though. They promised not to say anything to Jared until we get back.”

“It’s just not fair!” Tommy’s sudden outburst surprised them all. “Katherine shouldn’t have ended up like this. She had so mush life in her. She had so much to live for. Jared is so young, will he remember how great his mother was when he’s older?”

“No one could ever forget Kat.” Adam responded. The rest of the rangers remained silent, they didn’t know what to say. This was a difficult time for all of them.

“Approaching Earth. Destination, NASADA.” DECA chimed. The astro rangers headed back to the bridge so that they could land the ship. Justin laid a hand on Tommy’s shoulder.

“I’m going to miss her too Tommy. She was like a mom to me when we were rangers.”

“Thanks Justin. I know all of us will miss her dearly”

The rangers all went to Adam and Tanya’s house. They had put Katherine’s body in the cryogenic containment room until they could get her a coffin.

Kimberly was hugging Tanya and crying. Jason went over to Tommy.

“Hey bro, I know how much she meant to you. If anything happened to Kim I would just die. I know that you will make it through this, after all there’s still Jared.”

"Jason, I know that you are trying to comfort me, but nothing will help. I’ll tell you something that I didn’t.. couldn’t tell the others. I killed Kat.”

“What?!”

“She ran out in front of Kevaris... I didn’t see her until it was too late... She thought that she was in love with Kevaris so she went to protect him... I didn’t see her... I killed her” Tommy began to cry again. Jason hugged his best friend.

“Tommy you can’t blame yourself!” Jason tried to reason with his hysterical friend.

“How can I face Jared and tell him that his mother is dead, because of me? I’m supposed to raise Jared from now on. How can I live with myself after killing the only woman I truly love? How can I live with Jared knowing that I took away his mother?” Tommy sobbed harder. The others were now quiet, they had overheard Tommy.

“Tommy killed Kat?” Rocky whispered. Everyone was in shock. It was hard enough to say that Katherine was dead, but now they had to deal with knowing Tommy had taken her from them.

“It was an accident, she ran out in front of Kevaris.” Tanya replied.

“Poor Tommy, it’s hard enough to loose her but to have been the one to pull the trigger...” Kimberly sympathized. She knew Tommy would never get over this. It had been hard enough after the green ranger incident.

“I can’t believe this!” Adam exclaimed.

“I know I can never ask for any one of you to forgive me, let alone for my own forgiveness.” Tommy started.

“Tommy we all understand that it was an accident, besides from what you tell us from your dream, Katherine wasn’t too upset.” Andros interrupted.

“Tommy, we lost your friendship once and we would never want to do that again. Besides you have a son to take care of now.” Kimberly added.

“Tommy we will all miss Kat, but if you shut us out it will make this whole situation worse. It would be like we lost both of you.” Adam quipped.

“Daddy?” a small voice called from the doorway. Tommy knew it was Jared.

“Hey buddy,” Tommy said as he walked over to Jared. He pick up the little boy.

“Mommy’s dead, isn’t she? Don’t lie to me, mommy came to me in my dream with Zordon. I already know.”

“Yes Jared, Mommy is dead.” Tommy was barely able to speak.

“Even the rangers couldn’t have saved her is what Zordon said. I know that you all tried your bestest to save my mommy.” Jared began crying. “She told me that I would be living with you now, so I need to be brave and love you, but Daddy I already love you.”

“I love you too son.” Tommy kissed the top of his head. They cried together for the loss of the woman in their lives.

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“We lay Katherine Lynn Hillard to rest here in this peaceful place. May her soul be kept safe inside the gates of heaven and may her family and friends be comforted knowing she is in a better place.” the minister ended the funeral service.

Jared stood next to Tommy holding his hand. Katherine’s father walked up to the casket. “Baby girl, I just wanted to say that I love you. I hope that you find your mum and that the two of you wait for me.” He leaned over and kissed the casket.

Friends and Family began the walk by and place roses on the casket. Tommy and Jared stayed right where they were.

Once everyone had gone by Tommy and Jared walked up to the casket. Jared let go of Tommy’s hand. He kissed the casket the way his grandfather had done. Tears streamed down his face. “Mommy, I love you and I want you to know that I love Daddy too. You don’t have to worry about me or daddy we can take care of each other. I know that someday I will see you and I hope that you will wait for me. I love you.” The three year’s speech made everyone still present cry. For being three years old the little boy had a better understanding of things than did many adults.

Tommy then walked up the casket. He placed a rose on top the pile already formed. “Katherine, I just want to say that I love you more than anything in the whole world. I will take care of our son and he will take care of me. Not a day will go by that I don’t miss you or wish for you to come back. I’m so sorry that this happened to you.” Tommy began crying again. “I... Love you... so... much.” Tommy choked out between sobs. He picked up his son and walked away toward his black jeep.

Kira, Connor, Ethan, Trenton and Hayley followed Tommy closely. He had contacted them and told them what happened. They came to Angel Grove to pay respects to one of the greatest rangers in history, the pink zeo ranger.

“Are you going to be okay Tommy?” Hayley asked as Tommy buckled his son into his car seat.

Tommy thought about it, he didn’t want to lie. “No, I don’t think that I will ever be okay.” With that Tommy turned away from his team and got into his jeep and drove away.

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Kimberly and Jason sat on the balcony at their house watching the sum set. Kimberly was sobbing and Jason was holding her. “Do you think that she’s happy where she is?” Kimberly questioned.

“I’m sure that she’s in great place, but I’m sure that she would rather be here with all of us.”

“I’m going to miss her so much Jase. She was like a sister to me.”

“I know Kim, when I came back to Angel Grove and joined the zeo team she was one the few people I turned to when I was having problems. Truth be told, I liked her. If she hadn’t been with Tommy I might have asked her out.”

“Lots of guys say that about her.”

“Well, she was a wonderful person.”

“I know, I can’t believe she’s really gone.” Jason planted a kiss on her forehead. The two of them remained silent as they watched the sun dip down below the surface of the earth.

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Tanya and Adam sat in the living room with their children. Claire and Clark, the twins, and the baby Michelle. The twins put a movie in and sat transfixed by the television, the baby was playing with her toys in her playpen. Tanya looked at Adam, his eyes told her everything would be okay, but would they really be? She had lost her best friend and they had just buried her.

“Adam, I’m scared, what if Kevaris comes back? He still out there.”

“Don’t worry Tanya, if he comes back we’ll be ready. He’ll have to deal with all the rangers. Everyone wants revenge for Katherine. I’d be scared of Tommy.”

“You’re right, if he comes back we’ll take him down.” She snuggled against her husband and they watched the movie with their children.

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Sank down into his overstuffed chair. Wonderful smell drifted in form the kitchen. His girlfriend was cooking him something to eat. “Aisha, what are you cooking?”

“Some eggs and bacon,” she replied. Rocky could almost hear the tears in her voice. She had been out of town on business when Kat had been captured, but when the rangers had got back rocky contacted her. She came right home.

“Great I’m starving.” Rocky knew that Aisha would be cooking a lot for a while. It was the way that she dealt with her feelings. No wonder she’s with me. She likes to cook and I like to eat. HE joked with himself trying to get his mind off recent events.

He went up behind Aisha and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I love you Aisha.”

“I love you too Rocky.”

His lips covered hers in a gentle but passionate kiss. He would do whatever it took to get Aisha’s mind off Katherine. He slowly picked her up and took her into the bedroom.

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Justin sat in his apartment alone. “I can’t believe she’s gone!” he exclaimed. The phone began ringing, he didn’t want to answer it but he did. “Hello?”

“Justin, I’m sorry for calling you so late, but I need someone to talk to.” A female voice replied.

“Oh, hi Stacey. I guess you and I are thinking about the same things right now.” Stacey was Justin’s current girlfriend. She had been a ballet student of Katherine’s and was only a year younger than Justin.

“Yeah, she was like a mom to me. I haven’t met anyone that could ever do what she did for her friends. She was so selfless.”

The two sat on the phone until way late in the night sharing memories of Katherine and the was she introduced them all those years ago.

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Cassie sat by the pool by herself. This had happened twice now. First to Kendrix and now to Katherine. Was it a pink curse? She herself had been near death a few times. She hoped that what happened to Kendrix would happen to Katherine. Kendrix had been sent back after the galaxy rangers placed their saber back. Hopefully that would happen for Kat.

“Cas are you out here?” T.J. called from the porch.

“Yeah, over here.” T.J. came over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking there may be a curse on the pink rangers.” T.J. chuckled. Leave it to Cassie to turn something like this into something humorous. She started doing that after Kendrix “died”. “I’m serious. I mean look at what happened to Kendrix, now Katherine. Not to mention how many time one of the pink rangers were clinging to life by a thread.”

“Cas, do you know what you need?”

“What?”

“A bath!” T.J. said as he picked up Cassie and threw her into the pool. She surfaced and glared at him. He reached his hand out to help her out, but instead she pulled him in. Once he surface, Cassie dunked him under again. The two had a water fight lasting for hours then they went inside and dried up. They curled up together in bed and fell asleep in each others arms.

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Carlos sat alone at his place watching a movie. He felt bad for what happened to Kat, but he also knew that it wasn’t his fault. He just wished that Tommy would stop beating himself up about it.

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Andros and Ashley lay in bed together. Ashley was almost asleep and Andros was staring at the ceiling.

“Andros, if you’re trying to blame yourself for this I’m going to get up and leave right now. Remember what you told Cassie after Kendrix died. We all knew the risks.” Ashley stated.

“Yes that’s true, but Ash, she wasn’t a ranger at that point nor was she a ranger when Kevaris became obsessed with her. I should have kept a better eye on things. I let Kevaris slip through my finger a while ago and now Katherine is dead because of it.”

“Andros! Don’t! You can’t blame yourself. You had no way of knowing that this would happen.” Andros remained silent for a while, finally he answered her.

“You’re right Ash as always. I just can’t help but feel bad and a little responsible. I will try to stop blaming myself though.” Ashley kissed his cheek.

“Good now I need some company in dream land.”

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Tommy tucked Jared into bed. The boy was already fast asleep. He bent down and kissed Jared’s forehead. “I love you.” he whispered. Tommy left the room and quietly closed the door.

He went outside and sat down on the porch. “Why Katherine? Why did you have to leave me?” He let the tears fall from his brown eyes.

He didn’t want to be alone, or to raise his son alone. “What will I do Kat? What will I do without you?”

He stared at the stars knowing she was up there somewhere. “I love you Katherine.”

“I love you Tommy.” a gentle voice blew across the wind. “I always have and I always will. I’ll never leave you for good.”