**********

It was a beautiful day in the park. The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky. Kim soon found that she didn't need her sweatshirt after all. She peeled it off and tied it around her waist. She brushed her long bangs away from her face and glanced at Tommy.

"So, Tommy. What do you have planned for your real birthday?"

Tommy shrugged, wondering if he should tell them. "I don't know. Nothing, really."

David stopped walking and put out a hand to halt Tommy and Kim. "Uh- oh. I know that tone of voice. What are you up to, little bro?"

Tommy thought for a second. He decided that if he could trust anybody, it would be David and Kimberly.

"Well........you guys can't tell anyone just yet," he began.

"Tommy, you know you can trust us," Kim said. David nodded in agreement.

"Well, I was kind of planning on finding my birth parents."

Kim slowly drew in a breath and let it out. "Whoa, this is big," she said. "Have you got anything to go on?"

Tommy shook his head. "Not so far." He looked at David, who was looking at the ground. The two of them had talked before about their birth parents, but David had always made it clear that it was one subject he'd prefer not to talk about.

"David, are you sure you don't remember anything about them?" Tommy had been a baby when he was put up for adoption, but David was two years older. He had been three at the time.

"I told you, I can't remember much."

"Well, could you just try?" Tommy hated to do this to his brother. He knew it must be just as hard for David as it was for him, but he couldn't help it sometimes.

"Everything I know, I already told you," David said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Tommy sighed. "No, I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't push you so much. I'm sorry, man." He sat down on a bench. "It's just.....I have to know. I have to talk with them, just once. I have to know why they didn't want me." He broke off as his eyes filled with tears.

"Tommy, maybe it wasn't like that," Kim offered. She wanted so much to put her arms around him and comfort him, but she also knew that Kat would be much better for the job.

Kimberly brightened. "I know. Why don't you ask your parents if they know anything?"

Tommy shook his head. "I couldn't do that. I don't want to hurt them."

"Well, they probably expect it," Kim tried. "I mean, they probably know that you will ask one day."

"You know, Sam Trueheart used to talk to me about it all the time. In fact, he asked me about it when he saw that I was too afraid to ask him."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But don't you wait until your parents ask you. John and Diane Oliver are two very understanding people. I'm sure they won't take it to offense if you ask them about your birth parents."

Tommy smiled, realizing that David was probably right. "Thanks, David. I think I will ask them. But it won't be easy."

"No, it won't," David agreed.

"But that's okay," Kim added. "Because everything will work out in the end."

*************

November 26th, 1998

"Happy birthday dear Tommy, happy birthday to you!" the Olivers sang.

Tommy blew out his twenty- one candles with forced enthusiasm. His family clapped. He met the eyes of his father. "Um, can I speak with you and Mom alone for a second?"

Mr. Oliver nodded. He nudged his wife and the two ushered Tommy into their bedroom, leaving their three kids; Brian, Terri, and Josh, alone with the huge chocolate ice cream layer cake.

************

Mrs. Oliver closed her bedroom door after stepping in behind her husband and her son, a sense of dread building in the pit of her stomach. She had a feeling that she knew what this was about. The expression on Tommy's face only confirmed her fears.

"Mom......Dad," he began. "You know I love you both." He paused.

"You want to know about your birth parents," Mrs. Oliver whispered.

Tommy's eyes softened as he nodded. "How did you know that?"

Mrs. Oliver managed a smile. "Mother's instinct." She saw John digging into the dresser drawer out of the corner of her eye. When he was finished, he held a crumpled piece of newspaper in his hand.

"We've been preparing for the day when you would ask that question," he said. He placed the paper into Tommy's hand. "Son, I don't know how to tell you this. After years of preparing, I still don't know how to tell you......"

"Tommy, your parents are dead!" Mrs. Oliver cried. She immediately covered her mouth with her hands.

Tommy paled. "No."

"It's true," Mr. Oliver continued. "They were killed in a car accident when you were barely a year old. "I'm sorry, Son." He went to put a comforting arm around his child, but Tommy pushed him away.

He ran blindly down the hall and into his room. He flung himself onto his bed and unfolded the crumpled paper in his hand. It was an obituary.

"Young couple perishes in a car accident, leaving two young children behind" the headline screamed at him.

He read on with blurred vision. "Theodore and Evelyn Murray left behind two young children, David (3) and Thomas (10 months). The young couple were driving on Highway 87 on January 23, 1978, when a Mobil truck filled with gasoline hit them. The driver was drunk. The truck hit them head- on.........There were no survivors...."

Tommy buried his face in his hands, sobbing. He thought he would be sick. Suddenly cold, he pulled his comforter tightly around himself.

He decided that this was a good way to stay. Forever, as long as that may be. If his parents hadn't had a chance to live, why should he?

***********

Kimberly knocked at the door of Tommy and David's apartment with high hopes.

David answered, a sullen look on his face. "Hey, Kim."

"Hey. Is Tommy around?"

David shook his head. "He's still in his room at his parents' house. He won't come out."

Kimberly was quiet for a moment. It had been almost two weeks since Tommy's birthday. Things hadn't been going as planned. Kim tried not to worry about Tommy, but every time she looked at David's troubled expression, her resolve faltered.

David stared at her for a few moments. "He loves you, you know," he said suddenly.

Kim's head snapped up. "What did you say?"

"Tommy. He still loves you. Never stopped. I can see why. You're a very sweet girl."

"Uh, thanks. But.......he's going out with Katherine."

"No, he's not."

"He's not?"

"No. They went out on a few dates, but Tommy decided that it wasn't right. He loves you." David paused for a moment, thinking that maybe he'd said too much. "Uh.....so how are things going with you and that guy?"

"Huh? Oh. Tommy told you about that."

David smiled. "Yeah, Tommy told me about that. So, come on. Who is this other guy?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, David. There is no other guy."

"Now you've got me."

"See, I knew Tommy needed someone to be there for him. It couldn't be me, so I thought the next best person would be Kat. It was no secret that she had her eye on him, and I knew she'd take care of him."

"Great plan, except that Tommy wants you. He and Katherine decided to be friends. Kat's dating Jason now."

Kim raised an eyebrow. "Jason? Really?"

David smiled. "Yeah, they've been going out for about two months."

"Wow. Well, good for them."

"You know, I think you and Tommy would be good for each other."

"That was a quick subject change."

"I mean it. I can tell you still love him."

"Yeah, I do."

"So..........I think you know what you should do."

************

Grandpa Oliver knocked on Tommy's door late on Friday night when everyone else was asleep.

"Come in," Tommy called. Grandpa poked his head in. "Oh good. You're awake." He took in the sight before him. Tommy was sprawled across his bed, in the pajamas he'd been wearing for the last five days.

"Look at yourself," Grandpa said quietly. "Tommy boy, you're wasting away."

"So?"

"Do you think I like to see you like this?"

Tommy shrugged.

"You've got to get yourself together. Live on."

"What for?"

"I'll tell ya what for. For me. For your parents. For the kids. For your brother and your friends. And for a special young lady who's waiting for you to ask her out again." He lowered his voice. "And especially for your birth parents."

Tommy sighed. He knew there was some truth to what his Grandpa was saying.

"But.........now I'll never know who I am, or who I'm supposed to be."

Grandpa Oliver looked at his adopted grandson, his heart breaking. "You're supposed to be you. Tommy Oliver. That's all anybody wants."

He pulled Tommy into a hug. "Maybe I'm not the grandfather you were born with, but I sure love you like I love the rest of my grandkids."

Tommy smiled for the first time since his birthday. "Thanks, Grandpa."

"Anytime. Now get some sleep. You've got a belated birthday party to get to tomorrow."

************

The music blared loudly from the stereo at the Surf Spot. Tommy made his way through the balloons and streamers and took in the scene around him. He was surrounded by friends from every generation of Power Rangers. Tommy scanned the crowd for one face in particular.

He found her in the corner, all alone. He walked over to her. "Hi, Kim."

Kim looked up. "Tommy." Her face brightened when she saw him. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks."

"Can I talk to you privately for a second?"

"Sure." Tommy led her outside.

The cool night air was a bit chilly. Kim shivered. Tommy suddenly realized that she was only wearing a sleeveless dress. He pulled his jacket off and draped it across her shoulders.

Kimberly smiled gratefully, not sure where to begin.

Wanna cry for you
Would it do any good?
If I rained for you,
It would just be with water
And the nights with you
and the stars in your hair
And you're down, and you're down
I can lift you

"Look, Tommy, uh.......I'm so sorry about everything that's happened to you lately."

Tommy shrugged. "Not your fault." He instantly regretted his words when he saw the pained expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Kim. I shouldn't have said that. It's just.......it's been hard, you know?"

"Yeah." Kim shook her head. "Yeah, I understand."

Powers to change your world
Powers to stop the hurt
But I'll, I'll give you my heart
give you my shoulder
I'll give you my heart
give you my shoulder
Over and over

"I know you do." Tommy sighed. "It took some time for me to sort things out."

"And that's okay."

Tommy continued. "I just needed to figure out who I am."

Kim looked at him. "You're Tommy Oliver. The man that I love."

"What?"

Kim smiled shyly. "I said I love you."

"You- you do?"

"Yes. I never stopped loving you."

Wanna run for you
Would it do any good?
If I flew for you
You'd still be standing
And it's hard watching
'Cause I'm part of you
And it's hard not to
Not to know that I can soothe you

Tommy wrapped his strong arms tightly around her and whirled her around. "I love you too, Kim."

Powers to change your world
Powers to stop the hurt
I'm tryin hard to be your
tower of strength
Tryin hard to bring you
Back to joy

"I had a talk with my grandfather," Tommy said softly.

"Did it help?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it did. But it's still hard."

"I know."

Suddenly, Tommy reached out for her. Kimberly went to him and pulled him close, knowing it was the only thing she could do.

I'll give you my heart,
give you my shoulder
I'll give you my heart,
give you my shoulder

Tommy sobbed into her shoulder. "It hurts, Kim. It hurts so much."

Kimberly rested her cheek against his head. "I know. It's okay. It's going to be okay."

When the night cuts you through
And the dream's lost to you
With your worried attitude, I will

Kimberly sat there holding Tommy even after his shoulders stopped shaking. There was silence for a few moments. They could hear the soft, floating melodies of a slow tune coming from inside the Surf Spot.

Tommy took Kimberly's hand. "May I have this dance?" he asked.

Kim smiled. "Yes you may." The two stood swaying in the darkness, in each other's arms until the song ended. Then Tommy slowly pulled away so he could look at her. "So........when do you have to go back to Florida?" he fought to keep his voice steady.

Kim slowly took a deep breath.

I'll give you my heart
give you my shoulder
I'll give you my heart
give you my shoulder
Over and over
Time and again
I'll give you my shoulder

"I'm not going back," she said quietly.

"You're not? But why? I thought you liked living in Florida."

"I do. But there's something missing there."

"What's that?"

Kim leaned close. "You," she whispered.

I'll give you my heart
give you my shoulder, I will
Time and again, over and over
I'll give you my heart
give you my shoulder

Tommy smiled. He was starting to feel the beginnings of happiness for the first time in a long time. "It's a big decision. Are you sure you've thought it through?"

"Yes. I want to be here, with you. I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too." Tommy leaned over and kissed her, long and slow.

Kimberly kissed him back eagerly. When they finally pulled apart for some air, Kim took his hand in hers. "Come on," she said. "Let's go back inside. We've got a party to get to."

Tommy followed her in. When they walked through the doors, the music stopped and the crowd turned their heads to Tommy's direction.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOMMY!!!!!" they shouted.

The music started up again and people began dancing. Tommy pulled Kimberly over to the dance floor, right between Adam and Tanya and TJ and Cassie. He now felt as if maybe, just maybe, things would be okay again after all.