Disclaimer: You know the stuff, Power Rangers belonging to Saban and all. This story takes place between Turbo: a Power Rangers Movie and "Shift into Turbo part 1." It may ruin Season Four Power Rangers Turbo as we know it and just disregards the Power Rangers ZEO episode "A Season To Remember," so no flames if you object to that. Kudos to those who catch the title reference. And yes, I am perfectly aware that S Club 7’s "Never Had a Dream Come True," as well as O-Town’s "All or Nothing," did not exist then. On another note, the prom theme in this story was the theme of my school’s prom my sophomore year, and "Never Had a Dream Come True" was that prom’s theme song as well. I'd like to dedicate Part I to that junior class for the theme inspiration, not to mention for the *A*W*E*S*O*M*E* job they did putting it together!

When She Was Bad
Part I: I Never Had a Dream Come True
by MegaSilver

"Excellent!" the photographer praised of the latest couple's full-length shot. "Now, tilt your heads inward so I can do the close-up."

Right after the flash went off, Tommy and Katherine skipped back to their table, laughing to each other. It was their senior prom, themed, "Wish Upon a Star." Elegantly decorated, with a three-hundred-dollar photograph backdrop of stairs leading up to a teal castle in a partly cloudy but brightly lit night sky, teal castles adorned with glitter and silver clouds, centerpieces of blue and silver, blue walls with three-dimensional silver stars, and columns with blue and silver tissue twisted all the way around, it was expected to be the night of every senior’s life. And so it would be, for most of them.

Jason stood at the dessert bar with Kimberly. "Hey, Kim, thanks so much for coming with me tonight."

"Oh, thanks for asking me," Kimberly smiled, topping her ice cream with strawberries. Then she became serious. "I don’t know if you want to hear this again, but I’m really sorry about Emily."

Jason hung his head. "It’s okay," he murmered. "I guess I’ve accepted the fact that she’s gone."

"But it still hurts," Kimberly sighed. She glanced across the room at Tommy. "I know just how you feel."

Jason nodded, not noticing Kimberly’s sideward glance. "It’s just so weird knowing that I’ll never be able to see her again," he said. "Every time I think about that, my head just starts to get queasy." He looked up. "I’m sorry," he smiled. "I shouldn’t be taking this out on you when we’re at the prom together."

"It’s okay," Kimberly assured him. "I totally sympathize with you." She stole one last glance at Tommy and Katherine. "Besides, I brought it up in the first place." She took Jason’s arm and the two strolled back to their table to join Adam, Tanya, Tommy, Katherine, Rocky, and Jennifer for dessert.

Mr. Caplan took the microphone from the DJ stand. "Can I have your attention, please?" he called. People kept on talking and laughing. "Can I have it quiet, PLEASE?"

Skull stood up from his table. "SHUT UP!" he yelled. Bulk pulled him back down.

Mr. Caplan flashed Skull a quick glance of approval. "Ladies and gentlemen, now that you’re all through with dinner and, I presume, dessert, I’d like to commence with the coronations. Our junior attendants this year are Jared McCormick and Tara Raymond!" The students applauded as Jared and Tara stepped up apprehensively to receive Jared’s gift certificate and Tara’s crown.

"The senior attendants this year are: Farkas Bulkmyer and Melissa Young!"

At that announcement, Bulk sat in his chair, staring straight ahead like a zombie until Skull prodded him. "Bulkie! It’s you! GO!" Bulk did his best to put on a smile as he headed towards the DJ stand.

"And now, I present to you your prom king and queen for the class of 1997. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Tommy Gerald Oliver and Kimberly Ann Hart!"

Tommy and Kimberly covered their mouths in shock. They stared at each other, then at their friends, who simply smiled, applauding and nodding them on. Tommy wiped his mouth and the would-be-couple approached the DJ stand.

Mr. Caplan handed Tommy a gift certificate and placed a rhinestone pageant tiara on Kimberly’s head. "And there you have them, folks: your prom royalty for this year!" He held the microphone out to Kimberly. "Would you mind keeping tradition and giving a little impromptu speech?"

Kimberly took the mike. "Thank you, Mr. Caplan," she said. "And thank you all. I’m truly honored—and very flattered—to be your prom queen." She paused to smile at Tommy, then continued. "On behalf of all the seniors here tonight, I also want to thank the junior class for the amazing job they did decorating. We could never have dreamed for a better senior prom, or a better way to close out high school, in a million years. And…" She wiped a tear from her cheek. "There isn’t any one thing, or any one of you, that I won’t miss when I graduate. The only regret I've ever had about this school is having left it for two semesters." She handed the mike back to Mr. Caplan as the students applauded her.

Jared, Tara, Bulk, Melissa, Tommy, and Kimberly started to sit down, but Mr. Caplan put his mouth to the mike once more. "Not so fast, Tommy and Kimberly! We have a little dance dedicated specially to the king and queen." The DJ inserted a CD and pressed play.

Kimberly looked up at Tommy, who just shrugged and smiled. He took her into is arms, and they looked into each other’s eyes as the song began.

Everybody’s got something they’ve had to leave behind
One regret from yesterday that just seems to grow with time
There’s no use looking back, oh wondering (Oh, wondering)
How it could be now, oh might have been (Oh, might have been)
Oh, this I know but still I can’t find ways to let you go

I never had a dream come true
’Til the day that I found you
Even though I’ll pretend that I’ve moved on
You’ll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You’re the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be… with you, yeah

Somewhere in my memory, I’ve lost all sense of time
And tomorrow can never be ’cause yesterday is all that fills my mind
There’s no use looking back, oh wondering (Oh, wondering)
How it should be now, oh might have been (Oh, might have been)
All this I know but still I can’t find ways to let you go

I never had a dream come true
’Til the day that I found you
Even though I’ll pretend that I’ve moved on
You’ll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You’re the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be…

You’ll always be the dream that fills my head
Yes you will, say you will, you know you will, oh baby
You’ll always be the one I know I’ll never forget
There’s no use looking back, oh wondering (Oh, wondering)
Because love is a strange and funny thing (And funny thing)
No matter how I try and try I just can’t say goodbye, no, no, no, no

I never had a dream come true
Until the day that I found you
’Even though I’ll pretend that I’ve moved on
You’ll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You’re the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be…
A part of me will always be with you, yeah

As the last line faded out, Kimberly and Tommy hugged each other. "I’m glad to know you’re still such an amazing dancer," she told him, almost in a whisper.

Tommy smiled. "Hey, what could stop me?"

Tommy and Katherine stood outside, gazing into the stars and at the floating candles in the artificial pond. "It’s so beautiful here," Katherine mused.

"I know," Tommy agreed. "Even the outdoors look great." He took her arm and the two started on a stroll down the country club’s walking path. "Thanks so much for tonight, Kat. This is such an amazing prom."

Katherine’s expression started to fade, but she perked it up. "I’m sorry; I was lost in thought. What did you just say?"

"I said thanks for everything tonight. It’s an awesome prom."

"Oh," she chuckled. "No. Thank you. You bought the tickets and such."

Tommy extended his arm around her shoulders. "It was nothing. After all, with my part-time teaching at the Juice Bar, I’m getting filthy rich."

Katherine nodded and smiled, struggling for words. "So, ah, your stock car thing starts Monday, huh?"

"Yeah. I’m really excited."

"You nervous?"

Tommy shrugged. "A little, I guess. But it’ll be a while before I actually start competing."

Katherine smiled. "Hey, with our TurboZords, you’ll be getting double time!"

Tommy laughed. "That’s true! Maybe I won’t be so bad after all."

"You won’t be," Katherine assured him. "You’ve never been bad at anything you’ve undertaken with that much passion." She took a peek at his watch. Ten minutes left. She stared straight ahead as they walked down the path.

Should I say something? No. No sense in making both of us uneasy. But how can I spend the rest of the night at the after-party feeling like this?

She bit her lip.

I should just tell him right now. But I can’t. Oh, come on, Katherine! Make up your mind already!

"Hey, Kat, you okay?"

"Hmm?"

"You shuddered just now."

"Oh. I’m just a little cold without my shawl, I guess," she lied. "Could we head back now?"

"Sure," Tommy answered. "I’m pretty warm, though. Want my coat?" Katherine shook her head. The pair turned around and walked back to the ballroom.

As they approached the door, Katherine halted. "Wait, Tommy. May I talk to you?"

"Okay," Tommy answered. He and Katherine sat down at one of the outdoor tables. "What’s the matter, Kat?"

"Look, Tommy, I know this is going to look and sound very dramatic, and I know this might not be pleasant for you to hear, but I have to tell you something."

"What is it, Katherine?"

"I—" Katherine stopped short as the song to the last dance floated outside.

I know when he's been on your mind
That distant look is in your eyes
I thought with time you'd realize
It’s over, over
It’s not the way I choose to live
And something somewhere’s got to give
As sharing this relationship
Gets older, older…

Tommy glanced at Katherine with puppy eyes.

"Okay," she smiled. "It can wait. Let’s go dance." They joined hands and stepped back onto the dance floor.

…’Cause I want it all or nothing at all
There’s nowhere left to fall when you reach the bottom
It’s now or never
Is it all or are we just friends?
Is this how it ends, with a simple telephone call
You leave me here with nothing at all?

There are times it seems to me
I’m sharing you with memories
I feel it in my heart, but I
Don’t show it, show it
Then there’s times you look at me
As though I’m all that you can see
Those times I don’t believe it’s right
I know it, know it…

Katherine clutched Tommy tightly, resting her head on his shoulders. She felt so warm and safe in his arms, like she’d never have to worry about anything as long as he was standing there. If she had a problem, she wouldn’t have to face it alone—he’d be right there for her.

’Cause you and I
Could lose it all if you've got no more room
Nowhere inside for me in your life

He would, she assured herself mentally. He’d never take advantage of me or hurt me… but… Her thoughts trailed off, but only for a moment.

I can’t stay this way any longer. It’s not right.

Tommy sat himself down comfortably in his Jeep and started the engine. Just as he was about to take off, Katherine put a hand on his shoulder. "Wait," she said.

"What’s the matter?"

"Tommy… I can’t go to the after-party." She gulped. "Take me home. Please."

"Okay," Tommy conceded, hitting the gas. "I’ll take you home if you don’t want to go."

They drove the short distance to Katherine’s nearby subdivision in silence. Neither of them said anything until they were on Katherine’s porch. "Hold on a second," Tommy said. "You wanted to talk to me earlier. What’s up?"

"Oh, no, it’s late," Katherine objected. "You’d better get to the after-party."

"No, Katherine. I can tell it’s bothering you. The party can wait. What is it?"

"Tommy, I…" Her voice trailed off. "You’d better sit down." The couple sat on Katherine’s porch swing. "Tommy, I know this won’t be easy for you to hear, but I have to say it right now."

"What?"

"Tommy… I love you. You’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever met, and you treat me better than I’ve ever known, but… I can’t… be with you anymore." She took a deep breath. "Not romantically, I mean."

Tommy stared at the ground for a moment. "But Katherine, why?"

"Look, Tommy, you might not believe this, but I’m going to tell it to you anyway. I can’t compete with this. I’m not the one."

"You can’t compete with what? What are you saying?"

"It’s not what, it’s who." She hesitated. "Kimberly."

"Kimberly?"

"Yes, Kimberly."

"But she—"

"Tommy, I know you’re not through with her. The fact is, you never will be. You were still in love with her even when you started dating me."

"Katherine, I don't—I mean, I…" But the more he tried to protest, the more Tommy realized she was right. "I’m sorry."

"No," Katherine objected. "It’s my fault. I knew you weren’t over her. I knew how desperate you were to feel loved again. I took advantage of that, and I’m sorry. And even though it looked like you were coming around, you just… couldn’t."

Tommy wiped a tear away from his cheek, possibly the fourth one to fall in the last four years. "I feel so awful. I mean, to have gone ahead with you and I. I didn’t mean—"

"I know you didn’t know," Katherine interrupted. "You convinced yourself that you were over her. That’s why I can’t hold it against you." She stroked a piece of his hair. "I am so sorry to do this to you on the night of the prom. But after I saw you dancing with Kimberly out there, I finally came face-to-face with what I’d been doing and realized that I had to stop. I’m so sorry."

They swayed in the porch swing for a few more minutes. Then Tommy spoke. "So what now?"

Katherine flopped her head back and stared at the porch light. "Well, for me, some iced tea and a decent night’s sleep ought to be a start." She stood up. "And for you… the after-party. You’d better get going."

"But what can I do about it?"

"Talk to her. She’s a reasonable person. If it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen." She kissed him on the cheek and started through her door. "Oh, and one more thing. Don’t give up if it doesn’t happen right away."

Tommy smiled. "I won’t." He reached out and gave Katherine a hug. "Good night, Kat. Thanks for everything. And I’m sorry."

"Thank you, Tommy. And I’m sorry, too." She stepped inside and shut the door gently.