Wedding Bell Blues

She showed up at the wedding alone, though it was by choice. She wouldn't have gone at all considering he was going to be there and given her very confusing thoughts and feelings towards him, you wouldn't blame her. But it was Dr. O and Kim's wedding, so really she didn't have a choice. She went out of respect for her mentor and the original pink ranger, who shared the pterodactyl with her, which Kira considered a sort of bond.

Everyone else there had a date: Ethan was with Cassidy, Trent had brought along a woman named Beth, who he apparently knew from work. Even Hayley had been set up with an old friend of Kim and Dr. O's who was called Billy, and the former yellow ranger couldn't help but feel incredibly lonely while she watched her friends. But where was he? The same he who affected her in that annoying, smug way, the same he who reduced her to a puddle, the he who (whether Kira wanted to admit it or not) she was in love with.

And then, as if on cue, Conner McKnight walked into the church, sporting that same cocky grin he'd worn every day four years ago. The cocky grin that secretly endeared him to her.

"Hey, Kir," he greeted nonchalantly. "How've you been?"

"I'm good, Conner," Kira answered, standing so she could hug him.

"I've been hearing you on the radio lately. Good for you. You deserve it, Kira. Really."

"Thanks, Conner," responded the former yellow ranger.

Conner settled down in the seat next to the one Kira had just vacated. "Dr. O is practically bouncing off the walls. I guess he got a load of Kim in her wedding dress." He chuckled lightly as the traditional wedding march started and Dr. O appeared in the back of the church.

Kira tried to concentrate on the ceremony, but all she could think about was that she wished this was her wedding and that a certain chocolate haired soccer lover was waiting for her at the end of the aisle. As soon as the reception started she needed a drink.

"Oh thank God," she murmured upon arriving at the aforementioned reception. She headed right to one of the waiters, tapped him on the shoulder and took a flute of champagne, downing half of it in one gulp.

"So, Kir, where's your date?" Conner questioned, joining her with a glass of his own. "I have to approve, you know," he joked lamely.

"I came alone," stated Kira. "Where's yours?"

"I decided to go stag. Kim has a lot of cute friends."

Kira smacked him playfully. "All of whom are too old for you, Mr. Rico Suave."

The two parted ways then, going to mingle with the other guests and catch up with the rest of their old team.

When Kira caught up with Ethan and Cassidy, she noted a huge glittering rock was attached to Cassidy's hand. "Isn't it just to die for?" gushed the blonde reporter. "Ethan popped the question last night."

The former blue ranger grinned stupidly. "Isn't life great, Kira?"

She managed a nod and wandered off for another champagne, the lonely feeling striking at her heart once again.

Half an hour later, Kira was on her fifth flute of champagne. God, that was some good stuff. Of course Dr. O and Kim had gone all out and splurged for their wedding. It had taken them over ten years, but they had overcome their obstacles. Kira didn't want to wait ten years for her red ranger. And she had no intention of doing so. But first she had to come up with a plan. When the waiter came by, Kira took two glasses from his tray and flashed a wobbly sort of smile at him.

Then Dr. O made an appearance where the orchestra was set up, clutching the microphone in one hand and Kimberly in the other. "This is the first song Kim and I ever danced to," announced the former black ranger simply.

The strains of an old pop song from the early nineties began to play and every couple in attendance found their way to the dance floor. Kira felt the now familiar mix of jealousy and loneliness. Why couldn't this be her?

Conner was the only other person not dancing, and an uncharacteristically bitter look was on his face. "I shouldn't have been such a coward," he mumbled as Kira approached. "I hate myself."

Even in her tipsy state, Kira noticed that Conner was slurring his words. A long line of empty champagne flutes on the table where he was sitting told her why.

"Poor baby," she mewed. The former yellow ranger plopped down into a seat next to his and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm a coward, too, Conner."

He nodded knowingly. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

Kira snatched a tray away from a nearby waiter and handed him a glass. "To us," she uttered, raising her own in a toast.

"To us," Conner echoed, and then swallowed the contents in one gulp.

Several toasts later, the two were beyond tipsy: they were drunk. The clock struck eleven, and soon they were the only two left in the hotel ballroom in which the reception had taken place.

"Y'know, Kir, I think we're a little tipsy," Conner observed as they tottered out, stumbling.

"Me, too."

Leaning against the check in desk, Conner hugged her close. "At least we have each other, even if we don't have anyone to love, right?" he asked, sounding vaguely philosophical, at least to Kira.

"Yeah," agreed Kira. "Conner…" she wondered, "Why are you a coward, anyway?"

"Cuz I could never do this," he replied, and then he laid a somewhat sloppy kiss laced with what he obviously thought was passion on her.

Kira groaned softly, hating the sunlight streaming in through the window. It was adding to the painful pounding in her head. Wincing, she touched her fingers to her temples and gave herself a gentle massage.

She sat up, slowly, and came to find that there was a pile of clothes on the ground: the bright yellow dress and sheer black wrap, accompanied by a black tux and deep red dress shirt she recognized as Conner's. Then she turned around, half remembering what she was to find, and indeed she was right. It was what appeared to be a naked Conner, fast asleep, tangled in white sheets. Oh God. What had she done?

Well, there was certainly no way she could concentrate on fixing anything until that sun was out of her eyes. Crossing to the window, she pulled the white curtains shut firmly and immediately felt her headache recede slightly. The wheels in her head turning ferociously, Kira made her way to the hotel suite's closet and pulled out two fluffy white chenille robes. She put one on herself, tying it tightly. She threw the other to the bed and looked around for the coffee machine she knew had to be around somewhere.

Upon seeing it stood on a table next to the nightstand, Kira went across the room once more and prepared a pot hastily, dumping most of the grounds into the filter.

When the machine was brewing away happily, Kira perched on the edge of the bed and roughly shook Conner awake. "Get up, Conner. We have to talk, and we have to do it now."

Conner mumbled something incoherently and rolled over. He smiled when he saw her leaning over him and wiped sleep from his brown eyes. "Good morning. Why does my head hurt, again?"

"Because we both have hangovers," she answered. "We were beyond tipsy last night, Conner. Put this on, "she added, thrusting the hotel robe at him.

Conner moved a hand to the side of his head and rubbed it, grimacing. "Got any coffee?"

Kira nodded and moved over the little table. She poured two mugs and handed one to Conner, who was by then sitting up. "Better," he whispered gratefully after taking a long sip.

Silence then, as the two stared at each other, unable to find some way to describe what last night had meant. It had been a great…experience, and he'd been very gentle with her, like she was made of porcelain, and she'd wanted it to happen for a long while.

But on the other hand, it was all very spontaneous, which Kira wasn't sure she minded, but it wasn't even like she and Conner were officially together or anything. They'd been drunk, drunk and lonely. Was there any possibility for a new level of their relationship, or was it just comfort sex?

But he'd said he'd been a coward because he had never let her know how he felt. Was it true that he loved her, or had that been the alcohol talking? The questions pounded at her weary mind.

"Kir," he said gently, reaching for her and cupping her face. "Just let it be."

"I…"

"I meant what I said, Kira. I know I was drunk at the time, but it had to come out sooner or later. Granted, I didn't choose the perfect time, but I would never tell you I loved you if I didn't, even if I wasn't sober."

"What does this make us?" Kira wanted to know.

Conner thought for a moment. "What do you want us to be? I'm willing to try to make it work between us if you are."

"I've wanted to be together for a long time," admitted Kira. "I love you."

"I was hoping you'd say that." He took another long sip of his coffee to clear his mind a bit. "I love you too, Kir."