Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.
I Could Leave Here
Jason Scott kicked at a loose rock in front of him and watched as it flew over the hill in front of him and out of his sight. He moved his eyes up to the skyline in front of him to let it settle on the small town beneath him. He let a smile overtake him as he considered the town and the memories it held. As he scanned he town, he'd stop on particular places that held meaning to him.
Jason's eyes moved up to the sky above him. He considered the beauty of the evening for a moment before he lowered his gaze once more. Suddenly he wasn't really seeing anything any longer as he was lost in thought. A night much like the one he was currently enjoying, only many years ago.
"I thought I might find you up here." A voice from behind Jason caused him to smile and turn.
"How'd you know?" Jason asked as he turned to face the visitor.
"I know you Jason Scott." Kimberly Hart answered as she moved to stand next to him. Her eyes briefly scanned the city the way his had before she focused her gaze on him.
"I guess you do." Jason agreed with a grin.
"I should.." Kim stated.
"Agreed." Jason responded. He considered the woman who had joined him. Taking note of her beautiful features and how time seemed to have had no effect on her. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and turned to the view before them both once more.
"What you thinking about?" Kim asked.
"Everything." Jason replied.
"I see." Kim said. She eyed Jason out of the corner of her eyes before she spoke once more. "Any regrets?"
"No... well it doesn't matter now." Jason replied.
"Maybe it does." Kim said.
"I don't know.. what about you?" Jason questioned.
"I don't think so." Kim answered. Jason nodded and turned to her.
"Are you sad?" Jason asked.
"Kind of." Kim answered honestly. "You?"
"Yeah." Jason replied.
"Didn't expect you to admit that." Kim stated.
"Why?" Jason asked.
"Not sure." Kim answered.
"Twenty years... it's a long time." Jason said as he considered his words.
"It is." Kim agreed.
"It's.. well.. it's all I've really known." Jason continued.
"Same for all of us." Kim responded.
"Yeah.." Jason agreed as he shifted footing and turned to face Kimberly. "I think I expected we'd... well that it would never end."
"I think maybe I did too." Kim replied. "But it was time."
"Yeah.. that's what we agreed too... all of us." Jason said.
"I think maybe we are all a little lost tonight." Kim stated.
"I think so too." Jason agreed. A silence fell over them. They locked eyes and both began to fondly remember a similar evening years ago between them. Same spot. Same people. Different situations.
"So.. what does Jason Scott do now?" Kim asked.
"I don't know.." Jason answered. "You?"
"I don't know either..." Kim replied. "I mean.. I've got my job.. and.. well my life.. but.."
"It's different." Jason finished for her.
"It is." Kim agreed with his assessment.
"This town.. all of it.. it won't be the same now." Jason said with a gesture over the view in front of him.
"It already feels different." Kim agreed. She took a deep breath. "Can I confess something to you?"
"You know you can." Jason answered. The words gave Kim pause, and she felt a smile forming.
"Right now..." Kim began. "Right now.. it all feels very similar to how I felt before."
"Before?" Jason asked.
"Before we found the coins." Kim answered. "The night.. this spot.. you and I."
"Oh." Jason responded. "I... I was thinking the same thing."
"For real?" Kim questioned.
"Yeah... here we are again." Jason said as he glanced around them.
"Same spot..." Kim said.
"Yep." Jason replied.
"I felt lost that night you know..." Kim said.
"I know." Jason answered. Kim smiled.
"I wanted to leave.. run away.. forget this place.. my life..." Kim continued.
"Same." Jason responded.
"But that night... it changed everything." Kim said. "And.. I've lived the greatest life.."
"It can still be great." Jason said.
"Can it?" Kim asked.
"Yeah.. I mean.. it'll be a normal.. but great life." Jason answered. Kim laughed a little and shrugged.
"I know you are right." Kim said.
"I get it though." Jason replied. "I am feeling the same things."
"Yeah." Kim said as she kicked a loose rock, much the same way Jason had before she arrived.
"And that night... before.. with you, here..." Jason began. "I felt the same."
"I know." Kim replied. Both of them grinning at one another. Suddenly both were at a loss for words and they broke their eye contact.
"Um.. the new.." Jason paused.
"Rangers." Kim finished for him. Jason nodded. It was hard to understand or get used to imagining someone else in the roles that he and his friends had filled for all of their adult lives.
"Yeah.. they uh.. I think they'll do well." Jason stated.
"I'm sure of it.. the coins.. they chose them after all." Kim replied. Jason felt a wave of sadness overtake him. Somehow, even though he knew he shouldn't, he felt betrayed by his coin choosing someone else. "I know that look."
"What look?" Jason asked as he saw Kim studying him intently.
"Sadness." Kim answered. "It's in your eyes Jason.. they betray you.. they always have when you were trying to hide your feelings."
"Not everyone can see my emotions in my eyes.." Jason replied.
"I can." Kim answered.
"Yes.. you can." Jason agreed.
"The coins.. they wouldn't have chose someone else.. if we hadn't have chosen to step down first." Kim explained. Jason knew this, and that his feelings were irrational.
"I know." Jason replied. "It doesn't.. um.."
"It makes me sad too." Kim confessed, knowing what he was about to ask. "It's all.. bittersweet."
"Feeling more bitter than sweet." Jason replied.
"We did a lot of good.." Kim stated. Jason nodded. "We saved this planet on so many occasions."
"Yeah." Jason agreed.
"We had a lot of fun.. fighting together...I.." Kim paused as she felt her voice breaking a little. She was trying to comfort Jason, but suddenly felt like she needed comfort. Within seconds she felt his arms around her. She knew it was coming, it always did when she needed them.
"I wouldn't have wanted to experience it with anyone but you guys." Jason said as he held her. After a few moments he let go, and he heard an almost audible protest leave Kim's lips. He stepped back to look at her. "That's the sweet part... the memories."
"Do you think we'll all.. um.. I mean of course we'll all always be friends." Kim said as she cleared her throat and collected herself.
"For life.. no doubt." Jason responded. His words causing a warmth to wash over her. She looked up at him and he met her eyes with his own. She saw something else in his eyes.. something she'd grown accustomed to seeing over the last twenty years. She felt herself blushing a little and broke the eye contact and smiled.
"So.. I guess.. tomorrow.. we'll all just be.. normal." Kim stated.
"Normal." Jason echoed her last word. "I mean.. as normal as retired superheroes can be."
"Right." Kim said with a small laugh. She glanced up at Jason once more to see him looking out over Angel Grove once more. He seemed to deep in thought. She reached up to gently brush his cheek with the back of her hand, a gesture she knew he was fond up and it immediately garnered his attention to her.
"Do you remember what you said twenty years ago.. on this spot." Jason asked.
"Every word." Kim answered. He nodded and she understood what exactly what it meant. "I could leave here, you know."
"Where?" He asked.
"God, anywhere." She answered.
"So let's go." He responded. She laughed, remembering her response to his words twenty years ago. "What?"
"You'd never do it." She stated.
"Try me." He countered.
"Oh.. you and me?" Kim asked. "I'd ask.. but I know you have a car.
"Yes.. no vans." Jason replied with chuckle. "So let's go?"
"Are you daring me.. cause I'll go." Kim said. She felt Jason take her hand in his.
"I'm daring you... will you go with me?" Jason asked. Kim smiled. The answer was as obvious now, as it was then. She was ready. She would have went then. She'll go now.
"Of course." Kim responded. Jason smiled and nodded in response. He gestured behind them to the trail leading up to the spot overlooking the city.
"Let's go." Jason said as he took a few steps pulling away from her with their hands still intertwined before she met his pace and matched him step for step. Twenty years ago, two scared and lost teenagers made tentative suggestions to run away together. Now, two adults, not as scared, a little less lost, would finally fulfill those plans.
