Hello all. I was just reading "The second war" fanfic by xEdwardxlovex and I decided I needed to get in on the fun fanfiction action again. (If you're reading Edwardlove, Hope you don't mind my advertising).

Exploring Ziggy and Dr. K's slowly evolving relationship. Do people this slow have any chance of ever being married?

Well here's one theory of how it happened.

Picking up from episode 32, end of series.

5 years after Venjix, Upstairs, in the teacher's dormitories.

If Dillon or any of the other rangers had the pleasure of viewing Ziggy right now they'd have laughed. Not because he was being clumsy or looking ridiculous- actually those sorts of things were so obviously Ziggy that they barely did more than glance when they happened. But being a teacher had somewhat of a strange effect on Mr. Grover (as his students called him.)

Firstly, he was sitting at a desk. That alone was a rarity.

Secondly he was wearing a white button up dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

And thirdly, on his nose were perched-yes!- a pair of spectacles.

Actually, the combination of those elements, along with the exploding haircut that resembled Einstein's, made him look rather knowledgeable. In fact, as he sat there, grading papers with a look of concentration on his face… he did look much older. More mature.

At that moment, Ziggy perked up slightly, noticing the shape in the doorway. Concern flickered briefly across his face before a grin replaced it.

"Doc K!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "Welcome, welcome to my humble domain!"

'Mature,' she reflected wryly. 'Until he opens his mouth.' While he chattered on cheerfully she walked over and sat on the edge of his bench. The floor was covered with different piles of papers, most of them artwork that the kids had drawn for class, waiting to be handed back or hung up in the different classrooms.

Their school had been a raving success. Obviously the funds for getting the school hadn't been a problem. Nor had hiring other teachers for subjects they didn't care to teach such as English (Ziggy thought Harry Potter should be included, Dr. K insisted that all sixth graders should read the Illiad and the oddessy) and History (which country's history? Should they talk about what had happened in Corinth or focus more on current events?)

In the end, possible enrollment for the school was so high they'd had to reconsider their original plan. So many of their potential students were the children of parents who were hoping Dr. K could teach their twelve year olds College level Biology. None of them- as Ziggy pointed out- were kids from the area who needed to enroll in school. They were all rich kids whose parents were willing to relocate so their child could have the best education. And while that was all well and good… even Dr. K wasn't comfortable with students from one particular background making up 99% of the enrollment. It would be like teaching an entire school of little Summer Landsdales. (A/N: the old one, that is)

So they'd ended up building their private school in the middle of downtown, where there seemed to be a combination of lower, middle and upper class. Ziggy's infamous orphanage was only two blocks away. They still had access to the public transportation system in case they needed to return to the city. Everything fell into place.

And now here they were, five years later. Dr. K was twenty-one years old. She was older than all the rangers had been when they'd destroyed Venjix. She was old enough to legally drink in all the former countries (Corinth only had an 18 year old drinking limit. Ziggy had tried to talk her into having a wine cooler on her 18th birthday but she'd refused entirely. He did manage, however, to get her to accept a walk in the park with him. And when they'd been building the school he'd commanded that large windows be put in her room so she could feel the sun and the breeze whenever she wished.)

It was always the little things that he did that completely stumped her. There was simply no logic to him at all. Every time she thought she had him figured out he'd do something that completely surprised her or threw her off guard.

"So anyway, that's why I decided that I'd have the kids do the skit about the manatee instead of the dancing lobsters!" Ziggy finished as he threw his pen triumphantly on the desk. "Ziggy promises… Ziggy delivers!"

Dr. K looked at him dryly. "Ziggy… it's twenty minutes past midnight. Why aren't you sleeping?"

He looked back at her like she was crazy. Laughing a little he replied, "You know, you're one to talk. You used to go days without sleep back when we were rangers."

Dr. K tried not to snap at him. Really, he was so incompetent when it came to excuses. "We were fighting for our lives Ziggy. I don't think the situations compare."

Ziggy half shrugged. "Yeah, well…" he flipped his spectacles off his face and onto the desk. "I can't shake this cold. I've been getting behind on grading… so I thought I'd try to get caught up before Friday so I can hand everything back."

Dr. K watched him brush a hand over his face. He smiled brightly and acted energetic but she didn't miss him red rimmed eyes or the weary slump to his shoulders. He had been sick lately…just a head cold, or so he said. But of course, Ziggy loved being around the kids so much that trying to weasle out of it was out of the question. He had simply gone through his day cheerfully, walked up the three flights of steps to the teacher's dormitory and started grading papers. The idiot.

Really, he was truly an idiot. If he'd just taken two days off he'd be better by now and caught up in his work. Hadn't he learned anything from teaching these past four years? Sighing she looked at the floor and the random piles again.

"Well," she said tonelessly. "Since I am unable to reach the REM cycle tonight due to the caffeinated beverage you insisted I drink earlier… perhaps I could help you with your projects."

Ziggy smiled again. He ran a hand through his hair. "Sure… that's be great. I have a rubric for this one actually… you'd be proud of me Dr. K. You just have to look over the stack of pictures and check to make sure that they have the requirements for full credit."

"Easy enough," Dr. K held out her hand and he gave her the rubric and the pile of sketches from the 7th grade art class. They had barely opened the school when Ziggy had admitted that he hoped to do an art class as well as the drama/puppeteering and cooking. Dr. K had asked him if he was qualified and he'd shown her some of his sketches. He may not have had an arts degree but it seemed useless for someone who clearly knew his craft. She'd been amazed at the drawings and cartoons that had litered his notebook. She come across one a very large detailed sketch of herself at her computer desk eating Mr. Marshmellow. Ziggy had blushed crimson and muttered something when she'd asked if she could keep it. It was in her desk drawer now, beside the pencil that Gem and Gemma had given to her on her sixteeth birthday.

She flipped through the different assignments. For a while they worked silently, side by side for a while, K quickly going through her stack while Ziggy stumbled through his lesson plans. He was mumbling something about spice cake when she interrupted him.

"This is rather exceptional," she showed him the sketch that Georgie Petershine had done of several animals lined up. A bear, a whale, a wolf… it was quite obviously a tribute to the ranger animal symbols. Even after the war, the power rangers were celebrities. Most of the students were ecstatic to find out that their theater arts teacher was the green ranger… an emotion that was quickly followed by amazement and bewilderment as soon as they got to know him.

"Yeah… Georgie's pretty much good at everything," Ziggy yawned. "Even science and math, right?"

"Affirmative. I find that usually the students who do poorly in my classes are the ones who do well in yours. And vice versa."

"It's not hard to do bad in your classes K. You're an absolute slave driver."

Dr. K raised her eyebrows and allowed a very slight smile to rise to her face. "I admit, when I started by classes I may have set my standards too high-"

"Um... too high?" Ziggy asked grinning. "You mean, impossible, right?"

"Ranger green… if you do not calm down I shall be forced to relate to you one of your first year teaching mishaps-"

Ziggy threw up his hands. "No! I mean, I'm great, thanks. What were we talking about again? Because I know it wasn't your lowering the bar to meet the minds of us mere mortals…"

K shook her head and marked the drawing as a 15/15. Ziggy snapped his fingers.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I heard from Flynn today. Apparently him and Gemma have something going on right?"

Dr. K nodded. The topic was both uncomfortable and relieving. "Yes. Luckily Gem has established his own social life in the military and is more accepting of the idea," she allowed herself to chuckle. "It took a very long time though."

"Not as long as us," Ziggy said softly.

Dr. K looked up in alarm. He was looking away, but there was a strange look on his face… like a combination of bravery and fear.

"Look… K… we've been over this. I know I always joked around about girls… but we both know the truth. I want to be with you."

The air grew very tense. Dr. K took a deep breath, not trusting herself to say anything. Ziggy sat up straight and turned his swivel chair to face her.

"Look… I'm not saying this because I want to demand all the rights that a husband and wife can command from one another. I know we're not there yet. You barely let me kiss you… much less…" Ziggy looked embarrassed for a moment but finished determinedly, "I want to be with you. I'm never going to want to be with anyone else. And I know you're probably one of those women who prefers to be a smart independent feminist who never gets married… but… but I want that bond. I want that promise of eternity."

Dr. K was fascinated. She stared at him in wonder. "Why?" she whispered finally, pushing aside the fact that he had- for all extents and purposes- just proposed to her. "Is there an explanation as to why you need this?"

Ziggy exhaled. Closing his eyes he ruffled his fingers through his hair. "No. Yes. I dunno. Maybe. Maybe it's that I grew up in the foster care system and I never had anyone I could depend on to always be there."

She understood that. How could she not? The rangers were the only family she had. Ziggy was the most important family she had. And she had to admit, the jokes he made about girls made her uneasy. What if one day some girl actually did notice that he was not at all unattractive and that his personality, while often obnoxious and loud, was also comforting and dependable. Or if, by chance, they realized some of his other outstanding qualities, (the ones that she'd always noticed but had refused to tell him about.) Like the fact that he never gave up. Or that he had complete faith in his friends. Or that, even when he was with the Cartels all those years, he always sent back portions of the money they'd taken from different businesses back to the respective stores.

Or the fact that he did community service, although his probation period ended and he was no longer required to.

Or his ability to cheer people up, often at the expense of his dignity… (well, if he had dignity…)

The list went on.

Eternity…

She couldn't loose him.

But she couldn't accept. Maybe the independent feminist observation was more true than she knew.

But on the other hand…. She couldn't handle the thought of being alone forever. Except for the two agents in Alphabet soup, she'd grown up almost entirely by herself. It wasn't an experience she cared to repeat.

"Do I have to give my answer now?" she asked finally. Ziggy had been looking at her with an expression that said if she didn't say something soon he was going to explode. At her response he promptly jumped to his feet in celebration and shouted a resounding "YES!" Dr. K stared at him in astonishment. She stood up, the papers on her lap falling to the floor.

"Ziggy… you are aware I did not say I accepted, are you not?"

Ziggy grinned at her. "You didn't say no!"

She blinked. "Well… no. Did you think I would?"

Ziggy laughed. "Are you kidding me? Dr. K… you haven't even admitted you like me yet."

"I don't!" The answer was so immediate, so normal that it came out before she had even stopped to consider. She pressed a hand to her lips in amazement as he laughed again.

"That's exactly what I mean," he looked at her carefully now, the smile fading. "If you didn't say no… then maybe that means… that you do."

Dr. K looked up at him. They were standing very close. She knew his exactly height and weight thanks to the ranger series program but she'd never considered how her five foot two frame measured in comparison.

"Maybe it does," she agreed quietly, unable to say it completely. And when she looked at him and saw his acceptance, she realized that for perhaps the first time in her life, she had found someone who understood.

This is part 1/4. Please review. I know Power rangers fanfics are not as popular as say, Harry Potter, but I would appreciate it. :D