Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. I own the circumstances and the plot.

A/N: This piece was inspired by So Close by Jon McLaughlin. The story is also an AU of PRLR, of course:)

The Last Dance
by DarkHonda aka Tal

It was the last dance, the last song. Tomorrow he would go and fight with a part of himself: The Cobra. No one could tell who would win, evil by turning Ryan to one of his minions once more? Or Good by leading Ryan into the way things should've been? Either way, it was obvious he couldn't carry on being in between the two. He had to make his decision and fight for it.

"When I think about being good, I see your face," he told her before the dance, "I see the positive aura surrounding you, the help you reach for others, the hope you spread, not only to the people of Earth but for me, too." He said quietly, still pondering, weighing every word before pronouncing it, carefully.

"But then, on the other end, I see Diabolico's face. He saved my life, Kelsey, he's been my father for too long. I owe him. I see the creature who celebrated my birthdays with me, who taught me to fight. I know Captain Mitchell is my father, but he gave up on me, he chose Dana." Ryan said clearly.

"Blood is thicker than water," Kelsey murmured from her place on their bed.

"Family doesn't mean much to me now," Ryan sighed, "How can it?" He wondered aloud, pacing in front of Kelsey. He stopped and watched her reaction to his words carefully, her face was frozen, her shoulders – tensed.

He sighed. "I'm not mad at him for choosing Dana," He whispered quietly, his words forming softly in the space between himself and Kelsey. She stared into his eyes gently, almost as if she was hurting his pain.

He went down on his knees in front of her, abruptly, slipping his hand between her own. His ember eyes searched for her eyes, begging hers to understand and accept. She held his hand willingly, her delicate fingers squeezing his palm gently, as an act of support?

"Kelsey, whatever happens, I could never forget you, I would never hurt you." He said morosely, agony feeling his veins instead of warm, human blood.

"If you hurt my friends, you hurt me. If you destroy the city, you hurt me." She said, her voice quivering as tears began to drop from her eyes, staining her cheeks and burning his skin when they fell upon his hand.

"Ryan, I don't want to make this decision for you," she sniffled, "but if you're evil again, there is no way you could avoid hurting me."

And that tore his heart.

He didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to be the cause of her tears, but apparently – it was his destiny. To hurt the only human being who saw more into him than just a traitor, a lost cause. If she stopped loving him, he knew, then all hope is lost for him and all the goodness that slowly bloomed inside of him would make room for cruelness and hatred.

"Would you love me still, if I were evil?" he asked, careful not to stare into her anguished eyes, not wanting to affect her answer. He stared at the gray floor.

"Yes," she answered, making him raise his eyes to meet hers. "I would still love you, even if you were evil and hurt me endlessly." She sniffled. "But I wouldn't want you, despite however I do love you, Ryan." She admitted.

He clenched his jaw, trying to strain himself at the thought of such a situation where Kelsey wouldn't consciously want him, but love him still. He felt hopeless.

"Kels–"

There was a quick knock on the door and Dana's head popped into the room, she looked embarrassed, her usually pale cheeks reddening at the sight her eyes caught.

"Sorry," She apologized, lowering her eyes, "But everyone are waiting for you to join us." The words quickly left her mouth and the door was softly shut behind her when she left.

"This might be our last time together, our last memory…" Kelsey mumbled and Ryan leaned his head on her thighs, his hand slowly slipping away from between hers. Her hands then started to caress his short, dark blond hair.

"I don't want this to be," he whispered quietly a few moments later. "I hate the thought of not seeing you anymore. Of not touching you. Of not feeling you next to me."

"I don't want to lose you." He heard her voice full of agony.

"I don't want to lose you, too."

"I need you close," She whimpered and Ryan raised his head and stared at her anguish-struck face. He sent his hand to wipe her tears.

"Let's dance tonight, Kelsey. Forget about tomorrow." He said bravely, wanting to forget of the next day as well.

"Please, Ryan…" She begged and he knew she didn't want to share him tonight, but he didn't want her tears to be the only real thing he remembered about her.

"Wipe your tears, Sunshine." He said, making her laugh despite herself. 'Sunshine', wasn't yellow the colour of the sun? And it feet her so well, she was his sunshine, brightening up his life since the first day she walked into them wearing yellow spandex.

"Let's go dancing, I want you to remember me making you happy." He begged and she nodded, biting her bottom lip. He sighed and rose on his feet, offering her his hand. She took it, lacing her fingers with his, as the pair of them left their room.

Turning right in the corridor towards the Ranger Common Room, which was cleared of furniture except for a few chair and a rather small buffet, they already noticed the noise. People were talking animatedly, others laughing and eating. Could they fit in all this happiness when they're so anguished?

"Ryan! Kelsey! I'm so glad you showed up!" Dana rushed their ways, tackling Carter on her way to them. He noticed Kelsey managed a shade of a smile and all he could really do was nodding curtly to his younger sister.

"Could I bring you anything?" Dana asked enthusiastically.

"No, I'm sorry, we came here to dance." Ryan half-smiled at his always-happy sister. She half-froze in her place before grinning widely.

"No problem, Ry! I'll get the DJ," she said and gestured to Chad who was trying to look cool near the stereo, "to put something more… composed." She promised and made her way to Chad.

Ryan couldn't help but smile, looking down at Kelsey that had a real smile decorating her face. He was grateful for Dana's way of taking care of them, not that she knew how important of a day was the next, but still.

As slow, lingering tunes started to fill the air, he was the first to lead his date, his Kelsey, to the improvised dance floor. Naturally, she wrapped her arms around him, slightly leaning against his broad shoulders. He liked that.

Pulling her closer, he sent his arms to embrace her waist, feeling how her warmth still radiated and this time, all over his body. How her breaths tickled the base of his neck and how her arms slowly slipped from his shoulders to wrap around his chest, her head leaned against his heart. Feeling his heart nearly exploding, his heartbeats probably doing one hundred and fifty on a freeway, he wondered whether he would ever feel this way again?

He could feel her heart against him, beating as fast as his while her scent intoxicated his senses. He wanted to be this close forever, to always feel her, but will he?

She would always love him, this was for sure. Yet not being able to experience her love again, missing her racing heartbeats, her scent, her laughter… Was being evil, returning to his father, Diabolico, worth the deprivation of her? He wasn't sure at all. He could live without Diabolico, no matter how important he was in his life, but could he live without Kelsey? He already knew the answer for that.

He would miss Diabolico.

A/N: That shaped out rather well, I daresay. Your opinion?