Your Song, part 4: Right Here Waiting

by PRfan4ever

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: This is the fourth installment in my "Your Song" series. Rocky/Aisha pairing. In the end, Rocky says he has someone to apologize to. There's a clue in one of the paragraphs. Anyways, it's major fluff. Feel free to R&R. And may The Power protect you!

Oceans apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

Rocky de Santos was growing more and more uneasy by the minute. He breathed, first, inhaling, then, exhaling. He paced back and forth. Adam, on the other hand, was growing more irritated with Rocky.

"Will you please sit down?" Adam said, scratching the back of his head.

"Dude, she hasn't called yet," Rocky shot back, almost screaming at his best friend.

"Hello? Earth-to-Rocky! Aisha's in Africa, bro! Some villages there don't have phones for miles! Just relax, will you?"

"You're right. I should calm down," he said, slumping down on the couch, letting his weight sink into the cushion. The phone rang. He jumped up, the minute he heard it ringing. He ran excitedly, to answer it. He breathed, then, picked up.

"Hello? de Santos residence, Rocky speaking."

"Hey, schnookums! How are ya? Mwah! Did you miss me?"

"I sure did, Sunshine," Rocky said, sounding excited. Then, he motioned for Adam to leave, and Adam quietly left.

"Did you, really?"

"I sure did—ahem—I sure do!"

"I miss you too, schnookums," Aisha said, almost choking up. Both sensed the need for each other.

"When will you be back?"

"I... I'm not really sure," Aisha said, sadly, "This could take longer than I expected. Will you promise to wait for me, no matter how long?"

"You know I will. Count on it!"

"Aww... I love you, schnookums."

"I love you too, Sunshine."

Their conversation lasted for hours on end, until it grew dark.

"Hey, I'll let you go now. I know it's getting late over there. I gotta get back to the village too."

They exchanged another round of sweet words, and promises, and then sadly hung up.

Then, Rocky ran outside, called Tommy, Adam, Kat, and Billy, and drove off. They were to meet at a club, somewhere, with their fake ID's, hoping and praying they wouldn't get caught. Rocky wanted anything—anything to drown his pain. He hated Tanya, because he felt it was her fault Aisha was in Africa. He hated his parents for not seeing and understanding just what he was going through. He hated Zordon, because he knew this would happen, yet didn't say anything. He hated just about everybody. Nothing ever stopped the pain.


If I see you next to never
How can we say forever

Rocky lay on his stomach, in bed, looking at a photo album he's kept, ever since his childhood. It had pictures of the three of them. Always the three of them. Adam, Rocky, and Aisha. The Three Musketeers, as they used to be called, when they were still in Stone Canyon. From age six, to 8th grade. But there was an abundance of pictures of just the two of them. Rocky, and Aisha. Rocky and Aisha, making sandcastles at the beach. Rocky and Aisha, running through the sprinklers, in the backyard of her house. Rocky and Aisha, on the swing. Rocky and Aisha, on the slide. Rocky and Aisha, at their favorite ice cream parlor in Stone Canyon. Rocky and Aisha, at his cousin's wedding. She was the flower girl, he was the ring bearer. And in one of the pictures, they were pretending it was their wedding day. Rocky took the picture from off the page, and turned it over. It read, Rocky & Aisha, Forever. He turned it over again. A tear or two escaped from his eyes, rolled down his cheeks, and landed on the picture. Forever, Rocky thought with a sigh, Forever.

"At this point, how can we say forever? I don't even get to see you," he said, out loud.


Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

Prom Night. Everyone was now at the auditorium. Tables and chairs were now set up. Mr. Kaplan was doing a few last-minute checks. Ms. Appleby was asking everyone if they were okay. Everyone was fine. After all, this was Prom Night. Everyone was there. Everyone, except Rocky, that is. Jason and Tommy looked around for him.

"Adam, you were with Rocky, the whole day, right?" Tommy asked, scrutinizing Adam with a questioning look.

"Well, yeah. He wasn't dressed yet, when I left him."

"What? You mean he's not coming?" Jason asked, in shock.

"Gee, I dunno, you guys."

"You might wanna try calling him," Kat suggested.

"Nope," Adam said, "I've got a better idea. Excuse me."

With that, Adam made a dash towards the exit. His instincts told him to go to Rocky's house. Following his instincts, he drove up to the house, and rang the doorbell. Mrs. de Santos answered the door.

"Oh, hello, Adam!"

"Good evening, Auntie. Have you seen Rocky anywhere?"

"Tonight is Prom Night, isn't it?"

"Yeah, and he was supposed to be there, an hour ago," Adam replied, exasperation showing in his voice.

"Well, isn't he at school yet? He left an hour ago."

"He what? When? How? Why? Where is he?"

"He took the pickup. Said he was going somewhere. I figured he was at the prom."

"He's not," Adam said, his voice shaky, "Auntie, Rocky might be missing."

But he wasn't missing. He was in Stone Canyon. Pulling over, he got out of the car. Spotting their old house, which no one has occupied yet, since they left it, he ran to the backyard, jumping over the fence. He searched with his flashlight. Two years, and this house—their old house—already looked like a haunted house, from some horror movie. It might've already been inhabited by ghosts. But he couldn't care less. This was his home. This place—so many memories. He looked up, and saw his old tree house. They always spent their summer afternoons up in the tree house—he, Adam, and Aisha. Aisha. That name alone brought back memories. He climbed the rope ladder, went inside, and sat there, alone in the dark. Like an old, forgotten friend, he was waiting for Aisha to return. The very picture of a long-lost lover, waiting for the return of his long-lost love. Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, he thought, with a sigh.


I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Whoever said that you don't know what you've got, until it's gone was right. That's how Rocky felt, right now. He took for granted all the times that he thought would last somehow. He could hear his and Aisha's laughter, in his head, as clear as day. He could taste the tears. But she was far from him, and he couldn't get near her now. All these feelings whirled about in his head, like a torrent. Picking up another stone, he tossed it across the lake's surface, watching it, as it bounced. He'd give away everything he had—even his own soul—just to have Aisha back again.


Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me goin' crazy

Angel Grove Mall. Tommy and the gang brought their food to the table, outside the food court. Everyone had their trays filled, except for Rocky. He hasn't been his usual self lately.

"Rocky," Billy said, "I noticed you didn't buy any food. You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine!" Rocky shouted, causing everyone at the mall to look in their direction.

"Dude, seriously, man! What's with you?" Adam asked, half exasperated, half concerned.

Do you really have to know? You damn well know the reason I've been acting like this! I miss Aisha, alright! I'm crazy for her! I'm crazy 'bout her! Heard enough of it yet? Rocky didn't realize he'd said those words out loud. All the while, he thought he was just thinking it, until he noticed the shocked expression on everyone's faces.

"Oh, my God! I—I'm sorry. I didn't—I didn't mean to," he said, grinning sheepishly, "But you guys all know that me and Aisha are together, right?" Never in his life had Rocky wanted to crawl up into a hole, and die of embarrassment, until now.

"Well, that explains it," Jason sighed, relieved.

"I second the motion," Tommy said.

"Yep," Adam and Billy said, satisfied, "That clears things up."

"So," Tanya said, "What do you guys say we take Rocky bowling."

Rocky declined, but with much prodding from his friends, he finally agreed.

Later, at Angel Grove Park. The gang gathered at the park, laughing, playing a game of football, catch, and Frisbee. Then, sitting in a circle, munching on some snacks, they talked about their day, before heading home. Suddenly, Rocky's gaze was fixed on a silhouette, in the distance.

"Is that—is that Aisha?" he asked, pointing, and squinting, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Bro, didn't we talk about this already," Adam said, gritting his teeth.

"Hey, Adam, take it easy on Rocko, will you? Don't worry, man. I know how you feel. We know you're crazy for her. That's how I felt after I got Kim's letter. Anyways, if you want, you can talk to any of us guys. The lines are open, man."

"Yeah, dude," Adam said, smiling apologetically.

"Thanks, you guys."

Aisha Campbell still had him going crazy.


Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks

I will be right here waiting for you

"Hey, Schnookums! Adam told me what happened to you last week. Is that true?" Aisha said, on the other line.

"Yeah, I miss you so much, Sunshine. I really do."

"I know, I know. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. It's still indefinite, though, but I'm coming home. Will you wait for me?"

"I'd give all my soul, just to see you again."

"You know how corny that sounds? You'd give all your soul? What! You have a connection with Satan, or something?"

"Normally, that would be funny."

"Sorry. Just trying to lighten up the mood."

"Don't worry, just your voice is enough to make me smile, Sunshine."

"Aww... Sorry, I really can't be with you."

"Hey, you know it's not your fault. I promise, I'll be right here, waiting for you."

And every day, he was intent on keeping that promise. Every day, he would drive up to Stone Canyon, go to the backyard of their old house, and sit in the tree house, awaiting her return.


I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance

Adam said something about a "test of time," or something. Maybe it was "test of separation" that he had said. He wasn't sure. He might not have been listening. All he knew was that this separation was too much for him to handle. Besides, he already saw what had happened to Tommy and Kimberly. Everyone knew that. She was in Florida, he was in California. Did it work? No. He saw the look on Tommy's face when he read the letter from Florida. And he wasn't sure if he and Aisha would pass this test. He wondered how they could survive this romance. But in the end, if Aisha came back, he would take the chance.

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me goin' crazy

Rocky didn't know how much longer he can hold out. This distance from Aisha was driving him nuts. He was sent to Principal Kaplan's office, once, because instead writing down notes from Ms. Appleby's lesson, he had unknowingly filled six pages of his notebook with nothing but "Aisha Campbell." He saw her everywhere, heard her voice, her laugh, everywhere. He was crazy for her.


Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

Rocky stood at the bottom of the tree, this time. With his head down, and his hands in his pockets, he was about to give up. I waited and waited for you, but you never came back, he thought, not knowing that he said it out loud.

"You'd better take that back, de Santos! Hell, I came back just for you," said a familiar voice. Rocky turned around in surprise. He paled, as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Aisha? What—what are you doing here?" he said, hugging her, to make sure it wasn't a dream, nor imagination.

"I knew I'd find you here. My heart told me, you were waiting for me, somewhere, so I followed my heart."

"I'm glad you're back, Sunshine!" he hugged her even tighter.

"It's good to be back, Schnookums."

"Hey, let's go! The guys will be shocked to know you're back."

"Sorry. I hate to burst your bubble, Schnookums, but they already know I'm back." She gave him a kiss.

"Well, it would be a good idea to head back to Angel Grove, though. I still have someone to apologize to. So, what do you say we head back to Angel Grove?"

They walked out of the backyard, hand in hand, but not before taking in every detail of that old house, cherishing the memories, reminiscing about the past, looking towards the future, and living in the present. Rocky fulfilled his promise to Aisha. He was right there, waiting for her. And she, in turn, kept her promise to him. She had come back.


Waiting for you...