Beyond the Limelight
By Devastation
Summary: Post in the lime light, a late night talk leads to some truths for two rangers.
Disclaimer: I own nothing Power rangers, wish I did but that's life.
Author's note: I was just kind of wondering what might have happened after ITLL and well, this is what I came up with. Hope you like.
It was late that night when Dana finally managed to get a few minutes to herself. With the way she'd acted she'd wanted to make things up to Kelsey, to show she was sorry for being such a brat. Kelsey hadn't' thought it was necessary but Dana kept thinking of how the others could have been killed by Treevil.
"Well, at least it ended up ok." She said to herself but then again she was still at square one. She'd never get into med school. She was smart but no genius.
Getting up she moved to the desk where her things sat and picked up the copy of Glitz magazine. It was funny even after all that she'd done for the cover spread, all she'd given up she was glad in a way. True she liked adoration but not if it came with such a high price. After all she was a person, not a princess. True money was great but it wasn't everything.
"Hey you're still up?" Kelsey asked as she came into their quarters.
"Yeah, just thinking." Dana rolled onto bed and moved on to her side to look at her friend. The yellow clad girl had spent the evening on a date with some guy she'd met in the park.
"Well, don't think too hard; don't want to blow a gasket." Kelsey joked and Dana made a face at her.
"Funny."
"I thought so." Kelsey smirked smugly. "Dana?" Kelsey asked as she moved to flop down on her bed.
"Hmm?" Dana asked and she was still thinking of the way she'd neglected her friends.
"You know all the adoration in the world won't make a difference if you don't have the one person's you really want." That had Dana snapping from her thoughts.
"What do you mean?" She didn't know where this was coming from but since Kelsey rarely ever dispensed words of wisdom Dana of course paid attention.
"Come on Dana, I've seen the picture of Carter in your top dresser drawer." The raven haired girl nodded towards the bureau along one of the walls.
"Kel, he's a friend, a good friend." She said with a shrug.
"One who has your picture up on his wall?" Kelsey asked a sable brow arched in question.
"No he does not." Dana said and even she could hear the higher pitch to her voice.
"Does too." Kelsey grinned.
"You're crazy do you know that?" Dana asked tossing a pillow at her friend.
"I've heard it a time or two." Kelsey tossed it right back.
"Yeah, well it's true." Dana mumbled and settled back down. She didn't even see the next pillow coming.
"Dork!" She laughed as there began a pillow battle of epic proportions.
***
"Man you stare at that thing any harder and your eyes are going to bug out." The green ranger muttered from his bed.
"Huh?" Carter asked shifting slightly on his bed. He'd been so lost in his thoughts he'd forgotten that the sky cowboy had come into hit the sack about half an hour before.
"Come off it man, I know you've been looking at Dana for a while now." Joel said as if it was not a new topic. In fact, Carter thought his buddy sounded way too complacent.
"Joel get off it." The red clad leader of the power rangers didn't think, tossing a pillow at the other man.
"Right and maybe you've been carrying one of the little ones in your pocket since it was taken." Joel said tossing it right back, neither aware they were engaging in a little fight like the girls were at that very moment.
"You're annoying do you know that?" Carter muttered turning his back on Joel after a few minutes.
"I'm the sky cowboy." Joel called back cheerily.
"And crazy." Carter muttered and rolled over intending on getting a little sleep.
***
The halls were silent as she made her way to the galley. Dana just could not sleep, Kelsey's words echoing through her mind.
"All the adoration in the world won't make a difference if you don't have the one person's you really want."
Was she right? Was that part of the reason she'd decided to do modeling? Was she trying to get Carter's attention? Right, like he would ever think of her. Hell, he treated her like a buddy most of the time and a little sister at other times.
Moving through the nearly deserted cafeteria Dana grabbed a slice of Carrot cake and a cup of milk and headed for a table in the corner.
***
Carter wasn't tired, he was restless. Ever since Joel had put that idea into his head. True he was carrying a little picture of Dana in his wallet but she was his friend. Didn't friends do that sometimes? He thought of how Chad had taken to putting ones of Kelsey in a photo album. Besides Dana was smart, pretty and fun, like she'd ever be interested in a workaholic like him?
When he found himself in the doorway of the eatery he wondered why he'd come this way. Usually if he was restless he went to the training room and did some time in the disaster trainer.
Still, here he was, in a nearly deserted room it's only occupants the lone worker behind the check out line and the girl in the far corner.
He took in the figure even as he knew just who it was. Her soft blond hair and her quietly thoughtful expression.
It struck Carter that this was the first time he'd seen her since they'd' gotten back and she didn't look anything like the super model, no she looked just like she was. She looked like Dana Marie Mitchell, a 19 year old girl trying to find her way in the world. It struck him he'd really come to take her just being there for ranted. After all she was always his friend, always there with encouragements when things got to him and she was always there with a bad joke.
Was that why he'd been so upset? Was it because she'd not been there? Heavens had he really not seen it until now? Had it taken a push from Joel to show him…?
***
"Most people like to eat cake not play with it."
"Oh!" Dana jumped half out of her seat at the very sound of his voice; she'd just been trying to sort things out and now…
"Mind some company?" He asked a little smile playing at the edges of his lips.
"No, not at all." Not that she'd tell him she did. Especially not now, not when she'd only come to the decision that Kelsey was right. She had wanted Carter's attention as much as she'd sought the money for med school.
"Can't sleep?" Dana thought to ask once he was sitting there across from her, his hands around a cup of what looked to be herbal tea. That was one of those things she loved about him, he was not into major medication to solve all of the day's ills. He used things like a cup of peppermint tea to relax him. True she wanted to be a doctor but more to help people than to be in on the big ideas.
"No, guess it's just been a long day." He shrugged.
"Yeah, listen I wanted to apologize for how I've been acting." Dana began quietly and when his eyes met hers there was surprise in them.
"You do?"
"Yeah, my first allegiance should be to the rangers at all time." She explained.
"Yeah," idiot, Carter mocked inwardly, what did you think she'd say?
"I really let everyone down." She said quietly.
"We all have our lapses." He allowed.
"No, no we don't. You guys are always there to do your job and…"
"Dana," He reached out and took her hand in his. Only when her eyes met his deep blue ones did he continue. "You needed money for school, it's understandable."
"All the adoration in the world won't make a difference if you don't have the one person's you really want." There it was again, Kelsey's words, telling her what she should have known all along.
"Carter, that wasn't the only reason I did it." She admitted her warm blue eyes on his, hoping he'd not hate her, hoping that he'd feel the same way.
"It wasn't?" He breath caught, was she saying what he thought? He could barely think or hear for his heart was racing so violently.
"No, I did it because I…" She wanted to tell him, to say the words bubbling up within her heart but if she did there would be no going back.
"Dana…" Neither thought, but in a heart's breath their lips met, brushed, settled and they knew, they both knew the truth.
When they pulled apart a minute later she found his eyes were still on hers, his hand still held hers and for the first time in over three weeks they were in perfect sink.
"You?" She asked her eyes wide as they gazed into his.
"Yeah, you?" He asked and she loved the slightly husky tone of his deep voice.
"Um hmm." She smiled as they're lips met once more, this time in a kiss of exploration.
"Wow…' he managed when they broke apart once more. The feelings had grown, and now Carter didn't know how he'd not faced this sooner. After all he knew her as well as he knew… But he didn't know himself if he'd not known this…
"You could say that again." She smiled running her thumb over the side of his hand in an idle gesture that she wasn't even aware of. There was just one last question on her mind and she forced herself to spit out the words. "Carter, where do we go now?"
"Well, I'm not all that experienced at dating but maybe we could try going to a movie or something?" He suggested leaning back slightly and their still held hands as she thought that one over. A date would be perfect, just perfect.
"Now?" She asked stupidly.
"No, not now." He chuckled low in his throat and it was another think she loved about this man.
"Oh good, I think we're going to need our sleep." She managed and he nodded.
"Yeah, me to." He nodded and yet neither made a move to go, content to sit and stare at one another.
The end
***