Disclaimer: Saban and Disney's, not mine

Notes: Mild spoilers for 'Future Unknown'

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We work odd jobs to pay the bills. The kind of job varies with the person hiring us, but today we're planting gardenia flowers. I know the others don't like it too much (especially on a day as hot as this), so I'm not admitting it out loud anytime soon, but... I kind of like it. Xybria's one big desert, and the Earth I knew before I came to 2001 was either all tech or all wasteland. It's interesting, watching something take root and grow.

It's sort of like watching my friends.

Lucas, of course, doesn't want anyone to know how being here has changed him, because then someone may suspect that there's more to him than the cool act he puts on. But I've lived with him long enough to know when he's trying to hide the real him... and that it's not working as well as it used to.

Jen's changed, too, but not in the way Lucas has. She'd changed before we got here, and considering what happened, I don't think anyone was surprised. But, slowly, steadily, she's turning back into the Jen I used to know; something that I have no doubt has to do with meeting Wes. He's gone through his share of changes as well. When I first met him, I knew he had a good heart, it was just... deeply buried. Very deeply buried. But with time, he's gone from that to... well, he's not Alex. Wes said so himself. But he's a great Ranger in his own right, and I think Jen is starting to notice, too.

And then there's Katie.

I had never met anyone stronger than her before in my life. Not just body, but her mind and heart as well. Most times, it felt like I was just trying to keep up with her... but then we both learned the hard way just how much damage loneliness can do to someone, even someone as strong as Katie.

It would have been easy for her to give up. She almost did. But she came through for us in the end, and changed into someone stronger because of it.

I thought I was in love with her. After that, I knew I was.

The problem with telling her I am is... I'm not really the type to say something like that without turning into a stammering wreck in the process. I don't think I could even work up the courage to kiss her, much less anything else.

But, I remind myself as I pat the ground around the last gardenia flat, things change. They grow. Jen and Wes, Lucas, Katie...

If they can change, maybe I can too?