Disclaimer: I own none of it, sadly.

Author Notes: Because I love Fran and Dom. Set sometime during the series after Dom arrives, likely after 'Maryl and the Monkeys.' The other JKP workers are my own creations and the characters and books mentioned are entirely fictional. Let me know what you think.

INTERTWINED

There was a lot to do at Jungle Karma Pizza when the Rangers had to leave. It also meant Fran was in charge. That had started out as a really scary new experience, but it turned out to be kind of fun once she got used to it. Fran didn't want to let anyone down.

"They're saving the world," she'd remind herself whenever the Rangers suddenly disappeared, throwing confusing and half-finished explanations in their wake.

And that made her stand up a little bit straighter, making a mental note to check on the monitors upstairs, and fish out Theo's pad from the pile left on the counter. He had nice clear and precise handwriting and he took thorough orders. Daniel always sang in the kitchen and that made her smile. She wasn't alone.

Then there were drinks and orders and spillages and sauces. That was before Strella came in, pink ribbon wound into her braid and tennis bag over her shoulder, to help with the evening crowd. When the Rangers got back, Fran usually got sent upstairs for a break, no matter how busy the restaurant was or how much she protested. She'd read her books and work on her college notes. She didn't have long until she earned her library degree. Sometimes she fell asleep; she kept a futon in the loft just in case.

There were nights when she didn't go home at all, not when she knew they were still out there fighting or RJ said her perspective could help them work something out. Her parents didn't notice if she was a little incoherent during the breakfast times she was home. She never questioned if it was all worth it, because she thought it was.

Dom joined her upstairs sometimes. He'd talk to her about books he'd read or tell her about all the places he'd travelled to or about RJ when they'd first met. They were good stories. Fran didn't understand why the others didn't always want to hear them.

And Dom made her smile. He loved books almost as much as she did. He carried at least one around in his back pocket and he started leaving them for her to read. Fran found the first one on the shelf beneath the register, a dog-eared paperback copy of the book Dom had been telling her all about only that morning. He'd made the book sound really exciting; Fran had gotten breathless just listening to him. The pages smelt perfect. Fran had learnt from a young age how important that was.

She'd just had time to start the first chapter when the Rangers appeared at last, exhausted but happy. RJ had a new idea for a pizza and wanted Fran's help with the sauce so all she could do was wave the book happily at Dom as she disappeared into the kitchen. He grinned back and sang the next line of Daniel's song to him through the kitchen hatch.

Fran finished the book during the late shift, finding a spot under the stairs to squeeze into when Lily ordered her to take a break. The book was really exciting and fun and full of twists that Fran didn't see coming at all. It was the perfect escape and extra nice because she could hear Dom's voice in her head, talking about it like he was right there with her.

It wasn't until she finished the book that Fran realised the pizza she'd snagged for supper was cold. It was still really good though, RJ's new recipe was delicious.

"So……did you figure out the ingredients?"

The unexpected sound of RJ's voice made her jump and bang her head on the stairs above her. RJ winced in sympathy and helped her to her feet.

"Sorry, I guess I need to work on my announcements so that they don't cause pain. Is that Dom's book?"

"Oh!.....yeah, he left it for me. It's really good."

"It's his favourite," RJ nodded like that was expected. "So, the pizza?"

Fran nodded and identified most of the components. RJ demonstrated a particular kind of stewing process he was trying on the vegetables. It made them tender and juicy and perfect. It was incredible, Fran told him. Her dream was to one day be as good at making pizzas as RJ was, and oh, maybe open up a library where you could eat pizza too. A safe place, that had suddenly become more important since the Rangers' arrival. RJ told her she was already halfway there.

She got the chance to talk to Dom about the book when he walked her home that night, eating noodles out of paper cartons. Fran was gesturing with her chopsticks, trying hard not to spill her meal on the sidewalk. Dom grinned when they reached her house.

"Here," he slid his chopsticks into her hair and bowed Oriental-style. "Like Madam Gune."

"Ooh, does that mean I'm the boss?"

"As long as it's not Theo."

Dom made her laugh, usually right when she needed it. One Saturday she came into work early because her parents needed the house empty for a really important meeting, and found a napkin folded carefully into her apron pocket. There was red biro scrawled all over it and Fran had to turn it several times until she found the right way up and it made sense.

There were pictures of the Rangers stomping on a weird-looking monster and speech bubbles that made Fran giggle. He always drew Theo really really tiny and Lily always looked like she was glowing. That was kinda the way Fran saw her too. Dom had signed his name with a flourish.

It made Fran smile for the first time that morning. Her sleep had been full of the monster the Rangers had faced the day before and had nearly crushed them. She'd read until her eyes drooped shut.

Dom lounged in the doorway, a pencil behind his ear and an open book in his hand. He smiled like he knew what she was thinking and he liked it, and it made Fran feel warm all the way to her toes. Theo always said he worried when Dom smiled, but Fran never did. She looked forward to it.

Casey was despondent, kicking his feet and not answering RJ, and Lily was allowing Theo to tend to her bloody arm. Dom was staying surprisingly still as Fran dabbed at the slash he'd taken to the face.

"Do you think it'll scar?" he asked her with a grin.

"Um….maybe?"

"Cool," Dom cast a look over the rest of the team. "Hey, ten dollars says I can predict exactly what will happen next."

Fran wrinkled her nose and shook her head. Soon Casey would walk out and RJ would follow him, just like Theo always looked after Lily when she was hurt.

"No bet," she smiled. "There, you're done."

She was about to step back, but Dom took hold of her hand. His thumb smoothed against her palm and Fran thought maybe he could hear her heartbeat. She felt like she was holding her breath. Woah.

"So how handsome does this make me?" he gestured with his free hand to his wound.

"Oh, you look very heroic."

"Like Dan Hall in The Forest Path?"

"Um……more like Samuel in Five Quests. Here."

Dom studied his curved reflection in the spoon Fran held up. He didn't let go of her hand. He looked pleased.

"Looking good."

But his gaze shifted back to Fran when he said it and Fran blushed. Everything inside her felt all mixed up, it was a weird exciting feeling. Being around Dom was like that. She liked it a lot.

When she went to get her favourite mug during her break, she found a miniature plastic rhino waiting inside it.

Dom was the one who told her about Pai Zhia They were sat outside, fingers intertwined and drinking soda as they watched the strange new colours of the sunset. Dai Shi's latest monster had done something weird to the sky that afternoon and it still wasn't fading away. Fran thought it looked pretty.

She'd asked Theo about the martial arts he and the others practised so much and he'd said it was Pai Zhia and it was complicated and top secret. When Dom explained it, it didn't sound so hard to understand. It sounded like a really good book.

Dom laughed and told her stories about Master Swoop and Master Phant and some of the students he and RJ had known when they were at the academy. They stayed outside until the sky was dark at last and the stars were just starting to come out. Fran fell asleep against Dom's shoulder and woke up on the couch in RJ's loft, sandwiched between Dom, who was curved around her and still holding her hand, and RJ who had Casey's head pillowed on his knee. Theo and Lily were curled up on cushions at everyone else's feet. It wasn't the first time Fran had woken up like that. She didn't move, she felt like she was part of the story now.

-end