Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.
See You Again Chap 2
"Come on Scott just knock on the door." Jason stood looking at the brown wooden door in front of him as if he had never seen one before. The truth is something about reaching this door had frozen him in his tracks. He had been moving just fine with all sorts of gusto right up until this point. Jason stared the door down as if it would somehow blink before he did.
"This is ridiculous." Jason mentally scolded his foolishness right now. He heard movement to his right and smiled as two girls passed him in the hall. They returned the smile and whispered as they passed him. Jason had no doubt they were laughing about how silly he was just staring at the door the way he was.
Jason took a deep breath and lifted his hand. He formed a fist but stopped it just as it pressed lightly against the door. Quickly he went over everything he wanted to say in his head one more time. He doubted it would go as smoothly as it did in his head but he wanted to be prepared. Just as Jason started to knock the door creaked open in front of him and his breath caught in his throat.
"Oh my God... Jason?!" Kimberly exclaimed as she stood with the door to her apartment open wide.
"H.. Hey." Jason uttered sheepishly, he felt silly getting caught mid knock. Within seconds he felt himself being enveloped in a tight hug. He smiled and breathed with relief as he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug.
"This is a surprise... wow..." Kim said into his shoulder, her tone softer now as she relished the hug.
"Yeah.. I um.. wanted to surprise you." Jason said as they pulled back enough to look at each other.
"Well.. you did!" Kim said, the enthusiastic tone returning to her voice. Jason smiled in response as he realized just how much he had missed hearing her. "Come on in."
"Thanks." Jason responded as he followed her into the small apartment. He glanced around the living room to see it moderately furnished with a small couch, a coffee table and shelf adorned with cds.
"Just put your bags over there." Kim said as she gestured between the two bags Jason had in his hands towards a space in the floor next to the shelf.
"Okay." Jason said as he placed the bags down and resumed his once over of the apartment. He smiled at the cds. "No tv?"
"Nah.. I got my music, I'm good." Kim replied as she walked over to her couch and sat down and implored Jason to sit next to her. He made his way across the room and complied. "Sooo many questions, but first of all, what are you doing in Florida?"
"Just to surprise you." Jason replied.
"But shouldn't you be.." Kim began.
"I left..." Jason cut her off gently. "Wasn't for me."
"Oh.." Kim could sense a sadness in Jason's tone. She debated whether to pursue questions about it further. Jason glanced at her and they made eye contact.
"I missed Angel Grove.. the team.. you guys." Jason answered the question she had yet to ask. "As much as I tried to.. adapt.. and.. well..."
"Didn't work?" Kim reacted.
"Didn't work." Jason echoed. Kim smiled at him and brushed a stray hair out of her eye. She realized he was still making eye contact with her and something about his demeanor felt different than the last time she saw him.
"So what now?" Kim inquired.
"Now.. I just wanted to stop and see you first, before I go back to Angel Grove and see everyone else." Jason answered.
"I'm flattered I get to be first." Kim said with a smile.
"Of course." Jason responded and he returned his smile. His eyes shifted focus down to his hands in his lap. Kim sensed a shift in his mood and found herself very intrigued by it.
"So how long are you going to be in Florida?" Kim asked. Her voice prompted Jason to return his attention to her.
"Not sure." Jason began. "Probably for a few days at least."
"Good." Kim replied. "We got a lot of catching up to do."
"I'd like that." Jason responded. "How do you like it here?"
"It's okay.." Kim answered. "Like you though.. I miss home."
"How is your training?" Jason questioned. Kim got up and walked over to her refrigerator. She retrieved a bottle of water and offered one to Jason. He took it and smiled. "Thanks."
"It's fine." Kim responded as she made her way back to the couch to sit next to Jason again. She shifted so she was facing him directly. "Can I tell you something?"
"Sure." Jason responded before he took a sip of his water.
"It's not what I expected." Kim confessed.
"How so?" Jason asked as he studied her expression.
"This was my dream.. or at least I thought it was.." Kim clarified. "I'm doing great, I enjoy it.. but.. I just..."
"It's not home.." Jason finished for her.
"Exactly." Kim agreed.
"Sounds like you and I are a couple of homebodies." Jason said with a small laugh, prompting one from Kim as well.
"I never thought I'd be like that... but in my defense I am here alone.. at least you had Zack and Trini." Kim stated.
"That's true." Jason replied. "I wouldn't have lasted month without them to keep me sane."
"Was it that bad?" Kim inquired.
"No.. it really wasn't." Jason answered. "I mean we did good work and there were a lot of great people there... but I don't know.. it wasn't home, so I spent the majority of my time working out, training and reading.."
"That doesn't sound so bad." Kim replied. "It's pretty much what I do here too."
"Yeah.. I just did it to distract me from being homesick." Jason said before taking another drink of his water. "I don't know.."
"I knew the night before you left.. when we talked.. it wasn't going to be easy for you." Kim stated.
"Yeah?" Jason asked.
"Yeah.. you had buyers regret on it right there." Kim answered.
"Yeah I guess I did." Jason agreed. He turned on the couch to better face Kim. "Something about the power.. it's hard to let that go."
"Gosh.. I know." Kim said with an enthusiastic nod. "I sometimes feel helpless without it."
"Same." Jason agreed. "It would be easy to say that's all it was.. that I just missed being a Ranger but I know there is more to it than that."
"What do you mean?" Kim questioned. She watched as Jason shifted back into his previous position and his eyes suddenly found the view out of her window to be particularly fascinating. One again his demeanor was leaving her very curious.
"I don't know." Jason lied. The lie felt bitter on his tongue as he said the words. He rolled his eyes at himself tensed his muscles a bit. He glanced at Kim out of the corner of his eye to see she was studying him and he knew she was good at reading people, especially him. He waited for a series of questions to come.
"Do you keep in touch with Tommy and Billy?" Kim asked. Jason breathed a little sight of relief that she didn't ask what he was expecting. In fact she seemed to be changing the subject altogether.
"Yeah.. I mean.. some.." Jason answered. "Some letters.. and calls..."
"You didn't call or write me." Kim replied. Jason turned to her to see if he could read her expression.
"I.. um.." Jason stumbled as she was holding a really good poker face currently. "I didn't want to bother you because of your training."
"Oh.." Kim replied. "That makes sense.. but still.. a call or a letter.. that wouldn't have bothered me."
"Sorry." Jason apologized.
"It's okay.." Kim said.
"It.. I.." Jason suddenly found the english language to be a foreign concept to him once more.
"Jason.. is everything okay?" Kim asked. Jason froze. He closed his eyes, took a little breath and turned to her with a smile.
"Yeah.. I'm just.. probably jet lagged or something." Jason responded. Kim cocked her head slightly and Jason felt his resolve crumbling. He was seconds away from spilling everything to her but was saved by her speaking.
"You just seem to have a lot on your mind." Kim stated.
"Yeah.. honestly I guess I do." Jason responded. "But.. mostly right now.. it's just nice to see you again."
"Same." Kim agreed as she smiled.
"So.. what about you.. you keep in touch with everyone back home regularly?" Jason asked.
"Eh.. define regularly." Kim responded with a shrug. "I mean.. I guess it's just a few calls and letters here and there for me too."
"Really?" Jason reacted with surprise. His mind immediately went to Tommy and he struggled with the idea that he and Kimberly were only in contact occasionally. "How does that work with Tommy?"
Kim shrugged her shoulders a bit and crossed her legs up on the couch. She tapped her fingers against the bare part of her legs at the hem of her shorts. Jason watched and suddenly felt bad he had asked that question. He started to retract it but Kim spoke first.
"It's not working that great to be honest." Kim answered before letting out a small sigh.
"Oh.. um.." Jason struggled for the proper response. "I'm sorry.."
"It's just.. it's hard.. the long distance stuff." Kim elaborated. "Plus.. we are both so busy."
"Yeah." Jason agreed.
"I mean... at first, the letters and calls would be sweet and romantic, but lately it's just small talk about Ranger problems or my training.." Kim paused. "You probably don't want to hear all this."
"No it's okay.." Jason assured her.
"Just hard to keep the fire going under the circumstances I guess." Kim continued.
"I can see that." Jason agreed with a nod. "Have... have you voiced this to him?"
"Not in so many words." Kim responded. She looked up and met Jason's gaze with her own. His eyes seemingly softened when she met them with hers. She felt a little flutter in her chest and a warmth come over her. She lowered her head once more and stifled the smile that was starting to form on her face.
"What?" Jason asked as he caught her response.
"How in the world are you always single?" Kim blurted out. She let out a small laugh as Jason was dumbfounded by the question and reached up to scratch the back of his neck. His mouth seemingly would not close.
"W..wh.." Jason found no words.
"I'm sorry.. but gosh Jason.. you are good looking, caring, and such a great guy." Kim explained, and Jason fought a smile as she almost visably swooned as she spoke. Jason was very confused with how the conversation was going but he knew that he was blushing.
"I don't know.. I guess... I just never... where did that come from?" Jason asked.
"Your eyes." Kim explained.
"My eyes?" Jason questioned.
"The way you were looking at me... I've never met someone whose heart is reflected in their eyes the way yours are." Kim said as she smiled at him. "The moment you thought I was upset.. it was reflected in your eyes."
"I don't know what to say... but if you are upset.. I.. I want to be there for you." Jason replied.
"I know.." Kim replied, the smile still on her face.
"I think.." Jason considered how to take the conversation. "I am sorry that things are not going that great with you and Tommy."
"Yeah.. me too.. but I don't know.." Kim stopped herself. Jason noticed this action and reached over to place a hand on her knee.
"What is it?" Jason inquired.
"Can I be super blunt with you?" Kim asked as her eyes fixated on his hand on her bare skin.
"Sure." Jason replied.
"Sometimes..." Kim said as she looked up at him. "I feel like people made more out of our relationship than what it was."
"What are you saying?" Jason asked, trying to understand.
"Just.. I mean.. I love Tommy.." Kim began. "But..."
"You aren't in love with him.." Jason finished. Kimberly nodded in agreement and she searched him to see how he'd respond.
"I know he is your best friend..." She began.
"It's cool.. I get it." Jason responded.
"You do?" Kim questioned.
"Yeah.. I mean... we are young, we date, we love, but.. doesn't mean we fall in love." Jason stated.
"Exactly." Kim responded with enthusiasm as he understood. She had been trying to figure her feelings out for awhile now and it was nice to have someone who understood. She was afraid to voice them to any of her and Tommy's mutual friends out of fear that they would not understand or they would think she was evil for not feeling for Tommy what they expected her to.
"Do you think... I mean.. how do you think he feels?" Jason asked.
"I think he feels the same way, but.. I'm not sure." Kim answered. "What do you think?"
"That's probably none of my business to speculate how he feels." Jason responded.
"Fair enough." Kim replied as she placed a hand over Jason's as it continued to rest on her knee. She traced a circle on his hand and glanced up at him. He was watching the movement of her hand, oblivious to her gaze. "I'm going to break up with him."
"Wh..." Jason began as he now looked up to meet her gaze. "Really?"
"Uh-huh." Kim answered.
"Why?" Jason asked.
"The things we were talking about just now... it's just not working." Kim replied. "How.. how do you think he will take it?"
"I don't think I can say that." Jason replied. "I'm a little out of touch with everything."
"Does he talk about me with you?" Kim questioned.
"I... " Jason began.
"You don't have to answer that, gosh.. I'm sorry.. I don't mean to put you in the middle." Kim interjected. "I just... like I said, I love Tommy.. I don't want to hurt him."
"I know you don't." Jason said with a nod.
"How would you take it...?" Kim asked. Jason studied her for a moment. He found the question curious and tried to fit it into the context of their conversation.
"If.. a girl that I was seeing but wasn't in love with broke up with?" Jason asked. "Or if you broke up with me?"
"Um.." Kim was now the one intrigued by the words coming from Jason. So many ways she wanted to analyze the words and understand them but for now she just tried her best to answer. "The first one I guess.."
"I mean.. it would suck, but it happens... it's not the end of the world." Jason answered honestly. Kim nodded.
"No it isn't." Kim stated.
"But... maybe you should talk to him about it." Jason said.
"And say what... "Tommy, how will you take it if I break up with you?" Kim asked with a small laugh. Jason laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah... I meant.. maybe if you aren't sure how he feels you should ask him..." Jason began. "Although... it's how you feel that really matters in this kind of stuff."
"Yeah it is." Kim agreed.
"So.. maybe don't ask him.. just.." Jason stopped himself.
"Break up with him." Kim continued his thought.
"I didn't say that." Jason countered.
"It's okay Jase.." Kim said with a smile before she brushed her hair behind her ear. "I'm not going to tell Tommy that you told me to break up with him."
"Good.. cause I didn't say that.." Jason said. "I mean.. it wouldn't matter anyway.. that's not my decision."
"Right." Kim stated as she ran her thumb across his. He watched the interplay between their hands for a moment before he slowly pulled his hand back to his body with a cover that he was scratching a spot on his opposite arm.
"I.. mean.. I just want you to be happy.." Jason stated as he rested his hands on his thighs.
"I know Jase.. you are a great friend." Kim stated. She got up from the couch and made her way into the bedroom nearby. Jason watched as she disappeared from view for a few seconds. He started to avert his attention back to her window when she appeared in the doorway again. "Just to ease your worries.."
Kim walked over to the couch and sat down next to Jason once more. This time she sat close enough to were their shoulders were making contact. She eased over a notebook in front of Jason for him to look at it. Jason took it from her hand and glanced up and down it.
"I have been working on a letter.." Kim began with a gesture towards the paper Jason was holding. Jason offered it back to her, not wanting to read it.
"Oh.." Jason responded.
"So it wasn't our conversation that got the ball rolling.. just wanted you to know that." Kim said as she placed the notebook on the table in front of them. "But you are probably tired of talking about this now.. not sure how we got off on it."
"I don't mind.. it's what's on your mind, so we can talk about it." Jason replied. "It's just.. Tommy's my friend too and I don't want to come between you two somehow."
"You..." Kim began. She paused and Jason watched her. "It's not like that.. don't feel like that."
"Okay." Jason responded.
"It was nice though... to get it off my chest.." Kim explained. "I was afraid that if I told any of our mutual friends.. well I didn't think they'd understand."
"You should give us more credit." Jason replied. "We love you both, that won't change no matter what."
"Thanks Jason." Kim said as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug. He put his arm around her and pulled her in tight.
"You're welcome." Jason responded. After a couple of minutes he realized they hadn't spoken anymore and she was still in his arms. He felt nervousness rising up in him again. Just like he had felt when he had been having the stand off with her front door. He broke the embrace in response to his feelings and offered her a smile as she briefly glanced up at him before she resumed her position next to him.
"I'm sorry for my comment earlier... as I think about it now.. it sounded awful." Kim stated as she turned to him.
"Which comment?" Jason asked.
"About you being single." Kim clarified. "I mean.. it was presumptious of me to even assume you are single."
"It's fine.. I mean you did compliment me..." Jason said with a grin. "And.. I am.. single."
"Since we are sharing.." Kim started. "Can I ask.. why?"
"Sure." Jason replied. "Although I'm not sure there is a definitive answer, other than I just don't you know.. it's not something I'm seeking."
"You get asked out all the time, Jason." Kim said. Jason raised his eyebrows at her. "I have been standing right next to you when girls have given you their number."
"Ha.. well.. yeah.." Jason said with a shy smile. "I do.."
"So.. what gives?" Kim asked. "And please.. if at any point I sound like a tool again, stop me."
"You're fine." Jason said with a small laugh at her choice of words. "When I was a Ranger, I guess I felt like I should focus on that.. and not.. stuff."
"Okay.." Kim said with a nod.
"Plus.. it's complicated dating outside of the team.. or at least I'd think it would be.." Jason replied. "Lying to them.. I mean, most of the times I did use those numbers I was given, it didn't go past a date or two.. because I didn't want it to get to that point."
"That.. actually makes sense." Kim said as she considered his response. She didn't have to worry about it dating Tommy.
"So that's all there is to it." Jason stated.
"What about at the conference.. no one over there catch your eye?" Kim inquired.
"Not really.." Jason replied.
"What about Trini?" Kim asked. This prompted Jason's full attention. He was a little surprised at the question. "I mean.. did you ever.."
"No.. it's um.. I don't see Trini that way." Jason answered. " Not that she is not beautiful.. she is.. but it was just never going to happen."
"Got you." Kim responded. There was a silence between them for a moment as Kim considered something, but didn't voice it to Jason.
"So yeah." Jason broke the silence.
"Jason?" Kim asked.
"Yeah?" Jason responded.
"That night.." She began. "Before you left.. you told me you had a regret.."
"I remember." Jason responded.
"You said you couldn't tell me then.. can you tell me now?" Kim questioned. She watched as Jason's demeanor once more resembled the way it had previous when it caught her attention. She felt like she was starting to put the pieces together, but was far from feeling comfortable voicing it.
"Um..." Jason stalled. "I don't think.."
"It's okay.. I was just wondering." Kim replied. "Do you have anywhere to stay here in Florida?"
"I'm going to get a hotel." Jason responded. His mind was not on her questions though, it was on the way she had changed the subject and saved him from giving her a proper response. He found it curious, almost as if she knew what it was and why he couldn't say it.
"Stay with me." Kim suggested.
"Huh?" Jason was snapped back to the moment.
"Stay.. if you don't mind the couch." Kim stated as she gave the seat below her a few pats.
"I don't wanna put you out.." Jason said.
"Really Jase.. I'd be offended if you didn't wanna stay with me." Kim said with a smile.
"In that case.. the couch is fine with me." Jason replied returning the smile.
"You hungry?" Kim asked as she got up from the couch and turned to him.
"I can eat." Jason replied.
"Give me a few minutes to get dressed and we'll go get something." Kim said.
"Sure thing." Jason responded before Kim made her way towards her bedroom. She started to close the door behind her, but stopped when the gap was just wide enough for her to stand in.
"And Jason.. it's really good to see you again." Kim said as they locked eyes and she watched them soften for her again. He didn't need to say anything, she knew he was happy to see her again as well.