Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.

Green With Evil

Jason

I gotta keep my focus if I'm going to win the match today. But for some reason I can't get her off my mind. She and he had settled back into a pretty normal routine in the last couple of months. They hadn't kissed anymore and in fact they hadn't really mentioned their feelings anymore after the last kiss at the lake. That moment still replays in my mind on the regular. It was almost as if it hadn't happened. They were just back to being themselves, Jason and Kimberly. But today something was different for Jason.

I really wanna revisit that lake. It was thoughts just like that that kept breaking his concentration as he tried to warm up and get loose on the mats in the Youth Center. He had looked for Kim all morning to try to talk to her again. Maybe if I just talk to her I can get it out of my head and focus. He glanced around to see if maybe she was there. He didn't see her but he did see Billy approaching him with a smile.

"You are gonna do most excellent today Jason." Billy commented as he came up and patted Jason on the shoulder.

"Thanks.. just got to get my head in the game." Jason confessed in return.

"Something troubling you?" Billy asked with genuine concern. He considered Jason to be one of his dearest friends and somewhat of a mentor for him. Jason protected Billy from bullies as a youth before finally teaching him self defense which proved to be an invaluable confidence booster for the shy teen.

"Yeah.. something." Jason nodded in agreement. Before he could expand on the thought though Trini entered the building and began to make her way over to them.

"Hey guys." She greeted them. "You ready for this Jase?"

"Trying to get there." Jason answered as he quickly let off a succession of punches into a punching bag nearby.

"I hear your competition today is a most worthy adversary." Billy chimed in.

"Yeah the rumors about him are pretty legendary." Trini added. Even more reason why I got to get it together.

"Billy, how much longer till the match starts?" Jason asked as he motioned down to Billy's pocket watch.

"Exactly one hour and thirteen minutes." Billy responded as he glanced at his watch.

"I think I'm gonna go out and get some fresh air, maybe talk a little walk and clear my head." Jason stated as he made his way past his two friends and out the exit of the Youth Center.

She'll be here. I know she'll come. But if I don't talk to her first she'll only be a distraction. Jason walked away from the juice bar and towards the park located behind it. He saw a bench and made his way over to sit down. He bent forward and placed his face in his hands in frustration. I'm going to get killed today at this rate.

Kimberly

He looks miserable. This was the first thing that popped into Kim's mind as she came upon her friend sitting on a park bench with his face buried in his hands. She was on her way to the Youth Center to watch his upcoming match when she discovered him like this. She quickly made her way over to him and plopped down beside of him. His startled reaction prompted laughter from her.

"You look like you lost your best friend." She commented.

"Yeah.." was his only somewhat solemn reply.

"But here I am soooo.." She gently nudged him with her elbow as she spoke. Despite himself he found himself grinning at her bubbliness.

"Well someone sure seems cheery." Jason remarked as he turned to look at her.

"I am.. it's a beautiful day, I feel good, and I get to cheer you on to a big win today." She explained. Why do you look so sad?

"Maybe I'll win, maybe I won't," He corrected her. His mind suddenly now on the match moreso than the feelings he was having earlier.

"You'll win.. if you concentrate." She replied sensing he seemed to be distracted.

"That's what I keep telling myself, but up until now it's not been working." He stated running his hand through his hair and letting out a breath that he felt like he had been holding in all morning.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so worked up about a match." She said as she placed her hand on his knee. Is there something else going on?

"Well.. this guy is supposed to be really good.. heck from the stories he is the best in the state." He explained turning his attention to the direction of the Youth Center.

"He can't be the best in the state, not as long as you live here." She explained with an earnest reassurance in her voice. No one compares.

"You flatter me... but thanks." He told her with a genuinely grateful tone.

"Your record speaks for itself Jase." She further explained. "Not to mention he is not a Power Ranger like you, and that experience is invaluable."

"How do you do it?" He questioned meeting her eyes with his own curious gaze.

"Do what?" She countered.

"Make me feel like I can do anything." He confessed with a smile.

"It's a gift." She replied jokingly before reaching down to take his hand and pulled him up from the bench. "Now come on, we've got a match to win."

Jason

At least I didn't lose. Jason thought as he rubbed his sore shoulder and made his way over to the locker room lockers to get dressed. He and his opponent for the match, a teen named Tommy Oliver, had fought to a draw. It was the best match he had ever been in and the only thing other than a win Jason had experienced in a match in over two years. The newcomer certainly had earned his respect and lived up to the legends he had heard about him.

"Man, that was a great fight, you are really skilled." Came a voice from behind Jason as he spun to see his competitor standing by a locker getting dressed as well.

"Thanks bro, you are as well." Jason replied in kind. "Tommy right?"

"That's right, and I know you are Jason, you are a legend around here." Tommy responded.

"Me?" Jason asked with surprise.

"Oh yeah, when I got to town I kept hearing about you and was kind of nervous about having to take you on." Tommy confessed.

"Hey man, I felt the same about you." Jason stated. He seems pretty cool.

"Can I ask you something?" Tommy asked as he slipped a black tank top on.

"Shoot." Jason responded as he bent down to tie his boots.

"Who was the girl in pink you were with before and after the fight?" Tommy questioned. Jason tied one of his boots before reaching over to begin on the other one he gave a quick glance up at Tommy before answering his question.

"That's Kimberly." Jason answered.

"She uh... your girlfriend?" Tommy continued as he finished up and picked up his bag and awaited Jason's reply.

"Uh... she.. no," Came Jason's stuttering reply. Tommy took notice of Jason's hesitation and decided to drop the subject.

"Okay, well man I was just wondering.. I gotta run, but I'll see you around school hopefully." Tommy said as he turned to head towards the locker room exit.

"Sure thing.. see you around." Jason responded as he sat up from tying his boots and watched him walk out the door. What was that about?

Kimberly

He was not bad to look at. Not at all. Kim thought as she sat at the Juice Bar next to Trini while they both waited for Jason to join them after a shower. She was of course thinking about Jason's opponent that day. Not only was he cute but he had also nearly defeated Jason. Something she understood to be nearly impossible at this point in his life. Well he did seem distracted, maybe that explains it.

"So... he's dreamy huh?" Trini asked looking over at her friend who was clearly deep in thought.

"Hmm.. Oh.. yeah he's not bad." Kim confessed in return with a slight smile and a blush.

"No he isn't." Trini agreed. "But I think some of us might be a little more smitten than others."

"Me?" Kim feigned innocence before laughing at the look Trini was giving her. "Well what can I say, the boy did not hurt my eyes at all."

"Yeah.. well... not to point out the big red elephant in the room but what about Jason?" Trini asked. Suddenly Kim's expression became crestfallen as she thought about her best friend and all of the confusion that had went on between them the last several months. Yeah.. what was he feeling these days?

"He and I.. we seem to have found some common ground and are just friends." Kim responded before taking a sip of the drink in front of her. I think.

"Oh.. so you both have decided to stay just friends?" Trini inquired.

"Yeah.. I think so." Kim answered. "I mean we haven't really talked about it in awhile, but we have just kind of settled back into our normal."

"I see.." Trini said thoughtfully. "Maybe it's best that way, for the sake of your friendship."

"That's what we seem to both be thinking." Kim agreed.

"You guys ready to go get something to eat?" Jason's voice interrupted the conversation as both girls swivelled in their see to see him, Zack and Billy standing there awaiting their response.

Jason

Coooooold!. Jason thought with a grimace as Kim placed an ice pack on his sore shoulder. They had dinner with the rest of their friends and afterwards the two had branched off and met up in their usual bedroom meeting space to watch a movie and once he complained of his shoulder being sore she went into doctor mode.

"Sorry.." She apologized as she watched him recoil at the temperature of the pack. "You've got some bruising."

"Really?" He questioned with surprise in his voice as he was now starting to feel the soothing effects of the ice pack.

"Yeah." She answered with concern evident in her voice. Her voice... oh don't go there again Jason, just stop it, you are only torturing yourself.

"I've had worse injuries." He stated as he reach up to place his hand over hers as it held the ice pack in place.

"I know... I helped nurse those too remember?" She responded as she offered him a smile. Her smile...

"Sorry I didn't win." He said as he lowered his hand back to his lap allowing her to hold the pack in place on her own again.

"You have no reason to apologize to me." She replied.

"Well you had so much confidence in me, I feel like I let you down." He confessed before turning back up to meet her eyes.

"You have never disappointed me Jason Lee Scott." She stated very matter-of-factly. The tone in which she said it resonated deep with him. And I hope I never do. He reached up and took the ice pack so she could get a break from holding it. She took this opportunity to walk over to sit in front of her dresser across from him as he sat on the end of her bed.

"By the way, the new guy, my opponent Tommy, he was asking about you." Jason informed her as he watched her closely for a response.

"Really... about me?" She replied with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah.. I think he thought..." Jason started but stopped because he wasn't sure how to broach the subject again.

"Thought what?" She pried. Instead of saying anything he just merely pointed at her and then back at himself. She understood the gesture perfectly. "Oh... what did you tell him?" What should I have told him?

"That we weren't.." He answered as he lowered his gaze down to the floor between them. There was a couple beats before he spoke again. "I think he likes you."

"Did he tell you that?" She questioned.

"No.. he didn't have to." He answered. It was on his face. "And you like him too right?"

"I..." She was floored and it was evident she did not know how she should respond to that. She watched as he lowered the ice pack off his shoulder and raised himself up from the bed. He made the few steps to close the distance between them and she instinctively rose to from her chair to match him. You've got to let her go.

"It's okay Kim.." He bailed her out of her response. "I mean I could tell you were attracted to him and it's okay."

"It.. it is?" She asked confusedly. You gotta believe what you are saying.

"Listen I know things got weird between us for awhile there and I'd be lying if I said that things are completely back to normal.." Jason began. "But we seem to be getting over all of that are becoming us again." Are we over it? Are we really?

"I see..." She responded.

"So the way I see it, you shouldn't have to deny your feelings for someone else just because of us right?" He continued as she nodded her head in agreement. "We'll figure us out one day, but in the meantime we gotta be happy, we can't go around moping all of the time."

"Is this how you really feel?" She asked as she considered the merit of his words. Is it?

"Yeah.." He said before he could overanalyze it too much. Before long they have fallen into an embrace with neither even knowing who had intitiated it, they just ended up there. He held her in his arms and she squeezed him tight. Someday it will all make sense, but for now this will have to do.

Kimberly

How did my life get so complicated? Just a few short months ago everything was so normal. Now..

"Hey girl, why such a long face?" Zack broke through Kim's thoughts as he walked up to her as she sat on the gymnastics beam in the juice bar. Instead of replying she jumped off and wrapped him in a hug. "Woah.. what's this about?"

"I'm sorry I'm a mess." She responded as she let him go.

"No it's okay, just took me by surprise is all, you okay?" Zack asked in return.

"I am honestly not sure how to even answer that these days." She replied as she leaned up against the beam and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"This have anything to do with a certain mutual friend of ours and his opponent yesterday?" He asked already suspecting he was right.

"Totally." Came her definitive reply.

"What to do, what to do." He said as he moved to lean up against the beam next to her. "So you like both of them huh?"

"Something like that." She answered. So much more complicated. "Tommy, yes. Jason... it's more complicated than that."

"I understand." He replied. "Did you two ever figure anything out?"

"I'm not sure.. last night he seemed to suggest we just stay friends and go on with our lives you know?" She responded as she turned to him to see if he understood it anymore than she did. "Does he talk to you about it?"

"Maaaaybe.." Zack replied with a smile.

"You're not supposed to say anything are you?" She questioned noticing his smile.

"Not a word." He answered with a wink. Oh to be a fly on the wall of those talks.

"Okay.. well.. can you at least tell me what you think I should do?" She asked. She noticed him take a deep breath as he seemed to consider her question.

"I think you gotta do what's best for you Kim." He finally replied. "I know things have gotten all complicated with you and my boy but before all of that you guys were the two closest friends I know."

"Uh-huh.." She let out in agreement.

"You know you've got that, and it's not going anywhere unless you want it to." He continued.

"I don't want it too," She interejected.

"Right.. and you don't know what you might have with Tommy, I mean all you know is you think he is cute and all of that... "He paused. "Soooo if Jason seems to be okay right now with your friendship status then just accept that for what it is, and then if you want to see what will happen with your crush then there you go."

"Thanks Zack," She replied with gratefulness. He had helped make things a little clearer for her and was the first willing to just give her honest advice without walking on eggshells. She pulled him into another embrace and then climbed back up on the balance beams. She was about to begin her routine when she saw Jason walk through the door with his gear on to train. He locked eyes with her and gave her his trademark smile before greeting Zack with a high five and they moved to the mats next to her to begin to spar. Maybe things are going to be normal again after all. Maybe that's just fine.