Disclaimer still applies.....
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I guess it wasn't the pure crap I thought it was. Thank goodness....
I've decided to completely ignore the whole "Earth going back in time, rangers as kids" thing. It's just a little too complicated to put into this story and be believable (well, for power rangers, that is). I'm not saying it didn't happen, I'm just not going to acknowledge it. Besides, I'm not certain that Jason or Kim would remember it anyway.
R/R!
~~~~~~~~~
Falling From Grace
By: Batbabe
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 7
~~~~~~~~~~
The next few weeks passed by rather quickly for the pair.
Jason went out and got a job at the local YMCA as a Tai Chi instructor so that he could not only help Kim out with the bills, but to also give his life a little direction. In the year since he had left Angel Grove, he realized just how much he enjoyed teaching and how much he missed it. It felt good to get back to doing something that gave him immense pleasure and fulfillment.
Kimberly had once again become more focused with her training. Her romantic dilemma was still on her mind, but it didn't bother her as much. She and Tommy barely talked anymore since he had a crisis back home that forced the rangers to gain new powers. Kim still couldn't believe that her powers were gone forever. She and Jason had stayed up late the night they found out and talked about it. Both were stunned and forced to face they fact that the rangers they had been were gone forever. Not that either had ever expected to go back home and reclaim their power, but now there was no way that they could.
She understood why Tommy didn't have the time to talk to her as often anymore. It must have been quite a strain on him as leader, losing the powers and leading the others on a quest to find an alternate source of power. She couldn't imagine how hard that must have been on him.
To be honest, she was almost glad that he was facing so many distractions. She still had not yet decided how to deal with her feelings, and the less she talked to him, the less she had to be confronted with her guilt over the situation. Still, she knew she would have to do something eventually, but she was glad she didn't have to immediately. She'd feel even worse if she broke up with Tommy right when he was facing the most difficult thing in his life. There's only so much change a person can take.
But her and Jason's relationship remained as strong as before, and grew even more so. They were gradually becoming closer then ever and, as much as it frightened both of them, it thrilled them as well. Neither dared take their relationship to the next level for neither wanted to hurt their mutual friend, but it was becoming clear that eventually someone would be hurt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They had spent the last couple of hours simply lounging on the couch watching tv one evening when Jason summoned the courage to talk about his feelings. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how much he wanted to hold her and never let her go. And he wanted to tell her how much he was afraid of losing her friendship by admitting his feelings and how afraid he was of hurting the man who had become his brother. He wanted to share everything with her, to be honest.
As she rose from the couch to go to bed, he decided it was now or never.
"Kim, wait. I think we need to talk." She looked back at him, a questioning look in her eyes. She did as he asked and sat back on the couch, though farther from him than she had a moment ago. She could tell by his tone that it was something serious, and most likely something she wouldn't like. So she remained quiet so that he could speak when he was ready.
He got up and crossed the room before turning back to her. He looked prepared to speak until he looked at her, then he seemed to become uncertain again. He began to pace the room slowly as he tried to think of the best way to explain himself. Through all this, Kim remained in her place on the couch, waiting patiently for him to begin.
Finally, he came to a stop directly in front of her. He took a deep breath before he dove right into it.
"Kim, you and I have been really close friends for years. And I know this might sound weird or out of the blue, but you've been more to me than just a close friend. You've always been someone I could count on, someone I could turn to if I needed someone." He paused, trying to gage what her reaction was. She seemed unfazed, almost as if she thought this was a joke. "What I'm trying to say is, I care about you. I like you. I've always liked you, but I've always been afraid to tell you so. First because I thought you'd reject me, and then because of you and Tommy. I never wanted to hurt either of you.
"But after spending these weeks together, I've realized that it's better to let you know how I feel. I can't hide it anymore. Being here, with you, has made me happier than I've been in my entire life." She was looking down at her lap now, face unreadable. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love you. I always have." He paused again, trying to let her take it all in.
"I'll leave if you want me to, and I understand that you don't feel the same way. I just thought you should know." He finished quietly, unable to look at her anymore. He didn't want to see the rejection that he was sure he would find if he looked into her eyes.
It was many moments before either spoke. Neither looked at each other, too afraid to see what the other was experiencing.
A part of Kimberly wanted to throw herself at Jason, have him take her in his arms and love her. Another part of her wanted to run away from the turbulent emotions she was experiencing. One question kept popping up in her mind.
"What about Tommy?"
If the room hadn't been completely silent, Jason doubted he could have heard her whisper her question. It was a question that he had asked himself many times over the past couple of weeks, and he was still no where close to a solution. So he answered as honestly as he could.
"I don't know...."
He finally looked back to her, seeing her nod silently at his response and rise from the couch. She didn't say a word as she made her way down the hall to her bedroom, never once looking at him. He heard the door shut quietly behind her as he was left alone with his thoughts.
He hated himself when he heard her start crying.....
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I'm seriously thinking of writing a supplemental one-shot type of thing for this. You wouldn't need to read that to understand this and vice- versa, but it'd just be a nice complement. It would focus on Zack and Trini at the peace conference, just after Jason left. Let me know if you think that would be cool! ;)
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I guess it wasn't the pure crap I thought it was. Thank goodness....
I've decided to completely ignore the whole "Earth going back in time, rangers as kids" thing. It's just a little too complicated to put into this story and be believable (well, for power rangers, that is). I'm not saying it didn't happen, I'm just not going to acknowledge it. Besides, I'm not certain that Jason or Kim would remember it anyway.
R/R!
~~~~~~~~~
Falling From Grace
By: Batbabe
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 7
~~~~~~~~~~
The next few weeks passed by rather quickly for the pair.
Jason went out and got a job at the local YMCA as a Tai Chi instructor so that he could not only help Kim out with the bills, but to also give his life a little direction. In the year since he had left Angel Grove, he realized just how much he enjoyed teaching and how much he missed it. It felt good to get back to doing something that gave him immense pleasure and fulfillment.
Kimberly had once again become more focused with her training. Her romantic dilemma was still on her mind, but it didn't bother her as much. She and Tommy barely talked anymore since he had a crisis back home that forced the rangers to gain new powers. Kim still couldn't believe that her powers were gone forever. She and Jason had stayed up late the night they found out and talked about it. Both were stunned and forced to face they fact that the rangers they had been were gone forever. Not that either had ever expected to go back home and reclaim their power, but now there was no way that they could.
She understood why Tommy didn't have the time to talk to her as often anymore. It must have been quite a strain on him as leader, losing the powers and leading the others on a quest to find an alternate source of power. She couldn't imagine how hard that must have been on him.
To be honest, she was almost glad that he was facing so many distractions. She still had not yet decided how to deal with her feelings, and the less she talked to him, the less she had to be confronted with her guilt over the situation. Still, she knew she would have to do something eventually, but she was glad she didn't have to immediately. She'd feel even worse if she broke up with Tommy right when he was facing the most difficult thing in his life. There's only so much change a person can take.
But her and Jason's relationship remained as strong as before, and grew even more so. They were gradually becoming closer then ever and, as much as it frightened both of them, it thrilled them as well. Neither dared take their relationship to the next level for neither wanted to hurt their mutual friend, but it was becoming clear that eventually someone would be hurt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They had spent the last couple of hours simply lounging on the couch watching tv one evening when Jason summoned the courage to talk about his feelings. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how much he wanted to hold her and never let her go. And he wanted to tell her how much he was afraid of losing her friendship by admitting his feelings and how afraid he was of hurting the man who had become his brother. He wanted to share everything with her, to be honest.
As she rose from the couch to go to bed, he decided it was now or never.
"Kim, wait. I think we need to talk." She looked back at him, a questioning look in her eyes. She did as he asked and sat back on the couch, though farther from him than she had a moment ago. She could tell by his tone that it was something serious, and most likely something she wouldn't like. So she remained quiet so that he could speak when he was ready.
He got up and crossed the room before turning back to her. He looked prepared to speak until he looked at her, then he seemed to become uncertain again. He began to pace the room slowly as he tried to think of the best way to explain himself. Through all this, Kim remained in her place on the couch, waiting patiently for him to begin.
Finally, he came to a stop directly in front of her. He took a deep breath before he dove right into it.
"Kim, you and I have been really close friends for years. And I know this might sound weird or out of the blue, but you've been more to me than just a close friend. You've always been someone I could count on, someone I could turn to if I needed someone." He paused, trying to gage what her reaction was. She seemed unfazed, almost as if she thought this was a joke. "What I'm trying to say is, I care about you. I like you. I've always liked you, but I've always been afraid to tell you so. First because I thought you'd reject me, and then because of you and Tommy. I never wanted to hurt either of you.
"But after spending these weeks together, I've realized that it's better to let you know how I feel. I can't hide it anymore. Being here, with you, has made me happier than I've been in my entire life." She was looking down at her lap now, face unreadable. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love you. I always have." He paused again, trying to let her take it all in.
"I'll leave if you want me to, and I understand that you don't feel the same way. I just thought you should know." He finished quietly, unable to look at her anymore. He didn't want to see the rejection that he was sure he would find if he looked into her eyes.
It was many moments before either spoke. Neither looked at each other, too afraid to see what the other was experiencing.
A part of Kimberly wanted to throw herself at Jason, have him take her in his arms and love her. Another part of her wanted to run away from the turbulent emotions she was experiencing. One question kept popping up in her mind.
"What about Tommy?"
If the room hadn't been completely silent, Jason doubted he could have heard her whisper her question. It was a question that he had asked himself many times over the past couple of weeks, and he was still no where close to a solution. So he answered as honestly as he could.
"I don't know...."
He finally looked back to her, seeing her nod silently at his response and rise from the couch. She didn't say a word as she made her way down the hall to her bedroom, never once looking at him. He heard the door shut quietly behind her as he was left alone with his thoughts.
He hated himself when he heard her start crying.....
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I'm seriously thinking of writing a supplemental one-shot type of thing for this. You wouldn't need to read that to understand this and vice- versa, but it'd just be a nice complement. It would focus on Zack and Trini at the peace conference, just after Jason left. Let me know if you think that would be cool! ;)