Here's chapter ten- for anyone who still cares. ;-)
Again, thanks for the support. And even if I get negative reviews, I thank the reviewers in advance. I appreciate it all. Reviews are reviews in my eyes.
Anyway, on with the story.
(Second week of October)
(Saturday afternoon)
It'd been three months since Jason'd returned to Angel Grove permanently. He'd been working at a dojo for the last month and a half. Okay, working at a dojo after running one seemed like, well, a step down. But he planned to have his own once again in due time.
Anyway, today the former eleven rangers and Vanessa were at Aisha and Rocky's wedding reception- yep, the ape and the bear had finally jumped that broom. The reception was being held at a hall they'd rented. It'd been a beautiful wedding.
Rocky, Aisha, Tommy, Vanessa, Adam and Tanya were on the dance floor- among other couples- while Jason, Zack, Kim, Trini, Billy and Kat were sitting at a table, chatting it up. Kim and Jason had chosen to be each others' date at the wedding. Made sense- considering they'd been spending more time with each other than everyone else lately.
Zack- who'd been bobbing his head along with the music- looked over at Jason. "So, Jay, I don't wanna ruin your day, but... what do ya think ever happened to Dawn?" he asked carefully.
"I'm thinking the folks with the butterfly net finally caught her," Jason said dryly.
"I think an institution's too good for Dawn," Trini said, shaking her head slowly.
"It all seems so surreal," Billy said.
"Yeah. I still can't believe people like that actually exist outside of a TV screen," Kat said, tucking a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear.
"I just wish I'd been there to see the smackdown between Pinky and Loony," Zack said with a laugh. The others laughed and Kim smirked.
"The only thing missing was a mud pit," Jason said, his eyes dancing.
"Nothing like a good chick fight," Zack said with a wink. Kat and Billy laughed as Trini and Kim smacked Jason and Zack on the back of their heads simultaneously.
"Calm down, Firebird. The abuse just never ends with you, does it?" Jason said, looking at Kim in mock disbelief. Kim rolled her eyes and the others laughed once again.
Then, Zack took Trini's hand just as the opening of Monica's "Angel of Mine" began streaming through the loud, clear speakers. "Shall we, Miss Kwan?" he said with a grin.
Trini grinned. "We shall, Mr. Taylor," she said. They stood and headed for the dance floor.
Billy stood and smiled at Kat. "Care to cut a rug, my love?" he asked in an adorable and slightly shy voice.
She grinned and stood as well. "Why, I'd be delighted," she said, looping her arm through his. The couple headed for the floor.
Kim looked over at Jason. "Would ya like to-" she began.
"Do you wanna-" he began at the same time. They laughed and shook their heads. Jason grinned at her. "May I have this dance, pterodactyl?" he asked.
"You may, tyrannosaurus," she said with a grin. Then, they stood and headed out to the floor. He pulled her close and circled his arms around her waist. She curled her arms around his neck, lay her head on his chest and they began swaying to the music. They closed their eyes...
When the song ended, some couples continued to sway anyway and others smiled at each other. Some headed for the seats. Kim and Jason stopped dancing, but, continued to hold on to each other. They looked around, then, at each other. Something had happened during the dance. Neither knew what yet exactly. But, something had happened.
Jason stared down into her eyes. "I haven't told you how fantastic you look already, have I ?" he asked.
"Yep. But feel free to say it as many times as you want," she said, smiling.
He chuckled. He couldn't help thinking of how right it felt to just hold her like this.
Kim was busy thinking of how it wouldn't bother her a bit if they'd stayed just like this for a lifetime. He pulled her closer, then, slowly brought his face down to hers before he knew it. Surprise filled her, but, she didn't stop him. She nearly melted when his lips touched hers.
Their friends, in particular, did double takes when they saw 'em.
When the kiss ended after what seemed like so long, the two of them looked at each other- breathing rapidly and unaware of their surroundings.
"What, what was that?" Kim said, her head spinning.
"I don't know," he said in a low voice.
"Could you do it again? I mean, maybe doing it a second time will help us figure it out," she said innocently.
"Worth a try," he said huskily, then, caught her mouth in yet another kiss.
(Somewhere in California- a motel)
(Same Day)
Dawn sat on her bed in the motel room she'd been residing in for the last couple weeks, counting up the large sum of money she'd managed to con people out of over the last few months. She'd long since gotten fired from the ad agency she'd worked at. But, the hell with them. She didn't even need a job anyway. She laughed gleefully and tossed a few bills up in the air.
She'd kept her presence in California a secret from Jason and his friends. She'd almost been caught the other day by Kat and Tanya, but, she'd gotten away. What a close call, though. They probably wouldn't have recognized her right off anyway. Her hair was now chin-length and she wore colored contacts.
Dawn'd had hired a guy- Rick Simms- to keep track of Jason's and his friends' whereabouts. Money really did talk. Huh. Anyway, Rick'd told her Jason and Kim'd attended their friends' wedding today- together.
A bitter, hateful smile lit Dawn's face. 'I knew it. I knew they were together. I knew he dumped me for her. Maybe I won't kill him. Maybe I'll forgive him and take him back. I do still love him. Yeah. We can go off and live on an island. Just leave it all behind. I'm gonna have my happily ever after. And he's gonna give it to me whether he wants to or not. But he has to beg my forgiveness first. And watch me kill her. She may have gotten the best of me before, but, I'm ready now. More than ready. I always win in the end. I always win,' she thought, nodding and rocking slowly.
Dawn reached under her pillow and pulled out her cherished pistol. She kissed it and sighed happily. Then, she pulled a manila envelope from under her pillow, opened it and dumped the contents on the bed. They were photos of Jason. Some of Jason and his friends or his mom. Some of Jason and his sweet Kimmie. Dawn glared at a pic of the two of them laughing about something.
"You won't be laughing for much longer, Kim. You won't be laughing when you're laying in a deep pool of your own blood," she said viciously. Then, she took the picture and hurled it across the room.
The blonde switched gears and smiled happily at a picture of Jason alone. She picked it up and sighed. "Oh, Jason. If only you weren't so blind. But it's okay. Because I'm gonna forgive you. You'll see that we're soulmates," she said as if he were sitting right in front of her.
Sure, he'd be upset over Kim's death. But, he'd get over it. In time, he'd forget about the brunette. Dawn would help him. Because that's what you did for the people you loved more than life itself. 'I'll make him see. I'll make him understand why it had to be done. I'll comfort him at the funeral. He'll realize how much he really does love and need me. Then, we're off to the Caribbean to celebrate our reunion and live the rest of our lives together. It's gonna be so sweet. So sweet. Kimberly Hart will be outta the picture forever,' she thought with a gleeful smile.
She wanted to get rid of Kim so badly she could actually taste it. She'd never hated another human being more in her life.
A loud knock on the door made the blonde jump a little and she instantly reached for her pistol. "Who's there?" she demanded.
"Rick", a slightly gruff, male voice said.
Dawn sighed in relief, hopped off the bed and hurried up to the door. She yanked it open to reveal a tall man with a medium build, mustache, shaggy, dark hair and bloodshot blue eyes standing there. She rolled her eyes. "It's about frigging time. I'm starving, you idiot," she snapped.
He tossed a bag from Taco Bell at her and walked in. "Don't start in on me, you dizzy broad," he said, pulling a carton of Newport cigarettes outta his pocket. Then, he sat on the bed.
"Hey, I suggest you show a little more respect to the woman whose payroll you're on," she said, sitting as well.
"Pull back, baby. The salary ain't exactly anything to brag about," he said before taking a long pull on his cigarette.
Dawn snorted. "Please. It's more than enough for this particular job. We're talking about my boyfriend and the whore he cheated on me with. Not a count and countess. Besides, it's not like you have anything better to do, so, shut up," she said hotly.
Rick looked at her and laughed. "True," he agreed. "I gotta tell you, though. It's not hard to see why anyone would want that Kimberly Hart."
Dawn narrowed her eyes. "My pistol's right behind you. I'd know what to do with the body," she said murderously.
"Chill out, babe. You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself," he said. 'Damn, this dame really isn't playing with a full deck. But, the hell with it. I need the dough,' he thought.
She rolled her eyes and refocused on her food.
"You know, you don't have to pay me more with money, gorgeous. Hear what I'm saying?" he said with a lewd smile. She may have been a loon, but, hell, she was a great-looking loon. He was only interested in the physical.
"Not even on your best day, you jackass. Besides, I'm taken. Jason would kick your ass to China if he knew you were coming on to me like this," Dawn said proudly.
Rick shook his head. This chick was majorly fucked up.
"You know, I wonder if I should kill her with a gun. I had this dream once that I did it with a chainsaw. A chainsaw!" Dawn said, with a more than slightly maniacal laugh.
Rick just shrugged and continued to smoke. She was definitely a new definition of insane, but, what did he care? He was getting paid and these people he were spying on meant nothing to him.
"Oh! Maybe I should just stab her to death. Nah, too sloppy. So is a chainsaw. I might just strangle her or something. Oh, well. Doesn't matter. Long as she's gone. I ALWAYS WIN," Dawn said in an ominous tone.
Stay tuned. Cya. ;-)