Author's note: I didn't get as many reviews as I would have liked for that last chapter but I decided to go ahead and update this story anyway. Thanks to those of you who continue to review.

CoolDiva: I needed a way to get Zack to Africa so I thought making him become a doctor would serve that purpose. Glad you thought Ian and Kim's argument was realistic.

moonlite-n-roses: Yes, Jason and Kim are becoming closer and as for Ian and Kim well keep reading to see what happens to them.

GracefulCrane: Yeah, things just didn't work out for Jason and Emily. Glad you like the idea of Zack becoming a doctor. Nice to know I still have some original ideas left in me.

Destiny45: Glad you liked the parallel.

"Kim, you don't have to do this," Ian told her as he stood in the doorway of their bedroom and watched as Kimberly was throwing some clothes into a suitcase.

"I really think it's for the best," Kim told him as she continued to pack.

"Honey, I really think we need to talk some more before making any rash decisions," Ian said.

"Ian, there's nothing left to talk about, what happened, happened, there's no going back from it," Kim replied.

"But Kim, I love you and I don't want you to go," Ian told her.

"I love you too but it's not the same, not anymore, not after what I did," she said.

"If we still love each other then we should be able to get past anything," Ian replied.

"Ian, if I thought there was a way to get past this then I would stay but I don't so I'm leaving," Kim told him.

"So that's it, it's over?" Ian questioned.

"Yeah, I think it is, I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you, these past years have been great but right now this is what I need to do for me and someday you're going to see that it's the right thing for both of us," Kim answered.

"So should I send your things to your Mom's place in Paris?" he asked.

"No, I'm not going to Paris, I'm going to Angel Grove, I'm not sure where I'll end up staying but I'll send for my things once I figure everything out," Kim replied.

"Oh come on Kim, we both know the first place you'll go," he said.

"Please Ian, I don't want our last moments together to be in a fight, can't we just say goodbye in peace," she said.

"Sure, goodbye Kimberly," he said giving her one last kiss before walking towards the door.

"Goodbye Ian," Kim said as she watched him go and a single tear slid down her cheek.

Jason had just finished taking a shower after a long day at the construction site, where he was currently working, when he heard a loud pounding on the door of his apartment. He had been living in Angel Grove since the Forever Red mission last year. He quickly slipped on a pair of boxers and ran to answer the door expecting to see Rocky who sometimes stopped by after closing his dojo for the night.

"Oh Jason, thank goodness you're home," Kim said when he opened the door.

"Oh my god, Kim what are you doing here," Jason said with a smile.

"Surprise," she said as she stood on his doorstep with her suitcases in hand.

"It sure is but a welcome one, I've missed you, come one in, is Ian with you," Jason said as he grabbed her bags and led her into his living room.

"No, Ian's not with me," she said as she took a seat on his couch.

"Too bad, it would have been great to see him, how are things with the gym, I'm surprised you even had time to get away," Jason said not noticing how silent Kim was being as he rambled on.

"Ian asked me to marry him," she blurted out.

"Oh wow, I was wondering how long it would be before he finally popped the question, I mean I figured after six years with the gym finally up and running that it would be coming, let me guess you're here to ask me to be a bridesmaid," he said with a chuckle.

"I said no, Jason, Ian asked me to marry him and I said no," Kim revealed.

"I gotta be honest that's the last thing I expected to hear you say," Jason replied.

"I know, I know, I'm sure everyone expected that Ian I would be the first to get married," she said.

"So what happened?" he questioned.

"There he was down on one knee and waiting for me, expecting me to say yes and I really wanted to but then I stopped myself and I thought about what it meant and I realized that I couldn't commit to him not like that, not anymore, too much has changed between us, we've become more like friends than lovers, our relationship just became safe and easy but there was no heat, at least not anymore and I realized that if I said yes I'd just be settling for what was easy," Kim explained.

"Kim, I had no idea things were getting that way between the two of you," Jason said.

"I know, neither did I, I mean these past couple of years everything just became a routine for us, and when he proposed I realized that I didn't love him anymore, at least not in the way I should have to accept his proposal," Kim replied.

"But you guys always seemed happy enough to me," he said.

"That's because instead of working out the problems in our relationship we just pretended that they weren't there and I convinced myself that eventually everything would work itself out," she told him.

"Did you have any idea that he was planning on proposing to you?" Jason questioned.

"No, we talked about marriage early on in our relationship but we were still young and Ian wanted to wait until the gym was up and running so we always expected that we'd get married someday so there really wasn't a need to bring it up again," she replied.

"Your refusal must have been hard on him," Jason told her.

"Yeah it was, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do, what is wrong with me Jason, why do I keep finding love with these great guys only to hurt them by throwing it all away," she said.

"Kim, it always hurts when a relationship ends I should know I've been there myself but I think it would have hurt Tommy and Ian a lot more if you had stayed in the relationships when your heart wasn't in them and you can't throw away something if it's not there," he replied.

"So now the question is what do I do now, Ian's going to buy out my shares in the gym and he offered to let me keep the apartment but I just can't go back to Florida, there're just too many memories, I thought about going to Paris to be with my mom but it's not really home like Angel Grove is," Kim said.

"Stay here with me for awhile," he said.

"Oh Jason, I don't know, I mean I know I just showed up here with my bags but I wasn't expecting you to put me up, I just figured I'd stay in a hotel until I could find something more permanent," she told him.

"After all those times you put me up in Florida it's the least I can do and besides I have a spare bedroom so you can stay here for as long as you need," Jason responded.

"Fine, but I'll only stay until I can figure out what to do next," Kim replied.

"Ok roomie, why don't I show you to your room," Jason said as he picked up her bags.

"What would I do without you Rex," she said.

"You'll never have to find out," he said.

"Wait a sec, so you asked Kim to move in with you," Rocky said the next day as he and Jason were having lunch.

"Yeah, I mean it's not like she has anywhere else to stay," Jason answered.

"But are you sure that's a good idea considering how you feel about her?" Rocky questioned.

Jason had been in love with Kimberly since they were young and had even secretly hoped that they would date once they were in high school but he had been afraid to tell her how he felt in the fear that his feelings wouldn't be returned. Then Tommy had come along and Jason had seen how in love Kim was with him so he had just put whatever feelings he had for Kimberly aside and Jason eventually fell in love with Emily. But once his relationship with Emily was over, his old feelings for his best friend had come back however Kim was with Ian so Jason once again had kept his feelings to himself.

"I knew I never should have admitted that to you," Jason responded.

"Whether you admitted it or not, it wasn't hard to see, especially these last couple of years and now you don't have her relationship with Ian as a reason not to pursue those feelings," Rocky told him.

"Rocky, she just broke up with the guy, even if I wanted to tell her how I feel now is definitely not the time to do it," Jason replied.

"So you're just going to torture yourself by living with her, that's not crazy at all," said Rocky.

"Kim is my friend above all else and yeah, you're right living with her and not being able to tell her how I feel is going to be torture but I'll get through just as I have all these years," Jason told him.

"Alright but don't say I didn't warn you," said Rocky.