Disclaimer: I don't own the power rangers. Sadly.
*Italic Indicates thought
Chapter Ten: Red and Gold Divided
A/N: I'm back! Here's the next chapter! Things are getting good now!
"Chaos is an angel who fell in love with a demon." -Christopher Poindexter
For the next three days, Katie could feel Antonio watching her. She didn't know what his problem was. Everywhere she went in the house, she ether saw him, or could feel his presence. Antonio for his part, tried to make his spying subtle. Unfortunately subtly was not his forte. Katie or another ranger would sometimes see him and ask him what he was doing. It made spying on her a lot harder.
It was Katie's birthday when she was sitting outisde the front door enjoying the fresh air. She felt nervous. Today's the day, she thought. Today I'll have my powers in full. She heard a nose behind her whipped around.
"Sorry," Jayden said. "I didn't meant to scare you."
"No, it's fine," Katie smiled. "What's up?"
Jayden sat down next to her. "How're you holding up?"
"Fine," she lied. "You?"
"I'm great." He rubbed his hand on his jeans awkwardly. "So, I heard that today is your birthday."
"From where?!" Katie asked.
"Antonio. He...researched you or something." He looked down bashfully then back at her. "Well...I actually had him look it up for me."
"Oh. Yeah it is. I'm eighteen."
"Congratulations. It's quite an age."
"How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
Katie blinked. Jayden looked to serious all the time to be that old. "Wow. You seem so mature for eighteen."
Jayden chuckled. "Comes with the job I guess."
Katie smiled. "Guess so."
"Well, you see...I...I got you something." Jayden took a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Here."
"You-you didn't have to get me anything."
"I wanted to."
Katie smiled and opened the box. She gasped when she saw what was inside. "Oh my god." She pulled out the silver snowflake necklace. "How did you-"
"Emily and Mia told me you would like it. Do you?"
Katie nodded. "I love it. Thank you."
Jayden grinned, happy she'd liked it. "Let me help you put it on." Katie handed him the necklace and turned around. Jayden out it around her neck gently and closed the clasp. "There." Katie turned back around and Jayden suddenly felt like it was a little harder to breathe. "Beautiful."
Katie looked away. "Thank your Jayden. No ones ever gotten me anything like this before."
"You're welcome," Jayden responded, putting his hand on hers gently.
They heard someone clear their throat behind them and jumped to their feet. "Sorry to interrupt," Antonio said, but Katie got the distinct feeling he wasn't. "But I need to talk to Jayden for a minute."
"No problem," Katie smiled. "Thank you again Jayden."
"I'll catch up with you later," the red ranger said.
"Ok." Katie went inside and Jayden turned to Antonio.
"What's up?"
"We need to talk Amigo," Antonio said.
"I know we do. I have something to tell you. Something exciting."
"What's it about?"
"Katie."
Antonio nodded gravely. "Jayden, there's something you should know-"
"I think I'm in love with her."
"You...what?!"
"I'm in love with her."
Antonio blinked for a minute, then shook his head. "You love her?!"
"Yes!"
The gold ranger shook his head. "Love her...Jayden you barely know anything about her!"
"I know enough!"
"You don't even know where she's from!"
"I don't need to know!"
"Yes you do. Jay...there's something you don't know about her."
"I don't want to hear it!"
"Well you need to!"
"It's not important!"
"Jayden she's a nighlock!"
"What?!"
"She's a nighlock. I saw her travel through a gap last night. I heard her admit it. She's a monster! She's not human!"
"No," Jayden responded shaking his head. "No, you're lying!"
"I'm not-"
"Yes you are!" Jayden snapped. "You don't like her, so you're lying to trick me!"
"She's the one who's tricking you! You're too blinded by your own feelings to see straight!"
"I'm not the one who's blind! I love her! And if you were a good friend you'd understand that!"
"I am a good friend! I'm trying to protect you from that girl! She's dangerous!"
"No she's not!"
"Yes she is! You're a samurai. She's a nighlock! She doesn't love you! She's trying to trick you!"
"Why would she do that?!"
"Because she's a nighlock!"
"Stop!" Jayden commanded. "I don't want to hear-"
"You need to listen!" Antonio insisted. He grabbed Jayden's shoulders. "Jayden she is dangerous!"
Jayden simply scowled and shoved Antonio away from him. The gold ranger stumbled back and hit the doorframe. "She is not dangerous! You're just jealous!"
"Me?! Jealous?! Of what?!"
"Of her! I told you I love her, and now you're jealous because I like her more than you!"
Antonio flinched. Even if Jayden didn't know she was a nighlock, it still hurt. "Jayden listen-"
"No! I'm done listening to you!"
"Jayden please-"
"No! I'm the red ranger! I don't have to listen to you!"
"You're making a mistake!"
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are!"
"Go away!"
"No! I'm trying to help you!"
"Go away!" Jayden shouted, grabbing Antonio's shirt and tossing his friend off the front step. Antonio stumbled and fell on the ground. He looked up at Jayden.
"You have to believe me," Antonio said, knowing he wasn't going to win this fight.
"No! I didn't need your help! I've never needed you! And I no longer want you! Just leave me alone!"
"Jayden-"
"Leave! Me! Alone! I love her! And congratulations, because now I hate you!"
Antonio shook his head. "Jayden please, you have to listen!"
"Go away! You're not the friend I thought you were! I hate you!" Jayden turned his back on Antonio and went inside.
The gold ranger picked himself up off the ground and rubbed his hand over his eyes. "Fine," he growled. "If Jayden doesn't care, then why should I?!" He went over to the gate and left the yard. "If he wants to risk the fate of our world for some nighlock girl, why should I stop him?! Let him make his own decisions! See if I care!"
-Love Is Blind-
Katie bit her lip when she heard Jayden and Antonio start shouting. Emily and Mia looked up from what they were doing in the room and frowned at each other. "Is that Jayden and Antonio?" Mia asked.
"I think so," Emily replied. "What're they arguing about?"
Katie slipped out of the room and went to the front door. She opened it a crack so she could hear what they were saying.
"-don't need to know!"
"Yes you do. Jay...there's something you don't know about her."
"I don't want to hear it!"
"Well you need to!"
"It's not important!"
"Jayden she's a nighlock!"
Katie pulled back and shut the door silently. He's knows, she thought. She leaned against the door. Oh my god he knows! How does he know?! Mia saw her and came over to her. "Are you ok?"
Katie took a breath and forced herself to focus. "Y-yeah. I'm ok. Just...shocked."
Mia nodded. "It's sounds like they're really going at it out there. Come sit down." She took Katie's arms gently and led her back into the living room.
"Maybe we should go out there," Emily suggested.
"No!" Katie said quickly. The two rangers gave her a strange look and she back-tracked. "I mean...they might not want to be interrupted. Besides, they'll figure it out. They're best friends, right?"
Emily considered it, then nodded. "You're right. Antonio and Jayden are best friends. They'll work it out somehow."
The door opened and Jayden came inside, looking upset. He passed the girls without so much as a glance. "At least I hope so," Mia said. Emily simply nodded. Katie got up and went after Jayden. She stopped at his bedroom door and knocked gently.
"What?!" he asked harshly.
Katie flinched back, then summoned up her courage. "It's me. Katie."
There wasn't a reply, and then the door opened. Jayden smiled when he saw her. "Sorry I snapped. I don't know it was you."
"It's ok. I just...wanted to see if you were ok."
"I'm fine," Jayden smiled, leaning against the doorframe.
"You and Antonio sounded pretty upset."
"You heard our argument?" He seemed a little worried about that.
"No, but we could hear you yelling inside."
"Oh. Don't worry about it. Antonio is just being difficult. He's really stubborn sometimes."
"Ok." Katie found he was still staring at her. She smiled as she stared at his eyes. The most beautiful shade of blue, she thought. His light brown hair caught the light just the right way, accenting the stray strands of blonde. He smiled and she felt her heart flutter. The strangest feeling filled her. One she'd never experienced before; not like this. He reached his hand out and cupped her chin gently with his hand.
"You do look very beautiful with that necklace."
"Thank you." Katie glanced down at his hand, and gasped pulling away.
"What?!" Jayden asked, obviously concerned. "Did I hurt you?!"
"No, no. It's not that."
"Then what was it?"
Katie hesitated. She couldn't very well tell him that she'd just pictured the hand that had just been touching her so gently, stabbing her with a blade. "I'm just tired, that's all," she lied quickly. "I'm going to go lay down."
"Ok." He looked a little disappointed, but she pushed it out of her mind. "See you later then."
"Yeah. Later." She left Jayden's room and started running as soon as she turned the corner. She ran our the front door and headed for the gate. Antonio knows about me! she thought worriedly. I have to tell Serrator! That stupid gold ranger is going to ruin everything!