Author's Note- Okay so I'm finally getting this story where I wanted it to go! YAY the plot is thickening and I've been dying to get this chapter out. The scene at the very end is what inspired this whole story. I had a horrible dream about that... only it was me not Kat in my dream DUH!... and when I told my friend Daisy (Love you Daisy-bell) she said that it would make a great scene in a story. She helped me develop a plot from this one scene and put up with me testing chapters out on her. Bless her soul, she wasn't a power rangers fan, but knowing how much I enjoyed it put up with me! Anyway... totally off track. So yeah, the last scene has been written since the beginning.
Shoutouts: Shievi- I'm glad you seem to be liking this story so much! No worries I will continue this story to the end. I finished the last chapter last week, just have to type it up and edit it. If I get too overly excited I tend to post quickly because I can't wait to tell my readers what happens next. And right now we're in a very action packed and emotional state so updates will probably happen very fast cause I can't wait to get it out there LOL Hope you enjoy!
Ghostwriter- I've had that flashback written to actually tell how and why Kat got into the FBI, I just was never sure where to put it. I finally decided that Tommy needed to be telling Jason about it to prove that Kat will forgive him. Sometimes I feel bad for putting Kat through all this and it's just gonna get worse for her... poor girl. Now maybe Jason will get his head on straight and Kat will come back to him! YAY! Or wait... is that what's gonna happen? Dun dun dun! Stay tuned!
Jeremy Shane- That's true that she could say it was a monster or someone else that got the bad guy but I stand by my opinion that the rangers would honor their promise to Zordon even if he is gone and the fact that Kat still has no idea who she is after. If she knew his identity she might be tempted to kick his butt with her powers. Although while I was working on a later chapter I added something in, just for you! Just have to wait and see what that involves. I'll make sure to let ya know when we get to that part. Thanks for sticking with me on this. Hope you enjoy!
lulugirl55- I'm glad that you love this story. I'm having lots of fun with this and sitting on the edge of my seat when I reread things... even though I know the ending already lol I felt bad for having to put Tommy and Kat through the past I gave them, but it was fundamental to setting up Kat's mental and emotional turmoils as to why she is in the the job she is. I just love my heroes and heroines to have a 'past' that they are trying to deal with as they fight the bad guy. Makes them more human and interesting. Hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Brankel1- I know just how Tommy felt when Kat pulled away from him. Things like that make situations worse because the one person you thought you could rely on isn't there and you're trying to manage on your own. At the same time though I can understand how and why Kat withdrew into herself. The pain of losing a child is one that cuts the deepest and is the one I pray I never suffer through. I have known a few people who've lost a child and it's almost like a part of you dies, you feel almost dead inside. Kat's finally coming to terms with her loss and then BAM... Jason chases her off. Poor guys! What else can I do to this poor couple? :( They're so cute together and I just keep giving em problems. Shame on me LOL Anyway... hopefully their problems end soon... well er except for poor Kat. You'll see at the end of this chapter! Stick around, it's gonna be a wild ride!
Chapter 24
Time moved slowly around Jason as he waited for Katherine to return his call. Days turned to weeks and then to months. He just kept repeated what Tommy had said, 'She'll talk to you'/ Now it was early February and he was finally returning to work. Lilly had gone back to school at the turn of the year, but he'd stayed home in order to be there when she got home and to be with her every weekend.
Once he was convinced that Lilly was adjusting, he'd made arrangements for her to go to Adam and Trini's house after school and on the weekends. Tanya and Rocky were his backup plan, since they were expecting their second child by the beginning of March, and Tanya was still upset with him for the way he'd yelled at Katherine.
Jason walked into the station for the first time in two months on a Monday morning. Most of the men clapped him on the shoulder or offered him condolences, while most of the women gave him a hug and told him they were always there to talk if he needed it. But for Jason, there was only one woman he really wanted to talk to, and she still hadn't returned his call.
"Well look at who decided to return to the land of the living." Tom grinned as Jason walked into their office.
"Hey Tom." Jason nodded. "Why aren't you with the FBI team?"
"They're gone man." Tom shook his head.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Jason asked as he sat down at his desk. His eyes instantly fell to the picture of him, Tommy, and Kat.
"They were all recalled, didn't Kat tell you that?"
"I uh... Kat and I... She..."
"You haven't talked to her?" Tom raised an eyebrow.
"It's complicated." Jason ran a hand through his short hair. "I called her and she hasn't called me back. I knew she went back to New York though, Tanya told me."
"She was forced back." Tom nodded. "They stuck her behind a desk."
"They did what?"
"Put her with a desk job, it's supposed to be for her own safety or some crap like that, but it's just a bunch of bureaucratic bullshit if you ask me." Tom shrugged.
"She's got to be miserable." Jason grimaced. He had been stuck with desk work once when he broke his foot, that was the most grueling nine weeks of his life, and Katherine had no idea when hers would end. "Why isn't her team still here?"
"With Kat gone the director decided they'd been here running dead ends for long enough. The trail has gone cold and they've packed up."
"Sonofabitch." Jason cursed. "There's a crazy killer somewhere out here and they just take off."
"Rach and the rest of the them weren't happy to be leaving either, but I can see were the director is coming from. It's been quiet since... well... you know."
"Liz." Jason snorted. "He thinks he's won or something."
"So why did you and Kat stop talking? I thought you loved her."
"I did... or I do... it's just that... Shit, it's complicated Tom."
"You said that already." Tom shook his head. "The way I see it, you either love this girl or you don't. You either want her back or you don't."
"I wish it were that simple Tom."
"It's only as complicated as you make it man."
"I wish you were right."
"Do you want to talk to her again?"
"Of course I do." Jason nodded. "But she ignored me the last time I called her, and she hasn't called me back. I don't think she wants to talk to me."
"One way to find out." Tom grinned as he stood and placed a card on Jason's desk. "Call her office, she has to answer and no caller ID."
"That's low." Jason shook his head.
"Just do it." Tom rolled his eyes.
"Fine." Jason said after a few moments. He picked up the card and dialed the number for Kat's office.
"Agent Hillard." Kat's accented voice drifted over the line. Jason sucked in an involuntary breath at the sound of her voice. How he'd missed her... "Hello? Anyone there?"
"Kat." He said barely above a whisper.
"Jason! What are... Why... I mean... It's been a while." Kat sputtered.
"I'm so sorry Kat." Jason said in a stronger tone. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Tom move back to his desk. "I should never have pushed you away."
"Jason... there's nothing to be sorry for... I... I'm so sorry about Liz." Jason could hear the emotion in her voice and felt a lump form in his throat.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You're not the one who killed her." Jason replied.
"But if I..."
"Kat, you had no way of knowing what he was going to do." Jason swallowed against the lump and recalled what his mother had said back at Christmas time. "It's just like when you got shot ten years ago. I rushed at that guy and he fired his gun and you lost Charlie."
"I... That's not your fault." Kat argued, he could hear the tears in her voice and wished he were there to wipe them away. "No one can blame you for that night."
"It's taken me a while to realize this, Kat, but no one can blame you for Liz either. It was unfair and cruel to blame you the way I did. Can you ever forgive me?"
"I already did..." Kat gave a small sad laugh. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too Kat."
"I have to get back to work around here Jase."
"Can I call you tonight sometime so we can talk."
"I'm working late tonight, but that's still early for you. I'll be home around eight my time. Call me anytime."
"I'll call you around eleven your time. That should give you time to eat and shower and get relaxed." Jason grinned. "I'll talk to you later Snowflake. I love you."
Kat's breath caught in her throat on the other side of the line. "I love you too." She whispered after a moment. Reluctantly they both hung up.
Jason glanced over at Tom, who was sitting with a knowing grin. "Don't say a word."
"Oh I'm gonna say it." Tom grinned even bigger. "You are so head over heels for her!"
"I was going to propose to her." Jason said sadly. "Actually that very morning that Liz died."
"You were? No shittin'?"
"No joking, I had planned to wake up early and make a nice breakfast for the two of us, maybe possibly hit the sheets once again, shower, and then get down in one knee in the livingroom."
"But you guys were only together..."
"I know, but I've known her for years Tom. You could say that I've always loved Kat in one way or another... Besides her father gave me permission."
"You went to her father? God you're old fashioned." Tom rolled his eyes.
"That's the way I was brought up." Jason retorted. "I did the same thing with Liz's father too."
"Grow a pair Jase and just ask the girl instead of her dad."
"Ha, you're so funny." Jason shook his head.
"We've got a few things to do around here. Time to get to work lover boy." Tom teased.
"What's on the agenda today?"
"Uh, catch the bad guy." Tom gave him a 'duh' look. "Just cause the FBI left us, doesn't mean we're done."
"Didn't they take everything with them."
"Nope." Tom grinned. "Rach made me a copy of everything they had, I still have our files from the murders that happened here, and the evidence is still ours. We've got work to do. The sooner this guy is taken down, the sooner your lady can get off desk work and be safe."
"That's more than enough reason." Jason nodded.
XXXXXXXXXX
The 'Angel Killer' sat working at his desk, trying to be the normal guy that he was supposed to be. Typing up reports and answering endless phone calls. This life was quite boring, and he despised every moment of it. He would much rather be out hunting for his next great conquest or better yet, watching Agent Hillard, but he knew she was stuck at her desk in her office on the floor just above him.
He let out a sigh as he finished proof reading his report and sending it to his supervisors inbox. He felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket and quickly took it out. A single text message flashed across his screen. Kat was sending her friend Tanya a message.
JASON CALLED ME TODAY TAN! HE STILL LOVES ME!
Hmm... he waited six weeks to finally call her again. I better make my move soon or they'll end up together again and I'll lose my only chance to have her.
He closed his phone and stood up from his desk and made his way to his supervisors office.
"You need something Agent Logan?" the portly man looked up from his mountain of paper work.
"I'll need to be off the grid again sir." He said calmly. "I've picked up a lead for the Jefferson case from a reliable source and I'll need to go undercover to follow it."
"Make sure you report to your handler as scheduled, and send me reports as soon as you can." Director Burns nodded.
"Yes sir!" He nodded and marched himself out of the building. Now I've got some free time on my hands!
XXXXXXXXXX
Kat finally stepped into her apartment after a long day of paperwork. Knowing that Jason was going to call her sometime was all that got her through the day. God, do I hate desk work! I'm not a desk jockey, I'm a field agent! I'm meant to be out on a case. Kat grumbled in her mind as she set about making herself something to eat. Maybe I should really think about taking a nice long vacation and running away from the world... Jason and I... Kat paused mid-thought. She'd only spoken to him once in nearly two months, and here she was already planning to run off with him. She chuckled to herself as she went to the fridge to find something to make for dinner.
Feeling a bit lazy, she finally settled on microwaving some leftovers and poured herself a glass of her favorite wine. She glanced up at her clock after she finished her dinner and realized she still had about an hour and a half before Jason said he would call.
It's been a while since I took a nice long soak in the tub. Kat thought to herself. With a grin she grabbed her wine glass and the bottle and made her way to her bathroom. As she ran the water in her garden tub, she lit a couple candles and poured another glass of wine. She set her cordless phone down on the counter in case Jason called early or she stayed in the tub that long.
Finally she slipped out of her clothes and into the steamy water. She felt her muscles relax as she settled back against the tub. The only thing that could make this better where if Jason were here. She grinned before taking a sip of wine.
Once the water started going cool, Kat finally got out of the tub. She'd soaked in the tub for nearly forty minutes and drank half the bottle of wine, but boy did she feel great. Reluctantly she climbed out of the tub and wrapped herself up in an oversized towel. She dressed in a pair of sweats and a tee shirt, Jason's tee shirt she hadn't been able to bring herself to give back. She grabbed her wine and the phone and set herself up on her bed. She figured that she'd enjoy her book she had been trying to read for the last seven months, until Jason called her.
She was so engrossed in her book a short time later that she didn't dare look away as she reached for her glass of wine. She overshot it and knocked it to the floor. "Crap!" She exclaimed as she threw the book down and dashed off to grab a towel out of her bathroom.
Kat got down on her knees and began dabbing up the wine out of her carpet. "Stupid red wine! Why'd that have to be my favorite?" She grumbled. As she was cleaning up the wine, she had knocked the glass further under the bed. Once she was satisfied the carpet wasn't stained too badly, she'd have to call a cleaner first thing in the morning, she got down on her stomach to grab the wine glass.
Instead of her crystal glass she was greeted with the coldest set of blue eyes she had ever seen. Kat was frozen with fear as the man under her bed began to smile. "Why hello Agent Hillard. I've been expecting you for some time."
Before Kat could react the man, the 'Angel Killer' as she finally realized, sprayed something in her face. Kat recoiled instinctively. Within moments her vision began to blur. She tried to get up and run, but her limbs felt heavy and useless. Left with no choices, Kat began to crawl as fast as her useless limbs would move. Behind her she heard the 'Angel Killer' crawl out from under her bed and stand.
Panic set in as she realized she was not going to get away from him. Please, I don't want to die! Please God, help me! Someone! Anyone!
A strong hand grasped her bicep and turned her over onto her back. She looked up at the man above her, recognizing his face almost instantly. "You!"
"Yes, me." He grinned. Kat felt a sharp pain in her neck and her already blurred vision began to swim. "Have a nice rest Kat." And her world went black.