"So you liking this place?" Jason asked as he closed the apartment door behind him. Kim turned to look back at him as she entered the living room.

"Yeah it's okay," Kim responded as she placed her purse on a counter that separated the living room and kitchen. "Much more space than the one in Orlando."

"Yeah," Jason agreed as he glanced around the room. Far from his first visit here. In truth, he had helped her move in and get settled. Seeing it now, under these circumstances, it felt different and foreign somehow.

"Want a drink?" Kim asked gesturing to her kitchen.

"I'm good," Jason replied as he moved farther into the room and closer to her. Her eyes watched his every move as he came to stop a few feet from her. He smiled. Kim moved over to sit on her couch, she kicked off her shoes and put her feet up under her.

"Sit?" Kim asked. He nodded as he made his way over to sit on the couch close to her. As soon he was settled he moved to put her hand in his. The gesture made Kim's cheeks fill with warmth. She attempted to speak but found her throat to be a little dry. She cleared it. "So..."

"How would you feel if I asked you to do this again sometime?" Jason inquired. Kim smiled.

"Well... I'd say... I hope the night isn't over yet," Kim replied playfully as she reached up to run a finger through his hair.

"It's not," Jason confirmed.

"And then I'd say of course I'd love to do it again sometime," Kim continued. Jason nodded as they made eye contact. What Jason was feeling would have been nearly impossible to describe but he was sure only Kim would have the ability to make him feel it. All of the nervous energy he started their date with had fittingly enough morphed into something else.

The feeling could categorically fall somewhere between really scared and really happy. It scared him how easily he was feeling things with Kim now. Things he had always managed to bury at even the slightest hint or suggestion. It also somehow made him extremely happy to have the freedom to feel things for her.

"Jase?" Kim asked.

"Hmm?" Jason responded.

"What's on your mind?" Kim had been observing him and could see his brain was working overtime. She knew Jason was a thinker. He would analyze and plan. In school, in training, on the battlefield. These were his traits. It's what made him such a great leader.

"Honestly?" Jason responded. Kim nodded. "I was thinking about what I'm feeling and how you scare me."

"I scare you?" Kim was intrigued. She scooted closer. She knew she was being overly flirty and playful and it actually went against her usual nature. Something about this evening with Jason had made her feel things she hadn't before.

"For years..." Jason paused. "For years I've noticed you... but... I never allowed myself to think..."

Kim was really interested now and she smiled at him.

"I didn't want to think about you like that... think that... you were Kim... and I don't know..." Jason said. "I didn't want to let you down."

"Let me down?" Kim asked.

"I didn't want to just be one of the guys... one of the guys that crushed on Kimberly Hart," Jason replied with a chuckle. "I knew you meant more to me than that... that I couldn't just be that guy without jeopardizing our friendship."

Jason shifted on the couch to face more toward Kim.

"I felt like if I let myself get swept away in that you would look at me as just another guy," Jason explained. He took a deep breath. "Maybe that sounds stupid now that I'm saying it out loud."

"No," Kim assured him. She understood what he was saying. In some ways, she had felt similar things toward Jason. He had always been eye candy for all the girls at school. She saw it. She just chose to ignore it.

"So... lately and specifically tonight... it is hitting me that if we are going to do this," Jason placed his hand on her knee. "Then I can't allow myself to recognize the parts of you I have always tried to be blind to."

He smiled.

"And that scares me..." Jason stated. Kim nodded and moved in to kiss him.

"It's okay," Kim said as her lips left his. "I'm ready for this to go where it goes."

"Me too," Jason replied. Another kiss.

"And Jase..." Kim began. "You would never just be another guy to me."

She moved into his lap as the kiss deepened. A smile formed on Kim's face.

"It's sweet though," She said as she pulled back to make eye contact with him. "Sometimes I think you may be too good to be true."

Back to kissing. It was going to quickly progress if kept up.

Jason broke the kiss and put his hands on either side of Kim's waist. He smiled up at her. A few strands of hair had fallen to the front of her face and her eyes were searching his. He realized at that moment he had never seen her look more beautiful and also that he felt like the luckiest man on the planet.

Drawing on as much discipline as he could muster he resisted to urge to go in for more and following the night where it was leading. Something in him wanted to savor every moment in their change of status. He didn't want to rush anything.

"Hi," Jason said as she continued to smile at him. Her smile broadened. She understood and felt a sense of relief wash over her. She wasn't sure she was ready for things to progress so quickly but she also wasn't sure she could stop.

"Hi," Kim replied with a small laugh. She gave him one last small peck on the lips before she untangled herself from his lap and moved to fall into the couch next to him. He put his arm around her and she snuggled up against him.

Kim was realizing more and more how different things were going to be with Jason. He really was not just any guy and what she was feeling she was pretty sure was not just any typical feelings.

(***)

Kim opened her eyes and found herself looking up at the slowly spinning ceiling fan on her bedroom ceiling. She sat up quickly and looked around for Jason. She must have fallen asleep while sitting with him on her couch. She glanced over at nightstand to see a piece of paper lying on it. She rolled over and retrieved it and got up and moved to the living room to look for Jason.

She saw no sign of him and then flipped on a lamp to read the note.

"Kim,

It seems I talked you to sleep. My bad. In your defense though, you did seem pretty comfortable. I hope it's okay that I moved you to your bed but I thought I might wake you as I left if I didn't.

Tonight was great. If you are free, tomorrow night could be even better.

Jason"

Kim placed the note up against her chest and smiled. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand considered it for a moment doing some quick math in her head. She then made her way to her phone and picked it up and dialed. After a few rings, a familiar voice came through the other end.

"Why didn't I do this sooner?" Kim asked rhetorically as she plopped down on her bed.

"I take it everything went well then?" The glee in Trini's voice was barely contained.

"Trini... it was perfect," Kim replied.

"I knew it would be," Trini boasted proudly. "I would like the details."

"Of course," Kim laughed. "I think he may be perfect."

"Oh this is gonna be good," Trini replied.

"Yeah, I think it will be," Kim said before she went into detailing the night and how it felt.