One month later...

Jason moved swiftly and expertly through a kata in the large expansive courtyard at the back of the Palace that had now become his reluctant residence. He moved with purpose and passion as anger and sadness overtook his normally serene nature when doing a kata. He tried hard to put his circumstances out of his mind to gain some benefit from the practice.

One kick, two kicks, three. A quick roll, back up, punch, a swing down, and then quick punch upward. His movements were fluid but his mind was in disarray. He cursed a couple of times as his state of mind caused him to pull a kick. Suddenly the mistake brought a memory back to his mind and he smiled.

(3 Years Earlier... Fall of 1994)

"You've got this," Jason encouraged with a smile.

"No... I keep getting that wrong," Kimberly scolded herself with a frustrated sigh.

"Just clear your mind and let your body flow into it naturally," Jason suggested. Kim glanced up at him from next to him on the blue mat. She shook her head.

"That is really easy for you to say... you do these in your sleep I am convinced," Kim teased. Jason chuckled and shook his head.

"Hardly," Jason replied with a bemused grin still on his face. "After the uppercut, let the momentum of your body coming back down to move it into the back kick... here... watch."

Kimberly stepped back off the mat onto the cold floor of the Youth Center. She glanced around at the dimly lit building. After-hours training had become a ritual with Jason. Neither could even remember when or how it started but it had now become their thing. She watched as Jason moved into his place on the mat.

Kimberly raised her eyebrows as Jason seemed to effortlessly move through the motions. His movements were so fluid she could barely even see a crinkle develop in his black tank top as his muscles flexed beneath it.

Kim crinkled her nose at her own thoughts. She was meant to be watching and learning and for some reason, she was noticing these things. She started to reflect on it when Jason's body stopped moving and she could sense him looking at her.

"Did you get that?" Jason asked, looking at her with his head slightly cocked.

"Umm..." Kim's grin was sheepish. Jason laughed, heartily this time.

"You are impossible sometimes you know?" Jason teased with a shrug.

"Sorry... I was distracted," Kim shrugged in response. Jason straightened his body and walked over to grab a towel off the bench behind Kim.

"What's on your mind?" Jason inquired as he patted his forehead dry. Kim's eyes widened momentarily when he couldn't see her. She had to think quickly. She did not want to awkwardly admit she was admiring his physique. She wasn't even sure she wanted to admit that to herself.

"Oh... uh... I don't know..." Kim was floundering. Jason's grin grew as he lowered the towel and straddled the bench. He patted the spot in front of him, urging Kim to join him. She did so, mimicking his seated posture.

"Is everything okay, school, family, relationship issues?" Jason inquired, his expression inviting.

Kimberly studied his face while he waited for a response. It had been a long time since they had had a really deep conversation. Most of their interactions were just training and then hanging with the group which amounted to group conversations that never got too deep or personal. She found the state of him currently so endearing and something about the opportunity to open up to Jason at this moment filled her with warmth.

"Um... school is school," Kimberly began. "My parents are cordial now... so it is still kind of weird but at least it is improving."

Jason nodded and smiled, genuinely happy to hear her home life was improving.

"And things are fine with Tommy," Kim shrugged. There was a few beats of silence as both waited for the other to speak. Kim for Jason to indicate an acceptance of her statement and Jason for Kim to elaborate.

Jason raised his eyebrows and chuckled as he placed his hands on the bench in front of him and readjusted his position. Kim again took notice of the new development in his triceps and mentally scolded herself.

"Not to pry..." Jason paused when Kim's eyes locked with his. "But should Tommy be worried?"

Kim was gobsmacked. She was not sure how to interpret that question. She was a few ways she could and wasn't sure she was comfortable accepting any of them.

"What?" Kim asked, her brow furrowed with confusion.

"I mean... fine?" Jason asked. "Just didn't seem too enthusiastic."

Kim studied Jason as if he was a book she desperately needed to finish to do a report on before class started. She had never had Jason pry into her relationship before. In fact, it was a subject they really never talked about. What had gotten into him?

"I mean... I meant fine as in 'everything is perfect'," Kim attempted to clarify. She squinted at Jason, trying to get an even better read on him. A thought occurred to her. "Has he said something to you?"

Jason raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"No... nothing," Jason grinned.

"Jason..." Kimberly wasn't satisfied. Jason held out his hand and extended his pinky to her. She remembered the gesture well from when they were kids. She smiled and shook her head before locking her pinky in with his.

"I am not sure I can trust these anymore... it's been too long," Kim stated.

"I think they are still good," Jason replied as he tugged gently on her pinky finger before breaking contact. "I promise I have heard nothing about you from Tommy."

"Nothing?" Kim inquired.

"Nothing bad," Jason clarified.

"That's better," Kim smiled teasingly. Jason straightened his posture and clasped his hands behind his head in a stretch. Kim on instinct averted her eyes to the darkened corner of the Juice Bar where the arcade games were.

"Well if that is not what is distracting you... what is on your mind?" Jason asked, bringing the conversation back around.

"It was nothing," Kim replied with a dismissive wave, returning her eyes to meet his. They held each other's gaze for several moments.

"Okay then..." Jason replied. He glanced up at the clock on the wall next to him. "It is getting late, we should probably call it on this session."

He started to stand and Kim found herself reaching out to take him by the hand, surprising them both.

"Wait..." Kim found her voice. Jason held his posture somewhere between half standing and half sitting as he waited for her to continue.

"I want to try it again," Kim nodded to the mats near them.

"Cool," Jason replied as he fully stood and back his leg over the bench and approached the mat. Kimberly watched him and found herself smiling. In truth she wasn't overly concerned with getting the training right... she just didn't want to end the night with him just yet.

(Present day)

Jason opened his eyes from his daydream. His smile faded as he took in his surroundings. He gritted his teeth as he tried to swallow the emotions down that were threatening to overtake him. He was not prepared for what he heard next.

"Jason?" the voice from behind Jason rocked his very core. He spun as quickly as his body would move to find his eyes locked with hers.

"Kim?" Jason didn't trust his vision right now. She was standing there, fully clad in her Pink Ranger suit, sans the helmet. He blinked a couple of times as he took in her face. No. It wasn't right. Something wasn't right.

"We are here to get you," Kimberly stated, keenly aware of the way Jason was looking at her.

"You... wait... I know..." Jason nodded as he started to understand what he was seeing. "But how?"

"I will explain on the way but come with me please?" Kimberly extended her hand to him. He glanced down at it for a moment before reaching out and taking it. She smiled and then turned to lead him out.