"Stop doing that," Kimberly spoke softly but directly as Jason across the bedroom. He had been watching her for several minutes from the doorway as she went about getting dressed for the day. She knew why and fully expected denial from him if she pressed the issue.
"What?" Jason responded, seemingly suddenly aware she was speaking to him.
"I'm fine, Jase," Kim stated as she made her way across the room to the dresser with a slight limp very evident.
Jason didn't respond verbally but she saw in his expression that he wanted to protest. He instead ducked his head and backed out to disappear down the hallway.
Kim rested her hands on the dresser in front of her and flexed her leg a little. It was still very sore from the landing she had taken back when Rita had blasted all of them. Morphing again had helped and of course, Alpha did what he could but she suspected something had been broken.
She would be fine though in time she knew that. It was Jason she was worried about. He had been mostly quiet ever since learning about the news of the other Kimberly's death. That had been three weeks ago.
Sometimes Kim would wake up in the middle of the night and he would be nowhere to be found. It alarmed her the first couple of times. He'd always assure her it was nothing when he was there in the morning. She didn't want to press because she could sense he wasn't ready.
Kim opened a drawer to retrieve some socks and then made her way over to sit on the edge of the bed. She grimaced slightly as she bent over to slip a sock on.
"Here, let me," Jason's voice came suddenly and softly as his hands came into view at her foot. She looked up to shoo him away, but the expression on her face told her he needed to do this so she allowed it.
"It's really not that bad," Kim tried to assure him as he went about putting her socks on and then retrieving her shoes.
"You should see a doctor today to make sure," Jason replied.
"It would be a waste of money," Kim shrugged. Jason paused his movements to look up at her. "Believe me, it is getting better every day."
"Okay," Was all he said but she again could tell he wanted to say so much more. She watched as he gently went about his task and she was secretly relieved he had offered as she felt no pain with his touch and support. "You're set."
Jason stood up and extended his hand for her. She looked at it briefly before accepting his offer and allowing him to raise her to her feet. She smiled gratefully at him and he returned one, not a full one, but he was trying.
"I made breakfast if you are hungry," Jason gestured toward the direction of the kitchen.
"I can eat," Kim replied as she waited for him to move first. He took the hint and started to exit the room. She tried to keep pace with him as best she could. He glanced back briefly to see her struggle and paused. She patted him on the back. "Please... it's okay, Jase."
(****)
"You seem to be getting around a lot better," Trini commented as she watched Kimberly make her way to her car and climb inside.
"Yeah," Kim responded as she plopped down in the passenger seat of the bright yellow sedan. She sat back and stretched her leg. "It is definitely getting better..."
"Why do I sense a 'but'"? Trini reacted as she put the car in drive and pulled away from the apartment parking lot. She glanced sideways at Kim who was staring down at her leg deep in thought.
"It's Jason," Kim replied finally after the car made its way out onto the street.
"He okay?" Trini asked.
"Gosh... I don't know," Kim answered honestly. "Physically he is fine but mentally, Trini... I don't know where he is."
"Still?" Trini responded stealing a glance over to make eye contact with her friend.
"Yes, nothing has changed, maybe he is getting worse," Kim replied shuffling slightly in her seat. "I catch him all the time watching me and I know... I know what he is thinking."
There was a moment of silence between them. Nothing but the low hum of the engine and faintest musical tones coming low from the radio.
"He has always taken responsibility for everything," Trini commented finally breaking the silence.
"I know," Kim agreed. "I've never seen him like this though."
"No one has ever died before," Trini stated, prompting Kim to turn to her. Trini glanced in her direction. "And it was her you know... and she is..."
"I know," Kim gently cut her off turning her attention to the road in front of him. "He looks at me like I am so fragile now and Jason has never done that."
"Have you talked to him?" Trini asked, sensing she knew the answer already.
"Not really," Kim confirmed her suspicions "I can tell he is not ready and will shut off if I try."
"It has been three weeks though," Trini countered.
"Oh, I know... longest three weeks of my life I think," Kim replied. "It's just... I don't really know what to say to him to make him feel better, he blames himself and I know... I just know when he looks at me he is thinking about losing me too and..."
Kim audibly sighed and Trini reached a hand over to take hers into it.
"I hate seeing you so upset," Trini stated.
"I just want things back to the way they were," Kim confessed.
"I think you may just have to talk to him and get it out of the way," Trini suggested with a small shrug.
"I know... but... later... right now can we just talk about something else?" Kim leaned back and turned her head to her friend. Trini smiled and nodded.
"Sure," Trini responded.
(****)
"Hey bro," Tommy greeted Jason who was mid-lift on a bench press in the Youth Center. He watched as Jason's eyes flickered over to him momentarily in recognition as he continued his set.
Tommy sat down on an unoccupied bench next to him and watched him.
"Hey uh..." Tommy began shifting his body slightly in Jason's direction. The bar stopped moving finally and Jason sat up.
"What's up?" Jason asked as he got his breath for a moment before reaching over for a nearby towel.
"I was just checking in on you," Tommy replied. Jason eyed him as he lowered the towel from his face.
"You speak to Kim?" Jason asked in response. Tommy shifted nervously as he recalled running into her with Trini at the mall.
"I saw her briefly at the mall," Tommy answered truthfully.
"I'm okay," Jason answered. He started to stand but Tommy's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Bro," Tommy spoke softly. "You can talk to me."
Jason sat silent for a moment his eyes moving back and forth from Tommy to the crowded Youth Center.
"It's... I..." Jason hesitated. "Was Kim getting around okay?"
"She was fine, Jase," Tommy responded. Jason's attention was completely on him now. "She is going to be fine."
"Yeah," Jason responded but Tommy could tell it was just a word to him at the moment with no meaning behind it.
"Jason," Tommy began. "She was hurt... we have all been banged up before but she is gonna get better... and..."
Tommy stopped when he saw Jason's expression. He could sense that he was looking for some validation of his feelings and Tommy was here probably to do the exact opposite of that.
"And?" Jason urged him to continue.
"She's not her," Tommy replied, his words quieter than before. Jason stood up and walked over to retrieve his gym bag. He stood stoically with it gripped in his hands for several moments as he considered his response.
Tommy got up and made his way to stand over with Jason.
"You know..." Jason began without directly looking at Tommy. "We are supposed to be out of all this you know... supposed to be normal... trying to figure out what to do with our lives and yet..."
Jason released the grip on the handles to his gym bag and turned more in Tommy's direction.
"What I am realizing though is that you can never fully get out can you?" Jason asked. Tommy sensed it was more rhetorical than something that begged an answer. He also couldn't help but think about how he himself had been thinking more and more about his life after being a Ranger. Hearing this from Jason was making him do his own soul searching.
"Hey," Tommy began to vocalize his thoughts but stopped not knowing what to say.
"I just don't want anyone else to get hurt or..." Jason paused as he hung his head momentarily before regaining his stoic composure.
"I know what you mean," Tommy responded, knowing all too well the responsibility Jason felt. Jason finally turned to him at his words. Tommy sensed that his honest response had been what Jason wanted to hear based on his reaction.
"Yeah..." Jason replied. "I guess you would understand."
The two stood in silence together for a while, both feeling the weight of who they were but both happy to be in each other's presence.
"You want to grab a bite to eat?" Tommy suggested.
"You know... I would," Jason replied, grateful.
"My treat," Tommy smiled at him and Jason for the first time in a while felt himself smiling genuinely in response.
(****)
Kimberly turned the key in her front door, shifting the bags in her hand slightly. She found the door unlocked and slipped the key out and gripped the knob to turn it. She pushed the door open and found the apartment dark. She fumbled for the light switch by the door and flipped on the light before making her way into the apartment.
Kim walked over and sat down her bags on the couch, relieved to lighten her load. She turned back and shut the front door. She turned back to look around to see any sight of Jason. She suspected he wasn't home based on the silence and darkness of the apartment, so she walked over to make her way down the hall, jumping at the sound of Jason's voice coming from inside of the bedroom as she passed the doorway.
"Oh my gosh!" Kim responded with a jump. She turned to see him leaning in the doorway.
"Sorry," Jason replied with a small grin. Kim focused in on the grin, forgetting how startled she was.
"It's okay," Kim was feeling relief she couldn't explain seeing him smile.
"I was just meditating and didn't hear you come in," Jason replied. Kim looked behind him at the floor to see the candles still softly flickering. She then made eye contact with him, his expression was still light and the smile was still slightly on his lips. She couldn't stop herself from moving in to embrace him around the waist.
"I'm happy to see you," Kim said, her words buried into his bare chest. His arms moving around her made her feel something she had been longing too long for. She wasn't sure how long he held her before she spoke again but it didn't matter. What mattered was that she was in his arms again.
"I love you, Kim," His voice moved over her as leaned down rest his chin on the top of her head. She smiled broadly into his chest. "I'm sorry..."
Kim shook her head and looked up at him.
"Don't... I understand," Kim replied. He moved to wipe a tear off her cheek, his expression turning to concern. "No... it's okay... I'm happy."
"You are?" Jason asked. She nodded her head.
"Can you... can you hold me again?" Kim asked. His expression softened again and he smiled as he pulled her back into a hug. Kim closed her eyes and breathed him in. They would have to talk eventually, she could sense he was finally ready. For now, though she was just happy to him back and didn't want the moment to end. She gently coaxed him back into the bedroom.