Unavoidable Secrets Part 5

Summary: The long night before the escort arrives.

Rating: R. Although now I don't think that it should be an R, maybe a PG-13. But I don't understand the US-based ratings, so blame it on my anglophilia!!!

Disclaimer: Wow, this is entertaining. I OWN NOTHING. So don't suggest otherwise or I'll send my heavies around.

I think I'll add a new one; Distribution: Would you like my story?? As long as you ask politely you can have any of them, and tell me where they are going. (They're like babies to me you know, sob)

Author's Notes/Thank you's: Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, and to everyone that has helped me, specially Angel Star. Check out her fic, The Legend Of The Laxcus, it's fab, and it's got me in it!!!

#2: I officially hate the way this story is going. I didn't want it to be this way, she screams!!! But it's going to carry on regardless, and I'll just stick it out and see where it takes us. It's a rollercoaster ride, chickadees!!



No-one had said a word for at least fifteen minutes. Kim was staring out of the window, even though it was pitch-black outside, lost in thought. Zack was sprawled out on the passageway in front of the door. He had told them that he was guarding the door in case anyone tried to get in, but in reality he was hiding from the way that he knew the conversation would turn.

He knew that eventually it would have to come out about why he was in Florida. He didn't want to tell them about who he had re-met in Florida. It was too much of a coincidence for anyone to believe him, and he wanted to keep it to himself.

Apart from Kim and himself, Angela Kiernnon was the only person who knew about what had gone on in Florida. She had been with Zack's partner dance company in Florida; when he and Kim had gone to check them out they had instantly recognised each other. They had gone backstage to see her, and the connection, this time, had been returned.

It would have been a bit hard to explain why, two days after their first kiss, he had a black eye and multiple lacerations to the face. Kim had insisted that she wasn't told, but Zack had managed to sweet-talk his oldest friend into letting one person into the secret. Angela had been surprised, but supportive, and had promised to keep it quiet. He had been feeling strange about her impending transfer to the same dance company as his, the secret would have been so much harder to keep. But now it was out, David was back, and they were going to have to go through this hell all over again.

He sighed, rolled over, and focused on a new patch of floor. He knew he wouldn't sleep a wink that night.

* * *

Trini was sitting on an uncomfortable patch of floor. She was overcome with conflicting thoughts.

How could she not have kept in touch with Kim?? Or Zack, for that matter, although she had talked to him about once a month when they were back in the USA. How could something such as this have slipped through her fingers?

In her heart of hearts, Trini knew why. She had been too busy chasing two of her oldest friends to pay any attention to the other two. Billy and Jason were both utterly adorable, incredible, and unattainable. Both were attached seriously, and she believed that neither of them were attracted to her. So why did she want either of them?

Billy had been so attentive to his friends tonight, a mere shadow of his former, incommunative self. This Cara must have brought out the best in him, Trini thought reflectively. But, he'd drawn back into his shell once they'd come back to the apartment.

Jason had been so mad at Kim and Zack after they'd told their friends, and to a certain extent she understood. Jason had been so protective of them all during their high school days, and Trini thought that he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that there were things in his friends lives that he couldn't control. Kim, Zack, and everyone were now adults, their lives were their own, and no-one else's. He couldn't be the leader anymore.

Trini looked at the three sitting on the couch, Rocky, Adam and Aisha. They had been there for Kim and Zack that night, even though they weren't part of the original group. They were now whispering to each other, seemingly not wanting to enter into a public communication. They had always been a little closed off, but that was understandable considering that they had known each other since kindergarten. Their bond was much the same as the bond between the original five, it was just unlucky for them that Tommy had managed to fit in with both groups, and was now torn between the two.

Tommy...Trini turned to give him a quick glance. It was pretty obvious that he was still too protective of Kim if they were going to be like a brother and sister partnership. It must have hurt him to hear about Kim's mistakes, but it was all supposed to be over by now. The last thing that any of them needed were homicidal ex-boyfriends, as Kim had so delicately put it, coming back to do god-knows-what.

Trini sighed, and closed her eyes. Just for a little while, she silently avowed to herself. Then I'll go and talk to Kim. Just forty winks...

* * *

Tommy looked around at the group, then sighed and closed his eyes again. He thought that Trini or Aisha would have instigated a group pow-wow, but the two returnees had been less than according, Zack had immediately taken his sentry by the door when their tale was related, and Kim had been sitting by the window for about two hours. No-one had said a word apart from when Adam had got cramp in his leg, and Aisha had told him to walk around the room, a little hard with nine people in it.

He looked again at Kim. All night he had been aware of something being wrong with her, the way she was so jumpy and vague about everything. He'd never suspected anything like this, that nightmares that had been experienced in Florida had somehow caught a cross-continental flight to California, and found Kim and Zack again.

He strongly suspected now that Kim had been the victim of some kind of abuse at the hands of this guy. There was still a light of sadness in her eyes which was only to be expected, but the pain...if only he had been there for her.

He strongly believed that they still had a chance, but he'd be a fool if he made any sort of move at this time. She and Zack were still obviously petrified about the threat of this man returning, and all the friends needed to be united in their attempt to get him where he belonged, behind bars.

But they weren't united, far from it. Apart from the fact that no-one was talking to each other, there was some sort of power battle going on with Trini and Jason, and some sort that would make Emily furious if she was still in Angel Grove. he didn't want to know what was going on between those two, if indeed there was anything happening. Rocky, Adam and Aisha felt uncomfortable with Zack and Trini, having only ever met the entire group of originals for about a month before the Peace Conference came about. Something needed to be done, and Tommy was painfully aware that Kim was normally the expert on getting people to open up.

One last glance showed that she was getting up from her window seat. Aisha looked at her and said,

"Are you okay, Kim?" It was now obvious as she stood in the lighted main part of the room that Kim had been crying silently, red streaks divided her face, but when she spoke her voice was as steady as could be expected.

"I'm fine, just need an aspirin." Kim stepped over a sleeping Billy, and went into the kitchen. Aisha looked at Tommy, and said quietly,

"Go after her, talk to her. You're the only one she'll open up to."

"Even after all that's happened to her? You do it." In truth, no matter how much he wanted it, Tommy was scared about having to go through this nightmare with Kim. But being on the receiving end of one of Aisha's patented glares made him hastily get off his seat and make is way to the kitchen, not knowing what he would find, or what to say.

* * *

Kim turned around from her seat at the kitchen table, and saw the guy that she should never have given up. She could still read his face like a book, and at that moment she saw uncertainty, and almost a shade of fear. She swallowed the aspirin, and gave a lopsided smile. "Welcome to my world. Police escorts, a tiny apartment, and guys that chase me all the way across the country just to get revenge. If they sold the concept to te WB, I'd get millions."

"What's going to happen?" he asked, wondering what she would say, whether she knew the drill or not. Kim rolled her eys, and said,

"I have absolutely no idea. I don't know if he still wants to kill Zack for helping me get out of Florida, I don't know if he still wants me, I don't know whether the police will catch him before he catches us. There is one thing I'm certain of though."

"What's that?" Tommy asked, sitting in the other seat by the kitchen table that had seen better days.

"If I see him before he sees me, I'll kill him." Tommy's shock at her words was almost comical, and Kim hastened to explain. "I mean, look at me. I'm scared of the dark, I hate being by myself, I have to have a police bodyguard if I go out to any public place and intend to be on my own, and I have a two inch scar on my favourite leg."

"Your-your favourite leg?" Tommy said, eyes widened. Kim laughed, and said,

"It's the leg I always wear anklets on." Then her expression darkened, and she said quietly, "I know that all of you are thinking, 'why didn't I tell you' or 'why couldn't we have helped'? But that's all over now, and I want you to know that. There was nothing to do, I just got lucky that I'd invited Zack to Florida and he helped me."

"I should have been there," he mumbled under his breath. Kim looked him in the eye for the first time since he'd entered the room, and said,

"I wish you had been there"


Author's Notes: Okay, I will try for some more before I leave school...only 4 more days to go, people!! Please also review, and send ideas!!! I'm not as stuck as I was, but not out of the woods completely. I'll love you forever, now that's an offer you can't resist.