Disclaimer: I understand that I do not own these characters. Saban and Disney have all the rights.

Authors Note: Did everybody die?? Or do you not like where I am going with this? Let me know what you think!!! Oh and go check out my other PR story 'Please Don't Go'. It is rated 'R' just to be safe in the coming chapters. Reviews are wonderful! Smile…Jules.

Chapter 6

Kimberly slowly opened her brown eyes. She had a feeling she had been asleep for a good deal more than twelve hours, judging by the kinks in her body. Her whole body felt weighted down as if still asleep. At least the head-ache that had been plaguing her had diminished to no more than a slight throb. Kim let her eyes begin to wander around the light blue walled room. There were flowers on the nightstand with cards and a single get balloon. Finally her eyes came to rest on her visitor. She had known he was there, she had felt his large warm hand wrapped around hers even before her eyes had opened. She softly smiled at his sleeping form. His dark hair was slightly tousled. Jason lay with her hand in his, with his head leaning against the mattress. He had fallen asleep watching over her and Kim knew it.

'What am I going to do' she thought as she gazed at him. Kim had felt her emotions for her close friend changing in the time since he had saved her from death above the angry ocean. Jason gave her a sense of safety and hope for happiness in the future. 'He could never feel this way about me' she sadly told herself. 'Even if he did love me he would never betray Tommy's trust or their friendship.' Kim knew without a slightest doubt that even the idea of 'Kim and Jason' in Tommy's mind would not bode well. Suddenly a thought came to her. 'Why was Jason the one at her bedside while Tommy was nowhere to be found?'

Maybe there was a chance.

Jason was brought out of his dream by movement from the frail hand in his. He opened his eyes to find her gazing off into space, obviously very lost in her own thoughts. His eyes slipped from her slightly frowning face to the small clock at his right. 12:05a.m. Her fever had broken a little more than twelve hours ago. He had gone to announce the news to their friends. Each one had donned a cloth facemask and had gone into the dim room to be with their friend. Jason had urged them to go home and get some sleep in their own beds instead of stiff waiting room furniture. Rocky and the girls left with a few yawns and promises to be back tomorrow. Adam had turned to Tommy, ready to go home to a warm bed if it was only for a few hours before his night class. Tommy, however, had not been ready to leave Kim's side. Adam had been lucky enough to head off Tommy's jealous rage and lead the young man from the hospital. Jason knew that Tommy was beginning to see that there was something going on between him and Kim. Jason shook his head at that thought. There really was nothing between himself and Kimberly. He was falling in love with her, that much was true. However, deep down she was probably still hung up on Tommy.

Jason remembered the night she had sent the letter. She had called him in tears, needing him to tell her she had done the right thing. He had felt helpless as he tried to sooth her over the phone. He had stayed on the phone with her for hours, never once imagining that she wasn't telling him everything. He cursed himself for not noticing what had truly happened to her sooner.

Jason was brought out of his trance like state when he realized that her eyes had fallen on him. He smiled sheepishly at her and pushed himself up, never letting go of her hand.

"Morning sunshine" she whispered softly. He raised his eyebrow and gave a goofy little smirk before running his hand through his hair

"I look that bad, huh?"

"Not nearly as bad as I do" Kim muttered suddenly becoming embarrassed at thought of how bad she must look. It hadn't even crossed her mind that Jason had probably witnessed her at her worst before, yet somehow it had never bothered her. 'I guess I never noticed because he was always my best friend and not possible boyfriend material.' Kim thought. She was really beginning to shock herself. She had fallen for Jason!

"Nah, you look pretty good for someone who has had a raging fever and was malnourished." Jason hoped that she wouldn't clam up on him. With her next statement, she brought a smile to his face and eased his worrying mind.

"Sexy too?" Kim batted her eyelashes sweetly at him.

"Without a doubt" he grinned.

Two weeks later Jason helped Kim into his truck. Her bout with meningitis had made her appear weaker than she had before. In the last couple weeks she had worked on getting her wait up to 90 pounds. The doctor had been strict, saying that she couldn't leave until she reached the agreed upon wait. Kim had groaned when she looked at herself in the mirror earlier that morning.

"I'm a walking skeleton" she couldn't imagine what Jason had been thinking when he told her she looked good. 'He just want's you to be happy, Kim.' She had told herself as she pulled on some clothes Tanya and Kat had brought from her apartment the day before. She had been grateful that it was the two girls that had ventured out for her clothes. She didn't even want to imagine what type of mismatched, thrown together as quickly as possible outfit Rocky would have brought. Tanya and Kat had brought her a pair of faded American Eagle jeans with a brown belt; a simple white American Eagle tee and a deep maroon zip up hooded jacket with white lettering from Ambercrombie. Kim remembered when she had purchased the outfit, when she had insisted on being well dressed at all times. If it hadn't been for the look on Jason's face when she had ventured out of the room to leave, she would have changed back into the sweats she had arrived in. She was even more grateful that Nurse Hathaway had been able to talk her into leaving her hair down and adding a small amount of make-up to her pale features. Though she was a little tired and not quite feeling top notch she was excited to be going home. Even if that meant she was to have a male nurse watching her every move. A nurse called Jason lee Scott.

Kim smiled at him as he jumped into the truck and began to navigate them into traffic. When he turned right instead of going left in the direction of their apartments, Kim knew that something was going on.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere" he said trying not to laugh.

"Tell me!" she pleaded

"Nope."

"Please?"

"No can do" he began too laugh as she playfully punched him in the arm. "You will see soon enough."

Kim smiled as she turned her gaze back out the window. Angel Grove Park flashed by outside the open window. She had a good idea where his was taking her. She hadn't been there since her return from Florida. She was surprised to find that she was slightly eager to go there. She could almost taste Ernie's strawberry peach smoothie.

Jason pulled into the Youth Center's parking lot, killed the engine, and moved to get Kim's door and help her out. She was already out of the truck pushing the door shut by the time he came around.

"Excited?" he asked her playfully.

"Just a little" she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I miss Ernie."

"Is it really Ernie you miss or is it is one of a kind smoothies?"

"Him, though I'll have you know that it is damn near impossible to find a strawberry peach smoothie." She laughed as Jason led her into the familiar building.

Kim stopped dead in her tracks and tightened her grip on Jason's muscular arm. The large room was decorated with balloons, streamers and candles. There was a large banquet table laden with food, the floor mats had been removed to allow room for a dance floor that had sparkling confetti all over it that caught in the light of the disco ball that spun over head.

"Happy 21st Birthday Kimberly!"

Kim jumped at the cry from a large group of people has they jumped up from different hiding places across the room. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she turned into Jason's embrace. This was too much. She had almost forgot her own birthday in the stress of the last few weeks and thought that surely her friends would forget also. Yet here they were ready to party on her birthday.

The group began to crowd around each one wanting a hug from the birthday girl. Kim cried harder when she found herself wrapped in Billy's arms, and shouted for joy when Aisha swept her into a warn embrace. Smiling through her tears she realized that her whispered wish to Jason a week earlier had come true. All of her friends were there. Billy, Zach, Tommy, Aisha, Rocky, Adam, Tanya, Kat and Jason were all smiling at her.

Kim threw herself into Jason's embrace.

"Thank you so much?"

"And why would you think I had anything to do with this" he teased.

"You did, I don't know when you had the time but you did."

Tommy watched Kim, as she stood dumbfounded by their surprise party. He cringed inwardly as she clung to Jason. He sighed know that he had lost her again. He had found his beautiful only to have her fall in love with his best friend. He could see it her eyes as she hugged Jason happily. He watched Jason's eyes light up as he whispered something back into her ear, wishing it were him that was securely holding the glowing 21-year-old.

"I don't think you need to get too worried Tommy" Billy said placing a hand on his old friend shoulder. "They have always been really close."

"Yeah, I guess your right." Tommy agreed forcing a smile that Billy seemed to take for genuine. 'They have always been close but they haven't always been in love'

Ernie smiled broadly as Kim hugged him. When she pulled away, a perfect strawberry peach smoothie satisfied her taste buds. As the night passed, Kim's happiness grew. The gang was together sitting at the old ranger table laughing at Zach's jokes, teasing Rocky about his overly fed stomach, and regaling each other about the past three years. Aisha had already decided to move back to begin classes at AGU when Rocky had called her. Zach had taken intuitive and stopped drinking. He was currently attending AA classes at night. Billy was home for good after his month hiatus. He had found no solace among the stars, and realized that his place was on earth with is friends.

After they had eaten and laughed, Zach started up the music.

"Let the dancing begin!" he called to the group. "The hip-hop king has returned!"

Laughter erupted from the group of friends that were moving toward the dance floor. They jammed for a good fifteen minutes before Zach switched the beat to a slow song.

I'll be you dream,

I'll be your wish,

I'll be your fantasy…

Jason's eyes found Kim's just as hers found his. Kim walked over to him and began to slowly move to the slow tempo. Just as Kim and Jason began to dance other couples formed around the room. Kat and Billy were awkwardly holing each other. Tanya and Adam appeared to be much closer than any of them had thought as they tightly held each other. Aisha decided that it was a good time to talk to Tommy. She kissed Rocky on the cheek, promised him the rest of the night and moved over toward Tommy who had his eyes fixed on Kim and Jason. Aisha had to admit she was startled at how 'together' Jason and Kim appeared.

"Care to dance oh powerful leader of mine?" Aisha asked in a voice that left no room for a.

"Sure" Tommy said shrugging his shoulders and pulling her close to him. "So are you and Rocko a couple yet or what?"

"We have discussed it, since I am coming home for good." Aisha explained before changing the subject. "But enough about me and the eating machine, how are you?"

"I've lost her"

Aisha knew that he was indicating Kimberly who was happily wrapped in Jason's embrace. Her heart went out to Tommy but she couldn't help but feel happy for her closest friend.

"She is falling in love with my best friend" he whispered softly. "I know that her and Jason have been close since the first grade, but I can see it in her eyes and in his. They are falling in love and it is crushing me."

"Maybe you should talk to one of them and find out for sure instead of just assuming."

"Maybe" Tommy said giving one last look a Kim and Jason he turned his attention to Aisha who was give Rocky the look of death as he stood gazing at the huge birthday cake. Tommy had to laugh at Rocky's rather fake innocent look.

Kim felt as if she was flying. She had laid her head on Jason's shoulder as the swayed to Savage Garden's hit song. 'This is heaven' Kim thought as the music mixed with the sound of Jason's heart beat and soft voice as he sang along softly with the music

"I wanna stand with you on a mountain."

"I wanna bathe with you in the sea."

"I wanna lay like this forever until the sky falls down on me"

Kim look up and locked eyes with him. He smiled at her.

"I think I'm falling in love with you Kimberly Ann Hart" he said softly. Finally able to let out exactly let out how he felt about her.

"I already am" Jason felt his heart soar with her words. Still swaying with the beat of the music he leaned down and gently kissed her. Her lips were warm and inviting as her pulled her even closer and deepened the kiss.

Kim felt as if everything was finally made right. The pain of the last few years began to disintegrate with each passing second. She had finally come home.

(A/N: So what do you think?!? There is more to come! I am not done yet! I am enjoying writing this story and I can't wait to hear if all of you find it just as enjoyable. Please make my week and send me some feed back and I will continue to write this and my other work in progress. 'Please Don't Go' ***lots of love*****Jules*****