Special disclaimer: the power rangers still don't belong to me and of coarse neither does the song at the end of the chapter.  It's "By Heart" by Jim Brickman and Laura Creamer. Again, Yes I know this is its second appearance but hello it's the basis for the whole story. 

Chapter 20 Floods

Sitting there with Leo's arm about her shoulders Kendrix felt ill, it was ending, just like that. All the hope she'd had for the dance.  How could this be happening?  First the nightmare about Andy and now she was leaving, and she might never see her turtle boy again.    It was funny how short a time had passed since they'd actually met. 

Kendrix felt herself jerked to one side and found herself running behind a boy. They raced across the playground and didn't stop until they were around the corner of the dining hall.

"Are you ok?" The boy asked once he'd stopped and was looking at her.

"Yes, thanks, you?" Kendrix managed taking in the boy's appearance. He was short, with dark hair, and deep emerald eyes. He looked some how older than a preteen, at least his eyes did. His Teenage Mutant ninja turtle T- shirt told another story. The thing was he didn't look familiar. "Are you new? I don't think I've ever seen you around here before."

"It's my first summer." He shrugged and she smiled.

"Well then my name is Kendrix and welcome to camp Chatman."

"Thanks, I'm." He seemed to think a minute and then said. "I'm a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle." He said and she frowned in confusion, she didn't watch much cartoons. Looking at his shirt she asked.

"Which one?" She asked and he looked at his shirt seeing the four grinning faces.

"Leonardo." She frowned and he brought her mind back to the other situation. "You know that guy's gonna be mad."

"He always is. You should watch yourself around him." Kendrix smiled.

"I will." He smirked. "I'm a turtle, no one can get me."

"Really?" She tilted her head to one side. He was different from the other kids. "Is that why you don't make fun of me?" She asked.

"Make fun of you?" The boy suddenly went serious and Kendrix had a brief vision of the same boy, older though holding some kind of a sword and she almost smiled. He was definitely different. Still she had to pull her mind together.

"I like to read, they..." She didn't want him to do that, to call her names, to make fun of her. He was so cute, so nice. "I should go, thanks for."

"They won't make fun of you anymore." He said and her eyes flew to his, they were no longer concerned, they were as hard as nails. 

Kendrix felt herself smiling at that memory, he'd been true to his word, not only had Leo Corbett defended her but he'd helped her find the courage to defend herself.  God what would she do without him? 

Beside her Leo's thoughts were running along the same lines as he gazed down at the pretty face resting against his shoulder.  It still amazed him that he'd come to care for her so fast.  She was his best friend, the kindest person he'd ever known and maybe more.  He could still remember the first time he realized just how much his Brains had come to mean to him. 

"Kendrix!"  Leo shouted his worry growing with every second. Something was really wrong she was in real trouble, he could just feel it.  "Kendrix come on answer me!" he thought of all of the things that could have happened to such a sheltered girl and hoped he could find her before anything else did.

The red clad boy hadn't seen or heard anything as he ran but then he caught sight of it, the dark stain near the base of the tree.

"Kendrix!"  He shouted hoping she was still close by and not too badly hurt to call for help.

"Leo?"  A tentative voice called and at first he thought it was his imagination but then.  "Leo up here!"  He then scanned his eyes up the tree and there, straddling the tree sat his little brain.

"What the hell are you doing up there!"  He demanded and she sighed.

"There were some problems and I got too far behind, I figured if I could get high enough to see everything maybe I could get someone's attention."

"Oh ok, well you should get down."

"Um Leo," she began sounding a little nervous.

"Yeah?"

"I kind of hurt my ankle and..."

"You'll hurt it more if you jump."  He said knowingly. THEN a flash of Mike lying on the couch at home in a cast had Leo's mind made up.

Looking up at her, meeting her eyes he gave her a cocky smile.

"Ok, just take it easy.   I'm gonna think of..."

"I have an idea, to get up here I stood on the rock so if I do the reverse I can get down, but can you try and."  He heard it before she did and was running even as she yelped and dove to her right.

"Kendrix!"  Leo was running even as she hit the ground and lay still in the bush where she'd landed.  "Kendrix?"  He was then kneeling beside her.  "Can you hear me?"  He asked afraid she'd not answer then also afraid she would. If something was really wrong…

"Yeah, I'm, I'm ok."  She managed spitting out a leaf.

"Gees Brains you almost gave me a heart attack." He said and she managed to sit up.

"I was a little scared there."  She admitted even as Leo was checking her ankle.

Scared?  He'd been terrified and had thought he'd have a heart attack if she'd been truly hurt. Now though she was not injured but going to leave, to go away as if she'd never been there.  It struck him he didn't even have a pencil or paper to write down her phone number or address. 

It was with great sadness that they arrived at the meeting spot twenty minutes later.  Leo immediately found his mom and Mike off to one side. 

Kendrix however, didn't see her mother and had guessed it would take her longer to get there. She was turning to go when a hand on her arm stopped her. 

"Brains?"  Leo was asking and she gazed up at him a moment. 

"You're um family's here."  She reminded him and he cast a quick glance in the direction of his mother and brother, Mike nodded to him and Leo turned to gaze back down at Kendrix. 

"You know just because their here doesn't mean I'm leaving."  He said seriously.

"But Leo I'm sure they want to go home."  The little blonde girl pointed out bravely, forcing back the tears that were thick in her throat. 

"Come on brains, where else you gonna wait?"  He asked beginning to stir her over to his family.   

"Leo, I'm not the only one still waiting."  She pointed out but he shook his head. 

"Her mom's not here yet.  She had a longer drive."  He explained to his mother. 

"Well then, why don't we go get breakfast, from the look of you two you didn't eat?"  Mrs. Corbett suggested and Kendrix was a little surprised when the head counselor nodded and let her go with them, promising to tell her mother where she'd gone. 

Before long the four of them were seated in a small fast-food place munching on hotcakes and eggs.  Kendrix wasn't though; she was playing with her, wondering if her mom had even got the message about the flood.  After all ilea worked from seven to five so wasn't home much. 

Beside Kendrix Leo was wondering what his friend was thinking about, her brow was puckered in thought.  He didn't have too long to wonder about it. 

"Listen Mrs. Corbett I'm sorry you have to wait, I know you really must have a million things to do and…" 

"Kendrix honey, its ok, things happen besides it's nice to have a change of pace."  The pretty brunette smiled at her and Kendrix found herself smiling right back. 

"You should eat doc, you're too skinny."  Mike spoke up and Kendrix looked at him in confusion. 

"Doc??"  Kendrix asked a golden brow arched in question. 

 "You'll be a doctor or something like that one day."  The elder Corbett brother shrugged as he ate another hash brown. 

"Nope, she's gonna be a scientist."  Leo told him smirking proudly.  Kendrix just stuck out her tongue at him.  With a flash as sharp as a lightening bolt Kendrix remembered another time she'd stuck out her tongue at him. 

"Your worrying too much about what you're doing, just think about something else and you'll get it."  This, from a thirteen year old?  That was odd, but she'd known he was definitely different.  He was after all once again in line to go again.

"Leo you don't have to go through it again, you already did it once."  She pointed out as the girl ahead of her took her turn.

"I can use the practice."  He told her shrugging. 

"But you can do it perfectly."  She told him and he shrugged.

"Corbett you had your shot!"  Tim the camp counselor told Leo.

"But I might forget."  Leo replied and the older boy just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right, get back there Corbett."  Tim pointed to where the done kids stood.

"But..."

"Leo it doesn't matter."  Kendrix interrupted.  "If I don't get it this time I'm done."  She assured him quietly she'd not have the entire camp laughing.

Leo was sticking his nose in the air, biting his lower lip and jutted out his chin and began to strut.  She felt herself laughing even as the canoe began to tip.  She didn't think just acted going through the motions and coming up just like she'd been taught.

When Kendrix surfaced a few seconds later it was to see Leo smirking at her cockily. She knew he'd done it; he'd gotten her through one of those situations she'd take forever to do on her own.    She wanted to run to him and hug him tight.  Instead Kendrix stuck out her tongue at him.

Leo realized that Kendrix had spaced out and he frowned at her.  What was she thinking?  Was she thinking of the future or remembering the past?  Maybe water was not the only flooding going on today, he mused.  It was more like the flood of summer memories. 

"Well looks like you are ok."  An amused voice commented and Kendrix fairly jumped back from Leo to find her mother standing at the side of the booth looking on. 

"Mom?"  None of them missed the surprise and upset in Kendrix's voice.  Leo moved closer, taking her hand and squeezing it.  

"Hi honey, I see you didn't sink in that flood of yours."  Ilea Morgan smiled at her little girl.  She'd been half afraid to find a sodden mess but this, cheerful yet somber child was here.  Not that she minded. 

"Now why would I want to do that?"  Kendrix asked deadpan and her mom hugged her tightly. 

Instead of leaving right away Ms. Morgan sat down and had something to eat as well.  Leo was glad, he wasn't ready to say goodbye, god would he ever be? 

"Hey at least you two didn't have to worry about Misty causing trouble at the dance."  Mike reminded the two sad looking kids across the table from him.  He'd not seen his brother like that in years. 

"We wouldn't have, she got tossed out of camp."  Kendrix said and   with gusto Kendrix told the rest of the group about the nasty little red head. 

"She's making eyes at you."  Kendrix said quietly having spotted Misty trying to get Leo's attention.

"Let her."

"Leo she's trying to get you to go to the dance. Didn't you hear them yesterday on the way back from the woods?"

"I know and hmmm," an idea was forming in his mind.  "What do you say we have a little fun?"

"What do you mean?"  And then she was surprised when he leaned across the table and kissed her right on the lips.

Kendrix froze at his action feeling like a dear in the headlights and then the tingling started where his lips touched hers.

"There, that should do it…"  He whispered pulling back. 

Kendrix didn't know when she'd fallen into the memory while Leo took up the story.  All she knew was that he was finishing up and she could almost feel his lightspeed warm on her lips. 

"Talk about keeping you two on your toes."  Ms. Morgan was shaking her head. 

"Well that wasn't the worst of it."  Leo went on telling her about the bullies.

Meanwhile Kendrix thought her mother was right as she remembered one of her favorite encounters with the bullies. 

The little blonde reached the tree, and as quick as a cat swung up not the lowest hanging branch.  Instead of taunting him from there she used it to climb up, branch by branch.

"You think a little height's going to stop me!?"  Bailey shouted as he scrambled up after her.  Kendrix just got to the highest possible branch.

"That's right block head keep coming."  She grinned down on him knowing that the two branches closest to her were too weak to hold his greater weight. She didn't bother to tell him though and so when he reached the second lowest one she smiled, waited and then saw the shock on his face when he heard the crack.

"You little…!"

"You should know better than to mess with the power rangers."  She grinned and leapt down; running in the other direction, hoping Leo was alright.

Leo didn't get up just grabbed her arm in passing and yanked her into his hiding spot behind a bush.  They watched as Tony came running that way but when he couldn't find them ran passed.

"Now that must have been fun."  Ms. Morgan laughed bringing her daughter back to the present. 

Leo was again holding Kendrix's hand and she blushed a little when she realized it.  Not that she minded, in fact she liked it.   It was just that her mother was there and she might say something embarrassing. 

"Well," Ms. Morgan began regretfully.  "It's a long drive back to Mariner Bay and I want to get on the road before the days over." 

Leo felt ill at those words and from how she looked so did Kendrix.  Her before loose grip on his hand tightened and he returned it as they cleaned up and headed outside.

God, Kendrix didn't know how to do this, Leo was her best friend, her only friend.  What would she do with out him? She wondered as they stood there in the parking lot of the eatery. 

"We'll write."  Leo said watching the tears streaming down her face, his own matching them drop for drop. 

"I know but it won't be the same." Kendrix mumbled sadly glancing at his crimson sweatshirt, not knowing how to say what else she was thinking. 

"Yeah."  Leo knew that sounded lame but he just didn't have a goofy comment, not for this, not with the ache beginning in his gut.

"Mike?"  Kendrix asked turning then to Leo's brother.  Funny she thought, in the short time she'd known him he'd become like a brother to her too. 

"Yeah?"  The older boy replied crutching forward slowly. 

"Please do me a really big favor?"  She asked almost afraid to but knowing she had do it. 

"Name it."   He said smiling at the little blonde who'd not only gotten his brother to stay out of real trouble but had captured both of their hearts. 

"Protect him.  He's very special."  The wise girl said nodding towards Leo who looked on thoughtfully. 

"With my life."  Mike said fighting back his own tears, there was just such a profound sadness about this whole sight…  "And Kendrix," 

"Yeah?"  She was hiccupping now as she looked up at the bigger boy.

"Take care of yourself."  He said pulling her close for a one armed bear hug. 

man, he couldn't believe it was really happening, since the day they'd met on the playground Leo had known this was coming but hwy did it have to hurt so much?  After all they'd only met a month and a half ago.  Yet as he watched Kendrix with Mike he felt as if something vital was being torn away from him.  Hell, what was with him anyway?  He was a boy for heavens sake.  Wiping roughly at his tears Leo glanced to where Kendrix's mom waited and saw there were tears in ilea Morgan's eyes as well. 

"Hey brains I think your gonna flood this place."  He called and Kendrix turned to face him, her eyes now very puffy. It struck him then just how small she really was.  He'd forgotten when she'd been running from the bullies or tricking them into climbing trees.  Leo didn't know what would happen now but he knew he loved her.  It wasn't like anything he'd ever felt so it had to be love. He didn't force the thought away this time, no; this was the time to tell her. 

"Leo?" She asked confused by the odd look in his teary emerald eyes. 

"This isn't goodbye."  He whispered instead and stepping close he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, once, twice and then rested them there, against hers as if it was his true home, the one place they and he belonged. 

Leo's kiss tasted of Sault and sadness, from a mix of their tears no doubt.  Kendrix didn't think, reaching up to rest her hands on his shoulders, almost as if for balance.  Still when he pulled her close in a kiss way beyond their years it felt perfect and as if they were not saying goodbye but until we meet again. 

"We'll never say goodbye."  Kendrix smiled tearfully. 

When you go

I'll stop the clock

I won't ever

Let this moment stop

Time is stealin' you from me

But it can never take this memory

*** 

Ok author's notes:  first of all thanks to all of those who have stuck with me on this one.  True it's not over but just stick around and all shall be revealed. 

Second, as to the slight confusing at the beginning of the last chapter I know it was odd, but the scene where Kendrix was wood gathering, she was dreaming and Andy from the campfire story

Was the one talking to her or rather the dream ghost?  Thanks Rain for letting me know it was confusing. 

At any rate Reviews would be much appreciated.