A/N: Hope you didn't think I'd abandoned this. I just haven't had time to update this. I also hope you enjoy this chapter.

Nameless One: Thank you for your opinion. I respect it, but I'm going to continue since I said I would if I had at least one I would, and I have twelve; I don't want to be thought to be one who doesn't keep her word. And you don't know all the facts about Kim. Perhaps she is strong, but he caught her offguard and she didn't get to get an upperhand. She wasn't the strongest ranger after all, though she was good and my favorite character.

Mali: Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like it. Hope you haven't forgotten about it.

Ryan T. Morris: Thanks for the review. Ok, will do.

C2: I am continuing it, as you can see. Thanks for the review.

Helvetebrann: Almost flawless? Thanks. Don't like the name Elijah? Well, it'll help you not like the character, perhaps, even more than what you could already dislike him for.

TF Princess: Thanks for taking the time to review. Find out next chapter if she'll tell anyone. Yeah, necessary to go on. But don't worry, Kim's still very much the same. Hope my characterization isn't too off as it's been a while since I've pulled out my MMPR: The Movie tape or the 4 episodes of the Green w/ Evil miniseries.

Amy: Thanks for reviewing. I'm sorry if I take a long time to update, but life does get in the way. It doesn't mean I'll forget about it though. I work on it in a notebook on my freetime.

DreamsofGold: Glad you like it. Thanks for the review.

Wolflver2003: Might not link this one w/ DT afterall, but I am doing another story that will definitely link w/ DT. Hope you enjoy this. Thanks for the review.

Zee: A great story? Thanks.

Stina: You love it? Thanks.

Searanger: Thanks for the review. Glad you can't wait for more.

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers or any of the characters relating to it.

Taken

Escape

The abuse had only happened a couple of times when she had been off guard, giving him the upperhand, but this time it would not happen. This time she had a will to live, a will to protect herself. After all, she had been a Power Ranger. That had given her confidence before, and she knew she still had the fighting skills as she had practiced daily the moves Jason had taught her daily to keep in shape when she had given up gymnastics to become a housewife. She knew she had to keep up her strength somehow.

Elijah walked in the door. "Honey, I'm home!" he yelled, chuckling at himself. He walked up behind Kim and gathered her into a hug from behind.

"Hi, 'Lij," she greeted half-heartedly, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Supper's on the table."

"It smells good."

"Thanks." The two walked into the dining room and sat down, and upon seeing Jerry, she asked, "Shall I set another plate?"

"Yes, please do," Jerry replied.

"You look mighty nice tonight. Is there something you want to tell me?" Elijah asked suddenly when the meal was nearly finished.

Kimberly hesitated momentarily. He seemed nice enough tonight, but his friend with him. Had he injected the drugs yet?

"Honey?"

"Yeah, actually there is. We're going to have a baby."

"A baby?" Elijah repeated slowly. "Now, why'd you have to get pregnant? You know we can't afford to have one!" Elijah stood and Jerry backed away.

"Well, we're having one, like it or not," Kim answered defiantly and stood herself, bracing against the wall behind her.

"Now, honey, how are we goin' to afford it? We barely make ends meet now by ourselves. You're just going to have to get rid of it!"

Kim was infuriated. "Get rid of my baby? You mean abort it? Un-uh, I don't think so. It's going to be a baby, not an ape or something weird. I'm not going to murder our baby!"

Elijah was in a rage now. "Yes, you are, dearest. Must we have this argument in front of Jerry?"

"If you insist on me having the baby killed, yes, we will!" A tear slid down the mother-to-be's cheek.

Elijah was barely a foot away from her now. He slapped her and spit on her face. "Stupid, defiant woman!"

"What did you call me?" Kim challenged.

"Stupid woman!" he repeated.

Kim sprang forward, knocking him down by surprise. "Who's 'stupid' now?"

"You," Elijah stated, grabbing her foot, forcing her on the floor. "I don't know what got you so feisty, but it ain't going to last, darlin'."

Kim spit in his eye, a big mistake. Elijah punched her in the face a couple of times, but Kim was through with being a victim. Gathering all her strength, she pushed him off her and got up. Grabbing her things from beside the door, she left and fled to the car.

"Jase," Kim said, "I'm on my way to the airport. Did you buy the ticket?"

"Yes, but I don't understand what's happening. I mean, why do you need to suddenly come down to New Zealand?"

"It's a long story, much too long for me to get into while driving. I'm pulling into the parking lot now. Bye." Kim hung up her cell phone, left it in the seat of the car, and got out, grabbing her things from the trunk before heading up to the desk.

Kim stepped off the plane and headed inside the airport to gather her luggage and search for Jason. It took a while to find the few bags she packed and gather them, but soon she went to the restroom and pulled out her makeup from the purse. Her eye, which she had iced on the plane, was swollen, noticeable whether or not she tried to hide it with make-up, but that did not stop her from trying.

Ten minutes later she emerged from the restroom and headed toward the front of the airport. She walked around, looking through the crowds for a familiar face. "Kim!" she heard, and she whirled around, finding Jason just a few feet away. She ran to him and hugged him tightly. It was true! She was away from the fantasy-turned-wrong life that she had been stuck in! "Kim, it's good to see you, too," Jason said with a laugh as he pulled away. "Here, let me help you with your bags."

Kim nodded, smiling widely – the first smile she had had without worrying about whether Elijah would show up or not. He could not possibly know where she was, she reasoned with herself, going through the house in her mind. No, nothing was left out for him to trace her by. "So, I guess I'll need to find a hotel to stay in, or perhaps an apartment. I don't plan on leaving here, you know."

Jason let the new piece of information sink in. "Nonsense, I told Trini you were coming, and she'd be thrilled to share her place with her. She's currently without a roommate."

"Oh, Jase, I'm so happy to be here."

"Kim," he said, opening the trunk and placing the bags inside, "something happened to you. You're different."

"How do you mean?" she asked, hoping he had not noticed the eye yet; she did not want to have to get into that yet. She had purposely made sure he could not see it by the angles she turned her head.

"Well, first off, you suddenly call after I'd thought you'd disappeared off the face of the earth – as did the rest of the team, I must admit. Then, now you are telling me you don't plan to leave here. Something's going on, Kim; don't try to hide it from me."

"Just a little longer, Jase. At least until we get to a restaurant or your place or somewhere else. Besides, I'm getting tired – and a bit hungry, I must admit." Kim looked out her window, taking in the beautiful sights.

Jason briefly looked over at Kim. It had been so long since he had seen her, heard from her, had anything to do with her, and she called him in an apparent escape attempt. Just who or what was she running away and why, he did not know. "Alright," he said with a sigh. "You can keep your secrets until tomorrow. You're going to have to stay with me tonight. Trini and Zack went out of the country for a while."

"Okay," she said quietly, appreciating that Jason was not prying what she was holding from him out of her before she was ready. She did not want to have to get into it just yet; she wanted to put it off until at least Trini was back.

"But don't think you get to keep it to yourself forever," he added, a twinkle in his eye as Kim looked at him with a grateful smile.

"I know, and I don't mean to, Jase. Don't worry."

Jason pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex that he, Trini, and Zack were staying in. "Well, here's home sweet home," he said as they walked in and he turned on the light.

"Looks nice," she replied honestly. It was much better looking than the dump she had been staying in for a year now, although it was smaller.

"Thanks." Jason continued in and put her bags in his room. "You can stay in here. I'll sleep on the couch."

"You don't need to, Jason."

"Don't worry about it. You won't be invading. Besides, when you move in with Trini, I'll get it back. She has a two-room apartment since she did have a roommate."

"Alright, then. Only if you're sure."

"I am, Kim."

"Well, I'm going to turn in until you wake me, even though I should get used to the time difference, but I'm so tired." She yawned.

"Ok. Sleep well. Don't let the bedbugs bite." Jason took one last long look at his best friend before closing the door and heading to the living room.

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TBC…