Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 5
'This is it. The time is now. No turning back now. I came back for this reason.' All those things entered his mind as he stood in front of the doors of the cyberspace. With a heavy sigh, he opened the door and scanned the room for the person he needed to talk to. With the events of the last few days still fresh in his mind, he knew that what he was about to do had to be done.
Although he didn't know how she would react to him, he knew that at the end of the day he would see the sad look in her eyes and be forced to walk away one more time.
He spotted her at the edge of the stage with her guitar singing a soft tune that brought back so many memories from when they were kids in high school. With a quick glance to the counter, he saw Hayley looking right back at him with a smile on her face that said 'Go for it'. He quickly nodded to her and turned his attention back to the stage. With each step that he took in her direction, the more nervous he got. Once he was just a few feet from her, she looked up at him with a look of confusion on her face.
"Hi." She said to him.
"Hello. Are you Kira Ford, Mr. James wanted me to speak with you." Conner said still playing along with his role as a microsoft executive.
"Yeah, I'm Kira. You're Mr. Napier, right? The guy from Microsoft?"
"Yes and no." Conner said. Knowing that it was time to stop with the games.
"What are you talking about?" Kira asked, she was very confused.
"I know who you are Kira, and Ethan didn't want me to talk to you. I'm here because I wanted to talk to you and I'm not an executive at Microsoft, I don't even work for them."
"What about?"
"Conner McKnight."
At the mention of Conner's name, Kira instantly froze. 'How can this person whom I've never seen before know anything about Conner'
she thought to herself.
"I don't want to talk about him with you. I don't know you and I don't want to talk to a complete stranger about something that brings me nothing but heartache. It's none of your business, so why don't you just leave me alone." She said sounding very angry at this man.
"What if I told you that I know the reason Conner walked out five years ago and what if I told you that I know where he is right now?"
"Well, I've always wanted an explanation but I wanted it to come from him not some stranger."
"That's understandable Kira but you're not talking to a stranger."
"What?" Kira was very confused at that statement.
He knew that he could say something to her to make her realize who he was but the only true way to get her to realize that it was him was to show her. With that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Opening it, he revealed to her the same picture that he had showed Hayley his first day back.
"Flip the picture over."
With that, she turned the picture over to read the writing that he had put on the back of the picture many years ago. The words were faded but still clearly readable. 'This is a picture of the three most important people in my life. Dr. Oliver, Ethan, and Kira. I can't imagine my life without them. I love them all.' By the time she finished reading the words, Kira had tears rolling down her face as she realized the man in front of her was the man she loved with all her heart.
"Conner?" Her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's me. I've come home."
"Oh god, I've missed you."
"So I've heard. I came home to explain why I did what I did. I've talked to Hayley, Ethan, Tommy and Kim, and I saved you for last because I have to explain the most to you."
"Before you explain, I want you to know one thing." Her eyes still stained with tears but her voice steady and serious. "You promised me a long time ago that you would never hurt me but when you walked away you hurt me worse than Trent ever did."
That statement made him hate himself. He had forgotten about the promise he made to her when they found out that Trent was the white ranger.
Conner proceeded to explain everything that he had told the others and Kira was in total shock.
"So you were in the hospital that entire time? Why didn't you tell us, I was worried sick."
"Because if you knew where I was, you guys would have never left me alone and your judgement would have been clouded. You know as well as I do that your head needed to be in the battle not on me."
"I guess you're right."
"Of course I am. Just because I look a little different doesn't mean that I'm not still me." He replied with that cocky smirk that she loved.
"You loved me enough, to walk away five years ago and I didn't chase you because a small part of me always hoped that you would come back and now you have. We can finally be together again." Kira said as she flashed him her trademark smile.
With that, Conner's face dropped and he looked away. The joy that Kira felt was gone and her heart dropped when she saw him look away.
"Conner, what's wrong?" She asked not really wanting to know the answer.
"We can't be together Kira." Saying those words made him want to cry.
"But you just said--?" Kira started.
"I said that I came back home to explain my action five years ago, I never said I would stay."
"Well then, wherever you go, take me with you." she pleaded with him.
"I can't. A lot has happened in the five years that I've been gone. I'm not the same person I was. You can't go with me." It broke his heart to say that to her but it was the truth. Kira started crying again as she turned away from him. He came up behind her and hugged her tightly.
"I thought you loved me." She whispered.
"I do love you. I always have. That's why I left before and that's also why I can't let you go with me. I love you too much to let you do that. Your life is here, mine isn't."
"My life is with you."
"I'm sorry Kira, but I will not let you go with me no matter how much I wish you could."
"How long are you in town?" She asked wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I was only planning on staying here long enough to explain myself to everyone and then leave but I know you are performing tommorrow night so I figured I could catch one last show before I leave."
"We should get all of us together one more time before you leave. For old times sake."
"I'm staying with Tommy and Kim so I'll ask them tonight and knowing Ethan he'll be there. I'm sure Hayley will close the place down like she used to."
"Let's ask her right now."
With that they made their way to the counter and saw Hayley with a big smile on her face.
"Hey you two. I see you told Kira the truth finally."
"Yeah I did, we were wondering if you could help us with something Hayley?"
"What's up?"
"Well, Conner isn't staying. He was going to leave once he talked to everyone but since I have a show tommorrow he said he would stay and leave after the show. We were wondering if after the show you could close the place down like you used to and have it be just us for old times sake."
"That sounds like a great idea. You got it."
"Thanks Hayley." They said in unison.
(Friday Night)
The old crew was together at their familiar table watching Kira perform. As he watched her, Conner couldn't help but notice just how beutiful she was. He had forgotten just how angelic her voice can be and the way she presented herself onstage. Much like she had told him the day before that her life was with him, his life was with her but he knew that couldn't be. As she finished her last few songs, Conner knew that the time was coming when he would have to leave again but this time he would actually say goodbye. Once done and offstage, Hayley announced that the place was closing and everyone started to pile out the doors. Once everyone had vacated the cafe, the closed sign was put in the window and everyone just talked with each other for what seemed like ages.
Two hours later everyone was sitting at the table once again but they were in their own conversations amongst each other.
Conner, Kira and Ethan were talking about what Conner was going to do once he left and about how to keep in touch with each other. Hayley, Tommy and Kim were just talking about little things that really had no significance when Tommy felt something blow by his neck but he dismissed it instantly. About two minutes later, he felt it again and this time he wasn't the only one.
"Kim, did you feel that?"
"Yeah, I did. Hayley, did you leave a window open?"
When they looked up at Hayley, the saw her eyes wide and face pale.
They turned to see what Hayley was looking at and they too went pale faced and wide eyed.
"Oh my god." Kimberly said bringing her hands to her mouth in shock.
"What the hell?" Was all that Tommy could say.
TBC. Next chapter is the last one.
Chapter 5
'This is it. The time is now. No turning back now. I came back for this reason.' All those things entered his mind as he stood in front of the doors of the cyberspace. With a heavy sigh, he opened the door and scanned the room for the person he needed to talk to. With the events of the last few days still fresh in his mind, he knew that what he was about to do had to be done.
Although he didn't know how she would react to him, he knew that at the end of the day he would see the sad look in her eyes and be forced to walk away one more time.
He spotted her at the edge of the stage with her guitar singing a soft tune that brought back so many memories from when they were kids in high school. With a quick glance to the counter, he saw Hayley looking right back at him with a smile on her face that said 'Go for it'. He quickly nodded to her and turned his attention back to the stage. With each step that he took in her direction, the more nervous he got. Once he was just a few feet from her, she looked up at him with a look of confusion on her face.
"Hi." She said to him.
"Hello. Are you Kira Ford, Mr. James wanted me to speak with you." Conner said still playing along with his role as a microsoft executive.
"Yeah, I'm Kira. You're Mr. Napier, right? The guy from Microsoft?"
"Yes and no." Conner said. Knowing that it was time to stop with the games.
"What are you talking about?" Kira asked, she was very confused.
"I know who you are Kira, and Ethan didn't want me to talk to you. I'm here because I wanted to talk to you and I'm not an executive at Microsoft, I don't even work for them."
"What about?"
"Conner McKnight."
At the mention of Conner's name, Kira instantly froze. 'How can this person whom I've never seen before know anything about Conner'
she thought to herself.
"I don't want to talk about him with you. I don't know you and I don't want to talk to a complete stranger about something that brings me nothing but heartache. It's none of your business, so why don't you just leave me alone." She said sounding very angry at this man.
"What if I told you that I know the reason Conner walked out five years ago and what if I told you that I know where he is right now?"
"Well, I've always wanted an explanation but I wanted it to come from him not some stranger."
"That's understandable Kira but you're not talking to a stranger."
"What?" Kira was very confused at that statement.
He knew that he could say something to her to make her realize who he was but the only true way to get her to realize that it was him was to show her. With that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Opening it, he revealed to her the same picture that he had showed Hayley his first day back.
"Flip the picture over."
With that, she turned the picture over to read the writing that he had put on the back of the picture many years ago. The words were faded but still clearly readable. 'This is a picture of the three most important people in my life. Dr. Oliver, Ethan, and Kira. I can't imagine my life without them. I love them all.' By the time she finished reading the words, Kira had tears rolling down her face as she realized the man in front of her was the man she loved with all her heart.
"Conner?" Her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's me. I've come home."
"Oh god, I've missed you."
"So I've heard. I came home to explain why I did what I did. I've talked to Hayley, Ethan, Tommy and Kim, and I saved you for last because I have to explain the most to you."
"Before you explain, I want you to know one thing." Her eyes still stained with tears but her voice steady and serious. "You promised me a long time ago that you would never hurt me but when you walked away you hurt me worse than Trent ever did."
That statement made him hate himself. He had forgotten about the promise he made to her when they found out that Trent was the white ranger.
Conner proceeded to explain everything that he had told the others and Kira was in total shock.
"So you were in the hospital that entire time? Why didn't you tell us, I was worried sick."
"Because if you knew where I was, you guys would have never left me alone and your judgement would have been clouded. You know as well as I do that your head needed to be in the battle not on me."
"I guess you're right."
"Of course I am. Just because I look a little different doesn't mean that I'm not still me." He replied with that cocky smirk that she loved.
"You loved me enough, to walk away five years ago and I didn't chase you because a small part of me always hoped that you would come back and now you have. We can finally be together again." Kira said as she flashed him her trademark smile.
With that, Conner's face dropped and he looked away. The joy that Kira felt was gone and her heart dropped when she saw him look away.
"Conner, what's wrong?" She asked not really wanting to know the answer.
"We can't be together Kira." Saying those words made him want to cry.
"But you just said--?" Kira started.
"I said that I came back home to explain my action five years ago, I never said I would stay."
"Well then, wherever you go, take me with you." she pleaded with him.
"I can't. A lot has happened in the five years that I've been gone. I'm not the same person I was. You can't go with me." It broke his heart to say that to her but it was the truth. Kira started crying again as she turned away from him. He came up behind her and hugged her tightly.
"I thought you loved me." She whispered.
"I do love you. I always have. That's why I left before and that's also why I can't let you go with me. I love you too much to let you do that. Your life is here, mine isn't."
"My life is with you."
"I'm sorry Kira, but I will not let you go with me no matter how much I wish you could."
"How long are you in town?" She asked wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I was only planning on staying here long enough to explain myself to everyone and then leave but I know you are performing tommorrow night so I figured I could catch one last show before I leave."
"We should get all of us together one more time before you leave. For old times sake."
"I'm staying with Tommy and Kim so I'll ask them tonight and knowing Ethan he'll be there. I'm sure Hayley will close the place down like she used to."
"Let's ask her right now."
With that they made their way to the counter and saw Hayley with a big smile on her face.
"Hey you two. I see you told Kira the truth finally."
"Yeah I did, we were wondering if you could help us with something Hayley?"
"What's up?"
"Well, Conner isn't staying. He was going to leave once he talked to everyone but since I have a show tommorrow he said he would stay and leave after the show. We were wondering if after the show you could close the place down like you used to and have it be just us for old times sake."
"That sounds like a great idea. You got it."
"Thanks Hayley." They said in unison.
(Friday Night)
The old crew was together at their familiar table watching Kira perform. As he watched her, Conner couldn't help but notice just how beutiful she was. He had forgotten just how angelic her voice can be and the way she presented herself onstage. Much like she had told him the day before that her life was with him, his life was with her but he knew that couldn't be. As she finished her last few songs, Conner knew that the time was coming when he would have to leave again but this time he would actually say goodbye. Once done and offstage, Hayley announced that the place was closing and everyone started to pile out the doors. Once everyone had vacated the cafe, the closed sign was put in the window and everyone just talked with each other for what seemed like ages.
Two hours later everyone was sitting at the table once again but they were in their own conversations amongst each other.
Conner, Kira and Ethan were talking about what Conner was going to do once he left and about how to keep in touch with each other. Hayley, Tommy and Kim were just talking about little things that really had no significance when Tommy felt something blow by his neck but he dismissed it instantly. About two minutes later, he felt it again and this time he wasn't the only one.
"Kim, did you feel that?"
"Yeah, I did. Hayley, did you leave a window open?"
When they looked up at Hayley, the saw her eyes wide and face pale.
They turned to see what Hayley was looking at and they too went pale faced and wide eyed.
"Oh my god." Kimberly said bringing her hands to her mouth in shock.
"What the hell?" Was all that Tommy could say.
TBC. Next chapter is the last one.