Thank you, Sierra, for reviewing. There might not be another update for a few weeks since I am having surgery on the 18th and will be laid up in bed for two weeks after that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers or any of its characters.

Recovery

Alex opened his eyes, shielding them with his arm from the blinding light. "Where am I?" he asked the air around him.

"You're in the hospital," Jerry replied.

"What happened? I know it was the car, but…"

"Alex, your leg was shattered and your neck broken. You won't be able to return to work for months."

"For months? I can't take that much time off."

"Don't worry. You'll be fine; you are the best officer on the Force, and you will get back on your feet soon." Alex struggled to sit up. "No, Alex. Lay down."

Alex sank back into the firm pillow, defeated by pain. "I can't just lay in bed for months, Jerry. It's…well, it's boring."

"I'll be back later. There are other people waiting to see you."

"Who?"

"You'll see."

Jerry walked out of the room, leaving Alex waiting. Finally, Captain Logan entered. "Hello, Alex. How are you feeling?"

"Like dirt, sir."

"To be expected. So, Time Force will be down one good officer for a while, eh?"

"Not if I were in charge."

"Well, you're not, Lieutenant Commander. You'll receive pay."

"But why, sir? I wasn't injured on the job."

Logan smiled slightly. "You did not remember to clock out yesterday, so, technically you were still on the job."

"Sweet…" Alex's face turned serious. "But, shouldn't that little error be corrected? I got off work an hour before I even saw Jen."

"You saw Jennifer?" Logan asked, changing the subject. Alex nodded. "How did that meeting go?"

"Not too well, but I can't say it completely went wrong. Sir, she couldn't look me in the eye and tell me she doesn't love me. She got really teary eyed. I – then, she told me it would have been better if you had not brought me back." Alex's eyes looked distant. "That was the worst part. I never thought I would hear such words from her mouth. I never – sir, it's just so hard to understand what made her fall for Wes."

"I understand. Well, you'll have plenty of time to get over it. Maybe she wasn't the one for you."

"Sir, she is; she just doesn't realize it. We spent so much time together, so many wonderful moments. It seemed like it was just us, no Time Force, no Ransik – nothing. Without her, life just seems so bleak. I can't make it without her, sir."

"You will. Several other men have. Well, I must get going." Alex saluted, and Logan left.

Alex began to drift off slowly, but Jesse entered. "Hey, man," he said, knocking fists with Alex.

"Jes, what's up?"

"Nothing much, just worrying about you." Jesse sat down on a chair near the bed.

"Really? I've never been better," Alex joked, lightheartedly.

"I've got some news for you."

"What is it?"

"Jennifer still loves you."

"Don't be crazy. She told me it would have been better if Logan hadn't brought me back."

"Honestly, she was probably telling you that to get you to leave. She couldn't tell me that she didn't love you."

"I'm not holding up hope. It would be but a fool's hope."

"How are you holding up?"

"I don't know. It hurts me to know she does not love me, especially since I took a blade fighting for our future. Of course, my wounds still hurt, even my old one."

"I'm here for you, Alex. I remember what it was like to end it with Jezzi. It hurt, but I got over it...you will get over it, Alex. Just promise me one thing?"

"What?"

"That you will talk to me or someone about how you're feeling. That you won't withdraw from everyone else." Jesse looked down at his friend.

"I promise, though it won't be easy."

"I know it won't be for you, but believe me talking helps, even if to the dark or a journal of some sort. Express your feelings in words; don't keep it bottled up inside like you so often do."

"I won't, Jes. Now, I'm feeling tired. Bye."

"Bye, Alex." Jesse walked out to the waiting room, turning off the light behind him.

# # #

"How is he?" Jen asked anxiously as soon as Jesse came back to the waiting room.

"Tired, I guess. He didn't really say much, but I'd assume that he's as well as can be expected under the circumstances," Jesse replied.

"Do you think he wants to see me?"

"He might. He really doubts that you love him."

"In that case, I won't go in. I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

"Jen, you need to be honest with yourself; you don't want him to know the truth."

"I just want to be his friend, Jesse. At this point, I think I should stay away from him since he's getting over me. Plus, look at my clothing! Not in uniform, but in my clothes from the 21st century. He'll throw a fit."

"You'd be the best thing for him right now, Jen; he wouldn't care about how you're dressed. Please, go in, as a friend."

Jen chewed her lip nervously. "Well, I guess I'll go in, but just to see how he is, nothing more."

"Thank you."

Jen marched into the room, and upon finding doctors in the room checking on Alex, she backed in a corner out of the way. Her eyes watered as she saw his helpless form lying on the uncomfortable hospital bed, but she quickly wiped the tears and composed herself as soon as the doctors left. "Alex, it's me. How are you?" she said softly while taking a seat.

"Jen, you're here," Alex said drowsily with a small smile as he looked out of the corner of his eyes at her.

"But just as a friend."

"Oh." Alex focused his eyes on the ceiling.

"Alex, how are you?"

"Fine, Jen! What do you expect me to feel like? A happy person after all that has happened? If you do, Jennifer, then you are more naïve than I ever thought you could be."

"I'm sorry, Alex! No need to be so defensive! I just wanted to know how you were feeling. You are hurt, afterall. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"

"Nothing, except leave me to suffer alone," he replied harshly.

"You are sure?"

"Yes, Jennifer."

Jen looked away, tears threatening to spill out. He had never said her name so coldly, so like a curse, before, and it hurt more than anything, even losing Wes. She had hoped they could at least be friends, but he could not accept that relationship. She stood and left. "Good-bye, Alex!" she said, her voice wavering.

# # #

Jen sat down on the waiting room chair wearily. She had stayed all night and all day, yet he had shut her out, not even allowing her to be his friend.

"Jen, what's wrong?" Jesse asked as he joined her, handing her a soda.

"He wouldn't even be my friend. He hates me," she sobbed.

"No, he doesn't hate you, Jennifer. Give him some time."

"Time!? I can't give him time. I can't just sit around hoping he will decide to be my friend, to even give this relationship we have time to become something more once again! I have to move on if he is not willing to do so. I can't have Wes or Alex, but I can have someone else. I'm sure there's someone out there for me if neither or them are meant to be mine."

"Jen, just a little time, please? He loves you; you love him. You can't just pick up at friendship like that. If you give him the idea you only want to be his friend, perhaps he'll get over you and move on to someone else. If you still want him, you need to let him know, apologize."

"I can't, Jesse, can't you see? If I do tell him I love him now, he'll have to live with doubts that I really love him, doubts that I may really just be using him as a replacement for Wes. I don't want that for him." Jen turned her face.

Jesse wiped away a tear on her face gently and turned her face toward his. Softly, he said, "Jen, please, just give him a little time. He needs you. I am worried what he will do without you. I am worried he may go back inside his shell and never come out again. He has been wounded so many times. He's scared to let people in. Let him in, Jen. Show him you truly care and be his friend even if he doesn't seem to want you to be. Maybe he wants you to fight for him."

"Or maybe he won't ever let me in again. I've got to go. Katie and I are supposed to go do a news briefing in an hour, and I need to get ready. Good-bye." Jen hurriedly stood and left the hospital. She had made the biggest mistake of her life; she had played the part of a fool, and she would have to live with it one way or another.