Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Power Rangers…this is for entertainment only!!

Funky in Fishnet—I just want to say thanks for the flattering comments…every time I see a review from you, I smile. Thank you so much!

What is going on with our couples? Since when does Jen give Wes the cold shoulder?

Enjoy ch 3! Leave a review as always!!

Steph

Never Again

'What the hell did I do?' Jen asked herself. She had been nervous about seeing Wes again, and she had a case of butterflies in her stomach.

Jen closed the door to her room, and flicked on the light. It wasn't like one of the normal rooms. It was a big bigger, and it had a bathroom. Outside was a balcony with a few chairs. On the desk was a computer, where her equipment was placed.

She sighed as she placed a bag on the bed. Jen and Katie had gone shopping for some 21st century clothes, but Jen didn't fail to notice that her same outfit from three years ago somehow found itself into her bag, the one Alex put on the time ship. Jen placed the bag upon the bed and began to unpack, unsure of how long she would be here this time.

A knock came from behind her door, followed by a voice. "Jen?" It was Katie. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Jen said. Katie walked in to see her best friend pull off her Time Force jacket and place it on the bed. "What's up?"

Katie gave her a look. "You okay, Jen?" Katie asked. Jen didn't answer. "It's Wes isn't it?"

Jen sighed. "Would it be wrong if I said yes?" Jen walked over to her dresser and placed a few pairs of pants into its drawers, then sat down on the bed.

"There's nothing wrong with that, Jen. We all knew it'd be hard for you. Coming back here, and seeing him. I know you better then you think." Katie said as she sat down on the bed, next to Jen. "And if there's one thing I know, Jen, it's that you still love Wes."

Jen jumped up and threw her hands up in protest. At the same time, a stream of tears came from her eyes. "I—don't have feelings for him, Katie." She sighed heavily. "Besides. I---we can't be together. We live in two different time periods."

Katie just stared at her. "Since when did that stop you from trying to con Logan into letting you come back here permanently? Since when have you not talked about him or said his name at least once every day for the past three years? Since when…"

"All right! I get it." Jen walked over to the glass doors that led out to the balcony. "Besides, I have Alex now." Jen's attitude was just as act, as far as Katie was concerned.

"Then tell me you don't love him, Jen." Katie got up in Jen's face. "Tell me you aren't in love with Wes anymore."

Jen stood staring at her, eyes hard.

But Katie got no answer.

Downstairs

Alex sat on the couch, fiddling with the remote. "Why can't the televisions of this time just have a voice activated remote?" he muttered.

"I'm sorry of we can't accommodate your needs." A voice said. Alex turned around to see Eric walk in, a grin on his face.

"Is there something you need?" Alex asked. His tone was a bit heavy.

Eric sighed. "Actually, yes. I'm doing some…research."

"And? What do you need to find out?" Alex stood up.

"I've known Wes for as long as I can remember, and he's been with a few girls, know what I mean?" Eric crossed his arms, while Alex's face was neutral. "Guess not. Anyway, I haven't seen him so beat up about a girl since Jen left. And I hate seeing him like this. He also told me about you and Jen. I want to have one thing cleared up before any real trouble starts."

"If you want to know if there is something going on between Jennifer and I, your answer is…"

"Alex!" Jen came charging in to see Eric. "We have trouble."

Alex nodded. "Right. Let's move." He turned to Eric. "We'll finish this chat later."

At the park

Deaton smiled as splinters from a tree came flying. "This is great. I love the smell of destruction in the morning!" He fired at another tree, sending pieces of wood flying.

"Hold it right there, Deaton!" the mutant turned around to see who was interrupting his fun. His grin disappeared as the Time Force rangers came up to him, with Alex right behind them, but he wasn't a ranger.

"So, Rangers. We meet again." Deaton said.

The Red ranger stepped forward. "Yes. Now, Deaton. Why don't you just give it up and make it easy on us and yourself."

A grin came to the mutant's face. "Now, Red Ranger, where's the fun in that?"

Wes watched Jen's fists clench up. "Besides…." The mutant continued. "I have a mission to destroy you, and stop Time Force from existing!" he fired his weapon at the rangers, causing them to fall to the ground.

"I hate it when they do that." Lucas muttered.

"You're going down!" Jen called. "Chrono saber!" the rest of the rangers followed her.

"Quantum Defender, blade mode!" Eric said. The six rangers charged in at the mutant, hoping to defeat him.

But their wanting got the best of them. Once it looked like he was beaten, their fight took a turn down a wild path.

Deaton took out a hidden blaster, and aimed it. "You're finished rangers!" He aimed at Wes first.

Wes's eyes grew wide as Deaton aimed the blaster his way. "Good bye, Red Ranger."

He pulled the trigger. Wes squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the blast, but instead he heard someone else cry. He watched painfully as Jen pushed him out of the way and took the full force of the blast.

"Jen!" Alex cried out. He ran to her side where she demorphed, and passed out in his arms.

From across the path Wes watched her take the shot, and turned his head. He shuttered at the sound of her yell. He saw Alex run to her, worry in his voice.

And he watched Deaton laugh as she fell. 'She doesn't deserve this.' Wes thought. He called for his saber and charged for Deaton.

"You're going to pay for that!" Wes called.

Deaton laughed harder. "For what, Red Ranger?"

"You know what." Wes said darkly.

"For your little girlfriend, she deserve what she had coming to her."

Wes shook. "Like I said before, you are going down!" Wes charged for him, only to have Deaton smile evily and vanish into thin air. "Damn it!" Wes yelled.

Deaton's voice drifted off into the wind. "Until we meet again."

Wes powered down and turned around, to see Alex holding Jen's motionless body, a few tears sparkled in his eyes. Katie, Trip and Lucas were also there. Eric stood nearby calling commands to the Guardians, and looked at Wes. Eric motioned for Wes to go over, but Wes didn't move.

"We need to get her back home. She needs medication and a few stitches." Alex said. He sniffed.

"Come on, guys." Lucas said. The rangers looked at Wes, who watched Alex pick Jen up and carry her off to the car.

"Why am I always the cause?" Wes asked himself.

Back at the Collins Mansion

Wes sat on the couch, his mind wondering about Jen. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Wes." Lucas said. Wes tried to smile, but he found smiling difficult.

"Hi." Wes muttered.

Lucas sighed and sat next to his friend, and saw Wes's face. "She'll be okay, Wes. Trip has her on some meds and Alex is watching her…" Lucas trailed off as Wes closed his eyes. "Listen, Wes." Lucas began. "I know that you and Jen are close, and I know what's on your mind."

"And what would that be?" Wes asked.

Lucas grunted. "If Jen and Alex are back together." Wes's silence confirmed his suspicion.

"My guess is yes, right? I saw the way she looked at me. Like I was a ghost." He got up, his voice hurt. "That's all she'll ever see me as." Wes muttered and walked out, leaving Lucas alone in the room.

"There's more to it, Wes." Lucas muttered and went into the kitchen, where dinner was being served.

The next morning

Wes walked down into the kitchen the next morning and saw his friends from the future sitting around chatting happily. But he didn't fail to notice that there were two people missing from this.

"Morning Wes!" a young brunette smiled and kissed him.

"Uh, hi Jess." Wes said. Jessica saw something in his eyes.

"Sweetie, everything okay?" She asked. Wes nodded as the sound of the side door opening reached his ears.

"Jen, you need to take it easy! You're going to hurt yourself more then you are." Alex's voice reached Wes's ears.

"I'm fine, Alex." Jen called as she walked into the kitchen to see Wes and Jessica deep in conversation. "Morning, guys." She greeted her rangers.

"Hi Jen." Trip responded. "I see someone's feeling better."

Jen took a cup out from the cabinet and walked over to the fridge. "Yea. Except, I don't think that Alex will be working out for a while."

Lucas laughed "And why is that?"

Just then Alex walked in, and was obviously sore. Trip winced. "What happened to you?"

"Got into a fight with a pissed off Lieutenant." Alex motioned to Jen as she poured orange juice into a cup.

"And why are you so mad, Jen?" Katie joined the conversation.

Jen swallowed her mouthful of juice. "I'm not mad. More like…"

"Stressed out?" Wes suggested. He had been standing there the whole time, quiet. Jen looked at him, uncertainty in her eyes.

"Yea." She said quietly. She took a sip of orange juice.

Jessica looked at the Time Force ranger from the future. Her pink t-shit stuck tightly to her skin, giving a compliment to her well-toned upper body. Her face was beautiful. 'Now I see why Wes loved her so much.'

Jessica stuck out her hand. "Jessica Rubinstein. I'm Wes's girlfriend." There seemed to be an emphasis on girlfriend.

Jen's face dropped, and Wes saw this instantly, but didn't say anything. "Jen Scotts." Jen shook her hand.

"So, you're with Team Force, or whatever it's called." Jessica asked.

Wes chuckled to himself. Jen just shook her head. "Yes, I am with Time Force." Jen said. "Who do you think gave Wes is morpher?"

"I'm not that stupid." Jessica protested. Jen tried to suppress a giggle, while Wes let it out in the open.

"Come on, Jess. I've only told you about Jen for what, the last three years?" Wes put his arms around her waist and kissed her.

Jen watched him do this with a knife tearing at her heart.

From behind the wall, Alex saw this as well, and saw Jen's face as Wes kissed his girlfriend. 'That's right, Wes. Just keep on kissing her.'

Alex walked up to his room, with a mischievous smile on his face and he thought of his plan for getting Jen back.

A few hours later

It was a cool December evening as the rangers settled back into their rooms. All except one.

Jen sighed as she walked out of the hallway and onto the balcony that overlooked the pool. It was just past 11:00PM, the air was a chilly 40 degrees.

"Aren't you cold?" a voice asked. Jen turned around to see a familiar mop of dirty blonde hair behind her.

"Once you spend two months in basic training in 25 degree weather, the cold doesn't bother you as much as it normally would." Jen chuckled. For a few moments, it was a dead silence on the balcony. Wes looked at Jen, she had few bruises still visible, and there were a few stitches leftin her arm.

Wes did as well and stood next to her. He sighed. "Couldn't sleep?"

Jen shook her head. "Nope."

"Why is that?" Wes asked. Jen shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, really. It's just one of those nights when you can't fall asleep even if someone drugged you." Jen paused. "It happens to me occasionally. When I have a lot on my mind."

"I know what you mean." Wes said. "I've been thinking a lot lately."

Jen chuckled. "Tell me about it. It's a combination of lack of sleep, stress, and god only knows what." There was more silence, and with that, the tension level was rising.

"So how have you been?" Wes asked.

Jen shrugged. "Fine. Time Force came through with the promotion, as you can see."

"And how's Alex?" Wes was afraid of the answer.

"He's the same hard ass as he was three years ago." Jen chuckled. So did Wes. "How've you been?"

"I'm doing good. Jessica and me have been seeing each other for a few months." Wes saw Jen sighed.

"She's pretty." Jen's voice was quiet.

'But not as pretty as you, Jen.' Wes thought to himself.

He looked at her; Jen's head was bowed. He watched her shiver from the night air. "Here." Wes took off his coat and put it around her.

"I can't take it, Wes. Keep it." Jen's voice shivered.

"Hypothermia isn't worth it." Wes put the coat on her shoulders, but Jen was still cold. "Come here." Wes opened his arms to her, and hugged her.

Wes closed his eyes as he felt her arms go around his waist as he took in her soft vanilla scent. "Warming up?"

"Yea. I'm feeling better." Jen said. She looked at him, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "I want to apologize for the other day, Wes. I acted stupid.' Jen drew in a breath. "I was just…"

"Scared to see you again." Wes filled in. He took her hand in his. "I felt the same way the moment that you showed up." He felt her shudder.

"You have Jessica now, Wes." Jen whispered. "We can't fight for each other, Wes. We can't have each other."

"Why, Jen?" Wes asked. Jen felt his breath on her lips.

Jen lost her words. "Because we…"

Wes inched closer, hoping she wouldn't turn her head.

Jen tried to speak. "I---"

He was millimeters from her. Jen just stared into his baby blue eyes and lost herself in a jungle of emotions.

Then Wes kissed her. Jen had no time to react, even if she wanted to. His warm lips caressed hers ever so tenderly, and ever so passionately.

Wes hoped Jen wouldn't turn away, but instead, she stood there, letting the sensation wash over her, sending a tingle up her spine.

Then Wes pulled away, and looked at her. But what he saw surprised him. Jen had tears in her eyes, and she was shaking.

"What's wrong Jen?" Wes asked.

Jen drew in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Wes. I can't." Jen turned to walk off, but Wes didn't want her to go. Instead, he grabbed her arm, hoping to stop her.

And she did. Jen turned around and kissed him deeply, but pulled back.

She stared him right in the eye. "Never again, Wes." He saw the passion in her eyes, but her fright in her voice. "Never again."

Jen stood there for a second more, then turned on her heel and left, tears streaming down her face.

Wes was left on the balcony by himself, confused of the events before. He had made himself a promise that of he ever saw Jen again; he'd say that he didn't love her anymore.

And he broke that promise in just one breath. 'What the hell possessed me to do that? Why did I kiss her?' Wes asked himself. He shook his head and made his way back to his room.

Once securely behind the door, Wes lay down in his bed. Jessica was there as well, sound asleep and unaware of Wes's rendezvous with Jen.

Jessica rolled over and sighed contently as she began to snore. Wes looked at her, but soon another person's face came to rest itself on Jessica's.

Wes sighed heavily and sat down on the chair by the sliding glass door. For a while, he watched the moon, and Jen's words repeating over inside his head. 'Never again, Wes. Never again.'

He closed his eyes. He had let his wanting become the most of him, and now he may have driven Jen farther away from him. He kept wondering why he had kissed her.

With one more sigh, Wes closed his eyes and fell asleep. "I shouldn't have kissed her." Wes whispered. "I shouldn't have kissed her…"

ch 4 up soon…