Backwaters

Part Eleven: Explanations Don't Come Easy

By: Kryptonite

Disclaimer: Would I still be writing this if I owned Power Rangers? No! It'd be on TV with me playing Riley and getting all cozy with Johnny Yong Bosch dreamy look

Spoilers: Only slight if any at all. I won't have a whole lot of reminiscing so this shouldn't be a real concern.

Summary: AU. Kimberly's back after two years in Florida and five in hiding in her old house. She has a younger sister and everything past MMPR is void. It never happened. The Rangers aren't needed anymore and they all have their own lives. The following pairings will be present this whole thing: Jason/Kimberly, Tommy/Kat, Billy/Trini, Adam/OC, Rocky/Aisha and possibly Zack/OC, but I'm not sure if he'll show up.

A/N: Okay the symptoms (and treatment) that I've given Riley actually do sort of fit with her disease; same with Kimberly, though I haven't talked about her sickness much. I will continue this night because I have an idea of what I want to happen next. All the other rangers are still out and about (who knows, they might run into Zack!)

"Riley?" Adam questioned quietly. He was sitting on the floor in front of the couch staring at a blank TV screen.

"Yeah?" She whispered back. Adam reached a hand back to rest it gently on her cheek as he twisted around to look into her extremely close eyes. He took a deep breath before pushing his neck forward to touch his forehead to hers.

"Will you please tell me what's wrong?" Riley pulled back before sitting up. Adam sat back a little bit, turning his entire body around to face her. Riley took deep breaths to calm herself down before looking towards the kitchen where Bryan had disappeared just a few moments before.

"I'm dying." Riley said the words calmly and quietly but they were like a sledgehammer to Adam, knocking the breath out of his chest. Tears pricked at Riley's eyes as she watched the look on Adam's face. She hadn't wanted to tell him.

Adam saw the shine in her eyes and pulled her gently onto the floor with him. Bryan started to come back into the living room but backtracked into the kitchen to let Adam and Riley have their moment. Adam continued stroking Riley's hair as tears finally spilled over. It was a while before Riley could talk. Adam let her head rest against his shoulder as he spoke.

"What is it?" Riley sniffed, wiping at her nose. She was silently very glad that she wasn't bleeding.

"Leukemia." Adam's hand paused for a moment but then continued its motions on her long hair.

"What treatments are you using?" Riley pulled back slightly, trying to dry her eyes. It really had been a very long time since she'd felt secure enough to cry for anything. She took a deep shaky breath.

"Bryan come out here please." Bryan looked from behind the swinging door before coming to sit next to the two of them, crammed between the coffee table and the couch. Riley put one arm around him and pulled him closer to her. "Oral chemotherapy. I have pills that are supposed to do something when I get really weak."

"How is it possible that Kim doesn't know about this?"

"Because she doesn't pay attention and I handle the finances for us. She never sees the insurance bill and I pick up the prescriptions for us." Before Adam could ask Riley answered his next question. "She has epilepsy."

"But she was fine when…" Adam trailed off, not knowing exactly how much either Riley or Bryan knew about Kimberly's power ranger days; or exactly how much he was allowed to reveal, now that the Rangers were no longer needed.

"Yeah I know. It was kind of… unexpected. She… was hit over the head kind of hard." Riley was anxious, not wanting to give away her sister's secret. Adam understood and didn't press the issue. The three continued to sit in front of the couch, taking mutual comfort from the others.

Finally Bryan was sent sleepily to bed, Adam and Riley tucking the boy in. "I love you." He mumbled as Riley and Adam both gave him a kiss and a hug before exiting his room.