Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Season: Six years post-DT

Pairing: Conner/Kira

Dedication: Jorjitosbabe for the idea and all ye KirCo shippers!

Challenge: Conner/Kira

Okay, folks. Here's another one featuring my absolute favorite pairing of Conner and Kira. I don't know what draws me to these two, maybe it's the dynamic they held from the very first episode, but all I know is, I don't care what the show implied involving Kira and Trent, Conner and Kira are meant to be in my book! Just to let you know, there will me more KirCo coming up.

Thanks for the reviews!

At the Expense of the Door

Kira Ford glowered at the pad in front of her, ignoring the ringing of her cell phone, the ringtone denoting a one pig-headed individual she had known since high school, dated since sophomore year of college, and served with as a ranger that she would rather not mention for sake of her sanity. She was pissed. No, she was beyond pissed. She was…confuddedly pissed. Okay, so that wasn't a form of pissed, but she was a Grammy award-winning musician, and she was using her proverbial artistic licensing. So, being a musician, she poured her feelings out through the only way she knew how: in a song. Her pencil flew across the lined paper, dictating the immense frustration she possessed for the one Conner McKnight. Normally, her rage would be caused by something Conner did. But, nope, not this time. This time it was something he didn't do. And by heaven if she were to stand for it.

Tapping the eraser of the pencil against her teeth, Kira pondered the next line to the cutting new single she creating. The title? "So Much For 'Happiness'" That's right, so much for happiness. So much for the joy she felt every time his arms wrapped around her. So much for the giddyness that raced through her heart when he turned that smile in her direction. So much for the soaring of her stomach everytime he whispered "I love you." Yup, so much for happiness. So, what rhymed with maimed…

xxx

Conner McKnight ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Onlookers paused to stare at the soccer star, wondering what the Olympic gold-medalist could be so annoyed at. Snapping his cell-phone closed, Conner growled at time. If only he could turn back the clock forty-five minutes earlier, he wouldn't be clogging up Kira's voice mailbox with messages. Okay, so it was his fault that she stormed out of the restaurant he was supposed to be meeting her at hurt and confused. Loosening up the scarlet tie around his neck, he immediately jumped into his Mustang convertible and floored the gas, racing to her apartment. As the wind ruffled his hair, Conner mentally cursed himself. If only his mind wasn't so scattered, he would have been wary of the time. If only he wasn't such a doofus. If only he could just talk to Kira. Then, everything would make sense. She would understand why he was so late, why it seemed like he had stood her up.

Screeching into a parking space right outside her lodgings, Conner jumped out of the Mustang, not bothering to open the door or lock the car. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure no one was watching before activating his super-speed, racing up the stairs to the door of Kira's apartment. As he stood before the opening, pondering whether to demand entrance or beg and plead for forgiveness, Conner gathered his wits, knowing that this was the only time the famous McKnight charm would not be able to get him out of this mess. Taking a deep breath heavy with anticipation, Conner raised his fist and pounded on the door.

xxx

Kira's streak of creativity broke abruptly as the harsh knocking permeated her apartment, and Conner's desperate voice floated through the closed door.

"Kira! I know you're in there! Let me in."

Storming to the doorway, Kira screamed at the block of wood both in front of her and behind the door, "No way, Conner! You swore you'd be there! You promised me this would be our day! Is it so hard to set aside two hours of your day to see me?"

A loud sigh hefted through the entryway as the former red ranger breathed out, "I know but I kind of got sidetracked. Please, just let me in."

"Oh, 'sidetracked?' By whom? Another one of your bimbo floozies you claim to be 'just friends' with?"

Behind the door, Conner's anger flared at the remark, "Dammit, Kira! Where the hell did that come from? When have I ever been unfaithful to you?"

"I don't know, Conner. Tales of your conquests circled around Reefside pretty often. Why don't you tell me where you were while I waited for you for almost an hour?" Kira's eyes pooled with the unshed tears she hated to admit were there.

"That was high school almost six years ago! Kira, just open the goddamn door!"

"Go to hell, McKnight!"

Conner took a deep breath, steadying his temper, "Kira, if you don't open this door by the count of three, I am going to break the damn thing down!"

Kira's eyes flared, challenging the soccer star, "Fine! Go ahead, Jockboy!"

"One…"

"Keep dreaming, Conner. I'm not opening the door!"

"Two…"

"Do yourself a favor and just leave!"

"Three…" When the door stayed shut, Conner shrugged, sighing in defeat, and retreated backwards. Kira stared at the door, sensing the silence behind it. The tears trickled down her cheeks as she realized he had really gone. A loud crash echoed through the room, and her head snapped up to witness a disgruntled Conner clambering through the doorway that was now devoid of a certain rectangle of wood, brushing the saw dust off his suit. Kira gaped, unable to form a coherent sentence, her eyes flicking from the tall man in front of her to the remains of her entryway. Finally, the words spluttered from her disbelieving lips.

"You idiot! You broke my door!"

Tossing her an exasperated look, Conner raised an eyebrow, "What? Didn't I warn you?"

Kira seethed, "Oh, so this is the only time you follow through with your word?" Poking the soccer star in the chest with an accusing finger, Kira growled, "I don't think you're getting me, Conner. You." She gestured to the pile of splinters that was formerly a functioning means of access, "Door." Her hand flew to the empty space that gave her a pleasant but unwanted view of the ocean, "Broken." Finished, she placed her hands on her hips, "And do you think I'm going to pay for that?"

Conner shook his head in bemusement, "I can't believe we're arguing about a door!"

Whirling, Kira advanced on her former leader, "No, I can't believe you stood me up!"

Conner's hands flew skyward in a helpless gesture, "I didn't 'stand you up!' I forgot to do something that was really important, and I needed to take care of it!"

"What the hell could be more important than celebrating our five-year anniversary?"

Conner growled, his amber eyes ablaze with frustration and impatience, "How about sealing it with the promise of, say, forever?"
Kira's mouth plummeted to the ground as she stared at her boyfriend, the words unable to surface to actually be vocalized. Conner towered before her, his hands jammed in his pockets, breathing heavily, his stare gazing at her expectantly. Finally, she was able to function. Lashing out, she struck Conner hard on the chest.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"God! You are such an idiot! How the hell was I supposed to know you were going to do…that?"

Conner grinned, "You could have stuck around to find out."

"Of all the times to…y'know. I don't know how I live with you." Kira fell heavily on the couch, glaring at him though the tears that streaked down her cheeks. Conner scooted closer to her, descending down to rest on one knee, drawing out a velvet box. He opened it to reveal a five-carat round-cut diamond set between two smaller canary diamonds atop a platinum band encrusted with even more stones.

"Marry me."

It took all of Kira's resolve to keep the scowl on her face "No. I'm supposed to be mad at you."

Conner leaned in, gently brushing a kiss to the corner of her down-turned mouth, "Marry me."

Kira could feel the anger she clung to webb away, "We can't. We fight all the time."

Conner shrugged, "So? You can't say you don't like the make-up sex."

"How can we live like that?"

Pressing a velvet-soft kiss to her forehead, Conner looked deep into her hazel eyes, "We managed five years of it. Marry me."

"You broke my door."

"And I can't fix it?" Ghosting another kiss against her scowling lips, Conner gently stroked her damp cheek, demanding one last time.

"Marry me."

Kira stared hard at the man before her for a long moment, letting the suspense build. After a lengthy pause, she shook her head, relenting, "Fine." Allowing the smile to bloom on her face, Kira darted in to devour his lips with hers, throwing her arms around his neck. Slipping the ring around her finger, Conner hoisted her up off the couch, swinging her around. Setting her on the floor, he cradled her cheek, leaning down to recapture her lips in a loving caress. Conner nudged her nose with his.

"So, have I mentioned I'm sorry?"

Kira smiled, "No, but I'd say this is better. You've gotta find a way to top a propsal the next time I'm pissed." Gazing deep into the honey spheres of her fiancee, Kira pulled him down for another liplock, their arms clinching tightly around each other. Pulling away, Conner rested his forehead lightly on Kira's smirking with mischief.

"So, how about that make-up sex?"

Kira smiled, teasingly nibbling on his bottom lip, "Fine, but you're paying for that door."

Ah, happy endings. Have I mentioned I love Conner and Kira? Mark my words, they were made for each other. If they end up together during the DT/SPD teamup, that I am waiting for with bated breath, by the way, I will die of happiness. So there you go. Keep the challenges coming. I look forward to them.

Roxie