I dunno why I'm updating so quickly, lol.. Guess all the feedback's got me all hyped up!

Thanks AGAIN for taking an interest.

Well, here's chap. four. Enjoy.

(Dawn will be getting hers all in good time. I just can't get rid of her just yet). Just be patient. :-)

"What the hell are you doing?"

The lighthearted mood and the former rangers' smiles faded. They disentangled and looked to see Dawn standing in the doorway, hands on her hips and fire in her eyes. Kim would bet every cent she had that smoke could come outta the blonde's nose.

Dawn stalked up to the longtime friends and glared at the woman she saw as a threat. "Tell me something. Have you ever managed to not touch Jason when he's around? Can you or is it just physically impossible?" she said hotly.

Kim looked at the other woman as if she were an annoying gnat. "It's called 'two friends sharing a hug'. Friends do that, you know," she said in annoyance. Where the hell had Jason dug this girl up?

"I know that," Dawn snapped. "I have friends."

"Where? Chicago's most popular silly bin?" Kim said, cocking a brow. She refused to let this woman get to her.

Amusement filled Jason. But he ignored it because he knew now wasn't exactly the time to be laughing. Dawn looked at him. "Well?" she said.

"Well, what?" he said dully.

"Are you gonna let her talk to me like that?" Dawn snapped.

"Yeah," he said simply. Why shouldn't he? Dawn had initiated this. He wasn't about to defend her ridiculous, petty actions to anybody.

Dawn's eyes widened and a fury she hadn't felt in years filled her. "I don't believe you!" she exclaimed just as Rocky walked in.

Rocky's eyebrows shot up. What the hell had he walked in on here? "Is everything all-" he began.

Dawn whirled around to face him. She couldn't contain her fury. "No," she snapped. "Everything's not all right! The man who claims to love me is against me! Does that sound all right to you? Does it? Maybe it does if you're an adoring fan of Kim's. You love her and the hell with everyone else!Isn't that the way it works? Did I get it right?" she raved, flailing her arms.

Rocky's jaw dropped. Wow! He looked at Kim- who rolled her eyes and shook her head. Dawn just seemed laughable and pathetic. She continued to talk to Rocky.

"I live with him! We share a life. But does that matter even a little? No! Why did we even come to California? So he could drool over his secret desire? I can't believe he's doing this to me. I will not be humiliated. I won't. He's no better than Marc," she said angrily as memories came rushing into her whirling mind.

'Who's Marc? Personality number eleven?' Rocky wondered.

Dawn looked at Jason, her eyes blazing. "Aren't you gonna say anything?" she asked harshly.

He just looked at her. She growled and stamped her foot. Rocky took a step back and eyed Dawn strangely. "Dammit, Jason. It takes two to make a relationship. Are you with me or not? Because I'll hop on the first flight back to Chicago and have my things outta the apartment if that's what you truly want. Is it?" she demanded.

"I wanna enjoy being home and that's what I'm gonna do," he said. He wasn't gonna play any games or get into talks about their relationship right now. Not right now. He'd just gotten back to AG and he only had two weeks. He was gonna make the most of it. That's all he knew. But he wasn't gonna let her attack Kim whenever she felt like it. "Remember when I said 'back off' at the airport? Use that advice now," he said.

"What? I'm not gonna-" she began.

"You are. Leave Kim alone. She's given you no reason to come after her the way you have," Jason said. Protecting Kim was just second nature to him.

"Maybe I just won't say another word to her. How's that?" Dawn said bitterly.

"Whatever works," Jason said.

"Maybe I will go to Chicago," Dawn said in a threatening tone.

Kim and Rocky looked at Jason. "Do what you want," Jason said.

Dawn blinked at his tone. She'd actually believed he'd try and stop her. "You can't really mean that," she said.

"I'm not in a game-playing mood, Dawn. Just leave Kim alone. I'm serious," he said, looking into her eyes. He wasn't about to go and scream his head off because he'd be giving her what she was obviously looking for at the moment.

Dawn walked up to him. "Jason, how can you blame for me going off? You know what I've gone through. Marc-" she was saying.

"Is not an excuse for everything. If you were in such a bad way, therapy would've been the solution," Jason said.

"Therapy? I am not crazy!" she exclaimed.

'You keep telling yourself that, honey,' Kim thought.

"Did you hear the word 'crazy' come outta my mouth?" Jason asked coolly.

"You implied-" Dawn began.

"No, you just heard what you wanted. This is stupid, Dawn. Why don't you go back into the den?" he said. It was more of a command than a suggestion. He wasn't gonna deal with her in front of his friends.

Dawn opened her mouth to retort, but, the look on his face stopped her dead in his tracks. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'I said I'd be cool. I have to be. If not, I'll lose him for sure. Maybe he's gonna break up with me anyway. I just have to keep that from happening. And I will. I don't care what I have to do. I'll do anything. I'll play it his way- for now,' she thought, now feeling strangely calm. She nodded. "That's a good idea, Jason," she said.

Then, she smiled at Rocky. "I hope you don't think I'm a loon," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Uh-" he began. But Dawn turned her focus to Kim- who was prepared for anything.

'Bring it on, Schizo,' Kim thought, watching Dawn carefully.

She smiled at Kim. "I've been awful to you twice already and it's wrong. I'm so sorry," she said, shaking her head slowly.

Kim continued to stare at her. Dawn was kidding herself if she thought Kim would really accept this apology. No friggin' way.

Dawn lifted her eyebrows and laughed. "I don't blame you for not saying anything, but, I really am sorry. Hopefully, you'll come to believe that," she said.

"Why don't you go back into the den like Jason said?" Kim said calmly.

"Right. Right," Dawn said, nodding. Then, she turned to leave. Rocky quickly stepped outta her way.

"I don't understand a single thing that just happened here," Rocky said slowly after she exited the room.

Kim snorted. "Join the club," she said.

Jason shook his head. "I've gotta use the bathroom," he said, then, headed outta the kitchen. Kim stared after him.

Rocky walked up to her. "Okay, she's obviously jealous of you. And a former student at the Laughing Academy," he said.

Kim laughed. "Agreed," she said. "I just wonder when Jason will see it."

"I can't see Jase really wanting a woman like that," Rocky said, shaking his head slowly.

Kim thought for a moment. "Maybe he doesn't," she said. Rocky looked at her and she sighed. "I've known Jason a long time, Rocky."

"Longer than any of us," he said, nodding.

"Yeah," she said, leaning against the counter. "But I don't know if he's really in love with her or he just thinks he is, you know? Or maybe he's just used to her."

"It happens," he said.

"For sure. I can't just make Jason drop her. But you better believe I'm definitely gonna be keeping a close eye on her from here on out," Kim said seriously. She didn't like making hasty judgments of people. But, she didn't like Dawn at all and she had a pretty strong feeling that wouldn't change.

"You and I both," Rocky said. Crazy wasn't even the word for Dawn.

"We should tell the others, too. But, then, we probably won't have to. I'm sure Dawn'll go off about something in front of them," Kim said.

"Yeah. Maybe she'll get in argument with one of her least favorite personalities or something," Rocky said. Kim laughed and he shook his head. "One thing's for sure, though, if her head starts spinning and she spits up pea soup, I'm doing backflips outta here," he said, causing his friend to laugh harder.

Stay tuned.