A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Please keep them coming.

Comfort

Chapter 4

The pair of friends continued to watch the movie. Adam started to nod off slightly, but woke himself enough to get another cup of coffee hoping it would help. Rocky was loving every minute of the Rudolph DVD. Adam couldn't help but think back to when they were kids in this exact same situation. Their families would often celebrate Christmas Eve together, and Rocky and Adam, along with Aisha, would stay up late and watch all the Christmas cartoons. They would typically fall asleep on the couch, and would find themselves at home when they woke up. Adam smiled at the memory, and wished life was still that simple.

Soon after the movie ended, the pair heard tires on the gravel driveway, and knew that Katherine had arrived. They smiled and headed outside to greet their Australian friend.

Katherine looked up and grinned as she shut her white Jeep door. "I can't believe you two are still awake."

"Eh, it's only five in the morning. You could've just waited to get here later you know?" Rocky laughed.

Katherine headed up the front steps and hugged her ranger teammates. "Oh I just couldn't wait to see you guys. It has been so long."

"Only six months. It would've only been three weeks had you shown up for the wedding," Rocky said as the trio headed inside.

"Speak for yourself Rocky," Adam laughed. "It has been over a year for me since we've seen each other."

"I'm sorry!" Katherine said. "You know, things come up."

"Or things don't come up but you think the team hates you," Adam smirked. Katherine rolled her eyes as Rocky took her bag from her and placed it next to the door to the guest room.

"It isn't that I think they hate me, Adam. It is just that I was never that close to Trini. And Billy and I lost touch over the years."

"And that explains why I haven't seen you in a year?"

Katherine sighed. "Well you know. Stuff and things. Plus, you also kept yourself hidden."

"That's cause he was in love," Rocky mocked. Adam groaned. Katherine raised an eyebrow while pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"What? And why haven't I heard about this 'til now?"

"Cause none of us did. Except Kim evidently."

"Of course, Kimberly finds out something before I do again."

Adam and Rocky rolled their eyes at Katherine's dig. While Katherine considered Kimberly a friend, she had always felt second best. She felt that the team would have rather had kept Kim on the team than have Katherine replace her. Adam and Rocky were the only two that ever really seemed to give her a chance and give as much consideration to her as they did Kimberly.

"Kat, it wasn't that I chose to tell Kim. She found out and I had to tell her," Adam said.

Rocky chuckled. "I'll let you give him a hard time about this Kat. I've gotten my digs in already. I'm going to take a quick shower just to wake myself up a bit." With that, Rocky headed up the stairs to the bathroom that Adam and he would be sharing for the next few days.

"Come on, you can help me unpack and tell me all about this great love of yours," Katherine said and pulled Adam into the guest room with her.

"The love is over. Has been for a couple of months," Adam said as he flopped onto the guest bed.

"Really? What happened?"

"An affair."

"That's horrible!" Katherine said as she sat down on the bed with her friend.

"Yeah. Stung for a while. Kim came and took care of me for a week."

"Well I'm glad at least someone was there for you," Katherine said trying to hide her hurt that Adam hadn't told her.

"Yeah I guess. Still hurts a bit."

"Well, what was her name?"

Adam took a deep breath.

"There was no her," he said. Katherine gave him a strange look.

"What?"

"There was no her. His name was Derek."