Title: Where Your Road Leads
Author: Sarafu
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me.
Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?
Dedication: To Casey with best wishes for a good school year, a good experience, and especially much fic writing. An inspiration and the best thing that happened to me this summer, you amuse me, amaze me, and teach me so much. And the challenges to push myself are something that I appreciate more than I can say.
Chapter 3: Making the Pieces Fit
January 2014
Conner pulled up to the private arena parking lot where several trucks and a tour bus were already parked and chose a spot far away from the other vehicles. As he locked the red Mustang, a voice behind him remarked, "Nice car."
"Thanks." He swung around to find a muscular young man looking at the car with evident admiration.
"So was there something I could help you with?" He wore a tag that named him as crew, but his eyes were wary as he asked the question.
"Where's the stage door? I'm supposed to talk to Jorge or so Kira mentioned at lunch today."
The cloudiness cleared from his expression as the roadie smiled with welcome. "You must be Conner McKnight. Kira said you were coming tonight. I'm Luke, her equipment manager."
"Nice to meet you," Conner said, shaking the proffered hand. "I know how attached she is to her equipment so I don't envy you the job at all. In fact, Ethan and I were practically her first crewmembers."
"We get along fine because I'm a perfectionist when it comes to her equipment. She trusts me with everything but her guitar."
Conner chuckled knowingly. "She doesn't trust anyone with her baby. She's yelled at me more times than I can count."
"I've been there." After sharing commiserating looks, Luke gestured toward a nearby ramp. "Stage door's up that way."
At the top of the ramp, Conner found a guy who was definitely not Jorge guarding the door. "Name and identification!" he barked at the athlete, barely pausing in his discussion with his headset.
Startled, he fumbled for his wallet. "Conner McKnight."
"I still need to see your ID. Got too many people trying to sneak through this way." Conner handed him the driver's license, and the man inspected him from head to toe before he was satisfied. He made a note on the clipboard and handed over a cord that identified him as a guest. "Put this one and don't take it off – security will toss you out faster than you can try to invoke Kira's name. Stay out of the way of the crew as much as possible and find David Lancaster. He can direct you to Kira." He opened the door, and as Conner passed through it, he heard a newly pleasant voice say, "Enjoy the show."
With a shake of his head, Conner walked into a bright room bustling with activity. A dozen different people were using phones, carrying equipment, and examining costumes. Like any outsider, he gaped at the spectacle – he still remembered a time when all Kira needed was her guitar and her voice.
"Hello, Mr. McKnight, I don't know if you remember me."
Conner turned to find David standing stiffly next to him. He sized up the young man, finding him to be somewhat average in the scheme of things and breathed a sigh of relief. This person was no threat to his friendship with Kira, and he gave his charming smile, the one he usually reserved for press interviews and unhappy girlfriends. "Yeah, I do. We just talked last week. You're David, the person who takes such good care of Kira. I want to apologize for the phone call. It was a horrible thing to do to you, and both Kira and Ethan reamed me out for it."
"They both reamed you out?" he questioned with suspicious eyes. He retained the image of Conner's arrogance and the terrible feeling of stupidity that washed over him when he heard Kira's recognition of her best friend. And the cool reminder of his own unprofessional eavesdropping still weighed heavily on his mind though Kira had accepted his apology cheerfully. In fact, he had rarely seen her so happy as she had been since Conner's call and suggestion of lunch. Even now hours after the lunch, she beamed a glorious thousand-watt smile. Not even the news that the concert was oversold affected her marvelous mood.
Conner's smile faded in the wake of his doubt. "Of course they did. With two people like them in your corner, you're very lucky. Trust me on that – they'd defend you with their lives. And they're very good judges of character. Now, are you going to accept my apology or not? It would be much easier than having you stare at me like I'm going to steal your girlfriend and shoot your dog."
David relaxed when he heard the impatient sincerity in the soccer player's voice. It seemed more valid than the carefully worded apology and smile no matter how charismatic. "All right, it seems like a good idea to start over, Mr. McKnight."
"My name is Conner to anyone who puts up with Kira so well."
David wanted to bristle at the insult, but the blatant affection of Conner's tone overrode the strong desire to defend his boss. "If you called him the Sexiest Man on the Planet like Cosmopolitan did, he'd probably even let you call him . . ."
"Kira!" he warned as his face lit up at the sight of her walking in their direction. Her short yellow skirt swirled around her legs, but he only had eyes for her lovely grin and excited eyes.
David stepped back and silently studied the pair who hugged for a long moment. Mutual adoration and respect oozed out of their expressions, and Conner kept a casual arm across Kira's shoulders after the embrace. Whatever might be said about either celebrity, it was clear that they valued each other very much, the same depth of emotion that David saw between Kira and Ethan often. In fact from the way Conner spoke of Ethan, he would bet that they shared the same sort of bond, and David wondered why more people hadn't noticed the link that seemed to be almost more than friendship.
Kira noted his puzzled expression as he tried to work out the mystery. "What's up, David? You look serious. Another problem with the dancers?"
"No, nothing like that." David shifted uncomfortably under her discerning gaze. "I was just thinking that people underestimate the friendship between you guys."
"Yeah, we've always been more like minor footnotes in each other's stories," Conner answered easily. He did not appear to be too concerned with the issue.
"It's because we're never together in public and rarely together in private," Kira added. "It's been like a year and a half since the three of us were in the same room together."
"That can't be right. Has it really been that long?" Conner's amazement seeped into his tone and his expression.
"Yeah, I think it was right after the Olympics before I set off on that first insane tour." Kira turned back to David and said, "No one really has the true story about Conner, Ethan, and I. They have bits and pieces that they've figured out from talking to people we went to school with and from things that we've let slip during interviews. But mostly, they've been so focused on the messy relationship I had with Trent Fernandez that they sort of missed the fact that Conner and Ethan immediately flew to my side when it ended. They saved me quite a bit during that time."
Embarrassed, Conner negated her sentiment with a shake of his head. "You would have done the exact same thing if either of our hearts were broken and kicked the offending party's ass in the process. Not that you gave me the chance to do the same with Trent."
"You've always been too protective of me," she argued. "Besides, Trent was a friend long before he was ever my boyfriend."
"To you maybe, but rarely to Ethan and never to me. And the protectiveness was because I – we love you, Kira," he said heatedly, trying to cover his own accidental slip-up.
Kira let the comment pass, but she filed it away with his oddly tender expression and rushing heartbeat at lunch. Now more than ever, she was convinced that something was up, but there were pieces missing from the puzzle. She glanced at David. "Will you make sure to warn me when it's almost time to start? Conner and I are gonna hang out in my dressing room."
"Always, Kira. It was good to meet you, Conner. Have fun," David replied before he returned to the insanity that surrounded his temporary base of operations.
"Come on, it's back this way, Conner," Kira said, dragging him toward her quiet sanctuary. Determined to solve the mystery of his feelings, she decided to poke and prod until he told her exactly what was going through his head. With the single exception of Power Rangerhood, he was lousy at keeping secrets, a fact that Kira knew she could exploit to her advantage.
"Nice digs," Conner whistled as she shut the door behind him. Too busy surveying the posh surroundings, he missed the click of the lock.
"Once you've seen one dressing room, you've seen them all," she said dismissively.
"Ooh, a fruit basket." He flopped on the couch and started picking grapes from a bunch. "You'd think they would treat us this way when we scrimmage. After all, we're representing the U.S. team."
"You've always expected special treatment," Kira said with a laugh, tossing a nearby towel at his head.
He caught it easily and smirked. "I'm an Olympic gold medalist, one of the best soccer players on the planet, and as you so eloquently pointed out, one of the Sexiest Men on the Planet. Why shouldn't I expect special treatment?"
Kira perched on her chair and tilted her head, watching Conner with somber eyes. "Tell me the truth, Conner – why haven't you ever tried to date someone seriously?"
The sudden shift in conversation was unwelcome to her best friend, and he tried not to let his annoyance show as he replied calmly, "I thought we settled this at lunch, Kira. I haven't met anyone I'd care to have a serious relationship with. I've met perfectly nice women in my quest to date the planet, but they didn't do what I'd need them to do."
"What would you need them to do?" Kira asked.
Make me forget about you, he thought. "Make me feel something besides indifference," he said. "They were nice women, but they weren't balanced enough for me. Either they wanted all the trappings of marriage immediately or they wanted an affair. The whole concept of friendship was beyond them, and that would be the first sign that a relationship could be serious for me."
"But you'd tell me if you met someone, right?" she persisted.
Moving uncomfortably, Conner focused his whole attention on the fruit basket sitting in front of him. "Probably if I thought it was significant enough."
"Even if you thought I wouldn't be happy with your choice?" Her voice was quiet.
"I'd like to think that if I did find someone special, you would like her or at least tolerate her the way I tolerated your psychopathic ex-boyfriend," he answered defiantly, finally meeting her eyes and revealing his own disturbed feelings.
Kira stood with a frown. "Trent isn't the issue here."
"What is the point of this little interrogation then?"
"I'm just trying to understand why you can't find a girlfriend who lasts longer than a couple of months. I mean I've known you for ten years, and you're still a mystery to me."
"Practice your amateur psychology on someone else, please." He was beginning to sound upset.
With a thoughtful smile at him, she ignored his comment. "When you're attracted to someone, you always tell her, right?"
"Usually," he bit out with resignation.
"When don't you tell her?" Kira asked curiously.
"If she's involved with someone else or I think she's going to complicate my life unnecessarily." His flat tone warned her that she was treading on thin ice, but she continued, secure in the knowledge of ten years of friendship.
"What does that mean? Who would complicate your life unnecessarily?"
"Anyone who tried to pry too deep into the past because we've got secrets to protect that are more important than romance. Women who are clingy and jealous and women you or Ethan or Tommy or Hayley or Kim would object to."
"What about friends?"
"What about them?" The dangerous glint in his eye had increased with her question.
"Even though that's what you want, do they complicate life unnecessarily? If you liked Cassidy or Ethan? Would you tell them?"
"Damn, Kira." Conner stood with an explosion of anger and began to pace the small room. "I don't even know how to answer that question. I mean Cassidy was always far too nosy besides being Ethan's high school romance. And Ethan?"
"Well, you did tango with him rather well," she said lightly. "But Conner there are always rumors flying about your sexuality, and it's not just in the tabloids either. I figured it was a valid question."
"If you haven't figured that I'm straight by now, Kira, I think you need to have someone explain the birds and the bees to you again," Conner muttered but he seemed to be cooling down with her logical explanation. "I promise you I have no romantic interest in Ethan, but if I did, would I tell him? Maybe."
"And me? Would you tell me if you were interested in me?" Kira asked the question while he was facing her so she could see his dark eyes.
There was a flash of something unknown in them before he turned away. "Probably not," he stated with absolute certainty.
"Why not? What makes me so different from telling Ethan? I'm your friend, too."
"Kira, you have about fifteen minutes before show time," David called through the door.
Conner turned back to her with relief on his face. "Good. Can we consider this topic closed forever please?"
She wanted to press the point, but she suspected that he would rather be locked in a room with Trent than be forced to explain why he wouldn't tell her of an attraction. "For now," Kira said softly.
He smiled at her with the sweetest look she had ever seen on his face. In the midst of processing what the look might mean, Kira realized that her heart had started pounding a little more, and the feeling intensified when he came up and hugged her again. "I'm so glad you're here today, Kira."
It was strange but comforting to notice the way his arms fit perfectly around her body, the way he smelled like nature, and the way he held her a little longer than necessary. "I know, Conner, me, too. David can totally show you where to stand," she said.
Once David had led him to his spot near the backstage curtain, he returned to report to Kira. Lost in thought, she barely realized that he was telling her something until he cleared his throat loudly. "Sorry, David. Just preoccupied," she said.
"It's okay. Um, if you don't mind my asking, Kira, did you and Conner ever date or anything?"
"No, definitely not," she said, scandalized even though she had asked Conner a similar question minutes earlier. "Why?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Because it seems like there's something going on between you, something similar to attraction or chemistry."
Flabbergasted by the thought, she stared at David with shock for a moment. Could that be what Conner was feeling? Was he attracted to her but unwilling to admit it? She remembered the perfectly clear way he had told her that he probably wouldn't say anything if he was attracted to her. "David, if you had been best friends with someone for ten years and developed an attraction to her later on, would you tell her?"
"No," David said firmly. "At that point, I wouldn't be ready to ruin a great friendship, but if she made the first move, I probably wouldn't say no either."
Kira made a quick decision that she hoped she wouldn't regret. "Okay, do me a favor and let Lance know that the final song before the encore is going to be acoustic instead of the normal version."
"Sure." David wondered what she was thinking about. "Look, I'm sorry if I was being too personal."
"Don't worry about it. You gave me a lot to think about," Kira answered and her smile seemed to be genuine though she looked a little worried.
As Kira approached the final song of the night, she kept careful tabs on Conner's expression, taking in the enjoyment and happiness that was reflected on his face. She even caught him mouthing the words along with her and hoped that he wasn't singing out loud because that could affect her feedback. Still, she felt the trepidation as she looked around at her fans and waited for them to stop screaming after her next-to-last song. "Thank you for having me here tonight. Boston is a beautiful town," she said familiarly. "And it's dearer to my heart now because Boston has adopted one of my best friends in the world. I don't know how many of you actually know that the U.S. National Men's Soccer Team practices right on your doorstep, but I'm pleased to have him with me tonight." She faced in his direction off stage. "Come on out here, Conner McKnight, my fans want to meet you."
Underneath the noise of screaming girls, he whispered loudly, "What are you doing, Kira?"
"Honoring my best friend," she said flippantly. She spoke into the microphone again. "I know most of you are aware of our friendship - we've been best friends for ten years and I've been saving this last song for him because he was there when I first started working on it. In fact, he was there the first time I performed it in public, but since he first heard me accompanied by one guitar, I think tonight this will be the acoustic version." As the familiar strains of her signature song broke across the excited crowd, they hushed immediately and watched with fascination as she began to sing. Occasionally, she looked in his direction, but for the most part, she was focused on her audience, only peripherally aware of the man who watched her with an amazed expression.
As she neared the end of the song, she turned to Conner with a stunning smile and held her hand out to his. He reached for it as she glanced at him meaningfully. "I've got to know, know where you're at. I'm all alone, waiting for you to ask. Can you tell me where, tell me where you're at?" Her attention went back to ending the song, yet she kept her eyes trained in his direction, pinning them under her scrutiny. The house lights on the stage fell as she murmured one last "Freak you out."