Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.
The Person You Want To Be
"I need to talk to you." Kimberly Hart walked down the gravel path in front of her and considered the words of the text message she had just received. Everything up until that point had just been small talk about how their respective Sunday evening was going. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary for them. In fact texts to and from him filled the majority of her texting app.
"I don't want to do it over text." Kimberly's mind went to the next thing he said even as her feet went from gravel to grass. She glanced ahead of her at the open field. She smiled at the beauty of the field. It had been discovered by her and her friends one day while they were hanging out at the mines nearby. The field had since became a popular hangout spot for them and so it was no surprise when he suggested meeting her there.
Kimberly stopped as he came into view with his back to her leaning with his arms on a wooden fence in front of him. He seemed to be fixated on the view in front of him and had not as of yet heard her approaching. Kimberly walked a few more steps and watched as his posture indicated he was now aware of her presence. He turned at her and smiled and she smiled back in an involuntary response. Something about his smile made her always do the same.
"Got your text." Kim said as she lifted her phone and made her way to stand within reach of him.
"Yeah.." Jason Scott said as he turned to face her. Kimberly noticed the way he was looking at her and it confused but also excited her. Their had been something going on between them for awhile but it was one of those things that neither addressed.
"Everything okay?" Kim asked as she gave him a quick once over before settling her gaze into his eyes.
"I think so." Jason said before he cleared his throat.
"So what did you need to talk about?" Kimberly questioned. She watched as he smiled and dipped his head momentarily before reconnecting their eye contact. She once again smiled in response.
"Honestly?" Jason began. He paused and she waited for what seemed like forever for him to finish. He let out a small laugh. "I just wanted to.. um.. see you."
"See me?" Kim asked, confused. She couldn't understand why he had made it sound like it was so important if the point was just to hang out.
"Yeah." Jason responded.
"That's.. um.. I don't get it.." Kimberly said. He shook his head.
"I guess it does sound strange." Jason replied. "Honestly.. I'm not sure I get it either."
"Okay.. Jason.. you are really confusing me.. are you sure everything is okay?" Kimberly inquired as she reached out to place a hand on his arm.
"No I'm fine.. really.. it's.." Jason began. "Okay look.."
"Yeah?" Kim spoke.
"I was sitting at home right.. and so I'm sitting there and you text me.. and.." Jason paused as they both seemed to be keenly aware that Kim was lightly rubbing his arm now. She ceased the action and dipped her head a bit in slight embarassment.
"Go on." Kim urged as she gathered her composure.
"The whole time we are texting... I keep thinking about how much I could see you." Jason confessed. Kimberly studied him for a moment and opened her mouth a couple times to speak, stopping each time. "Maybe it is crazy.."
"Why?" Kimberly questioned.
"That's the part I've been thinking about the whole time.." Jason responded.
"And did you figure it out?" Kim asked and watched as he seemed to be trying to choose his words before he answered. "Jason.. just tell me what you are thinking.. don't clean it up for me."
"Wow.. okay.. well.." Jason let out a small laugh. "So what I figured out was just that I wanted to see you."
"Jason.. none of this is making sense." Kim said. Now she watched as he seemed to be studying her much like she was him earlier.
"Isn't it?" Jason asked. Kim considered his question. After a few moments he turned to resume his position leaning on the fence. She took a deep breath and joined him to his left. "I don't know Kim.. I am very grateful for all of you.. the Rangers.. but you.."
"What?" Kim asked as she looked over at him and eventually he turned to her.
"Sometimes I just want to just talk to you.. just you." Jason stated. Kim was now actively trying to read between the lines of everything he said. She sensed that something was happening and she didn't want to simply witness it, she wanted to be a part of it.
"I think I know what you mean." Kim responded. She watched him smile and then turn to look out at open fields in front of them and the sun that was beginning to set behind a line of trees. "Our friendship.. it's different."
"It is." Jason agreed.
"I don't know what it is about you Jason, but I just feel like I need to be an open book with you." Kim found that as usual with him words were pouring out of her faster than her mind could comprehend them.
"Same." Jason replied with a small nod. "In all of the craziness that's been going on... some scary stuff.. it's you Kim.."
"What's me?" She asked.
"That keeps me sane.. keeps me grounded... makes me feel like it's going to be okay." Jason answered. "That's what I've been thinking about a lot lately.. I think it's why I just wanted to see you today."
"Oh." Kim was once again trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. She had an idea of what Jason was saying but she didn't, or maybe better yet couldn't allow herself to believe that without confirmation.
"Yeah.. I guess I got overwhelmed in my thoughts today and I knew if I saw you.." Jason paused and turned to her once more. Her gaze had not left his and when he turned she noted how they immediately found each other's eyes. "You'd be you.. and I'd be okay."
"Jason.." Kim said, suddenly overwhelmed with feelings. She had always felt the same things for Jason but always assumed the two would never voice them to each other.
"So when you ask me.. if everything is okay..." Jason began. "It is now."
"I um.. I'm not sure what to say." Kim spoke honestly.
"Yeah.. I wasn't sure what I was gonna say either." Jason confessed as he turned to stare at his clasped hands in front of him. Kim could not resist the urge to reach over and place her hand on his. Without a word he opened it and allowed her access to slip hers in. Things fell into a comfortable silence for several moments and Kim's mind was stuck on the fact that standing here in this romantic setting, holding hands with the boy next to her felt like the most natural thing to her.
"Jason?" Kim broke the silence. He turned to her at the word. "I just wanted you to know that you make me feel the same way."
"Do I?" He asked, not being able to hide the smile forming on his face.
"Yes." Kim said, she practically mouthed the word because she felt her breath getting caught up all of the sudden as she looked at him.
"So that.." Jason said and Kim relished the way he was suddenly holding her hand ever so slightly tighter. "What do we do with that?"
"Um.." Kim searched for a way to respond that didn't completely show her cards. Suddenly she felt bold as the sunlight reflected off of the blue eyes in front of her. "I don't want to do this anymore."
"Do what?" Jason asked as he turned to her and she echoed the gesture.
"This.. thing where we pretend that nothing is happening." Kim explained. "Why are we doing that?"
"I don't know.." Jason answered honestly. "Maybe we like it... maybe we are just scared to let it be anything else."
"I'm not scared." Kim stated boldly. "Are you?"
"No." Jason replied. Kim felt her heart rate quicken at his answer. No going back now.
"I think you and I.." Kim began and she found herself moving closer to him with each word.
"I think we should..." He replied before their lips made contact for the first time. Time seemed to stand still for Kimberly as she felt his lips on hers and the tension that had been building between them was released. Things had been different with Jason from the beginning. No guy had made her feel the way he had and no first kiss had ever meant so much.
"I.." Kim began as they pulled apart. "I've wanted to do that for awhile."
"I wish you would have." Jason replied with a smile. She matched the smile and the two turned back to see the sun just as it completely disappeared behind the tallest tree.
"So does this mean we are?" Kim asked. Jason this time reached over and interlocked their hands.
"I hope so." Jason answered. It was the perfect response.
"We are." Kim confirmed for him and he leaned over and they shared their second kiss. Quicker this time, the tension released, but now replaced with something else. What that something else was only time would truly tell. Kim had determined from the way it made her feel though she was in it for the long haul to find out. "So.. do we just tell the others or..?"
"We can tell everyone.. or keep it between us... what matters to me is that you know how I feel.." Jason replied. Kim smiled as once again his words were exactly what she needed to hear. She smiled and leaned into him. There was a brief moment of silence between them.
"Trini will know." Both turned and said in unison, prompting laughter. As if on cue there was a small chime in Kimberly's pocket and she pulled out her phone to see a text message from Trini. She smiled as she read the question. "Are you with Jason?" Kim held the phone up to Jason and he smiled in amusement as well. Kimberly typed out a response, "I am", before settling back into the moment with Jason.
"You remember when you said I should be the person I want to be?" Kimberly asked.
"I do." Jason replied.
"I think I'm finally figuring out who that is." Kimberly stated with a grateful smile. Jason smiled in response.
"Me too." Jason replied before he gestured back to the path they had both entered on. "Wanna get out of here?"
"Where?" Kimberly asked.
"Anywhere's good as long as you are coming." Jason answered.
"Let's go." Kim said as she took his hand. Kim didn't know where the evening would take them, she'd figure that out as they went along, but for now holding his hand and walking together was good enough.