Author's Note: Finally, after a hellish time in RL, things have settled down enough for me to finish this story. I hope you all enjoy, especially the crusaders, you all know who you are. This one has always been for you guys…

It had been nearly a week of hit and misses, but finally Kim and Jason had managed to make it to the beach. This was their last chance, Jason's flight up north left tomorrow morning. They had spent the entire day here on the beach, lounging and having fun and were now watching the sun dip into the water.

Jason smiled at the content look on Kim's face, she was positively radiant in the light of the setting sun, he thought to himself, then mentally berated himself for spinning prose in his head. Kim turned to face him and giggled at the look on his face. Jason shook his head and then looked away from her and sighed, the week they'd spent together had stirred a lot of feelings he thought had long faded since he'd left.

"Why the sigh Jason?" Kim asked softly, wondering what was going on inside his head, wondering if it was anything like what was going on inside her own. She had a boyfriend, she was happy with him; she shouldn't be thinking these things, not anymore.

"I'm alright, just feelin' a bit down, about leaving," he said quietly, looking out over the water, watching it lap against the sand not far from where they were sitting. "I'm gonna miss you Kim," he said so quietly, Kim had to strain to hear his words.

Kim sighed, letting his words sink in. She was going to miss him too, more than she cared to admit. She reached across the sand and slid her fingers through his and gave his hand a soft squeeze. She was silent for quite sometime before whispering softly, "Do you think…" she paused, looking over at him, "if only love had found us first, our lives would be different somehow?"

Jason stared at her dumbfounded, he'd wondered how it was possible she could be expression the exact thoughts that were going through his head at that very moment. It was impossible, except that it wasn't, because she'd just done it. "I…" he tried to respond, but she'd taken him so off guard.

"Where would we be now," Kim said shifting on the blanket so she was face him, her hand still entwined with his. "If we'd found each other first, if Tommy hadn't moved to Angel Grove…"

"Kim stop," Jason said hoarsely. "Please…" He didn't know if he could hear this right now, he'd spent too long convincing himself that her place was with Tommy. He'd locked his feelings for her up tight, in the tiny black box of his heart, too far deep for him to think about, but in once simple question, she'd broken through and released them.

"Jason…" she was chewing on her lip, a million different emotions running through her head. She'd been head over heels for him every since middle school, until Tommy walked into their lives and thrown her heart for a loop. She'd pushed those feelings aside, dismissed them for so long, but things were different now, and she didn't want to push them aside any longer, but she didn't know what to do, she loved Tommy, but now... she looked down at the blanket, unsure about everything.

Jason stood up, pulling her to her feet as well, their bodies a scant few inches apart. He caressed her cheek and watched her head lull into his open palm, her eyes fluttering closed and almost all resistance in his heart melted…almost all except one large barrier. "You love him Kim," he whispered softly.

Kim's eyes opened and meet his gaze, brown eyes to brown eyes, "I do, but it's different," she whispered licking her suddenly dry lips. "I don't know how," she finally admitted, not only to him, but to herself as well.

Jason leaned down and brushed his lips against her soft cheek, and buried his head into her neck when he felt her arms wrap around his waist. She buried her head into his chest and he held on tighter when he felt her body shaking, and her tears beginning to soak through his shirt. He closed his eyes tightly, willing himself not to do what he wanted, which was kiss her passionately and promise her everything was going to be alright, he couldn't and wouldn't do that, not yet anyway. "Hey…" he whispered softly, running his hand gently through her hair. "Kimmie… look at me," he said gently pulling her away from his chest and tilting her head up so she'd look at him.

"What?" She asked shakily, trying in vain to stop her tears, everything was a mess inside her now. She didn't know what to do, what to say, what to feel.

"I'll wait for you," Jason said softly, his thumb gently wiping away the tears on left cheek. "I'll wait as long as you want." He brushed her damp hair away from her face.

"Jase…" Kim bit her lip again, to keep from breaking down into tears once more, "I…" she just leaned into his embrace again, her actions speaking more than words could at the moment.

Jason just held her tightly, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "It'll be alright Kim, no matter what," he said watching the last of the sun setting into the water, and he knew, deep down in his heart, whatever the outcome, everything would be alright.

Author's Note2: This is the end, of this story that is. There may or may not be a sequel to this story, it depends. Anways, I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review, I love hearing what you all think.