Chapter Two – I’m With You

Kendrix: KAO owns nothing, but the idea.

There’s nothing but the rain

No footsteps on the ground

I’m listening but there’s no sound

Isn’t anyone tryin’ to find me

Won’t somebody come take me home

‘I’m With You’ – Avril Lavigne

            Sky ran a hand through Z’s hair. She opened her eyes and pulled him down on her, kissing him. His weight fell on her and he pulled away.

            “Z, I’m crushing you,” Sky whispered.

            “I don’t care,” Z said. She pulled him back into a kiss.

            “I felt I couldn’t help you back there, that I couldn’t take your pain away,” Sky said.

            “Don’t worry about it, cause you’re taking it away right now,” she said as he unzipped her sweater and gently pulled it off, tossing it to the side.

            “Z, do you love me?” Sky asked.

            “More than anything in the world . . . no, the universe!” she exclaimed.

            “Are you okay with doing this?” he asked, playing with the zipper on the back of her jean skirt.

            “What do you mean?” she asked.

            “Sleeping with me?” he asked.

            “I love you,” she cried, pulling him to her in a kiss. They pulled away. “Why wouldn’t I? Do you love me?”

            “Yes,” he exclaimed, “You’re the only person for me.”

            “Good. But I worn you, I’ve never done this before,” she told him playfully.

            “Me neither,” he said.

            “We’ll learn together then,” she said, leaning up to him. He nodded.

            “We will,” he agreed, meeting her for another kiss, but making it longer as they started making love.

            Syd sat in the lounge, reading a magazine, waiting for Sky and Z to finish their time alone together.

            Jack walked in and went to knock on Bridge and Sky’s door.

            “If you’re looking for Sky he’s not there, he’s with Z,” Syd said, not looking up. Jack went to Z and Syd’s door. “I wouldn’t go there either.”

            “Why not, your highness?” Jack asked, sassing her.

            “Because they’re having sex,” Syd answered, putting down her magazine and going to grab a soda from the mini fridge they had added.

            “And how would you know?” Jack asked.

            “Listen very, very carefully, drown out everything else and listen,” Syd said, grabbing a coke from the fridge.

            “No thank you,” Jack said.

            “That’s what I thought,” Syd said, sitting down on the couch again. “Listen, Jack. I hate you, you hate me. Can we just put that aside for now? Z needs me!”

            “Why does she need you?” Jack asked angrily.

            “You’ll see,” Syd said.

            “Why are you acting so weird?” he asked. She sipped the coke.

            “Okay, I really hate you! I know you know that. And I know you know that you hate me! But just shut up and stop it!” Syd said. “I may be sharing my birthday with you! And you may be sorry for making me work on my birthday. But I haven’t forgiven you yet!”

            “If this is about Piggy. . .” Jack started.

            “It has nothing to do with Piggy, Jack! This is about you and the way you treat me! Am I just so low that I’m the dirt you walk on!?” Sydney yelled the question at her leader.

            “Maybe you are!”  the red ranger yelled at her. She shook her head, blond curls coming undone.

            “I give up!” Syd said, throwing her hands in the air in surrender. “I really give up! You win! You win it all! Just . . . just leave me alone! I tried to befriend you! I tried to be close to you, but you . . .”

            “I what?” he questioned.

            “You make everything so difficult!” she screamed.

            “Really?” he questioned.

            “Yes!” she shouted. He pulled her close kissing her. She kissed back. They pulled away slowly. “We shouldn’t have done that.” He watched her eyes fill with tears and pulled her close in an embrace.

            “I’m sorry,” he apologized, rocking from side to side as she cried. “I’m so sorry.”

            “Do you regret that kiss?” she asked.

            “Only if you do,” he whispered.

            “I don’t,” she said, leaning up to kiss him again. He kissed her back and they fell onto the couch, kissing.

            Cruger ran a hand through Kat’s short curly brown hair, sighing.

            “What were you thing?” he asked her sleeping form. “You could have been in more danger then you put yourself in Kat. And not answering your communicator . . . are you seriously out of your mind. It’s against the regulation! Regulation you wrote with me!” He rolled his eyes. “This is worthless. It’s not like you can hear me, Kitty. I love you.”

            “Doggy . . .” he heard the whispers of his beloved Dr. Manix. “I love you too.”

            “Shhhh,” he hushed. “You need your rest, my Kitty.” She snuggled into the blankets they had put on her as best as she could to get comfortable. “Goodnight, my love.” Cruger watched as Kat slept, purring softly. He smiled. “Kitty.” He took her smaller hand in his and held it. “Sleep well, Kitten.” He smoothed her crazy hair back and let go of her hand, gently setting it on the bed. He started to leave the room she was put in.

            “Doggy?” she called softly.

            “I’m here, Kitten,” he said, walking back to her side and taking her hand back in his, “I’m here.”

            “Don’t leave me, Doggy,” she called in her sleep.

            “I won’t, Kat, I never dream of it. Just go back to sleep, Kitty,” he told her in assurance. He sat there watching her sleep late into the night, when he fell asleep in the chair next to her bed.