The wind seemed to grow even more strong and Jason cringed as the lights in his apartment flickered. He finally set the magazine down and climbed to his feet, heading into the kitchen to double check the window. He looked outside and could vaguely see a shape running in the pouring rain. He wondered who would possibly be out at this time. With a shrug, he went back into the hallway to check the other window in his bedroom. He paused at the banging on the door and went to open it. Looking out the door's 'peep hole,' his eyes widened at the figure who stood drenched from head to toe in front of him.

"Kim?! What are you doing here?" Jason demanded, opening the door. As soon as it opened, a sobbing Kimberly Hart fell into his arms, tears streaming down her already wet cheeks. "Are you okay?"

"I'm," she paused, her voice shuddering lightly as she shook her head. "I need help," was all she said.

Jason nodded, wrapping his arms tightly around her and led her into his living room. Sitting her onto the couch, he stood in front of her and asked, "what's wrong now?" he asked softly, noticing her messy clothes and tear-stained face. "Is it...Tommy?" Tommy Oliver, Kim's boyfriend, seemed to love to make her upset in the last couple of weeks. If one thing never happened, it was another.

She nodded, a light sob escaping her as she nodded. "Yes, and. . .and.."

"And what?"

"Some girl," was all she could muster. She continued to cry and Jason sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her. She started crying harder and he rocked her lightly, already angry at Tommy and whatever it was he had done this time.

"I'm sorry," was all that he could whisper into the trembling girl's ear. She just nodded, and after a few moments, her tears died down to a light sniffle.

"I'm sorry I barged in like this and all," she said. She moved from his arms and leaned back onto the couch, head resting backwards.

"Here, let me go get you something dry," before she could say anything more, he hopped to his feet and went into his bedroom and to the chest of drawers to grab a T-shirt.

Grabbing the nearest shirt, an old red one, he frowned as he gazed into the other room. This had been more then he ever had dreamed of. Ever since they were kids, he'd had a crush on his long time friend. But she'd never shown any interest beyond just friendship. Even when he had asked her to the middle school dance, much like the senior prom, she'd said yes, but even then, it was as friends, which she made clear when she had accepted. But this was slightly different, but he couldn't help but hope that maybe it would mean a chance for her to know how much he loved her.

With a forced sigh, he walked towards her again, wondering what was going to happen that night between them. Something was up, he could feel it.

"Here," he handed her the T-shirt. "You know where the bathroom is. Change if you like."

She nodded and accepted the T-shirt with a smile. "Thanks Jase." Standing up, she walked past him. Being the normal 17 year old he was, he couldn't help but notice her curves were very.. nice, especially in the drenched clothes. Shaking his head, he flopped down onto the couch and waited for her to return. He closed his eyes and listened to her as she changed. He could hear the small sniffles still as she changed.

"Hey," she whispered a few minutes later. Jason opened his eyes and swallowed hard when his view came down on her. She looked so small swallowed up in his huge T-shirt. He smiled at her tentative expression. "Can I crash here tonight?"

"Here?" she nodded. "What happened with Tommy that makes you afraid to go back to your guys apartment?"

"Just," she sighed. "He met up with that one girl again." Jason furrowed his brow, trying to figure out which girl she was referring to. "Holly."

"Holly?" she nodded then it dawned on him who she was referring to. "The blonde bimbo in the calculus class?" Kimberly's tearful expression was enough to tell him he was right. "The jerk," he muttered.

"Maybe Holly was right. Maybe guys do only go for the tall, perfect blondes. Not some short, everything but perfect brunette who--"

"Don't listen to her," Jason rasped out. She looked up at him at the tone. "Sorry, but don't let Holly try and talk you into thinking down on yourself. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on," she blushed scarlet at his words, "and you shouldn't think so lowly of yourself."

"I guess so, but it's hard when I've caught them together before. And he brushed it off as a 'mistake.'"

"Maybe it was." she stared at him doubtfully. "He's a loser if he doesn't realize what a great girl he has in you."

"You're too kind," she murmured with a sigh as she fell beside him on the couch. "Maybe it was just meant to happen."

"What was? You two not working out?" she nodded, a sad flitting smile crossing her face.

He smiled tentatively at her. "If it wasn't meant to happen. . ." he stopped and sighed, not wanting to finish his question. It wasn't the time to try and hit on his friend. It was far from that time.

"If what?" she asked him. She sat up and looked at him.

"Nothing." he muttered.

"For this to happen?" her voice was low and he turned to her in almost surprise at it. The way she was looking at him, made him shiver. Before he knew what was happening, her lips were on his in the most passionate kiss he'd ever felt with anyone. They pulled away, both gasping for breath after what had seemed like eternity in the kiss. Before one word was uttered between them, he reached for her and kissed her hard. Her hands roamed so they locked around his neck and she pushed herself against him, their kiss deepening with pleasure and simplicity.

"This is wrong," he at last gasped out, pushing the sweet and innocent teen away from himself. "We can't do this."

She gazed at him, eyes locking with his. "Why?"

"You're Tommy's girl." he stated, obvious with much distaste. "It's wrong to do this."

"But. . ."

"But nothing." he said with a shake of head. "We can't. It's just not right."

"You want me." he looked back at her. "..don't you?"

"I want you more then my next breath," he admitted. "but not this way. Tommy's my best friend and your boyfriend."

"I want you," she whispered. His gaze lingered on her for a second more and he, without thinking, lunged at her and pressed his lips to hers in a heated kiss. It seemed to last for minutes before they broke apart, both out of breath and neither wanting to stop.

"My room," he managed to muster before he was engulfed by another of her kisses. "or here?"

"Room." she whispered in return, smirking slightly as her kiss lingered down his neck. "More..." she paused in words, kissing him again, "private."

Jason stood up, and in one swift movement, scooped her petite figure up into his arms. Tightening his grip, he kissed her lightly, allowing the kiss to travel lower. He turned and exited the living room and walked into his bedroom. "Sorry it's not very stylish," he said with a light chuckle as he flipped the light switch on.

She giggled, allowing her doe brown eyes to travel the neat small room. "As long as I'm with you, I could care less about my surroundings."

He set her on the bed, smiling shyly at her. I still can't believe this is happening. I've waited forever for her. His thoughts drifted, almost in the opposite direction he wished for. I love her, but she's involved with Tommy. Is...this right? Is she just doing this to forget the pain?

"Hey," she murmured and he looked up at her. Her gaze startling him from the reverie. "why so serious expression?"

He opened his mouth, then quickly closed it. "I.."

"I'm not doing this to try and forget him." she told him. She leaned up on her knees and smiled at him. She placed her hands on him and pulled him close to herself. "I love you Jase, I want to be with you."

"But what about Tommy?"

"I don't know," she sighed and smiled nervously at him. "I love him, but, I want to be with you more now then I have ever with Tommy." her voice lowered and she smiled tentatively at him and kissed him slowly. "I have a confession."

"What's that?" he gulped out, pulling away from her kiss to look at her.

"I've always had a crush on you too."

"You have?" she almost giggled at his surprised expression.

"Yes. Since, I think, gosh, 5th grade."

"Since 5th grade and you never said a word?"

She nodded sheepishly. "Yeah...Remember that kiss, in 7th grade?"

His eyes closed shut tightly and nodded. He knew the moment she was talking about by heart.

She'd been involved with another guy from their class. Not serious, but still not available to anyone and every guy tried to be near her or date her. They'd been playing basketball together in the park on this occasion and it had started to pour. They ducked beneath the covered area and started just talking. She'd admitted to him her dream of gymnastics or if that didn't work out, going into some kind of fashion career. He had told her about his hopes of someday owning a Dojo that would become popular. Before they knew it, she'd leaned in close to him, and kissed him lightly.

"What was that for?" the surprised Jason asked, gazing at his friend in puzzlement.

"I had to do it." she admitted with a small laugh. "I guess you could think of it as a friendship kiss. You looked so vulnerable and, well, the moment was just right...And you are my best friend."

"Oh.." was all he could say.

"Well...I hadn't been totally honest there. I liked you then Jase, and, I like you now."

He looked back at her, her expression so innocent and baring nothing but the truth. "I'm glad you told me that," he whispered. "I've always liked you Kim, always. I never hid my feelings all the time, I know, but I was so afraid you'd never feel the same way." He moved so he laid beside her on the bed. His brown eyes gazed back at her with a smile.

She returned the smile, then frowned slightly. "I have one fear if we do anything more though..."

"What?" he watched her carefully, her expression puzzling him deeply. It hurt him a lot to know she was unhappy about anything.

"If we do anything, then it doesn't work out and I can't go back to Tommy...I don't want our friendship ruined. You've always been one of my best friends and I don't think I could imagine life without you as a friend. I don't want anything to jeopardize that."

Jason leaned close to her and wrapped an arm around her. "I promise you, if we do anything I wont ever hate you. I respect you Kim and don't want you to ever be uncomfortable with me. I'll never hate you. Never. You're my best friend. Friend, lover or anything else is after. Friend comes first. Remember that."

She smiled at the words and pulled him closer to her, pressing her lips to his in a sweet kiss. The two melted in each other's arms and soon forgot about any living world outside of each other.

***

A Few Hours Later

***

Jason held an exhausted sleeping Kimberly in his arms. The two had spent hours together, just being with each other. Now the night time was calling. Or rather, an unexpected guest was calling.

"Jase?" Jason sighed, as he picked up the endlessly ringing phone off his night table. He glanced at the clock and impatiently noted it was 2:30 AM. NOT the best time to start calling.

"Hello?" Jason asked groggily into the receiver.

"Jase? It's me, Tommy. Have you seen Kimberly? I can't find her anywhere." Jason picked the worry in his friend's voice and wondered if he was actually worried. Sighing, he couldn't decide what to do. At last, his conscious told him to do the right thing. "Yeah...She's here."

"Can I talk to her?" he asked eagerly.

"She's sleeping now..."

"No, I'm awake.." came Kimberly's soft voice.

Jason glanced over at her peaceful form and covered the mouth piece. "Sure you're up to talk to him?"

She nodded and leaned up, kissing him delicately. "Now, I'm ready for anything." He smiled and then nodded and handed her the phone.

Jason watched her intently for many moments. Finally she handed him the phone back and he hung it up. "Well...?"

"He wants me back. He wanted to apologize for running off with Holly. He said he had been delusional about what he wanted. He knows now. And that's me."

Jason sighed but nodded at her. He smiled wistfully. "And you want to go back to him?"

She nodded, staring down at her hands. Looking back up at him she smiled slightly. "I'll never forget this Jase. Maybe someday we can be more. I do love you. But I love Tommy too. And right now, Tommy is what I want..." she touched his cheek at his crestfallen face. "..but maybe someday, we can be something too."

"Maybe...but that'll only be wishful thinking." he sighed again, and paused then opened his mouth. "I love you Kim...I'll always be there for you."

"Thanks," she pressed her lips to his cheek and stood up. "See you tomorrow."

"Seeya." he echoed. Although even with her reassurance of maybe someday something could happen, he couldn't help but feel that was the last chance he'd ever be with her the way he desired. But who knew what their futures held.