#alexdnvers

“I think we’re safe here,” Kimberly gasps out as she uses her sort-of free hand to open the faceguard of her helmet.

Beside her, Trini grunts. “Let’s put him down over here.”

Kimberly nods, looking around the small cave and trying not to be reminded of their unofficial headquarters. Her heart is racing after the near-miss--Billy had leapt in front of an energy wave meant to wipe them out.

“He’s really got to stop doing this to us.” Kim tries to sound sarcastic but her voice breaks. She averts her eyes as they settle Billy against a stone wall, but then a yellow-gloved hand is gently squeezing her arm.

Kim swallows hard. Trini almost never initiates physical contact with her. She looks up.

Trini offers her a sad half-smile and a slight nod.

Below them, Billy moans and shifts minutely against the wall.

“Billy?” Kim can’t decide if she’s relieved or scared, roughly wiping at her face as she kneels next to her friend.

“Power core,” Billy mumbles, but doesn’t open his eyes.

Kim frowns and gently squeezes his shoulder. She looks up at Trini. “We need to get him some help.”

Trini’s lips purse as she stares down at Billy. “That thing is still out there.” Her hands flex at her sides. “Billy said something about a power core right before he... you know.” Trini shifts her weight uncomfortably from foot to foot, still staring down at Billy.

“Forget that right now! Billy’s hurt!” Kim isn’t angry at Trini, but she’s frustrated at their situation. 

And scared, though she doesn’t admit that out loud.

Trini gives her an inscrutable look, her stern features softening. Kim thinks that maybe she doesn’t need to say it out loud.

She licks her dry lips and turns back to Billy. “Any word from Zack or Jason?”

“No,” Trini pauses, “but I think that blast took out our comms.”

Kim huffs out a breath, tugging her helmet completely off and running both hands through her hair. “This was supposed to be a scouting mission.” The angry accusation doesn’t have a target, and that makes her all the more frustrated.

Trini’s helmet thuds down against the stone floor, startling Kim from her thoughts.

“We can’t stay here forever.”

There’s something in Trini’s voice that has Kim standing, one hand reaching out to stop Trini as she slowly backs toward the cave entrance.

“Trini, no. What are you thinking?” Kim’s heart is pounding again now, fear once again making her stomach twist--the way it had when Billy had suddenly grabbed something and rushed at the hulking alien that had nearly killed him.

Her fingers curl tightly against Trini’s biceps, stopping her before she can take the last few steps outside.

“Kim, you need to let me go.” Trini’s voice is gentle but her face is determined. “You need to let me do this.”

Fear turns to panic. If only Zack and Jason were there, they could all handle this and get Billy to safety and--

“No,” comes Kim’s stubborn reply. She grips Trini’s arms tighter. “You’re my best friend. I’m not going to let you do this.”

“Kim--”

But Kim knows enough about the look in Trini’s eye, knows enough that whatever plan Trini’s cooked up is half-assed at best, and inspired by Billy’s which hadn’t exactly worked out for him and Kim is not having any of this today.

So Kim reacts the only way she knows how. She sweeps forward and cups both of Trini’s cheeks, her mouth restless and hungry and not ready to let Trini leave this damn cave.

Though Kim’s the one that initiates the kiss, she isn’t ready for the way it makes her breath catch or her legs tremble, or how easy it is to forget everything for just a moment--especially when Trini’s arms wrap tentatively around her waist.

Kim’s body sways and she can’t count how many times their lips have parted and reconnected, how many thoughts she hasn’t been able to process because she’s kissing Trini and nothing will ever be the same again after this moment.

“Kim,” Trini gasps out when they finally stop when they both suddenly remember they need to breathe.

Kimberly’s eyes flutter open. She’s dazed, but thankfully, so is Trini.

For a moment, she hesitates. Billy groans again, and Kim knows she’s made the right choice.

“I’m sorry,” she says right before she roughly shoves Trini back and turns to charge out of the small opening to the cave.

Trini’s not going to do anything stupid on Kim’s watch.

She can hear Trini scream behind her, but Kim’s already focused on the towering alien hardly ten feet away--and the glowing cables she recognizes that Billy had lost in his ill-timed charge.