Title: Butterflies
Fandom: Power Rangers ZEO
Characters: Maggie, Jason, Tommy, Adam, Rocky, Tanya, Kat
Universe: Secrets2
Prompt: 004 - Insides
Word Count: 626
Date finished: 05/17/2006
Rating: G
Summary: Maggie muses on her crush - and notices another.
Author's Notes: I remembered writing about Maggie's butterflies in the original version of Secrets, and decided to add them in here. Again, a tenuous link to the prompt, but there it is.
Disclaimer: I don't know who owns the Rangers at this point: I'd guess Disney. At any rate, it isn't me. Maggie, if she appears, is MINE. Please don't take her.

Maggie had never really recovered from her close encounter with Adam at the juice bar. To find out that he was not only cute - and the splash of freckles across the bridge of his nose was squeal-worthy - but he was helpful, and didn't have the ego some people seemed to have, was nearly too much for her. She had no idea how many guys would be willing to let themselves be tossed - and by a girl, no less - who was smaller than them and in obvious trouble.

No, she decided, slumped against a tree, her knees pulled to her chest, she was well and truly smitten. Even the thought of him was enough to bring out the butterflies to torment her insides.

Someone ran into the clearing on the edge of which she'd taken refuge, and she looked up to see a boy she'd never seen before. He was broad shouldered with dark hair, and he slid to a stop when he saw her. "Hey. Have you seen anyone go through here?" he asked. His black shirt looked hot in the sun.

Maggie straightened. "No," she said.

"Drat," he muttered, and then, to her surprise, grinned at her. It lit up his whole face, and suddenly he was very handsome. "Well, I guess that means I lost."

"Were you racing someone?" she asked.

"Not exactly." He hesitated, then walked over and joined her. "I was trying to find Tommy Oliver. He's really good at hiding."

Maggie actually flinched. "His last name is Oliver?" she asked, struggling not to show her revulsion.

"Yeah. You didn't know?"

"Apparently, I don't know anything," she muttered, then shook her head. "I'm Maggie Jourdemain."

"Jason Scott," he said, taking her proffered hand and shaking it. "It's good to meet you." He looked at her, eyes narrowed in concentration. "You wouldn't happen to be the Aikidoist, would you?"

She blinked, still trying to sort out the assault on her senses. His energies were the strangest she'd ever encountered! "Yeah, actually, I am."

"Adam told me about it." His voice was neutral, but she saw the sly look he sent her way. She wasn't sure how to read it, so she didn't react to it.

"Are you a martial artist, too?"

He nodded. "It's something that has kept me from going insane."

Maggie laughed. "It must be Angel Grove. I have never seen so many people who are into Martial Arts. You realize how strange this is."

He grinned. "True, but then, most places don't have… what are they called now? Cogs? Cogs running around the city at odd time."

"No, that's true," she admitted, and looked up as more people ran into the clearing. It was a virtual inundation; Tommy, Tanya, Kat, Adam, and Rocky all pulled to a stop when they caught sight of Jason. Maggie groaned as the butterflies in her stomach started up again.

"There you are, bro. What happened?" Tommy asked.

Jason got to his feet. "I got lost, I think," he said easily. "It's hard to remember where everything is."

Maggie was watching the other group, and Kat caught her eye. She was staring at the two boys, although Maggie wasn't sure why. By now, certainly, Tommy had broken up with her, but there was something….

Kat caught her eyes, and blushed furiously. She turned away, which was a mistake.

"Kat, are you okay?" Tanya asked, looking more amused than anything else.

"I'm fine," Kat said. "I've got to go. See you guys later."

Maggie watched her go, then looked at the others. Almost every one of them seemed to have knowing looks on their faces - except Tommy and Jason.

Could they really be so dense?

And was that a wistful look on Jason's face?

Power Rangers ZEO | Challenge Main

Home | Stories | Links | Contact me