Family Ties
by Naomi Tilley

Lou suddenly appeared beside him, and he started a little. "What are you doing here?"

"Sitting. What does it look like?"

"Don't be a smart ass. You know I'm worried about you."

"I'm just thinking, okay?" he snapped. "I like coming here to think. Is that okay with you?"

Lou stared at him, hurt. "What is wrong with you? You are so different to how you were when I first met you. It's ever since you met that guy... You only talk to him, now, and you've totally closed yourself off to me."

"You worry too much."

"C'mon, Austin. That isn't fair. I've got every reason to be worried. You know your dad has been looking for you...?"

He stiffened. "He asked you? You told him where I was?"

"No.... But he seemed pretty anxious. You should go home. Or at least let him know you're okay."

Jason shut his eyes, letting the thoughts flow across his face in indescribable emotion. They were nearly twenty feet up. It would be so easy to just grab the pylons and push himself off....

"Cut!"

Jason blinked and looked down to see Rob staring back up at him, looking clearly unhappy.

"What was wrong with that?" Jason asked, annoyed. "It's the second time we've done it!"

"It's not you kids. It's the damn noise. We'll have to do it again when that's over with."

Jason looked around, and was startled to see the Megazord fighting a monster only a few kilometres away. He hadn't even realised.... Lou saw his surprise, and frowned. "Oh, c'mon. Don't say you never noticed. We were practically yelling at each other!"

Jason shrugged helplessly as they climbed down from the tower. "I guess I'm used to it."

"You're used to it?"

"I live here, remember?"

"Oh, right."

On the ground, Rob was ordering the filming equipment to be quickly moved right away. "Hurry up!" he yelled. "They're getting closer!"

"Shouldn't we get out of here?" Lou asked nervously.

"Where can we go?" Sam asked, looking around the open park.

Jason started to move away from them. "There's a shelter nearby. We can go there." The group followed Jason to the shelter and to safety.

~*~

Jason couldn't resist a smile. _If only she knew_ "Yeah. It stops being so interesting after a while."

"How long do these fights last?" Rob wanted to know.

Jason didn't reply for a moment. He watched the fight with critical appraisal, noting how the Megazord was faring as opposed to the beating the rangers were dishing out. Finally he answered. "Give it another five or ten minutes. That looks like one of Mondo's worse monsters."

"You seem to know a lot about this," Sam commented quietly.

Jason shrugged, trying hard to look casual. "When you've lived in the middle of this for so long, you get used to it. Anyone could've told you what I just did."

No one replied, but Sam and Rob exchanged silent, sceptical glances. Jason didn't notice the look that passed between his father and friend, but continued to watch through the shelter opening. Something unusual had just caught his attention.....

Jason stiffened visibly as he spotted Goldar hurrying through the park, something held in his armoured claws with special care. Experience warned Jason that Goldar was up to no good, and he made a snap decision.

"I have to, uh.... go to the bathroom.... 'Scuse me...." Everyone in the shelter stared in surprise as Jason scrambled out and took off across the park.

"Where the hell is he going?" Lou demanded.

Rob sighed and shook his head, giving up on trying to make sense of Jason's actions. "To the bathroom, I suppose...."

~*~

"Great," Jason whispered. "Just great... What are they up to?"

"Here we are," Zedd crowed. "I need but infuse the crystal, and it will turn the rangers' nightmares into the most shocking reality!"

Jason drew in a sharp breath. Another nightmare crystal? Zordon would want to know... He started back, only to freeze when he felt something hard and cold pressing into the back of his neck. "Look at this," a female voice purred. "The handsome little Gold Ranger. Oh, sorry. Ex-Gold Ranger."

Jason withheld a moan. Scorpina...

"Get up," Scorpina ordered him softly, and Jason got slowly to his feet, putting up no protest when she forced him through into the clearing. "Look at what I caught," she boasted.

If Zedd could have smiled, he would have. "Wonderful, bait for the other rangers."

Goldar edged forward. "Lord Zedd, let me have him. I'll destroy him!"

"You idiot!" Zedd roared. "Bait is no good if it's dead! You can kill him after we've completed the task we set out to do. Understand?"

Goldar turned away sulkily, and Zedd began to plan with Rita again how they would get the rangers to come. Jason stayed still. He'd be no good to his friends impaled on Scorpina's sword. His gaze turned to the crystal. Up close, he saw the jagged streaks of blood-red light that were passing through it. The first nightmare crystal had been bad, Jason thought, but this one looked a hell of a lot worse....

He reacted fast, on instinct, and launched himself forward, snatching the crystal from its stand as he ran. Behind him, he felt the swipe of a sword, and Zedd yelling angrily Then all sounds were lost as he bolted with his prize.

~*~

They all stared in confusion as Jason came charging across the grass and literally threw himself into the shelter from nearly three metres away. He landed with a crash, gasping in pain as he jarred his entire body.

"What are you trying to do?" Rob demanded of his son. "Break your damn neck?"

"Don't talk!" Jason hissed. "Get down! He'll see you!"

"Who?" Sam asked.

Jason pointed frantically. "That!"

They looked around, and threw themselves down a moment later as Goldar came into sight, with Scorpina close behind. "Where did he go?" Goldar snarled, angry that he'd once more lost a chance to settle the score with his old foe.

Scorpina sheathed her own sword. "Probably gone running to the rangers by now. If you hadn't been so damn clumsy and tripped over your own feet...."

"Zip your lip," Goldar snapped. "It wasn't my fault, you were so busy preening yourself!"

Scorpina glowered at him. "Don't get fresh with me, Fur Brain. Who was the one who lost him in the Dimension of Darkness in the first place? He wouldn't have even been here now if you'd done your job instead of playing around like a chimpanzee!"

Goldar tensed with rage. "That was the Green Ranger! I was only doing what Rita told me to do! You could have gotten rid of him with your sting, but you were having too much fun knocking them all over like pins!"

"Oh yeah? Well, who was it who let him get away in the Dimension Doom?" Their voices faded as they disappeared from sight, until their arguing could no long be heard. Then, and only then, did Jason get up to dust himself off.

"What," Rob asked softly, "was that all about?"

Jason tried to look innocent. It was the one thing he couldn't quite manage. "I don't know what they were arguing over. But they were chasing me because of that.... Lou, don't!"

Lou stopped, her hands barely inches away from the crystal. "What?" she demanded.

Pulling off his jacket, Jason wrapped it carefully around the crystal and picked it up. "I have a friend who'll know what to do with this. I'll take it to him. Rob, when will we start filming again?"

"In forty-five minutes, or so. Depends how long it takes to find everyone."

Jason nodded. "That's okay, I'll be back by then."

"You need someone to go with you?" Lou asked eagerly as they left the shelter.

Jason shook his head. "No, it's okay. You can go work on your lines." He grinned teasingly at her. "From the way the last scene went, it sounds like you need the extra time."

Lou bristled at that, but Jason was gone before she could think of a decent comeback.

~*~

There was a moment of silence, and Jason was fearful it had somehow been broken. Then, finally, Zordon's voice came across loud and clear. "I read you, Jason. What is wrong?"

"I've got something here that you might want to see. I took it from Rita and Zedd."

Zordon replied instantly. "Standby, Jason. We will teleport you to the Power Chamber."

Jason nodded. "Okay." He looked around nervously, until nearly a minute later the park vanished in a flash of white light.

~*~

Jason smirked at the Blue Ranger. "I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

Tommy clapped Jason on the shoulder. "It's great to have you home, bro."

Zordon reluctantly interrupted the reunion, recalling the reason for bringing Jason to the Power Chamber to start with. "Jason, you said you had something for us?"

Jason's smile faded, and he went over and placed the crystal carefully on the analysing table and unwrapped it. "This. I was in a shelter and I saw Goldar going through the park with it. I followed him, and then Zedd and Rita showed up. Zedd said it was a nightmare crystal...."

Billy paled slightly, recalling the time that he, Jason and the others had suffered the effects of the first nightmare crystal. "Another one?"

"Yeah, only I think this one might be stronger. Anyway, I sort of got caught by Scorpina, and when Zedd and Goldar were arguing over what to do with me, I grabbed it and bolted."

"Pretty daring, Jase," Tommy commented, sounding none-too-happy at the risk his friend had taken.

Jason sighed. "Look, I know it was a dumb thing to do, but you weren't around when the first one was used against us. It totally sapped our self-confidence to the point where we were terrified to go outside. I didn't want to see anything like that happen again."

"Jason's right," Billy said softly. He looked around at the rangers with a pained stare. "The first crystal nearly beat us. If this one is worse, then Jason was justified in taking the risk he did."

Alpha shuffled over and picked the crystal up. "I'll get to work analysing this right away."

"I'll help," Billy said. "I'd like to try and determine the cosmetic makeup of the crystal."

"I've gotta get back," Jason said. "I told Rob I'd be back as soon as possible."

Tommy nodded. "We'll come with you."

Jason stopped, throwing Tommy a frown, and the Red Ranger chuckled. "Just to the park. Don't worry, Jase. We wouldn't want to cramp your style."

Rocky snickered. "Speak for yourself."

Kat hit him lightly. "Stop being so mean, Rocky. I'll bet Jason's a great actor."

Jason reddened considerably, and was anxious to go. "Zordon...?"

Zordon could not resist a smile as he spoke. "Teleporting now, Jason." None of them missed the look of relief on Jason's face as he vanished from sight.

That evening....
"The final readouts should be coming through now," Alpha said as he finished plugging information into the Power Chambers computer.

Billy walked slowly, tiredly over to the printer and waited with half-closed eyes. He was almost asleep standing up when the sound of the printer snapped him back to reality, and he quickly tore off the sheet as soon as it was done.

"What does it say?" Alpha asked, shuffling over.

Billy frowned. "This is odd... The last crystal was activated automatically, but according to this, the current one will only work if it's been touched...."

Zordon looked grim. "We must assume that Jason touched the crystal in the process of stealing it from Zedd and Rita."

"In which case," Billy concluded, "the crystal will work on him!"

"We must summon Jason back here immediately," Zordon stated.

Billy looked worried. "Zordon, that might be difficult. If Jason is still at the film site, it will be almost impossible for him to get away without arousing suspicion. Maybe I should go and try to find him?"

"Very well, Billy. Tell him to contact me as soon as he is able, and I will bring him here. It will be safest for him to sleep here until the crystal is destroyed."

Billy nodded, then activated his communicator and teleported out.

Film Lot....
Jason slumped over in his chair in his caravan, exhausted by the work-load he'd had. His left arm, resting on the arm of the chair, finally slid off as he slipped into a deep sleep.

~*~

Frowning to himself, Rob went over to see what the boy was doing there.

~*~

Billy stopped dead, and looked up to find himself staring into the face of the man who he recognised as Robert Carter, the director. "Uh.... Yes... sir?" It was all he could think of to say.

Rob eyed the boy critically. "May I ask how you got onto the Lot? You aren't part of my crew."

"No, sir... I was looking for Jason. Jason Scott...?"

"The reason being?"

"He's my friend, sir. I need to see him. It's important." Rob continued to frown. Billy, in turn, was starting to lose patience. "Please, I'm not lying! Jason is my friend, I've known him since Kindergarten."

Finally, Rob conceded. If the boy was lying, then Jason could easily call for security. "All right. That's his trailer over there. He's in there." Billy nodded his thanks and hurried across the Lot to the trailer. He knocked once on the door, and went in without waiting for a reply.

"Jason...?" Billy froze in the doorway. "Oh, no..." He hurried over to Jason, who was twisting around in his chair, caught up in the throes of a severe nightmare. "Jase, wake up! Please...."

After nearly a minute, Billy finally managed to wake his friend up. Jason came to with a start, a cry of fear just catching in his throat. "B... Billy?"

"Yes. You were having a nightmare."

Jason pushed himself up, and brushed a thin layer of sweat from his eyes. "Man, I haven't had a nightmare like that for a long while."

"It's the nightmare crystal," Billy said grimly. "It's why I came. Jason, there's a problem. I need you to tell me what the nightmare was about."

Jason sat still for a long moment, then turned a pale shade of green. "It... It was about Alan. I dreamt he came back to Angel Grove, and came after me. He was beating me, and he wouldn't stop...."

Billy felt nauseous. "Hell... Jason, we found out that the crystal will work on any human that touches it. You did touch it, didn't you?"

"I had to," Jason protested. "I didn't have time to take off my jacket on the spot!"

"It's okay," Billy tried to reassure him. He hesitated, then sighed. "Actually, it isn't. The problem is, we don't know how the power of the crystal will manifest itself. Did Zedd say anything else about it? Something that might help us to understand how it works?"

Jason thought back, then spoke in a subdued voice. "He said something about turning nightmares into reality... I don't remember exactly. Billy, couldn't you just destroy it? Like with the last one?"

Billy sighed softly. "We tried. It appears to be completely impervious to all of our efforts. Nothing so far has succeeded in even scratching it."

Jason moaned softly. "Damn. So we just have to play it out, then. This sucks, Billy!"

"I know," Billy murmured grimly. "It's getting worse. Jason, when you finish here, I suggest you come to the Power Chamber. Call your mother and tell her you're staying at my house. My father will cover for you if she calls him."

"Okay," Jason conceded wearily. "But I'm not sleeping on the scanning table again! That thing is damned hard!"

Billy smiled. "Fair enough. I'll get Alpha to set up a couple of cots."

Jason blinked. "A couple?"

"Well, I'm not leaving you alone when that crystal could end up giving you nightmares all night long. I'll see you back at the Power Chamber, all right?"

Jason stood up quickly. "Billy, wait. Hang around for a bit. We've still got one scene to shoot before we finish up tonight, and you could watch, if you want."

Billy hesitated. "I wouldn't make you nervous?"

"Nah. If I can stand next to Sam Neill for an hour and not panic, then you won't make me nervous. Now Rocky, on the other hand...."

"All right," Billy agreed with a wry smile. "I will, then. It's okay with the director, isn't it? He didn't seem too happy to see me before...."

"Don't worry. Rob's just been worried that other teenagers might come to badger me about what happened with Alan. Once he knows you're my friend, it'll be okay."

"You get along well with him, then?"

"Yeah," Jason said, smiling. "Really well. I like him a lot, Billy. I just wish...."

"What?"

Jason paused in the door of the trailer. "I wish I could get up the courage to call him Dad."

Billy only nodded his understanding; it was not something he felt he could comment on.

~*~

Rob's stern expression melted, then, a warm smile spread over his face. "Pleased to meet you, Billy. You've have to excuse my attitude earlier; I just have to be careful with who I let in. Especially where Jason is concerned. I'm sure you understand."

Billy nodded, instantly deciding that he liked Robert Carter very much. "Yes, I understand."

"I invited Billy to stay and watch the last scene," Jason said.

Rob nodded. "That's fine. He can watch from over by my chair."

Jason touched Billy's shoulder lightly. "C'mon, over here."

"He's a good man," Billy commented softly.

Jason nodded. "I know. Now, do me a favour and don't laugh at me afterwards. Okay?"

Billy had to grin. "I won't."

Jason rolled his eyes and headed off to get ready.

An hour and a half later....
Billy watched in silence, frozen to the spot, as Jason and Sam acted out the scene which they had rehearsed three times over before the shoot. It was riveting, even for someone such as Billy who rarely bothered with the movies. What caught Billy the most, though, was that it was a scene that could have been taken almost directly out of Jason's own life. He bit down on a knuckle, fighting the tears that threatened to flow, and continued to watch in tense silence.

~*~

"Will do," Alec murmured, and went to do so.

~*~

Austin refuses. John tries to force him. "Damn it, will you just look at me?"

Jason shied away, completely in character, acting as he himself would have acted in the exact same situation.

"Don't touch me!"

John backs off

"All right. Okay, I won't touch. You see? I won't hurt you. I just want you to trust me!"

Austin remains frozen in the corner. John tries again. "Austin, please! I want to help you! Why won't you let me help you?" Jason stared past Sam, his gaze vacant and haunted. He opened his mouth to speak his next line.... and froze.

~*~

~*~

~*~

The words came not from the script, but from Jason's heart. Sam remained still for a long moment, not sure what to do, and then he decided to ad lib. "Well, I do."

"My problems are my problems," Jason chanted softly, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Your problems are my problems," Sam countered, half-aware that the exchange he was caught in the middle of was more than simple acting.

"My life.... My problems..... My pain...." Jason lifted his shirt just a little, enough to reveal one scar that ran nearly half the width of his stomach. The look on his face, in his eyes, was one of agony... and need. "My pain, my scars."

Sam felt his stomach turn over. This was going too far....

~*~

Sam fell back immediately, one hand coming up to his mouth as he struggled to regain his lost composure. The entire crew seemed to turn away, all of them looking weak or nauseous. The only one who didn't move was Jason.

Seeing the boy was still frozen in the corner of the set, Rob, hurried over to try and snap him out of it. "Jason?" He crouched down and reached out to touch Jason's shoulder, but the teen jerked away, crying out in fear. Rob felt sick.

"Jason, it's over. Snap out of it, son!" Desperate, he took Jason's shoulders tightly in his hands and shook the boy hard. It was finally enough, and Jason's glazed stare focused on the director.

"R... Rob?"

"Thank God," Rob murmured. "Are you all right, Jason?"

Jason shuddered visibly. "I.... I think so.... I'm sorry...."

"Don't be. You couldn't help it. C'mon, up you get." Jason allowed Rob to pull him up, and made no protest when the director put an arm firmly around his shoulders in support.

"It's late," Rob said quietly as he guided his shaken son off the set. "I'll call your mother and tell her you're staying with me tonight."

Anxiety crossed Jason's face and he looked around for Billy. The teen came over and spoke carefully. "It's all right, Jason. Don't worry about anything." The words were spoken with careful emphasis, and Jason guessed Billy was planning alternate arrangements to monitor him while he slept. He nodded wordlessly, and let himself be led away to the trailers by his father.

Billy watched Jason go, then turned and hurried off in the opposite direction to find a safe place to teleport.

That night....
"What do you think happened?" Rob asked as he and Jason sat on the sofa side by side in the hotel penthouse.

Jason shook his head. He was still shaken by what had happened. "I don't know. I... I just got caught up in it. I couldn't break free!"

He'd started trembling again, and Rob reached over to hug him reassuringly.

"It's all right. Jason, maybe this is starting to become too much for you. I probably should have put a stop to it when you froze up the last time."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, perhaps it's time you finished up with this film. It was great to start with, but now you're just putting too much of yourself into it. You're doing harm to yourself, son. I don't want to push you through it at the risk of your own emotional health."

Jason shook his head. "No! Please, don't pull me off it. I have to finish it, Rob. It's important to me, now. If I don't finish it...." He looked frustrated. "I can't explain it."

"You don't have to. I understand what you're getting at. But what happened this evening... Jason, that was serious. We couldn't even get through to you for a minute! I'm worried about you. I'm worried about just how much this movie is really affecting you."

Jason looked up tearfully at his father. "Please, just give me the chance to see it through. It's like, if I can finish the film, then I can finish what happened with Alan all these years. Do you understand?"

"Yes... I think so." He paused, watching Jason with obvious affection. "I'm proud of you, son. Very proud."

Jason didn't move. All of a sudden, there was something he desperately wanted to do, but years of strict censuring on Alan Scott's part had reduced his courage to a minimum. Rob continued to watch Jason for a long while before shifting across and putting an arm gently around Jason's shoulders, drawing the boy close to him. Jason shut his eyes as Rob gently drew him down to rest on his broad shoulder.

"You're my son now, Jason. Not his. Just remember that, and everything will be fine."

Jason sighed, half-asleep in his father's strong embrace. "Love you... Dad...."

Tears filled Rob's eyes at that. He doubted Jason was fully aware of what he'd just said, but it touched him to the heart.

"I love you, too, son."

Angel Grove Bus Terminal....
Alan Scott looked around slowly, frowning deeply to himself. Somehow, at some point, he had wound up back in Angel Grove. He had no idea how; last he knew he'd still been in Hollywood, holed up in a shady little dive, hiding from the cops. But now, with startling abruptness, he'd ended up back in his home town. He didn't know when he'd gotten there, he didn't know how. But he was there, and he assumed there was a reason.

Remembering he was on the run, he hitched his bag higher up over his shoulder and hurried to get to safety, away from prying eyes.

The next day....
"Feeling better?" Rob asked as Jason emerged from the bedroom that morning.

The boy offered Rob a sheepish smile. "Yeah. I'm sorry about last night. I really don't know what happened."

"I told you, there's no need to explain. I understand. I think we'll take it easy with the shoots today. We're ahead of schedule anyway, so it won't make too much difference." Rob hesitated, then spoke up quietly. "Tell me, Jason, how did you sleep last night?"

Jason froze, a glass of orange juice halfway to his mouth. The glass came back down slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I woke up a couple of times last night, and I thought I could hear you crying out in your sleep."

Jason swallowed hard. The truth was, most of the night had been interrupted constant nightmares. To start with, it had just been images of Alan Scott, but then that had changed, and it had been Goldar that haunted his sleep. Then Tommy, as the evil Green Ranger.... Then all three, merged into one, indescribable nightmare....

"I slept okay," Jason lied. "I'm fine."

Rob nodded, but it was clear he didn't believe him.

~*~

Jason looked at him in dismay. "I thought we'd talked about that last night...."

"What? Oh.... No, that's okay. We sorted out that. No, this is a different matter. I got a phone call yesterday afternoon from my bank manager in Hollywood."

Jason's forehead creased with worry, and Rob had to smile. "Now, don't look like that. It's nothing bad, I promise. In fact, it's good, but I wanted to do it in case you said no."

"What is it?" Jason asked tentatively.

"Well, it's like this. Danni, Sarah and Tyler each have a trust fund set up for them. I set them up when Raise The Dead was so successful. That movie made me a very rich man, and I decided then to make sure that no matter what happened, my children would all have financial security. I also set up a fourth trust fund, though, that I kept under my own name. I've had that trust fund transferred to you, Jason."

Jason's jaw dropped. "Me?"

"Yes. It's not accessible until you're twenty-one, and by that time, there'll be enough money there to set you up for life."

For a long while, Jason didn't speak. Then, finally, he managed to croak out a response. "How much?"

"At the moment? Approximately six million. The same as the other kids. When you're old enough, you can use that money for whatever you want... But I trust you'll be wise enough not to waste it."

Jason sat back with a thud. "Six million? Man, that's more money than.... than I don't know!"

Rob shifted seats, to sit next to Jason. "Six million isn't that much, really. It can be lost faster than it's gained. Be smart with the money, son."

Jason sat still, fighting it out inside his own mind how best to respond. Finally, he looked up and spoke before he lost what little courage he'd gained. "Thank you... Dad."

Rob froze. That time it had not been a mistake, or something said in a state of semi-awareness. It had been very deliberate. Coming back to reality, he saw the look of trembling unease in Jason's eyes, and realised how much courage it must have taken the teen to say it. Reaching out, he pulled Jason close in a tight hug.

"You're very welcome," he whispered. "...Son."

Midday....
Jason had learnt early on that it was not wise to disturb Rob Carter with trivial matters during a shoot, even if they were on a lunch break. He had a question to ask, though, and it couldn't wait. Gathering his courage, he made his way over to where his father was shouting orders all over the place.

"Dad...?"

Rob froze, and a grin tugged at his lips. Just hearing Jason call him Dad was enough to settle his bad temper. He turned around and spared the teen a strict look, all the while struggling not to laugh.

"What is it, Jason?"

Jason swallowed hard, wondering whether he should have waited until the day was over before he asked. It was too late now, though, and he knew that shirking would only annoy Rob even more. "Um... I was wondering...."

"Yes?" Rob asked impatiently.

Jason forced himself to say it. "I was wondering if I could bring a few of my friends here.... You know, let them check everything out."

"How many is a few?" Rob wanted to know.

Jason hesitated, adding them up in his mind. Billy, Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Kat, Tanya.... Amy.... He supposed he had to bring Max along as well, or the little brat would kick up a fuss....

"Eight?" he asked, half-afraid of the reaction he would get.

Rob hesitated, regarding Jason seriously. He was not so blind that he couldn't see how nervous the boy was. Finally he nodded and spoke in a subdued voice. "That's fine. I was intending to bring Anne and the kids around anyway, so your friends might as well come on the same day. Just be sure to let the security guards know, and give them a list of names. Tell your friends to be at the gate tomorrow at noon, and I'll make sure someone's there to show bring them through."

Relief flooded Jason's face. "Thanks, Dad."

Rob couldn't resist a grin. "Okay. Now get back to your trailer and get changed for the next scene."

Jason grinned and took off for his trailer at high speed, barely dodging a cameraman as he went. Alec shook his head and spoke once the teen was out of earshot.

"You're giving concessions to that kid that you won't give to the rest of us," he retorted, only half-joking.

Rob conceded that with a nod. "I know, but he is my son, Alec."

"I don't want to sound sceptical, Rob... but are you absolutely certain about that? I mean, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have some tests done...."

Rob stopped short, then slowly looked around at Alec. "Are you suggesting it could be a hoax?"

"I'm not saying that," Alec protested under Rob's threatening glare. "I'm just saying that maybe there's been some mix-up...."

"No mix-up, Alec," Rob said in a dangerously soft voice. "I believe Melissa, and I believe Jason. If she was after money, she would have claimed it when I made my fortune with Raise The Dead."

"Not necessarily," Alec pointed out. "Not if Alan Scott was as abusive as we think. Would it hurt, Rob? Would it hurt just to be sure?"

"Yes," Rob snapped, "I believe it would. It would hurt Jason's trust in me. I won't do anything to break that trust. So just drop it, Alec! I don't want to hear anymore. Do you understand me?"

Alec nodded reluctantly. "I understand. I'm sorry, Rob. I'm just trying to look out for you...."

"Thank you, but I'm doing fine looking out for myself," Rob grumbled.

The next day....
"This is gonna be so cool," Rocky said eagerly as they approached the gates. "Hey, maybe if we impress Jason's old man enough, he'll give us parts in the movie!"

Tommy smirked. "Don't bet on it, Rocky. One role as a sidekick doesn't qualify you for an A-grade drama."

Billy slowed to a halt, eyeing the crowd of teenagers with scepticism. "We'll be lucky if we can even get through."

Amy came forward, then, determination on her face. "Just leave that to me." Without waiting for a reply, she strode forward, literally plowing through the mass of teens. "Excuse us, coming through!" she shouted, clearing a path for the rangers like Moses parting the Red Sea. Exchanging amused looks, the rangers quickly followed before the gap closed.

At the gate, the security guards spared the group a stern look. "How many times do we have to tell you kids? Mr Neill is too busy just now to come out."

Amy stuck her chin out indignantly. "For your information, we aren't here to see Sam Neill."

Tommy edged forward, laying a hand lightly on Amy's shoulder. "We're friends of Jason Scott. He told us to be here at twelve."

The guard's expression altered, and he looked down at his clipboard. "Tommy Oliver, Billy Cranston, Amy and Max Scott, Katherine Hillard, Tanya Sloan, Adam Park and Rocky De Santos?"

"That's us," Rocky piped up.

The guard nodded. "Okay, you kids are cleared. "Chris, open the gate!"

The teens couldn't resist grins at the sound of protests behind them as the guard ushered them through.

"Here." The guard handed each one a pass. "Wear those all the time you're here, or you'll be thrown out. And keep quiet for the time being, until we know whether they're filming."

Exchanging grins of anticipation, the teens hurried after the security guard.

~*~

"Jason!"

Jason's head turned a fraction, and then it happened. A small figure came almost from nowhere, launching into the air and tackling Jason, causing them both to crash to the ground.

"Gotcha!" Tyler howled in triumph, grinning down at his older brother.

Jason groaned comically. "Okay, I surrender! Man, Tyler, you're no light weight, you know that?"

Tyler sniggered. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"Smart mouth."

Danni and Sarah approached, eyeing their brothers with amusement. "You know," Danni said, winking at Sarah, "now would be the perfect time to find out if Jason's ticklish."

Jason's eyes widened. "What...? Hang on...."

Shrieking self-styled war cries, both girls launched a brutal attack on Jason, rendering him completely helpless with laughter.

Across the way, Sam shook his head as he stood with Rob and Anne. "Shameful."

Rob had to laugh. "Hey!" he called out to his children. "Stop ganging up on your brother!"

"Make us!" Sarah laughed.

From somewhere beneath the mass of children, Jason's voice floated up, muffled by the multiple bodies. "Dad! Get them off me!"

Rob snorted in response. "You're a black belt in karate. Get them off yourself."

"Very sympathetic, dear," Anne remarked sarcastically.

Rob shrugged. "Hey, I got better things to worry about. If he can't defend himself against the kids...."

"Mr Carter?"

Rob looked around to see a security guard standing there. "What is it, Sean?"

"I've got a group of kids here, friends of your son."

Rob fought back a grin as he looked back to where Jason was still trying to fight off his three younger siblings. "Jason, your friends are here. You might want to get cleaned up."

"I would if I could!" Jason retorted, his voice still muffled. "Aw, c'mon guys, get off me!"

"Not till you say it," Danni shot back.

"I'm not Yoda," Jason bellowed, "and this isn't E.T.!"

"You've got to say it!" Sarah joined in. "We don't let you up till you do!"

Across the way, the rangers and Amy and Max came within sight. Rob, still smirking to himself, walked over, deciding to end the wrestling match. "All right," he said gruffly, picking his youngest off the top. "That's enough. You can finish this later. Your brother has guests."

Danni and Sarah both got up reluctantly, pouting as Sam came over and grabbed Jason's hand, pulling the boy to his feet. "Very agile," he remarked dryly.

Jason frowned as he dusted himself off; a useless effort as he was almost smothered in dirt. "Gimme a break." He focused a half-teasing glare on the three kids. "Just you wait. I'll get you when you're least expecting it."

The only response he got was wild laughter as the three younger children tore off across the lot. Rob touched Jason's shoulder lightly and indicated to where his friends were waiting.

"Great," Jason moaned. "They probably saw everything. I'll never live it down."

Rob chuckled. "Act in front of the camera, Jason. Not away from it." Shaking his head, Jason went to meet his friends.

~*~

"Shut up," Jason grumbled.

"Is this it?" Kat asked, looking around curiously.

Jason shook his head. "No. There're the sound stages, and the indoor sets. This is just one that we've been using today. C'mon back to my trailer. I want to get cleaned up. Those three got me good."

"Who were they?" Jason looked around to see Amy had appeared at his side, and there was a hint of worry in her eyes that she couldn't conceal.

"That was Danni, Sarah and Tyler," he confirmed quietly. "My.... My other brother and sisters."

"They sure seemed to like you, bro," Tommy observed.

Jason shrugged noncommittally, and Amy slipped her arm through his. "It's okay, Jason. We understand. Well, I do, at least."

Jason gave in, though he was still reluctant to say very much. "We get along really well. They're great kids."

They came to Jason's trailer, and Tommy spoke quickly, anxious to ease the sudden uneasiness between Jason and his sister. "This is yours?"

"During the movie," Jason said. "It's really good, having somewhere to hide out from Lou."

"Lou?" Tanya echoed, and Jason nodded.

"Yeah. 'Scuse me for a second. I think I'll get changed." Jason disappeared into the trailer, leaving his friends to wait out- side. They'd been there hardly a minute when a teenage girl walked up, eyeing the group critically.

"You lot have got to be friends of Jason," she said, more to herself than to them.

Tommy allowed himself a hint of a smile. "You must be Lou."

She raised an eyebrow at the tall boy. "Oh, so he's mentioned me, has he?" Her gaze went to Tanya, Kat and Amy. "So, which of you is his girl friend?"

The three girls looked at one another in surprise, and then Kat spoke. "None of us. We're just friends."

"And I'm his sister," Amy added firmly.

Lou looked sceptical. "He invites all of you down here, but not his girlfriend?"

"For your information...." Kat burst out, only to be restrained by Tommy's hand coming down on her shoulder.

The Red Ranger spared his girlfriend a warning look, then spoke quietly. "Jason is actually... ah...."

"Busy with his friends," a sharp voice interrupted, and they looked around to see Jason emerge from the trailer, his expression considerably darker than before.

Lou offered him a sugary smile. "Just keeping your friends entertained while you fix your hair, hon."

"Give it a rest, Lou," Jason snapped. "You know enough about my home life. Think you could possibly stay out of my love life?"

Lou shrugged. "Hey, can't blame a girl for trying. Anyway, you never know. Maybe I figured that since you're such a great kisser, I thought I might give you a go myself."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and hot-footed it off to her own trailer. The others all stared incredulously at Jason, who had turned beet-red. "It was in a scene!" Jason grumbled defensively. "I didn't have a choice."

Rocky hooted loudly. "Way to go, Jase!"

"Aw, shut up," Jason muttered.

Tommy chuckled. "Okay, Rocky, ease up. So what now, Jase?"

Jason looked around slowly. "Well, I guess I could show you around the different sets...." He trailed off, suddenly realising they were one short in number. "Amy, I thought you brought Max with you?"

"I did...." Amy faltered, looking around to realise the younger boy was nowhere in sight. "Oh man, where'd he go?"

Jason's jaw tightened as Max's voice came floating back through his memory.

_Do you really like your new brother more than me?_

"I think I know. Wait here, I'd better go get him."

~*~

Max stood with his fists clenched at his sides. "I'm Max. I'm Jason's brother. You're Tyler, aren't you?"

The little boy nodded, oblivious to Max's growing animosity. "Yeah. I.... I'm Jason's brother, too," he said with a friendly smile.

Max glared at the younger boy. "No, you aren't. Jason's my brother, not yours."

Tyler looked around for his sisters, unsure how to deal with the unfamiliar situation. Neither girl was in sight, though, and he reluctantly looked back at Max. "Yes, he is. Jason's dad is my dad," he said tentatively.

"He was my brother first!" Max exploded. "You can't have him! I won't let you!"

Tyler shot backwards, slamming into the wall in a panic. Max followed, and was on top of the six year-old before Tyler could escape.

"He's my brother!" Max screamed hysterically, tears flooding down his cheeks. "He's not your brother, he's mine! He doesn't like you best, he likes me best! You can't have my brother!"

Rob and Anne heard their youngest sons shrieks of terror and entered the canteen at the same time as Jason. Jason was faster, and shot across the concrete, physically lifting Max off the younger boy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled at his younger brother while Tyler promptly scrambled to his feet and hid behind his parents.

"It's not fair!" Max wailed, nearly blinded by the tears in his eyes. "They stole you. You don't like me anymore, now you've got another brother. You hate me, just like Dad hates you!"

Jason froze, staring at Max with both shock and understanding. "Is that what you think? You think that I'm gonna just forget about you because I've got another little brother? Is that it?"

"You said so," Max sobbed. "You called me a demon-boy, and everything!"

Jason moaned softly. "Hell..." He looked around at Rob and Anne. "Would you guys mind?"

Rob nodded his consent and, picking up Tyler, they left Jason alone with Max.

"Okay," Jason said quietly. "Now listen to me, Max. Just because I have a new brother doesn't mean you're not my brother anymore, or that I'm going to forget about you. I love you just as much as Tyler. You've gotta understand that!"

"How can you?" Max asked, sniffing helplessly. "You've got a whole different family, now."

"But I still have you and Mum and Amy. That hasn't changed. Angel Grove is still my home, Max. I'm not leaving. You're stuck with me for a while yet."

"I don't understand," Max whispered. "How can you like me and and him the same? How come you can't choose?"

"Because I don't want to choose," Jason insisted. "I don't have to choose between you, Max."

"What about what happened with Dad?"

"That's over," Jason said softly. "It's not gonna happen again."

Still Max seemed unconvinced. "But what about...."

Jason promptly clamped a hand over Max's mouth. "Stop. Nothing's changed, Max, except maybe to get a little better. You're still my brother, as much as Tyler. You can share me with Tyler, you know."

Max looked miserable. "It's just really weird. You've got another brother and two sisters that Amy and I aren't related to."

"You're telling me," Jason grumbled. "What happens if I'm ever supposed to do my family tree for school? I'll need two to cover both sides!"

Max had to smile at that. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I guess I was being dumb."

Jason squeezed Max's shoulder affectionately. "It's okay, but you should apologize to Tyler. Not me. After all, he's the one you tackled."

Max stared at the ground. "I guess so. Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"How come we never fooled around like you were doing before with.... with Tyler and your sisters?"

Jason hesitated before answering. "Because your dad didn't like me joining in with that sort of stuff. Don't you remember? The last time we tried wrestling, he took me out to the shed for a...." He faltered, eyeing Max's ashen features. "For a really long talk," he finished off quietly.

Max looked away. He was no fool, and understood what Jason meant. "I'm sorry."

"Go on," Jason murmured, ushering Max outside.

~*~

"Do I have to?" Max grumbled, looking everywhere but at Tyler.

Jason spared Max a warning look. "Yes, you do."

Max finally forced himself to look straight at Tyler. "I'm sorry," he muttered half-heartedly.

Tyler glanced up at his parents, then back to Max when they nodded. "It's okay. Would you like to play with me?"

Max looked back to Jason anxiously, but Jason's expression was anything but sympathetic. "Max would love to, Tyler," he said, firmly pushing the younger boy forward.

Tyler's face lit up at the thought of having a playmate. "Great! C'mon, Max."

Glowering at Jason, Max followed Tyler off around the corner of the building. Rob watched them go, then turned back to Jason, smiling wryly. "You didn't have to do that."

Jason shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Max'll probably thank me for it later. He wouldn't enjoy tagging around after the rest of us. Speaking of which...."

"Go on," Rob told him. "I won't need you for a scene for a couple of hours yet. There's plenty of time to show your friends around. Whether you let them stay to watch the scene is up to you."

"After last time?" Jason muttered. "And with Rocky here? No way."

Rob laughed and clapped Jason on the shoulder. "Go on, get back to your friends, before Lou corners them again."

Grinning, Jason hurried off to find his friends.

A couple of hours later....
"That was awesome," Rocky said enthusiastically as Jason led them to the west gate. "Man, you are so damned lucky!"

Jason smiled a little. "I know. Things couldn't be better."

Tommy was the only one who saw the double meaning in Jason's expression, and he spoke words that only Jason heard. "But they can always get worse."

Jason flinched a little at that, and Tommy instinctively hung back, waiting until the others were down the street and out of earshot. "What is it?" he asked softly.

Jason spared him a look of deep worry. "Tommy, has the nightmare crystal been destroyed?"

"No," Tommy confessed. "Alpha's still trying to figure it out."

"Well, tell him to stop," Jason growled, "and just destroy the damned thing. I had the worst night last night."

"Billy said you were restless. He was monitoring you from the Power Chamber."

"Restless is not the word I would have chosen. Tommy, I'm lucky I didn't wake up screaming. It would have been really awkward, explaining to Dad why I'm having nightmares about space monkeys in gold armour."

Tommy sighed softly. "We want to destroy it, but Zordon's worried. He said the same as you heard from Zedd. This crystal is different to the last one. It's a lot more powerful."

"All the more reason to get rid of it," Jason argued. "The side effects ended when we destroyed the last one. I don't see why it would be any different this time around. Tommy, please...."

"I'll talk to Zordon," Tommy conceded quietly. "We'll see what he thinks. Be patient, bro."

Jason leant back against the gate. "I'm sick of being patient. I want this to be over."

"I understand. I'll see what I can do about it. Jase, do you still have your communicator?"

"Yeah, but it's hidden with my stuff in my trailer. I'd have a lot of explaining to do if Dad saw it."

A smile broke out across Tommy's face. "You're calling him Dad now, huh?"

Jason smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. It was weird at first, but I think I'm used to it, now. I try not to think about it, because part of me still thinks of Alan as being my dad. I'm trying really hard to get over that."

Tommy thumped Jason lightly on the shoulder. "I've gotta go. Mum'll have a hissy fit if I'm late."

"I'll see you later, then?" Jason asked, and Tommy nodded.

"Yeah. I'll let you know what Zordon says."

"Great. Thanks, Tommy."

Tommy merely smiled and hurried off down the street. Jason watched him go in silence, then headed back into the Lot.

Power Chamber....
Tommy walked around the crystal, eyeing it warily through the glass casing. It continued to glow blood red, its light not abating at all, despite the length of time it had been in the Power Chamber.

"What do you think?" Rocky asked.

Tommy finally stepped away and shrugged. "I don't know. I want to smash the damned thing, but who knows what will happen then? Zordon, have you found out anything at all that about it?"

"Nothing substantial, Tommy," Zordon admitted reluctantly. "I believe it is time to dispose of it."

"You're saying we should destroy it?" Kat asked worriedly.

"The effects of the crystal are causing Jason great distress, are they not?" the ancient wizard asked.

Billy nodded. "Yes. He barely got a straight hour's sleep last night."

"He practically begged me to destroy it this afternoon," Tommy confessed. "I think he's really freaked out by it."

"If it's upsetting him that much," Tanya suggested, "then there's every chance that he could be causing his own nightmares. That could be the only real power the crystal has. The power of suggestion is great, and Jason would be very susceptible, considering his circumstances."

"You may be right, Tanya," Zordon answered. "That may be all there is to it. However, we must assume there is more."

Tommy moved up to the glass casing. "Zordon, do I have your 'Okay' to destroy it?"

"Yes, Tommy. Do so immediately."

Tightening his jaw, Tommy lifted off the glass casing and placed it aside. Then, in a motion almost identical to Jason when he had destroyed the first crystal, Tommy let go with a roundhouse kick that shattered the crystal into a thousand pieces.

"All right...." Rocky started to say enthusiastically, only to falter as a strange sound began to fill the Power Chamber.

"What the...." Kat whispered, suddenly nervous. A sound akin to thunder rolled through the Power Chamber, sending vibrations through the entire structure, and above the heads of the rangers, a darkness gathered, laced with streaks of blood red light.

"Why do I get the feeling we just made a really big mistake?" Adam asked of no one in particular.

Unnatural thunder and lightning cracked through the Power Chamber, forcing the rangers to duck for cover, and watch from relative safety as the darkness gathered into an indefinable form in the center of the Power Chamber. Soft, almost inaudible laughter swept through the place, sending chills down the rangers' spines. A terrible rush of wind flew through the Chamber, roaring in all their ears, and then it was gone.

"What the hell was that?" Rocky gasped as he emerged from his hiding place behind a consul.

Zordon spoke, his voice laced with undeniable fear. "That was the power of the crystal, being released. I am afraid we have made a grave miscalculation."

Tommy came forward slowly, his long hair blown in all directions by the fierce wind. "Hang on, Zordon. Are you saying that the power of the crystal is free? It can do whatever it wants?"

"Not exactly," Zordon corrected. "The power will only be able to affect anyone who has had contact with the crystal. Namely, Jason. I fear he will be the target of any attack."

"You mean, it could just attack him outright?" Tanya asked in concern.

"Not exactly," Zordon explained. "It will most likely take on the guise of his deepest fears to carry out the attack."

Tommy's hands curled into fists. "Billy, can you keep a constant surveillance on Jason from here?"

"Yes," Billy replied. "I should be able to."

"Okay, then. There's not much else we can do. We'll just have to wait it out until that... that thing makes its move."

"Great plan," Rocky muttered. "What if it gets to Jase before we can help him?"

Tommy's dark eyes narrowed considerably, and he leveled a warning glare at Rocky. "That won't happen. We won't let it."

Rocky swallowed hard. He knew enough not to push Tommy over the issue, especially where Jason was concerned.

Tommy took a step back, looking at each member of his team. "I suggest we all go home, but keep your communicators close at hand. We may need to move fast."

A murmur of agreement swept through the group, and they teleported out one by one, until only Billy and Tommy were left.

"Aren't you going home?" Billy asked, eyeing Tommy sceptically.

Tommy nodded. "I will. Billy, I want you to try something."

"Such as?"

"I want you to try and find Alan Scott."

Billy blinked in surprise, and Zordon spoke in protest. "That is not our jurisdiction, Tommy. It is not Ranger business."

"It is when it involves one of our own," Tommy argued. "Zordon, you said that power would take on the form of Jason's deepest fears. The most logical one is Alan Scott. That bastard terrorized Jason for most of his life, even more than Goldar ever did. I think we should try to find him, for Jason's sake."

Zordon contemplated that, and had to concede. "You may be right, Tommy. Alpha, begin the search."

"Right away, Zordon," Alpha replied, and shuffled off to do the task.

Tommy turned back to Billy. "Have you got Jase, yet?"

"Uh huh. Right there. He's in his trailer, with someone else."

"Can you get a visual? I just want to be sure he's okay."

Billy had to smile as he activated the viewing globe. "There he is."

Tommy moved closer, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Jason was with Rob Carter, and the two were engrossed in conversation. Even as Tommy and Billy watched, Rob leaned forward and threw his arms around Jason in a huge bear hug. Jason responded, hugging his father back.

"Man, that's good to see," Tommy murmured.

Billy nodded. "I know. Jason never said anything, but we know he missed the physical contact in his relationship with Alan."

Tommy turned away from the viewing globe as it faded to black. "Is that why I always saw Trini and Kim giving Jason hugs?"

"Yes," Billy confirmed. "Of course, we never knew the reason for Mr Scott's detachment from Jason. Now we do."

Tommy sighed softly. "I'm glad he found his real dad," he murmured as he teleported out.

Billy silently agreed as he went back to work.

~*~

He had dared go to the house after several hours of watching it from a distance, and only when he knew no one was there. He had seen Jason leave early that morning, followed by his own son and daughter, and then his wife. Alan cursed softly, kicking aimlessly at the bench. There was nothing useful in the shed. He was starting to wonder whether he shouldn't simply give up and and clear right out of town....

The wind howled outside, and thunder cracked, much closer than before. All the sunlight that had shone through the window of the shed suddenly, inexplicably faded, making way for a disturbing darkness that seemed to have a life of its own. Alan looked around, not sure whether to be afraid of the strange happening. He shut his eyes for an instant, and in that instant, the darkness converged on him, engulfing him completely.

All doubts and confusion hed had were erased in a matter of seconds, and a single, evil thought that had been playing on his mind for a long while rose, unrestrained, to the surface. Smiling to himself, Alan left the shed and went into the house to start making plans.

~*~

"You look wasted," Amy remarked as he wandered into the kitchen.

Jason pulled a face at her. "Thanks a lot."

She smiled as she set the table. "Grumpy, too. Go and wash up, dinner's nearly ready."

Jason shouldered his bag and went through to his and Max's bedroom. He tossed the bag down carelessly on the floor and went into the adjoining bathroom, quickly washing his hands. It was as he came back into the bedroom that he saw it.

Panic hit Jason hard, followed by a rush of nausea that he only barely managed to fight back down. "Mum!" he screamed, moving right back against the wall. "Mum!"

Melissa Scott ran into the bedroom, alerted to trouble by her son's panicked shouts. "What's wrong? Jason, you're white as a sheet!"

Jason pointed, unable to get another sound out. Melissa looked, and felt a similar rush of panic and fear. Buried to the hilt in the very center of Jason's pillow was a knife. There was no note, nothing else at all; just the knife. Melissa acted fast, and shepherded Jason out of the room, pulling the door shut quickly.

"Amy! Call Chief Oliver, now!"

Amy's head appeared round the door. "What's wrong?"

Melissa glanced to the family room, where Max was watching TV, undisturbed by the shouting. She then looked back to her daughter and spoke in a grim voice.

"Your father's been in the house."