Kidnapped
by Naomi Tilley

Carter looked down at the teen in concern. "You were affected by a very obscure poison. You've been unconscious for nearly two days. I had a very hard time convincing the house doctor that we didn't need to get you to hospital."

Jason rubbed his temple, wincing at the slight pain in his skull. "Poison...?"

"Yes. Poison that came off Goldar's fist plates." Jason froze, staring up at Carter incredulously. The doctor sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. "You were right, Jason. It wasn't any hallucination at all. Goldar was here. There's no other explanation for the poison, the scratches or the bruising. Which means I'm ready to admit I was wrong about the previous time as well. I'm sorry that I didn't believe you earlier, but it was very hard to do that without any proof."

"You believe me now?" Jason asked softly. "You aren't just saying that?"

Carter sighed a little. "Jason, I'm a shrink. You ought to know I wouldn't just say that to make you happy. It wouldn't be beneficial to anyone."

"So what happens now?"

"What happens now," Carter said, "is that we can finally make some real progress. I know you were being honest now, and I'm hoping you can still trust me."

Jason nodded meekly. Carter smiled. "How about you get dressed, then? You'll be just in time for lunch."

The psychiatrist left him alone to get dressed.

~*~

Jason looked at him sharply. "Who told them?"

"I did, initially. Zordon agreed with me that it was for the best. I told them the basics, and then Zordon explained the details."

Jason looked distinctly nervous. "Were they.... you know... angry?"

"Angry? No. A little surprised, but not angry. The point is that now they understand exactly what you've been going through, and what you've been hiding from everyone."

Jason grimaced. "I didn't want to. I just couldn't break my promise."

"I understand. We'll talk about it later on. All right?"

A smile edged onto Jason's face. "Okay."

Angel Grove Park....
The rangers gathered in the park, sitting beneath the branches of an enormous Oak tree. "So it really was Goldar," Zack said when Billy had explained all that had happened. "Jason wasn't imagining it."

"No," Billy replied quietly. "He wasn't imagining anything. From what we've been able to work out, Zedd allowed Goldar to have free reign where Jason was concerned."

Tommy clenched his jaw in anger. "Goldar probably thought it'd be more fun to send Jase downhill and let everyone think he was crazy, than just kill him outright."

"Next time we see that overgrown ape," Trini growled, "I say we let him know that he can't get away with that. Jason is still one of ours, even if he isn't a ranger anymore, and we won't let Goldar hurt him. Not in any way."

A murmur of agreement swept across the group. "You really think he's getting better?" Kim asked anxiously.

Billy nodded. "That's what Dr Carter said."

"I feel awful," Trini murmured. "We've only been to see him once since he's been there. He probably thinks we really have deserted him."

Tommy stood up. "Well, then, why don't we go and see him now? All of us, together?"

They all looked at one another, uncertain about actually going to a psychiatric hospital. Finally,Adam spoke.

"I'll go."

Billy nodded. "So will I."

"Count me in," Zack consented finally, and soon the others agreed as well.

"Okay," Tommy said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's go."

Kingston Institute....
Jason lay on his bed, staring tiredly at the ceiling. He had talked with Dr Carter for a long time that afternoon. The official one hour session had managed to drag itself out to nearly three hours. They had gotten through a lot, though, and for the first time in a long while, Jason didn't feel so confused and frightened.

He was starting to be able to make distinctions between Goldar and Rick Daniels, something that he had previously been unable do. Both were monsters, but they were different kinds of monsters, and he was capable of beating both. That, too, was something that he had forgotten.

Maybe his battle against Goldar wasn't over, and wouldn't be until Zedd was defeated, but he was starting to come to terms with the fact that his battle against Rick Daniels could be over, if he let it.

He had won, Carter had said, simply by surviving. The first winning step had been taken months ago, when he'd allowed his friends to pull him out of the waking coma, and even though it had often felt like he was taking one step forward and three steps back, since then he had gradually shuffled his way forward.

He was winning his life back, Carter had assured him. He just had to believe it.

"Hey, is it safe to come in?"

Jason looked around, and smiled when he saw Tommy there. "Sure. C'mon in."

Tommy stepped into the room, and Jason's jaw dropped when he was followed by the rest of the team, plus Adam as well. He sat up quickly, well and truly taken by surprise. "What are you all doing here?" he asked, confused.

Trini went over and hugged him tightly. "We wanted to see you. That's okay, isn't it?"

Jason finally responded and hugged her back, realising dimly that he wasn't reacting with even a hint of fear, as he had done not so long ago. "Yeah. I... I just wasn't expecting all of you at once."

Trini backed away, and Kim came over and hugged him. Again, Jason noted that he felt none of the old fear that had once caused him to scream in panic and cower away from human contact. "We've missed you," Kim said, her voice muffled by Jason's shoulder. "I'm sorry we haven't come more often."

Jason sighed a little as she stepped away. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Zack said quietly. "It isn't okay, Jase. We should have been there for you, but we weren't. We haven't been. It isn't right."

Jason stood up slowly. "Well, you're making up for it now. Look, don't go all guilty on me. It's not worth it." He paused, looking around the suddenly crowded room. "Let's go outside. More space out on the grounds."

The others nodded their consent, and followed Jason out of the building.

~*~

Jason eyed Tommy curiously. "What's that?"

"Zordon is chronically embarrassed about this business with Goldar. I don't think he's ever had to admit he was wrong about anything before."

Jason had to smile. "He doesn't have to. I hate to see an inter- dimensional wizard grovel." It was meant as a joke, and they all laughed, glad that Jason had the spirit to even try and crack a joke.

"You sound a lot happier," Adam commented.

Jason shoved his hands deep into his jeans pockets. "I guess I am. I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere with Dr Carter. You know, we talked for nearly three hours today?"

"That's great," Tommy said enthusiastically. "Uh.... You think it'll be long before you're home?"

Jason shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted, sounding a little more subdued. "It's hard to tell. I hope not. I really want to come home."

Trini hugged him tightly. "If you keep going as well as this, then it won't be long. I'm sure of it."

Jason sighed a little. "I hope not. I miss being home." He slowed to a halt and finally sat down on the soft grass. After a moment, the others did the same. "I think I can cope with it, now. At least, I will be able to. I wasn't able to even think about any of it before. It just made me sick. Now, I can think about it. Just before you guys came, I was thinking back... to when he raped me... and it still made me feel sick, but I was able to actually face it. You know what I mean?"

Tommy nodded. "That you can even say that out loud, about the rape, that's really good. It wasn't too long ago that just saying the word messed you up."

Jason nodded. "I know. It's just as bad as it ever was... Nothing's changed that... But I think I can deal with it now." He ran his fingers through his short hair. "It's hard to explain."

Zack laid a hand gently on his shoulder. "I think we know what you're trying to say, Jase. And I think you're gonna be home again before you know it."

After moment passed, and then Jason smiled, a real smile that reached his light brown eyes. "You know something? I think you're right."

~*~

Jason was no longer suicidal, nor unstable in any way. It really was remarkable that the turn-around had happened so quickly, Carter reflected. After all, the boy had only been there for a week. It was rare that anyone recovered that quickly, but Jason was clearly one of those exceptional few.

He smiled to himself as he head back towards the building. Give it another couple of weeks, he decided, to see how things went. If Jason did as well as he had earlier that afternoon, he would be home before the month was over.

One month later....
The month had flown by, and the difference it made was obvious. Jason was the most confident that he had been for a long time. He also seemed to have a secure grasp on reality, another factor that had been previously missing. He was starting to enjoy life again, and the old, determined spirit that had been missing for so long was finally coming back.

Carter watched from his office as Jason showed a couple of the security guards some basic martial arts moves on the grass outside. He had relented a couple of weeks back and consented to Jason starting back on his karate, and that had also made a difference. Everything about the boy was different. He was holding his head up again, and could look people in the eye. Four weeks ago, that had been an impossibility.

The psychiatrist turned away from the window, smiling to himself with obvious pleasure. Time to make that long hoped-for phone call.

~*~

"Mum, Dad! Dr Carter didn't say you were coming."

Donavon couldn't resist a grin. "He didn't? I take it that's why you aren't already packed."

Jason stared blankly at his father. "Huh?"

Sarah swept Jason up in a huge hug. "You can come home! Today! Dr Carter gave us the all-clear to take you home!"

Jason could barely believe what he was hearing. "You're kidding right?"

Donavon joined the embrace. "No, Jason. No jokes. You're going home, son."

A long moment of silence passed as Jason gradually comprehended the revelation. Then, finally, he burst into tears of relief.

A short time later....
"I can't believe I'm really going home," Jason said as he stood by the car in Kingston's main driveway. "This is so unreal..."

Carter smiled. "It'll be real enough when you get home," he reassured the boy.

Jason looked back at him. "Thanks, Dr Carter. I know I was a pain in the ass..."

"No more than any of my other patients," Carter replied lightly.

Jason smiled, though he was clearly embarrassed. "You were right, though. I just didn't see it at the time."

"We both made mistakes," the psychiatrist said. "I'm sorry, again, that I didn't believe you about the business with Goldar."

Jason shrugged. "I wasn't sure if I believed myself after a while. I was so confused..."

"But not anymore?"

Jason looked up, towards the sky, then back to Carter. He was smiling broadly, and his eyes shone with renewed vigour. "No. Not anymore."

Carter came down the rest of the steps and rested one hand on the boy's shoulder. "It still won't be easy, Jason. Memories can be a terrible thing, sometimes. But you know you can survive, now. Don't you?"

"Yeah, I know. I can hold my head up again, too. Thanks to you."

"You're welcome. Just remember, you never had anything to be ashamed of. You know that what happened was not your fault. Not in any way, not for any reason."

Jason nodded. "I know that, too."

Carter hesitated, then stepped back. "I'll come down to Angel Grove to see you all next week."

Donavon nodded as he ushered Jason into the car. "Until Tuesday, then. Thank you, Alex."

Carter simply smiled as they climbed into the car and headed off down the drive, watching until the vehicle had disappeared from sight through the gates.

~*~

"Jason?" Donavon asked nervously.

Jason lifted his head and looked at them, not bothering to try and hide the fact that he was crying. "I've really missed my room." He looked around, and snatched a soft, furry gorilla up off the chest-of-drawers, where it had been gathering dust for last month or so. "And Charlie..." he said with a laugh, sitting up and hugging his favourite soft toy to his chest.

Sarah came over and sat down beside him on the bed. "It is so good to have you home," she said, hugging him tightly.

Jason buried his face in her shoulder, really enjoying the physical contact for the first time since before the kidnapping. "I love you, Mum."

"I love you, too, baby."

Donavon joined them, putting his arms around both his son and his wife, joining them all together in a family hug. None of them said a word, but sat there for a long time in contented silence.

A couple of hours later....
Jason walked out the front door and looked around, delighting in the salty air. He headed down the steps and down the yard to the pedestrian path, where he stopped and took another moment to look around. After a moment, he was joined by his father.

"What are you thinking about?" Donavon asked quietly, looking down at his son with a strong feeling of love.

"Just... how good it is to be home. And, that I've got my whole life ahead of me, now. Daniels stole a week of my life... There's no reason to let him have any more."

Donavon smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I'm proud of you, Jason. Very proud. I love you a hell of a lot. You know that, don't you?"

Jason leaned sideways, against his father, and Donavon hugged the teen close. "I know. I love you, too, Dad. Everything that happened... When you made me go to school that time.... I was angry then, but I knew at the same time that you were just trying to help me get through it. I'm sorry I said I hated you. It wasn't true."

"I know you didn't mean it. It kept you fighting, though, didn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess. Dad.... Can I go to the Youth Centre? Tommy and the others should be there."

"Sure. Let me get my keys."

"No," Jason said quickly, stopping Donavon short. "No... I want to go by myself. You know... Walk."

Donavon hesitated. "You'll be all right?"

Jason looked around at him, with confidence lighting up his eyes. "Yeah. I think I will."

~*~

Jason lay still on the ground for a moment, stunned by the collision. Then, he started up, one hand coming gingerly to his forehead. The other victim of the impact, also sat up, looking slightly annoyed.

"Why the hell don't you watch where you...." The person stopped suddenly, shock on his face. "Jason...?"

Jason grinned sheepishly at Adam. "Sorry. I guess I just wasn't paying attention."

Adam scrambled to his feet, the collision forgotten already. "You're back! When did you get back? How come you didn't call?"

Jason laughed as he got up as well. "I only got home this afternoon. Dr Carter called my folks this morning and said they could come get me."

"So you're home to stay? It's not just a day trip...?"

"It's permanent," Jason confirmed. "I'm home to stay."

Adam laughed and threw his arms around Jason in a quick hug before he full knew what he was doing. He then grabbed the former Red Ranger's arm and pulled him towards the Youth Centre. "The others are gonna flip! C'mon!"

Jason grinned, and allowed Adam to drag him off towards the Youth Centre.

~*~

Zack grinned. "Well, you already dropped Physics, and Mr Caplan won't let you drop any other sciences, so get used to it."

"But how is anyone supposed to remember these stupid formulas?" Tommy demanded. He paused, glancing at the bespectacled member of the group. "Sorry, Billy."

"No problem," Billy replied, smirking to himself.

Trini leaned over and tapped the page with the tip of her pencil. "Look, Tommy, it's simple. If you combine these two, two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, then you get water. What don't you understand about that?"

"I don't get how two gases can make a liquid!" Tommy argued. "It doesn't make sense...."

Billy adjusted his glasses on his face and began to scribble on his note pad. "Here, look at it this way... Tommy, are you listening?"

Tommy's attention was elsewhere, though. He stared away from them, his mouth wide open in shock. Then, finally, his face lit up and he shot out of his chair. "Jason!"

They all looked around sharply to see Adam enter the Youth Centre, still towing Jason along behind him. All six teens were out of their chairs and crowding around their friend a moment later, all of them wanting to know when he had gotten back.

"Hey, one at a time!" Jason said with a laugh. "C'mon guys, let me breathe!"

They parted a little, releasing Jason from the tight huddle. "When did you get back?" Tommy asked in the moment of silence.

"Just a couple of hours ago," Jason replied. "I'm back for good. I still have to talk to Dr Carter on a regular basis, but I'm home."

Ernie, who had come over in time to hear the last bit, spoke up in excitement. "Jason, that's great! Free drinks for everyone!"

The teens moved back to their table, their Chemistry homework forgotten. "You're really home?" Trini asked, placing herself next to Jason at the table.

Jason nodded, his eyes shining with happiness and life that they hadn't seen in him for so long. "Yeah. I haven't been this happy for a long time."

Trini hugged him, silently noting that he didn't stiffen, or pull away. Rather, he hugged her back, surprising and pleasing her a great deal. The others noticed as well, and exchanged grins.

"Maybe Carter isn't such a pig after all," Rocky commented.

Jason chuckled. "He wasn't so bad to start with. He knew what he was doing, anyway. I feel a lot better about everything, now. Like he said today, just before I left with Mum and Dad... It's still gonna be hard, but I can get by, now. And, I can hold my head up again."

Tommy nodded. "You look so different to how you were when you first went into Kingston."

"I know," Jason said quietly. "I was a wreck. I know that. I've got my life back, guys. I still have to live with what happened, and I know I'm probably still gonna have nightmares, and flashbacks... stuff like that... but I can live again."

Kim got up and went around to hug him. "That is the best thing I've heard for ages. Welcome home, Jase."

Jason hugged her, as well, tears of relief filling his eyes. "It's good to be home."

End