Finally, losing his patience, Jason bided his time until he was left alone, then managed, with some difficulty, to pull himself out of bed and into the wheelchair. Then, IV drip, blood bag and all, he wheeled himself out of the room, with more than a little awkwardness.
Through an unexplained miracle, he made it out of the Critical Care wing and all the way down the corridor without being seen. He was just waiting for a chance to get from the corner to the garden entrance when a voice spoke behind him.
"Jason? What the hell are you doing?"
Jason looked around, startled, then heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Zack standing there, frowning at him. "Don't sneak up on me like that. You'll give me a damn heart attack!"
"Sorry," Zack apologized, "but what are you doing? You're not supposed to be out of bed..."
Jason scowled darkly. "I'm sick of being stuck in bed. That damn room is like a sauna, and the nurses won't even let me open a window. Besides, I wanted to try this out. I just want to go into the garden. Help me out, Zack?"
Zack rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I am gonna get in such hot water....."
As soon as the way was clear, Zack pushed Jason across the floor and out into the garden. Jason looked around eagerly, visibly pleased. "Man, you know how long it's been since I've been outside a hospital room? How long it's been since I've been outside....?"
"More than a month," Zack commented quietly as he guided the chair to a bench, set the wheel brakes and sat down with a thud. "It's been a while."
Jason's smile faded. "Even longer since I've been home. I miss my home, Zack. I miss being in my own room."
Zack stared down at the ground, struggling for something reassuring to say. "Don't worry, Jase. You'll be back home soon enough."
"Yeah," Jason muttered, pulling a face. "In another month, or so. I wish I could go now. I want to go home..."
"Well, just enjoy being outside while you can, 'cause there's gonna be hell to pay when Dr Richards catches us."
Jason chuckled softly. "Yeah, thanks, Zack. I owe you one."
"You sure do," Zack growled, half serious. "When I get grounded for aiding and abetting...."
"I'll tell 'em I hijacked you."
Zack merely sighed and rolled his eyes again. "Okay. So you finally got to use the chair. What's it like?"
Jason looked down at it thoughtfully. "Pretty good. I could say it's comfortable, but that's kind of irrelevant, huh?"
Zack buried his face in his hands and moaned as Jason chuckled to himself. "You know, Jase, I think you're coping with this better than the rest of us."
Jason looked sideways at Zack, his smile faltering just a little. "How d'you mean?"
"I mean," Zack said quietly, "that nothing's gonna be the same anymore! Not with the group, not with the rangers, not with anything! Sometimes I can hardly even sleep at night, thinking about you... in a wheelchair.... Jase, I don't think I can handle it...."
Jason looked completely serious, then. "Zack, it's no good wishing things were different. You know that if I hadn't had the operation, I might be dead by now. It was the only chance I had."
"I know," Zack whispered tearfully, "but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. C'mon, Jase. Think of all the things you won't be able to do now...."
"No."
Zack blinked in surprise. "Huh....?"
Jason folded his arms across his chest in a familiar action that Zack knew so well. "I am not going to sit around and feel sorry for myself. I know there's going to be things that I could do before that I can't do now, but I'm sure as hell not gonna make a list. Just because I can't walk doesn't mean I can't live. If I start thinking about all the things I can't do, then I'll just fold up and be totally useless. I have to think about all the things I can do. You guys have to all think like that, too. 'Cause if you only think about what I can't do, then where does that leave me? I need you guys beside me now, not standing around sulking. Okay?"
Zack sighed softly, conceding. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Jase. I guess we've all been pretty selfish. We're damned lucky that you're still here."
Jason watched Zack intently. "How have you been treating Tommy? Honestly, Zack...."
Zack smiled wearily. "Like a brother, Jase. Don't worry. We're looking after him. I think we've all accepted that it wasn't his fault."
"Good. 'Cause if any of you treat him any other way, you'll have to deal with me, wheelchair or not. Got it?"
Zack laughed, then, not entirely sure just how serious Jason really was. "It's cool, Jase. He's stopped asking us about it. I guess he's finally decided to believe your story. It'll be fine, as long as he never remembers what really happened."
A thoughtful look flickered over Jason's face. "Well, whatever Zordon did to him to break the spell obviously wiped his memory of the whole thing. I don't think he will ever remember. Not even if Zedd tries to make him remember. That's fine with me, anyway."
"Doesn't any of it bother you at all?" Zack asked softly.
"No," Jason replied in an equally quiet voice. "I know it wasn't really Tommy. That's all there is to it. It wasn't him."
Zack looked unsettled. "Jase, I was thinking.... What if that isn't true? I mean, what if Zedd's spell only brought out a part of Tommy that we can't see? Like, there was all that business with the green candle, and everything..... And what happened with you and Tommy in Rita's Dimension of Darkness.... What if it really was Tommy? What if there was never a spell to break, and Zordon just managed to suppress that part of him again?"
Jason looked disturbed, and angry. "Zack, you're starting to sound like Billy. Dammit, you said you'd accepted that it wasn't Tommy's fault."
"Yeah, well, maybe I haven't. Maybe I'm still angry at Tommy for hurting you. Tommy lost his powers, and Zordon gave him new ones. Fair enough, but then Zordon made Tommy our leader over you...."
"Zack, don't do this....."
"No, Jase. Let me get it out, please. Zordon made Tommy the leader, and we all knew he couldn't hold a candle up to you. Maybe.... Maybe Tommy knew that as well, and that's what started it. He... he could have been jealous of you. Like, he knew we still relied on you more than him.... Maybe that's what Zedd used."
Jason stared at Zack, both angry and sad. "You're clutching at straws, Zack. You know you are."
"Am I? C'mon, Jase. You can't tell me that you weren't even a little bit upset when Zordon made Tommy the leader...."
"I wasn't," Jason interrupted firmly. "You know why, Zack? Because I knew Tommy was just as good a leader as I could ever be, probably better. Has he ever put us in a situation where we could have been killed? No. Has he ever put himself above us for his own sake? No, and you know Zordon would have done something about it if he had. Tommy's got us this far, and I think you owe him a little more than this, Zack."
Zack stared at Jason, half blinded by the tears that came. "Look down at yourself, Jason. You're sitting in a wheelchair, and Tommy was the one who did it to you! Forget spells and all that crap. You're gonna be in that chair for the rest of your life! You understand that? Tommy's responsible for it, Jason! He did it to you....."
"Zack," Jason snarled, "shut up. Shut up right now. I don't want to hear it."
Zack got unsteadily to his feet. "Look, Jase, I'm standing. That's something you're never gonna be able to do again. Tommy's responsible for that. "
Tears flooded Jason's eyes, as the reality of his situation was thrown back in his face, and he looked away helplessly. Zack immediately felt regret rush through him.
"Damn.... Jason, I'm sorry. I didn't have any right to say that."
Jason shuddered as he fought to contain the sobs. "I don't want to blame anyone....." he choked out. "I don't want to blame Tommy, 'cause it won't make any difference anyway. I'm still going to be in this damn chair, and taking it out on Tommy is only going to break the team up. You guys need a leader, and Tommy's it, whether you like it or not."
Guilt filled Zack's face. "I'm really sorry, Jason. I... I'm sorry....."
After a long moment of painful silence, Jason reached out and lightly touched Zack's arm. "You've got to forgive Tommy. For both our sakes."
"I'll try," Zack whispered. "I will, I promise." Jason nodded. He was about to say something else when another voice rang out.
"There you are!"
Jason and Zack looked around sharply to see Dr Richards charge into the garden with a couple of orderlies close behind. A frown passed over Jason's face, and he muttered; "Damn. Busted...."
Richards strode around to face the teen. "Damn it, Jason, I said you weren't to leave your room!"
"I didn't go far," Jason protested. "I wanted to try the chair out, and you wouldn't even let me in the room."
"With good reason," Richards growled. "One, you're still at risk from pneumonia, and other illness. Two, you could cause yourself injury without even realising it. Now, you are going back to your room, and you aren't going to leave it again. That is final!"
Jason scowled as an orderly took hold of the chair's handles and began to push it back inside. "Man, I can't wait to get out of this place."
"Well, if you pull a stunt like this again," Richards told him, "you're going to be here longer that you'd care to think."
"You can't put a guard outside my door," Jason grumbled. Richards signaled the orderly to stop, and crouched down in front of Jason.
"How about this, then. For every time you sneak out of your room, I'll keep you here an extra week. How do you like the sound of that?"
Jason stared sceptically at Richards. "You can't do that...."
"Oh no?" He looked up. "David, when you've taken Jason here back to his room, head up to administration, and have them extend his stay by a week."
David fought back a smirk. "Sure, Dr Richards." Richards looked back to Jason, and had to struggle against a grin when he saw the panicked expression on the boy's face. "Still think I'm bluffing?"
"Okay," Jason agreed anxiously. "I'll stay in the room. I promise."
"Good. I appreciate it."
~*~
Donavon was waiting in the room when they finally came back, and he made no attempt to hide his amusement. "So the fugitive has been apprehended."
Jason spared his father a glowering look. "Very funny."
Donavon laughed. "Cheer up, Jason. You'll be out of here in a month, and then you can go anywhere you like."
"Yeah," Jason muttered, "well, if Dr Richards has his way, I'll be here for a lot longer than that."
Richards was nearly laughing by then, as well. "Only if you insist on sneaking out of here."
Jason frowned as the orderlies lifted him carefully out of the wheelchair and back into the bed. "Can't I at least have a window open? This room is like a sauna!"
Richards hesitated, then nodded. "All right. I think we can allow that." He glanced back at Jason as he lifted one window up, a small smile on his face. "After all, we wouldn't want you suffering from claustrophobia now, would we?"
Jason looked away sulkily. "Everybody's a comedian."
Zack started to laugh as well. "Hey, Jase, I thought you said you weren't gonna sit around and sulk!"
Everyone in the room, barring Jason, burst into laughter. "What is this?" Jason snapped, rapidly losing what little good humour he had left. "Can't everyone just leave me alone?"
Donavon chuckled and wiped his eyes as he ushered Zack towards the door. "C'mon, Zack. I'll treat you to a soda."
Jason watched them go, then looked over at Richards, who remained where he was. "Well?"
"Well what?"
"Don't you have other patients to see to, or something?"
Richards smiled. "Yes, I do." He headed for the door, then looked back at
the teen. "Keep your chin up, Jason. And remember, no more escapades. That
is, providing you want to go home in a month." A startled look flashed
across Jason's face, and Richards spoke quietly as he headed out the door.
"I'm letting you off the hook this time, but if you go out this door again,
you'll be doing double time. Got it?"
He left the room Jason had a chance to get a single word out.
~*~
The next month passed with a painful slowness for Jason as he was counseled thoroughly on living as a paraplegic. However, he was kept busy enough with the school work that his friends dropped in for him to do. So much of it was there, that Jason had little time to really think about the loss of his legs.
Also, to his gratification, Dr Richards organised special sessions so he would be able to use the wheelchair properly when he got out of the hospital.
The day finally arrived, though, and Jason was almost literally jumping with enthusiasm when his parents arrived in the morning. Smiling broadly, Sarah gave her son a hug and a kiss.
"From the way you're acting, Jason, we'd be inclined to think you wanted to leave!"
"Just get me out of here," Jason begged his parents, much to their amusement. "Please...."
Donavon laughed. "All right. Just be patient, and I promise you'll be out by lunchtime."
Richards nodded. "You'll just have to sit tight for a while longer, Jason. I need your folks to fill out a few forms, so you might as well stay here. It could take a little while."
Jason nodded. He was going home, and that was all that really mattered. His parents left the room, and just as Richards headed out, Jason called out to him. "Dr Richards?"
Richards looked back. "Yes, Jason?"
A look of discomfort passed over Jason's face. "Um.... I know I've been a pain in the neck for the past month or so...."
"It's okay," Richards reassured him, but Jason shook his head.
"No it isn't. Not really. I just wanted to say thanks. I mean.... for saving my life. I'd probably be dead by now if it wasn't for you."
Surprise flickered over Richards' face, mixed with warmth, and he walked over to the bedside. "I'm just glad we were able to save you, Jason. And just between us, you weren't that big a pain in the neck."
Jason grinned. "Not after you threatened to keep me here.." His smile faltered. "You wouldn't really have done that.... would you?"
Richards grinned back at the teen as he backed towards the door. "You'll never know now, will you?"
Jason shivered involuntarily as Richards disappeared out the door. That was something he didn't want to think about.
~*~
Nearly two hours later, Jason was finally in the wheelchair and heading out of the hospital to a whole new life. He blinked a little as they came out into the sun, and was vaguely disconcerted to find how different everything looked.
"Are you all right, Jason?" Sarah asked, seeing him frown a little. Jason nodded.
"Yeah... It's just.... everything looks a lot bigger...."
Richards, who had walked out with them, smiled faintly. "You're going to be looking at everything from a completely different point of view from now on, Jason. It's going to take a lot of getting used to."
Jason nodded, still frowning. The frown increased when his parents directed him not to the family car, but to a large, light blue van. "Where's the car?"
"We traded it in," Donavon explained. "It's not much use to us now. Too difficult with the wheelchair. This van has plenty of room, plus a few optional extras. Watch."
Jason watched as his father opened the side door and released a ramp. For just an instant, something unreadable flickered in Jason's eyes, and then it was gone. "Cool...."
He pushed down hard on the wheels of the chair, and rolled up the ramp into the van. "Here," Donavon told him, and guided the wheelchair into a space that was centered between, and just a little bit behind the two front seats. He reached down and flipped up a metal catch on either side, locking the chair into place so it wouldn't roll.
Jason grinned. "That's great. I don't have to get out of the chair!"
"That was the idea," Donavon said. "Easier maneuvering, for all of us." He paused, then asked quietly, "Jason, you're okay with this, aren't you? Because if you want the old car back..."
Jason shook his head. "No, it's okay, Dad. I knew there'd have to be some changes. Everything changes, right?"
Donavon smiled. "Right."
He backed out of the van, lifted the ramp and closed the door. A moment later he and Sarah got into the front of the van and they were finally on their way.
~*~
"I can't believe I'm finally going home," Jason said, leaning forward to watch the familiar scenery pass by.
Sarah smiled back at him. "Excited?"
"Yeah," Jason answered. "Especially since, for a while there, I didn't think I was ever going to see home again." Sarah and Donavon exchanged quick glances, neither one replying to the remark. Jason caught their expressions, and spoke quickly. "But it's okay now. I'm okay. Right?"
Donavon nodded. "That's right, son. You're okay." Jason started to sit back when something caught his eye, and he sat forward again quickly. "Dad, turn around, quick!"
Donavon glanced back at his son, startled. "Why? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. Look, there's a MacDonald's...."
A groan escaped Donavon and he shook his head. "The first day you're out of hospital, and all you can think of is take away food?"
"Please....." Jason begged. "Hospital food is a joke, and I'm hungry!"
Sarah smiled broadly at her husband. "What do you think, Donavon? Should we stop?"
"Please......" Jason pressed. Donavon finally laughed. "All right. It's nearly lunchtime anyway.. We'll go through the drive thru...."
Can't we stop and go in?" Jason asked, and again, Donavon and Sarah exchanged glances, this time for a different reason. It was Jason's first day outside the protective walls of the hospital, where most of the patients were in wheelchairs regardless of their condition. How would Jason manage, having people staring openly at him, as they were likely to do....?
"I'm not worried if people stare at me," Jason put in quickly, guessing their concern. "It's gonna happen anyway. Please, I just want to get something to eat."
After a long moment of indecision, Donavon nodded. "All right, Jason. We'll go in. But if you start to feel uncomfortable...."
"Yeah, yeah," Jason said off handedly. "I know. I'll say." Donavon pulled the van around into the carpark, and they went inside. As predicted, nearly everyone in the place stared at Jason, either openly or surreptitiously. If he noticed it, though, he gave no sign of discomfort. They settled into a corner, out of the way, with Sarah pushing Jason into the table on the window side.
"Finally," Jason said, rubbing his hands together eagerly, "I get to have real food..."
Sarah pulled a face. "This is what you call real food?" Jason shrugged. "It's better than hospital food. I can actually taste this."
"Hospital food isn't that bad," Donavon said reproachfully. Jason grunted.
"Not when it's all you're getting."
A chuckle escaped Donavon as he had to concede the point. "That's true, I suppose. But does that mean you'll be looking forward to a home cooked meal tonight?"
Jason looked up sharply. "Well, d'you think I'm gonna be doing it myself?"
Sarah laughed and patted her son's hand. "Not unless we relevel the kitchen benches. Don't worry, honey. I've got something special planned."
"We've made some changes around the house, too," Donavon told him. "We've added ramps in where there are any steps, and we've also rearranged the furniture so you can get around easily."
Jason nodded wordlessly. He was secretly embarrassed that his parents had gone to such lengths for him. Trading in the family car, rearranging the whole house.... "Thanks."
Sarah reached over and grasped his hand in her own. "Jason, anything we have to do now is very small, compared to what we would have gone through if we'd lost you."
Jason looked down at the wheelchair he was in, then back up at his parents. All of a sudden, he felt painfully unsure. "You... You think I made the right decision?"
"Son," Donavon said quietly, "we would have stood by any decision you made, but I'll always be grateful that you chose to live."
A faint sigh escaped Jason. "I was too scared not to live," he admitted softly. "Being in a wheelchair scares me, but dying scares me even more. It was just a matter of deciding which one frightened me more."
"You don't have to be frightened," Donavon told him. "Not now. Your mother and I will be with you all the way, and you have your friends as well. Don't be scared now, Jason."
Jason managed to smile, but it did nothing to hide the tears and the pain in his eyes. "I'm trying not to be."
They spent the next several minutes in silence, until Donavon finally spoke again. "All right. Let's go home."
~*~
It was an effort for Jason not to cry with relief when they came around the corner, and the house came into sight. He had been so frightened that he would not see his home again, that the mere sight of it was almost enough to cause him to burst into tears.
Sarah glanced back at him as the van pulled into the driveway. "You're home, Jason."
home.... The word seemed almost foreign to him. Rolling down the ramp from the van, he wheeled himself slowly up another ramp onto the porch, looking around purposefully. It seemed so long ago since the whole mess had started. Nearly three months, he reflected. Nearly three months since he had walked out this very front door to meet Tommy at the lookout. Nearly three months since his best friend had tried to kill him.... Jason shut his eyes tightly for a moment, trying to block the thoughts from his mind.
"Is everything okay, sweetheart?"
Jason opened his eyes to find himself looking into his mother's concerned face. He smiled reassuringly at her. "Yeah. I'm fine."
Donavon reached out and opened the front door for him. "After you, Jason."
Jason grinned and pushed himself into the house. The changes were immediately obvious to Jason. In the family, the study, the kitchen and the dining room, the furniture had all been rearranged to accommodate the wheelchair. Jason said nothing as he went slowly from room to room. Under any other circumstances, the change wouldn't have bothered him, but he knew it had all been done for him, and that somehow made him edgy.
In the family room, where the lounge and recliner chairs had once sat around the television, taking up most of the floor in a comfortable semi circle, they had been shifted so that there was a recliner on either side of the television. The lounge chair sat off to the side of the room, leaving plenty of space for the wheelchair to move around and sit either in front of the television or the fireplace.
The study had been rearranged so that the desk was now in the center of the floor, and the heavy, wooden chair was gone, replaced with a light, adjustable seat. There was enough room, Jason noted, for him to sit at the desk in his wheelchair and do his homework, and to be able to get in and out of the room with ease.
The kitchen and dining room were similar. Coming through into the dining room, though, Jason felt a twinge of concern as he looked at the high table. "I'm going to have to get out of this thing to sit at the table, aren't?"
Donavon nodded. "It looks like it. Do you think you can manage?"
Jason rolled over to the nearest chair and stared at it thoughtfully. "I think so. the question is, can I sit on the chairs without falling off?'
His father chuckled, not sure just how serious Jason was. "Well, I guess we'll see tonight, won't we?"
Sarah came over and put a hand lightly on Jason's shoulder. "Do you want to see your room?"
Jason nodded eagerly, turned around and rolled out of the room.
~*~
His room, unlike the rest of the house, looked almost exactly as he remembered it. It was an eerie feeling, yet strangely comforting at the same time, to see that although everything else had been altered, his room was still the same.
"We left everything in here as it was," Sarah told him. "There wasn't really any need to change it around for the wheelchair. All we had done was to take the chair away and get the desk lowered to suit you. If you want anything changed, though, just say."
Jason shook his head. "No. I'd like to leave my room as it is. Thanks for not changing it."
Donavon smiled and clapped Jason lightly on the shoulder. "We didn't think you'd want it changed. C'mon, Sarah. Let's leave Jason to settle back in."
The two adults left their son alone in his room, carefully closing the door behind them. Jason watched them go, then turned away and looked around slowly. Three months, was not so long, he supposed, when thinking about people who had to spend much more time than that in hospital. Still, it was long enough when, for a while, he'd believed he would not see his home again.
Rolling the wheelchair over to the window and looking out, he wondered if Dr Richards would have allowed him to go home to die. you idiot, Jason thought abruptly.. you're not going to die, so just quit it.
but i nearly did...
A shudder passed through Jason as all the emotions that had been pent up inside him started to erupt. Trembling with emotion, he maneuvered himself to the bed and, displaying the practise he's had, lifted himself easily out of the chair and onto the bed.
Looking around, he saw a reassuringly familiar sight. There was JJ. He reached out and picked up the stuffed bear that sat faithfully on his pillow, and clutched it to his chest, burying his face in the soft fur. Billy had given him the teddy bear three years ago for his birthday, "because you're just an over grown teddy bear yourself".
A tearful smile flickered over the teen's face. He'd been embarrassed at the time, much to everyone else's amusement, but later on had given the bear pride of place on his bed. Although he would never have admitted it to anyone else, JJ had been there ever since, serving as something to cling to when he'd felt things start to get on top of him.
Pulling his legs up onto the bed, Jason lay down, resting his head on his pillow and hugging JJ tightly.
i'm home.... i'm home and i'm safe.... He began to cry, partly relieved and partly overwrought. It seemed almost beyond comprehension that he was really safe. Rolling over carefully, he pressed his face into the pillows, feeling the hot tears flow.
thankyou god..... thankyou whoever.... thankyou for my life.... He hugged the bear even more tightly, finally giving in to the emotion that he had kept walled up inside him for so long.
Minutes or hours passed. Which it was, he had no idea. Pushing himself up onto his elbows, he looked around again, and felt some of the anxiety drain from his body. Then, suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he smiled to himself.
"Zordon...?" he said as loudly as he dared. "If you're listening, can you teleport me?"
He waited, half holding his breath. When nothing happened, he sighed a little and maneuvered himself back into the wheelchair. He made it halfway across the floor to the adjoining bathroom when his world vanished in a flash of white light.
~*~
Jason blinked, caught off guard by the teleportation. "I think," he muttered as he gave his head a quick shake, "that I'm gonna have to get Billy to make me up a new communicator."
Zordon smiled broadly at the the teenager. "I am sorry, Jason, but I thought it wise not to teleport you until you were back in the wheelchair."
Jason laughed, realising the predicament he would have been in if he had been teleported straight from the bed. "Thanks."
"It is very good to see you, Jason," Zordon said firmly. "Very good indeed."
The boy nodded. "Same here, Zordon. I really didn't think I was ever going to see you again."
Alpha shuffled forward quickly, crossing the floor to him. "Jason, you're all right!"
Jason laughed softly as Alpha threw his metal arms around him and didn't let go. "It's good to see you too, Alpha."
Strange sounds were being emitted by the little robot, and Jason realised with surprise that it was an electronic equivalent to crying. Alpha was crying.... "Hey, it's okay," he said, gently withdrawing from Alpha's embrace. "I'm okay, Alpha. Man, I never thought I'd see a robot cry...."
Alpha appeared embarrassed. "I was worried..."
"We were all worried," Zordon intoned. "It is a great relief that you are still with us."
Jason grinned. "I know. Zedd lost another one."
That confused Zordon visibly. "Jason.... you realise the consequence of your decision....."
"I know," Jason reassured him. "Zordon, I lost my place on the team from the moment that Tommy attacked me. From the moment he threw me over the cliff, I was finished. That's okay. I understand. But that doesn't mean Zedd won. He ordered Tommy to kill me. Tommy said so himself. Am I dead? I don't think so...."
Understanding dawned on Zordon. "You speak the truth, Jason, but you are not entirely correct. You did not lose your place on the team. Even though you are no longer physically able to serve as a Power Ranger, you can still aid in the fight in various ways. You have an intelligent mind for strategy, and that will no doubt be needed in the near future."
Jason's smile broadened. "Zedd didn't win at all. We've got a new Red Ranger, and I'm back on my feet again...." He trailed off, then chuckled. "Well, in a manner of speaking, anyway."
Zordon returned the smile. "Very true. You are holding up very well under the circumstances."
Jason shrugged. "Well, I don't think I have much of a choice. It's either this or nothing. I just appreciate knowing that I haven't been deserted."
"You do not have to be concerned about that," Zordon told him. "I will have Billy make you a new communicator. Then, in the event of any trouble, you will be able to come here."
For the first time, Jason looked doubtful. "Without a power coin? It's not exactly Zedd's style to leave non rangers alone, and what if I don't have enough time to contact you? I can't get into the Command Centre unless you teleport me...."
"I have a solution to that problem," Zordon replied. "I have something for you, Jason. It is on the south control panel."
Frowning a little to himself, Jason moved over there, and quickly found what Zordon had been talking about. A small, gold coin with the insignia of a dragon..... "This is the Green Power Coin...." Jason said hoarsely, picking it up with trembling fingers. "Zordon, how....?"
"The powers of the coin were destroyed," Zordon replied, but the coin itself was left intact. I haveinfused it with enough power to allow you to teleport here at will."
Jason stared at it for several seconds, then looked back to the ancient master. "Thanks, Zordon."
"You are very welcome."
Jason hesitated then, a question in his mind. "Zordon, do you mind if I ask you something?"
"No. Go ahead."
"Well, Zack said you were able to show him, Trini and Kimberly what happened. On the lookout, I mean... I was just wondering about that. You could show them in the viewing globe, but you didn't know about it until Billy told you what had happened."
"That is correct," Zordon admitted reluctantly. "The Command Centre was running automatically when it happened. Alpha was in his sleep chamber, and I was resting. For a reason we have not yet been able to define, nothing activated when you were attacked, but the incident was recorded regardless."
Jason looked thoughtful. "Maybe the alarms didn't go off because it was Tommy, and not one of Zedd's monsters."
"That may be a possibility," Zordon said. "Alpha, check the computers. I want the alarms to be set to each of the rangers. Whenever they are in trouble, regardless of whether it is Zedd's minions, I want to be aware of it."
Jason glanced down at the wheelchair, then back to Zordon. "So this can never happen again, right Zordon?"
"Correct," Zordon replied. "It should not have happened this time. I should have foreseen Zedd attempting to have such a callous deed carried out...."
Jason rolled his eyes and groaned. "Don' you start blaming yourself, Zordon. It wasn't anyone's fault. You couldn't have foreseen it happening anymore than we could. Anyway, things have turned out okay. More or less. I'm still here, Tommy doesn't remember anything and probably never will.... Everything's worked out pretty good, considering."
"Considering?" Zordon echoed.
Jason grimaced. "Considering I could have been dead by now."
Zordon had to concede the point. "I am very proud of you, Jason," he said quietly, sounding much to the teen like his own father. "You fight a much greater battle now than any of the other rangers may ever face, and you refuse to give in."
Jason could feel his face heating up. "There's a simple reason for that, Zordon. I'm too scared to quit fighting."
"That is what you believe," Zordon replied gently. "I can see past all your barriers, Jason. You are one of the bravest rangers I have ever had the privilege of knowing."
By that time, Jason was thoroughly embarrassed. "I'd better get home, Zordon, before my folks walk into my room and find I'm not there."
"Very well," Zordon said. "I will be watching over you, Jason." Alpha bade Jason goodbye, and then the teen was teleported out of the Command Centre.
~*~
Jason landed in the centre of his room, and took a moment to recover from the teleportation. He'd almost forgotten how long it had been since he'd last teleported.
He looked down, feeling something in his hand, and smiled when he saw the Green Dragon power coin. No power to energize a ranger, but enough to get him out of a tight scrape if Zedd decided to take another shot at him. Just enough to teleport to the Command Centre....
The thought faltered. He'd had more than enough power to protect himself from Tommy's attack, and look where he was now....
no! he thought firmly. tommy was ready for it, and you weren't. that's why he got your power coin away from you. you won't ever be caught off guard like that again
He clutched the coin in his hand for an instant, and felt a slight, almost electric feeling through his palm. Then, smiling to himself, he slipped the coin into his pocket and wheeled himself out of his room.
~*~
That evening, Jason lay on the sofa in the family room, in front of a small fire. His parents sat in the recliners on either side, his father reading a book and his mother looking at a crossword puzzle. His wheelchair was behind the sofa, out of sight, and for a little while he could pretend that it was just an ordinary night at home with his folks.
He sighed softly to himself and shut his eyes, trying not to think about the emptiness past his waist. It was really kind of creepy, he had to admit. That was, once he took the time to think about it. It honestly felt as though he had been cut off halfway down. The wheelchair wasn't so bad, of course, but knowing he would be spending the rest of his life in it....
Images came back to him of the day just gone, particularly from their lunch stop over. Although he had said nothing to his parents, he had been uncomfortable in the restaurant. All the time they were there, he had felt people watching him, staring at him, like he was some sort of sideshow.
Hadn't they ever seen a wheelchair before? he had wanted to ask. But he had ignored it. don't let it get to you the young woman who had been working with him in the hospital had said. there'll always be someone who'll stare at you, no matter where you go. don't let it bother you.
But it did bother him. He dreaded to think what school would be like when he went back the next day. Would his fellow students be accepting of him? Or would they treat him like some kind of freak....? Worst of all, he dreaded an encounter with Bulk and Skull. Those two had spent the better part of their student careers trying to discredit him and his friends. They were likely to have a field day, or several, when he showed up at school confined to a wheelchair. Bulk had always been intimidating, and only his confidence in himself and his abilities had staved off the countless attacks on his self esteem. They would probably enjoy taking shots at him now, even more than Billy, who still suffered a little under them.
He sighed again. He hated himself for being afraid, but there seemed to be nothing he could do to ease the fear. Not over his return to school, and not over his life ahead of him. The life of a cripple....
"Jason, are you all right?" Donavon asked in concern. Jason opened his eyes, and found that he'd started crying without even realising it.
'Yeah," he started to say, then trailed off. "No. Not really."
Donavon left his chair and moved over to crouch down in front of his son. "What is it?"
"Help me to sit up?"
Donavon did so, helping his son into an upright position. "Okay, Jason. Talk to us."
"I think it just hit me," Jason admitted in a trembling voice. "I'm never going to walk again. I'm going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life...."
"You don't regret your decision now, do you?" Sarah asked worriedly.
"No," Jason whispered. "I don't regret having the operation.... It's just.... I'm still scared...."
"That's okay," Donavon said gently. "It's okay to be scared. Your whole life has just changed, and no one's going to expect you to adjust in an instant."
Jason leant forward, into his father's embrace. "I never thought anything like this happened in Angel Grove. It wasn't supposed to happen...."
Donavon sighed softly as he hugged Jason to him, including Sarah in the embrace as well. "I can't turn back time, but I swear to God that I'll never let anyone hurt you again. I promise you, Jason."
Jason didn't reply, but continued to cling to his parents, refusing to let go.
~*~
Jason awoke the next morning to the sun shining through his window. my bedroom he thought with a great sense of relief. my own room, in my home.... His second thought was one of near panic when he realised it was nearly quarter past eight, and that he should be leaving for school in approximately fifteen minutes. Sitting up as quickly as he could, he shouted for his parents.
Donavon and Sarah Scott both came running into the room, half expecting to find Jason on the floor. They were surprised to find him sitting up in bed and looking very indignant. "It's quarter past eight!"
Donavon glanced down at his watch, then nodded. "Yes, it is. And your point is....?"
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" Jason growled. "I'm going to be late for school!"
Sarah and Donavon exchanged glances, and then Sarah spoke gently to her son. "Jason, we thought it might be best if you wait a week or so before going back to school."
Jason looked crestfallen. "But I've already missed three months...."
"So what's another week?" Donavon asked.
"A week that I could be spending with my friends," Jason shot back. "Please, I want to go to school. It's not going to make it any easier for me to put it off. I can manage now. Please....."
Donavon finally gave in with a heavy sigh. "All right. Okay. Sarah, can you cook some eggs up, or something? I'll help Jason to get dressed."
"Thank you," Jason said as his mother hurried from the room. Donavon glanced back at his son as he got a fresh set of clothes out of the drawer.
"I suppose I should be able to understand why you want to go to school so badly."
Jason frowned a little as he threw back the bed covers. "I've missed three months of school. I don't want to miss anymore, if I can help it. Can we hurry, please? I don't want to be late."
Donavon chuckled and hurried to get his son dressed.
~*~
Twenty minutes later, Jason felt a mixture of anxiety and relief roll through his stomach. All of a sudden, looking out at the school through the windscreen, leaving the safety of the van seemed to be a very daunting prospect. The school ground was deserted, meaning classes had started, so he was late....
"It's not too late to turn around and go home," Donavon said quietly. Those words clinched it for Jason. He had been frightened for long enough. Frightened of dying, frightened of living in a wheelchair... Well, he was here, and it was time to snap out of it. No matter how hard it was for him, he had to just go ahead and do it. He would get by. He was going to survive this.
Swallowing hard, he spoke in a forcibly calm voice. "Open the door, Dad. I'm going to school."
~*~
The corridors were eerily quiet, but for the low murmur of sound coming from the classrooms. Trying not to be self conscious, even though no one was around to stare at him, he made his way down the hall and into the locker area. "Ah, hell...."
He came to a halt by his locker, and stared up at the combination lock, which was just out of his reach. How was he going to get the books he needed? Even if he could, somehow, manage to open it, there was no way he could get to his books. Maybe, he thought dismally, it hadn't been such a great idea not to let his father come with him.
"Need a hand?" a voice suddenly spoke behind him. Jason looked around, startled by the voice. He was even more startled to see Bulk and Skull standing there, watching him. They weren't staring, Jason realised with surprise, they were simply watching him.
"Uh... Yeah...." He moved back, allowing Bulk step in.
"What's your combination?" Bulk asked gruffly. "Right to 96, left to 138, right to 57." Bulk opened the locker, and pulled out the books that Jason needed. "Where d'you want these?"
"Just put them in the bag on the back of this thing. Thanks." i'm actually thanking bulk for something...? Bulk put them into the bag hanging from the back of the chair, and Jason then maneuvered himself away from the lockers.
"I guess we'd better get to class."
~*~
Everyone looked up, not entirely surprised to see Skull trip his way into the classroom, late. Miss Appleby frowned. "I've had just about enough of you and Bulk being late. If it happens one more time..."
"Miss Appleby...?"
Everyone stared in pleased surprise as Jason entered the classroom just behind Skull. "Jason, welcome back!" the teacher exclaimed, her face lighting up with both pleasure and relief. Jason managed a faint smile, then spoke as Bulk followed him into the room.
"Bulk and Skull were late because they stopped to help me. I couldn't reach my locker... They got my books for me."
Miss Appleby was visibly surprised, as was everyone else in the room. "Well... I suppose.... I should be giving them credit for being helpful then...." She was flustered, and everyone could see it.
Bulk and Skull looked equally surprised; they would have been late regardless of whether they'd stopped to help Jason. Surely Jason had realised that... but he had still spoken up and gotten them out of trouble.
"All right, boys," she said, finally regathering her wits, "have a seat, and we'll get on with class."
Bulk reached over and quickly pulled a chair out of the way, so Jason could roll up to the desk without any hassle. Jason spared him a grateful smile, then, pushing his own shock and amazement to the back of his mind, he tried to concentrate on class.
~*~
The morning classes all went smoothly, and Jason was gratified when no one treated him any differently than they had before the incident. Come lunch time, Jason felt as though things were almost back to normal, and he said as much to his friends as they sat outside on the cool grass.
"Yeah," Zack replied with a chuckle, "except, even Bulk and Skull are being nice to you. You lied to Miss Appleby, man. They would have been late this morning anyway."
Jason smiled calmly, knowingly. "That's my secret. Anyway, it's a pleasant change, for them to be nice. I don't want to fight with them. Maybe they've decided to have a change of heart, and quit bullying other kids. They could really have knocked me about this morning, if they'd wanted to, but they didn't."
"You could be right," Billy conceded. "They've even been leaving me alone over the past few months. Which I appreciate."
They all laughed and, for the time being, turned their attention to their lunches. Jason ate slowly, watching his friends out of the corner of his eye and silently wishing he could join them on the grass. It was just one of the small pleasures he would have to do without, he supposed with a small feeling of gloom.
Zack caught the wishful look on Jason's face, half guessed what was wrong, and caught Tommy's gaze. He made a quick motion with his hands, and Tommy got up and went to his best friend. "C'mon, Jase."
Jason looked at Tommy, startled and disconcerted. "Huh...?"
"Sit on the grass with us. You want to, don't you?"
Doubt flickered in Jason's eyes. "I don't think I can."
"Sure you can," Zack retorted. "You can lean against the tree, can't you?"
The doubt changed to hope. "I guess so. If you'll give me a hand...." Zack got up quickly and between him and Tommy, they helped Jason carefully out of the wheelchair and onto the grass. Jason leant back carefully against the large Oak tree, where he was able to sit without fear of falling. "Cool..." he murmured happily. Then; "I talked to Zordon yesterday." A sudden, uneasy silence fell, and the rangers exchanged nervous looks, while Tommy watched Jason curiously and with just the slightest hint of suspicion.
"What did he say?" Trini asked softly, trying not to sound tense.
"Nothing specific," Jason replied. "We just talked for a while. Mainly about how we beat Zedd again."
"Jase," Tommy said softly, oblivious to the sharp looks from Billy and Zack, "I think Zedd won this round...."
Jason snorted in response. "If he won, then why am I still alive?" Confused silence followed, and Jason took full advantage of it. "Zedd wanted me killed. No compromise. That's why he never even tried to capture me first. He just wanted me dead. Well, I'm not, and as long as I'm alive, I can still help you guys fight him. Zordon said that as well. I can still help out from the Command Centre."
Billy nodded slowly. "He contacted me last night, and asked me to make a new communicator for you, so you could come and go from the Command Centre freely."
More confusion reigned. "How can you...?" Kimberly asked. "Rocky's got the red power coin, and no one can get into the Command Centre without one.... unless Zordon teleports them in himself."
"And if Zedd send putties to attack you," Trini pointed out, you may not have time to contact him."
Jason nodded, grinning. "Yeah, I know. That's what I said, too, but Zordon had already thought about it. Check this out."
He pulled something out of his pocket and showed it to his friends. "The green power coin....?" Tommy whispered, staring at his old coin in wonder. Jason nodded.
"There's no power to energize a ranger, but Zordon put enough into it so I could go to and from the Command Centre as I needed."
Zack smiled faintly. "That's great, Jase." He paused, then decided to change the subject. "So, you been out solo yet?"
Jason pulled a face and, just for a second, the thin scar across his lips was just that much more visible. "No, not yet. I wasn't too worried about that yesterday. I was just really happy to be home. Dad'll be bringing me to school and picking me up all this week, so maybe I'll go out by myself on Saturday."
"Cool..." Tommy murmured. "You had anyone ask you any dumb questions so far?"
A grin flickered across Jason's face, and he glanced at Billy and Zack. "You mean as in, what's it feel like not to have any feeling in my legs? No, not yet. I'm waiting for it, though."
Trini shook her head. "I can't believe how well you're taking this," she said.
Jason smiled calmly at her. "Give me a week or two. Then I might start getting depressed. Right now, I'm still extremely grateful that I'm alive."
"Don't get depressed," Kimberly told him anxiously. "We want you to stay happy, Jason."
Jason laughed out loud at that. "Sorry, but I think that's unavoidable. I'm way too happy now as it is."
Across the grass, Billy and Zack exchanged glances. Perhaps their shared concerns were pointless. Tommy did seem back to normal, and Jason was not reacting badly to him at all. Maybe it was just their frayed nerves of the past few months acting up on them, and they had no cause for worry at all....
Neither one said a word, merely keeping a watchful silence.
~*~
The rest of the day passed without any trouble, and Jason was with his friends at their lockers that afternoon when Mr Caplan, the school principal, approached. "Well," he said humorously, "I can see that I'm going to have to add a technical point to the 'no running in the corridors' rule."
Jason looked around, and grinned. "You mean, no speeding?"
"Something like that. Welcome back, Jason. I wasn't expecting you for another week or so."
Jason shrugged. "My folks wanted me to stay home, but I badgered them into bringing me."
Mr Caplan smiled and nodded. "Well, we're certainly glad to have you back. Do you think you could spare half an hour or so? There's something I need to go over with you."
"Sure," Jason said. "Dad won't be here for another forty minutes or so, anyway."
Tommy clapped Jason on the shoulder. "We'll see you in the Youth Centre."
Jason smirked. "If they haven't put a ramp in there somewhere, you'll be picking me up on the Youth Centre floor."
Tommy moaned and shook his head. "Give it up, Jase. You aren't that funny."
Jason chuckled to himself and followed Mr Caplan back down the corridor.
~*~
"So, am I in trouble already?" Jason joked. Mr Caplan smiled. The teen seemed to have a much stronger sense of humour than he remembered.
"No, not all. I've already said welcome back, but I have to add, personally, that I'm extremely pleased to see you back. You had us all very worried for a while there."
Jason's smile faded a little. "You knew all about what was happening?"
"Yes. Angel Grove isn't such a small town, but for the most part, we knew what was happening. I think that when we heard you were going to be all right, a lot of us went home and... well, I'm sure you can imagine."
The teen nodded, understanding completely. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I cried into my pillow yesterday afternoon for a good half hour."
Mr Caplan then reached into a desk drawer and pulled out numerous sheets of paper. "The reason I wanted to see you was about this. When we heard that you'd be in a wheelchair, I went to the school board and got permission to go ahead and have some minor renovations done. Mainly, adding ramps in for easy accessibility, and having a couple of elevators installed so you can get up to the second floor without any hassle. The ramps have already been put in place, as you've seen, but since you're back at school now, I thought you might like to see the plans before anymore is done. After all, you're the one who's going to be utilizing these facilities."
Jason nodded, leaning forward to get a good look. "I didn't even think about the stairs. All my classes today were on the ground floor, but tomorrow I've got a couple of classes upstairs."
Mr. Caplan remained silent. He would have said straight out that he would have the classes moved to different rooms for Jason's convenience, but such a change would most certainly cause embarrassment to Jason. Then again, how was he supposed to get upstairs to his classes....?
"I'll figure something out," Jason murmured to himself. "When is all this going to be done?"
"This coming weekend is a long weekend for you kids," Mr Caplan told him. "We teachers have papers to mark. The changes will be made then. Hopefully, everything will be fixed up by the time you come back to school on Wednesday."
Jason nodded again, then fell into conversation with Mr Caplan over the plans. It was more than half an hour later when Jason finally left the office and headed over to the Youth Centre. He could barely contain his relief to find, on arrival, that ramps had been added in there as well, making the place easy for him to access. At the same time, however, he felt a surge of embarrassment that such lengths had been taken to accommodate him.
Several students, plus Ernie, greeted him as he entered, and his embarrassment soon faded. He was far more conscious of the changes than anyone else, and once he realised that, it no longer mattered. "Hey, Jase," Zack said as he joined them on the floor. Tommy was on the mat with Billy, giving him a karate lesson, and for just an instant, Jason felt a twinge of jealousy as it was reinforced that all his years of training in the martial arts were lost.
"Billy's getting better," he commented.
Trini smiled. "Yes, he is. Tommy's been working out with him a fair bit lately."
Jason slumped back in the wheelchair and drew in a couple of deep breaths as he felt the grief start to escalate. no, i'm not going to get depressed. i won't let myself get upset....
"What did Mr Caplan want to see you about?" Kimberly asked abruptly. She had seen Jason's expression alter, and acted quickly to distract him.
"He had some plans to show me," Jason explained, grateful for the distraction. "Just where they're going to install a couple of elevators, and some other things. Which is another thing... I have no idea how I'm going to get to the classes we have tomorrow that are upstairs."
Zack grinned. "No sweat. Tommy and I can carry you upstairs."
Jason turned a deep shade of red at the images that brought to mind. "Seriously, Zack..."
"Hey, I am being serious," Zack retorted. "It's either that, or you can stay home. Your choice, bro."
Jason moaned softly. "Great choice. I stay home, bored out of my mind, or I come here and be embarrassed beyond all reason."
Zack laughed. "Like I said. Your choice."
~*~
Jason survived the week, although personally he had no idea how. The embarrassment he'd suffered needing to be carried upstairs to classes had been considerable, and he would be extremely glad when the elevators were finally installed and in working order.
Saturday finally arrived, to his great relief and excitement. After a week of being chauffered around by his parents, he was looking forward to getting out by himself. Working hard to get himself dressed quickly, he headed into the kitchen to wolf down a quick breakfast, then headed for the door. "I'm going out for a while," he called back to his parents. "I'll be back for lunch."
In the kitchen, Sarah looked over at Donavon in concern. Donavon, however, merely smiled and shook his head. "Let him go, Sarah. He needs to get out by himself." Sarah reluctantly conceded without protest.
~*~
For the first time in three months, Jason felt a genuine rush of contentment as he headed down the street. So far, none of the kids at school had treated him any differently to what they had before. The only exception was that Bulk and Skull were being almost unnaturally nice to him.
A small smile flickered across Jason's lips. What a pair, he thought. If he'd been going to get trouble from anyone, he would have anticipated it to come from them. But, no. They had gone completely out of their way to be nice to him. He would have taken offense, thinking they were merely overly sympathetic to his condition, but Jason sensed something beyond that. He didn't know what it was, but neither one treated him like a cripple.
His smiled broadened. Bulk had even offered to help Tommy carry him upstairs one day that week. Tommy had instinctively been going to refuse, but he had gotten in first, and accepted Bulk's help happily. He just hoped they weren't being nice to him as a charade during school hours...
So, he'd had no trouble so far from his fellow students, and he could ignore the staring strangers, because they were strangers. He'd no sooner thought that, though, when a coarse voice reached his ears. "Hey, look, guys. It's the cripple!"
Jason blinked, coming back to reality, and saw three boys blocking the way. Jeremy Fraser and his two buddies, Brett Connor and David Reilly, stood across the width of the footpath, and showed no sign that they intended to move. Jeremy Fraser stepped forward. "How's it going, cripple?"
Jason sighed inwardly. He should have known to expect trouble from these three.... "Do you guys mind? I'd like to get past."
"As a matter of fact," Fraser remarked casually, "we do mind. We mind very much. Don't we, fellas?" There was automatic agreement from his friends, and Jason knew then that he was going to be hassled.
"I don't want any trouble. I just want to get by."
Fraser folded his arms across his chest, trying to look imposing. "Well, there's three of us, and you're a cripple, so what d'you think you're gonna do about it?"
Jason's left hand dropped down to rest on a material compartment he'd attached to the side of the chair. "I don't want to fight you, Jeremy, but I think I could put up a pretty reasonable fight if I have to."
Fraser hooted loudly. "Oh, looks like I'm gonna have to teach the cripple a lesson in manners, guys."
He took a step towards Jason, hands clenched into fists. Jason reacted on instinct and, before Fraser even knew what was going on, Jason drew out a single nunchuk and whipped it around, smacking it against Fraser's hand. The boy yelped and yanked his hand back. Jason watched him coldly, swinging the ninja weapon with lethal precision.
"My legs don't work anymore, but my hands still work just fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to get past!"
Connor and Reilly moved out of the way, not wishing to suffer the same as their friend. Jason slipped the nunchuk away, and continued on down the path. He'd barelygotten five metres, though, when a pair of hands grabbed the back of the wheelchair. Then, before Jason had a chance to do anything, the wheelchair was abruptly tilted so far over that he lost his balance and grip, and fell out and onto the pavement.
Fraser appeared over Jason a second later, looking furious. "Nobody gets away with taking a piece of me. Especially no damn cripple."
Jason cringed a little and started to push himself up when Fraser kicked him in the side. He gasped and collapsed back to the ground, pain shooting through his ribs. Fraser was about to lay into Jason when a familiar voice yelled out to them.
"Fraser! What are you doing?" Jason looked around, and caught a glimpse of Bulk and Skull coming towards them. Whether they had come to help, or to join the beating, Jason didn't know. Expecting the worst, he shut his eyes and waited for the blows. They never came.
Bulk reached the group, and before Fraser and his friends could do anything, Bulk grabbed Fraser by the lapels of his jacket and yanked him right away from Jason. "What the hell d'you think you're doing, you little weasel?"
Fraser drew in a sharp breath. "I was just... just teaching him a lesson..."
"And what, exactly, did he do to you?"
Fraser was starting to feel worried. "He... He..."
"Was just trying to get past," Bulk snapped. He pushed Fraser back roughly. "Get the wheelchair and help him up."
Fraser sullenly did as he was told, and the three boys helped Jason back into the chair. Bulk nodded. "Now, apologize." The three boys mumbled a sulky apology, and Bulk nodded again. "Good."
Fraser finally spoke up angrily. "What are you defending him for, Bulk? We thought you were cool. He's just a cripple...."
Bulk stepped forward, enraged. "Don't you dare call him that! If I ever hear you use that word again, you won't have to worry about the mid terms. Got it? And being cool does not mean looking for someone less able than yourself to beat up! Now get lost!"
The three bullies turned and fled. Once they were gone, Bulk and Skull turned back to Jason, who was staring at them, completely stunned. "Are you okay, Jason?" Skull asked, genuine concern in his voice.
Jason dragged himself out of the shock he was in, and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think so. I didn't need that kick in the ribs, though...."
"Your hands look pretty badly grazed," Bulk said, and Jason looked down to see that his hands and forearms were indeed badly grazed.
"Damn... I'm gonna have a great time getting myself home."
Bulk walked around behind the wheelchair and took a firm hold of it. "C'mon. My place is just across the road, and we've got antiseptic and bandages and stuff there. My mum can fix your hands up." Before Jason could protest, Bulk pushed him across the road, into his home.
~*~
Fifteen minutes later saw Jason with both his hands firmly bandaged up. It was even less likely that he would be able to get himself home, and to make things worse, it had very abruptly started to rain. Finally, Bulk convinced Jason to stay for lunch, and Bulk's mother had quite happily called the Scotts to let them know where their son was.
After lunch, as it was still raining, Bulk, Skull and Jason retreated into the family room of Bulk's home, where they talked quietly. "I have to ask this," Jason said finally. "It's gonna drive me nuts until I know. How come you guys helped me out today? And all this past week....? I mean, relations between us have always been pretty bad, and you could have just ignored me today."
Bulk nodded. "We could have, but we didn't. You obviously needed help, so we gave it. That Jeremy Fraser is a total moron."
"Yeah," Skull growled. "The three of them against you? Fraser would never have dared try that on his own."
"But what made you change your minds about me?" Jason persisted. "I don't get it..."
Bulk hesitated, then quietly explained. "After you were attacked.... When you were in the hospital, most people seemed to know what was going on, except us. Everyone we asked avoided the question, like they either didn't want to talk about it...."
"Which seemed weird," Skull put in, "since everyone in the school but us seemed to know what was happening."
"Yeah," Bulk agreed. "Or, they just didn't want to tell us. Probably figured we couldn't possibly give a damn anyway, which wasn't true... Anyway, we ended up going and asking Mr Caplan straight what was going on. We had to badger him a bit, but then he told us that you were... That the doctors couldn't...."
Jason nodded. "That I was dying."
"Yeah," Bulk said softly. "He told us that, and I guess we started to feel guilty about giving you such a hard time like we used to. Then, when news went round that you were going to be okay, but you'd be in a wheelchair, we started thinking things over properly. I think it took a hell of a lot of guts to make the kind of decision you made, even if not having the operation meant dying. I know a lot of people would rather die than risk being in a wheelchair. I know I probably would. So when we saw you back at school this week, just trying to get on with things the same as ever, we figured it was time to quit giving you... and everyone else... such a hard time."
Jason stared at the two bys thoughtfully. "You don't mind being associated with a cripple?"
"How come you call yourself that?" Skull asked in a genuinely confused voice.
Jason looked at Skull in surprise. "Well, that's what I am."
"No, you aren't," Bulk said firmly. "You're not a cripple. A cripple is someone who can't do anything for themselves. You're not a cripple."
Jason couldn't help but smile, then. "Thanks. You've got no idea how much I appreciate that."
Bulk shrugged. "No problem. Hey, look, it's stopped raining. You want us to push you home?"
Jason hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, sure. That'd be great."
Bulk and Skull both stood up, and Bulk rubbed his hands together. "Let's get going, then."
~*~
That evening, Jason lay in his bed, staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling. All up, it had been a very interesting day. In a way, the conflict with Jeremy Fraser had been positive, because it had given him two new friends. He smiled to himself as he replayed the scene in his mind. They had arrived at his home, and he had offered his bandaged right hand to them. "Peace?"
Bulk had grinned, and shaken the outstretched hand. "I guess this means we're friends, now..."
He'd nodded, and had been both unable and unwilling to hide his relief. "Yeah, I guess so. Thanks again, guys. I really appreciate everything."
He'd invited them in for a while, letting his parents have a glimpse of how things were changing for him. They'd eventually left, and Jason had retreated to his bedroom to reflect on the day's events. The door creaked open, and Jason looked around as his father walk into the room. "In bed already?"
Jason smiled a little. "I'm tired. I thought I'd go to bed early."
Donavon sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. "Looks like you've found a couple of good friends in Bulk and Skull."
Jason laughed. "Yeah, two of the most unlikely candidates in the school. I was expecting trouble from them, if anyone. I couldn't believe that they were actually standing up for me."
"But you're still unsure, aren't you?"
The smile faded from Jason's face with painful abruptness. "In a way. I was in the school library yesterday, and I checked up on some statistics. Did you know that I'm the only person in the Angel Grove/Stone Canyon region in a wheelchair?"
"That upsets you?"
Jason shrugged. "Not directly, but the next time I hear someone complaining that they're too tired to walk, I'm gonna take to them with my nunchuks."
"Try not to let it bother you, Jason," Donavon said quietly. "It's not worth making yourself unhappy."
With great effort, Jason managed to sit u
p a little. "But it does bother
me. I don't know where I fit in anymore. I know I've got my friends, and
I've got you and Mum, and all that, but it doesn't quite make up for it. I
don't know where I belong anymore!"
Donavon sighed softly, sympathetic to his son's distress, but at a loss to do anything about it. "You'll find your place, Jason. Somewhere along the line, you'll figure it out. Just be patient and give it time."
Jason lay back down with a soft thud. "I wish it'd be sooner, and not later. I hate not fitting in."
Donavon didn't reply to that. It was something for which he had no solution.
Angel Grove City Centre: Monday morning....
Jason headed slowly along the sidewalk, trying not to look up too much. One
week outside the hospital and he still was not used to the different way
that everything looked. The buildings, especially in this area, he thought,
seemed so much taller than he remembered. Just looking up at them now was
almost enough to give him vertigo.
He sighed softly to himself. He'd been hoping to get together with his friends and go out somewhere. To a movie, perhaps, or something like that. He'd been unable to contact any of them, though. They'd all gone off to do their own things.... Tommy was with Kim, while Trini, Billy and Zack had gone off hiking, or some such thing.
Now, he was left to entertain himself while his parents took care of business in the city. Not an easy thing to do, he thought, when most of the shops had at least one or two steps.
He rolled up to an intersection, his gaze falling on the church on the other side of the road. It was the same church that he'd gone to as a child with his parents, but he had not been inside the doors now for a while. He could hear faint singing coming from inside, and knew it was the choir rehearsing. Feeling a sudden urge to go and see, he waited for the lights, and then headed across the street.
It was a futile exercise, he soon discovered. The heavy wooden doors were shut tight, and there was no ramp that he could utilize. The church, as far as he was concerned, was beyond his reach, in more ways than one.
Misery filled him, and he turned away. He couldn't even get in to see God... What hope did he have? Fighting back the deep sadness that was building inside him, he rolled away from the church and back into the city centre.
~*~
"This is driving me crazy," Zack growled as he, Billy and Trini stopped to rest just off the nature trail track.
Trini eyed him curiously. "What is?"
"Everything with Jason. He and Tommy are just acting like nothing's wrong! It's insane!"
"Tommy still doesn't remember anything," Billy muttered sullenly. "He's starting to tell us off for sulking about it...."
Zack got to his feet and angrily kicked at a stone. "Tommy puts Jason in a wheelchair, and now he's acting all bloody high and mighty! I wish there was some way we could help him remember. It'd take him down a notch or two, at least..."
"We can't say anything," Trini said softly, but she didn't sound so certain. "You remember what Jason said in the hospital. If Tommy ever found out what really happened, it would kill him for sure."
Zack glowered with suppressed fury. "Maybe I don't care enough about Tommy anymore to bother with protecting him from the truth. Maybe I want him to find out...."
"Forget about what it would do to Tommy," Billy spoke up. "Think about Jason. If we told Tommy what really happened, Jason would never forgive us. It's him that doesn't want Tommy to know."
Zack sat back down with a thud. "I know. That's the only reason I've been keeping my mouth shut. But if Tommy puts one toe out of line from now on.... I don't care what it's about. I'm damnwell gonna tell him, and I don't care what anyone thinks about it."
Trini and Billy remained silent, exchanging grim looks and knowing they felt exactly the same way.
~*~
Right at that moment, Tommy was with Kimberly and the two were walking hand in hand along the beach. Kimberly had long ago forgiven Tommy for injuring Jason, and felt no fear when she was with him.
"It's gonna be a nice sunset," she commented, looking out towards the horizon.
Tommy didn't seem to notice. "Kim...."
"Yeah?"
"Have you been noticing something... weird lately with Trini, Zack and Billy?"
Kim felt her breath catch in her throat. "Like what?"
"Well.... Maybe it's just me, but it feels like they've been giving me the cold shoulder lately. I don't know what it is, but they're acting like I committed a major crime, or something...."
Kim very nearly choked, and was only barely able to keep her composure. "Don't be ridiculous, Tommy. Everything's fine!"
Tommy looked down at her, and there was an expression on his face that Kim knew only too well. "Why is everyone treating me like this? Trini, Zack and Billy are acting like they hate me, and you're treating me with kid gloves.... And Jason.... Hell, I don't even have a word for the way he's acting."
"He's still trying to deal with being in a wheelchair," Kim muttered, wishing Tommy would change the topic. "We're all still trying to cope. Give us some time, Tommy, okay?"
Tommy looked away, towards the horizon. "I just can't help thinking that I've done something wrong, and I wish people would start being honest with me."
no you don't, Kim thought nervously. that's the last thing you want. "Tommy, forget it," Kim growled, sounding more annoyed than she'd intended.
Tommy pulled away from her, watching her with sudden hurt and suspicion. "Nobody's being honest with me, not even you! I know it's not true, what you say happened on the lookout. You're all lying to me, Jason included. Why? Why can't you tell me the truth?"
"We're not lying," Kim said desperately. "Tommy, you have to trust me...."
Tommy scowled, and headed back up the beach. "Nobody seems to trust me anymore, so I don't see why I should have to trust anyone else. I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow."
Kim stood helplessly, watching him go. "Tommy...."
Tommy ignored her, continuing on up the beach until he was out of sight.
~*~
"Have a good afternoon?" Donavon asked when he and Sarah rejoined Jason.
Jason shrugged. "It was okay, I guess. Not much to do, though..."
Sarah was surprised. "You never had any trouble finding anything to do before..."
"Before I was in a wheelchair and didn't have any trouble with steps," Jason replied abruptly, and Sarah went red.
"Oh... Honey, we're sorry...."
A heavy sigh escaped Jason. "It's okay. I needed some fresh air, anyway."
Donavon exchanged looks with his wife, and clapped Jason lightly on the shoulder. "C'mon, son. Let's go home."
Jason nodded and allowed his father to push the wheelchair. "Good idea."
~*~
Jason had been home barely five minutes when his communicator went off. Frowning a little to himself, he went into his room and shut the door before answering it. "I'm here...."
"Jason, it's Kim. Can you get to the Command Centre? I have to talk to you."
"Uh... Sure. I'm on my way."
He glanced towards the door, then pressed the button on his communicator and teleported out.
~*~
"What's up?" he asked as soon as he arrived. Kim looked nervous and fidgety, twisting at her shirt.
"I was just with Tommy. Jase, he's starting to get really suspicious. He knows that we lied to him about what happened, and he wants to know the truth... and Trini, Zack and Billy are acting really cold towards him.... I'm getting worried about Tommy, Jason. He's upset that they're treating him like this, and I can't explain it to him. I don't want him getting upset and doing anything dumb, and I just don't know what to do."
Jason felt a twinge of annoyance and anger in his gut. He wasn't part of the team anymore, but they still expected him to solve all the team's problems... "Did you tell Tommy anything?"
"No," Kim said in an abruptly quiet voice. For a brief instant, she had seen something in Jason's eyes, something strange and unfamiliar, and it unnerved her.
"Then it'll be okay. I'll talk to the others. They won't say anything to Tommy. I'll make sure of it. You don't have to worry."
Kim felt the unease grow. "Jase.... are you okay?"
oh, sure Jason thought bitterly, ask me that now. after i've promised to fix everything... He maneuvered away from her, angry at himself for being angry at Kim. "I guess I feel the same as Tommy does right now. I'm just getting sick of everything...."
Kim walked over and crouched down beside him. "You're starting to get depressed, aren't you?"
Jason suddenly had to struggle against tears that threatened to flow. "I don't know.... I was in town today.... by myself. I couldn't do anything, or go anywhere because I couldn't get up any steps. There was nowhere I wanted to go with a ramp that I could use. And people kept staring at me, wherever I went. Do you know what it's like, to have people stare at you like that? No matter what you do, or where you go, they still stare, like I'm some kind of freak...."
Jason's voice had been building in force, until he was almost shouting. The tears were starting to trickle down his cheeks, unnoticed, until Kim reached up to gently brush them aside.
"You're not a freak, Jason. Get that through your thick head right now. You are not a freak."
"Then what the hell am I?" Jason whispered, staring at her in grief and pain. "I feel like I hardly even belong to the human race anymore."
Kim sighed and threw her arms around him in a warm hug. "I shouldn't have bothered you with this stuff about Tommy. I'm sorry, Jason. We're all being pretty selfish at the moment."
Jason rested his chin on her shoulder and shut his eyes. "All my life, I've had to hold up everyone else. Whenever someone had a problem, it was always me that had to sort it out for them. Now that I've got a problem, no one wants anything to do with me...."
His voice cracked a little with grief, and Kim felt a touch of sympathetic pain in her heart. "That's not true, Jason. We're all here for you. We just have to get our act together. We all love you. I mean, you've always been our big brother.... Now it's our turn to look after you. Don't worry about talking to the others, Jason. I'll do it. You just think about yourself for a while, okay? Don't worry about anyone else."
Jason pulled back a little and regarded her with red rimmed eyes, fighting to hide his own unease. "Thanks, Kim. I appreciate it."
She smiled back and squeezed his hand a little. "No problem."
~*~
That night, Jason lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Despite being so tired earlier, now that he was in bed, he was wide awake and could not sleep at all. It was all that Kimberly had said to him, he was sure. He had thought things would be okay, but now he knew otherwise. Regardless of their promise to him in the hospital, Trini, Zack and Billy had not forgiven Tommy for what had happened. They were angry at him, and that anger was getting stronger. If something was not done very soon, things were going to get very ugly....
Jason shut his eyes, but still could not sleep. He was worried most of all that someone would get hurt. Kim had told him that Tommy was mistrustful of the others, and he could easily guess that they were equally mistrustful of Tommy. It wasn't only Zack, Billy, Trini and Tommy he had to worry about, either. Kim, who had forgiven Tommy, could be caught in the middle of it, as could Rocky, who knew nothing of the truth. If things got completely out of hand.....
Jason let the thought fade. He would call Zack tomorrow morning, and sort it out once and for all. Filled with new resolution, Jason finally managed to relax, and fall asleep.
~*~
Zedd watched in cold silence from the moon palace, watched as the old Red Ranger finally slept. It was true, his plan had worked better than he'd expected. After all, he had not expected Tommy to succeed in killing Jason in the first place: it had only been an effort to break up the team.
He had looked down on the fight with an excitement he had not felt for a long time, especially when Tommy had repeatedly stabbed Jason, and then thrown him over the cliff. He had thought that would have been the end of the Red Ranger. He had been surprised and angered when Jason had made it to the Blue Ranger's home, and to safety.
Now, although he knew he should have been satisfied with what had been done to the boy, he could not let him be. Jason may have been crippled, but he was still a danger. Dangers, Zedd reflected, had to be disposed of. Jason was the perfect target for destruction, and the perfect catalyst to truly break the team apart... or fuse it together again.
Even as he watched the sleeping teenager, a plan formed in Zedd's mind. Not only would he be able to use Jason, and what had happened on the lookout, to destroy the unity of the Power Rangers, he would be able to destroy Jason into the bargain. Another day or so, and the boy would be at his weakest and most vulnerable state, then it would be time to strike.
Smiling to himself with evil pleasure, Zedd turned from the balcony and headed back into the castle.
Angel Grove High School....
Jason arrived at school slightly late the next morning, wishing he'd asked
to stay home. He had a queasy feeling in his gut that was not going away,
despite his resolve to sort out the problems the team was having. In fact,
he thought dimly as he headed towards the school building, he was starting
to feel genuinely ill. He came to a halt near the buildings, wondering
whether he should forget class and head for the sickbay, but then he
remembered all that Kim had told him just last night.
Zack, Billy and Trini were all still angry at Tommy, and Tommy was fast
becoming suspicious of them all. Things were starting to spiral downwards,
and Jason knew he had to sort it out fast.
Sighing heavily to himself, he pushed down on the wheels of his chair, and
headed into the building.