"Can't you guys ever be on time?" he asked, startling them both. "I can't get you out of trouble now that my locker has been changed."
Bulk smiled, but Jason realised he looked distinctly pale. "It's okay. We've got an excuse this time. My grandmother had a stroke early this morning. We've been at the hospital most of the time."
Jason felt a twinge of sympathy. "I'm sorry. Is she going to be all right?"
Bulk looked unhappy. "The doctors don't know yet. They said it's too early to tell. It... It's all right. She's had a good life...."
Jason quickly pulled his books out of his locker, sensing he had to get Bulk's mind of his trouble. "Try not to be so pessimistic. I'm sure she'll be fine. C'mon, let's get to class, before _I_ get into trouble."
Bulk and Skull both nodded and followed, neither one saying a word but grateful all the same for Jason's sympathy.
~*~
The day passed with a painful slowness, especially for Jason who was unable to catch up with Zack, Trini or Billy. It was almost as though they were avoiding him, for he kept catching glimpses of them, but they disappeared again before he could reach them.
Eventually he ended up sitting by himself at a bench in the school grounds at lunch time, staring a sandwich that he couldn't bring himself to touch. He knew his loss of appetite was mainly due to worry, but he couldn't rid himself of worry until he'd spoken to his friends. He was worried about Zack more than the others, for while Billy and Trini could effectively shut Tommy out, Zack was volatile enough to explode and tell Tommy the truth. That was what Jason was most afraid of.
Also, though, he was still depressed and feeling sick, and he had no one to talk to about it.... He stared bleakly at the tabletop as his own troubles came flooding back to him with cruel relentlessness. Now, more than ever, he felt alone, and it was a feeling he could not shake. Loneliness was something that had always been with him, particularly after being called to be leader of the Power Rangers as the Red Ranger. It was worse now, though, for now wherever he looked, people turned away from him, like he really was some freak of nature.
He blinked, and realised he'd started crying without actually noticing it. He frowned and quickly wiped away the tears, fearful that he should be seen to be crying. Even as he brushed his hand over his eyes, though, the ridiculousness of it struck him, and he let his hand fall back to the tabletop. No one took any notice of him now, so why would they notice when he was crying....?
He shut his eyes, feeling the pain in his chest and stomach get stronger. He was well and truly alone. Even Tommy, who had stuck by him to begin with, seemed to be drifting away. He might as well have been dead, for all any of them cared....
"Hi, Jason."
Jason looked up, startled by the unexpected voice. A girl was standing there, watching him with what Jason thought was genuine concern. She looked familiar....
The girl smiled just a little, and took a step forward. "I'm Charlene. You know, on the cheerleading squad?"
Jason nodded, finally remembering. He remained on guard, though, for students didn't really talk very much to him anymore, except to throw some cruel cripple joke in his direction that he was supposed to laugh off. Charlene hesitated, then spoke. "Mind if I sit down? You.... You look like you could do with some company."
Jason finally sighed. "Sure. Why not? It's a free country. I ought to be used to having people feel sorry for me by now."
Charlene winced. "I'm not here because I feel sorry for you. Not in the way that you're thinking. I was feeling a little lonely, and I thought we could...."
Jason stared at her incredulously. "You? Lonely? Yeah, sure. You with all your cheerleader friends, and football playing boyfriends...."
An injured look passed over Charlene's face. "You might be having a tough time of it right now, Jason Scott, but that doesn't give you the right to insult me. I came over here because I hate being with my so called friends. They're all a pack of airheads, and I'm tired of being with them. I came over here because I thought that talking to you would be better than talking to them, but I guess I was wrong. Excuse me."
Jason blinked, stunned by the outburst. "Hey, wait a second...."
Charlene glowered at him as she started to turn away. "Why? So you can throw a few more insults at me?"
Red crept across Jason's face. "I'm sorry. It's just that no one talks to me very much anymore, except to use me to illustrate their jokes. I guess it's just taking me a moment to realise that someone actually wants to talk to me on the level."
A moment passed, and then Charlene sat back down. "I suppose I can understand that. Most people think I'm an airhead as well, because I'm on the cheerleading squad, and I hang around with those girls. It's not true, though."
Jason smiled just a little. "I guess we're both misunderstood." "Yeah," Charlene said with a smile, "I guess so. Listen, lunch is nearly over, so how would you like to meet me at the Youth Centre after school? I'll buy you a soda...."
Jason looked embarrassed. "I thought the guy was supposed to do the asking...."
Charlene grinned. "I told you I was different. Do you want to, or not?"
"Okay," Jason finally consented. "I would like to."
"Great!" Charlene said, jumping up again. "I'll see you after school, then!" She turned and hurried off, leaving Jason to watch after her with a small smile on his face.
~*~
"I don't even know how I ended up on the squad," Charlene said in between mouthfuls of soda. "One day I got a letter telling me I was accepted, and to show up for practise the next day. I don't even remember trying out."
Jason smiled. "You got hijacked."
"Yeah, that's about it," Charlene laughed. "I'm thinking of quitting, though. Maybe if I do, Sean Parker will leave me alone."
"You mean Sean Parker, the football team's quarterback? I thought he was your boyfriend...."
Charlene pulled a face. "Everyone does. Sean started the rumour. The truth is I've never been out with him in my life, and I have no intention of ever going out with him. The guy's a creep. I want him to leave me alone, but he's convinced himself that I really am his girlfriend, and he gets really mad with me when I won't act like it."
Jason's hand dropped down to lightly touch one of the compartments that held a nunchuk. "He won't bother you while you're with me. I promise."
Charlene leaned forward, across the table. "What about you? You were doing okay for a while, but now you seem like you're getting really depressed. Is it just that you're lonely?"
Jason looked away from her, suddenly embarrassed. "It's not just that. It's a whole lot of things. My friends, mainly. They've been avoiding me a lot lately. Like they're embarrassed to be around me."
Charlene felt a rush of sympathy. "I'm sorry. I know how hard it must be. I have an uncle who's in a wheelchair."
Jason looked up at her in surprise. "Oh...?"
"Uh huh. He was born with Spina Bifida, and it was too severe for him to be able to learn to walk. He's doing great for himself now, but not too long ago he was really struggling to get by each day."
Sadness filled Jason's face. "Everyone's around me, but I still feel like I'm totally alone. My friends are still expecting me to solve their problems for them, but they won't hang around tolisten to me."
"I know what that feels like," Charlene murmured. "Listen, Jason, if you need to talk to someone, to get everything out in the open, then just give me a call. Okay?"
Jason smiled, tears filling his eyes at Charlene's offer. "Thanks. You've got no idea how much that means to me."
Charlene smiled back, then reached across and closed her hand lightly over Jason's. "Oh, I think I do."
~*~
Jason finally caught up with Zack just outside the Youth Centre, cornering him by an Oak tree. "Run out of places to hide?" Jason remarked dryly, and Zack felt his face heat up with embarrassment.
"No... I, ah... I've just been busy lately."
"Sure," Jason growled. "You know you can't lie to me, Zack. You're really bad at it."
Zack scowled, then. "You're a great one to give lectures on lying. You, who lied through your teeth to get Tommy out of trouble."
Jason's expression darkened considerably. "From your tone, I'd be inclined to think you wished I'd told the truth."
"Yeah," Zack muttered, "well, maybe I do wish that. Would you back off a little? I can't move!"
Jason backed up and let Zack move away from the tree. "We have to talk. Kim called me last night. She's really worried. She said you, Billy and Trini are still angry at Tommy, and he's getting really suspicious because you're all treating him like a criminal."
Zack refused to look Jason in the eye. "So? As far as I'm concerned, he is. Look, Jase, the bottom line is that I don't trust Tommy anymore, and neither do Billy and Trini. I think we're within our rights to feel that way..."
Jason regarded Zack with a look of betrayal. "You promised me in the hospital that you wouldn't hold anything against Tommy! You all promised me, Zack!"
Zack turned furiously on Jason, then. "You were dying!" he exploded, startling Jason into moving away a little. "We thought you were going to die! We would have said anything to make you feel better. Don't you get it? I hate Tommy for what he did to you, and so does Trini and Billy! I won't take anything back, and I'm damnwell not going to try and be nice to Tommy when he nearly killed you! So just quit it, okay? Damn it, Jase, you ought to be more angry than all of us! Tommy put you in a wheelchair, for Christ's sake! He tried to kill you! Have you really convinced yourself it was Scorpina and Goldar? Is that it? Jesus, Jason...."
Zack trailed off, ending his tirade, and then he saw the tears that were rolling down Jason's cheeks. Jason stared at Zack with a look of pain on his face and in his eyes that was beyond description.
"The only thing I'm convinced of is that the Power Rangers are finished. You, Billy and Trini have guaranteed that. Especially you. Unless you can find the strength to forgive Tommy, you might as well hand the coins back to Zordon right now."
Zack turned away. "Don't be stupid."
"I'm not," Jason snapped. "Where the hell is all the hatred coming from, Zack? And why won't you let it go? It's done with now, and letting the team fall apart isn't going to put me back on my feet! You've got to let it go. If you can do that, then I think Trini and Billy will as well."
Zack stared up at the sky. "Yeah, well, maybe I don't want to. Maybe I like my anger. Did you ever think of that, Jase? Maybe I like hating Tommy, and I don't want to stop."
Jason shut his eyes for a long moment, trying to gather his thoughts. It was falling apart.... Everything was falling apart.... He opened his eyes again, looking desperately at Zack, ready to make one last try.... and froze. Standing not fifty metres away, watching them with eyes that were red and swollen from shedding tears, was Tommy. "Oh.... Shit...."
Zack looked around in surprise, and then a faint smile that bore nothing but malice flickered onto his face. "Good. I hope he heard everything."
Jason started forward, but Tommy turned and fled before he could get very fa r. For several long seconds, Jason sat frozen, his heart beating so hard that it hurt his chest. In that moment, the sensation of pain and nausea he'd been experiencing all day nearly exploded. He shut his eyes tightly, struggling against it, knowing he had to go after Tommy.
Finally getting it under control, he spared Zack a final angry look.
"If anything happens to Tommy, I swear to God I'll never forgive you." He then went after Tommy as fast as he could, leaving Zack behind him.
~*~
Zedd watched the scene intently. It was time to act. Turning, he signaled to Goldar to make their move.
~*~
Tommy ran hard and fast, not entirely sure of where he was heading. All he knew were Zack's words, echoing repeatedly through his mind.
tommy put you in a wheelchair.... he tried to kill you! He moaned, yet did not hear himself moan. It couldn't be true, he thought desperately as he ran. And yet, he knew even as he tried to deny it, just how true it was.
He skidded to a halt, falling helplessly against a tree. He still didn't remember any of what had happened, but in an awful way, it all started to make sense. Jason's lying about what had happened, Kimberly's efforts to turn his thoughts to other things.... the cold treatment he'd suffered from the others.....
A cry of anguish escaped him, and he thumped his fists against the rough bark of the tree in a useless gesture. He had tried to kill Jason. His best friend.... He'd crippled his best friend....
"Tommy!"
Tommy's head came up as Jason's voice floated through the trees to him. How could he possibly face Jason now....? He couldn't, not knowing the truth. Gulping back the sobs, he blocked Jason's voice from his mind and fled as fast as he could.
~*~
Jason was almost gasping for air as he struggled to make it over the rough, up hill slope. He wasn't even sure now which direction Tommy had taken, and was only guessing.
damn zack Jason thought angrily. if anything happens to tommy...
He had to stop, thoroughly exhausted and covered in a thin layer of sweat. His stomach, just above the dead point of his waist, was now hurting badly, and he felt as though he wanted to throw up. His chest was also hurting....
Jason stiffened as a spasm of pain swept through his upper body, a cry of pain catching in his throat. He gasped in shock, struggling to regain his wits, when someone grabbed hold of the wheelchair from behind and tipped it over, sending him onto the ground with a crash. His head connected with a rock as he went down, and so the last thing Jason saw before he lost consciousness was a huge, shadowy figure standing over him and laughing cruelly.
~*~
Zack was about to head back into the Youth Centre again when a familiar sound reached his ears. It was the sound of laughter, harsh and grating. Goldar's laughter....
Fighting a surge of panic, Zack bolted off through the park, hoping everything was okay. He caught a glimpse of gold light through the trees and ran even harder, starting to shout Jason's name. He broke through the trees and into the open, tripping over something large that lay in his path.
He took a moment to recover from the fall, then looked around to see what he had tripped over. His heart skipped a beat, and he moaned miserably to himself.
It was Jason's wheelchair.
~*~
"What is it?" Kim asked breathlessly as she teleported into the Command Centre with the other rangers.
Zack motioned silently to the wheelchair that sat off to the side of the control area. Rocky took a step forward, frowning. "Hey, isn't that Jason's chair?"
Zack nodded. "Yes. Goldar took him. I didn't see, but I know it was him. We have to get him back, now."
Billy nodded anxiously. "Jason has no way of defending himself against Goldar. We have to rescue him."
"Jason is not the only one who needs rescuing," Zordon said grimly. "Look in the viewing globe, rangers."
They turned to look, and were startled to see Tommy at the top of the lookout, standing dangerously close to the edge. Zack scowled. "We don't need him, Zordon."
"On the contrary, Zack," Zordon replied, "you do need him. Just as he needs you. I am aware of your earlier exchange with Jason, and I know Tommy overheard. You, Trini and Billy must go and talk to Tommy now, and resolve your anger before it is too late."
"But what about Jason?" Zack asked desperately. "We can't just leave him...."
"Rocky and Kimberly will deal with Jason's rescue," Zordon replied. "Zack, Billy and Trini, your anger towards Tommy is affecting your judgment. I cannot send you into any fight until it has been properly resolved."
"Why?" Zack exploded. "Why should we have to resolve anything with that murdering bastard? Zordon, how can we trust Tommy anymore? You said when he became the White Ranger that he could never be put under any spell again, but look what's happened!"
"That is not what I told you," Zordon corrected gently. "I said that the powers could never again be stolen by evil forces. I understand your anger, Rangers, and your mistrust, but the truth is that all of you are prone to falling under spells. Any of you could have been chosen by Zedd to attack Jason. It could have been you, Zack, that used the knife on the old Red Ranger. Unfortunately, it was Tommy that was chosen. That was not his fault, and you all know it. Don't you see, Rangers? Zedd probably did not expect Tommy to succeed to the point of crippling Jason. It was merely a very effective attempt to split the Power Rangers up, and right at this moment, you are letting Zedd win."
"But he misused the power," Zack argued weakly. Zordon shook his head.
"No, Zack. Although I am sure Zedd would have liked Tommy to corrupt the power by attacking another ranger, Tommy was in control of himself enough to leave his morpher behind. When he attacked Jason, as horrendous as it was, he did not use the Power in any way. Therefore, once the spell was broken, I could not justly remove the powers of the White Ranger from Tommy."
Zack fell silent, miserable and defeated. He had no arguments left against Tommy, and all that remained was a deep hurt in his heart and soul. Billy and Trini, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, also looked beaten, as they realised how misguided their anger had been.
"Hang on a second here," Rocky interrupted. "What is going on? Can someone please explain it to me?"
Kim put her hand on his shoulder. "No time, Rocky. We have to rescue Jason."
Zack looked miserable, but finally consented. "Okay. I'll go talk to Tommy. I don't think it'll do any good, though."
Zordon nodded, and a moment later, the rangers all teleported out to the different destinations.
~*~
Tommy stood at the very edge of the lookout, staring numbly down at the rocks below. He had pushed Jason off this very cliff, not four months ago, putting an end to everything Jason had previously known. It had been him, and not Goldar.....
He gave a muffled sob, and collapsed to his knees, wracked with despair.
please god forgive me
He looked up again, through a thin film of tears. There was no way he could possibly face Jason again, nor could he live with the knowledge of what he'd tried to do.... what he had done..... Which left just one choice open to him....
He buried his face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
~*~
Goldar smirked cruelly to himself as he dumped Jason's body roughly on the ledge. For once he didn't have to worry about chains. With Jason being crippled, all he needed to do was put him on a ledge that was surrounded by a seemingly bottomless chasm. The gap was too wide even for the Rangers to jump, for the ceiling of the cavern was relatively low. If they tried jumping to the ledge, they would only hit the ceiling instead...
He laughed to himself. By the time Billy worked out the exact co ordinates to teleport onto the ledge itself, it would be too late. Even if he was rescued, it would make little difference. Jason would continue to suffer the agony of self doubt until it destroyed him completely. And what hope did a cripple have for gaining any self confidence? For that was the only way to survive Zedd's attack....
Goldar laughed cruelly. That was not likely to happen while Jason was trapped on a rock ledge and completely incapable of helping himself. He looked down at Jason's communicator, which he held in his hand. A moment later, he closed his fist around it, crushing the metal in a single motion. Still laughing, he then dropped it onto the ledge beside Jason, then vanished in a flash of gold light to finish his evil task.
~*~
Tommy saw the flash of gold light behind him, but did not bother to turn around, even when Goldar came up to stand close behind him.
"Now you know the truth, you pathetic human," Goldar rasped. "I am not reponsible for the attack on Jason. You are."
Tommy shut his eyes, wishing uselessly to shut out Goldar's voice. "Leave me alone," he said in a dull voice. Goldar chuckled.
"And miss the event of your death? I don't think so, Tommy. I've been waiting for this for a long time."
Tommy looked back at Goldar, then. "What makes you think I'm going to kill myself, furface?"
Goldar towered over Tommy, smiling evilly. "What other choice do you have, Green Ranger?"
"I'm not the Green Ranger," Tommy whispered hoarsely. "I'm the White Ranger...."
"You began as the evil Green Ranger," Goldar growled, "and that is who you will always be, even if you refuse to admit it. You know it's true, Tommy. If you were completely purged of evil, you would not have tried to kill Jason."
Tommy got slowly to his feet. "I don't remember any of it. How can I believe I did something that I can't even remember?"
Goldar took a step backwards, chuckling softly. "You want to know what you did? Look, then."
Tommy watched as Goldar made a circle in the air with his sword, and a moment later there was a crackle of light, and Tommy found himself watching a terrible scene that had played itself out long ago.
"No...." Tommy whispered, stricken. "Oh, god, no....." Goldar laughed evilly as Tommy watched the replay of the awful scene in horrified silence. This, surely, would be enough to drive the teenager over the edge of despair......
Tommy finally dragged his gaze away just before watching the image of himself pushing Jason over the edge of the cliff. It was too late, though. The vision had finally broken down the walls that had so firmly enclosed Tommy's memories of the incident, and everything came flooding back to him in terrible detail.
A scream of anguish filled the air as Tommy fell to his knees again, both hands pressed to the sides of his head. His mind was awash with memories that he'd had no wish to recall, from his taking Jason's morpher, to stabbing Jason repeatedly, to pushing him over the edge....
"No!" Tommy howled, collapsing completely onto the grass. "No...." Goldar laughed triumphantly. "Yes! You know the truth, Tommy, and you know what you have to do. Do you honestly believe anyone would trust you to be near them now? The other Rangers have rejected you already, haven't they? Why don't you finish it now? Jump, Tommy. It's the only choice you have left."
Tommy looked up slowly. He knew Goldar was right, even though he could not bring himself to admit it. It was not because of the rejection, though. It was because of Jason. He had nearly taken Jason's life from him, and although he could not give back what he'd taken, perhaps he could avenge Jason in some small way.... Perhaps....
He got up painfully, and turned towards the edge of the cliff. Just a few seconds of fear, and then it would be over. Just a few seconds...
"I owe it to Jason..." Tommy whispered to himself. "I owe it to him...."
Tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked down at the rocks below. "I'm sorry, Jase. I'm so sorry...."
Drawing in a deep, final breath, Tommy lifted his foot, and stepped over the edge of the cliff.
Dark Dimension....
Jason awoke slowly, his head throbbing painfully. The pain was the first
thing he became aware of, and he lay still for several seconds, wishing it
would go away. It soon became obvious that that was not going to happen.
Moaning faintly to himself, he pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked
around. He was surrounded by darkness, the kind that seemed to swallow
everything up. It took his eyes nearly a minute to adjust to the dark, and
when they did, he felt the panic finally hit.
He was on a ledge, extremely narrow with little room to move about, and surrounding the ledge on all sides was a seemingly bottomless drop. Nausea rolled through Jason's gut, and he pushed himself back against the rock wall, as far as he could.
After a long while, as he fought the panic back down, he began to remember what had happened. He'd been going after Tommy, when there'd been a sharp pain through his body. Then, someone had tipped him out of his chair....
c'mon he told himself tensely. stay cool. you can get out of here...
He reached for his communicator, only to find it was no longer on his wrist. Looking around, he soon found what was left of it on the ledge close to his feet.
"Man..." Jason muttered dismally. He couldn't even get himself out of trouble without help...
He cringed as another shard of pain stabbed through his body, and he slumped down on the ledge, feeling worse than he had for a long time.
~*~
Tommy shut his eyes, feeling the wind hit his face as he stepped off the cliff. He started to fall... and stopped.
"What...?" he gasped, and looked up to see Zack there, hanging over the edge of the cliff and holding on tightly to his wrist. There were mixed emotions on the Black Ranger's face, and the predominant one was grief.
"No, you don't, Tommy..." Zack muttered breathlessly. "Damn it, you aren't gonna give up on us..."
Tommy tried to twist around, but Zack held him tightly, refusing to let go. Then, slowly, Zack began to pull him back up to the safety of solid ground.
Once he was safe, Zack finally exploded. "Are you out of your damned mind!? What the hell are you gonna solve by killing yourself?"
Tommy stared up at Zack with mixed anger and grief. "What do you care? I heard you talking to Jason. You wish it had been me, instead of Jase."
Zack stood up, brushing his hands on his jeans. "I did wish that," he admitted, "but I was wrong. We all were."
Tommy looked away from them. "It wasn't Goldar at all," he whispered, stricken. "Goldar had nothing to do with it. It was me. I did it..."
"You were under a spell," Trini told him. "You didn't know what you were doing. Jason forgave you for it, and now, so do we."
The White Ranger buried his face in his arms. "I don't think I can forgive myself. Look at what I did to him..."
Zack hesitated, then sat down next to Tommy on the grass. "You overheard everything, didn't you?"
"Pretty much," Tommy replied, his voice muffled. "I still didn't remember it, though. Then Goldar showed up. He showed it to me... and now I can't forget it!"
"It's over with," Billy said in a quiet, but sure voice. "You have to get past it. We all do."
Tommy looked up at them all with haunted eyes. "That's impossible, and you all know it. I went too far this time..."
"Nothing is impossible," Zack snapped. "Lesson number one, Tommy. Nothing! If Jason can forgive you and get past it, then so can we. And you sure as hell can forgive yourself. I was screwed up bad for a while, there. I thought we'd be better off without you. Then, Zordon knocked some sense into me. It's not true, Tommy. We do need you! And you need us! Don't you get it, man? We're a team! Zordon was right. Zedd probably didn't expect you to hurt Jason as badly as you did. He probably only did the whole thing to try and break the team up. We can't let that happen! We... we just can't!"
"How can you trust me?" Tommy demanded to know, stricken. "After everything that's happened, how can you ever trust me again?"
"I think we can trust you," Trini told him softly. "Isn't that the test of true friends? When bad things happen, that we can still hold our heads high, and still have faith in each other." She paused for a moment, realising the powerful truth of what she was saying, and fresh tears pricked at her eyes. "You'd never deliberately hurt any of us unless there was an outside influence that you can't fight. We should have known that to begin with, but we let our anger get a hold of us. That wasn't right, and it was against everything we've ever learnt. We all need each other, Tommy. If we let this break us up, then we all deserve to lose the power, every one of us."
Tommy looked up to the sky, tears almost blinding him. "I can't face Jason. I can't look at him, and know that I was the one who did it to him."
"We'll get past that later," Billy said quietly. "What's important is that we can forgive you. I... I think we have."
Tommy shook his head. "I am so sorry...." he whispered, a fresh wave of tears flooding his eyes. A long moment passed, and then Trini crouched down and put her arms around Tommy in a warm embrace, letting tears fill her own eyes. A moment later, Zack and Billy joined them, letting the last of their anger and hatred finally wash away.
~*~
Kim and Rocky teleported into the Dark Dimension, and narrowly avoided falling into the chasm.
"Wow..." Rocky breathed as he peered into the gloom, "what a hole..."
Kim grabbed the Red Ranger's arm. "Look, there's Jason. Out there, on that ledge."
Rocky looked up, and saw Jason after a long moment, lying still on the ledge.
"Jason!" Kim called out, but the old Red Ranger didn't move. Kim looked at Rocky, suddenly frightened. "We have to get to him."
"How?" Rocky asked, at a loss. "We can't jump that far. Not with the ceiling of the cave being as low as it is."
"We need Billy," Kim muttered. "He's got the cable and grappling hook."
She was about to call for help, when several flashes of light heralded the arrival of a putty patrol and Goldar.
"Great," she moaned, readying to fight.
Rocky shook his head and sighed comically. "Back to action...."
~*~
"C'mon, Tommy," Zack said. "We have to get back to the Command Centre."
Despite his grief, Tommy did not miss the urgency in the Black Ranger's voice. "What's wrong?"
"It's Jason. He was taken by Goldar. Kim and Rocky went to rescue him, but I've got a feeling they're gonna need help."
Tommy got quickly to his feet, fear for his friend overriding his own self recriminations. "What does Zedd want with Jason? Isn't the wheelchair enough?"
Zack shrugged. "Who knows? Goldar took him, though, and we have to get him back. Now, let's go."
~*~
Zordon nodded approvingly when the four rangers teleported back into the Command Centre. "Very good, rangers," he intoned. "You have dealt with your doubts and anger effectively."
The rangers exchanged weary glances at Zordon's familiar old 'congratulations, you've passed the test!' tone of voice, and Billy spoke tensely. "Let us have the coordinates, Zordon. We're going to get Jason back."
"Very well," Zordon replied. A moment later, all four teleported out, leaving Zordon to stare at the place where they had stood only seconds before.
"Good luck," he murmured softly, "and may the Power protect you..."
~*~
"Need some help?"
Rocky looked around breathlessly, and the relief could almost be seen through his helmet. "It's about damned time!" he retorted as the other rangers joined the fight. "What kept you?"
"Just some loose ends to tie up," Zack replied. Rocky chuckled a little, although he wasn't sure why, and launched himself back into the fight with renewed vigor.
"Good to see you back," Kimberly said to Tommy as he joined her on the far side of the cavern to send a few putties on their way. Tommy nodded once, and she fancied she could see him smiling at her.
"Thanks, Kim."
~*~
With the arrival of reinforcements, the Power Rangers soon defeated all the putties, leaving only Goldar.
"You're beaten again, Goldar!" Tommy shouted as the rangers closed in on the over grown ape. Goldar sneered at him.
"You should have killed yourself when you had the chance, Green Ranger."
Tommy faltered, and then Zack stepped forward with fresh anger. "He's not the Green Ranger, anymore, Goldar, and Zedd doesn't have any power over him! The past is finished, and this is now! And now, you've gotta deal with us..."
Goldar moved away even as they advanced. "Go ahead, rangers," he growled. "Take the old Red Ranger. It's probably too late for him now, anyway."
The rangers faltered at that. "What are you talking about?" Rocky demanded, and Goldar laughed.
"Look and see, you pathetic humans."
They turned, and Goldar took the chance and vanished in a burst of flame.
"What is it?" Rocky asked as they all moved to the edge of the chasm. Billy shook his head.
"I don't know, but Zedd must have done something to him. Let's just get him out of here, and then we'll figure out what's happening."
"We'll need your cable, Billy," Kimberly said. "We can't jump that far."
Billy nodded and brought out the thin line, with the electronic hook mechanism. Aiming carefully, he fired it so it attached itself to the wall behind Jason, and then attached the other end to the wall behind them.
"That ledge only has enough room for one person," Zack said. "Tommy, you go."
Tommy hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
Taking the hand grips from Billy, Tommy launched himself from the edge of the chasm and, seconds later, landed on the ledge beside Jason. He dropped to his knees as Billy detached the cable, and gently rolled his friend over.
"Jason? C'mon, buddy, wake up..."
Jason stirred finally, and opened his eyes to find his vision was hopelessly blurred. He recognised the voice, though, and his relief was obvious.
"Tommy...? Good, you didn't do anything stupid..." Tommy cringed a little, then carefully pulled Jason up and rested him against the rock wall. "Hang on, Jase. We'll be out of this place soon." He looked around, and called out to the others. "I'll teleport us out now!"
His voice echoed loudly in the cavern, and the reverberations caused some gravel to fall from the ceiling just above them. Tommy glanced around uneasily, then slipped one arm around Jason, and reached for his communicator. He pressed the button, but nothing happened.
"What the hell...?" he muttered under his breath. "Billy, what's going on? We aren't teleporting!"
More gravel fell.
On the other side of the chasm, Billy spoke out just as loudly. "There's no reason that I can think of why it wouldn't work. Unless the ledge is surrounded by some sort of magnetic..."
Trini grabbed hold of Billy's arm in a vice like grip. "Quiet!" she whispered. "Billy, I don't think this place is too stable. A lot of noise could cause anything to happen."
Billy looked around, suddenly nervous. A moment later, he spoke into his communicator in a low whisper. "Tommy, do you read me?"
"Yeah," came the reply, along with a lot of static. Billy grimaced. "I think you and Jason are surrounded by some sort of magnetic force. It's causing enough interference that you can't teleport out. We'll have to get back to the Command Centre and do it from there."
"Can you do it?" Tommy asked, and he also sounded distinctly nervous.
"Yes," Billy replied, "but it may take a few minutes." "Well, it's the only way we're gonna get out of here," Tommy said grimly. "You'd better go."
Billy looked around at his friends. "Well?"
"I'll stay here," Kimberly said firmly. Zack nodded. "So will I. Just in case you get back there, and can't get through to Tommy on the communicator."
Billy nodded. "All right. You'd better warn him about the instability of the area." He looked at Trini and Rocky. "Let's go."
They teleported out in a flash of light, and a moment later, Tommy's voice came over the communicator, sounding indignant. "What are you two still doing here? Get back to the Command Centre!"
"Tommy, quiet!" Zack hissed. "This place isn't stable! Too much noise would be like an avalanche in Switzerland!"
There was a long silence, and then Tommy's voice could be heard again, this time in just a whisper. "All the more reason for you to get out of here. It's too dangerous!"
"Ah, shut up," Zack growled. "You might still be feeling guilty, but that doesn't mean we're gonna let take all the risks."
On the ledge, Tommy blinked in surprise, left at a momentary loss. Then, Jason moaned softly, and his attention was diverted again.
"You okay, buddy?" Tommy asked softly. Jason opened his eyes again, but still couldn't focus his vision.
"Can't see too good..." he mumbled. Tommy watched his friend in concern.
"Just hang on. We're gonna get you out of here real soon."
~*~
"How's it going?" Rocky asked nervously. When Billy didn't respond, he looked over at Trini. The Yellow Ranger, however, could only shrug wordlessly. Rocky sighed and fell back, frustrated that he could do no more than wait. It was bad enough that something was going on between the other rangers and Jason that he couldn't get in on, but to be left hanging and not be able to do anything....
"I've got them!" Billy shouted suddenly. "Just a minute while I put in the coordinates..."
~*~
Tommy stiffened as the ground beneath his feet began to tremble. "What's happening...?" he gasped, trying to keep his balance.
"Earthquake!" Zack's voice came over the communicator, laced with panic. "Tommy, hang on! This place is about to go!"
"Get out of here!" Tommy shouted into the communicator, throwing aside regard for the place's stability. "Zack, get Kim out of here!"
"Not without you and Jason!" Zack yelled back. A sudden roar deafened them, and the ground began to fall in on itself, creating a terrifying gap. Zack threw himself at Kimberly, and the two crashed to the ground on the far side of the cavern just as the rocky ground literally disappeared from sight.
"Get out of here!" Tommy screamed again as he tried to shield Jason from the falling rocks with his body.
Zack could no longer argue, and, grabbing Kim's wrist, teleported out. Tommy had little time to feel relief, though, for the ledge itself began to crumble beneath them.
we're both gonna die this time he thought numbly. "Jase, if I never get another chance... I'm sorry...." Jason reached up and grabbed Tommy's arm. "I already forgave you." Tommy found Jason's hand and grasped it tightly, shut his eyes, and waited for death to come and take them.
~*~
"Now!" Billy shouted, and they all looked and waited in tense and fearful silence.
~*~
The ground vanished from beneath them, and Tommy felt himself fall, the
wind hitting him hard.
so this is what it felt like for jason he thought distantly. He
sensed someone with him, and saw Jason, still holding on to his hand. Tommy
tightened his grip.
if we're gonna die, then we'll die together The bottom of the chasm came into sight, and Tommy shut his eyes, anticipating the impact. It seemed to last an infinitely long time, and he opened his eyes to see the bottom rushing towards him. He felt the panic finally hit... and then their world vanished in a flash of white light.
~*~
Tommy rematerialized in the Command Centre, and gasped in shock and dull pain as Jason landed squarely on top of him. "Get off me..." he spluttered.
Jason grunted loudly. "Shut up. I can't move, you idiot."
Zack and Rocky stepped in, and pulled Jason carefully Tommy, and helped him back into the wheelchair, and Kim and Billy helped Tommy up.
"Are you guys okay?" Trini asked anxiously.
Tommy pulled his helmet off. "That couldn't have been closer if we'd tried. Man, I thought we were done for..."
Jason couldn't resist a grin. "Hey, Tommy, thanks for cushioning my fall."
Tommy pulled a face. "Yeah, sure. Any time."
Jason snickered, then, unable to help it. A moment later, he burst into laughter, the first real laugh he'd given for a long while.
"You're nuts," Zack muttered, fighting back a grin himself. "You almost get killed again..." He trailed off, and a heavy silence suddenly descended over the group.
Jason shook his head. "Jeez, will you all get over that already? It's done with!"
A long silence prevailed, and then Trini smiled. "That's right," she agreed. "It is. And we just beat Zedd again..."
Realisation finally hit them that they'd all come through safe, and they all finally began to laugh, enjoying the moment of victory.
Jason hesitated for just a moment in joining in. Not so long ago, he'd felt alienated by his friends, and pretty worthless all round. Now, as strange as it was, in the space of just a few seconds, he'd had all his doubts and fears eliminated. He watched with satisfaction as the friends all embraced in a group hug, and knew everything would be all right.
Trini broke away from the group and stepped across the floor, leaning down to throw her arms around Jason in a tight hug.
"Everything's going to be fine," she whispered into his ear. "I know it will."
Jason hugged her back, and smiled as the others gathered around him. The pain that had plagued him for the past few days finally vanished, and he knew for sure, then, that his worst troubles were finally over.
Tommy blushed a deep red. "I wasn't thinking straight. Besides, you didn't do me any favours by not telling me the truth."
"That's true," Billy remarked. "We might have gotten past it a little quicker if you hadn't made us promise not to talk about it, or tell Tommy the truth."
It was Jason's turn to blush. "Look, I think we all were a little bit at fault. I admit I expected too much of you guys, and it just built up to breaking point."
Kim pulled a face. "What about those of us peacemakers? I'm trying to keep the peace while the rest of you bite each others' heads off! Zedd must have been having a field day!"
Jason stared thoughtfully at the new communicator that Billy had made for him. "We've gotta remember to stick together. We can't ever let Zedd get the advantage over us again like he did this time."
"Agreed," Zack said quietly. He looked over at Tommy. "I've gotta say it again. I'm sorry, man..."
"Forget it," Tommy murmured. "It wasn't your fault. I was the one who screwed up."
"No, man," Zack argued. "It wasn't you. We should've known that..."
"Shut up!" Jason interrupted, throwing his hands up over his face in a comical gesture. "C'mon, enough already! You're gonnagive each other a complex! It was Zedd's fault, and nobody else's, okay? Can we leave it at that? Huh, guys?"
The others stared at one another for a long moment, then burst out laughing.
"Oh boy, we need to laugh," Zack said wiping his eyes a few minutes later.
Trini nodded. "We've spent too much time feeling sorry for ourselves."
"Especially me," Jason remarked. "It's time I quit sulking and got on things."
"Such as?" Billy asked curiously.
Jason smiled knowingly. "Well, a couple of things have been happening. I was out on the school track last night just doing a few laps, and it turned out Coach Schmidt was watching me. He called me over and asked if I'd be willing to start training for track."
"You're joining the track team?" Zack asked in surprise.
Jason shrugged. "Sort of. It's more like I'm starting a new team, 'cept at the moment, I'm the only one in it. It's for the Regional Disabled Track and Field Athletics. Coach Schmidt thinks I'm fast enough to have a good chance."
"That's great!" Tommy said enthusiastically.
"Yeah," Kim agreed, reaching across to hug Jason. "We knew you were fast in that thing."
"So what's the other thing that's happened?" Billy asked.
Jason hesitated a moment, then. "Before I tell you, I want you to promise me you won't get upset."
The friends exchanged wary looks. "Jase...?" Zack growled.
Jason sighed softly. "Okay. You remember that Mr Caplan wanted to see me a couple of days ago, after school? It was about the class camp."
Tommy frowned. "The one in the mountains?"
"Yeah. He got a call from the camp owners. They, um... they didn't want me attending the camp. Said they weren't equipped to deal with me, and their insurance wouldn't cover it if there was an accident."
"That's not fair!" Trini cried out.
There was an outburst of protest from all of them, until Jason held up his hands, silencing them. "I told you not to get upset. It can't be helped. The owners threatened to pull the entire booking if they didn't drop me from the camp. It's not fair for everyone to miss out, so I told Mr Caplan to just do as they asked."
"It's not fair," Zack growled. "I wouldn't want to go to a place like that anyway, if they're gonna treat you like that."
"Yes," Billy said. "That's discrimination, Jason. They have no right to do that."
Jason pulled a face. "Hang on a minute. Can you let me finish? Thank you. Now, I admit I was pretty upset at the time. I went home and told Mum and Dad about it, and they almost went nuts on me. Dad was going on about suing the place, and all of that, and he even called the family lawyer."
"And?" Kim pressed.
"And, our lawyer told Dad that instead of going to court and costing himself time, money and effort, and putting me through the legal wringer, he ought look into sending me to a different camp, one that caters to people like me."
"A camp for the disabled?" Trini asked curiously.
Jason nodded. "Yeah. He sent Dad a pamphlet. Check this out."
Jason tossed a pamphlet onto the table, and Tommy reached out and picked it up. "Outreach?"
"Yeah. It's a camp that's run five times a year, at different locations so more people can come along. It's for kids, teenagers and young adults with all different types of disabilities, both physical and mental. Dad and Mum talked it over with me, and I said I'd like to go, so Dad sent in the application form a couple of days ago."
"When is it?" Zack asked.
A smirk formed on Jason's face. "The same week you guys go up to the mountains. Only, Outreach is a two week camp, so while you guys get out of school for four days, I'll get out of it for fourteen!"
The others all looked at one another, and then groaned loudly and threw their napkins at Jason. "Typical," Zack moaned. "You get all the luck...."
Jason grinned. "I hope so."
~*~
"So everything's cool now."
Tommy shrugged as he walked alongside Jason through the park. "I guess. I don't think we'll ever really get over it, but the team's back together."
Jason slowed to a halt. "I never blamed you, Tommy. Even when Dr Richards told me I was going to die, I was never angry at you. I know I shouldn't have hid it from you, but I wanted to spare you from it. After everything that happened when Rita made you into the Green Ranger, I didn't want you to go through that guilt again."
Tommy nodded slowly. "I understand, but don't do it again, Jase. We've gotta be open with each other. It's the only way the team'll stay together."
Jason grimaced. "Yeah, well, that may not be for too long. Didn't you hear about the Peace Conference in Geneva?"
Tommy hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah... Mr Caplan came in to our Biology class today and told us about it. They're gonna be selecting two students from our school to attend. You think it might be two of the team?"
Jason shrugged. "Could be. They said it'd be someone with constant good grades, who hadn't ever been in trouble. I reckon Billy would be at the top of the list."
Tommy looked uneasy. "Great. We just get past this, and now we might get broken up again!"
"It'll be okay," Jason murmured. "We'll figure it out when we get to it."
They started walking again, and then Tommy nudged Jason lightly. "Hey, man, they might send you!"
Jason shook his head. "No. It wouldn't occur to them to send me. I'm not even hoping."
"You never know. Mr Caplan might have you in mind, after that business with the camp."
Jason shot Tommy a warning look, and the White Ranger nodded. "Okay. I'll shut up."
A long silence followed, then Jason spoke softly. "Could you do me a favour?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Could you push me for a while? I'm a bit tired."
Tommy smiled and nodded. "Sure." He stepped around and grasped the handles, starting to push Jason up the slight incline. "You're feeling okay, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Jason answered. "Just tired, that's all." He slumped back in the wheelchair. "Seems so long ago since I was on my feet. You know, I hardly remember what it was like to be able to walk?"
Tommy looked thoughtful. "Maybe it's better if you don't remember. Don't hang on to the shreds of your old life. You get caught up with wishful thinking, and don't ever move onward."
Agitation filled Jason's face. "But I don't want to forget! Tommy, I wish I could walk again. I don't care how, I just wish I could."
"Well, what about leg braces?" Tommy asked. "Those and a pair of crutches, or a walking frame...?"
Jason shook his head. "No good. Too dangerous. I could do damage to myself and not even realise it."
"Then, you don't have any options, bro. I'm sorry to say it, but you're gonna have to get over it. Come on! You said just before in the Youth Centre that it's time you quit sulking!"
Jason nodded. "Yeah, I guess so..."
He trailed off, his gaze falling on someone a short distance away. A small smile flickered across his face. Charlene.... "Ah... Tommy, would you excuse me?"
Tommy looked surprised. "Yeah. What's up?"
"Just saw someone that I want to talk to."
Tommy looked, and saw Charlene. A grin filled his face. "A cheerleader? Hey, you're doing better than you're admitting!"
Jason took a playful swipe at the White Ranger. "Shut up. You can't talk, the way you go ga-ga over Kim." Tommy went red, and Jason chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Tommy watched Jason go, and smiled to himself as his friend joined Charlene. The two greeted each other, Charlene responding enthusiastically, and then they headed off together through the park. Tommy's smile broadened just a little. "Yeah," he murmured to himself with relief. "I'll see you tomorrow."