AN: Sorry about the title, I can't think of a good name. This is a one-shot that I might develop more, depending on reviews.
All characters belong to Saban/Disney.
He woke to crying. He glanced at the clock. 4 a.m., man. He turned over and looked at his wife. She was still asleep. He reached over her and turned off the baby monitor. He slipped silently out of the room and went to the nursery. He let his eyes adjust and then picked up his three month old daughter. He began to rock her gently. Her cries subsided to whimpers. He realized she was probably dirty and located the diapers.
After he changed her diaper, he tried setting her back down in her cradle. She began to scream. He picked her up and tried to calm her down. After ten minutes, he gave up and took his daughter with him back to his wife. To his surprise, she was sitting up in bed. "Jason, about time."
He looked at her with a quizzical expression.
"Honestly Jase, she's hungry, give her to me." Jason handed over their daughter and his wife immediately began feeding her. Jason climbed back into bed and she leaned into him. "Isn't she beautiful?"
"Almost as beautiful as her mother."
"You're lucky I'm holding her or I would smack you."
Jason planted a kiss on her forehead. "You know I love you both."
"I know." They sat in silence, listening to their daughter gulp hungrily.
Jason took her and burped her when she was done. "So, what do you normally do now, put her back in her cradle?"
His wife snuggled close. "If she lets me. Normally she is up from now until the next feeding, and crying."
"Sweet, why don't you ever wake me up? You're constantly exhausted, I could help you take care of her; she is my daughter also."
"I know Jase, but you leave for work at the dojo so early. I don't want to steal your sleep."
"Well then, it is lucky for us that the dojo is going to be closed for the next three weeks for construction. I will watch her at night so you can catch up on your sleep." Their daughter started whimpering again. He handed her to his wife. "Hold her for a minute." He got up and went to the closet. He came back a few minutes later, dressed. "Thanks, I'm going out for a run. Go back to sleep, I'll be home with her later."
"Jase, thank you. The jogging stroller is in the garage." She kissed her daughter. "Be good for your daddy Trini. Mommy loves you so much."
Jason took Trini from his wife's arms and kissed his wife. "Get some rest love." He took his daughter into the garage and located the jogging stroller. He grabbed a water bottle and headed to the Angel Grove Park. He was almost at the park when Trini finally stopped whimpering and fell asleep. He ran until he reached the secluded area he liked to use to practice his karate. He set the parking break on Trini's stroller and began his routine. He was over halfway through when someone attacked him. He stayed in attack mode until he realized who his "attacker" was and he slowed down. "Adam, what are you doing out so early?"
Adam continued the fight as he answered. "I'm going back to L.A. today. It was great to be back in Angel Grove, it's just crazy that I always end up coming back because Rocky's hurt for one reason or another. I would love to stay for longer but Tanya and my job are in L.A. I figured I would take a jog before I left and I ran into you."
The two finished their mock fight in silence. When they were done, they shook hands. "Have a safe trip, bro."
"Thanks. I'll be back soon as Rocky gets that cast off of his leg. The dojo should be reopened by then. I'll come do another session."
Jason jogged back home and let himself into the house quietly. He saw that his daughter was still asleep and began to make breakfast. He did not hear his wife until her hands wrapped around his waist. "Breakfast too? I should tell Rocky to close the dojo more often."
He pulled her around and kissed her. "Better idea, I should just start going into work later. And, Trini's asleep."
They ate breakfast together, something they had not done since Trini was born. They were almost done when Trini woke. As his wife fed her, Jason headed into the shower and then dressed for the day. He left the bedroom as his wife finished feeding Trini. She began to burp her daughter as she yawned. Jason saw this and took Trini. "Sweetheart, go back to bed, you're exhausted."
"Jase, I'm fine, really."
"I know you think you are but I want my partner back. The one who jokes around and has a good time; not the exhausted one. While I have this break from the dojo, I will be around more often I will be helping around the house. Go rest and then later we can go out as a family."
She sighed, knowing she had lost. She gave him one last pleading look and then headed to the bedroom.
When Jason checked on her an hour later, she was fast asleep. He settled on the couch, with Trini asleep on his chest, and flipped the television on. He was half asleep when he heard his cell phone ringing. He ignored it until he realized that it might be Rocky with a question about the construction for the dojo. He shifted Trini and got up to find his phone. As he dialed his machine, Trini began to squirm.
He walked into the nursery and set Trini in her cradle so he could listen to his machine. As he listened, he was glad he set his daughter down because he would have dropped her. A voice he had not heard in a long time filled the room.
"Jase, bro, I know it's been a long time and this is short notice. Serpentera was discovered by the remnants of the machine empire that Zordon's energy wave missed somehow. I know this is short notice but all of the Red Rangers are gathering at NASADA in an hour. I would have given you more notice but I could not find your number. I finally got through to Rocky and he gave me your number. If you can make it, I really want you to watch my back bro."
Jason looked at his watch. If he left now, he would be able to get there with time to spare.
He ran to the kitchen and penned a quick note to his wife:
Sweetheart,
Tommy called. The message is saved on my phone.
I love you and Trini with all my heart and soul.
You hold the key to my heart, keep it safe.
May the power protect you.
J.
He returned to the nursery to turn the baby monitor on so his wife would hear Trini when she woke. He left the note next to the changing table and was about to turn on the monitor when he heard Trini whimpering. He picked her up and realized she was dirty. He changed her and then placed her back in her cradle. He stood there, watching her, wondering how he could leave.
He woke from his reverie when his phone rang. He ignored it, kissed his daughter one last time and then turned on the baby monitor.
He quickly went to the garage and jumped on his motorcycle. He knew he was cutting it close but he had to get there in time to help Tommy.
He showed up in the nick of time but the relief on Tommy's face was worth it.
As Tommy debriefed the red rangers, Jason realized that Tommy had told him more than the others. The others did not even know about Serpentera. When Tommy finished briefing them, Andros offered to show everyone around the spaceship and Tommy and Jason were finally left alone.
"I thought you weren't gonna make it bro."
"Sorry, I should have been earlier but it was hard to leave."
"How mad is she?"
"I don't know; she was asleep when I left."
"Jase, asleep at this hour?"
"Tommy, you cut yourself off. Here." He took a picture out of his wallet. "This is Trini. She is a little over three months old."
"Wow! You guys are parents. What's it like?"
"Like nothing you can ever really imagine until you yourself are in the situation. I would do anything to protect my little girl."
"Yet, you were late."
"She was the cause. I was watching her sleep. Oh, and by the way, my darling wife was so mad that you stopped calling and returning phone calls that she made you godfather of Trini."
"WHAT?!"
"Yeah. Now maybe you will come visit more often."
Tommy did not have time to respond because Andros reentered the room as said they were landing in two minutes.
INSERT FOREVER RED FIGHT HERE
As Jason made his "kissing on Kimberly" comment, he turned on his phone. He was not surprised to have a message from his wife. "Jase, I'll forgive you if you bring Tommy home for dinner. I know this is a little late but may the power protect you."
Jason smiled and kick started his bike. He made a U-turn and started after Tommy. He was not surprised to see Tommy sitting in his Jeep. "Need help with the paperwork?"
"Yeah, man, but shouldn't you be going home?"
"Well, my darling wife has decided that she will only forgive me if I bring you back with me for dinner so I figured we could trade. I'll help you with the paperwork and you'll follow me home. Deal?" He stuck out his hand.
"Deal." The two quickly finished the paperwork and Tommy followed Jason back to Angel Grove.
Jason pulled up to the house and made sure Tommy was behind him before knocking on the door once. He then inserted the key and opened the door.
She was right near the door, holding the baby. "Jason!" She launched herself at him.
He caught her and kissed her, mindful of their daughter. "Maybe I should leave more often if you react like that."
"Don't you dare!"
He took the baby from her. "I brought you a surprise. It's right outside."
She opened the door and cried "Tommy". She gave him a hug. "We haven't seen you in such a long time. Did you even know we have a daughter now and you have a goddaughter?"
Tommy laughed. "You haven't changed and yes Jason told me."
"Well, come in and tell us what you have been up to for the last few years." She escorted him into the living room as Jason shut the door and followed.