Disclaimer: Power Rangers originally belong to Haim Saban, Fox and Disney.

Brotherly Problem

Tommy was waiting in the park for Jason anxiously. He'd decided to introduce Jason to his brother. After all, Jason was his bro too. But even though he'd told Jason all about David, he hadn't told David a thing about Jason. What would David say? And what if David found out about his past as the Evil Green Ranger?

Jason appeared ending Tommy's reverie, wondering what Tommy's surprise was and hoping it wasn't a fake spider.

"It's about time." Tommy said with relief.

"Yeah man, what's wrong with you?" Jason asked in concern.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Tommy knew Jason would probably be angry at him for hiding David's home, but how was he supposed to admit he was scared? And anyway, Jason wouldn't tell David about being evil, would he?

"Yeah, right. Spill, bro" Jason demanded.

"I've decided to introduce you to my brother. That's why I'm freaking out, happy?" Tommy answered, somewhat hysterically

"Aw man, take it easy. Everything will go ok." Jason said in his typical fashion.

"You sure?" Tommy asked cautiously.

"We have to trust." Jason quoted.

They burst into laughing. When they were able to control themselves, Tommy added "It'll go great, because Mondo is gonna zap us right when I'm done freaking out. C'mon."

Tommy was driving, and Jason started to notice they were heading straight to the mountains.

"Hey bro, where are we going?"

"I told you. We're going to meet my brother David."

"I know. But where does he live exactly?"

Tommy was too worried to tell Jason where they were going. Jason, seeing his best friend distressed, decided to make fun of him to relax his (annoyingly uptight) leader.

"Stop the jeep, please. I won't go with you to meet your brother until you tell me where he lives." He teased.

"Please Jason, don't behave like this," Tommy begged his friend, taking it seriously.

Jason put his hand on the passenger's door. Desperate times…

"I mean it," Jason threatened. He turned the handle and opened the passenger's door, forcing Tommy to stop the jeep.

"Ok bro, you win. David lives in Angel Grove Reserve."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am."

Jason started to giggle while saying "Well, let's go. I can't wait to meet him!"

Tommy glanced at his friend, then glared "Not funny, Jase"

"Yes, it is"

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is…."

In the Moon's Machine Base the machines were spying Tommy and Jason. Hopefully he would spill his guts on this trip. And then…Mondo didn't dare imagine it. It was too wonderful!

Meanwhile in the Moon's mobile base (or, as Zedd lovingly referred to it, The Trailer Trash), Rita and Zedd were also watching. Rita knew Tommy would leave out his past. And when he did, well, then Zedd and her favorite Rangers would see her genius…

Tommy and Jason pulled up. David, watching, could see the closeness between the two boys. It looked almost…brotherly.

David felt a pang of jealousy. Would he have to share his brother?

Tommy and Jason reached David, both of them were laughing. "Hey, Tom. What are you laughing at?"

"Hey, Dave. About our meeting. Sorry, I already told him." Tommy apologized. "Ok, let's move to introduction. Dave…" Tommy pointed the Gold Ranger, "… this is Jason, my best friend…. Jase…," he pointed his brother, "… this is David, my brother."

"Hi," saluted Jason.

"Hello," said David. "How'd two opposites run into each other? Especially in this town."

"We were at a Martial Arts Expo three years ago. We did a demonstration and…," Jason looked at Tommy for permission.

Tommy, knowing what Jason was going to say, jumped in right, "… became friends immediately."

"How did the match end?" asked David curiously. Jason sure looked like the winner, but he wanted his brother to have won.

"We had a draw," Jason explained.

"You know, Tommy is a Power Ranger" David told Jason sarcastically. Revenge is sweet. Childish, but sweet.

"Yeah?" the one time Red Ranger asked innocently.

"Yeah, he's the Red Ranger."

"And Jason is the Gold Ranger," added Tommy.

"Aw, really? And here I thought it'd be me." David cracked. "Although gold probably isn't your color, Jason."

"It's way too dangerous, bro. Not that you can't handle it, just..." Tommy babbled.

"I'd end up dead?" Yeah. David grinned grimly. Of course.

"Well Tommy, fill us in." Jason said praying David would stop hating him in a minute. Tommy seemed to help. "What happened after Rita and Zedd?"

"Yeah, bro, talk." David said.

Tommy smiled. "Well, Rita and Zedd married. Worst match ever, in my humble opinion..."

Rita glared. She had given him the world, and he'd repaid her with insults? One more misstep, and she was going down there herself.

In Angel Grove Reserve, it was still tense. Jason and David were half-laughing at Tommy, half-hating each other.

Jason could swear David was mouthing, "Stay away from my brother."

Jason glared at him knowing what David was thinking. He was about to start a rant when Tommy poked him. He doesn't know that, bro, Tommy's face said. Don't tell him.

David inquired after a few seconds, "Jason, were you a Power Ranger when you and Tommy first met?"

Tommy and Jason looked at each other in confusion. Was it right to tell the truth? Tell David about the Green Ranger Powers? The Zeo quest? Switzerland? They kept thinking about it for five minutes.

"Well?" demanded David impatiently.

Tommy and Jason said in unison "Nope."

After taking a deep breath relieved for the answer they gave, Jason added "We were friends and after a few months I was chosen to be a Ranger."

"So how did Tommy get picked?" Asked an unbelieving David.

Jason answered, "The other rangers and I told our mentor he was trustworthy and well, you know, Zordon gave Tommy the power."

Jason requested David about his kidnapping. He wanted to know what he felt when he saw Mondo. Maybe getting him to open up would help.

David spoke quietly and curtly, constantly making allusions to his brilliant brother.

It was driving Tommy insane. He wanted his two brothers to get along, not kill each other. Is this sibling rivalry? I don't want anything to do with it.

Jason and David were discussing (or rather subtly sparring) about Jason's past when David caught sight of two lightning bolts hitting the ground.

"Guys, look out there!" David said, standing.

The two Rangers went into fighting stance. They thought it would be Mondo but, to their shock, it was Rita and Zedd.

"Hello boys," Rita gloated.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Jason.

"That's not the way to treat your friends Jason," scolded Lord Zedd.

"We are not your friends," snarled Tommy.

"You don't have the right to talk to me like that Tommy," was Rita's reply. "Let's see if you're so brave without Jason."

Rita aimed her wand at Tommy sending him to the Dark Dimension where the Green Candle was waiting for him. Tommy's personal nightmare, she gloated. So easy.

"Where did you send Tommy, Rita?" said Jason angrily.

"Better worry about yourself Jason," she answered, then added "Do it Zeddy."

Lord Zedd pointed his wand to Jason, shot him and sent him to Venus Island, Jason's nightmare world.

David, having no Rangers around to save him, decided to try to talk his way out of...whatever was going on.

"I suppose you must be Rita and Zedd," assure David.

"Yes, we are." Rita said. "Odd, though. I would have thought Tommy would have told you all about me. He knows me quite well."

"He hates you, doesn't he?" David asked, natural curiosity taking over.

"Not quite, my dear..."

King Mondo and his Machine Empire were surprised to see Rita and Zedd with David. They didn't know where the Rangers were or what those two were planning with all this--

Suddenly, their Viewing Globe cut out.

"They can't do that!" Mondo raged.

"Actually, they can. They are following the right by the Dark Laws to attack the Rangers on their own." Machina replied.

"How I hate those laws!"

In Rita's Dark Dimension, Tommy was trying to figure out how to escape and go back to Earth. There was no portal or sword. Instead there was blackness, and pain.

She's punishing me, Tommy realized in horror. She's going to tell David about my time as the Evil Green Ranger. And all I can do is wait...

Man. "Rita, you're gonna pay for this."

In Venus Island, Jason landed in the cave with Zedd's machine in front of him. Inside was a human. Cautiously, Jason went up to it.

The Evil Green Ranger stared out at him, then vanished.

"So I'm on the Island of Illusions," Jason guessed. Great. I'm stuck here.

Man. "Zedd, you're gonna pay for this."

In the Reserve, Rita and Zedd were telling David the truth about Tommy and Jason.

"Jason was chosen to be a Ranger before he met Tommy," Zedd told him and added "Do you know who gave Tommy his first power?"

"Zordon did," was David response.

"Wrong! I did," cackled Rita and smirked, "He was my evil green ranger. He almost killed Jason and destroyed Zordon but Jason saved him resulting in Tommy's betrayal. So I was forced to punish him. I took his power away. Zordon gave them back to him and, when those were gone for good, he created new ones."

"You're lying!" David snapped. He hated these two. He wished he had powers to kill them both.

Zedd smirked. "You wish."

Tommy was scared to death when he saw the Green Candle burning out. I have to go out of here immediately. This Candle won't take the best of me. Never again!

He was in front of his worst nightmare. He tried to reach it to blow it but found out he couldn't move. There were no magic chains but he felt stuck in the place he landed.

Jason, finally losing his patience, settled down to meditate. He reached through his powers, letting them meld—

Suddenly he was with Tommy.

"Bro! How'd you do that?"

"I merged my powers." Jason grinned. "Try it!"

They settled down, relaxing...becoming one with the Power… and then reappeared on Earth.

Rita and Zedd were not surprised to see them back soon. They knew 'their' boys were smart.

"Surprise to see us back soon?" asked Jason triumphantly.

"No," said Lord Zedd.

"Did you remember our little history Tommy?" asked Rita slyly.

"You are a real witch." Tommy snapped

"Thank you," she bowed to him.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"You're too late. We told him the whole truth," Zedd boasted

"We know," said Jason.

Tommy stepped up to his brother and said softly, "I'm sorry, bro." When he turned his head, Rita and Zedd were gone.

David demanded, "Is that truth? Did they tell me the truth?"

"I'm afraid so," Jason replied. "Everything they said is what really happened."

David lost it. He had trusted his brother, and not only had he shown up with another man, he'd lied. He needed time alone. Preferably safe, non-Ranger-influenced time.

"Tommy, Jason, go back to Angel Grove. If I want to see you again, I'll call you back. Ok?" demanded an angry David.

"Bro..." Tommy started.

"You lied. I don't want to talk to you right now." David said simply.

"OK. I understand." Tommy muttered. "I...hope I'll see you around."

David turned and walked away.

Rita and Zedd had won this battle.

Two days later in David's bedroom…

David was thinking about the good times he spent with Tommy.

Flashback

Tommy and David were hanging out by the lake, talking. Tommy was telling David his past, from the time of the White Ranger.

David was awed. He hoped he'd be a Ranger someday. He'd met Rocky, Adam and Kat—maybe what happened to them would happen to me.

End Flashback

Why did Tommy lie? What was he so ashamed of? It wasn't his fault.

Three weeks later at the Youth Center…

"Look Jase, it's from David. He wants to meet me in the park. Come with me, please." Tommy begged.

"I don't think it's a good idea, especially after what happened the other week." Jason demurred

"Please, bro. I need someone to be there."

"Ok, but you talk to him. Not me." Jason grinned ruefully. "What I did to get him so riled up at me I'll never know."

In the park David was sitting on a bench, waiting, when he saw Tommy and Jason. He really trusts that boy. Maybe I could trust him...no. No, I shouldn't. He's trouble. They're both trouble

Tommy got closer to his brother saying "Hi David. I'm glad you finally decided to talk to me again."

Jason sat under a tree, keeping an eye on them. This ought to be entertaining...

"Hello Tommy," said David and waved his hand at Jason.

Jason nodded his head answering David's salute.

"I called you to tell you my decision." David said solemnly

"I'll listen." Tommy promised.

"I understand what happened. You hid your past from me. That was stupid, bro. Did you think I wouldn't find out?" David asked.

"I guess I didn't." Tommy said. "I...I just hope you'd be able to forgive me."

"I don't like people lying, Tommy. I get burned every time. I...You hid so much from me, bro. I can't talk to you anymore." David said. "You're a mess, and I don't want to end up fixing you."

"Please, let me explain." Tommy begged. "Bro..."

"No, I don't care." David said. "Your explanations are excuses and lies. Just forget about me. Goodbye." David stood up and walked away.

"Please, Dave, just listen!" Tommy pleaded, following him.

David glanced at Tommy, his face saying, Don't follow me.

"I...I guess it is goodbye then," Tommy whispered, disbelievingly.

Tommy walked to Jason, sitting next to him and blinking back tears. Jason waited for Tommy to speak.

"I have to thank Rita and Zedd for this. David hates me." Tommy said sadly. "Bro...what do I do?"

"Nothing." Jason said softly. "There's nothing you can do. Just let him go."

David never did talk to Tommy again. But Tommy never forgot the good times he'd once had with him. Some things couldn't be forgotten.

The End