A/N: I stumbled on this idea, and I was surprised that I couldn't find any stories with an OC like this. I'm debating doing some more one shots and/or a story with the girl, so let me know what you think. Oh, and I do have an idea of how to make it tie in with Beast Morphers if they treat the Morphin' Grid like they did in the preview.
This is not intended to be romantic.
Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers in any way. This was written out of love for the franchise and characters.
Tommy had been lying in bed for two hours trying to sleep, but it wouldn't last. As soon as he would start to drift off, he would remember something new from while he was under Rita's spell. An overwhelming pain would course through his head with each memory, but no pain could overcome Tommy's guilt. He didn't know what led Jason to trust him; he didn't even trust himself, anymore. He'd wrought havoc on Angel Grove, practically destroyed the Command Center and nearly killed his friends several times. Not to mention how he'd acted like a complete jerk outside of the suit. Tommy hoped he hadn't actually killed anyone. He'd damaged so many buildings and cars that it was hard to say. Regardless, Tommy knew he'd ruined people's lives. He had caused people to lose their jobs when their work places were destroyed, and some people had probably even lost their homes. It was all so unclear.
Although Tommy couldn't bear to close his eyes, he did anyways. He knew he needed sleep to be able to function and help his team. Jason, Trini, Zach, Billy, and Kimberly had welcomed him into their team today with open arms, and while Tommy didn't think he'd ever understand why they trusted him, he was grateful they did. Fighting Rita, protecting the world, that was his only chance to make up for all of the damage he'd caused. His only shot at redeeming himself.
Even if Zordon and the other Rangers had forgiven him, there were a lot of people who hadn't, and Tommy understood. He couldn't forgive himself, yet.
If only he had been strong enough to resist Rita's spell, if only he'd been strong enough to overcome it. Even now he was letting Rita's spell control him. He couldn't even sleep. Am I just doomed to be a failure, he wondered. He rolled over and forced his eyes shut, determined to get some sleep.
Tommy sat up with a start, and glanced over at his alarm clock as he tried to catch his breath. 12:03am. He hadn't even slept for twenty minutes. But how can I sleep after all I've done? I don't even deserve to keep the Green Ranger Powers. Zordon should have taken them back. They should go to someone else. Someone who deserves them, someone who isn't… broken.
Broken. That was why Tommy couldn't sleep. He just felt broken.
"An eggshell has to break before the dragon can hatch."
Tommy's head snapped to face a girl standing in next to his bedroom window. His arms moved into a fighting position before he noticed the concern on her face. He relaxed subconsciously. The moonlight cast a pale glow on her light brown hair, and her kind, blue eyes seemed to be shadowed with pain like his own. She felt so familiar and her calm demeanor just felt so safe. Rita's minions wouldn't worry like she seemed to be anyways.
"Tommy, it's going to be okay."
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Just because he felt safe around the girl, didn't mean he didn't think it odd that she was standing in his bedroom in the middle of the night.
"I-" she paused. "I don't really have a name, not anymore, but I am a friend. I'm here to help you." Tommy was confused. How does she not have a name? Why? How do I even know she's telling the truth? As if reading his thoughts, she said,
"I know you don't trust me, but I trust you." She bit her lip, "I'm the one who chose you to be the Green Ranger." Tommy balked. He thought it had been Rita who'd made him the Green Ranger. She'd given him the Power Coin, put him under a spell, ruined his life.
"No," Tommy protested. "No, that was Rita. You say you're a friend, but - if you're on Rita's side, you can't possibly be a friend." By this time Tommy had thrown his blankets aside and leapt into a fighting stance beside the bed. The girl looked alarmed, almost scared.
"I'm not on Rita's side, and I am a friend. I- I'm the voice of the Morphin' Grid," she stuttered. "M-more than that actually. I'm- I'm the will of the Power itself. Rita had a Power coin. I wanted you to have it." The girl's hands curled into fists, and Tommy raised an eyebrow. "She may have tested you, but I led her to you through the coin. You were meant to be the Green Ranger, Tommy." Tommy took a breath.
"Why? Why would you choose me? Why not someone else? Someone who wouldn't have destroyed so much, someone who couldn't? Why not someone who could resist the spell? Why me?"
"The Power, I, needed you, because no matter what Rita made you do under her spell, I know that you wouldn't walk away after it was broken. You would use the Power for good. No one could have resisted the spell on the coin, so I had to choose someone the other Rangers could trust once they broke it. It had to be someone strong enough and good enough to want to fix everything Rita ruined with the spell. That could only be you, Tommy."
"But how do you know I'm good? How do you know that Rita's spell didn't just show a part of me that's always been evil? How do you-" He stopped when he felt her hand on his shoulder.
"I know, Tommy." She stared him hard in the eye. "I know you were good. If you weren't you wouldn't be having such a hard time sleeping tonight." She smiled.
"How do you know?"
"That's a long story, too long for tonight, but I will tell you that you have a great future ahead of you." She hugged him, and Tommy knew he could trust her. He leaned into the comfort of the hug, and she just held him until he was ready to let go. You're going to help a lot of people, Tommy." She paused and scrunched her eyebrows, almost as if she wanted to say more, but didn't. "Get some sleep." She guided him back into bed, and Tommy looked up at her one more time.
"Will I ever see you again?" The girl seemed unsure, and then smiled.
"I think so. Good night, Tommy."
"Good night…" As he closed his eyes, Tommy drifted off into a peaceful sleep filled with dreams of laughing with his friends.