Adam sat on the floor in a corner of the Med Room, knees drawn to his chest, studying the tile between his feet. Rocky had regained consciousness and had been apprised of the situation. He was now lying back down on the bed, eyes closed, trying to assimilate this upsetting news. Katherine and Tanya were quietly talking in the main chamber.
Adam found himself in an internal struggle. He had told Tommy that he realized that Jason was a victim of the aliens as much as Billy was, and that was true. Intellectually, at least. But his heart was still sending out a different message. He was glad Jason wasn't around at the moment, he was afraid he would try to do something to the older teen in retaliation to what was done to Billy. It was illogical, ridiculous even, but that was how Adam felt. He experienced this tremendous swell of anger whenever he considered what Billy had endured.
Sighing, Adam looked over at Rocky to see how his friend was doing. Rocky's eyes were still closed, and Adam hoped he had slipped into sleep. He needed rest to recover from the poison those darts had delivered into his system. Darts that hit Rocky because of Jason's mental blackout in the middle of a battle, no less. Rage bubbled up anew, and Adam felt a helpless despair. He didn't like feeling this way, he had never experienced this type of anger before. His was normally a very forgiving nature, but his two closest friends had been hurt because of the Gold Ranger, and he couldn't seem to keep his emotions reined in.
Taking a deep breath, Adam sought control again. He forced his thoughts elsewhere, anywhere but on the current situation. His eyes caught sight of the small basin that contained the contents of Rocky's pockets. Katherine always removed all the stuff from their pockets before doing any kind of scan. He saw his best friend's wallet, watch, and assorted small change. And a bright purple disk, a little smaller than a quarter. An almost unwilling smile crossed the Asian teen's face when he saw that. He and Rocky had been twelve years old, and had known each other only a few weeks, when they went to the fair in Stone Canyon. Rocky had won two disks, a purple one and an orange one. He was supposed to trade them in for some sort of small plastic novelty, but instead the spontaneous youth had kept the tokens. He placed them both in his right hand and told Adam to put his hand over top. Adam had done so, adding his left hand after Rocky had placed his on top of Adam's right hand. Standing there in a quiet corner of the fairgrounds Rocky had intoned with a seriousness only a twelve year old could muster:
"As long as we hold these sacred disks, we will continue to be friends."
Adam had been almost awed by the gesture when Rocky handed him the orange disk. He was a sensitive boy, easily touched, and Rocky was the first really close friend he had ever had. What surprised him was that apparently Rocky had treated it with the same solemnity. Both of them still carried the colorful disks, and neither of them ever spoke of it.
Adam was smiling very slightly while considering his long-standing friendship with Rocky when a thought crossed his mind.
PRPRWhat if it had been a case of Rocky raping you?PRPR
The though staggered the Green Ranger. His first instinctive reaction was PRPRRocky would NEVER do that!PRPR But hadn't Billy probably thought the same thing about Jason? Adam was sure he would have. They had been friends even longer than Adam and Rocky. Hating himself for even entertaining such a thought, Adam could not let it go.
It definitely gave him a new perspective.
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Tommy was appalled when he found Jason in the den of the Scott house. His best friend, normally so sure and confident, was huddled in a corner of the large, comfortable couch, making a soft moaning sound.
"Jason? Jase, it's me, Tommy," he said quietly as he approached the shaking figure.
"Go away, Tommy. Just leave me be," the quiet voice, leaden with despair, was more upsetting than a shout would have been.
"I can't do that. That's not what friends do, you know that," the tall teen replied calmly.
"Yeah, and friends don't rape friends, but apparently I do," Jason replied with heavy self-loathing.
"You were drugged, right? You weren't in control. You couldn't help yourself." Tommy replied, channeling all his belief in his friend into his voice. "Believe me, Bro. I know what it's like to do horrible things while under a spell. I nearly killed you all, thanks to Rita."
"Maybe so, but you didn't know us then. And what I did to Billy…that's totally different. I'm supposed to protect my friends…protect him. I've always protected him, not been the one to hurt him. God, did you see the look on his face? I hurt him so bad…what I did to him was unforgivable."
"Jase, Billy has to know you were not in control. He's a pretty smart guy, he knows you wouldn't hurt him in your right mind.."
"You don't know what I did to him! You don't know how bad it was, how bad I made it. What I said, what I did, what I put him through. Even if he could ever forgive me, I can't."
"Jason, please…"
"Go away, Tommy. Please. Just leave me alone for a while. Let me try to get this straight in my mind, then maybe I can talk about it."
Tommy was torn. He knew Jason shouldn't be alone right then, but somewhere Billy was alone too, and that wasn't good either. It didn't help that Jason's parents were still out of town, and Wallace Cranston had left that morning for a five-day business trip. He didn't feel any of the other Rangers could really help at this point. Maybe Adam would have been able to help Billy, but Tommy had seen the anger in the other boy's eyes and hadn't felt it would be wise to send someone who with that kind of anger to be with the former Ranger. Not at this point, anyway.
"Okay, I'll leave you alone. For a little while anyway. But, Jason, I'm coming back soon. This was not your fault, Bro. The rest of us recognize it even if you don't. You were a victim here, too. I'm not going to let you try to face this alone, so just remember that."
"Thanks, Tommy," was the soft reply.
Tommy took a long, considering look at the Gold Ranger, then reluctantly teleported to the Cranston residence.
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Tommy found the team genius in his lab, sitting in front of the computer, but not seeming to look at it. The imperfect light from the monitor made Billy's face appear ancient, his hunched over position only added to the illusion.
"I wondered when you'd get here," the uninflected voice betrayed nothing of the teen's feelings.
"Billy, what happened? You need to talk about it, if we are to have any chance to help you or Jason," Tommy said gently, hating it when a pained expression flitted across the pale features across from him.
"I don't want to talk about it, Tommy. There is nothing to say. I just want to forget that day ever happened."
"I think you already know it doesn't work that way."
"It doesn't matter. You can't force me to talk, no one can."
"No, I suppose we can't," Tommy sighed, realizing again just how stubborn the former Blue Ranger could be. He cast about in his mind for a way to get the reticent young man to open up, but came up blank.
Billy had watched Tommy silently, then seemed to take pity on the team leader. "How's Rocky? Up and around yet?"
"Yeah," Tommy said, having checked in with Katherine before coming into the garage. "He's still resting, but he'll be okay. Thanks for the save, as usual."
"No problem. I wonder what's up with Mondo, why he's sending down new monsters almost daily. He must have some sort of plan."
"Un-hunh," Tommy muttered. So that was how Billy wanted to play it. "Look, Billy, you're right, I can't force you to talk about what happened. Even though I think you need to talk about it. But I do want you to answer one question for me, then I'll leave the subject alone. Will you do that much for me?"
"Depends on the question," Billy replied.
"Do you blame Jason for what happened?" Tommy decided to go for the heart of the matter.
Billy considered the question. He opened his mouth to say no, he didn't blame Jason, but as he started to speak what he heard his voice say was, "I don't know, I really don't know, Tommy. I know he wasn't in control, I know he couldn't help himself….but…" His voice faltered.
"But?" Tommy prompted gently, praying his friend would finish.
"But…he hurt me!"
Tommy flinched from the pain and betrayal conveyed in those three small words. Billy's expression crumbled, showing the hurt and despair behind the usual façade of control, then his expression hardened again.
"Billy…" Tommy started, unsure exactly what he meant to say, but wanting to say something, anything, to ease his friend's pain.
"Please go now, Tommy. I have work to do, and I don't feel like talking."
Tommy knew he would get nothing else from Billy then. Maybe later he could try again, but not that day.
"Okay, I'll go. But, Billy, anytime you want to talk, or if you just want someone around, call me. Anytime. Day or night, I'll be there."
"Thanks, Tommy. I'll do that."
Tommy knew Billy would never call.
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Tommy returned to the Power Chamber more disheartened than ever. His inability to get either of his friends to open up bothered him greatly, but he was determined to find a way to help them both through this.
His spirits did get a lift from the sight of Rocky wandering around the main chamber, obviously feeling okay.
"Hey, Rocko, good to see you up and around again," he greeted the Blue Ranger.
"Thanks. Wish I hadn't awakened to this kind of news, though. How are they?"
"Not good. Where's Adam?" Tommy asked as Katherine and Tanya approached.
"He went home to get some information. He asked that we wait here, he should be back soon," Tanya told him.
Tommy raised his communicator to his mouth, pressing the button to activate it. "Hey, Adam, you there?"
"Yeah, Tommy. What's up?"
"Instead of meeting us here, meet us in the park. Okay?"
"Got it. I'll be there in fifteen minutes or so."
"Thanks." Tommy signed off and turned to the rest of the team. "Let's get out of here for a while."
A moment later they were gone.
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Adam looked around the park, scanning for the rest of the team. He almost didn't see them sitting at the base of one of the largest trees, but Tanya waved, catching his attention.
"Hey, guys," he greeted them, seating himself so they formed a circle. "How are Billy and Jason?" he asked Tommy.
"Not very good, neither one will talk to me. Jason's wallowing in guilt, he's sure Billy will never forgive him, that what he did was unforgivable. He didn't go into any detail, but what he said indicated that what happened between them was pretty violent." Tommy looked, and felt, a bit sick at the idea.
"And Billy?"
"Billy has closed himself off from it, is trying to pretend it never happened. Refuses to talk about it. I asked him if he blamed Jason, and he said he didn't know. That was the only time I saw any indication of how he felt, and that was that he was hurting badly. Not physically, but emotionally. You know, because it was Jason who did that to him." Tommy ran his hands through his hair. "They can both be so damn stubborn."
"Actually, it sounds like they are both reacting fairly normally," Adam pointed out in his quiet way.
"Excuse me? There is a 'normal' for these circumstances?" Rocky asked in amazement.
"Yes, sort of. That's what I went home to find. The reference papers I had for the report I did last year. First of all, I thought about what you said, Tommy, and you're right. They are both victims. Both are rape victims, actually. Think about it-rape is defined as 'forcing a person into sexual intercourse'. They were both forced, one physically, one chemically."
The other teens nodded unhappily. They could all see that point.
"Okay, so they were both in effect raped. So what do we do now?" Tanya asked practically.
"I don't know, exactly. But I thought it might help to know how they might react. I remembered learning about Rape Trauma Syndrome, and had found some information specific to male victims. Here it is," Adam said, looking closely at the paper in his hand and reading out loud for his companions. "…first phase denial and disbelief…amnesia, partial or total…sense of stigma…heterosexual male survivors typically show enormous anxiety and confusion regarding issues of masculine identity…serious depression is likely and suicide may result…victims rage may explode under unpredictable circumstances...other manifestations include sense of heightened vulnerability, anxiety, powerlessness, helplessness, nightmares, paranoia, sleep disturbances, fixation on the incident, inability to concentrate, dependency, fear of intimacy, chaotic relationships, multiple personality development, drug and alcohol abuse, and revictimization." Adam glanced up and blanched when he saw the expressions on the other teens' faces.
"You can stop now, Adam. I think I'm depressed enough," Tanya murmured.
"Does it have any information on what can be done to help the victim?" Rocky asked, a note of desperation in his usually cheerful voice.
"Um, that's kind of the bad news," Adam said softly.
"The stuff you just told us was the good news?" Kat asked in disbelief.
"No. Actually, there is no good news." Adam sighed. "This says that there are very few counselors qualified to deal with a male rape victim. The best bet is to contact a rape crisis center, but those are often run by feminists, who may not have the resources available to help the male victim. However, this article does use information that is pretty dated. That may have changed. I have a list of all the organizations and groups geared toward assisting rape victims, in both Angel Grove and Stone Canyon. I could call around and see what's available for male victims. Guys, this isn't something we can take care of ourselves in any case. They're going to need some serious help to get them through this."
There was silence as the five teens considered what they had just learned.
"Okay, so the first thing we will have to do is get them to admit they need help?" Tanya asked at last.
"That sounds about right," Tommy agreed with a weary look. "But that's much easier said than done, considering neither one of them will talk about what's going on."
"We need to give them some time," Adam suggested. "After all, Jason just found out what happened."
"But Billy's known for over a week," Kat pointed out.
"Yeah, but now he knows we know, and that changes things. I hope," Tommy said. "I don't think it's a good idea to leave the both of them alone right now. Their parents are all out of town. I was thinking I'd spend the night with Jason, and, Adam, maybe you could invite yourself over to Billy's?"
"Sure thing, Tommy. He won't like it, but he won't be mean about it, either. I hope."
"What about the rest of us?" Tanya asked.
"You could check out these places, see if any of them deal with male rape victims. That would be a great help, if we could offer them someone to help."
"Got it. Come on Tanya, Rocky. We'll start making calls."
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"I don't know what is more frustrating. When he won't talk, or when he will," Tommy sighed, looking around at the rest of the Zeo Rangers gathered in the Power Chamber. It had been two days since the startling revelation of what had really happened to the two oldest members of the team. Since that time Tommy had remained almost glued to Jason's side, while Adam did the same to Billy. The two long time friends had not seen each other in the interim.
"At least he talks. I get grunts. The worrisome thing is, they're starting to make sense to me," Adam added, discouragement clear in his expression.
"He isn't opening up at all?" Kat asked with a frown.
"Nope. But I'm not really surprised. He's pretty stubborn. For the most part he ignores me, rather pointedly in fact."
"Maybe we need to get someone to force him to open up. Maybe I should have a talk with him. Who knows, maybe he'd do better with someone who doesn't know him quite as well," Tanya suggested.
Adam shrugged. "Maybe. All I know is he isn't talking to me about it. Is Jason really talking about what happened?"
"Sort of. No details, but a lot about how he was so horrible, how he can't forgive himself, how Billy will never forgive him. I just keep telling him that isn't true, but the real problem is I don't know that for a fact. I mean I sure hope Billy eventually forgives him, but I don't know he will. Any luck on the treatment centers?" Tommy asked suddenly. It had turned out to be a lot harder to contact some of them, and some were reluctant to release information.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you! We found one in Stone Canyon with a counselor who specializes in male victims. He works with guys who are victims of all sorts of crimes, rape included. Guarantees confidentiality, works with the client on fees, very flexible scheduling."
"Zordon, if we can convince them to go see this guy, they may end up revealing their identities as Power Rangers. Will this be a problem? Therapists are sworn to maintain patient confidentiality, but, though it would be very rare, things sometimes happen." The team turned to face their mentor.
"It is always imperative you keep you identities hidden from the public. However, in a case such as this, the ultimate health of Jason and Billy overrides the need for secrecy. There will be no problem. Rangers, we did find out the identity of the beings that kidnapped Jason and Billy. They are from the planet Keron, and have been the sworn enemies of Triforia for the last five centuries or more. It is believed that the Keronites hoped to deprive Triforia of the Gold Powers, destroying them by destroying Jason. Keronites are telepathic, they most likely sensed Jason's desire to protect his powerless friend, and grabbed Billy to use against him. The method they used would have determined from their thoughts and fears."
Tommy looked stricken. "This happened because someone wanted to destroy Triforian powers? Jason was an innocent pawn in their war?"
"They both were," Zordon said sadly.
PR PR PR
Tanya entered the Cranston garage feeling a little out of place. Certainly she had been there before, but always with the group, never alone. She rarely spent any time alone with the quiet former Ranger, their off-duty lifestyles didn't really mesh that well. But, Billy was the first one of the Rangers she met, and she'd always appreciated his warm smile and welcoming words. But more than that, she felt she owed him for giving up his place on the team for her. She was still awed and touched by that action. She was determined to do everything within her power to help him deal with what had happened.
Adam had spent most of the day with Billy, but needed a break. Tanya had decided to do just what she'd suggested that morning, and see if she could get the quiet young man to open up.
She saw him sitting at his computer, busily punching in information, muttering softly. He heard her approach and glanced up.
"Adam get tired of babysitting me?" he asked shortly.
Tanya flinched at the cold tone and words. Adam had indicated Billy was not in a very pleasant mood, but she hadn't expected it to be that bad. Even when he had been so frustrated right after giving up the powers, he had been civil. She forced herself to remember what he was going through and managed a patient smile.
"I wanted to see how you were doing. We are all concerned about both you and Jason. Besides, I figured by now you were tired of Adam," she grinned. Billy regarded her expressionlessly.
"If you want to hang around here, fine. Just don't bother me." He turned back to what he was doing, effectively dismissing Tanya's presence.
Tanya felt her own temper flare. Sympathetic she might be, but no way would she let anybody treat her that way. She wondered briefly if that is what Adam had put up with for the last two days. Well, she wasn't going to put up with it. She strode over to where Billy was seated and reached over and turned off the monitor, getting his undivided attention in a hurry.
"Listen, Billy, I know you are hurting, but that doesn't give you the right to be abusive to the rest of us. You don't want to talk? Fine. I guess we can't make you, but you will not treat me, or anyone else, that way! The only reason we're here is because we care. And if you ask me, it's pretty stupid to turn away from those who want to help you. But if you enjoy feeling this way, then just keep acting like a jerk. I guess it's easier to wallow in self pity than to face up to things and find a way to work it out." She stopped abruptly, seeing the pain and misery clearly reflected on the face of the young man before her.
"I…I…I'm sorry, Tanya. You're right. I have not right to take my feelings out on you or Adam, or anyone else…"
Tanya reached out and placed a gentle hand on his forearm. "Billy, please, you have to get some help. Look at yourself! You look like death. When was the last time you ate a decent meal? Or slept through the night? This is tearing you up inside. Look, we checked around, and there is a guy in Stone Canyon, at a counseling center, that specializes in helping guys who are victims of crimes. Of all sorts of crimes, including sexual assault. He could help you, I'm sure of it," she said a bit desperately, seeing his expression start to close down again.
"I'm not ready to see, or talk to, anyone about what happened," he said sharply, his expression having closed up again at the use of the term 'sexual assault'.
"Then talk to him about something else! Billy, just start talking to him, to someone! Don't keep yourself closed off from everyone, it isn't good for you. You'll never feel any better this way," Tanya declared. "You need to work this out, for yourself, and for Jason."
"How do you know what I need? Has something like this happened to you? Do you have any idea what it is like to be held down and hurt by someone you've trusted…respected…thought of as a...a brother? To have someone like that ignore your pleading, to just keep on hurting and hurting and hurting you until you wish you'd just pass out so you wouldn't be there anymore? So you wouldn't hurt anymore. Do you know what that is like? Do you?" Billy's formerly pale face was flushed with emotion, his blue eyes flashing with anger while shimmering with unshed tears. "You guys just don't get it, do you? I don't want to talk about this! What good does it do to keep talking about it, remembering it? Why would I want to remember how Jason laughed when I screamed in pain? What good does it do to remember that? Dammit, I just want to forget! Leave me the hell alone!" The last was fairly shouted as Tanya, tears streaming down her face, reached out to Billy. She recoiled as he stormed past her and up the stairs into the house.
"Well," she said shakily to the now empty lab. "At least I got him to talk."
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Tommy sat watching TV with Jason, neither of them really enjoying the action movie that played out on the small screen, a brainless piece of violent fluff starring Don Johnson and Micky Rourke. The Red Zeo Ranger was lost in his chaotic thoughts, feeling more helpless than usual about the situation between his two closest friends. Tanya, distraught, had arrived back in the Power Chamber shortly before Tommy left. Her report of what Billy said had left Tommy shaken. He knew what happened had been bad, but what she told him sounded even worse than he had thought.
"Tommy, you don't have to stay here," Jason said at length, having noted Tommy's unusual quiet.
"I know I don't have to, I want to."
"Right," Jason sighed. He was well aware of what Tommy was doing, and as much as he appreciated the display of friendship, he was starting to feel just a bit smothered.
The Ranger leader heard the sigh and bit back one of his own. He knew they couldn't continue on this way much longer, that Jason's depression was worsening. He had been toying with the idea of either contacting Jason's parents, despite Jason's orders to the contrary, or one, or more, of the other original Rangers. Tommy knew there was a special bond between the first five, a bond he wasn't exactly excluded from, but that encompassed a number of years when they were all children. Perhaps one of those older friends could cut through the emotional walls surrounding the two troubled young men and get them both to seek help.
Tommy was jolted out of his thoughts by the beeping of his communicator.
"What is it, Zordon?" he asked tersely.
"Please teleport to the Power Chamber immediately, Mondo has unleashed another monster," Zordon's requested.
"Gotta go, Bro," Tommy started to say, then stopped seeing Jason reach for his communicator as well.
Both young men disappeared in beams of Red and Gold.
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The Power Chamber was filled with the sounds of the alarms, and the chatter of the arriving Rangers. The rest of the team had gotten there just before Jason and Tommy, and stood by anxiously. Billy and Alpha were working frantically at the various consoles, gathering data for the upcoming battle.
"Rangers, behold the Viewing Globe," Zordon ordered.
They saw a seven-foot tall mechanical monster with a basically human looking body and a buzz saw blade for a head. As they watched the head activated and within seconds has cut down a large tree in Angel Grove Park.
"Hey! That tree was perfectly healthy," Rocky exclaimed, aghast.
"That is Saw Head. In addition to the cutting capabilities of its head, it can also shoot jagged saw blades from the devices mounted on its shoulders. It is shielded from attack by a pulsating force field, making it difficult to find a weapon that will penetrate it. We will be working on that problem. In the meantime, your job will be to slow it down and prevent further damage. Use extreme caution Rangers, and may the Power protect you."
"You heard him, guys. It's morphin' time!"
Jason had been only marginally aware of Zordon's report. His attention was instead riveted on the former Blue Ranger. Billy would not turn around and face the Rangers standing behind him. Usually he had something to add to Zordon's reports, but this time he was oddly silent. The chill of dread and guilt deep inside Jason deepened at this behavior, which seemed to Jason to be an expression of anger, as if his old friend couldn't even bear to look at him. Not that Jason could fault him for feeling that way. He could barely stand to look at himself.
When Tommy made his call into action, Jason called on the Gold Powers automatically, but his heart wasn't in it. He couldn't stop thinking about Billy, and what he had done to him.
"Jason! Watch out!" Tommy's shout penetrated Jason's mental haze finally, and he looked up to see the monster bearing down on him, saw head whirling with deadly intent. A quick tuck and roll to the side kept him from being killed as the other Rangers fired their weapons to distract Saw Head.
Anger swept through Jason as he realized that for the second time he had mentally blanked out during a battle, putting himself and his teammates in potential danger.
"I'm sorry guys, I'm no help to you here," his despair was evident in his voice. Before anyone could respond, he teleported.
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Billy and Alpha had quickly determined what they could do to penetrate the pulsating shielding this new monster used. By utilizing a special reception chip, they could 'tune in' to the varying frequencies. Billy's idea was to incorporate that chip into a weapon that would use the data from the chip to modify its own frequency to match the shield's. That would allow it to penetrate the shield and disable it, giving the Rangers a chance to defeat it with their usual arsenal.
Rather than try to build the special blaster in the main chamber, Billy retired to his workshop; a cramped, cluttered room he used for working on the smaller weapons and devices. So he was not in the main chamber when Jason teleported in.
"Ay-yi-yi! Jason, that was a close call. Were you injured?" Alpha asked.
"I wasn't hit, Alpha. But I shouldn't be there. I'm a liability to the team. I'm sorry Zordon, but I can't do this. If someone else gets hurt because of me…" his voice trailed off, choked by emotion.
He took his morpher and communicator and laid them on the counter. Then he quickly refocused the Gold Powers back into the staff, then placed it back in the special repository where its powers could be contained for a short while.
"Jason, this is not necessary. We can find a way to help you," Zordon said.
"Somehow I doubt that. But thank you for all you have done for me," the teen said quietly as he punched some information into the teleportation console. He disappeared in a stream of white.
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In his quiet workshop, Billy was unaware of Jason's departure. He was also having an uncharacteristically hard time concentrating on the project at hand. Tanya's lecture had hit home much harder than he cared to admit. He had told her he didn't want to remember, and that was the truth. But now it seemed he had no choice. She had broken past some critical barricade inside him, and he couldn't keep the memories or emotions at bay.
The device was almost completed, he just needed to run a quick diagnostic, and then he could send it out to the Rangers. While the last test ran, Billy idly reached out and started putting his tools away. He was sifting through some of his less frequently used items when he found one that stopped him cold. Picking it up, he felt other memories flood his mind.
The small device was about the size of a wrench, but with a round attachment on the end that could be whirled around by simply running it over something. Almost like the kind of spinning tops small children play with. Billy had no idea what it would be used for, if anything, but it was not in his nature to discard something just because he didn't know its purpose.
His thoughts went back to a time when he was still the Blue Ranger, shortly after the first team had gotten their powers. Billy had been trying to make a device that would enable them to work at least one of the zords by remote if necessary. The work had hit a standstill, and he was getting more and more frustrated. Jason had come in to find his usually even-tempered friend pounding a piece of scrap metal angrily with a hammer. Asking Billy what was wrong caused the Blue Ranger to vent his frustration, telling Jason what he had been doing and how it wasn't working. Jason, having experienced Billy's rare bouts of temper before, listened patiently; then reached out and picked up the odd tool with the spinning top.
"Obviously you forgot to use the left handed spinner on it. Just run this over the thing and all will be well!" Jason had declared seriously, making a loud humming noise while running the tool up and down the malfunctioning device.
The combination of nonsensical action with Jason's mock serious declaration cut through Billy's frustration, making the teen laugh despite himself. Hearing that, Jason started 'running' the tool over the Blue Ranger, eliciting more laughter.
"There's where the problem is! Not the device, the inventor!"
Billy had given up then, and still chuckling had gone with Jason for a smoothie at the Juice Bar, forgetting about the problems he had encountered with his invention.
Now standing there in the quiet room, Billy found himself remembering the other times Jason had been there for him over the years, so often knowing just what to say or do to cut through whatever was bothering Billy, and somehow make it better. Billy had always known he could depend on Jason, could go to him whenever something was wrong, and his friend would be there.
Except this time.
Because this time Jason was the problem.
That thought shook Billy to the core. Jason had always been part of the solution, never part of the problem. Suddenly, it became clear why he was having so much trouble even admitting there was a problem, why he was trying to keep everything inside. He needed his friend. He needed Jason.
He had known all along, in his heart of hearts, that Jason had not wanted to do what he did, that he had had no control over his actions and reactions. But Billy had been so hurt, so shamed by what had happened, he had found it impossible to get beyond that, to see Jason's side of the situation. Now his defenses were down, and he saw with greater clarity exactly how the two of them had been used, and anger flared briefly in his soul.
With the anger came a determination not to let the Keronites win this one. He knew how much he valued Jason's friendship, and swore there had to be a way to undo what had been done, to restore that friendship to its previous strength.
Jason was too important to lose.
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Carrying the modified blaster, Billy hurried into the main chamber. The first thing that caught his eye was the Gold Staff.
"Where's Jason? What happened?" he demanded, turning to Zordon with a worried expression.
"Jason felt he was a detriment to the team. He gave back the powers and teleported out of here," Zordon replied, sadness evident in his voice.
Billy noticed Jason's communicator lying near the staff, and quickly crossed to the teleportation console. He checked the last settings and let out a moan.
"Oh, shit. What do you think you are doing, Jase?" he muttered. Turning to Zordon and Alpha he spoke with quiet authority. "The device to disable Saw Head's shields is ready for use. I'm going after Jason."
With that he touched his communicator and disappeared in a flash of purest white.
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Jason sat on a rock overlooking Harper's Gorge and remembered his childhood. The very first time he, Zack, Billy, Kimberly and Trini did anything together, it was a day hike to this area. That had ended in near disaster when they were caught in a forest fire and had to take refuge in a small lake to escape the flames. From that admittedly rocky beginning had sprung friendships that Jason had expected to last a lifetime.
Instead he had betrayed one of those friends in the most horrendous way imaginable.
He didn't blame Billy for hating him. He hated himself. Since his memories of the day they spent in the custody of the Keronites had resurfaced, he could hardly bear to look at any of his teammates. Former teammates, he reminded himself grimly. He didn't deserve to be a Power Ranger. Someone who could brutalize a friend the way he had did not deserve to even be called a human being.
As the thoughts of self-recrimination and self loathing filled his mind, his gaze fell on the new bridge across the gorge. The old one had been a simple plank type bridge, in reality very dangerous. It was destroyed in the fire, and in the aftermath the forestry department decided to replace it with a metal and chain link concoction. A wide metal walkway was enclosed in a dome of chain link that hung down beyond the bottom six feet on each side, and had wide metal planks soldered along the length to it to keep it straight and rigid.
Looking at that bridge, an idea bloomed to life in Jason's mind. He walked purposefully over to the bridge, but instead of stepping out on the walkway, he eased around to the outside and lowered himself to the base plank and began to edge his way out, facing toward the bridge and clinging to the chain link.
Intent on what he was doing, he didn't hear the soft whoosh of teleportation. The first he was aware that he was not alone was when he heard Billy's voice call out to him.
"Jason! Jase, come back here, please," Billy called, his voice loud enough to carry, but calm enough not to startle.
"Go away, Billy. I know what I'm doing. Believe me, it's better this way. I'm sorry, so sorry for what I did to you. I know I can never make it up to you, but please know I am sorry for it," Jason said, his voice strangely calm.
"Ah, dammit, Jase," Billy muttered, making his way down to the same pole Jason was working his way along. Moving with a grace and speed born of desperation, he started out toward his friend.
"What do you think you're doing? Get away from me. Get back or I'll let go!" Jason shouted, looking desperately at the other teen.
"Okay! I'll stop. But, please, talk to me Jase. Please. Don't do this. Don't let them win," he said pleadingly.
"Why do you care after what I did to you?"
"Jase, it wasn't your fault."
"Yes it was," Jason said stubbornly.
"How do you figure that? Did you go to them and say 'hey, I want to hurt my friend there in the most humiliating, painful, degrading way possible'? Did you?" He forced himself to be as harsh as possible, trying to get Jason's attention, to keep him talking.
"Of course not! But I should have been able to stop it from happening."
"How? Jason, we've all been under spells from time to time. Tommy almost killed us all, remember? Kat tried to kill Kimberly. Hell, I almost got all our parents killed. I know what it's like to be under a spell, and I know there's nothing you can do if it's strong enough. You didn't hurt me, they did. They hurt you as well. In fact, it's more my fault than yours, I should have fought back harder."
"It wouldn't have changed anything, I still would've done what I did. You would not have been able to stop it, and would've ended up hurt worse."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Billy returned. He was taking advantage of Jason's distraction to work his way closer. When Jason looked away for a moment, Billy made his move, reaching beyond Jason with one arm, placing one of his feet between Jason's, and moving about half his body behind his friend, in effect pinning the larger teen between him and the chain link while still in a position where he could look at him face to face.
"What are you doing?" Jason asked angrily.
"Making sure you don't do something stupid. If you try to go, you'll take me with you. And somehow I just have faith you don't want to do that."
"Billy…" Jason's voice broke. "Billy, why do you care? How can you care after what I did?"
"Because you're my friend," Billy replied with honest conviction.
Jason's midnight eyes, damp with unshed tears and reflecting a misery that should never be experienced by someone so young, searched Billy's light ones.
"You really believe that," he said at last, with some wonder.
"Isn't it true? I've thought so for a lot of years, and I'll be pretty damn disappointed if I've believed a lie for that long."
"I always thought it was true. That's what made it so hard when I realized what I'd done. I've never, ever wanted to hurt you."
"I know that, Jason. And the only thing you could do that would really hurt me is to take your life over what they did to us. I've always admired your strength, both physically and emotionally. I believe you, and I, can get beyond this. But I know I can't do it alone, I'm going to need you around for a while."
"I'm going to need you too, Bro." Jason sighed as if picking up a heavy burden. "You really think we can get through this?"
"Yes. I do." Jason heard the quiet conviction in the soft voice
"Then we will."
"Good. I guess the first step is to get back to level ground, huh?" Billy replied.
"Might be a good place to start. After you."
They carefully made their way back toward the side they had started from. What they had done with ease while emotionally distraught was much harder now. They reached the edge, then Billy discovered he could not find the strength needed to climb back up. Physically and emotionally drained, he had no reserves left to make the tricky climb.
"I don't believe this," he muttered, looking at Jason in disbelief.
"Where's your communicator?" Jason asked, looking completely drained himself.
"Must have fallen off at some point. I keep forgetting to fix the band," was the distracted reply.
"I can't believe we are stuck unable to climb up less than six feet," Jason groaned.
"Reach up and I'll give you a hand."
At the unexpected voice both teens looked up to see Tommy reaching down to them, a worried expression on his face. Exchanging exhausted grins, they peered up at the Ranger leader.
"What are you doing here?" Jason asked as the Red Zeo Ranger hauled Billy up to safety.
"Oh, just came by to be sure you two weren't doing something stupid," Tommy replied, grunting with effort as he helped Jason up. They joined Billy lying on a small patch of grass well away from the bridge.
"Whatever would give you the idea we would do something stupid?" Billy asked ironically.
"Just a wild guess," Tommy responded. He looked from one to the other, sensing a peace that had not been evident in either of his friends for far too long. "Are you two okay?"
"No," Jason said bluntly. "But we are going to do everything we can to get okay."
Tommy looked at them with a warm expression.
"Good. And you have a lot of friends to help you along the way."
"We'll need them."
Epilog:
Two years passed.
The two friends went through the slow and often agonizing process of coping with what they did, what was done to them. In the beginning they were seeing the therapist three times a week, then twice a week, then once weekly. After nearly a year they finally tapered down to every other week, then monthly. Nineteen months after they were kidnapped, they terminated therapy completely. During that year and a half they ended up revealing to their therapist their pasts as Power Rangers, and he treated that information with complete confidentiality. In individual therapy, and in sessions with each other, they dealt with their pasts and built a foundation for their futures. Through it all, they clung to their friendship as a lifeline to get them through the worst of times.
The hardest part had been finding a way to explain the therapy to their respective parents. Both the Scotts and Wallace Cranston had been struck by the changes they saw in their sons when they returned home. Concerned, they had questioned both teens thoroughly, but finally had to accept Jason and Billy's word that they would be okay, and that they really couldn't tell them any details about what had happened. They were not pleased about that, but they accepted it. Their main concern, after all, was their children's health and future.
And after that day at Harper's Ridge, neither of them ever held powers again.
Now they were both college students; Billy on a fast track toward a Ph.D. in nuclear physics, Jason working on an Associate degree in business. He planned to buy the Youth Center and run it with his soon-to-be wife, Emily.
On the day that Jason was to wed Emily, he found himself alone in a quiet room of the church where the wedding was being held. He was fussing with his tie and cummerbund, excited and anxious for the ceremony to begin. A figure strode past the open door, then returned, and a familiar face peeked around the corner.
"So, here's where you're hiding. You okay?" Billy's blue eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Yeah. I think so. Do I look alright?" Jason asked, displaying a rare case of self-consciousness.
"Well, you've always been pretty darn ugly, but other than that you look fine," Billy replied with dry humor.
"Oh, you're a lot of help! I thought the Best Man was supposed to be supportive of the groom."
"Maybe you're right. In that case-you look so darn good I'd marry you myself. Any better?" he asked, managing a comical leer.
Jason burst into laughter, leaning against a small table along the wall.
"Thanks. That was very reassuring," he gasped out at last, wiping at his eyes.
Billy just grinned at him, pleased to see his friend so happy.
Jason's dad poked his head in the door. "I was asked to tell you that you need to be out there in five minutes. Everything okay here?"
"Fine, Dad, thanks. I'll be right out."
Jason turned again to his friend. "I guess this is it."
The two looked at each other solemnly. They had been places in their friendship few others ever had to go. Jason felt tears in his eyes as he contemplated his childhood friend.
"You don't know how glad I am that you're here with me today," he said at last, reaching out to draw Billy into his embrace.
"And you don't know how glad I am to be here," Billy replied softly, returning the embrace willingly.
They stayed that way for a long moment, savoring the fact that the Keronites had not won, after all. Then it was time for Jason to take his place at the altar, to wait for the woman he loved, with whom he would meet his future.
A future that would include a friendship that once aliens had thought to destroy, only to find it could withstand even the cruelest attack.
Not all the Power Rangers' powers came from morphers and crystals after all.
The End
Author's notes: Thanks, as usual, to Dagmar who provided suggestions, comments, and most importantly encouragement when I was sure I had screwed the whole thing up.