Disclaimer: They are not mine.
Authors Note: Used "Carol Of The Bells" by the Trans Siberian Orchestra.
Broken
By: Pam Marks
"Jason!" Zack called as Jason walked over to where they were sitting.
"Hey. What's happening?" Zack smiled at his long time best friend as he patted him on his upper arm. He looked different somehow changed older but he had no clue how. Zack dread locks were gone replaced by his pre Green Ranger days hair and he noticed the Jason's spikes had been replaced by his pre Gold Ranger days hair once more.
"Nothing much. Just in town for a few days." Smiling Zack exchanged fives with his best friend.
"I hear that. Where are you living now? Still in Swaziland?" Zack asked smiling at the name he and Jason had given Switzerland.
"No I moved around the Las Angeles area." Making a content face Zack nodded.
"Cool well come on have a drink and a sub. Ernie is back and is making the subs again that are world famous to us." Swatting his chest Zack walked the few inches that was separating him from his chair and took a seat as Jason did the same in an empty chair at the old center table.
"So what's been?" Zack asked lounging back in his chair before he pulled out a black velvet ring box and popped it open to reveal a very rare diamond ring to Jason.
"Oh Zack I think it is to soon in our relationship." Jason said as he held up his hand in protest to the ring.
"I am going to propose to Angela tomorrow night." Zack expressed as he shut the ring case.
"Wow. That's soon Zack. Be careful." Smiling Zack placed the box back in his pocket as the conversation went on and Ernie took drink and sub orders.
"Wow is it already 10:30!" Kim exclaimed as the youth center had emptied out hours ago.
Coving his watch as he realized it was 10:30 right on the dot Jason ran his tongue over his bottom lip "Look I gotta go guys. I'll catch up later and catch you guys later." Jason said while standing from his chair.
"Where are you hurrying off to? We can continue this at Kim's." Billy sat up in his chair as his drink was refilled by Ernie.
"I gotta go. Tired and I got to find a place to stay." Jason said slowly as he stood from the table.
"You can stay at my house." Billy said curiously as Jason's mind was already out the door.
"Maybe another time." Jason sighed as he headed out the door smiling as the group had seemingly not changed a bit.
Making his way back to his car he tried the key and smiled as he had forgotten about the keyless he had. Sliding the door open he looked back in the back seat to see Tommy sleeping like a rock. Smiling gently at his baby he slid his way into the drivers seat.
Cranking the jeep up Jason put it in gear and easied out of the parking lot putting the window up as he did. Cold blast of air met him when he had the window up completely as it was Christmas and it was unseasonably cold for this time of year in Angel Grove as he drove out of the area carolers singing to no one unparticular at the Youth Center entrance.
" "Throw cares away"
Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old
Meek and the bold
Ding dong ding dong
That is there song
With joyful ring
All caroling
One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From everywhere
Filling the air
Oh how they pound
Raising the sound
O'er the hill and dale
Telling their tale"
Arriving at the Holiday inn Jason rolled his neck forward tiredly and pulled his jeep in the park space for the holiday in. Peeking Tommy's window open again Jason got out of the jeep and shutting the door walked into the lavish lobby of the Holiday Inn Courtyard Suits.
"Good evening sir and Merry Christmas." A plump lady with red hair that seemed to be on fire said as she greeted him with a warm smile.
"Hi. One room please? And I don't care where it is or anything like that." Jason said while motioning with his keys.
"Ok sir. You are in luck sir. We have one viable and that is that." Turing the sign to no vacancy the woman slowly checked Jason in.
"You will pay at check out. Do you have a credit or debit card that we can keep on file sir?" Reaching for his wallet Jason removed it from his back pocket and slid his card out of his front holder. Plopping it down on the counter the lady scoped it up and typed the card number located on the card on the screen.
"Thank you sir." Handing the card back to Jason the woman removed two cards from the first drawer to her left.
Lifting a punch machine she inserted the card and came down hard on it "Ok the room number is 112 and it is right around here on the inside of the hotel. Go down this hallway and it is in the middle of the hallway on your right. It is on the inside of the hotel but it has an outside entrance. Drive your car around to the back of the hotel and there should be the outside entrance. The remodel is taking all of our outdoor doors but this room still has one."
"I am sorry sir. I miscalculated when I said this was interior room. The remodel is taking it in but the outside door is still there. It is labeled in my system as interior but unfortunately the outside door is still there meaning that it is not completely interior yet." Pressing a sequence of buttons on the key pad on the machine she stood and waited as Jason nodded.
The machine made a sound before it clicked open "Here are your keys sir. If you pull around back the outside entrance will still accept your key. If not take the hallway to my left go all the way down to the middle of the hallway and it is on your right. The room number is of course 112." Getting the keys out of the machine she lowered a permanent marker to the card and wrote the room number on them before inserting them in a courtesy envelope. Handing it to Jason she smiled.
"Have a nice night sir." She said courteously as she folded her hands one of top of the other in front of her.
"Thank you." Jason said as he walked out of the hotel holding the envelope with the keys in it tightly in his grip.
Walking towards the car he shrugged his shoulders down and let out a noise as the sky let lose with a down pour that had become foreign to Angel Grove in the past few years.
Reaching his jeep Jason placed the keys in his jean pocket and opened the back door quickly. Undoing Tommy from his confines of the baby seat Jason scoped Tommy up in his arms. "It's pouring." Jason said as he shut the door with his foot.
Running through the rain Jason made it to the hotel room and slipping the door key in the lock opened it. Falling inside Jason held onto to Tommy with both hands, dripping wet, and heard the door shut behind him. Falling down on the bed with Tommy he began to laugh as he deposited Tommy on the bed.
To be continued….