Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.

"Why did he leave?" Tommy asked as Jason helped him to his feet. "I don't get it... he had me."

"I don't know... did he say anything?" Jason asked as he glanced around wearily.

"Just..." Tommy began. "Just for me to keep fighting."

"Why would he say that?" Jason asked his attention turning back to Tommy.

"I don't... I don't know," Tommy answered. Jason began to reach up to activate his communicator. Tommy placed his hand over it. "Wait."

"What?" Jason questioned.

"Don't tell anyone..." Tommy responded.

"Tommy..." Jason began.

"I need to figure this out," Tommy stated.

"The team should know," Jason countered.

"I..." Tommy began and then sighed.

"Listen... we are in this together Tommy," Jason said. "If something is happening to you, the guys will want to be there for you."

"I know... and I appreciate that, but it's... I don't even understand what's happening to me," Tommy responded. "Jason, let's just wait for Zordon and Alpha to come up with some answers before we worry them... okay?"

"Okay... fine," Jason relented. It was then his phone went off and he retrieved it to see a message. "It's Kim."

"Please don't say anything," Tommy said.

"I won't," Jason replied as he read the message. "Some of the guys are going to the movies... she wants to know if I am in."

"Go ahead," Tommy said with a wave of his hand.

"No, I think I should..." Jason began to respond.

"I appreciate what you are going to say, but I don't need a babysitter," Tommy cut him off. "I just need to think."

"LIsten... I get it..." Jason said. "I'm not going to babysit you... but I am concerned for you and what's happening."

"Me too," Tommy reacted.

"Zedd... that attack wasn't random," Jason suggested.

"Yeah... probably not," Tommy agreed.

"We should at least tell Zordon and Alpha," Jason said.

"Yeah... listen... you go on... I'll go talk to them," Tommy suggested. Jason studied him for a moment.

"I..." Jason began.

"I'm fine," Tommy responded, he lifted his wrist. "That's what these are for right?"

"Okay," Jason said. "If they say anything I should know."

"Then you'll know," Tommy responded. With that the two went their separate ways.

(****)

Tommy stood overlooking the sea. He stepped a feet closer the edge of the cliff and glanced down at the choppy seas beneath him. He let out a frustrated sigh and opened his hand to gaze down at his power coin. He noticed immediately that the green was a duller shade than it had been previously and he closed his fist around it. He took a few steps back and morphed.

Instantly his suit appeared and he felt a brief relief. He closed his eyes beneath it and bathed in the feeling of the power. With a blink of his eyes the feeling was gone and he stood on the cliff feeling empty. He glanced back down at the coin in his hand. He cursed and closed his hand into a tighter fist and morphed once more. The suit was protecting him instantly again, although this time he felt no relief. Just a sense of loss as he knew it was not going to hold. Within seconds his fear were confirmed and he stood in silent contemplation for several minutes.

"Tommy?" a voice from behind Tommy startled him. He recognized the voice but didn't place it immediately. He turned to see a striking blonde a few feet away from him. He struggled to remember where he had seen her.

"Hey... do I know you?" Tommy asked. The girl took a few steps closer to him.

"We go to school together... well... I'm new, so we only went a couple of months together," the girl answered.

"Oh... wait... it's Katherine right?" Tommy asked.

"Kat, I prefer Kat," Kat replied. Tommy offered her a small smile.

"Kat... hey... what are you doing up here?" Tommy asked with a gesture at the secluded cliff.

"I suppose I could ask you the same thing," Kat countered.

"Yeah... well... I just... it's peaceful up here," Tommy answered.

"Yes, it is," Kat replied. "It's why I'm up here too."

"I thought I was the only one who knew about this place," Tommy stated.

"I thought the same," Kat responded. "Guess we were both wrong."

"Seems it," Tommy agreed.

"What's that in your hand?" Kat asked noticing the way he seemed to have his fist wrapped tightly around something. Tommy glanced down at it and then opened his hand.

"Nothing," Tommy answered as he displayed his empty hand. Kat eyed it for a moment before making eye contact with him.

"H... how are you spending this summer, any plans?" Kat asked.

"Nothing... I mean I took a trip with some friends but... nothing on the schedule going forward," Tommy responded. Kat nodded and took a few more steps closer to the edge of the cliff. Tommy noted how pretty she was as the breeze blew her long hair around her face. He looked away and decided to focus his attention on the sea.

"Like I said... I am new so I have been spending the summer seeing Angel Grove..." Kat replied.

"How's that going?" Tommy inquired.

"Pretty well... although I think I might have seen all of the most interesting places," Kat answered with a shrug.

"You never know, there might be a few places you have yet to discover," Tommy said as he turned to her. She turned at his words too and they exchanged smiles.

(****)

"That was fun," Trini commented as she looked down the line at her friends walking with her out of the cinema. Nods and smiles seemed to agree with her assessment.

"So... what now?" Zack asked as he turned to walk backward managing to keep pace with the other three.

"I don't know, the night is still young," Kim responded.

"I'm kind of hungry," Trini said with a shrug.

"I'm always up for eating," Zack said.

"Count me in," Kim agreed. All three of them turned to Jason who was walking along with them but seemed to be only there in body. After a few seconds he realized the eyes on him and turned them.

"Hmm?" Jason asked, not following along with the conversation.

"We boring you Bossman?" Trini asked with a laugh.

"No... no... I'm sorry I just got a little lost in my own head there," Jason answered attempting a smile to hide his concerns.

"Well... get out of there, I'm sure it's a scary place," Zack joked with a chuckle. "And you up for grabbing a bite to eat?"

"Actually... I think I'm gonna head home," Jason responded. The group stopped. "I just um... remembered I was supposed to help my dad... he um needed some help loading the boat before he goes out tonight."

"Okay... well... have fun with that," Zack said. "Sounds like a fun way to spend your Saturday night."

"I know right?" Jason responded, playing along. He could tell he was getting eyes from Kimberly but was determined to avoid that for as long as possible.

"Well... we'll go on ahead if you two wanna say your goodbyes and stuff," Trini said as she grabbed Zack and pulled him on ahead of the other two leaving them standing on the sidewalk alone.

"What's up?" Kim asked.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked in return.

"Babe... I know that story about your dad is not true," Kim explained.

"It... is... well it could be," Jason responded fighting an inner struggle.

"Is everything okay?" Kim asked, sensing that Jason was uncomfortable.

"Yeah, it's fine... honestly it's nothing... no big deal," Jason replied

"You felt you had to make up a story," Kim countered.

"I did... but it's not like that, just trust me okay?" Jason asked, his face pleading. Kim considered him for a moment, torn between getting to the bottom of it and giving in to him. She did trust him, fully. However, the two had always been open with each other and this was an oddity in their relationship.

"I trust you... I just... I wanna make sure you are okay, that's all," Kim said as she offered him a smile.

"I'm fine," Jason answered, returning her smile. He leaned in to give her a kiss, letting his lips linger over hers for a moment. "I'll call you later okay?"

"Okay," Kim replied. Jason turned to cross the street and Kim watched him go for a few seconds before returning to join Trini and Zack on their journey to find a place to eat.

(****)

Jason pulled his phone away from his ear and sighed. He ended the attempted call to Tommy and pitched the phone to the side. He found himself growingly increasingly annoyed and frustrated as he sat in the seat of his truck. He glanced up to see the stop light turn green and accelerated. He drove down the street and took a turn that would lead him down the road that would lead to Tommy's house.

Jason reached the driveway and pulled in. Immediately he noticed that only Tommy's car was under the car port. Jason turned his truck off, opened the door and hopped out. He made his way up the front door. He felt like he was hovering over Tommy and being more of a leader than an a friend. He felt handcuffed though since Tommy had not answered any attempts to be reached by phone or communicator.

Jason knocked on the door and waited. He glanced up to where he knew Tommy's bedroom was and noted that it was completely dark. Jason knocked a few more times and then resolved himself to the fact that maybe Tommy had called it an early night. Jason stepped a few steps backward and then turned to his truck. His heart sank when saw Zedd standing next to it. Zedd held his hand up.

"No need to morph..." Zedd stated as he stepped a few steps closer to Jason. "You are not the Ranger I expected to find here and I don't feel like wasting my time fighting you."

"What do you want with Tommy?" Jason asked. Zedd who had started to turn to leave stopped and turned back. He chuckled menacingly.

"You wouldn't understand," Zedd replied.

"Try me," Jason countered.

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Zedd questioned.

"You are doing something to his powers aren't you?" Jason asked.

"No... not I... not directly," Zedd replied.

"Don't give me riddles..." Jason responded, his frustration growing.

"What Tommy has... does not belong to him..." Zedd stated.

"Doesn't belong to you either," Jason replied.

"Ah... you assume that I was insinuating that," Zedd countered. "I did not."

"Just tell me what you're doing," Jason said.

"You'll find out... but you won't be able to stop it... no one can... what's gonna happen will happen," Zedd replied. "Things will be put back in order, as they should be."

Jason felt his frustration reach a boiling point and found himself morphed. He clinched his fists and took a few steps closer to Zedd.

"If you are wanting a fight so badly..." Zedd said before he lifted his staff in the air. He fired a blast at Jason and knocked him backwards. Jason quickly got to his feet just as a gold hand gripped him around the throat and he locked eyes with a ghost.

"How... are you back again?" Jason asked as Goldar lifted him off the ground and to his feet before slinging him across the Oliver's front yard and out onto the street.

"That is something... you will have to learn to get used to," Zedd stated before disappearing and leaving Goldar behind. Jason got to his feet just as Goldar charged him. Jason had no time to consider Zedd's words before Goldar's large fist hit him square under the chin and sent him into the yard across the street. Jason considered his surroundings and knew he did not want to battled in a neighborhood. He took off down the street, hoping Goldar would give chase.

Jason glanced behind him to see his plan had worked. He then turned to his right to see an open field and started to run across it. He stopped when he reached the middle and turned to fight. Much to Jason's confusion though Goldar was nowhere to be seen. Jason started to run back but was grabbed from behind and tossed up into the air. Jason turned in the air to see Goldar beneath him with his sword drawn.

Thinking fast Jason drew his own sword in time to knock Goldar's aside on the way back down. This helped him steady himself enough to land on his feet and go on the offensive. Jason hit Goldar with a barrage of kicks and finished with a spinning sword slash that knocked the gold behemoth to the ground. Jason approached him before feeling himself getting hit hard from the right. Upon landing he spun around to see a group of Putties surrounding him.

Jason got to his feet and started to move to activate his communicator. Before he did though there was a commotion and the the Putties started breaking apart. Soon the reason why was clear as the Blue Ranger appeared from the rubble. Jason smiled under his helmet as Billy ran to him.

"Hey... it's good to see you," Jason said.

"Looks like you could use a hand," Billy replied.

"How did you know?" Jason questioned. Billy pointed to his car alongside the road.

"I was returning home from my date and saw this mess," Billy answered.

"Oh... well... how was the date?" Jason asked.

"I'll tell you later," Billy responded as he pointed to Goldar charging them.

"Right," Jason said as both Rangers ran to meet Goldar halfway. Jason reached him first and connected with a punch, followed soon after by a front kick from Billy. Goldar stumbled backward and started to charge once more before darkness covered him and he was gone.

"Woah.." Billy said as he loosened his posture and glanced around. "Why'd he just leave?"

"I'm not sure," Jason replied, while also looking from side to side.

"What started all of that?" Billy asked.

"I was just stopping by to see Tommy and ran into Zedd and Goldar," Jason answered.

"Oh... so they just attacked?" Billy inquired.

"Yeah," Jason responded. "You good?"

"I'm fine," Billy replied as he powered down. Jason followed suit and the two began to walk across the field.

(****)

"I'm glad you text me," Trini said as she walked up the steps leading into the Cranston's residence.

"I'm glad too... I always am," Zack replied with a smile as he hopped up on the railing along the porch. Trini leaned on the post and crossed her arms.

"So what you think is really up with Jason?" Zack questioned.

"You weren't buying his story either?" Trini asked in return, with raised eyebrows.

"Not for a second," Zack replied with a chuckle. "His poker face is awful."

"Yeah... I don't know... something was definitely up," Trini stated.

"You think there is trouble with him and Kim?" Zack questioned.

"I don't think so," Trini answered. "She hasn't said anything."

"Hmm..." Zack considered something silently.

"What?" Trini inquired.

"You don't think..." Zack began and paused.

"That Jason is cheating?" Trini asked, assuming the direction of the question.

"It's just a thought," Zack said with a shrug.

"No... no... Bossman is too crazy for Kim... and I don't think he could do that anyway," Trini dismissed the notion.

"You are probably right," Zack agreed." Still weird though."

"Totally," Trini responded. Zack turned to her and waited for her to return his eye contact. "What?"

"Is... everything okay with you?" Zack asked.

"Everything is fine," Trini answered.

"Oh..." Zack reacted.

"Why?" Trini asked for clarification.

"Just... seemed like maybe you and Tommy..." Zack said rocking his head from side to side slightly in an attempt to suggest without words.

"No... we are fine," Trini replied with a dismissive hand gesture.

"Oh... well there you go," Zack said with a hop off the rail. Trini started to say something but Zack changed the subject. "Looks like I beat Billy home."

"Looks it," Trini agreed, going along with the subject change. She glanced at the darkened house. "His mom working overtime?"

"Yup," Zack answered as he fished a key out of his pocket and stuck it in the front door and was about to turn it when car headlights illuminated the porch. Both teens turned to see Billy parking his car and getting out of it. "There he is."

"Hey guys," Billy greeted the two as he reached the porch.

"How'd the date go?" Trini asked.

"Good," Billy answered.

"How good?" Zack asked. Billy shook his head.

"It was the first date," Billy replied.

"I know," Zack said with a shrug.

"Ignore him," Trini said with a side glance at Zack.

"Actually... the most action came when I ran into Jason just now," Billy said.

"Come again?" Zack asked as he stepped out of the doorway and back onto the porch.

"No... no... we had a fight," Billy answered.

"What were you fighting about?" Trini asked.

"No..." Billy responded, putting his hands up in frustration at how things were unraveling in the conversation. "What I mean is I stumbled upon him in battle with Goldar and some Putties."

"Goldar?" Zack asked. "Where?"

"Up the road... near Tommy's," Billy said with a point.

"Is everything okay?" Trini questioned.

"Yeah, we won I guess... I mean... he kind of retreated," Billy answered.

"Where is Jason?" Zack asked.

"He was going home I guess, his car was parked at Tommy's and mine was up the road," Billy replied.

"Tommy was not there?" Trini inquired.

"Nope," Billy answered. At this Trini fished her phone out of her pocket. She felt a little saddened and concerned when she saw she had no messages from Tommy. She looked up.

"I'm gonna head out guys," Trini said before turning to make her way down the stairs.

"Okay, catch you later," Zack said and Billy nodded at her. They turned to each other and then headed inside the house.

(****)

Kimberly reached over and changed the station on her car radio as she sat at a stoplight waiting for it to turn. She glanced around the town and various storefronts absentmindedly until her gaze fell on someone walking away from her that she was immediately familiar to her. The light turned and she pulled her car ahead until she was driving alongside of them.

Kim was about to roll down her window and call out to Tommy when he stepped aside and she saw he was not alone. Kim was about to turn and pretend like she saw nothing when Tommy turned to her and waved. Kim let out a little wave and slowed her car down. She pulled over and parked it curbside and then stepped out of it just as Tommy and the unknown girl crossed the street to approach her.

"Hey Kim," Tommy greeted her first.

"Hey," Kim responded as she smiled at Tommy and then turned her attention to the girl. Kim knew exactly what he situation looked like and was feeling all of the emotions under surface of what that would cause her. She was determined to keep them buried as she reasoned in her head she was not seeing one friend cheating on another. It was innocent she was sure.

"This is Kat," Tommy introduced the girls with a smile on his face.

"Hi," Both girls spoke in unison.

"We go to school together," Tommy explained. Suddenly Kim recognized her, although she did not believe they shared any classes.

"I've seen you around," Kim said, offering the girl a smile which was readily returned.

"I'm kind of new," Kat replied.

"We just ran into each other awhile ago and have been talking," Tommy stated. Talking to Kat had put him in a better mood. Mostly because their conversation had been about nothing heavy, just fun and light subjects that had managed to keep his mind of the more negative aspects of his day. In his improved mood it had not occurred to him how it might appear to Kimberly upon seeing them together. He however could judge Kim's expression currently to see that those were things she was thinking, but attempting to hide.

"Oh," Kim responded.

"Yeah, it's been a lot of fun, but it really is getting late and I should probably head for home," Kat said, turning her attention back to Tommy. Tommy nodded.

"Okay," Tommy said.

"I can give you a ride if you'd like," Kim offered, feeling it was the polite thing to do.

"No... that's okay, my apartment is actually just down the street a little," Kat said briefly glancing at Kim before returning her attention to Tommy.

"Okay," Kim responded.

"I'll see you around," Tommy said as Kat began to make her way back across the street.

"See ya," Kat replied before getting out of earshot. Tommy then turned back to Kim.

"It's not like that," Tommy stated.

"I didn't say anything," Kim responded.

"But you were thinking it," Tommy countered. Kim shrugged.

"I was trying not to," Kim replied.

"It was honestly innocent, I wouldn't do that to Trini," Tommy defended.

"I know..." Kim responded. "How about you... you wanna ride home?"

"Sure," Tommy answered with a smile before he made his way around the car to the passenger side.