Chapter Three

It had rained the morning of the funeral. Jason had found himself woken up by the sound of thunder a half and hour early to when his alarm would have gone off. He merely lied in bed until it did, and then got up to get ready for the service.

The church smelled like wood and candles, and was filled with people he didn't recognize. Even Billy had made a comment on the strangers surrounding them, all assembled by genes and grief with a common purpose linking them in unity. Words and voices were spoken in tearful, muted tones, bouncing on the ceiling and off the walls, echoing in Jason's ears and becoming nothing to him.

To make matters worse, they had barely spoken since arriving. Silently, they acknowledged how they all somehow managed to wear their Ranger colors today, whether it was for their ties or jewelry, none of them wore simple black. Aside from that, they stood pretty much silent, shaking hands and nodding heads in courtesy.

When the service had started, they all split their ways and sat scattered across the church, in different pews with their parents. While Zack had noticed a few times from the corner of his eye how Trini and Kim exchanged glances through-out the pastor's speaking, he knew that they all came here not for each other, nor for themselves, but for Tommy.

They needed this time alone; as it was today they paid their last respects to the fallen Ranger.

Jason wasn't too surprised when Trini went to the stage once the opportunity of speaking arose. He had a good feeling out of them all, she would be the one to step up and take the plate. A small part of him smiled warmly at the thought. The rest of him froze over in blunt coldness, guilt washing over his conscience at how he wasn't up there speaking instead.

Unfolding the tattered paper in front of her, the yellow Ranger looked up and took a deep, shaky inhale.

"I didn't know Tommy for too long. Especially compared to the others in the room this morning. However, I did know him well enough to consider him one of my closest friends…in fact, I probably know him more than I do myself."

Trini's eyes drifted over to her leader, who numbly stared back at her. "I think I can say that for us all."

Jason nodded his head softly at her words, the first real sign of communication he had made in days. It was truth he couldn't ignore, which made the pain all the worse.

"Gosh, Tommy was the best guy I've ever known. If he wasn't…helping you out with your algebra homework, he was teaching you karate at the youth center." A gentle but tearful chuckle shook Trini lightly. "I can't tell you how many smoothies people bought for him trying to return the favors."

Despite the fact the words were right in front of her, Trini felt lost at what to say next, and the longer she was silent the more painful the lump in her throat became. Eventually, her tears blinded her sight, and the paper was useless to her.

"Tommy…Tommy was the family and brother that…that I always dreamed of having. And he treated…us all like such. And I'm so sorry." Grabbing her paper, Trini shielded her face from view and stepped off stage, finding the nearest possible exit.

The room stood silent, not a mummer or whisper in ear shot. It was as if they were all used to the situation, like a funeral was part of their every day routine. Someone's emotions being too much for them didn't seem to surprise anyone.

The silence made Jason sick.

Zack was quick to his feet, jumping up to the mic with a feeble attempt to keep things going. It was then Jason had tuned out to it all, Zack's voice and the quiet crying around him. He never noticed his father's strong grip on his shoulder, an effort at comfort unsuccessful, or Mr. and Mrs. Oliver clinging each other tightly two pews ahead of him.

For the rest of the service, Jason had his eyes locked on the closed casket in front of them all. He could only think one thing, as reality came crashing down on all sides of him.

It was real.

Tommy was gone.

No more jokes, no more laughs, no more him.

And there was no denying it anymore.

Today was the day he had dreaded all week. He knew being here, the funeral home where the body laid at rest, would confirm it all. Jason had no choice but to accept the death of his friend, and the longer his thoughts repeated it, the louder reality became, collapsing all around him.

He literally felt sick now.

To Be Continued