Title: Like a Brother
Characters: Jason; mentions of Kim and Tommy
Rating: T
Warnings: Ranger related violence; spoilers for the Green With Evil and the Green Candle arcs of season 1
Summary: Now that Tommy's in the picture, all he'll ever be able to do is be there for her; as a brother.
Word Count: 250/7,327
Author's Note: This one is actually kinda depressing. Why did Tommy have to move to Angel Grove?
For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'
He grimaced, reading the homework assignment. How well he knew.
He never got the chance to tell her. He had been going to.
Then Tommy showed up.
She had fallen for him from the beginning.
He had seen the look in her eyes and stepped back, letting her go after Tommy.
He only wanted her to be happy.
Now it was too late. Tommy asked her to the dance. She accepted. They kissed
He felt horrible.
It didn't help that he was responsible for Tommy losing his powers.
If I had been a little faster. I could have saved the candle and Tommy's powers. I shouldn't have had to choose between them.
But he had. He had chosen to save his friends.
To save her.
He'd had to, really. He couldn't let them die. Tommy had survived, even if he wasn't a Ranger anymore.
But she missed him. She was always thinking about him. She put on a happy face.
He knew she was miserable.
He wanted to take her in his arms and make her forget.
But he wouldn't- couldn't- do that.
Tommy was his friend. He couldn't hurt his friend like that.
As much as it hurt him in the process.
Instead of telling her, being with her, he would settle for just being with her. Comforting her.
Like a brother.
As hard as it was, that was all he could do.