Chapter 6 – I called. You came.
It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
But I've got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
I would be nothing without you.
People are nothing without their friends, nothing without their love and support. They are what keeps you going, keeps you treading that path and keeps you safe. Without friends the world becomes a meaningless and busy place, no purpose and no direction. Our friends are our influences and our friends are with us no matter what happens, friendship is a bond, an understanding, and above all friendship is a love.
Love kept Tommy going, love and belief; the belief that Jason would open his eyes and would remember who he was, would recognize the man stood by his bed. He had to remember the time he and Tommy won a karate tournament, the times they had fought side by side, he would have to remember inviting Tommy into the team and would have to remember the first time they had a drink together. What is life but a collection of memories, a string of experiences whether they are good or bad? What is the future without a past, what is a life without its journey?
Tommy was worried about what the others would think when they finally got here; three days was a long time in which to leave them ignorant, especially when several of them had known Jason longer than him. He had to hope that they would understand, but how could they? They had come here and felt like they were in a different world and prayed the real world would never come crashing back in, praying that he wouldn't have to deal with everything, but he supposed you couldn't put life off forever.
The nurse smiled at Tommy as she took the readings from Jason's monitor. "You okay Tommy?"
"Yeah," He gave her a quick smile in return. "I'm just waiting for my friends to come, I um, I called them yesterday." She felt sorry for the nervous looking man sat in the chair. He kept twisting around to look at the door as though expecting them to come through at any moment, but something about the way he was acting suggested that he would rather they didn't. She could understand that.
It was the afternoon when Billy arrived, he pushed through the doors with a harassed look on his face and all but ran towards Tommy. Upon reaching the nervous man he threw his arms around him.
"Why didn't you call?" He asked his voice muffled in his shoulder. Tommy was surprised; Billy's voice wasn't harsh and accusing merely remonstrating as though Tommy had been a little silly.
"I'm sorry." Tommy replied sadly. "I just, I just…"
"It's alright," Billy said pulling away to look at his friend. "I understand Tommy; it must have been the shock." He sat in the seat Tommy had previously vacated and took Jason's limp hand in his own. "I spoke to the doctors, they explained everything…" Tommy let Billy's voice wash over him. He wasn't hated by his friend, he didn't know why he was so surprised that Billy understood, he always did and you never had to say anything; that was probably why he had called him.
"I'm so glad you're here Billy." He said quite suddenly. The burden was shared.
Billy looked up with a tired smile. "I'm glad you called me." Billy said.
He watched Tommy slump in the other seat, he looked exhausted with large dark eyes filled with sorrow; he looked like someone had given him two black eyes. There had been a moment of hurt when Tommy had phoned; why hadn't he phoned earlier, and what if Jason had died? Billy had guessed though, had understood what Tommy had done and if that was weird than so be it. Tommy had been in shock, had probably walked through the last few days like a sleep walker, people put off the inevitable and the mind acted like a buffer; protecting them from the hurt. Subconsciously people did everything they could to maintain the buffer, to keep back the pain and Tommy was no different, no less human despite everything they had been through. Tommy may not have been hurt in the same way as Jason but now he needed looking after.
"Kat and Kim are on their way." Billy said to Tommy, who opened his eyes.
"And the others?" He asked, Billy heard the worry in his voice.
"Trini can't leave just yet, but Zack, Aisha and Tanya will be here any minute now. Adam and Rocky…" He shrugged. "It could be the day after tomorrow or it could be the end of the week, Rocky was a bit vague on the phone, but they'll get here as quickly as possible."
The original team members, all of them in the same place for the same purpose. What would their reactions be; would they be as understanding as Billy? The answer came in through the door at that exact moment; two young women looking upset and worried.
"Oh Tommy!" Kat threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in tight, but Kim ran to the bedside and gave a choked sob at the sight of Jason. She rounded on Tommy instantly.
"How could you?" She asked angrily, ignoring Tommy's bewildered face. The entrance of Zack, Aisha and Tanya went unnoticed and they all stared in surprise at what was happening.
"Kim…" Kat took a step towards the petite woman who was gripping Tommy's shirt in her fists.
Tommy lifted a hand to stop her. "No." He said, Kat stopped and bit her lip in worry.
"He could have died!" Sobbed Kim. "You didn't even tell us, how could you? Why weren't we here? You're so selfish Tommy; you're a monster he might have died." Billy placed a hand on Kat's shoulder as her eyes filled with tears.
"Kim please…" Aisha's voice broke in, her eyes on Tommy's face. The others followed her gaze and Tanya's eyes shone with tears. Tommy's face was haggard but he was expressionless, only his eyes showed any emotion and the depth of pain there was horrible to look at.
Kim was sobbing between her words and her knees were buckling, Tommy staggered; the pain spreading across his face and his gaze fixed on Jason's still form. Kat darted forward and enfolded Kim in her arms but no one else moved, their eyes on Tommy's tense shape. Tommy turned and was confronted by the three who had just arrived; Aisha was crying and Tanya was fighting back the tears, she opened her mouth to say something but Zack spoke first.
"Bro…" It was the last straw and Tommy simply walked past them, his eyes now fixed on the door behind them and somewhere else, somewhere beyond.
You can leave an entire world behind when you walk through a door. The scene is gone and you can ask yourself whether it was really there, was it just your imagination? Can you walk out on the pain and the hurt, can you leave trouble behind? The peace is gone and shattered, that waiting world is moments away, biding its time; when you let them in the world comes crashing back. Where is your suspended time, your quiet, your world of white? No horde of Angels can take the pain, no bed is a white barn and there is no shining star to lead you back there, but there are whispers. They unfurl through the air, whispers; the salvation is back where you came from but there is no salvation without sacrifice. Your world is spinning again, it's only a matter of time; a crack in your wall and a world that floods in. A crack of light through doors and then, open air…
A/N I'm not using Kim as a bitchy character it's just that the type of people the Power Rangers are means that they would be forgiving; I'm trying to stay true to their characters. However I want this story to be serious and realistic like its subject matter therefore I need a more genuine reaction. There isn't a particular reason I chose her I promise, so please no one get upset and say it's not like her okay? xxx