Disclaimer: Power Rangers characters, events and locations belong to Saban/BVE; no profit is being made by the authors of this story.
Note: Thanks for taking this ride with us; we certainly had a blast writing this. Hope you enjoyed, and please leave some feedback? It'll be appreciated. Cmar & Dagmar Buse, Fall 2006
Strangers In Red
Ch. 7: Reunion Time
"Relax," Jason told Tommy as they cruised along the highway to Silver Hills early on Saturday morning. "We're only going to meet Wes and Eric, not fight in the apocalypse."
"I know that. Easier said than done," Tommy grumbled, not even pretending to misunderstand what Jason referred to. "I still feel like I want to slug someone."
"Me, or Eric?" Jason asked quietly, getting a surprised and slightly guilty look for his insight.
"I wish I knew that myself," his lover sighed after a few seconds' hesitation. "You … not really, as I said before; after all, you told me up front I wasn't the first guy you'd been with. I just need a little more time to come to terms with actually knowing one of your exes. But Eric – he's another matter." Tommy scowled. "If he's still the same asshole … if he dares to treat you like that again, I'll-"
"You'll do nothing," Jason interrupted him firmly. "Tommy, I'm a big boy. I can deal with my own problems just fine. And thanks to you, the memory I have of Eric no longer is one of my problems. Besides, I doubt Eric will even want to remember that night. I know I sure didn't, until this meeting brought it up again. And I also know I'd much rather forget about it once and for all."
"You and me both," Tommy sighed and swerved into the left lane to pass a truck. "It's just …"
"It's just that you're maybe a teensy bit jealous," Jason said, lightly touching his arm. "I think it's kinda cute."
Tommy barely managed not to crash into the lane divider. "Cute? Cute?" he sputtered, shooting Jason an outraged glare.
Grinning now that he'd managed to divert Tommy's attention from the incipient meeting with Eric, Jason nodded serenely. "Uh huh. You're a little jealous, a little possessive … and I love you for it," he added softly. "Because I know exactly how you must be feeling."
That garnered him a dubious frown. "I rather doubt it."
"Oh? How do you think I felt during those years you were so tight with Kat? I thought all the time that I'd never have a chance to be with you – and didn't even dare tell you how I felt until you two had called it quits. Believe me, I learned more about jealousy and possessiveness than I ever wanted to."
Tommy sighed; there was nothing he could say to contradict the quiet statement. He knew all too well that he'd never have gotten together with Jason if his best friend hadn't found the courage to tell him about his feelings first – when he needed to know someone cared. They drove on in silence for a couple of miles.
"I'm being ridiculous, huh?" Tommy mumbled rather sheepishly at last.
Jason smiled. "If you think that just because Eric and I had a one-night stand once and because it ended badly either one of us would want to jump in the sack again to make things right, then yes," he said matter-of-factly. "I may not know him really well, but I doubt he's the type to beat a dead horse. I know I have no interest in him anymore whatsoever, and I'm absolutely sure that we all can be mature about this and not let it influence today's business. It's just one meeting, not as if we'll be living in each other's pockets; after today, chances are we may never see Eric and Wes again."
"You're right," Tommy admitted and let out an explosive puff of breath. "Okay. Let's not talk about it anymore, shall we?"
"Fine by me," Jason agreed, relieved. They still had about an hour to go until they reached Silver Hills; too long to be rehashing his and Eric's past, or fret about their reunion. He turned his attention to the road and spotted a familiar sign up ahead. "Hey, wanna stop for some coffee?"
"Just what I need, acid reflux on top of being poked and prodded," Tommy groused good-naturedly, but eased the car into the exit lane nonetheless. "One of these days you'll die of caffeine overdose," he prophesized as they stopped at the drive-thru window. Jason just laughed.
"Right along with you, Bro."
---
Wes paused to run his fingers through his hair and make sure his shirt was neatly tucked in before turning the last corner in the hallway leading to Dr. Zaskin's laboratory. Stupid to be so nervous, he told himself sternly. Who was he trying to compete with, anyway? But the answer to that was easy. Jason Scott, that's who.
He had dutifully called Tommy Oliver on the Monday after Eric had told him his story, and finalized their arrangements. Jason had agreed to come along, and they were all going to have lunch in the Bio-Lab executive dining room before the two former Rangers left to return to their homes. It had seemed to Wes that Tommy sounded a good deal less than enthusiastic this time - but maybe that was only imagination, coming from Wes's own lack of enthusiasm.
At any rate, here he was, and right on time for once. He hadn't wanted Eric to show up before him. Speaking of Eric - the night before had not been one of their nights together; he was coming from his house while Wes had come from his fathers', and he had called earlier to say he was stopping by his office to take care of some forgotten detail from the week past. Probably just an excuse to delay the inevitable - but Wes found it comforting that Eric would be so reluctant to confront his one-time-only lover.
Of course, that left Wes to confront him. With another surge of nervousness, he heard voices ahead, squared his shoulders, pasted a smile on his face, and walked on.
The wide double doors leading into the laboratory lay at the end of a short corridor. Wes knew there was a small, bare room beyond them equipped with anti-static flooring to protect the delicate instruments inside, and then a second set of doors. Dr. Zaskin was standing just outside, talking to Tommy. Jason was nowhere in sight.
"I can wait out here," Tommy was saying. "It's no problem."
"We can find someone to - oh, here's Wes," Dr. Zaskin said, catching sight of him. "Good timing. You two know each other, don't you?"
"Yes. Nice to see you again, Tommy," Wes said, holding out his hand.
It was taken in a firm grip. "Good to see you too," Tommy said.
"How was your trip? And the tests?"
Tommy shrugged and smiled. "Not bad, and pretty interesting. But I guess you've already gone through the testing."
"Yeah, a couple of days ago." Wes had expected something like a doctor's visit, complete with needles and urine samples, and had been surprised at being given a series of exercises designed to test his reflexes, vision, hearing, and memory, a thorough CAT scan - plus one or two needles, unfortunately. "So - you done now? Ready for lunch?"
"Dr. Oliver is," Zaskin answered. "Mr. Scott is still finishing up, and we need him for another fifteen or twenty minutes."
"Yeah, we got here a little late," Tommy said apologetically. "An old bad habit of mine." He turned to Dr. Zaskin. "Really, I don't mind waiting here."
"Nonsense; there's no place to sit. Now that Wes is here, why don't both of you go on up to the dining room where you can be comfortable?" Zaskin said. "I'll escort your friend up as soon as he's done." He was already edging back towards the door, obviously anxious to get back to work.
"Well, I guess ..." Tommy said uncertainly, looking at Wes.
"I guess we shouldn't just stand here ..." Wes said with equal uncertainty. He was the host here, might as well start acting like it and make sure Bio-Lab's guest was comfortable. "Okay. Just send Eric up when he gets here, okay?" he called after Dr. Zaskin, and got an absent nod in return. Replacing his smile, he faced Tommy. "Let's go then. Lunch is on the house, by the way, thanks to my father."
"Nothing like a free lunch."
Wes cast only one glance back as they headed for the main hallway and the elevators. He noticed Tommy did the same.
---
-Late. I'm never late,- Eric thought as he hurried towards Zaskin's laboratory. But today was an exception. His own fault, of course, he had let himself get all wrapped up in the report of a complaint against one of the Guardians, and completely forgotten the time. Or maybe he hadn't forgotten so much as not wanted to get there first and find himself trying to socialize with Jason and Tommy without Wes being there.
Not much chance of that now, when he was almost twenty minutes late. Eric turned the last corner fully expecting to find that all three of them had already gone up to the dining room, and came to an abrupt halt as he almost ran into the same dark-haired, blunt-featured face he had been dreading seeing again for the last two weeks.
"Eric!" Dr. Zaskin said as he and Jason stopped just as quickly. "Glad you're here. I understand you two have met."
"Uh ... yeah, we've met," Jason said. After a slight hesitation, he put out his hand.
Eric took it as briefly as he could get away with, hoping the near-collision had explained the look of dismay he knew had appeared on his face.
"The tests took a little longer than expected," Zaskin was saying. "Wes and Dr. Oliver are already upstairs. I'm sure I can put Mr. Scott in your capable hands."
"Yeah, right," he said, narrowing his eyes slightly as he thought he saw a flash of amusement in Jason's expression.
"Good! I need to get back and look at those test results - fascinating, really fascinating ..." Dr. Zaskin's voice trailed off as he rapidly retreated back into his own world.
Unfortunately, that left Eric and Jason alone and staring at each other.
"Well - how have you been?" Jason asked.
"Okay." Manners. He was being rude. Eric drew in a breath. "How did the tests go? They find anything?"
"Nothing bad. Some of it was interesting. Dr. Zaskin pronounced both Tommy and me completely healthy, so that's a relief."
"Good." What else? What the hell did people say to be polite to each other? "And - how was your trip?"
"Pretty good. It's a nice day." Jason was starting to look amused again as he realized how uncomfortable Eric was.
"Well, come on," Eric growled. "Let's get up there. I'm sure we'll have a wonderful lunch."
"Lead on, MacDuff," Jason murmured, giving him a sardonic grin as he cast a glare back.
---
"Jason should be here by now," Tommy said, glancing at his watch. "Shouldn't he?"
"I guess. And I wonder where Eric is." Wes looked at his own watch. They had been sitting here for almost half an hour now.
Tommy's remarks on the décor and the view from the windows of this elaborate dining room atop the Bio-Lab building, meant for entertaining and impressing business associates, had been good for the first five minutes. Then Tommy's account of his stint as the Black Dino Thunder Ranger had filled another twenty. They had tried a discussion of what the other former Rangers had been doing; not a promising conversation since neither of them was in touch with more than a very few.
What they had not discussed was Eric and Jason, but that was what was on both their minds, as each wondered where his lover was and - just as importantly - who he was with and what they were doing.
"Hang on, I'll call Dr. Zaskin," Wes said, breaking the silence that had fallen. Tommy watched as he took out his cell phone, punched the number, and exchanged a few sentences.
"Well?"
Wes frowned. "He says Eric showed up just as Jason was leaving. The two of them are headed up here."
"Alone?" Tommy let the question slip out before he realized how strange it must sound, but if Wes noticed, he didn't react.
"Yeah. But ..." Wes glanced at the entrance door. "That was at least five minutes ago. They should be here by now."
"Maybe - maybe they stopped to use the bathroom."
Wes blocked out the unwelcome and ridiculous - he hoped - image that idea conjured up. "Shouldn't take this long."
"Can't you call him? Eric, I mean?" Tommy looked at the cell phone still in Wes's hand.
"Yeah, but - I don't want to seem like I'm checking up." Too late, Wes realized how strange that remark must sound, but saw only worry in Tommy's face.
"Huh. I don't like this."
"Hey, neither do I."
"Where could they be?"
"And - what are they doing?"
They looked at each other, for the first time really hearing what was in each other's voices and seeing the anxiety in each other's faces. Maybe they put together what they had both been saying. Maybe it was some kind of Red Ranger bond. Or maybe it was just the fact that they were two concerned and slightly jealous lovers feeling and thinking the same thing. But suddenly they knew, and could see it in each other's eyes.
"He told you too, didn't he?" Tommy said.
"You mean - Eric told me ..."
"About Jason."
"And Jason told you about Eric."
"Oh, man. You and Eric?"
"You and Jason?!?"
---
Eric punched the button for the penthouse and stared stonily at the elevator doors as they closed, trying not to notice Jason standing beside him. This was worse than he had imagined. Stuck alone with the guy, even for the few minutes it would take to get to the dining room. Good thing Jason didn't seem like he wanted to talk. Surprising, really, since you'd think he would want to talk about the lousy way that night all those years ago had ended. You'd think he'd want to clear the air, so they could both relax a little ...
He was actually surprised when his own finger stabbed at the elevator 'stop' button and the car lurched to a halt.
"What happened?" Jason asked. The mild alarm he felt deepened as he saw the look of intense determination on Eric's face as he swung around.
"I stopped the elevator. We need to talk."
"Talk." Jason took a calming breath. While he was surprised that Eric was even willing to talk, let alone wanted to, it was not unwelcome. They had a few loose ends to wrap up, after all. "Okay, go ahead."
"Look - look, I'm sorry about what happened that night, in your room. I know you thought I was a real asshole, and maybe you're right. But I want you to know it wasn't you, it was me. It wasn't what you think, that I got mad and took off. It was - it was complicated."
The words had come out in a rush, as if Eric had been saving them up. "Complicated?" Jason asked, confused.
"Yeah." Eric leaned a shoulder against the wall, his eyes looking away now. "I had just gotten out of the Army. You know that already. But I had also just broken up with my first real boyfriend. Just gotten this job, just moved here to Silver Hills. And there was - was a guy I knew in prep school, and never forgot, and I kept thinking about maybe running into him again and starting something."
He looked up at Jason's face before going on. "I was already out of the whole casual cruising thing - but I didn't know it yet. When you said you didn't do anal with strangers - all of a sudden ..." He sighed. "Wanna know the real reason I wouldn't bring you to my hotel? Because you were a stranger, and I didn't trust you. You didn't trust me either. All of a sudden I started thinking, 'What the hell am I doing here, fucking a guy I don't know and don't trust?' And - I just got the hell out."
"Wow." Jason watched him for a moment, as Eric looked down at the floor. "Why didn't you say so? Why didn't you explain instead of letting me think it was just because I wouldn't do what you wanted? I would've understood."
Eric met his eyes again, this time with a knowing smirk. "Yeah, because twenty-one-year-old college guys with a hard-on are so well known for their patience and understanding."
Jason couldn't help a snort of laughter as the image of himself, so angry and frustrated that he had wanted to punch something, preferably Eric, rose before his mind's eye. "Well, maybe you're right."
"Anyway, I'm sorry. Why I left wasn't your fault, and it wasn't anything you did - or didn't do. I hope you didn't let it bother you."
"Bother me? Nah." Jason grinned, not entirely truthfully. While if someone had asked him five minutes ago if it bothered him, he would have had to say yes … now it didn't, not anymore. "I did think you were kind of an asshole, though. Glad to know I was wrong."
"Yeah. I'm glad we had a chance to clear this up, after all this time." After a moment of hesitation, Eric held out his hand. Jason took it, a warm smile on his face, and they shook firmly and sincerely this time.
"Well." Eric cleared his throat. "We'd better get up there."
"Yeah, Tommy will be wondering where I am."
"So will Wes," Eric said with a shake of his head.
Jason gave another short laugh. "Man, I just realized - if Tommy could see us alone in this elevator right now, he'd go nuts."
"Yeah, so would Wes," Eric said without thinking.
"Really?" Jason met his eyes with the lift of an eyebrow. "Don't tell me. You and Wes?"
"You and Tommy?!?"
---
"I thought you were into your Pink Ranger. Jen, wasn't it?" Tommy was both amused and puzzled. Talk about your coincidences - two Ranger teams, two sets of Red Ranger and sixth Ranger - twice and the second time in reverse, in the case of himself and Jason - and two sets of lovers.
"I thought I was too," Wes said. "But I found out a few things about myself since then. I thought you were into Kim. And weren't you dating Kat, later on?"
"Yeah, well. I found out a few things about myself too. Although Jason's the first guy I've felt like this about, at least enough to do something about it."
"I see. Well, Jason seems like a nice guy." Wes cast another glance towards the door.
"He is." Tommy hesitated, reluctant to criticize Eric to someone who obviously cared for him, but unable to completely hide what he thought. "And Eric is ... well, honestly – I hope he's changed from the way Jason said he was that night."
Wes toyed with his water glass, eyes downcast. "I know what you're talking about. He told me he didn't treat Jason very well at the end there. Eric had a lot of problems then. Still does, I guess. But he's really a good guy." He looked up. "He didn't walk out on Jason for the reason you probably think. Yeah, he was rude, but he was going through some changes then. And he's sorry about what happened, even if he doesn't know how to say it."
"Yeah? Well, if you say so. I guess you know him better than I do, or Jason." Tommy was skeptical, but there was no point in pursuing it. He looked towards the door, partly to change the subject. "So where the hell are they, anyway? It's been what, twenty minutes now?" But his question was answered as soon as it was out of his mouth, as the missing pair came through the door, stopped for a moment to look around, spotted Wes and Tommy, and started for them.
"About time," Wes muttered for Tommy to hear, and then, "Hey! Where have you two been?"
"We had a little - elevator trouble," Jason said with a smirk.
"And we had a little talk," Eric added with a meaningful glance at Wes.
"Yeah, it was good. Cleared a few things up for us," Jason said, sharing a significant look and a smile with Tommy as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Great!" Wes said. Trying not to sound suspicious, he added, "We were starting to wonder what you guys were up to."
"Were you now?" Jason asked blandly.
"Yeah. You had us worried, considering," Tommy said, giving Eric a tight and not entirely pleasant smile. "We didn't know whether to think you were - uh - getting friendly again or killing each other."
"Sorry about that." Jason grinned inwardly. The relief of having not only faced Eric but of finally being able to understand his behavior on that night had lightened his mood into cheerfulness - and mischievousness. Since Tommy and Wes seemed to have been talking about more than the weather and had obviously figured out the situation - he couldn't resist temptation. "Actually Eric and I were talking about the whole thing - you know, us having been 'friendly' once - and we can understand if you guys want to even things up a little."
"Even things up? How?" Tommy wondered.
Jason picked up his menu, trying to look innocent. "Oh, just a little payback for - uh - times past. If the two of you want to find a room together and get friendly yourselves, Eric and I can just wait here."
The only sound was Eric choking on the sip of water he had been taking. Jason looked up to see both Tommy and Wes looking very startled and Eric, still coughing, glaring at him murderously. "No good?" he asked. "Then how about a foursome?"
Despite himself, a smile was growing on Tommy's face. Trust Jason to find a way of turning a potentially explosive situation into a joke - and trust his humor to be outrageous! But as Eric and Jason seemed to finally have resolved the issue between them once and for all, he was too relieved not to play along. He gave Wes a considering look. "Hey, no offense, man, but I'll pass," he said.
Wes was grinning by now too. "Tempting as the offer is, I gotta say no, too."
"Not funny," Eric muttered as the three of them started to laugh. "Not funny at all."
- End -
