7. Jason: Stutter

It's been three days.

Seems like more.

Zedd finds it all very amusing, and Jason has been inclined to agree.

He was impulsive in giving himself up, had wanted to see Trini and Kim safe no matter what the cost. Going in their place seemed easy enough, had happened as fast as he'd wanted it to. Their release was a huge weight off his shoulders.

Now, though, there's a different kind of weight. Chains and hunger and exhaustion. Concern for the Rangers. Longing for home.

The cell seems to shrink with every passing minute. He's gone from sitting up straight, to slouching, to laying down, and back to sitting up.

When he hears footsteps, his first thought is guards, doing their rounds.

But it's a light sound; running, not walking, someone much smaller than Goldar or his minions.

He glances up at the cell door, and his breath catches in his chest while she's putting the key in the lock, turning, yanking the door open.

Kimberly is in front of him now, staring at him, hands scurrying around his chains, lips moving a thousand miles a second. He doesn't hear a word she's saying, but smiles anyway. He's missed her. He didn't realize how much.

"Jase," she snaps, worried, "Say something."

His heart stutters back to life and he's breathing again, just enough to tell her, "You're late."

Kimberly smiles timidly, everything before this catching up with them.

"Are you alright?" she whispers.

A slight nod. "Of course."

"Like it's no big deal, huh?" She frowns, yanks his cuffs away. "You shouldn't have -"

"It all worked out, didn't it?"

She puts his hands on her shoulders and they rise together. Her eyes stay on the floor. He knows, because he cant tear his away from her face.

"You could have been killed, Jase. It's not funny." She shakes her head. "And what about Zedd's… thing? Tommy and Zack nearly killed each other trying to figure out what to do."

They start for the door; Jason refusing her help. Kimberly with a hand on his back, anyway.

"I wont always be around to make the decisions."

He might have added something more reassuring, something to wipe the worry from her eyes, but he didn't.

He was too tired to placate. He just wanted to go home.