DISCLAIMER: Not mine. I wouldn't mind though
SUMMARY: Tommy's in a coma. Kim's in the hospital because she went into shock seeing Tommy crash at the track.
A/N: I know it's been a while on this one but I'm trying. I know where it's going but I'm a little foggy on how to get there. Thanks to Chylea3784 for all of her help. Without her, I wouldn't have even finished this one chapter. If you want to read some great stories, I highly recommend her stuff. She's really good.
Tommy's eyes opened to see the hospital room. 'Great. Just what I needed. To end up in the hospital with Kim here. I don't remember what happened.'
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. "I couldn't be that badly hurt if I could just get up out of the bed like that."
"Ah but this isn't the real world, young Falcon." The familiar voice made him turn to see Dulcea standing behind him. "You were most seriously injured. Why were you doing such a foolish thing?"
"Dulcea, I can't go back there. Everyone's better off without me."
"Tommy, you can't truly believe such a thing." The gentle voice was firm and yet understanding.
"Look at everything Kim's been through since she left. All of that is because of me. She would have been fine had I just been selfish for just one moment and kept her with me. Or at least written more often, called more. Something. I'm surprised she doesn't blame me."
"Would you like to see what would have happened to your friends had you not been a part of their lives?"
"Can you do that? I mean, how?"
"I will show you. Then you will understand why their lives are so much better for your presence."
Tommy hung his head. "I doubt you'll convince me but you can try."
"Follow me then, Falcon. We will attempt to mend your broken wings."
****
"Where are we, Dulcea?"
"This is where you lived before your family moved to Angel Grove. Do you remember this house? Do you remember your first reaction to moving to Angel Grove?"
The two of them walked toward the house and climbed the steps to the porch. Tommy looked in through the window to the living room as he heard the shouting begin. "Dad, we only just got settled here. Why do we have to move again?"
"Look, Tommy, my boss had sworn that he'd try not to move me again. He apologized for doing this to us again but he doesn't have a lot of choice. If we don't move I won't have a job in six months. He's trying to give us the chance to get settled in there. And it's a promotion. That's means more of a chance that I'll be able to get you those driving lessons you want. You know that your uncle won't let you drive his cars until you've had the lessons."
"I know. But Dad, I haven't even had a chance to get to know anyone here yet."
"So much the better. Maybe when we get to Angel Grove you can make some real friends."
Tommy watched himself sigh and walk out of the room to start packing his things for the move. He turned to Dulcea. "I remember that. I was so frustrated about moving yet again that I was really mean to my parents."
"But you moved to Angel Grove and …" The scenery changed and Tommy watched as he approached the juice bar and the competition inside. "This time you didn't join the exhibition. You watched from the sidelines as someone else took on Jason."
Tommy watched as the other young man fought Jason and lost. "What happened?"
"You decided to try to blend in here instead of standing out. You never made friends with the Rangers. Instead, Rita kept sending monsters after them. She never had a Green Ranger."
"No Green Ranger?"
"That's right, Tommy. You did not catch her eye and therefore did not end up under her spell. Instead she came up with a monster that almost did the same thing but it could not be turned to their side and so was destroyed."
He watched as Jason and the gang relaxed in the park after finally defeating the monster Rita had created and noticed just how exhausted they all looked.
"But Dulcea, this was just one time. You can't expect me to believe that they are better off having known me from just this."
"Of course not, Tommy. Come. I will show you more of what your friends lives would have been like without you."
****
In his niece's room, Andrew held her hand. "Kim, you need to wake up. We need your help in convincing Tommy to wake up. I don't think anyone else can do it."
