Disclaimer: Disney owns, I do not. It's a sad, sad thing......

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but I started working on another little fic (which I'm not done with, darn it!), and I didn't realize how long it had been since I updated this one. Shame on me. I'll do better next time, promise.

Falling From Grace

By: Batbabe

Chapter 14

The minute he stepped off the plane, he knew he was home.

His family immediately rushed over to greet him after the long flight, they seemed so happy to see him. His little brother, Davis, gave him a little punch in the gut, his mom showered him with kisses, and his dad patted him on the back. It wasn't until that moment that Jason realized just how much he missed his family.

After they left the airport, his family took him on a short drive around town, to see what all had changed. Not much had, except a few buildings that were once standing were now gone. But that was to be expected when you live in a city that gets attacked by aliens from outer space each and every week. Actually, it was quite amazing that the city still stood at all after all the megazord battles that had taken place there.

It was late in the evening when they all got home. Jason was so tired from his flight and the tour that he decided against calling Tommy and the others until the next day. More than anything, he just wanted to sleep in his old bed in the room he grew up in. But he had a special call to make before he could do that.

He dialed the familiar numbers and waited patiently for her to pick up. When she did, her voice was somewhat groggy. Though Jason's body was still on Florida time, he had forgotten that it was a few hours earlier where Kim was. He instantly felt bad about waking her up from her sleep.

"Hey, Pinky."

"Hey yourself. I was starting to wonder if you were going to call or not. I'd just about given up hope." She chuckled slightly, not a hint of anger in her voice. He pictured the trademark smile that he was sure was adorning her face at that moment, he couldn't help but smile in return.

"I just wanted to let you know that I got here ok. I would have called sooner, but my folks took me on a tour of town. You'd be surprised at how little's changed."

"I'm sure I would." She paused. "I'm really glad you called. I miss you already." Her voice was quieter at that. She didn't want to make him feel guilty about going, but she couldn't hide it either.

"I miss you too. But I'm not going to be here all that long. Before you know it, I'll be back using up all the hot water." They both laughed at that. He did have a tendency to use up all the warm water in a short amount of time.

"Just enjoy yourself, Jase. You deserve it." Another pause. "Seen any of the guys yet?"

"No, it's too late to call them and I'm too tired to talk anyway. But I'm going to tomorrow." He smiled again. "I figure I'll just walk into the Youth Center tomorrow and scare the crap out of them." He laughed again, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"You do that." She was glad to hear how happy he sounded to be home. The former pink ranger just wished she could join him. "I love you, Jase."

"I love you too, Kimberly. I'll call you again tomorrow, alright? Hopefully we'll both be awake then."

"Sounds great. Take care of yourself, Warrior. I want you coming back in one piece."

It felt like he would never stop smiling, she had a way of doing that to him. "Whatever you say. But same goes for you."

The couple said their goodbyes and hung up, each missing the other like they were missing a part of themselves.

The next morning, Jason woke up wondering where he was. He had grown so accustomed to waking up beside Kimberly that he was somewhat lost without her presence next to him. It didn't take him long to remember that he was home, though, because he could smell his mom cooking waffles downstairs.

When he walked in the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of his family sitting at the table just like when he had lived there. It warmed his heart to see that some things never changed. His usual seat was open, and he walked over and sat down. Instantly, a plate of waffles, eggs, and bacon was before him.

"Here you go, dear. Eat up!" His mom was so cheery in the morning, it astonished him.

Breakfast went along as if he hadn't been gone for over a year, and he was thankful for that. The last thing he wanted was to be treated differently just because of a prolonged absence. The former ranger hoped his friends would react the same way.

He had just found a comfy spot on the couch to play a video game with his brother when the door bell rang. Since Davis didn't even acknowledge the noise, Jason figured it was up to him to see who it was.

When he opened the door, he was face to face with Tommy Oliver.

"Hey bro!" The new red ranger enveloped the former ranger in a tight hug. His happiness at seeing his best friend again was more than obvious. And Jason felt the exact same way. It wasn't until he was faced with his friend that he realized just how deeply he missed him.

The two young men pulled apart and it was then that Jason noticed the anxiety that adorned his friend's face. Something was incredibly wrong.

"I'm sorry to just barge in like this, but I need your help."

.