Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.
Author's Note: My heart goes out to the fireman who have lost their lives in the tragedy that occurred on September 11th and to the ones that are searching through the rumble as I type this. When everyone ran away they ran in to help. They lost their lives trying to save people. That is more than courage. They are truly heros.
Chapter 13
May the Power Protect You
Upon later reflection Tommy would come to find that the time between Jason's death and the wake were blurry in his mind. Indeed, even some events of the wake were like some part of a dream. It was hard, after such a loss, to focus and things came to register very slowly in Tommy's mind. He dully registered that the room once occupied by his best friend was now very empty. So empty it threatened to turn into a black hole and absorb him. He caught himself walking down the hall expecting to see the familiar, brown eyes and once found himself picking up the phone to call Jason at his old number. Moments like that caught Tommy more off guard than anything had before in his life. He hadn't known something could hurt this much.
Tommy was never alone, though sometimes he felt that way. One or more of his friends was always with him. They all travelled in pairs or groups now. Strength in numbers. They supported and comforted each other as much as they could, Tommy instinctively trying to shoulder as much of their grief as he could as well as his own.
The wake. Now there was a event that seemed out of another life to Tommy. Seeing all those people coming for Jason's funeral was strange. It took some especially strange turns when Tommy discovered he was being told to 'keep his chin up' by total strangers. Trini explained to him at one point that many of them were former delegates from the Peace Conference. A few of Jason's old teacher's, including Mr. Caplan and Ms. Appleby, came along with what seemed like most of their old highschool class, Ernie came and the troublesome twosome themselves, Bulk and Skull were also there at one point of another.
Some experiences in those days before the funeral were more coherent than others. Years later Tommy would be able to vividly recall the phone conversation he had with Mr. and Ms. Scott a day after Jason died. Ms. Scott wept and berated herself for not being their with Jason when he died. Tommy didn't know how to respond so he simply told them Jason had died surrounded by his closest friends. The elder Scotts would, if everything went well, make it home by the next morning, less than six hours after their son had died.
At the end of the day, when the last people had paid their respects, the minister who would be presiding over the funeral gave the former Rangers a few minutes alone with the body of their friend. No one really knew what to do. None of them had any desire to approach the coffin where Jason lay so very still and lifeless. They had already bid him farewell. All that he had left behind was his body. The part of him that made him their Jason; the part that made the man they loved so was no longer there.
While the former Rangers had been, at one point or another, somewhat close to the coffin Tommy had tried to stay as far away from it as he could. It hurt too much to see Jason's body lying there. The grief was still too strong. There was nothing more Tommy could do for Jason and that made it incredibly hard to approach the still figure. Tommy was relieved and glad that during the funeral tomorrow the casket would be closed.
"Tommy," Rocky said softly as he approached his former leader. Tommy looked at his friend without speaking. He had barely spoken must since first arriving at the church. Only having said enough to tell Jason's parents, and others who had stopped by, that Jason had died peacefully. It offered them comfort and, truth be told, it helped Tommy because he knew it was true.
"Yeah, Rocko?" Tommy queried quietly glancing up at Jason's one time successor.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself Rocky glanced around, double checking to make sure no one was in the room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly singed object, the tyrannosaurus morpher, "Jason should have this."
Tommy stared at his friend incredulously, thinking he must have heard him wrong, "What?!"
"It was his first and I always felt more comfortable in blue anyway," Rocky replied with a slight shrug, "It feels like the right thing to do, letting him take it with him."
Tommy was still surprised and slightly puzzled, with a touch of grief in his voice he said, "Okay, then."
"But I'm not the one who should put it in his hand," Rocky continued giving his former leader a searching look.
Tommy understood immediately and tried to stall if only briefly, "Why not?"
"You were the only person who served over Jason. Somehow it just seems like you should be the one to give it to him," Rocky replied honestly.
"Rocky..." Tommy began but before he could get any further Jason's one time successor cut him off.
"Please, Tommy. Look, I know you don't want to go up there, none of us do, but you were our leader. You should be the one to give the coin to Jase just because...just because...I don't know why but it seems right. Please, Jason should have it," Rocky didn't know how to make Tommy understand actually what was going through his head. Truth be told Rocky wasn't sure but he knew it was more meaningful than he could quite grasp.
Tommy saw how important this was to Rocky, it was important to him to though he wasn't sure why right then. The brown eyes of his old teammate were imploring, which was very unlike Rocky and Tommy didn't think he could call up the gall to deny his friend this. Taking a deep breath Tommy conceded, "Okay, Rocky, if you're sure this is what you want to do."
"I'm sure, Tommy. Very sure," Rocky replied.
Rocky did not reveal that it had taken him a long night of soul searching to come to this decision and had cost him some lost sleep and a few silent tears. Giving up his first morpher was not something Rocky had ever planned on doing though he had always felt a little guilty in the back of his mind for not returning it to it's original owner after there was no power left in it. Jason had never expressed any desire to have the old morpher back but Rocky knew it was as important, if not more so, to Jason as it was to him.
Tommy took the old morpher Rocky gave him in a trembling hand. He didn't particularly want to do this but at the same time a part of him knew he had to, if only because he felt obligated to fulfill Rocky's request. If Tommy was completely honest with himself he knew it was deeper than that, more important than doing his friend this favour. While the Power had not created a miracle cure for him or spared Jason from any of the pain Tommy felt better knowing Jason had this symbol of protection with him. Maybe the Power would be able to protect him into the Afterlife as it had failed to protect him in this life. For whatever reason, Tommy felt safer and more in control approaching the coffin with the Power Coin in his hand.
Before it registered that he had finished walking down the aisle Tommy found himself beside the casket. It was disturbing to see Jason's body laying there like that. He looked almost fake to his best friend who could hardly believe the midnight eyes would never smile at him again. For a few long moments Tommy remained silent and unmoving as he simply stared at the immobile face that had once been so open and friendly. None of the other Ranger's spoke as Tommy stood in front of the coffin. They knew better than that. None of them would ever have been able to find fitting words for such an occasion.
Very gingerly Tommy moved one of the heavy hands so the palm was facing upwards. He absently stroked the dry skin on the back of the appendage gently with his thumb before glancing at the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin one last time. Tommy placed the morpher in Jason's palm, curling the limp fingers around it so it wouldn't fall out of Jason's lax hand.
For less than a split second a soft, warm, red glow shone gently from the Coin as if the inanimate object knew it had come home. None of them had expected anything to happen but when the soft shreds of light engulfed Jason limp hand it seemed very right. The small reaction soothed Tommy greatly though at the time he didn't know why it pacified him as much and as deeply as it did. Upon later reflection Tommy would decide that bit of light showed that the Power was still with Jason, even in death.
In a voice barely loud enough for the others to hear Tommy whispered, "May the Power protect you."
Tommy reached up and grasped the lid of the coffin, taking a last look at the serene face below him before slowly shutting it. He stared at the wooden box before turning his back on it and walking back to where Rocky still stood, hardly seeing the others sitting in various places around the church.
No words were exchanged between the two friends, no words either could find would be adequate to describe that feelings running through them in those moments. Instead, Tommy reached out and gently squeezed Rocky's shoulder for a moment. Rocky nodded in understanding, tears glistening in his eyes. Tommy glanced around at his other friends before speaking again, "I'm going home. Tomorrow will be a very long day."
With that he left, the other former Rangers following soon after. Tomorrow would indeed be a long day, the day of Jason's funeral.
Author's Note: My heart goes out to the fireman who have lost their lives in the tragedy that occurred on September 11th and to the ones that are searching through the rumble as I type this. When everyone ran away they ran in to help. They lost their lives trying to save people. That is more than courage. They are truly heros.
Chapter 13
May the Power Protect You
Upon later reflection Tommy would come to find that the time between Jason's death and the wake were blurry in his mind. Indeed, even some events of the wake were like some part of a dream. It was hard, after such a loss, to focus and things came to register very slowly in Tommy's mind. He dully registered that the room once occupied by his best friend was now very empty. So empty it threatened to turn into a black hole and absorb him. He caught himself walking down the hall expecting to see the familiar, brown eyes and once found himself picking up the phone to call Jason at his old number. Moments like that caught Tommy more off guard than anything had before in his life. He hadn't known something could hurt this much.
Tommy was never alone, though sometimes he felt that way. One or more of his friends was always with him. They all travelled in pairs or groups now. Strength in numbers. They supported and comforted each other as much as they could, Tommy instinctively trying to shoulder as much of their grief as he could as well as his own.
The wake. Now there was a event that seemed out of another life to Tommy. Seeing all those people coming for Jason's funeral was strange. It took some especially strange turns when Tommy discovered he was being told to 'keep his chin up' by total strangers. Trini explained to him at one point that many of them were former delegates from the Peace Conference. A few of Jason's old teacher's, including Mr. Caplan and Ms. Appleby, came along with what seemed like most of their old highschool class, Ernie came and the troublesome twosome themselves, Bulk and Skull were also there at one point of another.
Some experiences in those days before the funeral were more coherent than others. Years later Tommy would be able to vividly recall the phone conversation he had with Mr. and Ms. Scott a day after Jason died. Ms. Scott wept and berated herself for not being their with Jason when he died. Tommy didn't know how to respond so he simply told them Jason had died surrounded by his closest friends. The elder Scotts would, if everything went well, make it home by the next morning, less than six hours after their son had died.
At the end of the day, when the last people had paid their respects, the minister who would be presiding over the funeral gave the former Rangers a few minutes alone with the body of their friend. No one really knew what to do. None of them had any desire to approach the coffin where Jason lay so very still and lifeless. They had already bid him farewell. All that he had left behind was his body. The part of him that made him their Jason; the part that made the man they loved so was no longer there.
While the former Rangers had been, at one point or another, somewhat close to the coffin Tommy had tried to stay as far away from it as he could. It hurt too much to see Jason's body lying there. The grief was still too strong. There was nothing more Tommy could do for Jason and that made it incredibly hard to approach the still figure. Tommy was relieved and glad that during the funeral tomorrow the casket would be closed.
"Tommy," Rocky said softly as he approached his former leader. Tommy looked at his friend without speaking. He had barely spoken must since first arriving at the church. Only having said enough to tell Jason's parents, and others who had stopped by, that Jason had died peacefully. It offered them comfort and, truth be told, it helped Tommy because he knew it was true.
"Yeah, Rocko?" Tommy queried quietly glancing up at Jason's one time successor.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself Rocky glanced around, double checking to make sure no one was in the room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly singed object, the tyrannosaurus morpher, "Jason should have this."
Tommy stared at his friend incredulously, thinking he must have heard him wrong, "What?!"
"It was his first and I always felt more comfortable in blue anyway," Rocky replied with a slight shrug, "It feels like the right thing to do, letting him take it with him."
Tommy was still surprised and slightly puzzled, with a touch of grief in his voice he said, "Okay, then."
"But I'm not the one who should put it in his hand," Rocky continued giving his former leader a searching look.
Tommy understood immediately and tried to stall if only briefly, "Why not?"
"You were the only person who served over Jason. Somehow it just seems like you should be the one to give it to him," Rocky replied honestly.
"Rocky..." Tommy began but before he could get any further Jason's one time successor cut him off.
"Please, Tommy. Look, I know you don't want to go up there, none of us do, but you were our leader. You should be the one to give the coin to Jase just because...just because...I don't know why but it seems right. Please, Jason should have it," Rocky didn't know how to make Tommy understand actually what was going through his head. Truth be told Rocky wasn't sure but he knew it was more meaningful than he could quite grasp.
Tommy saw how important this was to Rocky, it was important to him to though he wasn't sure why right then. The brown eyes of his old teammate were imploring, which was very unlike Rocky and Tommy didn't think he could call up the gall to deny his friend this. Taking a deep breath Tommy conceded, "Okay, Rocky, if you're sure this is what you want to do."
"I'm sure, Tommy. Very sure," Rocky replied.
Rocky did not reveal that it had taken him a long night of soul searching to come to this decision and had cost him some lost sleep and a few silent tears. Giving up his first morpher was not something Rocky had ever planned on doing though he had always felt a little guilty in the back of his mind for not returning it to it's original owner after there was no power left in it. Jason had never expressed any desire to have the old morpher back but Rocky knew it was as important, if not more so, to Jason as it was to him.
Tommy took the old morpher Rocky gave him in a trembling hand. He didn't particularly want to do this but at the same time a part of him knew he had to, if only because he felt obligated to fulfill Rocky's request. If Tommy was completely honest with himself he knew it was deeper than that, more important than doing his friend this favour. While the Power had not created a miracle cure for him or spared Jason from any of the pain Tommy felt better knowing Jason had this symbol of protection with him. Maybe the Power would be able to protect him into the Afterlife as it had failed to protect him in this life. For whatever reason, Tommy felt safer and more in control approaching the coffin with the Power Coin in his hand.
Before it registered that he had finished walking down the aisle Tommy found himself beside the casket. It was disturbing to see Jason's body laying there like that. He looked almost fake to his best friend who could hardly believe the midnight eyes would never smile at him again. For a few long moments Tommy remained silent and unmoving as he simply stared at the immobile face that had once been so open and friendly. None of the other Ranger's spoke as Tommy stood in front of the coffin. They knew better than that. None of them would ever have been able to find fitting words for such an occasion.
Very gingerly Tommy moved one of the heavy hands so the palm was facing upwards. He absently stroked the dry skin on the back of the appendage gently with his thumb before glancing at the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin one last time. Tommy placed the morpher in Jason's palm, curling the limp fingers around it so it wouldn't fall out of Jason's lax hand.
For less than a split second a soft, warm, red glow shone gently from the Coin as if the inanimate object knew it had come home. None of them had expected anything to happen but when the soft shreds of light engulfed Jason limp hand it seemed very right. The small reaction soothed Tommy greatly though at the time he didn't know why it pacified him as much and as deeply as it did. Upon later reflection Tommy would decide that bit of light showed that the Power was still with Jason, even in death.
In a voice barely loud enough for the others to hear Tommy whispered, "May the Power protect you."
Tommy reached up and grasped the lid of the coffin, taking a last look at the serene face below him before slowly shutting it. He stared at the wooden box before turning his back on it and walking back to where Rocky still stood, hardly seeing the others sitting in various places around the church.
No words were exchanged between the two friends, no words either could find would be adequate to describe that feelings running through them in those moments. Instead, Tommy reached out and gently squeezed Rocky's shoulder for a moment. Rocky nodded in understanding, tears glistening in his eyes. Tommy glanced around at his other friends before speaking again, "I'm going home. Tomorrow will be a very long day."
With that he left, the other former Rangers following soon after. Tomorrow would indeed be a long day, the day of Jason's funeral.
