AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I'm sorry I've taken so long to post. I've been very busy with the end of school and then with just trying to get enough rest to make up for all those nights of missed sleep. I promise to have a new chapter to Dragonkin up soon as well as the beginning of a sequel to Second Chances Saga soon. Please be patient with me as I DO have my sons visiting for the next two weeks.
Danny
Several weeks had passed since the day at the museum, but Jason found himself thinking about Trini's doctor more and more. In some strange twists of serendipity the man kept popping up in Jason's life in one way or another. Two weeks ago, while reading a piece in National Geographic he found him listed as one of the Doctors Without Borders who had worked in Romania dealing with the AIDS crisis there after the fall of that country's communist regime. Last week he ran into him at of all places the gym, where the doctor was lifting weights.
Now, here he was watching Trini compete in a karate tournament- her first since her surgery- and none other than the very man of his thoughts sat down next to him. "Uh, hello Jason," Dr Carstonn smiled at him. "How're you today?"
Jason found himself smiling at the other man, "Hi Kevin." Looking around confused, "I'm fine. I didn't know you had an interest in martial arts."
The man smiled back at him and chuckled, "Actually I do." For a moment he looked off as if remembering something special and said, "When I was about fifteen, several of my friends went to a great deal of trouble to teach me the basics. Later, I found that it and an interest in gymnastics were useful skills to have." Then looking out to the floor where Trini Anne was quietly working through an advanced kata he said, "But to be honest, Trini Anne called me and invited me to come see her compete." He turned back to Jason and indicated the young girl with a broad grin on his face, "She said I should come see what good work I do."
Jason nodded his head, "I think my daughter may have ulterior motives there, Kevin."
The man surprised Jason when he said, "I think you may be right," and then he blushed deeply.
Leaning back in his seat, he looked out over the dojo and smiled, "I have to admit, that I've been discovering that you and I do share several similar interests."
Kevin gave him a startled look, "Oh? What?"
Jason just smiled, "Well, for one thing an interest in pre-Christian Celtic civilization."
Something about the questioning look he saw in Kevin's blue-green eyes, shook Jason to his core. "How did you find out about that?"
"We were at the museum a few weeks ago and saw the exhibit you donated," Jason said. "I was impressed. It was very good." Leaning forward he said, "My, uh…" after all these years he was still unsure of how to refer to Bill at times like these. Finally he just came out and said, "My deceased partner got me interested in the subject back when we were teenagers, and I've had a passion for it ever since."
Kevin just nodded solemnly, saying nothing for a long minute as the two men watched each other carefully. Jason wondered why all of a sudden his palms were sweating. Finally, noticing the movement on the floor Jason turned back to the Dojo and said, "They're starting." Nodding with a slight smile, Kevin turned back to the floor. Some small part of Jason noted that the tips of the man's ears were flaming red.
The competition was exciting, and Jason noted with no small amount of pride that his daughter seemed to have recovered from her earlier surgery rather well. She managed to place first in both the kata and kumite competitions- no small feat considering how many participants there were. He also noted that Jay took second in both, and with almost as much pride he noted the younger boy showing a great deal of sportsmanship in his enthusiasm for his best friend's win.
Because the other dojo in the area was larger it managed to score more over-all points, even though Jase and Tommy's students took the top two places in these two events. Getting up to go down and congratulate his daughter, he couldn't help but notice Kevin beaming with almost as much joy as he was. He smiled and looked down at the doctor and said, "Look, my parents always taught me that half of getting what you want begins with asking." He took a deep breath and said, "If you're not doing anything Saturday night, would you like to go out to dinner and maybe a movie?"
To his great surprise the man smiled, stood up and asked, "Are you asking me on a date Jason?"
Jason shrugged. "You could call it that. If you wanted that is. Otherwise think of it as two friends getting together for dinner."
Kevin laughed, "Which is it?" He put a hand on the bigger man's shoulder, "I mean if it's a date that's fine. I'd love to. If it's just two friends," he made little quotation marks with his fingers, "getting together for dinner, that's okay too. I just want to know which one." He smiled "It's better not to go into these things with any misconceptions."
Jason couldn't help but smile back. He LIKED this guy. He was honest and took a path straight to the heart of the matter. "Let's just say it's a date to find out if we want to just be friends then."
"That sounds like an equitable solution," the other man told him. "How about I pick you up at eight and we'll go see that new Bond flick. I've been dying to see it."
"Sounds like a plan to me." He laughed and the two men headed down out of the stands to congratulate his daughter.
It was an impressive day for the Scott and Oliver homes as they gathered around the two young people congratulating them. As Jason and Kevin approached the gathering of friends and family, Jason saw something that troubled him deeply. If he hadn't been trying to get Tom's attention, he might not have noticed it in all the commotion around them. But, because he was looking dead at Tom when the other man's eyes glanced past Jason, he saw the normally friendly fire in those light brown eyes fade to a cold cinder. Jase followed Tom's gaze back to see it land on of all people Kevin. Jason wondered what that was all about, but he understood that for some reason, his best friend wasn't entirely comfortable with Trini Anne's doctor.
Kevin seemed to notice it as well. Jase could read his body language suddenly stiffen, and if he didn't know better, he could have sworn that the other man was about to go into fight or flight mode. He tore his gaze away from Tommy and looked back at Jason and smiled. Jase could see the nervousness in his eyes suddenly squashed. Then he turned to Trini and said, "Nice going out there."
Trini looked up to see who was speaking to her and Jason saw her eyes light up with a smile. "Doctor Carstonn!" She squeezed past Jay and Kim with a quick "excuse me" and hugged the other man. "I'm glad you could make it."
Kevin smiled down at her, "Well, you did ask me to come didn't you?"
She nodded her head, and said, "Uh huh, but your nurse said she wasn't sure that you would be able to make it. That you were on call."
He held up his cell phone and said, "Well, that's what cell phones are for." Shrugging he continued, "I learned a long time ago that being on call doesn't mean you can't go on with your life. You just have to be available." Before he could continue the aforementioned device beeped in his hand. Smiling he said, "See what I mean." Opening the phone he told her, "Excuse me," and then moved off out of the noise of the crowded dojo.
Jason watched Tom's eyes follow the doctor and wondered what had gotten into the former White Ranger. He made a mental note to himself to ask Tom what it was about later. But, for now he had more important things to do, "What say we celebrate you guys win?" he asked the two young people next to him.
"What do you have in mind?" Jay asked enthusiastically.
"I don't know. How about we all go out to dinner?" He smiled and added, "My treat."
"Yeah!" Trini and Jay said simultaneously. Then they both turned to Tommy and Kim.
"Can we mom?" Jay asked. "Please."
Jason watched as his two friends exchanged nods and then turned back to the kids. Tom finally said, "I have something I have to do." Turning to Kimberly he said, "Why don't you go with Jase and the kids and I'll try to catch up with you."
Jase saw the confused look in Kim's eyes as she nodded. "Okay, hon." Reaching up she kissed him lightly on the cheek, "but don't be long."
Tommy smiled at her and pulled her close, "I won't." Looking over at Jason he said, "Where you guys going so I can meet you there?"
Jason looked down at Kimberly and then back to Tom, "How about the Youth Center? It's been a while since any of us old enough to pay taxes have been there."
"Sounds good, Bro," Tom said. "Burgers, fries, and smoothies it is then."
"Excuse me," Kevin suddenly said from behind him. "I have to go to the hospital." He looked down at Trini and Jay and said, "I just wanted to say, congratulations to you two before I left."
"Thank you, sir," Jay said.
"Thanks Dr. Carstonn." Trini Anne replied.
"You guys deserve it," Kevin said. Then he turned to Jason and said, "I'll see you later."
"Saturday, then." Jason told him.
"Eight o'clock," Kevin told him as he headed out the door. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Uh guys, I need to cut out too," Tom said. "I'll catch up with you at Ernie's." There was something in Tom's eyes as he watched the doctor leave that worried Jason.
"Okay, Bro," Jason said.
Kim watched her husband leave rather confused, but said nothing. Finally she turned and gave Jason a knowing smile, "Why do I get the feeling that somebody has a date."
Jason just blushed and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
She gave him her best valley girl "duh," and then hugged him. "It's about time."
Jason noticed the high five that Trini Anne and Jay exchanged behind out of the corner of his eye. It confirmed his suspicions about why she'd asked the doctor to the competition.
*****************************************************************
Tommy made a beeline to his car. Something about Trini Annes' doctor had been bothering him for a couple of weeks now. He'd only seen the man twice before, and both times something kept telling him that he should know him from somewhere. There was something all too familiar about those blue green-eyes, something that almost taunted him. It was time he made a few phone calls and had the good doctor checked out, and he knew just the man to do it for him.
Pushing his cell phone into the dashboard port of his SUV, he activated it and turned on the hand's free device as he circled the parking lot and hid the vehicle in an alleyway that would let him watch the exit to the dojo. Quickly dialing a number he hoped he'd never need for this kind of favor, he waited for a voice to come on the line. "FBI, this agent Kelman speaking."
"Fred," Tommy said. "I need a favor."
"Anything, Tom. Name it," his former pupil said. "I need a background check on somebody. Off the record."
"What do you mean?" Fred asked. Tommy had always been sorry that Fred had never been chosen to become a Ranger. He'd always thought the young man's skill in the martial arts as well as his quick mind would have made him a prime candidate for either the Red or the Black. He smiled remembering that evening of the celebration after they defeated Ivan those long years ago. Jokingly his pupil had declared that he wanted to be the Gold Ranger. Of course, that was before anyone knew that the Gold powers were alien and no human could hold them for very long. "You know that privacy laws are rather strict about this kind of thing."
"I know, Fred. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think a friend might be in danger," Tom told him, wondering if he was justifying this call to Fred or to himself. "I just need to find out if he's who he says he is."
"Okay, give me a name and I'll see what I can do," Fred said. "I can't promise you anything though."
"Anything you can get me would be helpful," Tom told him. Then taking a deep breath he said, "The name is Doctor Kevin W. Carstonn. He's a physician at Angel Grove General."
"Got it," Fred told him. "Anything else?"
"Nothing," Tom told him. "Except thanks, and that we should get together sometime and have lunch."
He heard the other man chuckled, "Sure Tom. We'll do lunch."
"Man, that didn't sound right did it?" Tom said. "I mean it Fred. We need to get together and catch up on old times."
"Tell you what then," Fred said. "I'm coming to Angel Grove for a week next Monday. We can do it then."
"Good, I'm looking forward to it," Tom told him.
"I'll drop this info off at the dojo on Monday then."
"I'd rather you dropped it off at the house if you don't mind," Tom said. "Or I can pick it up."
"I'm not going to ask what this is all about, Tom. Not yet anyway, but I'll confess that you've managed to pique my curiosity." Fred told him.
"I appreciate that, Fred. I don't want to say anything just yet. I may be being paranoid," he chuckled to himself, "or I may just be being a dick, but I'm afraid there's something about this guy that's not quite right."
"Why do I get the feeling that this has something to do with your friends." Fred told him.
"Because you know me," Tom replied.
"That must be it." Fred said.
I'm sorry I've taken so long to post. I've been very busy with the end of school and then with just trying to get enough rest to make up for all those nights of missed sleep. I promise to have a new chapter to Dragonkin up soon as well as the beginning of a sequel to Second Chances Saga soon. Please be patient with me as I DO have my sons visiting for the next two weeks.
Danny
Several weeks had passed since the day at the museum, but Jason found himself thinking about Trini's doctor more and more. In some strange twists of serendipity the man kept popping up in Jason's life in one way or another. Two weeks ago, while reading a piece in National Geographic he found him listed as one of the Doctors Without Borders who had worked in Romania dealing with the AIDS crisis there after the fall of that country's communist regime. Last week he ran into him at of all places the gym, where the doctor was lifting weights.
Now, here he was watching Trini compete in a karate tournament- her first since her surgery- and none other than the very man of his thoughts sat down next to him. "Uh, hello Jason," Dr Carstonn smiled at him. "How're you today?"
Jason found himself smiling at the other man, "Hi Kevin." Looking around confused, "I'm fine. I didn't know you had an interest in martial arts."
The man smiled back at him and chuckled, "Actually I do." For a moment he looked off as if remembering something special and said, "When I was about fifteen, several of my friends went to a great deal of trouble to teach me the basics. Later, I found that it and an interest in gymnastics were useful skills to have." Then looking out to the floor where Trini Anne was quietly working through an advanced kata he said, "But to be honest, Trini Anne called me and invited me to come see her compete." He turned back to Jason and indicated the young girl with a broad grin on his face, "She said I should come see what good work I do."
Jason nodded his head, "I think my daughter may have ulterior motives there, Kevin."
The man surprised Jason when he said, "I think you may be right," and then he blushed deeply.
Leaning back in his seat, he looked out over the dojo and smiled, "I have to admit, that I've been discovering that you and I do share several similar interests."
Kevin gave him a startled look, "Oh? What?"
Jason just smiled, "Well, for one thing an interest in pre-Christian Celtic civilization."
Something about the questioning look he saw in Kevin's blue-green eyes, shook Jason to his core. "How did you find out about that?"
"We were at the museum a few weeks ago and saw the exhibit you donated," Jason said. "I was impressed. It was very good." Leaning forward he said, "My, uh…" after all these years he was still unsure of how to refer to Bill at times like these. Finally he just came out and said, "My deceased partner got me interested in the subject back when we were teenagers, and I've had a passion for it ever since."
Kevin just nodded solemnly, saying nothing for a long minute as the two men watched each other carefully. Jason wondered why all of a sudden his palms were sweating. Finally, noticing the movement on the floor Jason turned back to the Dojo and said, "They're starting." Nodding with a slight smile, Kevin turned back to the floor. Some small part of Jason noted that the tips of the man's ears were flaming red.
The competition was exciting, and Jason noted with no small amount of pride that his daughter seemed to have recovered from her earlier surgery rather well. She managed to place first in both the kata and kumite competitions- no small feat considering how many participants there were. He also noted that Jay took second in both, and with almost as much pride he noted the younger boy showing a great deal of sportsmanship in his enthusiasm for his best friend's win.
Because the other dojo in the area was larger it managed to score more over-all points, even though Jase and Tommy's students took the top two places in these two events. Getting up to go down and congratulate his daughter, he couldn't help but notice Kevin beaming with almost as much joy as he was. He smiled and looked down at the doctor and said, "Look, my parents always taught me that half of getting what you want begins with asking." He took a deep breath and said, "If you're not doing anything Saturday night, would you like to go out to dinner and maybe a movie?"
To his great surprise the man smiled, stood up and asked, "Are you asking me on a date Jason?"
Jason shrugged. "You could call it that. If you wanted that is. Otherwise think of it as two friends getting together for dinner."
Kevin laughed, "Which is it?" He put a hand on the bigger man's shoulder, "I mean if it's a date that's fine. I'd love to. If it's just two friends," he made little quotation marks with his fingers, "getting together for dinner, that's okay too. I just want to know which one." He smiled "It's better not to go into these things with any misconceptions."
Jason couldn't help but smile back. He LIKED this guy. He was honest and took a path straight to the heart of the matter. "Let's just say it's a date to find out if we want to just be friends then."
"That sounds like an equitable solution," the other man told him. "How about I pick you up at eight and we'll go see that new Bond flick. I've been dying to see it."
"Sounds like a plan to me." He laughed and the two men headed down out of the stands to congratulate his daughter.
It was an impressive day for the Scott and Oliver homes as they gathered around the two young people congratulating them. As Jason and Kevin approached the gathering of friends and family, Jason saw something that troubled him deeply. If he hadn't been trying to get Tom's attention, he might not have noticed it in all the commotion around them. But, because he was looking dead at Tom when the other man's eyes glanced past Jason, he saw the normally friendly fire in those light brown eyes fade to a cold cinder. Jase followed Tom's gaze back to see it land on of all people Kevin. Jason wondered what that was all about, but he understood that for some reason, his best friend wasn't entirely comfortable with Trini Anne's doctor.
Kevin seemed to notice it as well. Jase could read his body language suddenly stiffen, and if he didn't know better, he could have sworn that the other man was about to go into fight or flight mode. He tore his gaze away from Tommy and looked back at Jason and smiled. Jase could see the nervousness in his eyes suddenly squashed. Then he turned to Trini and said, "Nice going out there."
Trini looked up to see who was speaking to her and Jason saw her eyes light up with a smile. "Doctor Carstonn!" She squeezed past Jay and Kim with a quick "excuse me" and hugged the other man. "I'm glad you could make it."
Kevin smiled down at her, "Well, you did ask me to come didn't you?"
She nodded her head, and said, "Uh huh, but your nurse said she wasn't sure that you would be able to make it. That you were on call."
He held up his cell phone and said, "Well, that's what cell phones are for." Shrugging he continued, "I learned a long time ago that being on call doesn't mean you can't go on with your life. You just have to be available." Before he could continue the aforementioned device beeped in his hand. Smiling he said, "See what I mean." Opening the phone he told her, "Excuse me," and then moved off out of the noise of the crowded dojo.
Jason watched Tom's eyes follow the doctor and wondered what had gotten into the former White Ranger. He made a mental note to himself to ask Tom what it was about later. But, for now he had more important things to do, "What say we celebrate you guys win?" he asked the two young people next to him.
"What do you have in mind?" Jay asked enthusiastically.
"I don't know. How about we all go out to dinner?" He smiled and added, "My treat."
"Yeah!" Trini and Jay said simultaneously. Then they both turned to Tommy and Kim.
"Can we mom?" Jay asked. "Please."
Jason watched as his two friends exchanged nods and then turned back to the kids. Tom finally said, "I have something I have to do." Turning to Kimberly he said, "Why don't you go with Jase and the kids and I'll try to catch up with you."
Jase saw the confused look in Kim's eyes as she nodded. "Okay, hon." Reaching up she kissed him lightly on the cheek, "but don't be long."
Tommy smiled at her and pulled her close, "I won't." Looking over at Jason he said, "Where you guys going so I can meet you there?"
Jason looked down at Kimberly and then back to Tom, "How about the Youth Center? It's been a while since any of us old enough to pay taxes have been there."
"Sounds good, Bro," Tom said. "Burgers, fries, and smoothies it is then."
"Excuse me," Kevin suddenly said from behind him. "I have to go to the hospital." He looked down at Trini and Jay and said, "I just wanted to say, congratulations to you two before I left."
"Thank you, sir," Jay said.
"Thanks Dr. Carstonn." Trini Anne replied.
"You guys deserve it," Kevin said. Then he turned to Jason and said, "I'll see you later."
"Saturday, then." Jason told him.
"Eight o'clock," Kevin told him as he headed out the door. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Uh guys, I need to cut out too," Tom said. "I'll catch up with you at Ernie's." There was something in Tom's eyes as he watched the doctor leave that worried Jason.
"Okay, Bro," Jason said.
Kim watched her husband leave rather confused, but said nothing. Finally she turned and gave Jason a knowing smile, "Why do I get the feeling that somebody has a date."
Jason just blushed and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
She gave him her best valley girl "duh," and then hugged him. "It's about time."
Jason noticed the high five that Trini Anne and Jay exchanged behind out of the corner of his eye. It confirmed his suspicions about why she'd asked the doctor to the competition.
*****************************************************************
Tommy made a beeline to his car. Something about Trini Annes' doctor had been bothering him for a couple of weeks now. He'd only seen the man twice before, and both times something kept telling him that he should know him from somewhere. There was something all too familiar about those blue green-eyes, something that almost taunted him. It was time he made a few phone calls and had the good doctor checked out, and he knew just the man to do it for him.
Pushing his cell phone into the dashboard port of his SUV, he activated it and turned on the hand's free device as he circled the parking lot and hid the vehicle in an alleyway that would let him watch the exit to the dojo. Quickly dialing a number he hoped he'd never need for this kind of favor, he waited for a voice to come on the line. "FBI, this agent Kelman speaking."
"Fred," Tommy said. "I need a favor."
"Anything, Tom. Name it," his former pupil said. "I need a background check on somebody. Off the record."
"What do you mean?" Fred asked. Tommy had always been sorry that Fred had never been chosen to become a Ranger. He'd always thought the young man's skill in the martial arts as well as his quick mind would have made him a prime candidate for either the Red or the Black. He smiled remembering that evening of the celebration after they defeated Ivan those long years ago. Jokingly his pupil had declared that he wanted to be the Gold Ranger. Of course, that was before anyone knew that the Gold powers were alien and no human could hold them for very long. "You know that privacy laws are rather strict about this kind of thing."
"I know, Fred. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think a friend might be in danger," Tom told him, wondering if he was justifying this call to Fred or to himself. "I just need to find out if he's who he says he is."
"Okay, give me a name and I'll see what I can do," Fred said. "I can't promise you anything though."
"Anything you can get me would be helpful," Tom told him. Then taking a deep breath he said, "The name is Doctor Kevin W. Carstonn. He's a physician at Angel Grove General."
"Got it," Fred told him. "Anything else?"
"Nothing," Tom told him. "Except thanks, and that we should get together sometime and have lunch."
He heard the other man chuckled, "Sure Tom. We'll do lunch."
"Man, that didn't sound right did it?" Tom said. "I mean it Fred. We need to get together and catch up on old times."
"Tell you what then," Fred said. "I'm coming to Angel Grove for a week next Monday. We can do it then."
"Good, I'm looking forward to it," Tom told him.
"I'll drop this info off at the dojo on Monday then."
"I'd rather you dropped it off at the house if you don't mind," Tom said. "Or I can pick it up."
"I'm not going to ask what this is all about, Tom. Not yet anyway, but I'll confess that you've managed to pique my curiosity." Fred told him.
"I appreciate that, Fred. I don't want to say anything just yet. I may be being paranoid," he chuckled to himself, "or I may just be being a dick, but I'm afraid there's something about this guy that's not quite right."
"Why do I get the feeling that this has something to do with your friends." Fred told him.
"Because you know me," Tom replied.
"That must be it." Fred said.