"Thanks for watching Trini Anne tonight, Zack," Jase told one of his
oldest friends. "I really appreciate it."
"No problem, Bro. We enjoy having her around, and I'm sure she and Mina can find something to keep them busy," Zack said. "Besides, you need some time out." He gave Jase a wink, "What's this, your first date in over a dozen years?"
"Hey, it's not been that long!" Jason protested, but was shocked to realized that it HAD been that long. It'd taken a long time to come to grips with Bill's death, and by the time he was ready to deal with the possibility of dating, he had a daughter to raise. Somehow it just seemed easier to concentrate on that and making the dojo successful, than to try and deal with dating again.
"Yeah, right!" Zack smiled at him. Looking behind him to make sure nobody was listening, he turned back to Jase and smiled. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small packet and handed to Jase. "Here, just in case."
Jase looked down at the foil wrapped package and almost choked at the word "Trojan" written across it. "Zack!" Jason protested. "It's not that kind of date!"
Grinning ear to ear Zack said, "You never know. I hear you Red Rangers work fast."
Jason shook his head, "Zack, I don't think things are likely to go that far for a long time- if ever." He shrugged, "I'm not after that. Hell, I don't know what I'm after; I just know it's time to stop putting my life on hold. Billy wouldn't have wanted that."
"No he wouldn't Bro, and neither do I." Zack could change moods on a dime. It was something he'd always loved about his friend. He smiled, and told him, "Now shoo. Get out of here, and go get a life. I hear they're on sale at Wal-Mart for $19.99"
"That cheap huh?" Jase laughed as he headed out the door.
"Yeah, that cheap, so you don't have an excuse for coming home without one," Zack told him.
Jase turned back and winked at his friend. Closing the door he said, "Who knows. I may not even come home tonight. After all, you know how fast us Red Rangers work."
Zack closed the door and watched as Trini Anne disappeared upstairs into Mina's room. He smiled to himself remembering his and Jason's and Billy's sleep-overs when they were kids. He particularly remembered the little ledge outside of Billy's bedroom window. The three of them would sit there and look out over their neighborhood and talk all night about all the things that were so important to ten year old boys: karate, the X-Men, which teachers they liked best, karate, Star Trek: The Next Generation, baseball, karate. Now he was glad that his daughter could share in the same kinds of friendships with the children of those same friends. Somehow that made everything right with the universe.
Entering the kitchen, he walked up behind his wife Trini and slipped his arms around her. Leaning down he asked softly, "Have I told you that I love you lately?"
Surprised by his sudden onset of affection, Trini snuggled up against her husband and said, "Yes, but you can tell me again if you want."
He smiled and held her tightly saying softly, "I love you, Trini." He could feel a shudder of pleasure run through the tiny woman's body at his words.
"What brought this on?" Trini asked turning to return the embrace.
Zack released her and smiled. The young girl he'd fallen in love with those long years ago, had turned into a beautiful woman. He smiled back at her, "I was just thinking about old friends."
Trini smiled at him and he knew she understood. She always understood him, and that was one of the things that made their marriage so strong. She extricated herself from the embrace, poured two cups of coffee and then sat down at the table and said, "I miss him too."
Zack smiled, "It's more that just that. I was just thinking about all five of us growing up. How close we were. We had very little in common really, but for some reason we all stayed together, and then ended up together. Even after all these years, we all still live here in Angel Grove. That's really a rather outstanding accomplishment if you think about it."
Trini smiled, "I do think about it- a lot." She took a sip of her coffee, set the cup down and reached across the table and took his hand as he joined her at the table. "I think we were destined to do the things we did. I think that destiny is what tied us together, and I think that destiny isn't quite through with us just yet."
"What do you mean?" Zack asked.
"I think we've got one more very important job to do," she told him. "I know that there are still Ranger teams out there, and I think that eventually we're going to be called to serve again." She looked up at the ceiling to indicate the upstairs of the house, "This time in a different capacity."
He smiled, "You may be right. We've all paired off and now our children are getting close to the age when we were called."
Trini smiled, "I'm just a little worried about Jason though. He's alone in this."
"Jason's not alone," Zack told him. "He's got us, just like Billy's dad had the Scotts."
"You may be right, but Mr. Cranston never knew what Billy was. Jason knows what Trini Anne has the potential to be. So does Tommy and I think that's why the two of them are subconsciously making sure all our kids know how to defend themselves."
"We'll just have to keep our eye out for them starting to wear a single color then."
~*~
Tonight was going to be fun, just a girl's night together, talking about girl things. Although Mina was almost a year younger than Trini Anne, they were still close, being the only two girls in their group of friends. The boys were fun and all, but they just didn't understand some things. They spent hours talking about things important to twelve and thirteen year old girls. They talked about how they wanted to do their hair, which makeup they thought would look good on them- neither of their parents would let them wear makeup just yet. They talked about celebrity boys and which one they thought were cute.
"I still say Daniel Radcliffe is cute," Mina told Trini Anne.
"But he's so old," Trini protested.
"He's only twenty-six," Mina countered. "That's not old."
"No," Trini said, "That's ancient. I'll take Mark Neirson any day."
"Girl, that's boy's got more hair than you do," Mina told her. Then smiling wickedly she said, "Besides, I don't think you've got what it takes to interest him."
Trini looked down at her still developing chest. Even though she was a year younger than Trini, Mina already had more up top than she did. "What? I'm still growing," she protested.
Mina giggled, "I don't think that's going to help. From what I read in Young People the other day, he'd be more interested in Jay than you."
"Well, he can't have him," Trini said without thinking.
"What's this, Trini Anne finally staking a claim?" Mina teased.
"It's nothing like that. I already know that Jay isn't interested in boys." She giggled, "I caught him trying to look down the front of Kinesha Lewis' blouse the other day."
"Girl, he wouldn't have to go very far to pull that off. That girl walks around half dressed most of the time anyway. If I ever walked out of the house dressed like that, my dad would ground me until I was thirty."
Trini smiled, "Don't I know it. Dad still tries to make me wear a dress most of the time." She shook her head, "It wouldn't be so bad, but he keeps trying to put me in yellow or pink, and I just can't get it across to him that I just don't like those colors. We compromise on blue, but I like red better."
Mina raised an eyebrow, "Red does have a certain connotation Trini."
"I know. Still, I think it goes with my hair better than blue."
Mina gave her another smile and by the tone of her voice, Trini knew she was in for some more teasing. That was okay though, Trini had a little ammunition she could use on her friend as well. "I noticed the other day while you and Jay were talking he kept wiping his hands on his jeans."
"So?" Trini asked.
"Well, according to Twist, sweaty palms means he likes you."
"Yeah, right," Trini said sarcastically. "I don't have enough up top to keep his interest."
Mina shook her head, "That's not what mom says. She told me that boys tend to look at what ever is presented, but they keep coming back to the girls they like." She shrugged, "I don't understand it. It has something to do with them being hardwired that way or something."
Trini laughed, "That's Aunt Kim told me too."
"Be careful there girl. I don't think she'd be quite so ready to give you boy advice if she saw how Jay's been looking at you lately."
Trini smiled. Now was her opening, "Sort of the same way you keep looking at Adrian?"
Mina suddenly gave her a serious look, "I don't look at Adrian any differently than I do Alex."
"Mina, they're identical twins. I can barely tell them apart and they finish each other's sentences. You could be looking at Alex and think it was Adrian," Trini lay her trap.
"I CAN tell the difference between them. Adrian has a nicer bu., uh. smile." Mina stepped right into it.
"Yeah, right," Trini countered. "I've seen the way you watch him in the dojo."
Mina shrugged, "So he's pretty." She pushed Trini back onto the bed with a giggle. "Just like Jay."
Trini protested, "Hey!" and threw a stuffed mastodon at her, and the pillow fight was on.
~*~
Tommy looked over the file that Fred had dropped off. There wasn't a lot there. Dr. Carstonn had graduated from Cal Tech with a degree in Biology and Chemistry and a minor in physics. He went on to UCLA medical and got his MD. He'd spent the last ten years in Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America working for several world aid agencies. He paid all his taxes and had never had any trouble with the law nor the government. Then why is he setting off warning bells in my head?
Copies of his degrees, his GED, and passports were there, as well as his reviews from his Masters and his published work on mosquito borne illnesses. Still there was something that bothered him. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Doctor Carstonn wasn't going to get off that easy. Tommy didn't lead the Rangers for all those years without learning to trust his instincts.
~*~
Jason hadn't enjoyed himself this much in a long time. He couldn't remember going to the movies without Trini Anne in years, and was starting to realize just how much he'd shut down his personal life. Of course watching Orlando Bloom as Bond had its own rewards too. Growing up, like his father, he was a fan of Connery and Moore. As time went on, he grew to like Brosnan's portrayal of 007 as a unification of his predecessors' styles. He never really cared too much for Dalton as the British secret agent- he was too gritty to capture Fleming's vision, and Lazenby had only had one run at the role. Bloom had taken over the role about five years ago, and had grown with it as much as Brosnan did.
Over a late dinner, he and Kevin discussed the movie they'd just seen and Jason was surprised at how comfortable he felt around the doctor. There was a connection that just seemed to flow between him and the other man. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason he felt almost like he was coming home to an old friend. "So, are you planning to leave the country again?" Jason asked.
Dr. Carstonn gave him confused look, "Maybe. Why do you ask?"
Jason shrugged, "I'm was just wondering. I know you've spent most of your adult life out of the country, and was wondering if you were planning to stick around for a while."
Jason could see a look of surprise on the other man's face. Finally, he smiled, "Is that what you're really asking Jason?"
"For now."
"Didn't you say that your parents taught you the first step in getting something you want, was to ask for it," Dr. Carstonn said as he put his fork down on the plate.
Jason smiled, "Touché."
"Then what is it you want?"
"That's the problem Kevin. I'm not sure. I know that for some reason I'm extremely comfortable around you, and would like to see you again."
"As a friend or as a date?" Kevin asked with a smile.
"As a date," Jason said. "And as a friend." He smiled, "I don't think you can have one without the other."
Kevin smiled. He'd been expecting something like this. He'd already made up his mind on how to handle this situation if it occurred. He and Tabitha had agreed on a course of action a few days ago, if he should find himself falling in love with Jason. He was packed and ready to disappear if he needed to. Putting his hands on the table, he smiled and said, "Why don't we take a walk in the park and talk."
Jason looked at the other man confused. "The park? I haven't walked in the park with a date since I was in my twenties."
Kevin smiled, "Then it's about time. I'll get this." Getting up, he dropped a bill on the table to cover the meal and the tip. "I have something to tell you, and I don't think this is the place."
Jason nodded, the look on Kevin's face was enough to make him take what the man was saying seriously. "Okay."
Half an hour later, the two men were walking along one of the moonlit paths in Angel Grove Park. The park held some deep memories for both men- memories that in a very strange way were both shared and different. Finally, Kevin looked over at Jason and said, "I need to tell you something. I'm not sure how you're going to react to this."
"What is it?" Jason said. "I can't imagine it being anything that we couldn't work around." He gave the other man a serious look, "If you want to, that is."
"I'm not talking about my wanting to, Jason. I'm talking about you're wanting to." He sighed and took a deep breath. "First I guess I need to tell you that I know about your involvement with the Power Rangers."
Jason was shocked, but somehow he knew it was true. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said flatly.
Kevin simply smiled. "Trust me I'm not going to tell anybody." He leaned back against a wall and said, "It started one day in the spring. You, Trini, Zack, Kimberly, and Billy were teleported to Zordon's Command Center in the middle of Rita's first attack on the city. Zordon made the five of you the first Ranger team. At first only you and Billy seemed interested or even believed him. It took a putty attack to convince the others. Afterwards, Kim teased you by making you think she wasn't going to continue as a Ranger, saying that the helmet messed up her hair."
"How?" Jason asked unable to express his surprise. "How do you know about that? Why are you telling me this," Jason felt his guard suddenly rise. Something wasn't right here.
"I had to tell you something that would convince you that I know what I'm talking about," Kevin said.
"But how do you know?" Jason asked.
"After you, Trini, and Zack left for the Peace Conference in Geneva and Adam, Aisha and Rocky took over your coins, the Rangers fought another of Zed's monsters. It was a monster that almost did them in. The only thing that saved them was Kim's quick thinking."
"What monster?" Jason asked, his heart rising in his throat.
"Zed cloned Billy and put the clone under a spell, not unlike the one Rita used on Tommy to make him evil," Kevin told him. Jason could see the fear starting to rise in Kevin's eyes. The way he swallowed when he was frightened, the nervous twisting of his wrist with one hand, were all bringing an unsettling reaction inside Jason. "The Rangers eventually beat the clone and destroyed him- at least they thought they destroyed him." The other man sighed. "In reality, he saw what was happening and teleported away at the last moment. Evidently Zed thought he was dead too, because as soon as the monster he sent down to destroy the Rangers was destroyed the controlling spell was released."
"What did you do then?" Jason asked. There was no fighting it. He knew in his heart what Kevin was trying to tell him.
Kevin shrugged, "For the first month or so I ran like a scared rabbit. I was afraid that the Rangers would find out I got away, or worse yet, that Zed would find out. I was afraid the other Rangers wouldn't understand, and would kill me."
"I can't believe that," Jason said. "If you'd explained it to them."
"You didn't see the way Tommy looked at me, Jason. I think he saw it as a mission from God to kill every monster Zed and Rita ever created."
"But you're not a monster," Jason protested.
"In Tommy's eyes I am," Kevin told him. "Even now, I think he suspects something."
Jason sighed and leaned back against the wall next to Kevin. "So what you're telling me is that you're Billy's not-so-evil-twin-Skippy. That you've been hiding for the last fifteen years or so because you're afraid Tommy will kill you if he finds out."
"Something like that," Kevin told him.
"And you're telling me this why?" Jason asked.
"Because, I AM Billy's clone. I have all his memories up to the point that he was cloned. I couldn't stop falling in love with you no matter how hard I tried. When I heard about Billy's death a few years ago, I couldn't not come back- I had to see if you and Trini Anne were okay. I never planned to even meet you, only to check on you and then move on. Then Trini came down with appendicitis and I had to treat her." He shook his head, and Jason could see the pain in his eyes, "I never meant for us to get this close, Jason." Sighing he stepped around in front of Jason and said, "I had to tell you the truth." He reached out gently touched the side of Jason's face. "I couldn't let this go any further without you knowing the whole story. Why I have to leave."
The last shook Jason from his shock, "Leave!? Why?"
"Because, Tom's eventually going to figure it out. Because it's not fair to you."
"What about what's fair to you?" Jason asked. "You didn't ask to be created. You were under a spell just like Tommy," Jason said.
"Maybe so, but the fact remains, Jason, I'm one of Zed's monsters. I still have the monster healing, the teleportation, all of it."
"What about your soul?"
"Do monsters have souls?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know," Jason said. "But I know you do. If you didn't we wouldn't be having this conversation." He reached out and touched Kevin's hand. "Please don't leave."
"Why Jason?" Kevin asked. "Because I'm Billy?"
Jason shook his head, "No. Because you're not Billy." He turned and leaned his hands against the wall. "Because I've been obsessing about you lately. Not because you remind me of Billy. I'll admit that you do remind me of him, but that's not the reason. I've found myself attracted to the things about you that are different from him. You're more assured, more willing to stand up for yourself."
"Jase, I'm talking about running away here. That's not standing up for myself."
"No, you're talking about protecting me from getting hurt by you. That's taking responsibility for other people- something Billy and Kim kept accusing me of doing all the time." He turned and took Kevin's hand. "Look, I don't know if I love you yet, but I do know that what I feel for you is because of you, not because of you're being Billy's clone. I would appreciate the chance to find out if it's something we both would like to pursue further." He smiled and said, "If you leave, you're taking that chance away from me, and I really don't appreciate having things stolen from me."
He could see Kevin consider his words, "What about the others? Do you think they'd be willing to give me a chance?"
"We don't have to tell them," Jase said.
"Tom's going to figure it out," Kevin told him. "A friend of mine in the State Department already called me to let me know that someone in the FBI has pulled my file."
"I'll handle Tom," Jason said. Finally, he looked over at Kevin and told him, "Look. We may not work out. We may be too much alike to be a couple, but at least give us a chance to find out for ourselves."
"What about Trini Anne?" Kevin asked. "Aren't you afraid to have one of Zed's monsters around her?"
"If you were going to hurt Trini Anne, you've had plenty of chances to do that already." Jason shook his head, "Now stop making excuses."
Kevin nodded, "I just wanted to make sure you'd thought of everything."
"No more talking," Jason said leaning in close. "You're not leaving just to save me from falling in love with you."
"I'm not?" Kevin asked. Their faces were now only a fraction of an inch apart.
Jason shook his head. Their lips briefly touched as he said, "No." Then because he couldn't think of a reason not to, he kissed Kevin.
"No problem, Bro. We enjoy having her around, and I'm sure she and Mina can find something to keep them busy," Zack said. "Besides, you need some time out." He gave Jase a wink, "What's this, your first date in over a dozen years?"
"Hey, it's not been that long!" Jason protested, but was shocked to realized that it HAD been that long. It'd taken a long time to come to grips with Bill's death, and by the time he was ready to deal with the possibility of dating, he had a daughter to raise. Somehow it just seemed easier to concentrate on that and making the dojo successful, than to try and deal with dating again.
"Yeah, right!" Zack smiled at him. Looking behind him to make sure nobody was listening, he turned back to Jase and smiled. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small packet and handed to Jase. "Here, just in case."
Jase looked down at the foil wrapped package and almost choked at the word "Trojan" written across it. "Zack!" Jason protested. "It's not that kind of date!"
Grinning ear to ear Zack said, "You never know. I hear you Red Rangers work fast."
Jason shook his head, "Zack, I don't think things are likely to go that far for a long time- if ever." He shrugged, "I'm not after that. Hell, I don't know what I'm after; I just know it's time to stop putting my life on hold. Billy wouldn't have wanted that."
"No he wouldn't Bro, and neither do I." Zack could change moods on a dime. It was something he'd always loved about his friend. He smiled, and told him, "Now shoo. Get out of here, and go get a life. I hear they're on sale at Wal-Mart for $19.99"
"That cheap huh?" Jase laughed as he headed out the door.
"Yeah, that cheap, so you don't have an excuse for coming home without one," Zack told him.
Jase turned back and winked at his friend. Closing the door he said, "Who knows. I may not even come home tonight. After all, you know how fast us Red Rangers work."
Zack closed the door and watched as Trini Anne disappeared upstairs into Mina's room. He smiled to himself remembering his and Jason's and Billy's sleep-overs when they were kids. He particularly remembered the little ledge outside of Billy's bedroom window. The three of them would sit there and look out over their neighborhood and talk all night about all the things that were so important to ten year old boys: karate, the X-Men, which teachers they liked best, karate, Star Trek: The Next Generation, baseball, karate. Now he was glad that his daughter could share in the same kinds of friendships with the children of those same friends. Somehow that made everything right with the universe.
Entering the kitchen, he walked up behind his wife Trini and slipped his arms around her. Leaning down he asked softly, "Have I told you that I love you lately?"
Surprised by his sudden onset of affection, Trini snuggled up against her husband and said, "Yes, but you can tell me again if you want."
He smiled and held her tightly saying softly, "I love you, Trini." He could feel a shudder of pleasure run through the tiny woman's body at his words.
"What brought this on?" Trini asked turning to return the embrace.
Zack released her and smiled. The young girl he'd fallen in love with those long years ago, had turned into a beautiful woman. He smiled back at her, "I was just thinking about old friends."
Trini smiled at him and he knew she understood. She always understood him, and that was one of the things that made their marriage so strong. She extricated herself from the embrace, poured two cups of coffee and then sat down at the table and said, "I miss him too."
Zack smiled, "It's more that just that. I was just thinking about all five of us growing up. How close we were. We had very little in common really, but for some reason we all stayed together, and then ended up together. Even after all these years, we all still live here in Angel Grove. That's really a rather outstanding accomplishment if you think about it."
Trini smiled, "I do think about it- a lot." She took a sip of her coffee, set the cup down and reached across the table and took his hand as he joined her at the table. "I think we were destined to do the things we did. I think that destiny is what tied us together, and I think that destiny isn't quite through with us just yet."
"What do you mean?" Zack asked.
"I think we've got one more very important job to do," she told him. "I know that there are still Ranger teams out there, and I think that eventually we're going to be called to serve again." She looked up at the ceiling to indicate the upstairs of the house, "This time in a different capacity."
He smiled, "You may be right. We've all paired off and now our children are getting close to the age when we were called."
Trini smiled, "I'm just a little worried about Jason though. He's alone in this."
"Jason's not alone," Zack told him. "He's got us, just like Billy's dad had the Scotts."
"You may be right, but Mr. Cranston never knew what Billy was. Jason knows what Trini Anne has the potential to be. So does Tommy and I think that's why the two of them are subconsciously making sure all our kids know how to defend themselves."
"We'll just have to keep our eye out for them starting to wear a single color then."
~*~
Tonight was going to be fun, just a girl's night together, talking about girl things. Although Mina was almost a year younger than Trini Anne, they were still close, being the only two girls in their group of friends. The boys were fun and all, but they just didn't understand some things. They spent hours talking about things important to twelve and thirteen year old girls. They talked about how they wanted to do their hair, which makeup they thought would look good on them- neither of their parents would let them wear makeup just yet. They talked about celebrity boys and which one they thought were cute.
"I still say Daniel Radcliffe is cute," Mina told Trini Anne.
"But he's so old," Trini protested.
"He's only twenty-six," Mina countered. "That's not old."
"No," Trini said, "That's ancient. I'll take Mark Neirson any day."
"Girl, that's boy's got more hair than you do," Mina told her. Then smiling wickedly she said, "Besides, I don't think you've got what it takes to interest him."
Trini looked down at her still developing chest. Even though she was a year younger than Trini, Mina already had more up top than she did. "What? I'm still growing," she protested.
Mina giggled, "I don't think that's going to help. From what I read in Young People the other day, he'd be more interested in Jay than you."
"Well, he can't have him," Trini said without thinking.
"What's this, Trini Anne finally staking a claim?" Mina teased.
"It's nothing like that. I already know that Jay isn't interested in boys." She giggled, "I caught him trying to look down the front of Kinesha Lewis' blouse the other day."
"Girl, he wouldn't have to go very far to pull that off. That girl walks around half dressed most of the time anyway. If I ever walked out of the house dressed like that, my dad would ground me until I was thirty."
Trini smiled, "Don't I know it. Dad still tries to make me wear a dress most of the time." She shook her head, "It wouldn't be so bad, but he keeps trying to put me in yellow or pink, and I just can't get it across to him that I just don't like those colors. We compromise on blue, but I like red better."
Mina raised an eyebrow, "Red does have a certain connotation Trini."
"I know. Still, I think it goes with my hair better than blue."
Mina gave her another smile and by the tone of her voice, Trini knew she was in for some more teasing. That was okay though, Trini had a little ammunition she could use on her friend as well. "I noticed the other day while you and Jay were talking he kept wiping his hands on his jeans."
"So?" Trini asked.
"Well, according to Twist, sweaty palms means he likes you."
"Yeah, right," Trini said sarcastically. "I don't have enough up top to keep his interest."
Mina shook her head, "That's not what mom says. She told me that boys tend to look at what ever is presented, but they keep coming back to the girls they like." She shrugged, "I don't understand it. It has something to do with them being hardwired that way or something."
Trini laughed, "That's Aunt Kim told me too."
"Be careful there girl. I don't think she'd be quite so ready to give you boy advice if she saw how Jay's been looking at you lately."
Trini smiled. Now was her opening, "Sort of the same way you keep looking at Adrian?"
Mina suddenly gave her a serious look, "I don't look at Adrian any differently than I do Alex."
"Mina, they're identical twins. I can barely tell them apart and they finish each other's sentences. You could be looking at Alex and think it was Adrian," Trini lay her trap.
"I CAN tell the difference between them. Adrian has a nicer bu., uh. smile." Mina stepped right into it.
"Yeah, right," Trini countered. "I've seen the way you watch him in the dojo."
Mina shrugged, "So he's pretty." She pushed Trini back onto the bed with a giggle. "Just like Jay."
Trini protested, "Hey!" and threw a stuffed mastodon at her, and the pillow fight was on.
~*~
Tommy looked over the file that Fred had dropped off. There wasn't a lot there. Dr. Carstonn had graduated from Cal Tech with a degree in Biology and Chemistry and a minor in physics. He went on to UCLA medical and got his MD. He'd spent the last ten years in Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America working for several world aid agencies. He paid all his taxes and had never had any trouble with the law nor the government. Then why is he setting off warning bells in my head?
Copies of his degrees, his GED, and passports were there, as well as his reviews from his Masters and his published work on mosquito borne illnesses. Still there was something that bothered him. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Doctor Carstonn wasn't going to get off that easy. Tommy didn't lead the Rangers for all those years without learning to trust his instincts.
~*~
Jason hadn't enjoyed himself this much in a long time. He couldn't remember going to the movies without Trini Anne in years, and was starting to realize just how much he'd shut down his personal life. Of course watching Orlando Bloom as Bond had its own rewards too. Growing up, like his father, he was a fan of Connery and Moore. As time went on, he grew to like Brosnan's portrayal of 007 as a unification of his predecessors' styles. He never really cared too much for Dalton as the British secret agent- he was too gritty to capture Fleming's vision, and Lazenby had only had one run at the role. Bloom had taken over the role about five years ago, and had grown with it as much as Brosnan did.
Over a late dinner, he and Kevin discussed the movie they'd just seen and Jason was surprised at how comfortable he felt around the doctor. There was a connection that just seemed to flow between him and the other man. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason he felt almost like he was coming home to an old friend. "So, are you planning to leave the country again?" Jason asked.
Dr. Carstonn gave him confused look, "Maybe. Why do you ask?"
Jason shrugged, "I'm was just wondering. I know you've spent most of your adult life out of the country, and was wondering if you were planning to stick around for a while."
Jason could see a look of surprise on the other man's face. Finally, he smiled, "Is that what you're really asking Jason?"
"For now."
"Didn't you say that your parents taught you the first step in getting something you want, was to ask for it," Dr. Carstonn said as he put his fork down on the plate.
Jason smiled, "Touché."
"Then what is it you want?"
"That's the problem Kevin. I'm not sure. I know that for some reason I'm extremely comfortable around you, and would like to see you again."
"As a friend or as a date?" Kevin asked with a smile.
"As a date," Jason said. "And as a friend." He smiled, "I don't think you can have one without the other."
Kevin smiled. He'd been expecting something like this. He'd already made up his mind on how to handle this situation if it occurred. He and Tabitha had agreed on a course of action a few days ago, if he should find himself falling in love with Jason. He was packed and ready to disappear if he needed to. Putting his hands on the table, he smiled and said, "Why don't we take a walk in the park and talk."
Jason looked at the other man confused. "The park? I haven't walked in the park with a date since I was in my twenties."
Kevin smiled, "Then it's about time. I'll get this." Getting up, he dropped a bill on the table to cover the meal and the tip. "I have something to tell you, and I don't think this is the place."
Jason nodded, the look on Kevin's face was enough to make him take what the man was saying seriously. "Okay."
Half an hour later, the two men were walking along one of the moonlit paths in Angel Grove Park. The park held some deep memories for both men- memories that in a very strange way were both shared and different. Finally, Kevin looked over at Jason and said, "I need to tell you something. I'm not sure how you're going to react to this."
"What is it?" Jason said. "I can't imagine it being anything that we couldn't work around." He gave the other man a serious look, "If you want to, that is."
"I'm not talking about my wanting to, Jason. I'm talking about you're wanting to." He sighed and took a deep breath. "First I guess I need to tell you that I know about your involvement with the Power Rangers."
Jason was shocked, but somehow he knew it was true. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said flatly.
Kevin simply smiled. "Trust me I'm not going to tell anybody." He leaned back against a wall and said, "It started one day in the spring. You, Trini, Zack, Kimberly, and Billy were teleported to Zordon's Command Center in the middle of Rita's first attack on the city. Zordon made the five of you the first Ranger team. At first only you and Billy seemed interested or even believed him. It took a putty attack to convince the others. Afterwards, Kim teased you by making you think she wasn't going to continue as a Ranger, saying that the helmet messed up her hair."
"How?" Jason asked unable to express his surprise. "How do you know about that? Why are you telling me this," Jason felt his guard suddenly rise. Something wasn't right here.
"I had to tell you something that would convince you that I know what I'm talking about," Kevin said.
"But how do you know?" Jason asked.
"After you, Trini, and Zack left for the Peace Conference in Geneva and Adam, Aisha and Rocky took over your coins, the Rangers fought another of Zed's monsters. It was a monster that almost did them in. The only thing that saved them was Kim's quick thinking."
"What monster?" Jason asked, his heart rising in his throat.
"Zed cloned Billy and put the clone under a spell, not unlike the one Rita used on Tommy to make him evil," Kevin told him. Jason could see the fear starting to rise in Kevin's eyes. The way he swallowed when he was frightened, the nervous twisting of his wrist with one hand, were all bringing an unsettling reaction inside Jason. "The Rangers eventually beat the clone and destroyed him- at least they thought they destroyed him." The other man sighed. "In reality, he saw what was happening and teleported away at the last moment. Evidently Zed thought he was dead too, because as soon as the monster he sent down to destroy the Rangers was destroyed the controlling spell was released."
"What did you do then?" Jason asked. There was no fighting it. He knew in his heart what Kevin was trying to tell him.
Kevin shrugged, "For the first month or so I ran like a scared rabbit. I was afraid that the Rangers would find out I got away, or worse yet, that Zed would find out. I was afraid the other Rangers wouldn't understand, and would kill me."
"I can't believe that," Jason said. "If you'd explained it to them."
"You didn't see the way Tommy looked at me, Jason. I think he saw it as a mission from God to kill every monster Zed and Rita ever created."
"But you're not a monster," Jason protested.
"In Tommy's eyes I am," Kevin told him. "Even now, I think he suspects something."
Jason sighed and leaned back against the wall next to Kevin. "So what you're telling me is that you're Billy's not-so-evil-twin-Skippy. That you've been hiding for the last fifteen years or so because you're afraid Tommy will kill you if he finds out."
"Something like that," Kevin told him.
"And you're telling me this why?" Jason asked.
"Because, I AM Billy's clone. I have all his memories up to the point that he was cloned. I couldn't stop falling in love with you no matter how hard I tried. When I heard about Billy's death a few years ago, I couldn't not come back- I had to see if you and Trini Anne were okay. I never planned to even meet you, only to check on you and then move on. Then Trini came down with appendicitis and I had to treat her." He shook his head, and Jason could see the pain in his eyes, "I never meant for us to get this close, Jason." Sighing he stepped around in front of Jason and said, "I had to tell you the truth." He reached out gently touched the side of Jason's face. "I couldn't let this go any further without you knowing the whole story. Why I have to leave."
The last shook Jason from his shock, "Leave!? Why?"
"Because, Tom's eventually going to figure it out. Because it's not fair to you."
"What about what's fair to you?" Jason asked. "You didn't ask to be created. You were under a spell just like Tommy," Jason said.
"Maybe so, but the fact remains, Jason, I'm one of Zed's monsters. I still have the monster healing, the teleportation, all of it."
"What about your soul?"
"Do monsters have souls?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know," Jason said. "But I know you do. If you didn't we wouldn't be having this conversation." He reached out and touched Kevin's hand. "Please don't leave."
"Why Jason?" Kevin asked. "Because I'm Billy?"
Jason shook his head, "No. Because you're not Billy." He turned and leaned his hands against the wall. "Because I've been obsessing about you lately. Not because you remind me of Billy. I'll admit that you do remind me of him, but that's not the reason. I've found myself attracted to the things about you that are different from him. You're more assured, more willing to stand up for yourself."
"Jase, I'm talking about running away here. That's not standing up for myself."
"No, you're talking about protecting me from getting hurt by you. That's taking responsibility for other people- something Billy and Kim kept accusing me of doing all the time." He turned and took Kevin's hand. "Look, I don't know if I love you yet, but I do know that what I feel for you is because of you, not because of you're being Billy's clone. I would appreciate the chance to find out if it's something we both would like to pursue further." He smiled and said, "If you leave, you're taking that chance away from me, and I really don't appreciate having things stolen from me."
He could see Kevin consider his words, "What about the others? Do you think they'd be willing to give me a chance?"
"We don't have to tell them," Jase said.
"Tom's going to figure it out," Kevin told him. "A friend of mine in the State Department already called me to let me know that someone in the FBI has pulled my file."
"I'll handle Tom," Jason said. Finally, he looked over at Kevin and told him, "Look. We may not work out. We may be too much alike to be a couple, but at least give us a chance to find out for ourselves."
"What about Trini Anne?" Kevin asked. "Aren't you afraid to have one of Zed's monsters around her?"
"If you were going to hurt Trini Anne, you've had plenty of chances to do that already." Jason shook his head, "Now stop making excuses."
Kevin nodded, "I just wanted to make sure you'd thought of everything."
"No more talking," Jason said leaning in close. "You're not leaving just to save me from falling in love with you."
"I'm not?" Kevin asked. Their faces were now only a fraction of an inch apart.
Jason shook his head. Their lips briefly touched as he said, "No." Then because he couldn't think of a reason not to, he kissed Kevin.