Author's Note - Thanks goes out to Krissy who has helped finish this part and helped write the NC-17 ones that will be sent to those who want them when the time comes for them. Also yay to Mandi for beta reading.
Summary – Tommy should know better then hide things.
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A Little White Lie
Tommy
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(Sunday 12:15 p.m.)
"Okay so we have the raft, the oars, first aid kit in the water proof bag, is there anything else?" Looking to each of us, Jen waits patiently for any last minute thing we might recall.
"Yeah, floatties for Tommy." Busting into laughter, Alan is asking to have his ass kicked. Man I'm out of my mind, what on earth made me think I should agree to go on this? I should just stay on shore where it's nice and safe and I have no chance of drowning.
"What?" Looking lost, Jase tosses the last oar into the raft and cocks an eyebrow at me. Oh yeah that's cool, let my new boyfriend know I can't swim for shit. That'll win me points.
"What, didn't you know Tommy can't swim for-"
Clamping my hand over my cousin's mouth, I give Jase an innocent look. "I can so swim, don't listen to him, he has a brain injury from when I dropped him on his head when we were ten. I'm a prefect swimmer, I love to swim, for that matter I hope the raft does get flipped over just so I can swim."
"You can swim now?" Looking uncertain, Jen glances to the life jacket she'd brought for me. "Last year when we tried to get you into the pool, you sorta-"
"I said I can swim!" Cutting her off quickly before she reveals my freak out on the diving board I hop into the boat. "My, uh, friends taught me, Eric taught me." There that's convincing. "Can we just go now, please?"
"Sure, but maybe just in any event I should bring this along." Preparing to throw the life jacket into the boat, she stops short as I give her a hard look, before glancing at Jase as if to silently beg her not to deface me in front of the other boy. "On second thought, the water's very shallow and it's not as if there are any real rapids, I'm sure everyone'll be fine." Thank god.
The others climbing in, Jase takes a seat next to me, offering a happy smile as he picks up an oar. "So, you been rafting before?" Yeah right, I can barely swim; you honestly think I'd get into a raft unless it was to impress you?
"No, but um, how hard can it be?" After all she said it was just basically a mellow ride down the small river.
"Famous last words for someone who can't swim." Shut up. Glaring at my cousin, I move a bit closer to Jase not wanting to give the idiot the chance to try and throw me overboard.
"Can you really not swim?" Looking a bit concerned, Jase glances to the life jacket still on shore. "You know it's okay if you can't, I mean I'd rather have you safe than-"
"I can swim, alright. I said I can swim, I can swim. Stop worrying so much." Cuz right now I'm worrying enough for the both of us.
"Alright." Using his oar to push us off the shoreline, he and John begin guiding us through the calm water.
Okay, see, all is well, all is good, there's absolutely no reason to freak out, no reason whatsoever to start gripping onto Jason for dear life. Giving him a completely fake smile, I think I'm about to have a heart attack as the water begins moving a bit faster. "Nice huh." Real nice, all is good, think good nice thoughts and everything'll be okay.
"Yep, you wanna row for a while?" Offering me his paddle, he doesn't leave me too much choice in the matter.
"Uh, sure. Yeah, that'd be fun." Real fun. Taking the oar from him, I stick it in the water on my side, and mimic John, simply trying to keep it in the water without falling over the side myself.
"You know it'd help if you actually watched what you were doing, Tom." Thanks so much for advice, Alan. Shoving me closer to the edge, he gives me a very good view over into the water, not to mention my second heart attack of the afternoon.
"Stop pushing!" Shoving myself back into him, I suck in a sharp breath as the boat rocks dangerously.
"I'd careful if I was you. After all I'm the one that can swim." Growling and giving me an even stronger push, he isn't going to back down. Well neither am I! I'm not going to let him push me around, I'm the Green Ranger, damn it!
"Guys cut it out." Not now Jen. Neither one of us listening, we both continue our fight for dominance. "Guys, I mean it, this isn't the place to do that.
"Well then tell your stupid nephew to stop being such a prissy little baby about everything." I'm being the baby, you started it you ass! Giving me one more good hard shove, now he's done it.
"I wouldn't be talking if I was you, Alan. If anyone has the intelligence and maturity of a baby it'd be you, Mr. Sleeps with a nightlight."
"You sleep with a nightlight?" Cocking an eyebrow, Jase gives him a curious and slightly unbelieving look. "Is that why you won't go on the football team sleepovers?"
Actually baring his teeth at me, he's mad now. Good. Just about to let him sit and simmer, I'm caught completely off guard as I'm suddenly knocked to the floor of the raft by my beyond enraged cousin. "You brat!"
Kicking him off me, I'm not exactly sure how it happens, but somehow, some way, we end up flipping the raft and I'm suddenly under the freezing water. Struggling to get my head back above the surface, I make a frantic grab for anything or anyone. Seeing the overturned raft, I claw at the smooth sides trying to get a grip. No good.
"Tommy!" Jase help! Gagging on the water in my lungs, I go back under, still not seeing him. He called my name, I'm not dead right? That was him wasn't it? Where's Alan I'll use his dead carcass to pull myself up.
Struggling in the cold water, I break the surface again, this time making my mouth work enough to call for him. Morph, I could morph right? Oh yeah that'd do a lot of good, I'd drown in my costume. I can see the headlines now.
Just about sure I'm going to die in a few more seconds, I'm suddenly yanked halfway out of the water, and held against a firm, strong body. "Tommy, Tommy calm down!" Jason help. Clawing at him, to try and get a hold, for fear I'll sink again, he holds me tighter and seems to be shaking me. "Tom! Tommy settle down, you're okay!"
Coughing and shaking my head, still gripping him for dear life, I don't wanna drown. I don't wanna die like that!
"Hey spaz, you're aware you're only in about six feet of water, right?" What? At Alan's pissed off voice, I open my blurry eyes to see that indeed Jase is holding and swimming me a few feet back, and he now appears to actually be standing in the middle of the river. Looking down, I can just make out the bottom of the riverbed and Jase's black boots.
"Cool it, Alan! This is your fault." Giving my drenched and shaking from cold, cousin a glare, he apparently doesn't seem to mind that I'm still wrapped around him. "Are you okay? You should be able to touch the bottom now." Water lapping at our backs, he gives me a worried look, probably wanting me off of him, but not wanting to seem unconcerned.
Nodding and reluctantly letting him go, I stand unsurely on the bottom, cringing as the tiny ripples and waves hit the base of my jaw. Still coughing a bit, I want to go back to the tent and hide now. Keeping my distance as they all begin righting the raft and grabbing the oars, I wad back up onto the shore and have a seat under a tree, freezing to death in my plastered to me, soaked clothes.
"Hey." Moving up to me, Jase just can't let me wallow in my own self-pity can he? "You okay?" When I shrug, he heaves a sigh and sits down next to me. "You know one time in the third grade, Kim got mad at me and pulled my pants down in the middle of the playground. I thought I'd die of embarrassment, especially since I was wearing Mickey Mouse underwear."
"What's your point?" Mickey Mouse underwear?
"My point, cranky boy, is that life goes on and I understand this swimming thing may be a soar spot, but you know it doesn't make me think any less of you. I'm going to drag you out to the pool in my backyard once we get back and teach you how to swim, but other than that..." Yeah well-wait what? Um no, no pool, no swimming, although, Jason in swim trunks is a nice thought.
Laying my head on his shoulder a bit hesitantly, I make a noise somewhere between a reluctance and a tired sigh. "Whatever you say Mickey."
To be continued...
