Chapter five!

Tommy's secret was still being a ranger.

JASON'S BACK!!!

Dino Thunder Meets Dr. O.'s Past

Chapter 5

An Old Friend's Advice

Tommy sat, totally not responding to his surroundings. He probably should be more careful. After all, the only thing between him and certain discovery as the black ranger was a sweater and pair of baggy jeans. He looked less like the archeology teacher he was than ever.

If only Zordon could see him now.

Kimmy and Zordon's favorite phrase bounced around his skull.

'May the power protect you.'

If he'd never heard those words, he wouldn't be where he was sitting now. If he wouldn't have been the green ranger, he never would've had the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. He wouldn't feel responsible for what he did when he was evil, or for what Trent was doing now. He wouldn't have had to force the power on three unsuspecting teenagers.

He never would've been such close friends with Jason or the others. He never would've discovered the leader in himself. He never would've discovered his falcon spirit.

He never would've had what he had with Kimberly.

Or at least, used to have. He wasn't so sure now.

Jason came up behind him and sat down next to him.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey, man." Tommy in a mockery of his usual excited greeting to his close friend and former leader. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard Kim was in town so I called up the others and we decided to have a get together." Jason replied. "And that little girl of yours said you might like some company out here."

"She's not so little anymore." Tommy mumbled in reply.

"Yeah, neither is mine." Jason said, smiling at the memory of his latest meeting with his 18 year old daughter Cathleen.

"By the way, how are you and Emily doing?" Tommy asked, desperate to turn the subject away from him and Kim.

"I honestly don't know." Jason replied. "She went on a trip with a couple of her friends and hasn't got back yet. That was almost a month ago."

"I'm sorry." Tommy said, realizing he was lucky enough to know where his… whatever she was to him right this moment, was at just about all times. If he didn't, then he knew Kimmy was there, whether in public view or hidden from sight, watching her, making sure she was okay.

With Cathleen, you couldn't always be sure.

"So, at the risk of sounding sappy, you want to talk?" Jason asked.

"Nah."

"The you wanna play some ball?"

Tommy thought about it for a moment. "Sure."

As he and Jason stood up and headed towards the nearby park for some basketball, Tommy stopped suddenly.

"Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"She asked me to make her a ranger again. But even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I don't have another Dino gem. And I wouldn't put that weight back on her shoulders to save my life." Tommy said.

Jason waited for him to continue, understanding that Tommy didn't want advice, he just wanted someone to listen. Jason realized that if he's been in the same situation, he probably wouldn't have given Kim a morpher again either. Tommy being chosen by the black Dino gem was a fluke, and he knew the chances of Kim being chosen were slim to none.

Jason just hoped Kim realized that before her anger tore Tommy apart.