A/N: I know the formatting was screwed up on the prologue and I'm sorry about that, I was having a problem with MS word and was using word pad for that chapter. This should be better. As always, thanks to my beta reader, Pern.
Billy
had finally been released from the hospital a week later and Jason
brought him back to his house. He stopped the car and popped the
trunk, then got out of the car and went around back. He sighed as he
brought out the wheelchair his friend was now being forced to use.
Unfolding it, he brought it over to the passenger side where
Billy was waiting. He unbuckled his friend and carefully lifted him
out of the car and sat him in the chair and then realized something –
his house wasn't equipped for a wheelchair. The only way he'd be
able to get them both in the house would be to carry Billy in first
and put him on the couch and then bring the chair in next. And that
was exactly what Jason did.
Billy cursed under his breath as Jason settled him once again into the chair. "I really hate this thing."
"I know buddy." Jason said. "I hate seeing you like that. But you're alive and I'm grateful for that." This was the truth. And this was also the reason why Jason had volunteered to house his friends until they could get around on their own better then they could now. He would do anything for his friends; they were more like family to him than anything. And Jason had always been taught to help those in need. And that faith had been made stronger when Jason had been made a Ranger. As the leader, he'd felt it was his job to watch out for his friends both on and off the battle field. He'd always blamed himself if any of them had gotten hurt in battle. And even now, though he was no longer a Ranger (as of just recently the Gold power had been given back to Trey), he still felt the need to protect his friends, especially Billy.
"Jason?" Billy's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"I asked you what you were thinking about." Billy repeated patiently.
"Oh, just about everything that's happened over the last couple years." Jason told him."
"Yeah, we have been
through a lot." Billy agreed as he surveyed his new surroundings.
Even though he'd spent much of his youth here, the house seemed a
bit different. Maybe it was because Jason's parents had bought an
apartment closer to town and left the house to their son but whatever
it was, the house just seemed different to him. Or maybe it was just
his current situation.
"Tommy, what on earth are you doing?"
Jason demanded.
"Uh – trying to wash these." Tommy replied, pointing to a basket of clothes on top of the washing machine.
Jason chuckled in amusement at the situation. Since Tommy had a cast on his right arm to help his shoulder heal he couldn't lift the laundry detergent bottle. So he'd taken an empty coke bottle and poured some of the laundry detergent into it (though how he'd managed it with one hand, Jason wasn't quite sure) to make it easier for him to handle. "Tommy, you don't have to do that. You're a guest here."
"I know, but I wanted to do something Jase, and I'm not incompetent." Tommy reminded him.
"I know you're not." Jason told him. "But you're a guest Tommy; you don't have to do this."
"I'd like to feel that I'm earning my keep." Tommy told him. "Because you really don't need to do this for me Jason, I'm not as bad off as Billy is."
"I realize that, Tommy." Jason said again, his patience trying from his sleepless nights. "Besides, with the two of us here, we should have Billy back on his feet in no time." He replied, grinning at his friend. "Thanks Tommy, I appreciate it. At least it's one less thing I have to do tonight."
"I'm glad I could help." Tommy said as he finished filling the machine then started it. "Oh, and I ordered a couple pizzas for dinner, I figured it'd be a lot easier than making something tonight."
"You read my mind, bro." Jason replied, sitting down on the couch next to Billy and leaning back and shutting his eyes.
"Maybe you should get some sleep." Billy suggested. "You look like hell, literally."
"Billy's right bro, you need some sleep. You're not going to be of help to either of us if you end up in the hospital due to exhaustion."
"I think you're right." Jason agreed. "Maybe a nap would help." He finally gave in and giving a small wave headed towards his bedroom leaving Billy and Tommy alone.
The boys just stared at each other until Billy finally broke the silence.
"Don't blame yourself Tommy because this isn't your fault."
"You've been talking to Jason I see." Tommy said in response.
"It isn't just Jason, Rocky noticed it to. And more importantly, I've noticed it; I can see it in your eyes. You barely look me in the eye; it's clear that you blame yourself for what happened."
"Because I was driving Billy, if I hadn't been driving then this wouldn't have happened."
"No Tommy that's not true; it could have happened to me if I'd been driving, or to Jason or to Rocky or Adam or any of the others. You couldn't predict the weather; you had no idea that Mother Nature was going to give us a snow storm."
"I know that Billy, I heard it all from both Jason and Rocky. But I can't help but think that if you never walk again it'll be my fault."
"It won't come to that. Tommy, you're my witness to what I'm about to say. Here and now I vow that I will walk again; in fact I vow that I will walk by the time I graduate."
"You graduate in four months." Tommy pointed out.
"Then in four months I will be walking. I refuse to let this rule my life, Tommy."
"Four months is asking a lot though, Billy." Tommy said warily.
Billy just smiled. "Remember who you're talking to, Tommy. I worked too hard to graduate early and I'm not going to let anything stand in my way."
"Then I'm with you, Billy. And I will support you."
"Thanks." Billy said, and then remembered something. "How come you never visited me after I woke up?"
"How do you know I didn't?"
"I'm not dumb Tommy." Billy told him. "Jason was there every day, Rocky and Adam were there two or three times a day, Kat and Tanya came by a couple days, even Kim flew in from Florida for a couple days and Zack and Trini both called from Switzerland. But you never stopped by once."
Tommy chuckled. "I wanted to visit but Jason wouldn't let me, he kept telling me that my negative attitude wouldn't help you any."
"And he was probably right." Billy said. "Just promise me that you'll stop blaming yourself. I'm not going to let this interfere with my life and I don't want you to let it to, either."
Tommy gave him a small smile. "I promise."
"Good." Billy said, giving a genuine smile. "Now go check your clothes; I'm going to follow Jason's example and take a nap."
