AN: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, THANKS FOR YOUR LIKES, REVIEWS, COMMENTS OR KUDO'S LAST YEAR. I HOPE YOU WILL KEEP READING IN THE YEAR THAT JUST STARTED. I ACCEPTED THE BXP2020 CHALLENGE THIS YEAR SO LET'S WRITE. HUGS AND KISSES LADYTPOWER
Chapter 4:
The ride home was filled with silence. Tommy looked through the window, he looked at the trees, people walking to or from their homes, walking the dog. His head resting on the cushion of the passenger's seat, leaving an oblivious sigh.
Jason looked at his boyfriend once in a while, smiling a bit sadly. Tommy was taking this harder than he cared to admit. He placed his hand lovingly on Tommy's upper leg. The fact that Tommy didn't respond was hitting him like a bucket of ice-cold water. He moved a bit more to the middle and took Tommy's hand, Tommy's hands had been folded between his legs. The original red ranger squeezed his boyfriend's hand while he kept his eyes on the road. The radio filling the car with the music of Bon Jovi.
Tommy looked briefly at his boyfriend in the driver's seat, smiled sadly but didn't say a word. The young man turned his head again, where he continued watching everything they passed on their way home.
Jason stopped the car on the driveway. There was no other car in view. Tommy's friends had hidden their cars in the forest, a bit further up the road.
"I would understand if you want to stop our relationship," Tommy said without even looking at Jason. His voice was broken. It was like he sensed that being able to walk in two weeks was too good to be true.
"Tommy,..." Jason said softly but he didn't get a single reaction.
Jason placed two fingers under Tommy's chin and turned it his head towards him, "Tommy, baby look at me." Tommy couldn't do anything else but look.
"We've been through this in the hospital. I wasn't going to leave you a few hours ago and I didn't change my mind now." Jason said
Tommy sighed, "What if I still can't walk in two weeks? What if I am like this for the rest of my life? You deserve so much better. You deserve someone who can spar with you, or make walks into the forest. I am an ex-ranger, had more colors than any other ranger and now look at me, I will need help with everything, Jason and I even don't know if I ever will be able to make love to you again…"
Jason turned a little more towards the passenger's side, as much as his steering wheel allowed. He places his hand on his boyfriend's cheek, "Honey, I don't care about those things. You are alive and that is what's most important. I will be by your side from now until the end of days. We will come through this together. I know you, Tommy Oliver, you are a fighter even when things seem impossible. Now I don't want to hear about me leaving you anymore."
From the first moment, Tommy joined the team, after Jason broke Rita's spell and ended the evil green ranger for good, the first leader of the Power Rangers knew what to say to remove the guilt from his heart.
Tommy opened his arms and Jason fell into them as far as he could. Placing his forehead against Tommy's, "I don't want you to think like that anymore, understood. I love you, man. With or without a wheelchair. Come on let's get you inside." Jason said before he gave Tommy one last kiss.
He opened the door of his car and walked to the trunk, he pulled out the wheelchair and drove it until he stood beside the passenger's seat. Tommy on his turn had already opened the door.
"Put the brakes on, Rexy. I am going to try this on my own." Tommy said, he found his fighting spirit again. Jason knew from work that those spirits would come with ups and downs. How low they went depended on the patient.
"Do you think that's wise? I mean you're just out of the hospital, nobody would blame you if you took it easy the first few days." Jason said in a serious tone he also used in his job as an EMT.
"Just…," Tommy started and sighed, "Alright but tomorrow we start practicing. I want to be able to come in and out this chair on my own."
"I promise. Just try to relax today okay, babe." Jason said softly.
Jason put the wheelchair out of the way so that he could lift Tommy out of the car and into the chair. In the house, Kimberly was peeking through the window. She wanted to know what was happening outside.
She saw how Jason took Tommy in his arms and placed him in the chair before closing the door and locking the car.
"There are a few changes in the house already. So that you can do as much as possible on your own." Jason said while he pushed Tommy towards the ramp.
"Thanks, Rexy," Tommy said. Placing his left hand over his right shoulder to touch Jason's hand.
"sshh, they are coming," Kimberly whispered telling everyone to hide the moment she heard Jason unlocking the door.
Jason pushed Tommy inside and put on the light. That was the sign for their friends old and new to jump up.
"Surprise!" everyone yelled.
Tommy was shocked but in a good way. He looked around him. Everybody was here, his first teammates, his second teammates to Haley and his last team. Even Anton Mercer and his wife Elsa.
A banner hung in the middle of the room where the living room and kitchen split. 'Welcome home, Tommy' was painted in big colorful letters. The rest of the house was decorated with balloons and garlands. There was another ramp from the kitchen to the living room. Colorful ropes decorated the cabinets in the kitchen and living room. To make it easier for him to grab something.
"Everyone here helped to make it easier for you." Kimberly smiled.
"Yes, Dr. O. we placed everything that could be important at a lower height," Kira said
"You were lucky already with a big bathroom and if worse come to worse in two weeks, I will give you a walk-in shower and a stairlift, plus two of your wheelchairs," Anton said
"Man, I am speechless. You shouldn't have done all of this but still thank you." Tommy said with tears in his eyes.
There were music and laughter. They talked about the good old days. Stories that the kids died to hear. It was all possible, Kim had been honest to Ian who she was in the past the moment she said yes to his proposal. Ian thought saw it as the ultimate sign of trust. He learned about Kim and Tommy being highschool sweethearts and the letter that broke his heart but also that made him realize his heart belonged to someone else, to the fine young man he now called his boyfriend.
Jason was talking to Conner. While Tommy was talking with Kimberly and Ian.
"I am glad we can finally meet in person." Ian smiled, "I had hoped in better circumstances but Kimberly and the rest had told me a lot about you. It's an honor of meeting you."
"The honor is mine," Tommy smiled, "Please take good care of her."
Ian nodded, "I will and in that regard we have an announcement to make. Kim, honey will you do the honors?" Ian asked
Kim nodded.
Ian whistled to get attention. Everybody stopped with what they were doing, "Kim and I have an announcement to make."
Everyone listened to what they had to say.
"We are leaving Florida," Kim said proudly
TBC