Author's notes – Okay while I adore you all who give me your views on parts and such, even if they're how you didn't like said part, I do have one type of 'review' that I do not want to see anymore of. This would be the comments such as 'no gay Jase/Tommy stuff or I stop reading', 'why would you make him gay?', 'it'd be really good if you hadn't made them gay', 'ew they were not gay yer gross', etc.

I've seen it pop up at least once or twice from various people for my other stories and now on this one, this is it, I'm drawing the line as this is my 16th story. If you don't like them gay or bisexual, don't read it okay? I make them bi or gay because I want to. I'm sick of the hordes of Kim/Tommy reunion fics, and Kat bashing fics out there, but you don't see me leaving whiney little comments on those stories saying 'hello Kim dumped him' or 'you suck for being mean to Kat', do you? No I don't do that. So grow up and stop doing it to me where Tommy and Jason's sexuality is concerned.

Summary – Why did Jason really come to see Tommy?

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Playing with Fire

Jason

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"I'm not miserable because I hate my job." When she opens her mouth to protest I hold up a hand. "Let me finish. It's not the job I hate, I really don't care either way about it. It's something to do and it results in me being able to keep busy and buy new motorcycles."

"But?"

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I was supposed to tell Tommy. I was supposed to turn to him and have him kick me in the ass and make me realize that I had to get out. Well Kat's wearing boots, I guess that's going to have to be good enough. "I didn't get promoted so fast because of my ideas or because I was some big financial master that saved the company millions."

Crouching down in front of me, she gives me an even look. "Don't take this the wrong way Jase, but I can't say I'm surprised." Gee thanks. "Jason, you're an amazingly smart and talented guy, you were Zordon's first chosen, but finances, member of the board of directors in just two years with only a basic degree in business. Come on, I'm not that blonde." Yeah well Tommy bought it. Or did he? Now she's made me all paranoid. "What happened Jason?"

"You know how they say pretty women no matter how intelligent they may be sleep their way to the top?" Okay don't look like that, I don't say that, I happen to know a lot of women who are about fifty times more intelligent than jerks that do say that. "Well I guess just like it doesn't apply to smart women, it does sometimes happen to dumb guys."

"Oh Jase." Yeah. Sitting down on the floor she remains silent for a minute before beginning very carefully it seems. "Alright well, this definitely isn't the time to launch into what all happened as we have a kid in the next room no doubt waiting on us, but I think you clearly need to talk about this and get it out. I'll gladly listen to whatever you wanna share and try and help, but Jason I just…I have to ask one thing and I really need an honest answer." Was it my idea? Well Kat, I can honestly tell you that the situation is about as boarder line to rape as it can get. Man what was I thinking.

"Okay."

"Does this have anything to do with your suddenly desire to come here after all this time?" Damn it. Can't you just ask the other one. The one were I'm not sounding like the completely horrible guy and partly the victim?

Heaving a sigh and rubbing my head, I might as well tell her. Obviously she's the only help I have now thanks to Mesagog. "Yes. I thought…I don't know what I thought. Two weeks ago my boss, the big queen of the world and company herself, told me to be at her place at five so I could get dressed in the tux she got for me and go with her to some party. Before then it was, I tried to tell myself that it was okay and it was like how you and Tommy were."

"Tommy and I did not use each other Jason. I didn't make Tommy have sex with me for his position as leader." Okay calm down, I never said or thought that. You got it backwards.

"No, no, I know. I know you two were just close and loved each other and the intimacy between you guys was just an extension of your friendship. So I tried to tell myself that what I was doing, that it was like that because we were friends to a degree. It made it seem not so wrong and horrible. I mean we had coffee, and lunch, and dinner on occasion. We went to the theater and a few times just sat around and talked."

"So what happened to change it enough for you to realize it wasn't how you pretended it to be?" You got a year?

"When I got to her place for the party she was rushed and ticked off about something with work. She bitched at me for twenty minutes while I changed into this way too tight tux. I told her I didn't feel right and she basically told me she didn't care. She said that I was her little pet to prance around and show off and don't forget it. I was stunned. I never honestly thought she saw it like that. Not to that extreme. I thought at the least I meant something to her, mattered in some way. I told her I was done with it. Said she could find herself a new 'pet' to prance around for her snotty friends. She said I do and I can kiss my lovely job good bye. I told her where to shove said job and left."

Suddenly laughing and giving me a swat on the leg, I guess I should have known she'd get a kick out of that. "You should be proud of yourself Jason. Okay you made a bad call, it happens, the important thing is you didn't make any more by staying when she showed her fangs." Wish I felt as good about it as you.

"Yeah well that's the thing. She won't fire me because she's afraid the rumors will fly or maybe my morals will take a dive and I'll take her down with me. So basically I still have my job but…"

"But it's a matter of which matters more to you." Bingo.

"I really did come here to see Tommy. I mean, I've wanted to before, but every time I tried I just, I knew he'd know. I knew I'd tell him. So I stayed away. I mean I already messed up before this and then he finally gives me a second or third chance after our Red Ranger mission and I figured one more screw up and I'd exceeded my limit. I guess after that last time I figured that what the hell. He'd find out, or get it out of me and worst case scenario give me a good strong kick in the ass. Of course that sort of changed when he turned into a seven year old."

Nodding and thankfully not lecturing me and making it worse, she takes a minute before starting again. "Well I'm not you Jason, I can't tell you what to do. But I can tell you this; Tommy has his own problems, present age aside. You don't know a lot of the things I do about him and I can honestly tell you that in my opinion, if this was part of your original reason for coming here, you should go thank Mesagog."

Watching her stand, I follow her up and give a lost look. "What do you mean?"

"If you had come here and all this had been broken out to Tommy instead of me, you would have hurt him so much more than you'll ever know. Be thankful you got a second chance. Look, it's your call Jason. I can't make you stay and if you don't want to stay and mentor those kids and protect Tommy while he's in this state than please don't. I'll find someone else, Kim, or your folks, Hayley, whoever."

"I don't know what to do. I want to stay, that's not the problem. The problem is what happens because of it. If I stay here what will I do when he's himself again? The thought of getting to be here in this town that's so much like home. To get to spend time with him again even if he's a child right now. To be part of a Ranger team at least to a degree. It's what I wanted since I left Angel Grove. I don't know if I can handle getting a taste of that and then losing it when he's his normal self again."

"Who says you'll lose it?" Moving to the door and giving me a small and slightly sad smile, I wish I knew what she's hiding. What does she know about him that I don't? "You're my friend Jason, I love you, I always will, but sometimes dear boy you are truly blind to what's right in front of your face."

Standing still for more than a minute and taking in all that's just been said, I don't know what to do or feel. Did she lecture me or help me? Damn it. Finally going after her, I head to the bathroom set on finding out what she knows and what she sees that I don't.

"You were gone a long time."

Stopping as the small voice is heard along with the water filling the tub, I wait off to the side of the door, suddenly not so confident and sure about marching in there and demanding insight that she clearly thinks I haven't earned.

"I know, I'm sorry, I couldn't find any bath toys. We'll have to get you some when we go to get clothes. Think you can have this bath without anything to play with and not be too bored?" See she knows how to take care of kids, not me. I'd probably just drop him on his head or feed him something he's allergic too. I can't even handle my own life what makes her think I can handle someone else's? What makes me think I can handle someone else's?

Glancing in to see her cut the water and help him out of the messy shirt and into the tub, I shake my head. What am I supposed to do? I mean he doesn't even like me right now. What if I get mad at him, or what if he kicks me again? What if I hurt him?

"Kat, where did Jason go? I thought you were gonna teach him about giving baths." I thought you didn't trust me to give you a bath. "Did he leave? Is that why you were gone so long?"

Wetting his hair and casually avoiding his eyes, she sighs smally. "He didn't leave. He's just thinking." Much more thinking and I'm going to go crazy.

Looking at her curiously he tilts his head to the side a bit to let her wash his neck. "Bout what?" Oh nothing much, you, me, my hundreds of bad choices that have piled up over the years. God, why did I leave Angel Grove. Did I really think I'd be happier in New York? No, I just thought I'd have an easier time getting over the fact everything had changed. Easier to ignore it.

"Mostly about his best friend and how much he misses him. I think he's feeling just a little bit lonely." That's the understatement of the century. Adding more soap to the wash rag she begins scrubbing his back now.

"Why can't he go see his friend?"

Sighing and apparently growing tired of trying to keep my mess of a life out of his knowledge, I can see Kat just wants him to let it go. Can't say I feel completely bad for her though. After all she may be stuck in the middle, but she's still keeping things from me. Things that might greatly help me make some sense of my life. "He just can't right now, sweety."

"You're his friend." Okay this is making me feel a little better now as the boy will not let it die, which in turn is making Kat just a tad frustrated. She may be good, but even she seems to be no match for a child version of Tommy.

"Yes I am, but I'm not the friend he needs." When he goes to open his mouth she quickly clamps a hand over it to stop him form once more questioning 'why?'. "And before you ask, I don't know why I'm not, but I'm just not."

Having been foiled in his line of questioning, the tike sits still for a few moments before another idea seems to strike. "I'll be his friend."

Looking as surprised as I feel, Kat is once more drawn back into the conversation. "You will?" When he nods firmly, she gives him a curious look before pressing the matter just slightly. "Well if you like Jason and will be his friend, why did you kick him?" That's what I'd like to know.

"That's not because I didn't like him. He scared me. He tired to grab me and I didn't know who he was or what happened. I didn't mean to hurt him. He's not gonna leave cuz of that is he? I'll go tell him I'm sorry. Do you think then he'll wanna be friends and feel better?" I'm such an idiot.

Closing my eyes and banging the back of my head against the wall gently, I can't believe I'm this stupid. Taking a breath and moving into the doorway, I give him a small shake of my head. "No. I should be the one telling you I'm sorry." At Kat's knowing smirk, I roll my eyes and crouch down beside her at the tub. "Sometimes I do things without thinking and I didn't mean to scare or upset you. I'm sorry."

"S'okay. We friends now?" We always were. Nodding instead of confusing him with my true answer, I'm rewarded with a bright smile. "So will you stay?"

Running my fingers through his damp hair, I still don't know if I should have come here or not, but the fact is I'm here now and for the first time in a long time I actually have a purpose and something worth my time and effort. "Of course. This is where I belong."

To be continued……….