Author's Note – I know I don't update enough.
Summary – The group tries to help a distraught Tommy by reminding him of just who he is. Don't all kids want to be heroes when they grow up?
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Cold Comfort
Jason
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(Day 9, Oliver Residence)
"Come on Tommy, don't you want to eat a little something. Just a bite or two for me, please?" Holding the sandwich out to him pleadingly, Kira is having about as much luck as the rest of us.
Looking at the food with almost open disgust, the boy shakes his head before laying back down on the couch and curling up under his blankets again. Something is so wrong with him, and I don't just mean the grieving. It's almost like a part of his older self has broken though the child prison he's trapped in. Something about his expressions and the way he talks now.
"Do you want to play a game, kiddo? We can play any game you want." Hand coming up to stroking his hair soothingly, Conner gives a rather disheartened sigh as Tommy simply turns away from him.
"What are we going to do?"
Looking at the three teenagers wearily, I really don't know what to tell them. "Keep doing what we've been doing. Trying to find a way to get him back to normal and keep the city safe." Clearly that wasn't the answer they were hoping. "I know you all are worried, believe me I haven't slept in two days either, but the only way to make this better and help him is to get him back to his old self where this is something he knows and has dealt with before." At least I hope that's what will help.
"If he doesn't eat or sleep he might not live long enough to get back to normal." I'm aware of that Conner. "What if we, what if we give him a little push in the right direction? What if we show him who he is?" I'm not sure I like the sound of that.
"His video journal." Did I miss something here? Turning to me, Kira seems on board with whatever the new Red Ranger is talking about. "He has a video journal, we found it when Mesagog took him. It shows his battles, other Ranger teams, all of it. We could show it to him and maybe…"
"Maybe what? Maybe make things worse then they already are?" Alright that's two to one. I still wish I knew exactly what they were talking about.
Glaring at the Blue Ranger, Conner's temper is as short as mine. It must be a Red Ranger trait, even Tommy got more mouthy when he was the Red Zeo Ranger. "Or maybe it'll get him out of this funk he's in. Maybe it'll help."
"Alright stop." Holding up my hands and silencing the argument before it can progress any further, I turn my eyes to the bundle still wallowing in misery on the couch. Ethan's right this could do more harm then good, but what if Elsa attacks him again? Or worse. Maybe this would help. Of course there's just as likely a chance it'll do unbearable damage too. I hate making decisions for him.
(Down in the lair)
"Wow." Looking around the lair in sheer aw and amazement the boy has at least perked up a bit. "What is this place?" You're home away from home? Too cheesy. Fortress of solitude? Too Superman. Batcave? To nineteen eighties.
"It's your hideaway of sorts." Good enough.
Eyes growing wider if that's possible, his small fingers begin tracing the dinosaur carvings on the wall. At least I think they're carvings. I doubt he'd leave actual fossils embedded into the walls just to make the place look…never mind, they're real. "My hideaway? It's for me? Na uh."
"Well not so much for you as it is yours. Come on, I want to show you something very special." Picking him up as he's already moved from the walls to touching everything breakable in the room, I want to keep the damage to a minimum. Sitting in front of the main viewing screen and putting him on my lap, I boot up the system before selecting the file I want. "Tommy, now I need you to listen very carefully to me. I'm going to play a video for you and it's going to be very surprising and you might not even believe it, but I need you to stay calm and just trust me when I say that what I'm showing you is true and it's in an attempt to help you."
"What is it? Is it about my dad?" Eyes welling up with fresh tears, he's going to kill Elsa when he gets back to normal, I can see it now.
"No, it's about you. Tommy…Okay, how do I put this. Alright you know the Power Rangers right? You saw them on TV, and you know Batman and Superman right?" When I get a nod, I hope I'm doing the right thing here. "Well sometimes in those shows like Batman and the Ninja Turtles, the main heroes they get hurt, or sick, or trapped by the bad guys, or turned into children…"
"Um, okay."
"Well what if I told you that you are a hero like that. That you're a Power Ranger and that while you were saving people the bad guys they did something to you and turned you from someone my age, into an eight year old again?"
Staring at me as if I've grown an extra head, he is taking way too long to respond here. "Is this a new game?" Okay I tried.
"No it's not a game. I'm going to show you a video that you made incase something ever happened to you. Probably not something like this, but something of equal importance. Just, promise not to be scared alright. The last thing I want to do is upset you or scare you anymore then Elsa already did."
Nodding slowly, he at least is still sitting still. That's a good sign I think.
"Okay here goes." Hitting the button, I watch as my young friend's much older self moves into the frame and has a seat before the camera.
"I'm Tommy Oliver and if you're not me, then something is seriously wrong. This video diary is a confidential record only to be viewed in case of an emergency. What you're about to see is a history of my life…my life as a Power Ranger."
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(1 hour later….)
"So what do you think?" Looking at him closely as he hasn't moved an inch in the last forty minutes, I really wish he'd say something, anything at this point would be good. Maybe even just look away from the screen and blink a few times?
"That was me? Really me all grown up?" That was you. See you thought you were cute now, look what a heartbreaker you become in fourteen years. "Was that really for real? You're not just playing a joke on me." I would be one amazing joke if it was.
"No, it's for real, kiddo. You have lived one amazing life and I know you don't remember it right now but you will when we get you back to your normal age. I've noticed some of your behaviors, they're, well they're more adult. More like your older self and I think maybe you've noticed that too. Maybe if you think really hard."
Squirming uneasily, he gives me a small shrug. That's not a happy look. Don't kids normally wish they were heroes? Shouldn't he maybe be excited, at least just a bit? Maybe that's just my hopeful imagination acting up again.
"Tommy I know this is a lot to take in. And I know it's scary. I just, I want to make sure you're protected and after the other night with Elsa I have to make certain that you understand how dangerous she and other people like her are. You're an amazing fighter and hero Tommy. You are the best of the best and that puts you in a small bit of danger and while I can and will protect you, I just need you to understand that you have to be careful."
"That's why she said that about my dad isn't it. She was trying to hurt me and get at me." Pretty much. If you were a tad older I'd tell you exactly what I think about her, but right now you're not and certainly don't need to be hearing any of the words I'd like to use.
"Yes. She wants your powers." Not to mention you as a play thing no doubt. "It's okay though, I have the bracelet which holds your gem, she'll have to come through me to get it and you and trust me she doesn't want to mess with me. I may not be an active Ranger anymore, but like I said I am not going to let her or anyone else get at you and hurt you."
Turning curious eyes on me, he slowly wraps his arms around my waist apparently appeased for the moment. "I don't feel very hero like."
Turning it over in my mind, I finally come up with what I hope is the right angle. "You are though, and your dad would be so proud of you for all you've done and all the people you've helped."
Burying himself into my chest, he gives a sniffle before nodding smally. "So how do I be a hero again?"
"I'm not sure yet, but I'll think of something."
To be continued…………