Summary – Jason has had more than enough of Tommy being excluded and lets the others know it.

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'The Plan'

Jason

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(Angel Grove Youth Center)

"So he got busted by Mr. Kaplin?" Unfortunately yes, and I don't care what Zack says, I still feel partly responsible for that. Shaking her head, Kim passes out our drinks before having a seat.

Nodding sadly in confirmation, I look at my friends in what I'm sure is a 'pity me' look. "We saw him getting dragged back down the hall by his shirt collar right when we ducted back around the corner. That was really the only reason we're here right now and not in detention with him." I swear that boy has the worst luck.

"It's a lucky thing too. The school's already been calling my house about missing classes, and I can't very well tell my mom why I've had to duct out once a week." Yeah don't think she'd buy the whole monsters attacking the city excuse. "Jase stop looking so gloomy man, we couldn't have done anything to help him, like you said we'd be sitting in there with him right now if he'd seen us."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't have tried, Zack. If anything we could have told Mr. Kaplin we're the ones that had kept him in the hall and from going to class." Okay don't give me that look.

"Okay first of all he was gonna leave, he got caught outside man, so us saying that would have done nothing, but again gotten us in trouble too. Guys come on back me up on this one." Looking to Billy, Trini, and Kim for support, he seems rather let down as they all lower their gazes. Looks like some people are still feeling a bit guilty about what they did earlier.

"While I do concur that it wouldn't have benefited either of you to go forward and explain the event to Mr. Kaplin, it might have been a considerate gesture to be directed at our green companion." Come again?

When three heads turn in her direction, Trini removes the straw from her mouth and clears her throat. "It would have been a nice thing to do for Tommy to not make him sit in detention all by his lonesome." Ah.

"Which is exactly my point. Letting him be the only one to get busted, and add on him not mentioning us being there, it's not fair he had to go sit in detention alone while we're all here drinking smoothies."

"Jase what do you want to do about it? It's done, we can't go back and change the past- Billy no." Holding up a hand when it looks like Billy is about to argue that, Zack firmly shakes his head. "I don't care what you can invent or what the laws of physics say, no time traveling to spare Tommy detention."

Huffing and looking rather dejected, the Blue Ranger returns his focus on his math book. Great another one in a bad mood. This keeps up Zordon is going to replace me with a leader who can keep his team happy and together before the week is out.

"Okay that's it, I give up, I completely and utterly give up." Grabbing my bag and standing, I give all of them a tired look. "This can't keep going on like this. Nothing good is going to come out of treating him like an outsider. If one of us had been busted, chances are you all would have found a way to get in trouble and put in there with us. We've done it before. So why should Tommy be any different?"

"Because he's not one of us, Jason." Sighing and waving the others off as they all fix her with looks, Kim stands, facing off with me. "Listen, I get he's part of our team now, we all do okay, but he is not one of us. He didn't grow up his whole life here and as one of our group. I'm sorry but that's just how it is and you all can glare at me all you want but you know you're thinking it too, you're just too scared to say anything. It's not a matter of liking him Jason, I do like him, okay, I think he's smart, and strong, and even pretty cute, but that is not going to change the fact that he's new. We can't just accept him hands down right off the bat and it actually hurts a bit that you can."

"It hurts that I can? How do you think he feels? I'm the only one sticking up for him and right now even that's not meaning much." God I am getting a major headache from this and them.

"It does hurt." Not you too, Billy. "I'm sorry Jason but you're like a brother to us, we're all like family. We've been through so much and not just our special team thing. We've grown up together, shared everything, done everything as a family, and now we have Tommy who I'm sure is a very nice guy, but he's still coming in from the outside. And it does hurt a little that you can so easily accept him like he's been here all along. Like he's already family when he hasn't been through or done all we've done to earn that place."

"He nearly killed you Jason. You specifically. I just think it's dangerous that he hated you so much as to single you out and now you're going to act like it never happened. Like there was no reason for him to do that. Well guess what there clearly was, because he certainly didn't put half the personalized effort into destroying us."

"What's your point, Zack?" Because right now I really don't need this.

Sighing and rubbing eyes, he looks about as tired as I feel. "My point is that even though he's free of the spell, there must have been something under that to make him specifically come after you and I think it's dangerous to not acknowledge that and want to figure out what it was before accepting him into our group. That along with the other reason we gave you, I think you need to step back for a minute and consider it all."

"And I think you all need to consider this. I am the leader of this team. I have looked at this from all the angles as has Zordon. I know he's still dangerous even if he doesn't realize it, there must have been a reason Rita chose him aside his fighting skills. I know all this and I do take it seriously. However he is still one of us, he is our teammate and he should be our friend. He should be able to depend on us as much as we depend on him in a fight and just in general. So whatever you have against him, get over it and get over it now, because he is going to be around and you all are going to be nice to him when he is. No treating him like an outcast, not trusting him in battles, or anything else."

Giving them a parting glare that I'm sure Rita would be impressed with, I make sure to keep my voice just as low as when I started my speech. "Now I'm going to go get him and invite him over Saturday night for a sleepover, which you all will be attending. I don't care what else you had planned, what excuses you can come up with, you will be there and you will smile, watch movies, eat junk food, and be so pleasant to him he'll think everyone of you wants to date him by the end of the night. Am I clear?"

All of them nodding quickly, eyes wide and focused souly on me, at least I finally seem to have gotten through. Good. Maybe this evil thing does have its benefits after all.

"Good."

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(30 min later… Angel Grove High)

"Well I hope you've learned something." That's always a good way to end the soul-sucking torment that is detention. Leaning against the wall and watching as Mr. Kapiln finally let's Tommy out of the classroom, I really hope I can get him to at least listen to me.

Head down and looking nearly as exhausted as I feel he trudges out into the hall only to stop short when he spots me. "This has gotta be some karma thing." Starting to think that myself.

"Possibly." Moving off the wall and over to him, I really can't take anymore problems today. Please just let him listen and be compliant, please. "Need a lift home?"

"You've been waiting all this time just to give me a ride home?" Is that a yes? When I give a nod, not really feeling it necessary to tell him I was at the Youth Center for the majority of the time, he looks rather disbelieving. "You're serious?"

"Yes." Wouldn't be here if I wasn't. Why does he have to make everything so difficult? Why do they all have to?

Looking too tired to argue the matter with me anymore, which I must say is a huge relief as I've done enough arguing in the past hour to last me a lifetime, he seems to surrender to my stubbornness. "You're not gonna leave me alone until I agree are you?" That's the plan.

"Not a chance."

Already walking, he's at least heading in the right direction. "You know there are consolers you could talk to about this needy thing you got going on." Bet they could also help you with that loner thing you have going on. Best not say that.

"Hm and maybe while I'm there I can get them to give you a few tips in fashion sense." That's better, not as cutting as the loner thing, just an easy banter.

Stopping and giving me a curious look, I wonder for a moment if I've overstepped my boundaries already. It was just a small attempt at banter. I didn't mean to tick him off again. "Excuse you? I'll have you know I look way cooler than you." You wish…damn it he does though.

Moving past him and using his own uncaring coolness against him, I barely pause as I reach the door. "Least my clothes fit."

"Low blow, dude." Jogging to catch up and then falling into step easily beside me, I'm amazed he isn't tripping over those baggy pants. Hand-me-downs maybe? No, they look pretty new. Maybe he is some sort of skater boy type. Though I have yet to see him carrying or riding a skateboard.

"What you think just because you were the big bad for two weeks means that you get to corner the market on evilness. Yeah right." Especially not after my lecture at the Youth Center. They should be cowering in their boots for a good week at least.

To be continued………