A Ranger Retreat
By
A Warrior's Prophet
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Authors' Notes: Please check out a new Facebook page started by a couple of friends of ours—Power Rangers Fanfiction Writers Forum. It's a great place to discuss the ins and outs of writing plus meet other authors and talk up your own stories. We'll be glad to chat with you!
Chapter 4—There When You Need Us
Jason sighed softly as they finally pulled into Tommy's driveway. "Why does that drive seem longer today?"
"Because you're worried about Tommy and Eric-that's why," Adam stated simply.
He grinned slightly. "Might be right about that." He climbed out and grabbed the jump kit he'd put together before leaving the base. "Well, let's go see how they're doing."
Once they knocked several times and got no answer, Adam looked at Jason with a question on his face. "Still got that key?"
Reaching into his pocket, the Original Red Ranger pulled the key out. "Grabbed it just in case." Less than a minute later, they were inside. "Okay, let's find them so that we can chew them out a bit."
"You take the den and study and I'll look in the kitchen and dining room." He moved off toward the back of the house calling to his friends. "Tommy? Eric? Where are you guys?"
"All right." Jason moved easily through the residence. "Eric? Tom? Come on guys, let us know where you're at."
Eventually meeting back up at the foot of the stairs, Adam looked up at Jason. "No luck, huh? Me either. Think they're upstairs?"
"If Eric's back was hurting, they may not have wanted to risk the stairs. Let's check the downstairs bedroom first and then go upstairs." He headed down the hall to the bedroom and sighed softly, relaxing a bit as he stepped into the room. For a moment, he couldn't place what was odd, and then he frowned. "I'm gonna kick his ass."
Adam walked in behind him. "What? What's up?"
"Notice anything different about Falcon?" He nodded towards the bed, where Tommy's braced wrist rested on Eric's stomach.
"Hmmm?" he asked, looking intently at his old friend. "He's wearing a brace. Wonder what happened," he said, looking up at Jason.
"Yeah, and he never mentioned to us that he was hurt as well. So he basically drove from the cabin to Reefside with an injured wrist." Shaking his head, he looked over at his boyfriend. "You want to do the honors or shall I?"
"You go right ahead, big boy. I know better than to try to wake those two. I like my jaw right where it is, thank you very much."
"Chicken." He chuckled softly and set his kit down next to the nightstand. Carefully, he reached out and put a firm, steady hand on Eric's shoulder but didn't squeeze it. If this worked, he was going to have to thank Wes later. "Eric, wake up. Come on Commander, you need to open your eyes."
Adam stood by out of reach and just watched his partner. "Be careful, Jase..."
Tommy shifted a little and mumbled something, but didn't wake.
"Trust me, I plan on being careful." Applying a little more force to the hand on Eric's shoulder, while raising his voice slightly. "Commander Myers!"
Eric's eyes snapped open suddenly at the same time as his free hand came up to land right in middle of Jason's chest, pushing him away. When he tried to move himself in the bed though, his back reminded him that all was not well in that department. "Damn it," he hissed and settled down again, looking up at Jason.
Eric's sudden movements woke Tommy who sat up quickly, looking like he was ready to defend his partner.
"Easy Falcon," Jason stated. He stood still, his free hand having come up to trap Eric's hand on his own chest. Turning his attention to the Quantum Ranger, he looked down at the man. "You with me Eric?"
"Jase...yeah. Sorry. You okay?"
"I'm fine. Wes told me how to wake you up to avoid getting hit." He released the man's hand and stepped back a bit. "Well, someone's got a lot of explaining to do." His gaze shifted to his former lover. "Like what the hell did you do to your wrist that you oh-so-conveniently forgot to mention on the phone!"
Tommy blushed a bit and looked at Adam and back to Jason. "Sorry. I guess I was so worried about Sarge here that I forgot to mention my wrist."
"Yeah well, how bad was it hurting by the time you got here?"
"Pretty bad, I have to admit. But I took a pain pill and then we both kinda fell asleep." Glancing over at his boyfriend, he asked, "How ya feelin'?"
Eric sighed softly. "Back's still a bit sore, but waking up like that made it tighten up again."
Shaking his head, Jason took a seat on the edge of the bed. "All right, first things first. Eric, I want you to turn over onto your stomach. I'll help if you need it, but I need to look at your back. Then we'll see if I can give you something before Adam starts working on it."
Tommy started to get up so that he could get out of their way, but he suddenly realized that he was naked. "Ummm Adam, could you toss me one of those towels over there?"
Adam glanced over and then did as Tommy asked, a grin on his face. "Sleeping au naturale, huh?"
Jason grinned. "Aww, can't believe you decided not to give us a show." He looked down at Eric. "Ready to turn over?"
"Yeah, but I'm gonna need some help, I think," he said with a groan.
"No problem. We'll go on three, okay?" When he got a small nod, he moved into a position that allowed him to help the other man turn over while trying to not cause Eric anymore pain. "One-two-three." On the count of three, he carefully helped Eric roll onto his stomach. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I guess so." He took a couple of deep breaths trying to get his muscles to relax some.
"Relax as much as you can, Eric. I'm not going to tell you that this won't hurt because I can already feel how tight you are."
Adam watched them for a few moments, and then looked over at Tommy. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, Froggy. My wrist hurts a bit, but it's not too bad. I'm just worried about Sarge." He looked down at his boyfriend who was obviously in pain.
"Rex will take care of him, but you need to look after yourself as well." He gently took hold of the braced wrist and noticed the light discoloration in the fingers. "Your wrist is swollen."
"Yeah, I know. It's got a small fracture," Tom said quietly to his friend.
"Tom.." He shook his head and went over to Jason's bag. Reaching in, he grabbed an ice pack and took it back over to Tommy. After activating the cold pack, he handed it to his friend. "Put that on it and try to keep it elevated a bit. When Jase gets through with your boyfriend, let him look at it."
"Okay, I will. Right now I'm gonna go put some clothes on. Be right back," he said, moving toward the door.
"You gonna be okay to get them by yourself?" He got an eyebrow in return. "Okay, just asking." Grinning he nodded. "Might want to grab something comfortable for your boy toy, too."
"Okay, I'll get something for him too," he responded and headed up to his bedroom.
Jason frowned as he examined Eric's back. The tightness of the muscles bothered him and he sat back a bit. "Eric, I need you to be honest with me and rate the pain in your back."
The SG commander groaned. "Right now it's about an '8'. It's mostly in my lower back."
"What all did the doc say, Commander?" He looked over at Adam. "You might want to get a few hot, wet towels going. His back is really tight."
"Well, the best I can remember, he said that I have an old fracture in my back that has some calcification formed around it. He thinks that it's pressing on a nerve."
"Well, if he's right, then when that area gets inflamed it's pressing on the nerve." He sighed. "I'll be calling Wes later and telling him we won't be leaving for a few days."
"Few days? Think it's that bad, Jase?" Eric asked, knowing that he was hurting but hoping that he wouldn't have to impose on anyone.
"Honestly, I don't think you guys should have driven back today. That area needs to rest, Bossman, and sitting in a car is no way to let that area settle. If you ignore it now and keep pressing forward, then it's going to hurt worse later and might end up doing more damage."
'So I get to hang out with Tommy for a few more days...darn,' he thought. "Yeah, you're probably right. I didn't want Tommy to have to drive with that wrist, but I just couldn't do it." He paused for a moment. "Jase, don't let him lie to you, okay-his wrist is fractured."
"Kind of figured that. Does he have anything else that's injured? Cause we both know how stubborn he is about some things and when he's worried about someone, well, Tom forgets to take care of himself. As for the next few days, you're going to find yourself on the couch, in the recliner or on the bed. If you want to get up, you'll get help from Adam or me."
"Okay." He brought his arm up and gave Jason a half-hearted salute. "As for Falcon, he's got a bruised hip but I think that's it besides the wrist."
"I'll talk to him while Adam works on your back. We grabbed some groceries on the way in because I wasn't sure what you had in the house. So I'll cook and make Tommy talk a bit."
"You find it that easy to make him talk?"
"Not really, but I've got years of blackmail material on him," he grinned. "Like how he once got his hair caught in his locker at the Youth Center and we had to cut it a bit to get him loose."
Eric chuckled in spite of the pain he was in. "Oh really? I need you to give me some of that material."
"No problem. Adam's got some on him as well, from when I was at the Peace Conference." He reached into his bag. "Do you know around what time you took the muscle relaxer?"
"Hmmm, not exactly. It was probably around 3 or 4 hours ago, though. It was the same time that Tommy called you guys."
"Well, I'm going to give you a mixed dose of an anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxer. It'll be more of the anti-inflammatory though because I want to get some of the irritation to go down. That'll relieve some of the pressure on the nerve."
"Whatever you think is best, Rex. Adam's still gonna give me a massage, right?" He was looking forward to seeing how good the former Green Zeo Ranger was with his hands.
Chuckling softly, Jason drew up the meds. "Yeah, he is. I had him go get some hot, wet towels so that the moisture and heat will help get the muscles in your back to relax."
Tommy walked in about that time dressed in a t-shirt and sleep pants and carrying another set for his boyfriend. When he saw Jason with a syringe in his hands, he immediately got worried. "Jase...is he okay? What are you giving him?" he asked, moving over to the bed quickly.
"Easy, Tom," the former Gold Ranger stated. "It's just something to help ease the inflammation in his back along with a small dose of muscle relaxer."
Eric looked up at Tommy. "I'm okay... don't worry. Rex is taking good care of me and Adam's about to show me how good of a massage therapist he is." The look in his eyes helped to ease some of Tommy's anxiety.
"Well...okay. They know what they're doing. I guess I'm gonna go get some dinner together for all of us while they help you." He put the clothes down in the chair next to the bed. "Don't flash 'em too much," he smiled.
Jason quickly injected the meds into Eric's hip while he was distracted, then looked over at Tommy. "Actually, I'm going to cook while you and I talk."
"Oooh, that sounds ominous. Guess I shoulda seen this coming," Tom said, rolling his eyes. "I'll meet you in the kitchen then."
Shaking his head, Jason watched him go, and then turned back to Eric. "Just rest and try to relax."
Adam walked in with a bowl of steaming towels. "He ready for me, Rex?"
"Yeah, he's all yours." Getting up, he walked over and kissed his boyfriend lightly on the lips. "Wish me luck."
"Yeah, no doubt. Good luck with our fearless leader," Adam smiled and moved toward the bed to start on the Commander's aching back.
"Gonna need it."
Adam looked down at Eric as he carefully began working on the man's back. "Tell me if something gets to be too much for you."
Eric nodded. "Okay, just take it easy on my lower back, that's all I ask."
"I need to work on that area a bit, Eric, but I'll wait for the meds to take effect. In the meantime, just try to relax. If you've got any questions, just ask."
Walking to the kitchen, Jason washed his hands in the sink, and then looked over at Tommy. "So any particular reason why you didn't tell us you'd been hurt as well?"
Tommy was sitting on a barstool at the kitchen island sipping on a glass of juice. "I told you-I was really worried about Eric and it didn't really enter my mind while I was on the phone with you guys."
With a quiet sigh, the paramedic started grabbing things out of the fridge to use for dinner. "Still Tom, it would have been good to know." After setting the items on the counter, he grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and handed them to Tommy. "Put that on your wrist and once I get the chicken going, I'll take a look at it."
"Look, like I said, I was just preoccupied with taking care of him and I just didn't think about it. It's not like I was keeping it from you or anything," he explained, holding the bag of frozen vegetables on his wrist.
"And I believe you." He started cutting up the chicken. "So did you get any other injuries?"
"Well, I've got a pretty badly bruised hip from where I slipped on the ice. Other than that, I'm good."
"I'll look at your hip after finishing with your wrist." He tossed the diced chicken into a skillet and started browning it. "Other than the snowmobile accident, how did you like the place?"
"Awww man...it was unreal. We had such a great time-just being able to be a couple in public was a great feeling. Thank you so much for suggesting it, Rex."
"Well, I know how it gets to you at times, not being able to publicly show your affections. Plus, with what you told me the last time we talked, I figured you could use a break. So, I suggested the resort to Eric."
"Best birthday I've had in a long time. So when did you take Adam up there?"
"We went up there for New Year's. Thanksgiving had been spent with my parents and we did Christmas with his. So for New Year's, we just wanted to be alone. It was kind of an anniversary present to him."
Tommy smiled warmly at his ex. "That's so sweet, Jase. You two make such a great couple." He finished off his juice and sat the glass in the sink. "Can I help with dinner?"
The Original Red Ranger blushed slightly. "Thanks." He looked over at his friend. "I'm glad you pushed me to go for it with him. You're about the only person that told us we weren't making a mistake."
"And I still don't understand that. Yeah, in a lotta ways you two are opposites, but you have such great chemistry."
"Don't know what to tell you about that, but I know that I'm really happy with Adam." He finished cutting up the vegetables and added them to the skillet. After adding a bit of chicken stock, he covered it before turning down the heat to let it all simmer. "You'll always have a place in my heart, Tom, but Adam completes me in ways that I never realized weren't whole."
"I know the feeling. I feel a connection with Eric that I've never felt with anyone else. You and I are both pretty lucky, you know that?"
"Kinda got that feeling a few times." He finished what he was doing and moved over to the counter. "Now, let me see your wrist."
Tommy held out his wrist and looked up at Jason. "You'll have to take the brace off me," he grinned.
He shook his head before rolling his eyes. "Always taking things off of you, ain't I?" He grinned as he carefully undid the brace and removed it. "Definitely swollen. Did you get a sling for it?"
"You're bad," Tommy grinned. "No, the doctor didn't give me one-just this brace and one that I can wear in the shower."
Jason nodded. "You still have one from when you strained your shoulder? If not, I can rig one up for you, but it won't be as comfortable."
"I think I do-just have to find it. So you think it'll be okay if I'm careful with it? Think I should call in tomorrow?"
"Might be a good idea to take tomorrow off. We're not going to be leaving for a few days. Eric's back needs a chance to settle down before we make him take another long ride."
"Oh? Tell me the truth, Jase. How bad is he? You think we need to take him to a doctor here?" he asked, looking like his anxiety was growing again.
"At the moment, I think a lot of his problems are from trying to push. You guys should honestly have waited a couple of days to come back, T. For now, let's give him a couple of days to relax. Adam and I will work with him, get him to loosen up a bit and try to get those muscles to relax. If he's not showing signs of improvement in a couple of days, then we'll either take him to a doctor here or to one back on base."
"Okay-I trust you. And I've convinced him that he can trust you too."
Moving closer, Jason pulled the other man into a hug. "We're here now, Tom. Let us help the both of you for a couple of days."
Tommy didn't hesitate to tightly hug his ex-lover. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate it, Jase. I felt so bad when I just added to his injury..." he said, realizing that he'd conveniently left that part out until now.
The former Gold Ranger's eyebrow rose, but he didn't release his friend. "Care to explain that, Falcon?"
Blushing slightly, the former Ranger Commander sighed. "Well...did you notice his black eye?"
"Yeah, it was kind of hard to miss. I just thought he hit it on something when he wrecked the snowmobile."
"Umm no. Here's what happened: When he got dumped off into the snow, I jumped off of mine and went running up to make sure he was okay. Once I knew that he was-at least pretty much-he asked me to help him up...how did you think I fractured my wrist, anyway?"
"With your luck? Figured you tripped or something." He grinned. "Are you saying that in helping him up, you fell on your own ass?"
"Not exactly. See there was ice under the packed snow and when I started to pull him up, my foot slipped and I came down on him...elbow first. That's what blacked his eye. And I put my hand out to catch myself and that's when I messed up the ol' wrist."
Chuckling softly, Jason squeezed his ex-lover again before letting him go and stepping back. He planted a chaste kiss on the man's cheek. "Only you, bro."
Tom rolled his eyes. "I know. No one has luck like I do. It's dangerous to be around me sometimes."
"Think it's dangerous to be around any of us sometimes. I mean, Rocky set his eyebrows on fire with a marshmallow. Billy crossed a couple of wires and had his hair standing straight up for days. And Adam, I love the man dearly but the day he ran out of the locker room chasing you in nothing but his birthday suit in front of the whole Youth Center was priceless."
Laughing out loud at the memory, Tommy was starting to cheer up. "Thanks, I needed that! You always know how to make me feel better, don'tcha?" He looked up and winked. "I think the time you were trying to show off at the pool and lost your shorts was pretty hilarious too. Did you ever forgive Rocky for that?"
The Guardian Captain blushed hard. "No, and I still owe him for that one, too. Still can't believe he did that."
"Speaking of Rockwell, have you or Adam talked to him lately?"
Getting up to check on dinner, he nodded. "Yeah, he actually came up last weekend. Stayed with us and we showed him around town a bit."
"That's good. He needs to get out more. I'm sure he's been pretty lonely since you guys up and moved on him. Speaking of..." he gave Jason a glare.
Dipping his head slightly, Jason was unable to stop a blush from coloring his cheeks. "We were going to tell you, Tom." He raised his head again to meet his friend's warm, chocolate eyes. "But when Adam and I made the decision to take Wes up on his offer, you were starting to talk about how you were getting fed up with teaching."
"And why would that stop you from telling me? And I'm still fed up with teaching, by the way."
"Because we're both happy with the decision and we didn't want to make you feel bad." He sighed. "You worked hard to get your degree and then got drug back into the Ranger world right after that. Teaching gave you the chance to find rangers and you told me a couple of times that you felt like you'd settled on teaching instead of doing what you really wanted to do. We didn't want to make you feel like that was really true."
"Well regardless, I'm glad you two are happy. I'll be able to visit Eric and you two at the same time now."
"It'd be better if you actually joined us in the Guardians. We could use you."
"Me? What do you guys need me for? I can understand them wanting you for your medical expertise and hand-to-hand skills, and Adam for his meditation and unusual martial arts skills, but...why would they need me?"
"Tommy, we're getting in about 25-30 cadets a class. Every 12 weeks a new class starts. I actually teach very little of the hand-to-hand. My main job is to start their conditioning, help Mike with them on the obstacle course, and I'm part of the first responder team. Adam teaches them meditation techniques, some self-defense, and is responsible for the physical therapy. Wes is in charge of the academics while Eric and Mike handle the hand-to-hand tactics. Having you there would allow Mike to ease up a bit in all that he does."
"I suppose I could help with the academic side of things too. So, you think I might get the chance to wipe the mats with you out there?" he looked up with a mischievous grin.
"Maybe, depends on..." He frowned, eyebrow arching upwards. "You little rat. Wes has already gotten to you, hasn't he?"
"Wes? Oh, you mean 'God's gift'. He's talked to me a couple of times but...I don't know."
"You really should, bro. It'd give you a chance to do something I think you'd enjoy. You'd also get to spend more time with your boyfriend and other friends."
"I'll think about it. So how's dinner coming?"
-o-O-o-
"I need to work on that area a bit, Eric, but I'll wait for the meds to take effect. In the meantime, just try to relax. If you've got any questions, just ask."
"Okay, I'll do that," the Quantum Ranger said and tried to relax as much as possible. After a few minutes, he could tell that the former Black Ranger was really well-trained in massage techniques. "That feels so good, Adam. Who taught you?"
"Well, my mom taught me a few things, especially after I got heavy into the martial arts. Then I took a few classes, got more interested in massage techniques as a whole and got my certification in several different types while I got my degree in physical therapy. Helps a lot to be able to offer my clients a broader range of treatment options." He picked one of the towels up out of the bowl and wrung it out. "I'm going to put a hot towel over your lower back, then work some more on your shoulders and stuff. It won't burn you, but it might feel like it is."
"Alright, I'll try to be a big boy about it. Go ahead," Eric said, not knowing exactly what to expect.
Pulling back the sheet a bit, Adam folded the towel, then placed it so that all of Eric's lower back was covered down to his buttocks.
The SG commander scrunched up his nose and winced a bit at the heat, but tried not to whine about it. "Yep, that's pretty hot..." he almost gasped.
"It's hot because your muscles are so tight." He took a washcloth out of the bowl and put it on Eric's hand. "Feel the difference?"
"Wow, yeah...those came out of the same bowl?"
"Yep and the towel on your back was actually on top of the washcloth, so that should be hotter than the towel." Reaching into Jason's jump kit, he pulled out a small shaving bag and opened it. It took him a moment to find the oil he wanted and pulled it out. "Okay, now to really get to work loosening your back up." He opened the oil and poured a small amount in his hand, letting it heat up a bit. A pleasant blend of eucalyptus, lavender and sandalwood wafted up from the oil. Moving back to Eric's side, he began to work the oil into his friend's tight muscles.
Even though Eric knew that what Adam was doing would actually help his back, it still hurt. He tried to take his mind off of it. "Adam, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what's on your mind?" His hands continued to work the upper shoulders of the man beneath him, giving the towels and meds a chance to work before moving lower.
"Umm well...it's about you and Jase. Mind if I ask something personal?"
"Depends on what it is, but go ahead and ask the question."
Eric paused a moment then forged ahead. "Well, you know that Jason and Tommy are alone in another part of the house right now. Given their history...does that bother you?"
"No, why? Does it bother you?"
"Honestly? Yeah, a bit. It doesn't cross your mind?"
"What? That they might start something with each other again?" He sighed softly. "Eric, Tommy and Jason were friends long before they were lovers. They've both been there for each other through some really bad times, but it wasn't enough for them to form a real, concrete relationship on. They tried, but after a while, the two of them realized that they were better off just being friends. Jason and Tommy are like brothers, Eric." He pulled the towel down a bit and started moving a little lower. "And I don't worry about them being alone together because I know that Jason loves me."
"Well, please don't get the idea that I don't trust Tommy...I do. It's just that, well...I wasn't around them years ago like you were. I really only know what Tom's told me and what I've heard. Maybe I'm just a little insecure, I don't know."
"Okay, it's my turn for a personal question."
"Sure, fire away," the Quantum Ranger replied, still trying to keep his mind off the pain in his lower back.
Slowly, Adam began to work deeper on the muscles beneath his hands, loosening them up little by little. "How many long term relationships have you been in besides the ones with Wes and Tommy?"
"A couple of others. One with a girl and one with another guy. They didn't last a terribly long time, though. Why do you ask?"
"I'm getting to that. Why didn't they last? Who broke it off?"
"With the girl, I did. I just wasn't feeling for her what I thought I should be feeling. That's when I pretty much decided that I was gay. With Marc, the guy before Wes, he broke up with me. And you know that Wes and I kinda mutually decided that we were better off as friends-like you said Tommy and Jason did."
"Now, Wes and I have talked a bit. He was worried that things were moving too quick between him and Mike. Blondie told me that sometimes it was hard for you to open up and admit things. Think that might be true"
Eric chuckled. "Yeah, I think there's a good chance that could be the case. What does that have to do with him and Mike though?"
"Because you guys might have ended it as friends Eric, but you still mean a lot to Wes. Just like Jason and Tommy will always mean a lot to each other. But Jason's moved on and we love each other. It's obvious that Mike and Wes are well on their way to developing a good relationship." He grinned. "And everyone agrees that you and Tommy are good for each other."
"I know that he's good for me-don't know if I return the favor though."
"You need to trust yourself more, Eric. Listen to that heart of yours a little more than that thick skull." He thumped the older man's ear. "Tell me, Bossman," he removed the towel and set it down in an empty bowl he'd placed under the other one. "If you had something you wanted to talk to someone about and didn't feel, for whatever reason, that you could talk to Tommy about it, who would you go to?"
"Wes. No doubt about it."
"Wouldn't you be afraid of what Tommy would think? That he'd be jealous? Or what about Mike?"
"Okay, okay, point taken. I thought you were a massage and physical therapist, not a shrink," Eric laughed.
Adam chuckled softly. "Yeah well, being the quiet one of our group, people talk to me and I listen. If I happen to make sense when I offer advice, then it's worth it." He looked down at his patient. "How are you feeling?"
"More relaxed, definitely. The pain in my back is still there, but it's not as bad as it was. You do good work, Captain Park," he said with a smile.
"Yeah well, just remember that when it comes time for a pay raise." As Captains, he and Jason were pretty much at the top. So instead of rank promotions, they would get pay increases. "I'm gonna put this last towel on your back. We'll let that sit on there for about another 10 minutes and then I'll work the area a bit more."
"Okay, sounds good. I really appreciate this, Adam. There's no way I could've driven back to Silver Hills like this."
-o-O-o-
Adam sighed softly and leaned against Jason. "That was really good."
"Thanks, nothing to it really. Did you two get enough to eat?" he asked Tommy and Eric.
Eric nodded. "Oh yeah, and thanks to your boyfriend's talented hands I was able to enjoy it without being overcome with pain."
Adam chuckled. "Glad I was able to help. How's your wrist feeling, Tom?"
Jason looked over at his best friend, waiting for him to answer.
"It's okay right now. The pain killer is helping a lot."
Chuckling softly, the former Red Ranger nodded. "Yeah well, could always be worse." He grinned at the other men. "Something else could have gotten hurt."
"That's true. So what are we gonna do until bedtime?" Adam asked.
"Well, we do have presents to hand out." Jason looked at Adam. "Know anyone that's had a birthday recently?"
Tom's eyes lit up. "Aww man...you guys didn't have to do that," he smiled.
Chuckling softly, the Quantum Ranger shook his head. "Think you guys made his night with that statement."
The Original Red Ranger shrugged before standing up. "We were planning on coming up next weekend to drop them off anyway." He made his way over to Eric. "Why don't I help you to the living room and Adam can go grab the presents?"
"Yeah, that'll be good. Appreciate the help," Eric said. He let Jason help him up and towards the couch. "So what didja get him?" he asked with a grin.
Tommy got up and followed his boyfriend, worriedly watching him make his way along with Jason's help. It was obvious that the man was still in pain.
Shaking his head, Jason tossed a look over his shoulder to see Tommy following them. "Sorry man, if he wasn't so close I'd tell you. It's nothing bad, I promise." After getting Eric settled, the paramedic grabbed a heating pad and put it behind him. "That should help a bit."
Adam ran up stairs to the guest room they were using and grinned as he saw the two brightly wrapped packages sitting on the bed. Where Jason had ever found the wrapping paper, the former Frog didn't know, but it definitely fit the occasion. Grabbing both boxes, he arranged them so that he could see while making his way back down the stairs.
Tommy took a seat on the couch next to his boyfriend. "You alright, Bear?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. This heating pad is starting to feel really good. Thanks, Rex," he said, turning to look at Adam as he came back into the room.
"You're welcome, Commander." Going over to his lover, Jason grabbed the bottom box and looked at Adam. "I'll grab mine if you take yours."
Chuckling softly, the shorter man grinned. "You know, that could be taken in ssssooooo many ways Rexy." Taking the top box, the second black ranger stepped back a bit to let Jason get his clear before heading over to Tommy. "Here you go, Falcon."
"This is really great of you guys," he smiled. "Thank you so much." He took a good look at the wrapping paper and burst out laughing. "Where in the world did you find Power Ranger wrapping paper?" he asked, looking from Adam to Jason.
"You'll have to ask Rex about that one. He brought it home last weekend when Rocky was there and we almost killed the guy." He grinned while Jason blushed. "Our 'bottomless pit' had just taken a bite of a burger when Jase produced the results of his shopping trip. The Apeman choked a bit."
Rolling his eyes, the former Gold Ranger stepped closer and took a seat, keeping hold of his own box. "The boy tried to shove like a quarter of the burger in his mouth at once. I can't help it if he did so at the same time I showed them the paper."
Tom shook his head and laughed. "Well, I think some of it might have to do with the fact that it only has red rangers on it...and the original red ranger at that."
Eric looked it over and rolled his eyes. "Only you, Rex...only you."
Nodding his agreement, Tommy began to carefully remove the paper and open his gift. "Gotta keep this paper," he said with a laugh and then took the top off the box. Inside he saw the book of massage techniques along with the oil and incense that Adam had gotten for him. "Oh, I'll make good use of this," he grinned and showed his partner.
"Most definitely," Eric grinned, taking the bottle from his hand to give the oil a sniff.
The Korean nodded. "Look under that book and the box of oils." He winked over at Jason while they waited.
Tommy grinned and pulled the top items out of the box to reveal a book on meditation techniques. "Very nice. I can so use this," he smiled, showing it to Eric.
"Uh huh," the Quantum Ranger said with a grin. "He comes unhinged way to easily."
"Don't I know it." Jason stated, winking at his former lover before handing over his own box. "Happy Birthday, Tom."
"Thank you," the former White Ranger replied with a smile. "Wow, this is a big box. What did you do?" He started slowly opening the package, a warm smile on his face.
Eric looked up to see Jason anxiously watching Tommy opening the gift. 'Wonder what's in there,' he thought to himself, turning to watch his boyfriend.
The Guardian Captain shrugged. "I figure you'll like it and Eric might like it as well." He grinned. 'Damn, but I can see Tommy modeling that for Eric in nothing but the jacket.'
"Oh?" Tom asked, looking up questioningly at his former lover. "Can't wait to see this," he said, pulling the top off the box. Under the tissue paper was a dark brown leather jacket reminiscent of the one he used to wear back in high school. This one, however, was a little sleeker looking and definitely made of high grade leather. "Oh Jase..." he stammered, looking for the right words.
"I know how much you liked the old one and that having it trashed during an attack really sucked." He grinned. "Then you lost the one that David had gotten to replace it at the bar we all went to after the Red mission. So I figured that since you hadn't gotten around to replacing it yet, that I'd help you along. When I saw this, I knew that you'd love it."
Tommy was turning it over in his hands and taking in the scent of new leather. "This is...wow...you shouldn't have done this," he said, shaking his head. "I gotta try this on," he suddenly announced, getting up and starting to pull on the jacket, forgetting about his wrist brace. "Aww damn...a little help?"
Standing up, Adam moved closer and helped him get the jacket on. "Glad you like it."
"That's a gorgeous jacket, Rex." Eric smiled up at them. 'Can't wait to see Tommy in that…in private.'
"Thanks," He was watching Adam help his best friend into it and grinned. "And it even fits you really well."
"It's awesome. This is just unreal, Jase," Tom said, still feeling of the leather. "How's it look?" he asked his boyfriend.
"Very, very nice," Eric grinned. "I'll be expecting an exclusive modeling of it later on," he said with a wink. Tommy gave him a quick nod and a warm smile.
For a few moments, it was quiet and then the Original Red broke the silence. "Check the pockets, Tom."
"Hmmm? Okay," the former Ranger Commander said, sliding his hands into the cool, satin-lined pockets. His fingers soon came into contact with what felt like a cord. He looked over at Jason as he pulled it out of the pocket and held it up. "Oh cool...it looks like my old yinyang necklace I used to wear," he said with a grin.
"It actually is, but the cord is new." He grinned at the slightly confused look his friend wore. "When Adam and I were at my parents for Thanksgiving, mom handed me a box of stuff that she thought I'd want from my old room. With the new addition on the house, it's become a guest room and I've got their old room while they've moved downstairs to the new master suite." He nodded at the necklace. "That was in the box, but the cord had broken. So I fixed it and figured it would be a good addition to the jacket."
"You mean this is the actual one? From high school?" Tom asked, his eyes opening wide.
"The one that you lost that night at my place before I left for the Peace Conference."
Nodding, Jason knew he'd done the right thing. "I found it shortly after I took the Gold powers, but kept forgetting to give it to you."
"Oh my god, I don't believe it." He turned to Eric. "I used to wear this thing religiously. Never thought I'd see it again." He moved over to Jason and wrapped his arms around the man. "Thank you so much, Rex." He latched on tight to his best friend like he had no intention of letting go any time soon.
"I know how much it meant to you and even though it took a while, I figured you deserved to have it back." He returned the hug, inhaling deeply of the mingled scents of his ex-lover and the leather jacket. "Happy Birthday, bro."
Eric watched them closely. He was smiling on the outside-happy that Tommy had gotten such great gifts from two of his oldest friends, but on the inside he was feeling a bit jealous. Glancing over at Adam, he noticed that the former Green Zeo Ranger seemed perfectly happy with the situation.
Adam watched the pair for a moment and then looked over at his boss. 'Damn man, wonder what Eric thinks about this, especially after our talk earlier? I'll talk to Jason about it later.' Chuckling softly, he walked over to the two of them and put an arm around each of them. "Hey, can't I get in on this? I mean, Eric and I are out here, all by our lonesomes."
"Aw, come here Froggy." Taking one arm off of Tom, Jason pulled his lover into the hug. "Can't have you left out in the cold now." He laughed softly and laid a light kiss on Adam's lips.
Tom chuckled and hugged Adam as well, but then thought about his own partner sitting there alone. "We need to take this hug to Sarge over there," he said quietly, turning and smiling at their target.
Eric had been watching the group hug from his place on the couch. He would never tell them, but part of him wished that showing emotion like that was as easy for him as it seemed to be for his friends and his lover. When he saw them moving toward him with smiles on their faces, he made a characteristically 'Eric' remark. "Oh no...don't come over here with that."
Adam grinned. "Aw, come on Commander. You know that you want to be part of this and I'm an equal opportunity hugger."
"Awww, Bear... you know you want a big hug too," Tom said with a warm smile, sitting down on the couch and putting his arms carefully around his lover.
Eric rolled his eyes but accepted the hug from Tommy, looking up suspiciously at Adam and Jason. "What's on your mind?" he asked Jason.
The paramedic grinned as he wrapped all three of them into a massive hug. "Just trying to figure out which way to do this without hurting you."
Tommy, who was the closest to Eric's face, saw the genuine smile that started and slowly grew. He knew that his boyfriend had a loving, gentle side but that it usually remained hidden from everyone but a very few.
Jason was quiet and then he got a wicked grin on his face. Leaning in, he placed a light kiss on Eric's cheek. "Feeling better Commander?" The words were practically whispered in the Quantum Ranger's ear.
Eric's eyes opened a little wider and after a couple of moments, he started laughing. "The Captain over here is buckin' for a raise, I think," he said in the direction of Tommy and Adam.
Shaking his head, Adam grinned. "That'd be our Rex." Chuckling softly, he leaned in and kissed the other cheek. As he pulled back, the Asian shrugged. "Couldn't let the other cheek be left out."
Tom watched as Eric did something that the Quantum Ranger rarely did-he blushed. "Awwww..." he said, but decided not to embarrass his boyfriend any more. He leaned in and kissed him on the lips, completing the trifecta.
-o-O-o-
Jason grinned a bit as Adam shuffled into the kitchen. He stopped stirring the eggs he had in a bowl and wrapped his arms around the other man. "Morning sleepyhead."
"Mornin'. Whatcha makin'?" he asked drowsily.
"Figured some scrambled eggs with cheese and diced ham, bacon, hash browns, and toast." He gave his lover a soft kiss. "There's coffee going."
"Mmmmm...smells good," he mumbled while he scratched. "Have you heard anything out of them yet? I wonder how Eric slept."
"Haven't heard anything yet. I checked on them about 2 when I got up to go to the bathroom and they seemed okay. Guess the muscle relaxer and pain killer combined helped."
"Good. Think you'll have to hog tie the Commander to get him to the doctor? If he needs to go, that is." Adam held up the coffee pot, silently asking if Jason wanted a cup.
Jason nodded his head to Adam's unspoken question as he turned back to the cooking potatoes. "I think he'll go easily enough, especially if he's still hurting by the time he needs to go.
"He seemed really tight yesterday, but a couple of days rest with the meds will probably help that. How was Tommy's wrist?"
"Really swollen. That's why I made him find that sling yesterday. Hopefully keeping it elevated will help the swelling go down. Otherwise, it's gonna start hurting him worse."
Adam sipped his coffee with a bemused look. "I know it's not funny...I mean, they're both in pain, but...who else but those two would have something like this happen?"
A soft chuckle came from the former Gold Ranger as he shook his head. "Maybe Rocky, but that's about the only other one I can think of." He took a long pull from his coffee.
"Need some help with all of that?" the shorter man asked, watching his lover with interest.
"I've got this, but if you can start making the toast, I'd appreciate it."
"Sure-glad to," he remarked. Putting down his coffee mug, he pulled the loaf of bread from the fridge and started getting it ready. "Had an interesting conversation with Eric yesterday while I was working on his back. I was gonna tell you about it last night, but I fell asleep before I could."
"Oh? What'd you two talk about?" He chuckled. "Considering it's hard to get Eric to string more than ten words together at times."
"Well...he wanted to know if it made me jealous for you and Tommy to be off by yourselves like you were last night," he replied, purposely not giving any more detail. He wanted to gauge Jason's reaction.
The paramedic sighed. "Adam, you know that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to me and Tommy right? We're just good friends, almost brothers." He turned to look at his partner. "You're the one that I love. Yes, Tommy and I will always be close, but I don't care for him like that anymore."
Adam met his gaze. "I know and that's pretty much what I told Eric. But...it would seem that 'big man Myers' is a bit insecure when it comes to you." Adam understood where Eric was coming from too. Tommy and Jason knew each other inside and out-they'd been best friends for years and their stint as lovers only added to their closeness. However, he was sure that that episode in their lives was behind them and that he had nothing to worry about when it came to the two friends being alone.
Sighing softly, Jason moved over to Adam for a moment and slipped his arms around him. "Think it'd help if I talked to Eric?"
"Yeah, it might. Just be careful not to put him on the defensive. You know how he is-he'll shut down on you."
"I know. After breakfast I'll look him over again. I can talk to him then." He kissed Adam on the cheek, and then turned his attention back to the stove.
The smell of food cooking and coffee brewing wafted through the house and eventually made its way to Tommy's bedroom. Waking slowly, the former Ranger Commander sniffed the air and gave a lazy smile. 'Nice to have houseguests that cook for ya,' he thought.
Eric sighed softly, but didn't wake further when his lover's hand started gently carding through his hair. He was comfortable at the moment and didn't want to move just yet.
"Bear? You awake yet? Smells like we've got breakfast waiting on us," Tommy said softly, leaning over and placing a soft kiss on his lover's cheek.
The dark eyes opened slowly and he looked up at his boyfriend without moving too much. "Do we have to get up?"
"Aww, you in pain or just being lazy?" the science teacher asked.
"Not in pain, but then I haven't really tried moving yet." He sighed again. "Just being lazy right now. Don't get much of a chance to do that."
"No, that's true. Neither one of us do. If you wanna stay here, I'll bring it up to you," Tom offered, placing another kiss on Eric's lips.
"I should probably get up. Changing positions a bit might actually help some." He returned the kiss a bit. "Just gonna have to take it slow and easy."
"Yeah, take it slow, okay? I'll help-there's no rush." Tom got out of the bed and walked around to Eric's side, prepared to help his boyfriend in whatever way he could.
Rolling further onto his back, Eric looked up at Tommy. "Help me sit up first. I don't want to have to strain it too much getting that far."
"Alright, let me get a hold of you," he said, leaning over and slipping his arms under Eric's shoulders. When he was in position and had a secure hold on his partner, he asked, "You ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Letting his boyfriend help, Eric winced a bit once he was finally sitting up. He rested against Tommy's chest. "Let me rest here for a couple of seconds, Falcon."
"Not a problem. Take as long as you need," the former Green Ranger whispered softly, gently rubbing Eric's sore back.
For several minutes, Eric just rested there. Then he took a deep breath and looked up. "Okay, let's try to get me on my feet." He grinned a bit. "Mother Nature's calling."
"Okay, here we go," Tom said, lifting as gently as he could under Eric's arms, trying to keep his injured wrist as safe as possible. It took quite a bit of pulling, but the former Ranger Commander was finally able to get his lover on his feet. "Wow, you're heavy this morning. Must be the effect of the meds."
"Probably a bit of the meds and the fact that I'm kinda of scared to move in any way that'll hurt at the moment."
"Yeah, that's it, I'm sure. You feel like you can walk?"
He nodded. "Let's make for the bathroom first. If I need more help, we can get one of the guys." He reached out and cupped a hand to his lover's cheek. "Don't want you getting hurt worse helping me."
"I'm okay. Let's get you to the bathroom," Tommy said, starting to lead him in the right direction.
Meanwhile downstairs, Jason and Adam were putting the finishing touches on breakfast. "You ready for me to go get the trouble twins?" Adam asked.
Chuckling softly, Jason looked over at him. "Yeah, go ahead and make sure they're up."
"Alright, be right back," the former Black Ranger said, giving his boyfriend a gentle slap on the ass. The big grin on his face lasted until he reached the door of Tommy's bedroom. Knocking softly, he listened for a response but none was forthcoming. "Tommy...Eric? You guys up?" he asked. Still nothing. 'Okay, I'll just have to go in uninvited,' he thought, turning the doorknob slowly. Once the door was open, he could see that the bed was vacant. "Tommy? Eric?"
"In the bathroom," Tom called out, having barely heard his friend in the other room.
Adam walked over closer to the bathroom and stood beside the door. "You two okay?"
"Yeah, we're alright. Just stiff and sore-both of us," Tom responded. "Do I smell breakfast?"
"Yeah, seems Jason beat us all up this morning and started cooking. It's ready, so he sent me up to get you guys and see if you needed any help."
"Cool. I may need some help getting Sarge down the steps. My wrist is throbbing pretty badly right now."
"All right, let me know when you two are done and I'll help Eric down the stairs."
Coming out of the bathroom, Eric shuffled along stiffly while being half-held up by Tommy. "Sorry to be such an invalid, Adam. I appreciate the help," he said softly.
"Hey, it's what friends are for Eric, and I'd rather have you get the help you need than try and do it on your own only to end up hurt worse."
Tom nodded in agreement. "Come on Bear, let's get you downstairs. I need some coffee," he grinned.
Eric rolled his eyes, but let the two men help him down the stairs. Once there, he managed to talk them into eating in the living room and they helped him to the couch. "Thanks guys."
Once breakfast was over, Jason looked at Eric. "How about I take a look at your back before you get dressed?"
"Okay, that'll be fine. Think I could get your boyfriend there to give me another massage?" Eric asked with as much of a grin as he could manage.
"I think he could be convinced to help out, but let's see how things are today first." He walked over to the older man. "Need some help getting up?"
"I'm afraid so," he answered, lifting his arms so that the paramedic could take hold of him. "Where do you wanna examine me?"
Jason chuckled softly. "There are so many ways that could be taken." He helped Eric slowly to his feet. "But let's go to the bedroom. We can use the guest room down here if that'll be easier on you."
"Oh haha," Eric said sarcastically. "And yeah, the guest room would be easier. Don't know if I can handle the steps again right now."
"All right." He helped the Commander into the bedroom and then over to the bed. After getting him settled, he put a hand on Eric's shoulder. His bag was already in the room. "Now, I want you to be honest with me Eric, how bad is it hurting you right now?"
Eric groaned. "Well, considering I'm pretty sure that all of the meds you gave me last night are out of my system, I'd say that the pain is about a "6" right now, "7" if I move wrong."
"Okay, well let me take a look first, see how things are and then I can give you something before Adam comes in to work on your back, all right?"
"Sounds good. Am I okay right here? Need me to move?"
"No, you're fine where you're at." He put his hands on Eric's shoulders and started working his way down, gently poking and prodding. "Adam told me you two talked a bit last night."
Eric groaned-he knew exactly what Jason was getting at. "I thought he might've told you. Listen, I wasn't accusing anybody of anything-I want you to know that."
"I know you weren't. Look Eric, I get where you're coming from, I really do, but what I had with Tommy is over. Yeah we'll always be friends, but that's pretty much where my interest in him stops."
"You know...I believe that, I really do. It's just sometimes...I don't know." He stopped talking, not sure what to say next. Eric was not normally one to talk about his feelings and he was feeling uncomfortable.
"Sometimes what your head knows and what your heart is telling you don't match up."
"True," Eric replied simply. His insecurities were not something that he was accustomed to discussing with anyone-let alone Jason.
"You know if things were reversed, I'd feel the same way." He grinned down at Eric. "And if you hurt the man I see as a brother, I might have to hurt you because that's what Tommy is to me now: a brother."
"I won't hurt him, Jase. I'd much sooner cut my own arm off than hurt him." He stopped and sighed. "This is hard for me...ya know." After another pause, the SG Commander finally started talking. "I love him-more than I've ever loved anyone. You don't have to worry about me hurting him. And I'm glad to know you think of him as a brother because that's the way he talks about you."
"Good. You two are good for each other and he's been happier than I've seen him in a long time." He grinned slightly. "Well, except for when you two are apart for too long." As his hands passed over a spot on Eric's lower back, he frowned at the tightness and heat he felt there.
"Well, we're working on fixing the problem of being apart for too long. He's not the only one that's miserable when we have to go too long without seeing each other."
"Oh, we know, trust us." He sat back a bit. "I'm gonna press on a couple of spots and I want you to tell me how bad it hurts in those areas."
"Hang on...what do you mean by 'Oh we know'? Am I that obvious?"
Rolling his eyes, Jason sighed. "Honestly? We tend to avoid making you mad for a couple of days after you get back from visiting Tommy or he's been up to visit you. Those times we go to Wes with stuff. And the last couple of days before you left to go on this trip with Tommy, we were double checking things with Wes after you approved funding for 100 new Hummers instead of 10."
Eric craned his neck around as much as possible. "I what? Oh man...I knew I was preoccupied, but that's...that's ridiculous." He paused to think, shaking his head. "Sorry about that. I'm usually much more together and professional."
"I know. That's why when it came across my desk, I took it to Wes. Look Eric, it's okay. You love Tommy and being apart from him is hard. I know what that's like. When I went to Switzerland, realizing that I was starting to have feelings for him, it was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. It's also the reason why I came back and didn't hesitate when he asked me to take the Gold Ranger powers. Hopefully, he'll take the job with the Guardians and it will all be a moot point." He put a hand on the Commander's shoulder. "For now though, let's work on getting you healthy, for him and you okay?"
"Okay, you're right. Proceed with the check-up."
"Just let me know where the pain is the worst." Carefully he started pressing down on a few of the hot spots he'd found earlier.
Eric groaned a bit and flinched when Jason hit a couple of particularly painful spots. "Yeah, that's it right there. Feels like a huge knot in my back."
"Yeah, feels like that under my hands." Shaking his head, the paramedic sat back. "You really did it to yourself this time. Between you and Mike, we're gonna be kept busy." Reaching into his bag, he drew out a few things. "Now, rate your pain for me again."
"Okay. Do you think I need to see a doctor, Jason? As much as I hate to admit it, I don't know if it's going to heal on its own."
"You might, but I'd honestly prefer it if you saw the docs back at base. They've got a few more options available than a regular one." He was quiet for a moment. "At the same time, I don't think you taking a trip like that would be a good thing right now. Going to see a doc up here would be okay, but I honestly feel that the trip back to Silver Hills would be too much for you."
"Well, I guess I can stay here for a while longer. Tell me, how's Tommy's wrist? He says, 'It's fine' but I know it's not."
"I'll tell you how his wrist really is if you tell me how bad you're hurting right now."
"Right now I'd say it's about a '7' in my lower back. Overall, I'm just stiff and sore."
"All right, I'm gonna give you something for the pain with a bit of muscle relaxer added to it and an anti-inflammatory. That should help all of that." He started drawing up the meds. "Adam can start working on your back after this starts to work. As for Tom's wrist, he does have a slight fracture in it, but the driving yesterday didn't help anything. If it'll ease your mind, I'll take a look at it after I get done with you." Jason quickly injected the meds into Eric's hip, not giving the other man time to think about it.
"It would make me feel better, thanks. Make him rest it, Jase. I feel kinda responsible."
"Aw man, not you too." Shaking his head, the Original Red Ranger put a hand on Eric's shoulder. "Look Eric, trust me when I say that if he hadn't hurt it helping you, then Tommy would have done something himself to end up getting hurt. So it's not your fault."
"Is he really that danger-prone? Seriously?"
A soft chuckle came from the paramedic. "It's not that he's 'danger-prone', but I swear sometimes the man has a sign on his back that says 'Pick me' whenever something bad starts coming around."
"Now that I'll agree with. If it's not picking him, then he's volunteering for it. Such a White Knight..."
"Pretty much, but yeah, if there's trouble around, he'll find it." He grinned. "Think all Reds are kind of like that though and if you look at us, most of us are either in jobs that are high risk or could become that."
"You know, I've thought about that before. You're right-we're trouble magnets. I guess that's why Adam's natural serenity is so attractive to you, huh?"
"Yeah, Adam he just..." Jason shook his head. "He just makes me feel at peace, you know? When I was with Tom, it was always a feeling of what was going to come next or fighting each other for control. We're too much alike in that respect. With Adam, he'll take control sometimes, but for the most part he just makes me feel whole." He shook his head again. "Don't think I'm making much sense."
"You make perfect sense, Jase. And even though Tommy and I both are what some would call Alpha Males, we complete each other as well. At least, that's how I feel anyway."
"From what I've seen, you do. You might be quicker to anger, but at least you'll think things through a bit before jumping into something." He looked down at the other man. "How are you feeling now?"
"A little better. I think the meds are beginning to kick in some. Go take care of Tommy for me, okay?"
"All right. I'll send Adam in to work on your back. Just try to relax and if you start to drift off, don't fight it."
"Alright. Thanks, Jase...for everything," Eric replied.
"You're welcome." Grabbing his bag, he left the room and went into the living room to check on Tommy.
-o-O-o-
While Jason and Eric were in the other room, Tommy and Adam had been doing some talking of their own.
Adam turned to his friend. "You doing okay, Flyboy?"
Tom unconsciously rubbed his wrist. "I'm okay. My forearm is starting to hurt some, but it's not too bad yet. Honestly, I'm more worried about Eric."
"You've got to take care of yourself as well, bro. Otherwise, you're gonna cause Eric to worry and that'll just make him stress-which means his back will bother him more."
"Yeah, I know. I hope you and Jase can help him to feel better soon. He doesn't open up much, but he really does appreciate your help."
The former Frog laughed softly. "Oh, trust me, I'm learning that about our Commander."
Tom shook his head and smiled. "He really is a great guy-you just have to get to know him. It takes time with someone like him."
"Tom, you don't have to try and convince me. I'm happy that you and Eric are together. You're good for each other and both of you are bringing out more in your partner."
"I think so too. You and Jase are great for each other too-for kinda the same reasons," the former Ranger Commander said with a smile.
Adam laughed at that. "I keep Rexy-boy out of trouble. And considering at times he's like a big kid, that can be quite a chore."
"Tell me about it...I remember," Tom laughed. "Of course, I can be trouble too."
"Yeah, I think it's a Red thing. I'd ask Wes about it, but he's almost as big a trouble magnet as you are. If it wasn't for Mike being a former SEAL, I'd worry about Blondie."
"You're probably right about that. Even though I never really wanted to be a Red, it kinda came to me...like it was supposed to happen. We can find trouble, that's for sure."
An eyebrow rose up, almost meeting Adam's hairline. "Tommy, you found trouble before you ever became a Red and it always found you. Once you put on Red, it just seemed to get worse."
"Don't remind me," Tom said, shaking his head. "It still does."
"Oh, I know it does, but what happened this weekend isn't anyone's fault. If it wasn't helping Eric that got you hurt, then you'd have done something else and ended up the same way. We both know that."
"I really am that bad, aren't I? It's a wonder I lived through having all those different powers."
"No, that's what your friends and team mates were and are for-to help you when you need it."
"I know and I do appreciate you all. Don't know where I'd be without you." He stopped and gathered his thoughts. "Me and Jase even managed to stay friends after we decided that the relationship wasn't working. A lotta people can't do that."
"That's because you were friends first, Falcon. You not being able to count on Jason would be like me being unable to count on Rocky when I really need him: It's not gonna happen."
"That's true. I wonder sometimes if Eric isn't secretly more suspicious of me and Jase than he lets on. I know he's somewhat jealous of him, but that's ridiculous."
"He's insecure, Tom." Quietly, he told him about the conversation he had with Eric the night before. "I talked with Jase about it and he was gonna talk with him."
"Good. Maybe Rex can talk some sense into his head."
-o-O-o-
A couple of hours after laying down for a nap with his partner, Tommy woke slowly and looked over at Eric. 'Hope you're feeling better,' he thought, reaching over and lightly stroking the man's cheek.
Sighing softly, Eric turned into the soft touch before opening his eyes to look at his lover. "Hey you."
Tom was a bit surprised, but recovered quickly. "Hey Bear, I thought you were still asleep. How're you feeling?" he asked gently.
"Was for a bit, but I've been laying here resting for a few minutes now." Moving carefully, he rolled over a bit while shooting Tom a grin. "Pretty good actually." He closed the distance between them and placed a soft kiss on the warm lips of the man he loved. "Love you."
"Mmmm...love you too. Glad you're doing better. Adam has some magic hands, huh?" he said with a grin.
The Guardian Commander chuckled softly. "That he does and I'll be keeping that in mind when it comes time for his next raise."
"I'm sure he'll be glad to hear tha-..." he started but was interrupted by a loud "thunk" and a burst of laughter coming from the direction of the kitchen. "What the hell...?" he mumbled.
The Quantum Ranger snorted. "There's no telling, but we should probably go make sure they're both okay."
"Yeah, you're probably right," he said, hearing the laughter again. "That's Adam. What the hell are they up to?" Tommy got up and moved around the bed to help Eric get himself upright. Once that was accomplished, they slowly headed toward the kitchen.
Jason ignored his lover, who was on the floor laughing at him as slid across the floor wearing socks, boxers, and an apron. In his hand, he held a wooden spoon that was serving as his microphone and after turning around, he looked down at Adam before starting to sing. "I can't get no satisfaction, I can't get no satisfaction. Cause I try and I try and I try and I try. I can't get no, I can't get no..."
Tommy and Eric stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and just watched for a few moments before either said anything. "Oh lord...Jase is doing his Tom Cruise impression..." the former White Ranger finally said with a chuckle.
Eric raised an eyebrow. "Are they drunk?"
Adam started wolf whistling and had found a lighter somewhere because it was now lit as he waved it back and forth. "Go Rexy!"
Tommy laughed again. "No, they're just goofy as hell. They get this way sometimes," he told his boyfriend. Tom then added his whistle to Adam's. "Sing it, bro!" he called and then laughed again.
Looking at them, the Original Red Ranger shot them a grin before going back to his song. "When I'm ridin' round the world/ And I'm doing this and I'm signin' that/ And I'm tryin' to meet some guy, who tells me/ Baby, better come back maybe next week/ Cause you see I'm on a losing streak/ I can't get no. Oh, no, no, no. Hey, hey, hey/ That's what I say. I can't get no, I can't get no/ I can't get no satisfaction, no satisfaction/ No satisfaction, no satisfaction."
-o-O-o-