From the Pulpit: Many people blind themselves to signs of abuse, because they either don't believe it could happen to anyone they see, or because they don't want to get entangled. Don't be one of them. Don't doom someone to even a minute more of abuse than you can prevent.
With all the years he spent as a Ranger, rushing towards danger that others run from and facing fearsome enemies, no one would think of calling Thomas Oliver a coward. Yet since he'd discovered one of his student's dark secret, cravenness overtook him.
Conner, on his part, said nothing and did nothing out of the ordinary, at least not advertently. The teenaged boy seemed contented to make it as though nothing had transgressed; when Tommy reflected on this, it only lead to the depressive thought that Conner had dealt with his father's abusiveness for far too long. Even if his silence was the result of coercion and blackmail, it was like keeping a monster in the closet, one that crept out to eat away at his conscience whenever he had a sliver of spare time to pause and think. Watching his new group of Rangers grow and mature as good-hearted young people only worsened Tommy's moral plight. With each act of teamwork, each time they faced and defeated the latest threat to Reefside, Conner's developing selfless nature was a greater weight of guilt upon him.
The teacher hadn't been idle – he wouldn't simply let it lie, not that easily, being a scrupulous man. He'd finally confronted Conner a little over a week after the revelation after gathering his thoughts, calling the boy out after class.
"It's about the test, right? I know I sorta suck at your tests, Dr. O – it's not disrespect, really! I'm just not that great at this science-y stuff, I guess, though I thought I did okay on that last one..." As the Red Dino Ranger stood awkwardly, one foot scuffing against the other, Tommy became acutely aware of just how young Conner was, a fact that he often forgot in the heat of battle or within the impersonally institutionalized walls of the classroom. He derived from that the resolve he needed to broach the uncomfortable subject that shadowed their interactions; no child – no person – should suffer from at parent's hand, least of all someone who'd risk his life to defend others.
"Actually, you did really well on that last one – unless you think a ninety-two is bad." Conner's face lit up in a genuine smile, and Tommy felt that resolve waver, melting, because it was the first time he'd felt a real happiness from the boy since the façade fell away. He fought and won against the urge to let it all go and maintain the easy act and pressed on, gravely, "I wanted to talk to you about what's happened – is happening – to you."
Conner's face fell, leaving not even the merest trace of the smile that had been there moments ago. "There's nothing to talk about, Dr. O," he stated tonelessly, "Nothing's been happening."
"You can't convince me that it's over, Conner," Tommy snapped, frustration already building, "Problems like that don't just disappear."
"When did I say I was trying to convince you? All I'm telling you is that there hasn't been anything in the past week, and I don't have anything more to say to you about it." Conner gave a soft, bitter laugh, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair.
"Even so, what's happened is wrong. It's wrong, and I'm not going to stand for it," Tommy said, "Your father can't treat you that way. You deserve better."
"If I deserve better, then I don't deserve the legal hell that'd come if it got out," Conner retorted, "You know what? I don't want to talk about this anymore." As Conner turned to leave, Tommy reached out, gripping the former's arm and spinning him around, locking eyes in an intense gaze.
"I'm not dropping this, Conner. I'm not letting this go on."
"Which is why you haven't said a damned thing since then?" The words were like a blow; all of what Tommy had wanted to say vanished, deprived of meaning. His grip loosened, and Conner pulled away, his eyes downcast. All of what Tommy had wanted to say vanished, meaningless, as he tried to gather the loose strands of thought into something coherent – the stillness, seconds-brief but even then too long, was stifling.
"It's not...It's not right. Dammit, why can't you see that it's not right?" Tommy finally mumbled, voice betraying his insecurity not only at dealing with the difficult situation, but also at having his cowardice acknowledged. Steeling himself, he continued more firmly, "Being abused like that is not okay, Conner, not even by your father. No one deserves abuse, and you're much too good of a kid to be mistreated like that."
"How old do you think I am?" Conner asked, almost indignantly, "I'm not a kid, Dr. Oliver! I've had to deal with it, and I know what I'm doing. I'm making less of a mess for myself. And my dad's not a bad person – all he's trying to do is make me a good soccer player. Even without that, it's not about him, or about anyone – anything – else. It's for me." He whirled around, striding towards the door, then stopped, turning around, met Tommy's stunned eyes with his own, veiling only half-successfully his hurt and anger and intoning with a coolness that showed neither, "We don't have a choice, not until all this Ranger business is over, anyway, because if I'm taken out of Dad's custody, the Red Dino Ranger will be lost in legal limbo. Until then, I don't want to talk about it again, because there's nothing to talk about."
Conner's words echoed in his teacher's mind every time he saw the teen, and every time, he felt a surge of shame. Though he had the willpower to overcome insurmountable odds in battle when the world was at stake, he found himself unable handle the burden of his student's abuse, despite being compelled both morally and by law, because it wasn't cut and dry, wasn't black and white, wasn't as easy as firing a laser or punching the enemy. This enemy had many faces – an abusive parent who he hadn't even met, a teenager's reasoning that made a disquieting kind of sense, and an obligation to let it all go down for Reefside's, if not the world's sake.
So in his torn state, he kept up the act, and they played their parts as simply teacher and student and fellow Power Rangers. Tommy was shocked and dismayed at how great an actor he proved to be, for no one else even suspected. He didn't want to think about the other possibility – that they turned a blind eye because they didn't want to see – because it was self-incriminating. All the while, he guiltily wished that someone would see through the show they put on and take the responsibility that he was neglecting off his shoulders.
Through it all, he watched; he couldn't ignore the signs he saw. He watched as Conner slept through classes, responded drowsily, even confusedly at times, and glimpsed the bruises that didn't correspond with those he received from monsters; he'd taken to monitoring Conner's fighting just to account for the latter's contusions. Thus, as Conner fell into almost unnoticeable depression midway through the year, apparent only in the fleeting, easily missable snatches of darkness in his expression, so did Tommy, indecision, hopelessness, and guilt bearing down on him.
And life went on. The Dino Rangers defeated Mesagog, losing their powers in the process, and with that obstacle gone, Tommy had almost informed proper authorities. Almost, if not for the fact that Conner came to him, begging that him not to – there was only two months left – and that he wait at least until past prom if he couldn't promise that, so that Conner might enjoy the dance without the mess that waited for him in the courthouse. Tommy, unable to deny the earnest pleas and the joy of prom to a teen who'd been through so much, begrudgingly agreed, with the caveat that they must talk about it after class the next school day.
During the test that class, Conner was drowsy; on his way out of the classroom to the lavatory, he seemed to sway slightly, as though inebriated. When he didn't return after ten minutes, Tommy rang up another teacher to monitor the students for the time, excusing himself to go to the restroom as well. As he entered the restroom tucked away in the corner, he tried to imagine that the sound of water splashing, alternating with a wretched moaning didn't come from behind the single stall in use. He tried the door, apprehension and fear settling leadenly in the pit of his stomach. It creaked open a little; Conner hadn't been able to lock it.
Opening it fully, he gasped at what he saw. Conner was kneeling on the floor, face pallid, eyes bloodshot. His chest heaved dryly, the contents of his stomach already mostly emptied into the toilet bowl, onto the floor, on his clothes...
"Conner!" Tommy fell to his knees, taking hold of his student's shoulders.
"Sorry, Dr. O... I guess I'm not feeling too well..." The teacher laughed nervously, incredulously; not feeling well was a hell of an understatement. Shaking his head, he muttered a few curses as he took out his cell phone, dialing 911.
"D-don't! I'll be fine, really," Conner stammered, his progressively weakening voice contradicting his words.
"The hell you'll be fine!" Tommy hissed, angry at everything and everybody, fuming as he told the emergency responders where to go, then calling the school itself, not willing to leave Conner's side. "Damn it, Conner," he murmured, fading into a whisper. He wrapped his arms around the almost limp young man, overcome with concern, protectiveness, rage, and guilt. "Damn it. Damn it all to hell."
A/N: I didn't think I'd get an idea suitable to continue the story without making it trite, but this seemed decent. Oh, and side-noting, before anyone points it out - Eric's not home because he's not adept at sports. I might explain in a possible third chapter.
Before you decry Tommy's actions – and I know some of you will – think about it. Try to see it from his point of view. For a Power Ranger, good and evil are clearly defined; furthermore, remember that although he's a teacher, he's inexperienced, still just twenty-five, still human and fallible. Moreover, there's more going on here than even most cases of child abuse. I tried to bring it across through the story, but...yeah. Is he a coward in the story? Yes. But unfortunately, his reactions aren't unrealistic.
I might continue this, but... I dunno. It doesn't end here – there's a bigger part, but I don't know that I'm willing to write anymore, seeing as how this one actually managed to make me emotional, which has never happened before.