Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.
Two Weeks Later...
Kimberly ran her hand along the rock next to her as she rounded the corner. She stopped when Jason came into view. She had a hunch she might find him in this spot. She had looked just about everywhere else. She stopped as she saw him leaning up against the rock with his head down and fidgeting with something in his hands. She could tell from the green reflection off of it what it was.
"Hey," Kim spoke quietly, but loud enough to get his attention. His eyes moved up momentarily to meet hers before they fell once more to the coin.
"Hey," Jason responded, his voice matching the volume of her greeting.
"I've been looking for you," Kim said as she slowly made her way over and leaned up against the rock wall opposite him. She watched as Jason pulled his phone out. He saw the many missed messages and looked up her with an apologetic look on his face.
"Sorry," Jason replied. "I guess I was kind of out of it there."
"Are you okay?" Kim inquired. She watched his eyes dart up to the water pooled above them. He seemed fixated on it as she waited for his response. After what seemed like an almost unbearable amount of time he finally looked back down at her.
"I'm..." Jason hesitated. "I wanna say I'm fine but I'm not sure that would be the truth you know?"
"I know," Kim responded with a nod. She could see the hurt on his face. The hurt hadn't left his face since they came upon a powerless Tommy.
"I don't mean to be so..." Jason gestured around him to emphasize what he was trying to say.
"It's okay to be upset," Kim stated. She waited for his eyes to meet hers before she continued. "I just... and I know you don't want to hear this..."
"It was my fault," Jason cut her off. Kim shook her head. "I was there Kim... I was right there..."
"You tried your best," Kim attempted to assure him, as she had done for the last two weeks.
"I couldn't get past him..." Jason said, now shaking his head. "Tommy was counting on me... Trini... Zordon... everyone."
"Jason..." Kim said stifling a sigh. She hated seeing him so beat up about it. He mostly avoided the subject and tried to keep up the charade that he was fine. Sometimes though he would have these moments.
"I'm sorry... I know you are probably tired of hearing this," Jason said as he shoved the green coin into the pocket of his jeans.
"No..." Kim responded. "I just hate it that you blame yourself."
"I don't know who else to blame," Jason replied honestly. He shrugged and walked over to stand under the pool of water above them. He gazed up at it at his reflection.
"It was Zedd... blame him," Kim countered.
"I mean... sure... but I should have been able to get past him," Jason responded. "There was so much on the line..."
"None of us could have," Kim replied. "You were the best chance we had... Zedd just won."
"That's... that's," Jason paused. "I hate the thought of him winning."
"It was one battle, it's not the war," Kim clarified. Jason turned back to look at her.
"Tell that to Tommy," Jason responded. Kim hung her head for a moment and gathered her thoughts. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Jason," Kim said. She felt him approaching and looked up just as he reached her. He offered her a smile, she could see that it was genuine. She fell into his embrace and smiled against his chest.
"If you want to be angry..." Kim said as she pulled away to look him in the eyes. "Be angry at Zedd, not yourself."
"I am angry with him," Jason said with a nod.
"We all are," Kim replied. Jason considered her for a moment before he spoke again.
"How is Trini?" Jason asked. It was then he realized he had mostly managed to avoid just about everyone except Kim.
"She's upset too obviously," Kim answered. "It was bad enough that Tommy lost his powers but... with him leaving..."
"I can imagine," Jason replied as he considered Tommy's departure. He had told them he was going to spend the rest of the summer up state with his aunt and uncle. He had even mentioned to Jason in private that he wasn't sure he'd return. Jason pulled out his phone and began to punch out a message.
"Trini?" Kim asked. Jason nodded.
(****)
Trini pulled her knees up closer to her chest as she looked out over the ocean in front of her. She sighed and closed her eyes. She had many emotions going through her and found it hard to settle on a mood. This soured it even more. She was slightly startled to hear someone sat down next to her on the bank.
"Hey," Jason said as he rested his arms on his knees and turned to her.
"I didn't even hear you come up," Trini replied, looking behind her momentarily before turning back to Jason.
"You seemed to be lost in thought," Jason said.
"Yeah," Trini agreed.
"I've been there myself the last couple of weeks.
"Jason?" Trini spoke. Jason turned his attention from the ocean over to her.
"Yeah?" Jason responded.
"Is it okay that I don't know what my mood is?" Trini questioned.
"Um... yeah... it's okay by me," Jason responded with a shrug. Trini gave him a half grin.
"I mean it..." Trini continued. "I'm angry... I'm sad... annoyed... hurt... the list goes on."
"I get it," Jason replied with a nod. Trini turned back to him.
"You too?" Trini inquired.
"Yep," Jason answered.
"So what do you do about it?" Trini asked.
"I go off on my own and think about it... same as you," Jason answered.
He offered her a smile, which she returned with a weak one of her own.
"Does that make you feel better?" Trini asked.
"Not really," Jason responded.
"Doesn't me either," Trini confessed. "I just don't really know what else to do."
"When did you last talk to him?" Jason asked.
"Yesterday," Trini answered. "Text."
"How are things?" Jason inquired.
"Oh... well... he's there and I'm here... and that's that," Trini responded with a shrug.
"I'm sorry," Jason said.
"I'm not mad at him..." Trini continued. "I get it... after all that he went through I don't blame him for wanting to get away."
"Yeah," Jason agreed.
"So it's not that..." Trini said. "I just... I want to be there for him... but even if he were here I don't know what to say to make it better."
"Me either," Jason responded. Trini turned to him. She saw him looking down at his hands.
"It's not your fault..." Trini said. This got his attention. "If no one has told you that... you should know that."
"I've been told," Jason responded.
"Still blaming yourself though aren't you?" Trini questioned.
"I can't help it," Jason answered with a shrug.
"I guess we both got our issues right now," Trini commented.
"We do," Jason agreed. There was silence between them as both gazed out across the ocean. Trini turned to Jason first.
"I don't think he'll be back," Trini stated. Jason closed his eyes for a moment and then turned to her.
"I want to tell you that you're wrong," Jason began.
"But you can't," Trini finished for him. "It's cool..."
"No it isn't," Jason replied. He reached over and put his arm around Trini and she leaned her head on his shoulder and they sat in silence.
(****)
"Are you serious?" Billy asked as he stepped back and attempted to catch his breath.
"I am," Zack responded as he lowered his fists.
"We have been at this for hours," Billy said as he reached over to retrieve a water bottle from the nearby workbench.
"I know..." Zack replied. "But we are down a member and need to be ready."
"I get that," Billy said as he removed the gloves he had been using to train with. "But I'm exhausted."
"I'm tired too, Billy," Zack said. "But we don't have time to be tired."
"Zack... lighten up man," Billy said.
"And then what?" Zack asked, his tone harsh. He saw the look on Billy's face and then his own softened. "I'm sorry."
"Listen... we are all upset over what happened," Billy said.
"I know..." Zack agreed. He finally relented from his fighting stance and walked over to plop down on a nearby stool. "I guess I'm just..."
"What?" Billy pried.
"Tommy and I..." Zack began.
"Yeah?" Billy responded.
"I feel like... I never really accepted him and now..." Zack said, before pausing.
"Now he's gone," Billy said.
"Yeah," Zack said as he placed his arms on the back of the stool.
"You are feeling guilty?" Billy questioned.
"I guess... I don't know," Zack replied. "Just... made me think... opened my eyes."
"To?" Billy asked.
"How... I mean... we think we are invincible... but then this happens and you wonder," Zack replied.
"Sure," Billy agreed with a nod.
"And yeah... I regret the tension between Tommy and myself," Zack continued. "I'd do it all differently if I could."
"Well... have you talked to him since he left?" Billy asked. He saw Zack shake his head. "Maybe text him... or call him... might make you feel better."
"Maybe," Zack agreed. "Guess I'm not sure what to say."
Billy nodded and then leaned on the bench next to Zack. He crossed his arms.
"I'm not sure what to say to Trini either..." Zack said. "Or Jason."
"They both seemed to be taking it hard," Billy responded. Zack looked up at him.
"Yeah... Jason blames himself... I know he does, he doesn't have to say it... I can read it on him," Zack said. "And of course Trini..."
"Did they break up?" Billy asked. He had been curious since Tommy left but never knew who to ask or how to bring it up tactfully.
"I think so," Zack responded.
"That sucks," Billy commented. Zack nodded. "I mean... it's better than he leaves her on the hook and just leave."
"True," Billy agreed. Zack reached behind him on the bench and retrieved his phone after it vibrated. Billy turned to see his light up as well.
"It's Jason," Zack said.
"Same here," Billy replied as he looked at the message on his phone.
(****)
Billy stepped down off the rock he was on to lower ground. He moved around Zack as he stopped in front of him. He saw Kim and Trini standing in front of him around a roaring fire and he smiled at both of them.
"Hey girls," Zack greeted them.
"Hey," Both said in unison.
"So... where is..." Zack began to ask.
"Right here," Jason's voice interrupted his question as the group turned to see him approaching the campfire.
"What's up?" Zack asked. Jason took a deep breath and then looked down the line.
"I just felt like..." Jason paused. "I felt like we should all have a meeting."
"A meeting?" Billy questioned. Jason's eyes moved to him and then back down the line again.
"Yeah..." Jason replied.
"What kind of meeting?" Trini asked.
"Well I for one have had a lot on my mind for the last two weeks," Jason responded. "I think all of us have."
"Yeah," Kim agreed.
"So... I wanted us to get it out," Jason said. "I want us... to know... that we have each other."
The group turned to look at one another and then back to Jason. Each was unsure but found comfort being gathered together.
"I think..." Jason began. "I think I've kind of lost sight of that the last two weeks."
"Yeah... me too," Kim agreed.
"We are all upset over what happened with Tommy," Jason continued. "I have done nothing but blame myself."
Jason took a stick and began to stoke the fire in front of him as he looked at the group who had organically formed a circle around it. He was having flashbacks at their first real group bonding moment in this exact location.
"The thing is..." Jason said. "I've been so hung up on this idea that Zedd had won... but he hasn't."
"It feels like it," Trini spoke up. Jason turned to her and nodded.
"Yeah... it does," Jason agreed. "But he only wins if we don't stick together."
"Jason's right," Kim said as she made eye contact with Jason before turning to Trini.
"We haven't faced anything like this... losing one of us..." Zack stated.
"No... we haven't," Jason agreed. "But I think we can get through it... together."
"I'm just going to say it," Billy spoke, garnering everyone's attention.
"I'm scared."
"Scared?" Zack questioned.
"Me too," Kim agreed.
"What else is Zedd capable of?" Billy questioned. "You're right to say we've never faced this before."
"I don't know what else he is capable of..." Jason said. "I really don't."
"So yeah... that scares me," Billy said.
"Listen..." Jason said as he looked at each one of them. "We all got in this together."
Jason took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky for a moment before continuing.
"I need to know... if we are still in this together?" Jason asked.
"I'm all in..." Zack was quick to respond. He looked at the others waiting for their response.
"I mean... I'm scared but I'm in," Billy replied. Jason nodded he turned his attention to Kim.
"I'm not going anywhere," Kim said offering the group a small smile.
"Trini?" Jason got her attention. She looked at each of them and then crossed her arms.
"I don't know what I feel anymore..." Trini began. "But we can't just give up... I'm probably the most upset at what happened with Tommy, but I'm not going to just let Zedd win like that."
"Alright," Jason said as he nodded his head and looked at each of them. "Then it's settled... we get through this... together."
"Together," Trini agreed. The rest of them nod.
"We're mad, hurt...scared... whatever... but we have each other," Kim added. "That makes me feel better."
"Same," Billy agreed.
"So what do we do now?" Zack asked.
"Right now?" Jason responded. "I don't know... the night is young I guess, we could train or..."
"I could go for some food," Billy suggested, to laughs from the group at his interruption.
"I can go for that too," Kim agreed.
"Then let's go get something," Jason said with a smile as he looked around the group.
(****)
"So how'd I do?" Jason asked as he walked next to Kim down the sidewalk. "Did Trini make fun of me behind my back?"
"It was a good leader talk," Kim said with a grin.
"So she did," Jason replied.
"You know she gets a kick out it when you go into "bossman mode", Kim said with a laugh. Jason shrugged and smiled.
"Oh well," Jason responded as he looked ahead of them at Zack, Trini and Billy engaged in their own conversation as they walked a few steps ahead of them.
"It was a good thing you did though," Kim said, her tone serious now. Jason turned to her as he felt her hand slip into his. "We needed it."
"I just felt like we were all drifting apart... seeing Trini there at the beach by herself... I knew then," Jason said.
"We were," Kim agreed. "And I hope you aren't blaming yourself anymore."
"I'm trying not to," Jason answered honestly. "I just want us to stick together... I don't want to lose anyone else."
Kim leaned into him as they walked. They quickened their pace to catch the other three as they approached the restaurant they were heading to.
(****)
"Is she...?" Goldar questioned as he looked up and down the length of the body in front him.
"Patience," Zedd responded as he stepped back from Rita's body. He chuckled menacingly as a green glow enveloped Rita's body and her eyes shot open.
"She's back..." Goldar stated as Rita sat up and faced the two of them.
"Welcome back," Zedd said as he reached out his hand to her. She hesitantly reached out to him and took him by the hand.
"How?" Rita asked. Zedd pointed next to her a vat full of green wax. She understood immediately. "Why?"
"To finish what you started," Zedd responded.
