Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.

Jason looked down at the bandages wrapped around his bare midsection. He gingerly traced the outline with the palm of his hand and winced when it reached the middle portion. He sat back on the chair he was in and leaned his head up against the wall of the spaceship.

Jason could hear the chatter coming from the main command center. He knew what was being discussed. The rest of the team along with Zordon were trying desperately to come up with a solution to the problem of keeping the green power coin out of Zedd and Rita's hands. The conversation would alternate between very lively and long moments of silence.

Jason stood up from his chair and walked over to the table next to the bed he had been lying on as the team had nursed him back to health. He reached for his white shirt that was lying crumpled on it. He picked it up and examined it, deciding to just toss it back down once he saw the blood stains. Jason cursed and punched the metal table, as he then began to stare at the crumpled shirt.

"Jason?" Kimberly's tone was and a mixture of concern and inquisitive. Jason turned to look at the opening to the medical bay where she stood in the doorway. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm fine," Jason fibbed as he turned his attention back to the table. His peripheral vision saw her approaching him. She was standing next to him now. He let out a small disgusted chuckle. "It's all screwed up... isn't it?"

"What?" Kim questioned as she studied his face intently.

"No matter what we do... how much we think we are winning..." Jason began. He ran a hand through his hair and then let it rest on his chest just above his bandages. "We find ourselves in these situations, regardless."

"Yeah," Kim agreed. "We have been trying to come up with a plan."

"I've heard," Jason responded.

"The consensus... um... it's well... no one wants to give them the coin," Kim stated.

"Yeah... but what's the alternative?" Jason questioned. "They attack again... one of us dies... all of us die?"

"Yeah... that's the part we haven't been able to get past," Kim said as she crossed her arms and glanced back at the doorway. She turned back to Jason to see he was looking down at his bandages. "You hurting?"

"Nothing new," Jason replied. He saw the look of concern on Kimberly's face and he softened his own expression for her. "I'm fine."

"We almost lost you..." Kim said in a whisper.

"I'm sorry," Jason responded as he pulled her into a hug.

"It's not your fault," Kim said as she rested her cheek just above his collarbone.

"Yeah..." Jason said as he kissed her on top of the head and they pulled apart.

"Hey bossman, how are you?" Trini's voice approached them. Jason glanced up to see she had made it halfway into the room.

"Good as gold," Jason replied offering her a smile. She returned it. "So what are we gonna do?"

"We don't know," Trini responded with a shrug. "They kind of have us over a barrel."

"Yeah," Jason said as he contemplated their situation once more. He had a crazy thought and started to make his way past the two girls. "Maybe not."

"What?" Kim asked as she followed him out of the room.

"Zordon," Jason said as he entered the command center, drawing the attention of all inside.

"Jason... how are you feeling?" Zordon asked.

"As good as can be expected," Jason answered. "Listen... I have been thinking about our situation."

Jason made his way to the center of the room where he had a view of all inside. He then focused specifically on Zordon.

"Are you sure the green coin is powerless?" Jason asked.

"According to our readings, it was," Zordon answered.

"Right," Alpha agreed. Jason shook his head.

"Rita would not want that coin if it were," Jason reasoned. Alpha turned to Zordon and then back to Jason.

"I can scan it again," Alpha suggested.

"Do that," Jason said. Alpha turned and made his way over to the control panel and began to do so.

"What are you thinking, Jason?" Zack questioned.

"Rita wants that coin because she wants to be able to gain access to this place..." Jason began. "If the coin's dead she wouldn't get that."

"That's true," Zordon agreed.

"Maybe it's a longshot but I think there is still power in the coin," Jason said.

"It's not a longshot," Alpha said as he turned back to the group. "There are trace amounts of energy within."

"Okay, so what does that mean for us?" Kim asked. Jason began to speak but stopped and looked around the room. He then turned back to Zordon.

"Is there any way to drain the power from the coin?" Jason asked.

"No..." Zordon answered.

"Well... actually, if the coin were used in the state it's in then it would use it up," Alpha interjected.

"Are you sure?" Zordon questioned.

"Pretty sure," Alpha replied. "It would be the only way to drain it."

"So it needs to be used..." Jason said. "And only Tommy can use it."

"What are you saying?" Trini asked.

"Jason... there would not be enough power to morph," Alpha stated.

"Are you sure?" Jason inquired.

"Yes, as it sits there isn't," Alpha said.

"Were you thinking of having Tommy come back and use up the power?" Kim asked as she moved closer to Jason.

"I mean... it was a thought," Jason responded.

"But even if he could morph... that would be putting him in danger," Trini said as she made eye contact with Jason.

"I know," Jason said.

"Why would we risk that?" Trini questioned. Jason shook his head. He looked around at each of them.

"What's the alternative?" Jason asked in return.

"We fight... the five of us..." Zack said and Trini nodded in agreement.

"We won't win," Billy spoke up and the group, sans Jason, turned to him in surprise at his statement.

"What?" Zack asked.

"The five of us will not be enough against them... and if they get the coin... we can't win," Billy said.

"I can't believe you are saying that Billy," Trini said.

"I'm sorry... but I've been thinking and Jason's plan is the best one we have," Billy said.

"We can't ask Tommy to do that," Trini said vehemently shaking her head.

"If we use up the coin and take it out of the equation, at least we know the Zeo Crystal is safe," Jason said.

"What about Tommy, if we send him out there to fight them and his powers fail..." Zack said as he moved to stand beside of Trini.

"We'll be with him, the six of us," Jason replied.

"It's a moot point though, Alpha just said there isn't enough power for him to morph anyway," Kim added.

"Rangers," Zordon spoke to get the attention of the group. All turned to him. "I can infuse the coin with enough power to allow a morph."

"So you think we should do this?" Trini asked.

"I think we should propose the offer to Tommy," Zordon answered.

"I don't..." Trini began before letting out a big sigh. She knew that they were out of options but she had a bad feeling about the plan. She turned to Jason.

"I wouldn't suggest it if we had any other way," Jason said to her.

"I know but... it just feels wrong," Trini replied. Jason nodded in understanding.

"So time's almost up," Billy said as he glanced down at the watch on his wrist.

"Can you teleport Tommy here?" Zack asked, glancing from Zordon to Alpha.

"No... he doesn't seem to be wearing his communicator," Alpha replied as he turned from the control panel back to the teens.

"Teleport me to him," Jason said.

"Okay," Alpha said with a nod as he turned back to the control panel. Jason glanced over at Zack who had a hoodie on.

"Can I borrow?" Jason asked as he gestured to Zack.

"Sure," Zack replied as he slipped the garment off and passed it to Jason to give him some cover.

"I'm ready," Jason said before he disappeared in a flash of red.

(****)

Tommy opened his eyes from his mediation. He took in the sight of the lake in front of him. The mid-day sun burned bright and reflected off the water. He felt a change in the air around him and heard a familiar crackle of energy. He uncrossed his legs and stood up on the dock he had been sitting on. He turned around to greet his visitor.

"Jason," Tommy spoke as he approached him.

"Hey," Jason returned the greeting before stopping his steps.

"Is everything okay?" Tommy asked.

"Not really," Jason answered honestly.

"I heard there was trouble yesterday... not a lot of details but... it didn't sound good," Tommy stated.

"Rita... she's back," Jason said. He noted the confused look that fell over Tommy's face at his words.

"No... I watched her die," Tommy rebutted.

"Yeah... I know... but somehow he brought her back," Jason said.

"She... she's working with him again?" Tommy questioned.

"Unfortunately," Jason replied.

"Wow..." Tommy digested the new information as a wave of disappointment came over him.

"Hey... listen," Jason said. "We need your help."

"My help?" Tommy questioned. "I don't understand, what can I do?"

"Here," Jason said as he opened his hand to reveal the green power coin. Tommy's eyes went down to it and then back up to Jason.

"Why... it's... what's going on?" Tommy asked. "It's powerless."

"It's not," Jason stated. "Zedd and Rita have given us an ultimatum, that we ever give them this or they are going to start destroying everything and... we don't know if we can stop them."

"But... you say the coin is not powerless, but I felt the power leave me?" Tommy replied.

"There is enough power left in it that if Rita gets her hands on it... she can gain access to the ship... and the crystal..." Jason explained.

"I get that but what can I do with it?" Tommy questioned.

"Zordon says he can infuse it with enough power to allow you to morph... once," Jason said.

"And then...?" Tommy asked.

"You use the power up... then we know the ship is safe," Jason answered. Tommy nodded as he considered the plan. "You don't have to do this... but..."

"I'm in," Tommy said as he reached down and took the coin from Jason.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked as he watched Tommy close his fist tight around the coin.

"Yeah... they can't be allowed to get that crystal," Tommy replied. Jason nodded in agreement.

"Then let's do this," Jason said.

(****)

Tommy looked down at his hands. He smiled as the green armor flowed over them. He felt a high rush through his body the likes he had never attained in any other way. He clenched his fists and turned to the rest of the team.

"How are you feeling?" Jason asked.

"Amazing," Tommy answered.

"Your powers will be in overdrive, due to the charge Tommy... but be careful, it will not last," Zordon explained from his position above the Rangers.

"Got it," Tommy said. He glanced over at Trini, they made eye contact. He made his way over to her and powered down. "Can we talk?"

With a nod, the two made their way out of the room into the medical bay.

"Listen..." Tommy began.

"It's okay, Tommy," Trini interrupted him. "You don't have to say anything."

"I want to," Tommy said. "I regret the way I left."

"You needed to get away from this... I get it," Trini replied.

"Yeah... but still," Tommy began. "Leaving things the way I did, it never felt right."

"Tommy..." Trini began. "What we had..."

"Had?" Tommy questioned the past-tense, although he knew he had no reason to.

"Don't," Trini said softly.

"I'm sorry," Tommy replied he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"We decided... when you came to tell me you were leaving... that it was over," Trini explained. Tommy nodded. He remembered the conversation vividly.

"I remember," Tommy said. There was silence between them for a few moments. "Are you sure we didn't make a mistake?"

Trini looked up at him. She made the mistake of looking into his eyes and at that moment what certainty she did have was muddled.

"I don't..." Trini began. "I don't know."

"Me either," Tommy confessed.

"But you left... and I... didn't give you a reason to stay," Trini stated.

"No... Trini..." Tommy began.

"It's time," Jason's voice from the doorway stopped the conversation. Tommy turned to look at Jason and back at Trini. She backed away from him slowly before turning and picking up the pace as she headed to the doorway.

Tommy wanted to call after her but knew it was too late. He had to shift his focus on the fight. Tommy took a deep breath and then followed the path she took until he entered the room to see the other Rangers morphed and waiting for him. Within a flash his armor covered him and he joined the lineup.

"Alright... stick together, no one gets separated and Tommy..." Jason began.

"I'll be fine... don't worry about me," Tommy interrupted him. He realized his words came off more combative than he meant them. "Just... I don't want anyone to be off their game worrying about me... when the powers are gone, I'm out of there."

"Okay..." Jason responded. He glanced down the line at the rest of the group. With a nod, they all teleported out together.