A throbbing ache radiated from his side and across his torso. Whimpering softly, Jason slowly opened his eyes. At first everything was blurry and his mind was clouded with confusion. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck. Nausea threatened to overwhelm him.

What happened?

As the world came into focus, the Red Ranger realized he was in the medical bay of the Command Center. He was surprised by the amount of equipment that surrounded him, beeping softly. I must have been hurt bad. Suddenly disjointed images and emotions flashed through his memory.

Clash of swords. The sound of his panting echoing in his helmet. Fiery pain. Exhaustion. Anger. So much blood covering the ground; his glove soaked so that it was almost as red as his uniform.

Jason squeezed his eyes tightly as the full weight of those memories pressed down on him. He fought to keep the bile from rising up his throat. Something else tugged at his mind, nagging at him.

Kimberly! Her tear streaked face looking down at him as the world faded to black.

His heart began thundering in panic and he quickly opened his eyes.

Jason didn't have to look far. The Pink Ranger sat curled in a chair next to his bed asleep. He didn't want to wake her. A ghost of a smile twitched the corners of his mouth as he studied the beautiful girl who loved him. Her long lashes lay against her skin, soft pink lips slightly parted. He could just barely hear her gentle breathing. He wondered how long she'd been there, waiting for him to wake up.

The Red Ranger still couldn't believe that she loved him. Everything had happened so fast. Kimberly telling him she was in love with him, their first night together, and then his battle with the Green Ranger. His eyes narrowed and a low growl escaped him.

The Green Ranger...

Anger ignited in his chest as the memory of what happened flashed in front of his eyes. He saw the civilians the Green Ranger mercilessly slaughtered, their screams and their blood dripping from his sword. He remembered fighting with all his might so other innocents would be spared. He desperately wanted to beat Tommy's face to a bloody pulp.

The Red Ranger felt his face flush as he then suddenly remembered what the Green Ranger had hissed at him and the filth he spewed at Kimberly. He felt vengeance flare in his heart; he wanted to also pay Tommy back for his treatment of Kim.

Pain rolled over Jason at that moment and he shuddered.

And for the agony he's caused me, he mentally added as a tear trickled from the corner of his eye.

Nearby in another bed, Tommy lay in the darkness ensnared in a hellish nightmare. Sweat stood out on his brow and his arms and legs jerked. Occasionally soft noises slipped past his lips as his mind worked with the evil thoughts that still inhabited his heart.

He was standing in front of the Red Ranger; his Dragon Dagger was plunged to the hilt in his enemy's side. Slowly, he pulled the blade out, blood dripping on the dusty ground and gushing down Jason's thigh. With a violent energy, he suddenly and viciously began stabbing the Red Ranger in the stomach, his hand gripping the teen's neck, fingers digging in. Jason struggled against the attack, his hands trying to grab the dagger. But the stabbing was so frenzied it was impossible. In a rage, he threw the Red Ranger down and straddled him, slashing now. Jason was trying to cry out for him to stop but his mouth was full of blood. The wet, choking cries only excited him more. Standing up, he began jumping up and down on the injured Ranger's body. Joy and excitement consumed him.

Tommy suddenly set up and let out an agonized wail that was quickly followed by a bout of vomiting. Shame and disgust hung like a cloak around his shoulders. He noticed with mortification that he was still sexually aroused from his dream.

I'm pure evil. I'm the devil. I've killed and injured so many. I just want to die.

The savageness of the dream was sickening enough but in that moment he had enjoyed it enough to become aroused.

A memory trickled in, a memory of his childhood. He had sat huddled on the couch alone, watching Alice in Wonderland. Tommy had been absolutely terrified knowing what was coming for poor Alice: the Jabberwocky.

That's what I am. The Jabberwocky.

He hung his head and sobbed.