Disclaimer: The characters and settings used in here are the property of MMPR Productions and are used without permission and without financial gain of any kind on my part.
Note: This story is respectfully dedicated to the memory of Erik R. Frank, JDF's real-life brother, who brought the character of David Trueheart – Tommy Oliver's brother – so memorably to life for a few too short, wonderful episodes in PRZ. My depiction of David is not meant to reflect in any way on the actor who portrayed him, and whose life ended, due to illness, far too soon for his family, friends and fans in autumn of 2001. Any comments, as usual, will be appreciated. DB, 2001/02

Brother, My Brother

By Dagmar Buse

Unpleasant memories assailed the Green Turbo Ranger's mind as he ran up the stairs two at a time to the hospital ward where one of their own was fighting for his life, hooked up to all sorts of machinery. The first to lie here had been Kimberly, after her balance beam accident just before she left for Florida, then – only a few short weeks ago – his best childhood buddy had been recovering from his injuries. Adam reminded himself sternly that both instances had had a lucky ending, even if Rocky had to retire from the team. It didn't help much to quell his anxiety.

Slightly out of breath from his mad dash across town and into the hospital, he took a moment to regain his composure as he surveyed the group assembled in the waiting area. The huge clock mounted on one wall showed that Rocky had called him only a scant hour ago; it felt more like ages. The stunt show had never seemed to last this long, but never mind however much he wanted to, his obligations to his job for once had to come before a friend's needs. Bad enough that Ranger business took precedence so often.

"How is he?" Adam asked in a hushed voice as he joined the rest of his friends outside room 227. They were all there, sitting, crouching, leaning against the walls – the former Zeo (now Turbo) team, Trini, Zack, David and Sam … Tommy was missing, but Adam assumed he'd probably be in with their friend, watching over him and waiting for developments.

"Not good," Tanya whispered back, suppressed tears roughening her usually smooth voice as Kat answered at the same time, "He's hanging in there."

The green-shirted young man's dark eyes wandered from one girl to the other, his puzzlement obvious. Kat managed a fleeting smile, realizing what had happened. Giving Tanya a one-armed hug, she explained to Adam. "What I meant is, Tommy's hanging in there. Jason, though …" she swallowed hard. "We just don't know yet if he'll make it."

Adam closed his eyes in silent despair. They'd faced interstellar monsters, giant robots, evil magic and even a creature risen directly from the Earth's core and come through with flying colors; impossible to imagine that one of them should be in danger of dying of something as insignificant, as mundane as an allergic reaction!

He hugged a by-now softly sobbing Tanya to him, trying to give comfort even though he had no answers himself. Attempting to find at least some rhyme or reason, he asked the group which had gathered around them, "What exactly happened? When Rocky called, all he told me was that Jase had been bitten by a poisonous snake. I mean … didn't they take an antitoxin along?"

"We did," an unfamiliar voice said hoarsely from the back of the room. David Trueheart was leaning against a wall, looking pale and sick although there was no visible sign of injury on him. "It's that which is killing him now." There was guilt written all over his features which looked so uncannily like Tommy's.

"I didn't know …" he murmured almost to himself, staring at his dusty hiking boots. "I just didn't know …"

"Didn't know what, son?"

Reluctantly, David lifted haunted brown eyes to his adoptive father's. Sam had come as soon as he'd learned of the accident, offering his own vast knowledge of local wildlife and traditional remedies to the doctors at Angel Grove Memorial. So far, their combined efforts were barely enough to keep the former Gold Ranger alive. But nobody was giving up quite yet – not as long as Jason himself was still fighting with every labored breath he took.

"I …. I didn't know at first that he'd even been bitten by a snake, or that he's allergic to the antitoxin," the young man answered.

After a moment of reflective silence, Rocky's eyes suddenly lit up with a strange flame. Keeping his voice down with an effort, he stepped up close to Tommy's brother.

"How could you not know about the bite? You were there with Jason, weren't you? I know Tommy had to teleport out because of Divatox's latest attack, but I can't believe he didn't tell you to look out for Jase!" Trini and Zack flinched, casting perplexed looks at the Truehearts; surely Rocky hadn't forgotten about Zordon's edict about keeping their Ranger identities secret from everybody? Noticing their surprise, Kat nodded reassuringly, letting them know silently that it was okay. Details could be explained later. Still looking wary, the two erstwhile Rangers relaxed, turning towards the long-haired young man once more.

The guilty look intensified, and David squirmed uncomfortably, feeling all eyes trained on him. The former Blue Ranger quite obviously had trouble keeping control of his temper.

"Where were you, David? Why did it take so long from the moment he'd been bitten until Jase got to see a doctor? If Tommy hadn't returned when he did, and decided to bend the rules just a little by teleporting Jason directly here …"

The accusation was clear to everybody as it sank in on the group of friends that there seemed to be far more to the situation than a simple hiking accident. Equally obvious was that Rocky was on to something, if only because David had paled even more, his bronze skin taking on a greyish hue as he seemed to shrink into himself before their eyes. Only Sam Trueheart's calming presence prevented the Rangers, both active and former, from beating the answers they wanted out of their new acquaintance. The old shaman placed a protective hand on his tall son's shoulder and stopped the Rangers from venting their fear and growing suspicion with a single long look. Seating himself in a corner of the waiting area, far enough away from Jason's door not to disturb his parents and Tommy who were at his bedside, but still close enough to be on hand at once should there be any change at all in Jason's condition, Sam indicated that the teenagers should gather around him.

They did so without any questions, Adam still holding Tanya, Kat seated between Trini and Zack who had come home from Geneva a few weeks after Jason, having graduated from High School back in Switzerland. Rocky was still seething as Justin looked on uneasily. Kim hadn't arrived yet, but had been notified … and nobody knew if their hasty message to Aquitar had gotten through at all. Billy deserved to know.

Closing his wise old eyes for a few moments, cloaking himself in calm like a mantle that spread out to the others, Sam then addressed his son.

"Tell us what happened, David. Everything."

Though it was softly spoken, it was nonetheless an irresistible command. Unable to refuse, David swallowed the lump lodging in his throat.

"It all started pretty normal," he remembered. "Tommy had wanted me to meet Jason ever since his return, but somehow or other, the timing never was right. Anyway, this trip was the first opportunity that came up for all three of us, and we decided to go on a hike to Falcon's Pass …"

~~***~~

"This really sucks," David muttered to himself for maybe the twentieth time – ever since Tommy had called him yesterday to say that he was sorry, but there was a problem with Jason's car, and could he, David, drop by the Olivers' house so they could use Tommy's car? Short of calling the whole trip off, there was nothing David could do, so although it meant he had to go all the way into Angel Grove, then drive back half the distance to go hiking, he arranged for a neighbor to take him into town in the morning.

Unfortunately, said neighbor had to make a 7am deadline, which meant the young man had to get up at what he thought of Godawful o'clock in the morning, then was stuck in a rattletrap of a pickup for nearly 50 miles between a smelly and WAY too friendly dog and a bunch of chicken cages, had to listen to the aimless mutterings of his foster father's crony AND had to walk from the highway exit all the way to Tommy's house, loaded down with his camping gear and wearing hiking shoes definitely NOT suited for pavement pounding. Temperatures were already in the high seventies this early in the day, but that was nothing compared to the low simmer of David's temper.

In other words, David Trueheart was well on his way to be royally pissed.

"Jason's car broke; you don't mind coming here so we can pick him up, do you?" David sneered a bit as he recalled his brother's words. Actually, he did mind, since the new arrangement inconvenienced him a lot, but nooo – of course it never occurred to Tommy that maybe his precious friend should be the one to accommodate the brothers instead of the other way around. However, there never was a chance to voice his objections because Tommy once more launched into a glowing report on what Jason had said, what Jason had done, how nicely Jason was recuperating from losing the Gold Ranger's powers … so much so that David was close to screaming with frustration if he had to hear the name spoken one more time.

"He can't be that perfect. Nobody is that perfect," he grumbled as he turned into Tommy's street, ignoring the few catcalls from high school kids passing him on their way to school. David was well aware of how he looked in his leather jacket and hiking gear, long hair held back by a narrow, pearl-embroidered headband that proclaimed his heritage even more than his bronzed skin, dark hair and eyes. Some people's ignorance couldn't be helped, and the boys taunting him really were rather young … not young enough not to know better, though. Usually, these things didn't bother David much, but today – he shook off his dark thoughts, determining anew to enjoy this weekend hike with his brother, even if Tommy's best friend was going to be there, too.

*Intruding on what should be a family thing – Tommy and I bonding, doing stuff together as brothers.*

But David knew he couldn't tell Tommy of his resentment; not when Tommy was so obviously glad to have his best friend home again from Europe. Squaring his shoulders and pasting a smile on his face, David stepped up to the Olivers' door and rang the bell. Steps clattered inside, and then the door was yanked open suddenly by a young man whose family resemblance to David was unmistakeable.

"Dave!" Tommy's enthusiasm was unfaked as he drew David into a brief bear hug, and he felt his mood lifted by the friendly greeting.

"Hey Tommy," he murmured a bit self-consciously as he noticed Rachel Oliver in the kitchen door, looking at both young men with a somewhat strange expression. But she greeted him cordially enough, offering him breakfast and coffee, which David accepted gratefully. However, he couldn't enjoy the stack of pancakes Rachel placed before him in peace, as Tommy was fidgeting near the door, impatient to be on the way as much as any five-year-old about to go to Disneyland for the very first time. So David wolfed down his food far faster than he would've liked, and found himself hustled outside to Tommy's red 4X4 almost as soon as he'd swallowed his last sip of coffee.

"Come on already; Jason's waiting," Tommy called a bit impatiently from behind the wheel while David thanked Rachel for breakfast.

"Hold your horses, Tommy; he won't vanish into thin air just because we're five minutes late, if that," David groused, but obligingly climbed into the car and buckled up.

"Yeah, well …" Tommy grinned sheepishly as he started the car. "I know; it's just, I wanted the two of you to meet for so long, and now that it's happening …"

"…you're acting like a kid on Christmas morning," David jibed, grinning himself as Tommy blushed. "Drive on already!"

Muttering under his breath, Tommy backed out of the driveway and navigated through the quiet residential streets to the Scotts' house. Once there, he turned off the engine and jumped out of the car. "Come on," he called to his brother. "Let's see if Jase needs any help with his stuff!"

Slowly, David got out as well. "If he can't carry his gear from the house to the car, how does he expect to handle a five-hour hike?" he wondered, fresh resentment welling up in him, but Tommy didn't hear. He was already at the door, about to ring the bell, when the door opened and a slender blonde woman looked up at him with a friendly smile.

"Tommy! Good morning!" The blonde hugged Tommy, who returned the embrace warmly and without embarrassment.

"Hi, Helen," he grinned. "Is Jase up yet?"

"Of course I am, idiot," a deep voice came from the hallway, and a broad-shouldered figure emerged into the morning sunlight, giving David his first glimpse of his brother's best friend. "After all, I'm not the one with the memory problem!"

"It was only that one time before Junior year! And you gotta admit, I had a ton of things on my mind then." Tommy groaned comically. "Are you ever gonna let me live that down?"

"Nope," Jason grinned back cheerfully. "After all, you did ask us to help you with your problem, Bro!"

"You've helped, Bro," Tommy shot back. "And helped, and helped, and helped …"

The two broke into laughter over what was clearly an old joke between them, while the blonde – Jason's mother, David assumed – looked on with an indulgent smile, an expression that made absolutely no distinction between Jason or Tommy. Feeling somewhat left out, David took a step closer, only to stop short when Tommy flung a casual arm around the broad shoulders and drew Jason to stand next to him. The ex-Gold Ranger made no move to get away from this sign of deep affection, even intimacy, but slipped his own arm around Tommy just as easily. They stood like this as if posed for a few seconds, not at all embarrassed about letting others see how close they were.

David wanted to rip them apart.

*That is MY place!* something within him seemed to shout, but before he could do or say anything, Jason and Tommy separated again.

"Let's get this show on the road already," Tommy suggested, reaching for his keys to pop the trunk, but a mock-stern headshake from Jason stopped him. "What?"

"Aren't you forgetting something, Bro?" Jason asked.

Tommy looked at him, bewildered. "Not that I know of."

Jason rolled his eyes at his mother, who barely smothered a laugh. "What did I tell you? It's a wonder he remembered to show up here at all."

Mrs Scott did laugh then. "Be nice," she admonished him, grey eyes twinkling up at her broad-shouldered son.

"Yeah, yeah," Jason grinned, slinging his camping gear into the back of Tommy's car. "You just got me out of two weeks of lawn mowing, Tom," he said cheerfully.

"Huh?"

Jason winked at David, who was feeling rather superfluous observing the banter between people who quite obviously had forgotten all about him – if they'd even noticed his presence.

"I made a bet with Mom that you would forget to introduce your brother to us," he said smugly. "Mom claimed you had better manners than that, but she doesn't know that leaky brain of yours as well as I do. And I won!" Grinning broadly, Jason then turned towards David, holding out his hand.

"Hi. In case Tommy hasn't told you, I'm Jason Scott. I already know you're that idiot's brother, that your name is David Trueheart, and I'm pleased to meet you."

Bemusedly, David stared at the outstretched hand, making no move to shake it. Part of him wanted to respond to the easy friendliness, but another part protested, resenting the familiarity and closeness Jason obviously shared with Tommy – something that deep down David felt ought to belong rightfully to him alone. Before the situation could get awkward, though, Mrs Scott shouldered Jason aside.

"Really, Jason, your manners are as bad or worse than Tommy's," she chided, giving both young men a look that made them blush and squirm. "That's hardly the way to talk of one's best friend – especially not to a family member you have barely met." She smiled at David. "Please forgive Jason's lack of tact, Mr. Trueheart. I'm Helen Scott, this big lug is my son, and I welcome you to our house."

"Uh, thanks," David mumbled, nonplussed. He didn't know what to make of the situation. Good manners ordered him in one direction, his budding resentment of Jason into another, and he didn't know which way to go.

~~***~~

Good manners won. He let himself be drawn inside the comfortable house, but declined an offer of breakfast, wondering how Tommy could eat again already. Instead, he contented himself with sipping some orange juice, growing increasingly impatient while Jason and Tommy bantered their way through generous helpings of bacon and eggs, homemade blueberry muffins and whatnot. When finally the last morsel on their plates had been demolished, David cleared his throat and cast a speaking glance at the wall-mounted clock.

"If you two are done reducing the world's food supply to almost non-existent, isn't it time we were on or way? I thought you were in such a hurry to go." It took more of an effort than he liked to keep irritation out of his voice. He did not like feeling left out, and those two had practically ignored him, talking about people he didn't know, and things they'd done together that David wished deep down he'd shared. He'd rather die before he admitted that, though.

"Hey, this is the last time for the next couple of days that we get a home-cooked meal," Tommy protested, but got up with a good-natured groan when Jason stood and started stacking dishes before his mother could prompt him. "Thanks for breakfast, Helen. You're a great cook."

Helen Scott just laughed. "As long as you enjoyed it, Tommy."

He grinned back cheerfully while he handed the utensils to Jason, to put into the dishwasher. David wordlessly carried his glass to the sink. "Oh, I did! I love my mother to pieces, you know that, but cooking isn't exactly her strong point."

Jason snickered. "No kidding. Remember that one time she tried to make chicken teriyaki for the gang and messed it up so royally by adding jalapeno peppers for color?"

"Don't remind me, Bro," Tommy shuddered. "That was even worse than when she put sugar instead of salt into my scrambled eggs."

"Yuck!" Jason made a gagging noise like a Junior High kid, which sent Tommy into a giggling fit.

David silently wondered how the two younger men could speak so … disrespectfully of an Elder Female; it simply wasn't done! True, the pancakes Rachel had served him hadn't been as fluffy as others he'd eaten at home, the syrup had been a generic store brand, but that was no reason to publicly disparage her, was it? And why didn't Mrs. Scott reprimand them? She should be defending the other woman … He caught himself. The Olivers' and Scotts' lives were not like his own on the Reservation; Sam had warned him often enough since he'd met his brother not to make judgements based on their different cultures. Still, it was one more thing to lay at Jason's feet in David's mind – Tommy had never spoken so about his mother before. *Not within my hearing, anyway …* He was distracted by his blonde hostess's voice.

"Rachel has a very demanding job as an office manager, as you well know, Tommy. She can't be good at everything." Her tone was mild, but a rebuke nonetheless. David suppressed an approving nod.

*Not so different, after all.*

"I know, I know." The smile Tommy gave Helen was quick and apologetic. She mock-glared at him.

"As long as you do, I guess I can let it pass … for now." Helen then went over to the refrigerator and took out three half-liter bottles of water. "Here; nice and cool for your trip. Now get out of my house, all of you!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Tommy saluted, then jumped out of the way of an only half-playful swat, bumping into David who barely managed to keep his balance. "Oops."

"Geez, Tommy, can't you be more careful?" David snapped under his breath, but found himself ignored as Tommy, after a long considering look, snagged one last muffin off the table.

"Thanks, Mom." Jason hugged his mother briefly, then slung his backpack over his shoulder. He snickered when he noticed his best friend chewing surreptitiously. *Just like in High School.* The thought was warmly comforting – some things just wouldn't change. "I'm ready when you are, Tommy; must you be always late?"

"I'll give you late," the other muttered, swallowing hastily. But there was laughter in their voices, and two pairs of brown eyes sparkled. The third pair, however, was hidden under half-lowered lids, so the annoyance in them remained unnoticed.

"Thank you for the juice and water, Mrs. Scott," David said politely. He then walked sedately out to the red car, standing beside the right-hand door with ill-concealed impatience. He was not giving up riding shotgun, no matter how much Jason might want to argue! Somewhat to David's annoyance, however, his brother's best friend didn't even try to talk him into the backseat. Instead Jason just waited for the doors to be unlocked, plonked his backpack into the trunk and climbed inside first.

"Ready," he smirked, making a big show out of waiting for the other two with exaggerated patience.

David shook his head reprovingly, but Tommy gave Jason just a look that set him to sniggering, then backed his car out onto the street. The three young men were silent as they navigated the morning traffic, which suited David just fine, but as soon as they were on the way to Falcon's Pass Jason scooted forward in his seat. To his chagrin, David found that the other managed to be much closer to Tommy by leaning his arms on the driver's seat backrest than David himself, who was buckled into his seat belt and could only relax by turning away from his brother, resting his shoulder against the window.

"Shouldn't you be belted in?" he asked a little sharply, but Jason only smiled and shrugged.

"I've just slipped out of the shoulder belt; see? I'm still inside the hip strap, the road's not all that dangerous, and besides, I trust Tommy to drive safely. He knows this is neither his stock car nor his Zord, don't you, Bro?"

"Yeah," Tommy said genially, sparing his brother a quick sideways glance. "You don't think I'd take chances with the two of you of all people, do you?"

David didn't particularly care to be lumped together with Jason like that, as it implied that Tommy made no distinction at all between them, but there was nothing he could say without appearing churlish. But he couldn't help that his voice sounded somewhat clipped, garnering him a strange look from Tommy. Silently admonishing himself to get his act together, for the sake of peace if for nothing else, David forced a small smile.

"No, of course not." He lapsed into silence again.

Jason met Tommy's eyes in the rear view mirror, but all he did was raise an eyebrow, then give a minute shrug. He was far too glad to be able to spend some quality time with his best friend, and get to know this newfound brother of Tommy's; he was not letting anything spoil his good mood.

*Besides, he may just be pissed that he had to get up so early, come into town and now drive back again. All because some idiot rodent managed to gnaw through a few lines in my car's engine.* Jason inwardly cursed the marten, ferret or whatever it had been; the critter had been making the rounds through the neighborhood lately, but optimistically he'd thought his car would be spared. *Stupid, Scott,* he told himself, but it was too late now. *Oh well. I'm sure David'll get friendlier as soon as he's fully awake.*

Determined to make friends with Tommy's sibling if he could, Jason nudged the other on the shoulder.

"So Dave, what's so great about Falcon's Pass, anyway? Tommy couldn't tell me much, except that it's right outside the reservation and great for hiking," he ventured.

David didn't look at him.

"My name is David, not Dave," he said curtly. He felt brief satisfaction when Jason jerked back a little, astonished, but relented before Tommy could comment. The question had been innocuous enough, and he was proud of what the Tribe had accomplished in the area.

"I'm not used to having my name shortened," David said by way of apology, summoning a half-smile. Jason shrugged.

"Okay. Sorry."

Tommy spared a glance from the road at his brother. "I've called you Dave," he said, a very mild rebuke in his voice. "Several times, in fact."

David opened his mouth to comment, bit back whatever he was going to say as too uncivil, when Jason said it for him.

"Don't be dense, Bro. It's different for you; you're his brother."

Jason's easy, accepting manner irrationally grated on David's nerves even more – because he knew he was being unfair. He didn't know what set him so on edge about Jason; so far, Tommy's friend had shown him nothing but acceptance, but that's how it was … and the fact that David didn't like himself very much for what he refused to name unfounded jealousy didn't help, either. Grudgingly, he nodded towards Jason.

"Yeah. No offense," he managed.

"None taken," Jason replied, and had to suppress a tiny smile at Tommy's relieved expression. David hadn't struck him as very congenial or friendly so far, but for Tommy's sake he could put up with some grouchiness until they got to know each other better. Optimistically, Jason reflected that until today, he'd always managed to get along with almost everybody – even Bulk and Skull in a pinch.

"Anyway, to get back to my question – what IS so great about Falcon's Pass?"

Determining to match Jason's behaviour, David decided to answer. After all, he did not want to be shown up by this interloper – not in his brother's presence, anyway.

"The Tribal Elders have voted to lease the land from the government and make it into some kind of park, or a nature preserve – only not the kind you'd find at Yellowstone, for example. Rather, we want to keep it as untouched by civilization as possible, to protect the plants and animals in their natural habitats and eventually offer guided tours to schools or other groups. No amenities except right at the entrance, no concession stands or stuff like that – and certainly no masses of people, either. We even plan to have visitors petition for admittance first."

"Sounds good," Jason commented. "That way, you'll keep control over who's getting access, in what way and for how long."

"That's the idea." David refused to be impressed by the other's quick grasp of the concept. He was not above a little personal boasting, though. "I've applied for Forest Ranger training; as soon as I'm done, I'll be working full-time as a Falcon's Pass Guide."

"Cool." There was genuine approval, if not admiration in the deep voice.

"You haven't told me that," Tommy said, somewhat surprised. Inwardly, he winced; he really should've made the effort sooner to inquire about David's plans for the future, instead of filling his ears with all the stuff he was doing at Uncle John's track. Sure, becoming a race car driver was far more glamorous than working as a nature guide, but he knew well both professions were equally worthwhile in their place, and he had to admit, it fit what he had learned so far about his brother's inclinations and chosen life.

*Trust Jase to draw that out of David within an hour of meeting him,* Tommy thought fondly, remembering how Jason had managed the same thing with him when they'd first met. He'd been the quintessential loner, wary, even suspicious of strangers, and even more so after having gotten involved with 'the gang' as Rita's Evil Green Ranger, but he'd been defenceless before Jason's genuine interest and openness. Within days, Jason had learned enough about Tommy – and offered the same degree of information in return – that it felt as if they'd known each other for ages. It had paved the way to friendship with Trini, Zack and the others, and Tommy knew he'd be eternally grateful for that.

*Jase has been my Bro right from the start. My best friend, for always. Wish it would be the same with David …*

But Tommy was aware why it couldn't be so, not yet, anyway; for one thing, his brother was too much like himself, reserved and keeping to himself, for another, they didn't live in close proximity and met at school each day as he and Jason had … and neither had the gift of making friends easily.

*Not to mention the Ranger factor.*

Having to trust one's very life, and the future of one's planet, to another had a way of cementing relationships fast, Tommy acknowledged wryly to himself. It wasn't anyone's fault that he'd found his brother under much different circumstances than he'd met his Bro. But, as there was nothing he could do about that, he decided to try and lighten the atmosphere by latching onto a detail that seemed pretty amusing, all things considered.

Tommy sent a grin towards David. "You know … once you're done, you'll be the only Ranger left, among the three of us," he said. "Jason's already retired from it twice, I get the feeling that now we're out of school the team won't be able to keep it up for much longer …"

Jason laughed, but David felt another pang of jealousy – this time one he could acknowledge for what it was, though.

"It's hardly the same," he said a bit sullenly. Did Tommy have to remind him of that one thing he'd had with Jason that David would never be able to share?

He didn't notice the sympathetic look Jason sent in his direction. The one-time Red, then Gold Ranger could relate to what David was feeling; boy, could he ever! He'd given up his Powers willingly for a greater goal the first time, and he'd known from the outset that the Gold Power would have to be returned to Trey, but that didn't mean he did not feel envy every time his friends' communicators chimed and they rushed off without him. How Billy had stood it for so long, he had no idea.

"Perhaps not," he mused, half to himself. "You won't handle giant robots or fight aliens from Outer Space like we did, but the kind of Ranger you're gonna be is doing something just as important – preserve the land from attacks that come from everyday people. Every day, too. Littering, pollution, careless exploitation, general neglect of nature's balance … and that's just for starters. And who knows, maybe in the long run yours is the better way." Jason grinned suddenly. "At least it's less dangerous, and you won't be put under any evil spells anymore."

David grunted uncommittally. For a moment, he thought he'd heard condescension in Jason's words, but he seemed sincere enough, and there was little sense in quarrelling. Not if he wanted to get at least some enjoyment out of this weekend, despite Jason's presence.

"Yeah, well," he muttered. "Anyway, Sam has made me promise not to disturb anything, so it'll be my decision where to camp, where to go and what to do. You two will have to follow my lead in this. Is that going to be a problem?" David challenged Tommy and Jason, leaders and strong characters both. Somewhat to his disappointment, neither objected.

"Of course not," Tommy snorted. "What do you take us for, anyway?"

He received a friendly cuff on the side of his head from the back seat.

"Careful, Bro," Jason sniggered. "David might give you an honest answer, and I for one am not going to help you kick him out of the car!"

Tommy put on a wounded-puppy expression. "Would I do that?"

"You don't want me to answer that, either." Jason sent a slightly conspiratorial wink at David, suddenly allying the two of them against Tommy, who assumed an exaggerated pout as he drove on. David managed a small smile. He envied the easy camaraderie between his two companions, but that wasn't anything new; he'd never been able to tease and banter like that with his peers. He had known that even before meeting Tommy and his best friend.

*This isn't Jason's fault. It's the way I am; I shouldn't take it out on him.*

Calling to mind all his foster-father's teachings about accepting one's own nature first so that he could accept others', David resolved to make more of an effort to be pleasant – if only that Sam Trueheart would have no reason to chide him once they got back. The older man had ways of learning things one wanted to keep hidden that were uncanny sometimes; David did not want to incur Sam's anger, or worse, his disappointment.

To that end, he launched into a description of Falcon's Pass and what the Tribe already had accomplished regarding their plans. To his satisfaction, he found two avid listeners who asked intelligent questions, and the atmosphere in the red car lightened considerably as they rode along on the increasingly bumpy roads, towards their goal. All three took notice of that … and none chose to comment.

~*~

Tommy parked the car at a small trading post right where the entrance of the future Nature Reserve was going to be; the proprietor had consented to let him use an old shed in the back as a makeshift garage so that the 4X4 wouldn't get damaged or stolen. They took the opportunity to fill their canteens with fresh, cold water for the trek to the campsite David had in mind, stocked up on a few munchies to eat on the trail, and struck out.

As the three young men walked at a leisurely yet brisk pace into the hilly wilderness, David critically looked at the others' outfits. He himself was dressed in sturdy cotton pants, t-shirt and flannel overshirt, with a lightweight suede jacket and well-worn moccasins. Tommy had chosen jeans, a trademark red shirt, windbreaker and ankle-high hiking boots, while Jason … David frowned. The t-shirt and flannel were sensible enough, but he was wearing shorts, and some rather weird-looking shoes. They looked like some kind of loafers; tough enough and certainly not new, but …

"Are you sure you're dressed appropriately?" he asked as neutrally as he could. "It gets pretty cold at night out here … and what kind of shoes are that, anyway?"

Jason grinned over his shoulder as he marched on. "Don't worry. The pants have detachable legs –" he pointed out the concealed zipper at the hem, "I have a weatherproof jacket packed, and the shoes were bought at a mountaineering store in Geneva. Zack and I used to do quite a bit of mountain-hiking on the weekends, when we had the time. They were okay for the Alps; guess they should do here, too."

Try as he might, David couldn't find fault with that, so he just harrumphed and quickened his pace, forging ahead – so much so that after ten minutes, Tommy called him back.

"Hey, what's the hurry, David? We on a schedule, or what?"

"No, of course not," David sighed, telling himself he better get his temper under control. The trail wasn't overly strenuous, but that didn't mean it was completely without danger – if a hiker wasn't careful, the loose pebbles and sand could lead to slips, those could result in hard falls … and they did not want to risk injury. So, David slowed down to a more reasonable speed, staying slightly ahead of his brother and Jason as he led the way deeper into the sun-drenched landscape. It was an intriguing mixture of desert and mountains, mostly dry but not overly so. There was plenty of hot California sunshine during the day, but they'd be able to find some shade for breaks, and enough shelter so the decidedly cold nights wouldn't bother them too much as long as they had their tent and a campfire.

Jason and Tommy were talking softly as they followed David, but the longer they walked, the quieter they became. It was past mid-morning now, the temperatures were approaching the mid-nineties already, and they all needed their breath for other things than conversation. About two hours into their hike, though, Jason, who was bringing up the rear by now, called for a halt. Surprised, Tommy turned back to look at his friend, and was shocked to see that the normally indefatigable Jason was flushed, sweating heavily and all but gasping for breath.

"What's up, Bro? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Jason panted, a wry grin playing around his mouth as he reached for his canteen to take a few slow sips. "It's just … I'm still not quite over losing the Gold Powers," he admitted. "It's nothing serious, really, I just tire more easily than I used to. Man, I hate feeling so out of shape," he grumbled as he wiped the sweat off his forehead and screwed the cap back on his bottle. "I know Zordon said I'd get back to normal eventually, but can't 'eventually' come sooner?"

Relieved, Tommy grinned and took a deep draught of his own flask, grimacing a little as he swallowed. The water had become tepid by now, but it was wet, and that was what counted. "Oh, okay. As long as it isn't more than that …"

"Nah. I have more sense than that," Jason claimed, blithely ignoring the hoot Tommy couldn't resist giving as he rested his backside against a handy rock. "Although … tell me again why I shouldn't pack Mom's cell phone? Wouldn't it be a good thing to have, just in case of an emergency?" He looked questioningly from Tommy to David.

"It would, if there was reliable service in this area," David explained. "As soon as Falcon's Pass Park is fully operational, we're probably going to set up a relay pole, antenna or something at the Trading Post, but right now … cell phones do work, but it's a hit-and-miss thing half the time, depending on where we are. Up on the rises, it's mostly fine, but in the gulches …" He shrugged tellingly.

"And any accident, if there is one, will most likely happen in a place where it's impossible to call for help," Jason said drily. "Murphy's Law right at work."

"Isn't it always?" Tommy added, fastening his canteen again to the hook on his backpack. Jason's coloring was better now, his breathing had calmed, and he seemed to be recovering rapidly now that he'd had a few minutes to rest. "You ready to go on?"

"Sure."

"He better be," David muttered, irritated by Tommy's solicitousness towards Jason and by what he thought was an avoidable delay. "If we have to stop every half-hour, we'll never make it to camp."

Tommy looked strangely at his brother. "Come on, Dave; we've been on the go for nearly two hours already. And to be honest, I kinda liked taking a short break myself," he said loyally, not wanting to make Jason into the culprit for whatever was bugging David all of a sudden. "After all, it's not as if we have a set time to get anywhere."

"If he isn't fit, he shouldn't have come. The desert and the mountains are no place for weakness."

Jason drew a deep breath. He was becoming uncomfortably aware that what he thought was grouchiness in David ran apparently much deeper than that – and that it seemed to be centered on him. Well, he'd deal with that in his own time … and hopefully, without Tommy noticing that there might be problems between him and David.

"Would you rather I'd have kept quiet, played Macho Guy and collapsed on you?" he inquired mildly, bent on staving off a confrontation. This wasn't the place. "I am fit enough, or I wouldn't have come on this trip in the first place, no matter how much I might've wanted to. But I'm honest enough to recognize my limitations, and admit when I need a breather." The dark eyes were calm, but held a hint of warning and challenge for David. "You have a problem with that?"

"No," he mumbled. Aware that he'd nearly come off as the heavy in this situation, David hid the baleful look he would've loved giving the one-time Ranger. "Just as long as it won't slow us down."

"Trust me, it won't," Jason replied quietly, and adjusted the straps of his backpack. He straightened and took a couple of steps on the barely-visible path. "I'm ready."

"Then let's go," Tommy decided, and the three young men continued at a sensibly brisk pace, following the directions David gave from time to time. After a while, Tommy managed to let Jason take the lead and fell into step with his brother.

"Dave? Don't be so hard on Jase, okay? He knows what he can do, and he won't slow us down," he explained. "We didn't delay all that long, after all." There was a faintly-troubled expression in the chocolate-brown eyes that alerted David that he better tone down his behaviour, or his brother would pick up on the fact that all wasn't peachy between his companions. And no matter what his feelings toward Jason, the very last thing David wanted to do was hurt Tommy. Not if he hoped to build as close a relationship with Tommy as he shared with Jason.

"Yeah, I know." He made his voice conciliatory. "I was just … well, really hitting a comfortable stride, if you know what I mean? The kind of pace that makes you feel you can walk for hours without tiring …" Which was even true, as far as it went. It just wasn't the whole truth. "And having to stop just then … I guess it pissed me off, a little." David produced a weak smile, feeling vaguely ashamed of himself for prevaricating like that. Tommy pondered what he'd heard for a second, then smiled back.

"Yeah, I guess I can understand," he said. "Been there myself a couple of times." The brothers exchanged a faintly amused look. "As long as it wasn't anything more, though. For a second there, I was kinda afraid you had a problem with Jason."

David froze inwardly. He hadn't expected Tommy to notice, didn't want him to notice. So, to allay any suspicion, he assumed a purposely bland expression. "Why should I?" There was a momentary pang at the dishonesty; he had a problem with Jason, a very definite one, actually – David wished the other had never come back from wherever he'd been before, or at least not come on this trip with them – but he couldn't very well tell that to Tommy. Not when he was looking at him with such hope-filled eyes.

"Dunno, man. All I do know is that I want you and Jase to get along. I mean, until I found you, Jase was the only brother I had … only he wasn't really, not like you are," the younger man confessed. "Next to my folks, you two are the most important people in my life."

"That … that's great, thanks," David managed, at once gratified that it should be so and intensely jealous that Jason should be included. He was fine with being in one category with the Olivers; after all, they were decent people, and the only parents Tommy had ever known. But an outsider? The idea grated. However, David knew that after what Tommy had just admitted, he had to keep quiet and hide his feelings. Casting about for an innocuous way to do that without raising suspicion, he had an idea.

"What about Kat, though? Isn't she your girlfriend and should be included?" David knew he could handle that; the bonds between man and woman were different from family. They took nothing away from him.

Tommy blushed and smiled sheepishly.

"Well, yeah. But that's … she's different."

*Mainly, she's not Kim,* Tommy thought with a small inward wince. He couldn't help it, but somehow, his relationship with his lovely blonde teammate wasn't quite going the way he'd envisioned it would. It was more than what he'd had with the petite gymnast, yet less … and wholly confusing, especially as Tommy was well aware he was still carrying a torch for Kimberly. However, this wasn't the point, and WAY too complicated to go into now, even if only in his mind. With by-now practised ease, he pushed the images of Kim back into a dark corner of his memories.

"Oh yeah?" David smirked, oblivious to his younger sibling's thoughts. Tommy resisted the temptation to stick out his tongue.

"Prettier than both of you, anyway," he shot back, with enough emphasis that it brought Jason to a halt. He waited until the brothers caught up with him.

"Who is?" he asked curiously.

"Katherine," David answered succinctly. Doing a classic double-take, Jason started to laugh. He affectionately punched Tommy's shoulder as the three resumed their trek.

"I should hope so," he chuckled. "I love you to pieces, Bro, but I do not want to date you!"

"Aww. And here I thought I could take you home, introduce you to Mom and Dad next," Tommy mock-pouted, falling back into the easy teasing he'd always enjoyed with Jason.

"Sorry, darling; the engagement's off," Jason simpered, and the two broke into gales of laughter, leaving David nonplussed and fuming quietly to himself. How dare Jason speak about love so lightly? His flippancy was denigrating everything noble about that emotion, and besides, why didn't Tommy defend his girlfriend? It was as if he was tacitly accepting what seemed like a putdown of everything that was so desirable to David … who was not aware that he didn't have all the facts, that he was blinded by unreasoning resentment from seeing the deep affection between Jason and Tommy beneath their banter. Jason may have spoken lightly about loving Tommy, but that didn't make it any less true … and Tommy knew it and returned the sentiment in full measure.

Or maybe it was just that David didn't want to see.

~~***~~

They reached their destination shortly after noon – a small plateau that afforded them an unhindered view across the craggy landscape, stark in its aridity but possessing a strange beauty nonetheless. There were a few bushes to provide meagre shadow, and a tiny well at the bottom of the rise for water.

"All the comforts of home," Jason quipped as he shrugged out of his backpack with a relieved groan. "Man, that last mile was brutal; I thought we'd never get up here!"

"You and me both," Tommy agreed, sinking down against a handy boulder and stretching his aching legs. "Whose brainstorm was this trip, anyway?"

"Yours," Jason smirked, massaging his close-to-cramping calves. "It'll be a bonding experience, you said. It'll make us feel closer, you said. We'll have fun, you said …"

"Okay, okay," Tommy interrupted him, laughing. "I said a lot of things. No need for you to rub my face in every single one of them, though!"

"Why not? It's fun," his best friend said, totally straight-faced. He received a handful of grit thrown at him for his trouble, a few grains of which caught in Jason's collar and trickled down his sweaty neck. Irritated, Jason tried to brush them off and succeeded only in rubbing them into his skin. "Hey! Stop that!"

"Why? It's fun." Tommy's expression couldn't have been more angelic.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

Chuckling over Jason's outraged look, Tommy belatedly noticed his brother, who hadn't joined the two yet, but was poking around among the rocks and sparse shrubbery, lifting a stone here and peering into a crack there after leaving his pack near the two friends.

"Hey, David!"

"Yeah?" He hardly looked up from whatever he was doing, inspecting a narrow ledge on a boulder instead. *Perfect place for a snake to sun himself …* There was a crevice in the back, hardly visible; it looked as if there might be … Tommy's voice distracted him from his task.

"Why don't you pull up a rock and sit here with us? You must be as beat as we are. Whatcha doing, anyway?"

David glanced at his companions. "Checking for ants, scorpions, prairie dog burrows … signs that maybe a mountain lion comes here to drink. I really don't want to share the tent with something that bites or stings, or worse, stumble over it when I need to visit the bushes in the night," he said calmly, moving to yet another rock outcropping and smiling to himself as he heard Jason and Tommy wince nearly in unison. Clearly, they hadn't given a thought to the 'nasty and nice' surprises they might encounter in this part of the state, where the California desert gradually gave way to the mountains.

"Uh, right," Jason grimaced, the picture forming in his mind being rather unpleasant. As a boy, he'd fallen into an anthill once; it had been a very embarrassing and painful experience. "Need some help?" he offered, even though he wanted nothing more than sit here in whatever shade there was, unpack some lunch and rest his protesting muscles.

David gave him a sardonic look. "Would you even know what to look for?"

"Probably not," Jason admitted with a rueful grin. "I just feel kinda uncomfortable letting you do all this poking around while Tommy and I sit here resting." He shifted his legs on the hard ground, wishing briefly he were back in his garden at home, where a comfortable lounge chair was standing at just the right shady spot under the apple tree and he was in it, a cold drink and a bowl of chips within easy reach. In a pinch, Jason decided, he'd also settle for lying on his air mattress at the beach, letting a cool breeze waft over him as he read a good book. Instead here he was, in the middle of nowhere, the California sun beating down on him as he recovered from a 10-mile hike through untouched territory to this out-of-the-way place, with only Tommy and David for company.

*Could be worse. MUCH worse; I could be dead instead …* Jason shook off the morbid thought with the ease of long practise. He'd learned to accept his mortality when he first accepted his Power Coin, not just when the Gold Power started destroying his body's defenses.

"Well, the offer stands, anyway, if you change your mind."

Feeling oddly touched – *At least he's offered!* -- David shook his head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'll be finished faster if I do it on my own." Which he proceeded to do, albeit somewhat more cursorily than he'd planned. Promising himself to perform a more thorough check later, David took a last look around their campsite and pronounced everything safe. He grinned at the tired cheers coming from Jason and Tommy, and finally sank down next to his brother, to eat the sandwich Jason offered him and drink the juice Tommy dug out of his pack.

However, the exchange helped in mellowing the atmosphere, and when the three set up their tent, formed a fire pit and collected fuel, there was a sense of camaraderie that was marked – especially as it had been absent before. The rest of the afternoon passed without further incident as David pointed out features of the area – a falcon's nest, a cougar's track … what little flora managed to eke out a life on and between the sun-baked rocks. He was extremely pleased to find his companions genuinely interested, and that they displayed a very good grasp of the ecological and environmental issues his tribe was concerned about and why they had leased the land. In fact, he grudgingly admitted, Jason was much better informed than Tommy – a result not only of personal interest, but of his time spent at the Peace Conference in Switzerland.

~*~

The Youth Teen Summit, or rather Jason's tales of it, also dominated the conversation later that evening, as the three sat around their campfire, eating the savory stew they'd cooked from their trail rations.

"…I wish I could've gone on some of other the trips the Committee offered, but I couldn't," he finished a recount of his visits to the major capitals in Europe. "This was one trip that was both obligatory and subsidized by the Peace Conference, and the delegates from the respective countries were obliged to take part in planning the itinerary."

"Why couldn't you go on any other trips?" David asked, curious despite himself. Travelling widely was a secret ambition of his, and he hoped that in a few years he might save up enough money to go at least to some of the places Jason had mentioned visiting so casually. He suppressed a slight pang of envy. It was one thing to know Tommy and his friends had visited other planets as part of their Rangering duties; that was something special and unique, not for ordinary mortals, he thought. But to know that a young man, only a couple of years younger than himself, had been to London, Paris, Moscow, Rome, Athens … seen the world-famous sights, soaked in the atmosphere … it hardly bore thinking about. *If I'm very very lucky, I might get to see half of that by the time I retire,* David sighed inwardly, trying not to feel resentful about Jason's good fortune. *If I ever manage to save up enough to afford it.*

Jason snorted lightly. It galled a little to have to admit it, but he wasn't ashamed of anything – least of all his family, who were so very supportive and understanding of his dreams and ambitions.

"Because quite frankly, I couldn't afford to. My folks did more than enough by making it possible for me to go at all; I couldn't ask them to ruin themselves for me."

David was astonished. Jason drove his own car, took part in all of his friends' activities as a matter of course, dressed well … his own financial circumstances weren't exactly straitened, but then, Sam Trueheart was not a rich man, either. They had enough to live in reasonable comfort, but nothing more. Things like college, though, or foreign trips, were quite out of the question.

"But I thought you were …" David blurted without thinking, but caught himself just in time. Embarrassed at his near-blunder, he felt his face flush.

"What? That we're rich, or something?" Jason asked wryly, following David's thoughts without any problems. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no. My dad is a general contractor, Mom used to be a bank clerk until she was downsized last year … we're doing okay, but not great. I've always had to work for my perks. Paper route, supermarket delivery boy, I've done it all until I was advanced enough in karate to start as an assistant instructor at my dojo," he said matter-of-factly. Time to change the subject; this was not a topic Jason cared to discuss with a virtual stranger. His friends knew and accepted his circumstances without question and never let him feel in any way that his financial background wasn't quite as comfortable as Trini's, whose father was a doctor, Zack's, whose parents managed an upscale motel, or any of the others whose jobs were also a cut above his own parents'.

"But to get back to the trips offered at the Summit, there was one I took, with my folks' help, even … last fall, I managed to go to Scotland," Jason said, brightening at the memory. "Man, that was so cool!"

"Really?" This was news even to Tommy. Somehow or other, the specifics of Jason's time away from Angel Grove hadn't come up yet – nor had there really been time for a good, long talk. The immediate concerns of the Rangers' duties had to take preference, no matter what. "Why Scotland, of all places? If you could afford only one trip in all those months, I would've thought you'd pick someplace more exciting, exotic or whatever …"

Jason laughed. "Trust me, if you had been in my place, you'd have gone to Scotland, too."

"I don't think so," Tommy shuddered. "From what I've heard, it's mostly cold there, and not much in the way of excitement, either – just lots of whisky, heather and guys wearing skirts," he grinned.

"Hah. Shows what you don't know. There's history all over the place, it's pretty awesome how they manage to have both Gaelic and English side by side, how they keep their legends and traditions … but that wasn't the main reason I went there," Jason said quietly, staring into the flames for a full minute before meeting Tommy's eyes. "I went there and met my family."

"You … what?" Tommy was stunned. He'd thought he knew everything about the Scotts; they were a small but tight unit – Jason and his parents, his paternal uncle and family, a widowed grandfather living in a retirement community in Arizona because of asthma, or so he'd believed. "I didn't know you had family in Europe!"

"Neither did I, until Dad mentioned I might pay a visit to the Clan," Jason related. "I'm pretty sure he meant it as a joke, but when I had the chance, I jumped at it. Before I looked it up at the university library, I had no idea a Clan Scott really exists, with its own tartan and everything."

"Clan? As in, 'I'm Duncan McLeod of the Clan McLeod'?" Tommy wondered, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the concept. He of all people knew what it was like to discover a family he had never known existed, much less a probably big one – as he had found in David, Sam and the Tribe. To realize that Jason must have experienced much the same thing made him feel even closer to his Bro than before.

"Yeah," Jason had to chuckle as he recognized the quote from a TV series. "Only, the Scotts don't go around chopping people's heads off. Not anymore, anyway."

"What a pity. It seems to be a very convenient method of ridding oneself of unwelcome company," David commented drily, trying to make it sound like a joke rather than wishful thinking. Tommy did indeed laugh, even as he shook his head, but Jason gave the other a strange look – he'd detected an undertone that was not at all friendly.

David felt the dark eyes on him, and made himself return the stare, thankful that the flickering flames of their campfire helped him maintain a bland expression. After a few seconds, Jason shrugged minutely and resumed his tale.

"Anyway, my grandmother had dug up a bit of family history stuff; seems there was a James Alasdair Scott who came to America with Lafayette, during the Revolutionary War. I think he had to leave Scotland because he was involved with the Jacobite uprising somehow." Jason paused to take a sip of his water. "The information we had was really very sketchy, but there's this center at Aviemore where you can look up connections … I did that, found an address to contact the clan … and they actually invited me to come and visit. Once we'd cleared up all the details of how I'm connected to the Clan, I was even officially put on the member list." There was a quiet pride in Jason's voice; he'd found an inner connection with his very distant relatives he hadn't expected in learning about the Clan's history.

"Way cool," Tommy said. "Isn't it, David?" he added, wanting to include his brother in the discussion.

David was feeling slightly ashamed of himself; that last crack he'd made had really been unworthy of his upbringing, of everything Sam had taught him in his 20 years … so he gratefully accepted the branch Tommy held out to him. He might wish Jason to the far side of the moon rather than on the other side of the camp fire, but he did not really wish him any harm. He cleared his throat unobtrusively.

"Yeah," he admitted, impressed despite himself. If it hadn't been for Sam and the stories of Tribal Elders, he wouldn't know anything about his own family, nor would he ever have found Tommy. But it wouldn't do to let that show. So he latched on to what he thought was a lighter point. "All the 'Highlander' references aside, what is this Clan stuff about, anyway? Is it like a tribe, or just people sharing the same family name?"

Jason thought about his answer for a few moments.

"A little bit of both, I think. I don't know much about tribes – not the way you'd use the term, anyway – but not every member of Clan Scott must necessarily be named Scott, for example. I think the 'tribes' in Britain would be … well, nations, like the Picts or Scots – one t, not two, as in my name – which settled the different parts of the islands way back when, before the Romans even." He grinned a bit as he noticed the increasingly blank looks on both Tommy and David's faces. "Sorry 'bout the history lesson. To get back to the question, I'd say a Clan is more than a family, but not quite a tribe. If that makes any sense."

"Um, I guess," Tommy said a bit dubiously, feeling very much at sea. While he had some inkling about ancient European history due to his interest in mythology, he wasn't really up on the specifics, such as geographical location or exact time periods. To his surprise, though, David nodded slowly.

"I think I know what you're getting at. It's like with the Navajo – you have the whole nation, with its own language, customs, even ethnic look … but it's not a featureless, uniform mass. Instead the Navajo are subdivided into smaller and smaller tribes, each with its own distinctions, until you get down to individual families. Who may or may not all have the same surname," he smiled. "Not that I know all that much about the Navajo, not being one myself, but …"

"It sure sounds similar enough," Jason agreed, clearly intrigued. "How about your own background, though? How does that relate?" He returned David's smile somewhat deprecatingly. "Sorry, but the things I don't know about Native Americans is pretty staggering," he admitted with an apologetic shrug. "If I'm asking stupid questions, don't hold it against me, okay?"

Tommy chuckled. "You and me both, Bro. I've tried to catch up on stuff since finding my family, but … anyway, go ahead, Dave." He settled back against a rock, clearly waiting for his brother to continue.

David puffed out a breath of air. Sam had told him many things about this, but it wasn't really something he was particularly interested in – he'd always focussed more on the ways of his people of trying to live with the land, on the environmental concerns. Now he wished he had paid closer attention to his foster-father's teachings, if only to show that he could hold his own in this discussion.

"It may get pretty convoluted," he warned. "Plus, you should really ask Sam about this; he used to be quite involved in tribal politics."

"But Sam's not here; you are," Tommy said reasonably, a twinkle in his chocolate-brown eyes.

Since that was undeniably true, David heaved a resigned sigh that set the other two to snickering. He mock-glared them into silence. "Okay, okay. Have it your way. Just don't complain if I don't have all the answers."

"It's alright, David," Jason murmured, passing around fresh drinks and a bag of pretzels. "Whatever you can tell us is fine." He looked from one to the other. "I told you how the American branch of the Scotts came into existence; would you mind explaining a bit about your background? From what I do know, you don't really belong to any of the West Coast tribes, do you?"

"No, the family migrated west during the forties, when Sam got drafted … are you sure you want to know all this stuff?" he interrupted himself, giving Jason a searching glance. He returned it frankly, with no hint of a hidden motive David could detect.

"Positive. If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked." The deep voice was quiet and friendly, and David chided himself for being overly suspicious; after all, nothing in Jason's demeanor suggested something besides genuine interest, or even just honest curiosity.

"Very well then." Drawing a deep breath, taking a few heartbeats to marshal his thoughts, David then proceeded to relate his and Tommy's family history, and the tribe's – at least as much as he was able. To his gratification, as with the plans for the Falcon's Pass Nature Reserve, he found two intelligent, astute listeners who paid attention to what he said and then launched into a spirited discussion about tribes, clans, history, and other parallels between Native Americans and the Scots – things David had never even thought about comparing before.

It was fascinating, extremely interesting … and increasingly, an exercise in mounting frustration for David as he listened to Tommy and Jason argue yet another point. He knew he wasn't stupid; he'd always made excellent grades at school, but he had to admit that, while he was pretty certain that he'd received a decent education on the Reservation, he simply lacked a lot of the basic knowledge which had been taught at the rather cosmopolitan Angel Grove High. As for Jason's know-how in evaluating other cultures, his openness to accept differences and treat them with respect, enhanced and honed by his stay at the Youth Teen Summit … it galled him to have to admit that the young man was way ahead of both himself and Tommy.

So, David gradually withdrew from the discussion, growing more quiet as time passed, until a jaw-cracking yawn he couldn't suppress gave him the perfect excuse to make ready for bed. Almost as if somebody had thrown a switch, Jason and Tommy, too, began to yawn, and within minutes they had banked their fire, taken a last trip to the bushes and were stretched out in their sleeping bags. Briefly, David gave a thought to the fact that he'd never completed his inspection f the area for snakes or any other, less obvious creatures who might be hiding among the rocks, but it was too dark now and he was too sleepy to have another look. *First thing in the morning,* he promised himself as he climbed into his bedroll. A murmured good-night, a few grumbles and groans until they'd found comfortable positions, and within minutes, soft snores filled the tent as the moon rose over the desert.

~~***~~

David woke early, as the first birds started to greet the coming dawn with sleepy chirps. He lay on his back for a while, staring at the tent roof while he took stock of his feelings. With the light of day mere minutes away, he had to admit that yesterday hadn't been all bad… that his lousy mood had mostly been his own doing. The young man still would prefer to be out here alone with his brother, but Jason had turned out to be not as disruptive a presence as he'd feared him to be. As a matter of fact, under different circumstances he actually might enjoy talking to him some more. *I really shouldn't let him get to me so much,* David mused, trying to find a more comfortable position on the hard ground. *He's here, he won't go away on his own, so I'll have to deal with it. Okay. There will be other times for Tommy and me to bond.* Stretching, David lifted a corner of the tent flap. The horizon was just turning from purple to the reddish-golden hues of immanent sunrise. He really should go outside, greet the day according to tradition … briefly weighing the comforts of his sleeping bag against following Sam's teachings, David suppressed a yawn and reluctantly opened the zipper. Naturally, the thing got stuck halfway down, and it took some convoluted gyrations to get it loose again. Muttering under his breath against the perverse nature of inanimate objects, he crawled out of his sleeping bag. He didn't really feel like getting up yet, but the air was stifling inside the dark blue dome, a large pebble or something was digging into his hip, and the double chorus of snores from Tommy and Jason wasn't very pleasant to listen to, either.

Carefully, so as not to disturb the other two sleepers, David went outside and stretched the kinks out of his muscles. This early in the day, the desert air was still crisp and fresh, but the clear sky already held a hint of heat to come. Seized by an impulse, David turned eastward, towards the rising sun. Standing at the very edge of the plateau, he waited for exactly the right moment, when the first golden flash of sunlight would bathe the desert in brilliance. The tent was maybe 20 yards behind him, half hidden from view by a few boulders. He took a deep breath, straightened, spread his arms in supplication and began to chant softly, greeting the morning in a prayer as ancient as the rocks.

The longer David recited the words he'd learned as a small boy, the more he felt peace wash over him, filling him with a serenity he had sorely missed the day before. The last word died down softly like a falcon's feather drifting to the ground, and David stood for another moment, drinking in the beauty of the wakening day. Then, he turned … and the peace he'd gained shattered into a million pieces when he saw Jason leaning against a boulder only a few yards away. His vision blurred with a sudden burst of temper, and no force in the world could hold back the words spilling out from his jealous heart.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed sharply.

"Good morning to you, too," Jason said with what calm he could muster, surprised by the instant unfriendliness and determined not to retaliate in kind, although he could feel his own hackles rise. For some reason, David and he were rubbing each other the wrong way, had from the start, and Jason didn't know how to change that. He still hoped politeness would eventually do the trick. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude; if I could've left without disturbing you, I would have."

"Yeah, right!"

"No, seriously," he said reasonably. "It's a matter of respect for your tradition, beliefs, whatever, if nothing else."

"You call it respect when you come skulking after me like that?!? Funny way you have of showing it!"

Not giving Jason any chance to reply, David took a couple of steps away from the ledge, towards the other who slowly straightened from his comfortable position. He saw Jason smile at his words (admittedly just a tad overly dramatic), and instantly – mistakenly – perceiving it as a mockery of himself and his heritage, he lost control. "This is an invasion of my privacy! You had no right to come after me, spying on me like a sneak or worse. Isn't it enough that you're taking my brother away from me – do you have to intrude on my prayers, as well?"

Thoroughly taken aback now, Jason didn't know how to reply at first. The verbal attack came completely out of the blue; he'd woken when David dislodged a small stone outside the tent and, giving in to both his curiosity and a full bladder, had followed the other. He quickly answered Nature's call, then went looking for David. When he realized that David was apparently performing a ritual of sorts, he'd chosen to stay put, waiting for him to finish.

He finally found his voice. "Are you nuts? I'm not 'spying' on you – I woke up, needed to use the bushes and was curious where you'd gone off to, that's all." He snorted, half amused, half pissed that David could even think such a thing of him. Then again, they hardly knew each other. "You've got some chip on your shoulder there," he muttered, wondering why his best friend's brother should dislike him so. He certainly wasn't aware of having done anything to provoke this!

David ignored him and continued to rant, listing all of his grievances in a rush as he stood in front of the former Ranger, trembling with fury. Jason stood there, listening to the unfounded accusations with incredulity and growing dismay … which slowly turned into anger as the tirade continued unabated for a couple of minutes.

*I can't fight with Tommy's brother!* With an effort, Jason wrestled his own slowly igniting temper under control. *No matter what his beef is, if I get back at David in kind, I'll only hurt my best friend. I'm NOT gonna let that happen!*

Trying to salvage what he could, Jason waited until David had to pause for breath.

"You are nuts," he repeated. "I said I was sorry; and if you're so paranoid and insecure to see me as a threat or whatever, you seriously need to have your head examined. I have no intention of coming between you and Tommy. He's your brother! Why would I want to do that, anyway?"

"You want to take my place!" David snarled, beyond listening or reason now. He was unable to realize that in his current state of mind he was projecting his own fears and desires onto Jason.

Jason shook his head, not comprehending what was happening here, but starting to lose his cool, too. "Idiot."

The term smarted. "So now you think I'm stupid, too?!?"

"If the shoe fits ..." Hostility crept into the deep voice as well. "For the record, I didn't – not until now, that is!"

"Oh yeah?" David sneered. "Why should I believe you?"

"Why shouldn't you?" Jason replied more sharply, stung at having his word questioned. He, who had never willingly broken a promise or told a lie if he could help it! "What reason have I given you to doubt me?"

*None,* David's conscience whispered, but went unheard. Instead, he ignored the question and resumed his invective, his words getting less circumspect by the second.

"… I don't care how long you've known each other, Tommy is MY brother, not yours, and I'm not going to just sit back and look on how some stuck-up, conceited bigmouth is trying to push me away! I wish you'd pack your fancy European stuff, your stories of foreign places and all the 'grand experiences' you've had and haul your ass back to fucking Scotland, where you came from! Tommy and I don't need you, we don't want you here, and while you're at it, take the rest of your asshole friends with you!"

Seething with his own rage by now, Jason's face was white under his tan. This was going way too far; he could handle insults to himself, but he was not about to let the gang be put down in such a way, too! Anyone who did this in his hearing had better beware, or else. When it didn't stop, however, Jason decided he'd about had it with David!

"You listen to me, mister," he gritted out from between clenched teeth, fists balled against his sides to keep himself from lashing out physically. "Leave my friends out of this! The only asshole I see around here is you, David." He gave the name an unpleasant emphasis, remembering how he'd been rebuffed for using a perfectly normal diminutive the day before. "I'm here because Tommy wants me to be here, and nothing – NOTHING! – you can say will send me away unless he tells me to, you hear? Why don't you just take your bloody attitude and fuck off?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, it's not going to happen. I'm here to stay, I'm family and you're not. And there's nothing at all you can do about that, so shove it already where the sun doesn't shine!" Some part of David was appalled by his own behaviour, but the situation had spun too far out of control by now to be saved by an apology or simple retreat. "I can make Tommy kick your tail back home if I try," he boasted slyly, not at all sure if it was true, and beyond caring if it wasn't. All that mattered was to get back at Jason somehow, to make him feel as miserable as he had the previous day.

Jason was breathing hard and had to call on every ounce of discipline he possessed not to wipe the nasty expression off David's face with a well-aimed blow.

"Tommy would never do that – not to me, nor anyone else," he seethed. "He's too good a friend. The only reason I'm not beating you to a bloody pulp here and now, moron, is because I know how he missed knowing his family; that's the only reason he cares for you I can see, and I don't want him hurt just because you can't handle there are other people in his life besides you. Deal with it!" He inhaled deeply, battling for calm. Taking his own advice, hard as it was, Jason knew he had to put up a good front for Tommy until they returned. Deliberately, he moderated his voice. "Once we're back in Angel Grove, I don't want to see you ever again if I can help it."

Uncomfortably aware that Jason was coming off much better in this confrontation than himself, David fought with his own demons, finally, grudgingly winning a victory of sorts. Still, his expression remained thunderous.

"Which can't be too soon for my taste!"

Jason barked a short, mirthless laugh. "Then we're agreed on one thing at least. You can go to hell for all I care, and take that goddamned chip on your shoulder with you!"

"Yeah well, we'll see who of us goes to hell first!"

"Whatever," Jason sneered back. He could sense that he was rapidly losing what little hold he still had of his temper. David's hostile attitude wasn't helping much. With an effort, he recalled every lesson and lecture on self-control he'd ever received from his parents, senseis or Zordon. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he found a measure of calm, his dark eyes bore into David's. "I'm not going to lower myself to your level by fighting with you, although nothing would give me greater pleasure than to kick your ass to the moon and back!"

"That makes two of us!"

"You and what army? You can't beat me even now, when I'm not fully fit," Jason jibed, knowing from Tommy's description that he was the better fighter, knowing also that David knew, who flushed an angry red. Adding insult to injury, Jason turned his back on David, almost as if daring to attack him from behind like the unscrupulous coward he'd been accused of being. With an indifferent shrug that was somehow worse than a blow or more name-calling, the one-time Gold Ranger assumed a deliberately calm tone, realizing instinctively that David wanted Tommy as little involved in this as he did.

"I'll say nothing about this to Tommy. I'll keep out of your way until tomorrow evening as much as I can, and I expect you to do the same," he said over his shoulder.

"Gladly," David muttered under his breath, torn between a nigh-overwhelming desire to slug it out with Jason here and now and wishing he'd never laid eyes on him in the first place. How dared he give orders to him like that? It was worse, somehow, having to admit that Jason was right – this had to be kept from his brother. "Fucking little shit!"

Jason paused, turned back for an instant and gave David a sharp glance, then chose to ignore that last insult. If he didn't, there would be violence, and things would get ugly. VERY ugly. He pivoted on his heels and walked briskly away, leaving David behind. He passed the tent where he could hear Tommy stirring, and because he wasn't at all sure he wouldn't inadvertently betray what had happened in the last half hour if he stayed, Jason picked up their canteens and climbed down to the small well to fetch water for breakfast. It took a few blessed minutes of quiet to fill the containers, and the simple chore gave him time to simmer down again and to present a once-more placid face to his best friend.

~*~

Breakfast was a quiet affair, with Tommy still rather sleepy and Jason and David trying to maintain at least a façade of civility towards each other for his benefit. They managed that by limiting their 'conversation' to "pass the bread, please" and the like, while otherwise studiously avoiding talking to each other as much as possible. It helped that the Red Ranger never was at his most alert early in the morning, the previous day's excitement notwithstanding. Thus, there was no overt discord when the three young men made plans for the day.

"If we go about a mile and a half in a southwesterly direction, over to that rise with the four peaks," David pointed towards the hills, still hazy in the bright morning light, "there's a lookout point about halfway up the second from the left which would give us a great view of the desert." He saw the slightly dubious look Tommy exchanged with Jason, and smiled to himself. *Maybe I can't beat the crap out of him, but I CAN make him feel totally miserable,* he thought, remembering Jason's limited stamina. The hike he was suggesting wasn't a particularly strenuous one, nor was the climb, but both required full concentration and a not inconsiderable amount of sheer physical strength – which, from the way Jason had called for occasional breaks yesterday, he just didn't have right now.

It was petty, not a very nice thing to do, and really rather beneath him – not to mention that it went against everything Sam Trueheart had taught him; David was aware of that, but in his current state of mind simply didn't care. The burning need he'd developed since yesterday to be close to his brother, to somehow remove Jason from Tommy, no matter what it took, overruled both his innate decency and common sense. Plus, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd come off second best somehow in the earlier confrontation with Jason, and needed something – anything – to make himself feel better again. If it took humiliating his rival in the process by showing up his currently less than excellent fitness, so be it.

"I dunno, David; how difficult is the climb?" Tommy asked, concern for his best friend evident in his voice and expression. "If Jase can't make it …"

"As I said before, then he has no business being here in the first place," David murmured, too quiet for Tommy to hear, but audible to Jason who was sitting between the brothers.

"Don't worry about me, Tommy; I'll be fine," Jason interrupted him firmly, disregarding the snide remark. He'd seen the slight smirk on David's face, even though he had done his best to hide it, and suspected some of what was probably going through the other's mind. Well, he wasn't so macho that he would endanger himself; it might be embarrassing if he'd have to stop halfway to wherever David suggested they go, but he'd lived through worse.

*Not that I wouldn't love to wipe the floor with him, show him how strong I really am, but …not the way I am now.* With an internal sigh, Jason dismissed the tempting thought. He still hadn't fully recovered from holding the Gold Powers, and that was quite simply that. While he was confident that he could hold his own in almost any fight – well, except maybe against Tommy – he knew he was just off enough that there was a chance David might beat him. *Which would really kind of defeat the purpose,* Jason conceded wryly. *Oh well.*

"Trust me to know when to call it quits if I need to," was all he said to his best friend, closing the subject.

"Are you sure?"

"YES," Jason replied slightly louder than strictly necessary, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice, which caused Tommy to look at him strangely. He wasn't the most observant person in the world, but instincts honed by years of Rangering screamed at him that there was something … well, not wrong, exactly, but not quite right, either. He had hoped that his brother and best friend would be as delighted to be in each other's company as he was, taking this time-out from job, school, duty and whatnot. So far, it hadn't happened, but trying to be optimistic about it – after all, they had only met the day before – Tommy kept quiet, only raising a questioning eyebrow at his friend.

Jason exhaled noisily, not quite making it an exasperated sigh. "Tommy …." It was a plea for trust and understanding, but also a warning to back off. The dark eyes signalled clearly that he did not want to talk about whatever was bothering him. *Not now, Bro …* Thankfully, the silent communication between them worked as well as it always had. Tommy got the message.

"Okay, okay," he said placatingly, deliberately ignoring the undercurrents in the atmosphere. If there was something going on besides general getting-to-know-each-other problems, he didn't want to know. Not today, anyway. *Surely we can sort things out when we're back home, after a good sparring session and over smoothies at the Juice Bar!* Tommy conveniently forgot how badly his brother had reacted to being bested by himself, that first time right after they'd found each other, trusting Jason's usual willingness to give everybody at least one chance. "So, you feel up to going to that lookout?"

Jason shrugged, carefully glancing just past David, not meeting the hard eyes. "Why not. Is there anything to see besides sand and rocks, though?" He kept his tone deliberately neutral as he addressed David, subtly insinuating that the stark if grandiose landscape wasn't quite enough to make him show too much enthusiasm … while in reality, he'd always enjoyed the vastness of the arid mountains, letting the curious not-quiet soothe his mind when things, or maybe just life, became too much. Only looking out over the ocean afforded Jason a similar effect, the crashing of waves on the cliffs or the moonlit calm of a deserted beach often both counterpoint and complement to his moods.

"Depends on what you want to see," David replied, trying not to sneer. "The desert has life enough, if you know where to look … or aren't too blind to notice."

Tommy laughed. "Don't worry, Dave; Rocky may be the best botanist among us, but Jason's no slouch, either. In fact, when my folks first moved to Angel Grove from Detroit, he was the one to show me the local wildlife and stuff in the area. If it hadn't been for the hikes we did together, I'd never have been able to follow the falcon during my Zeo Quest. There's not much desert or mountains in Michigan." The brown eyes sparkled with affection, gratitude and even a tinge of admiration for his friend. Jason grinned back amiably.

"Had to show you all the ropes, Bro," he chuckled. "After all, I couldn't risk you'd get lost or whatever if you ever had to walk to the Command Center!"

"Yeah well," David muttered, annoyed at having been subjected to yet another glowing tale of past experiences Tommy had shared with Jason, then pulled himself

together. "Let's get going then, before it's too hot."

"Sure."

Within fifteen minutes, the three young men had secured their camp so that there would be no unpleasant surprises during their absence. Food was stowed safely away from roaming wildlife, their cooking fire was banked and covered with rocks in order to prevent it from spreading out and the tent closed up as tightly as possible. They didn't really need to fear theft, as access to the area was restricted, but why take chances?

"All set, everybody?" Tommy asked, checking the buckle of his communicator strap. While he might officially be on vacation, the Red Ranger nevertheless needed to be available if Divatox chose to launch another attack. No more missed alerts like during his days as the Green Ranger; leading the team after Jason's departure had rid him quickly of that particular habit out of his sense of responsibility and stark necessity. Hardly waiting for David and Jason's affirmative answers, he tapped on his canteen to make sure it was clipped safely to his belt, then turned towards their destination.

"Let's get this show on the road, guys!"

~~***~~

The walk towards the jagged peaks was more strenuous than even David had expected; there was no shade, and as the morning sun was rising steadily in the cloudless sky, soon all three were sweating heavily by the time they reached the first rocky outcroppings. Seeking out a meagrely shady spot beside a boulder, they rested for a while, sipping slowly from their canteens.

"How much further is it, David?" Tommy asked, casting a worried sideways glance at Jason. While he hadn't called for a stop on the way, he was a tad pale, and sitting quietly, with his eyes closed as he tried gathering more strength. David noticed the high flush on Jason's face, too. A slight uneasiness skittered through his mind.

*I wouldn't mind if he collapsed in a whimpering heap right here, but I don't want to kill him. Not really, anyway,* he thought, having had time to simmer down somewhat and feel vaguely ashamed of himself at his earlier tirade. It was the reason why David had refrained from making much conversation on their trek here … but his jealous heart had made him recommend the other two conserve their energies as well by keeping silent. Petty again, but at least it had spared him having to listen to memories of past hikes, reminding him once more that Jason shared a much longer history with Tommy than he. *Besides, we'd probably just have to haul his carcass back to camp, or even the car if he got heatstroke, or something . No thanks!*

David let nothing of that show, though. He squinted up the slowly-rising slope.

"Hard to say," he said. "The peak is maybe 3000 feet high, and the lookout point is about two-thirds up."

"That's not all that much," Jason commented, hoping that he might be able to make it all the way, after all. This morning's hike, on top of the long trek yesterday, had sapped more of his still-depleted stamina than he liked to admit.

David didn't look at him, but answered after a barely-perceptible pause. "No – but there's no real path once we get past that rock formation over there." He indicated the spot which was perhaps three hundred yards away – as the crow flies. In reality, having to bypass several scrags, boulders and crevices, in addition to the elevation, it would be closer to half a mile. "We'll have no shade at all from here on in, the ground is not just rocky, but may be covered with gravel, too … it's definitely not going to be easy. Especially not that last bit, when we'll have to do some real climbing. Not to the point where we'll need ropes and stuff, there are enough crevices and small ledges that we can get by with a little boost here and there. But it does go pretty much straight up for maybe seven, eight feet. "

"Oh joy," Jason muttered under his breath, garnering himself a sharp look from Tommy. He grinned weakly, not liking what he knew he had to say, but if he didn't want to endanger them all …

"I may have to skip that, then," he muttered. Flushing slightly, he avoided David's eyes and looked straight at his best friend. "Sorry, Bro, but … I kinda doubt I can make it. Hiking is one thing; serious rock-climbing, even if it's only eight feet, is something else. The Gold Powers seem to have affected my depth vision; my sense of balance just isn't up to snuff. I'm fine as long as I stay on solid ground, but …"

"Aw man," Tommy moaned, half in disappointment and half in honest concern. "You sure about that?"

"Unfortunately yes," Jason sighed. *Might as well go whole hog and tell him everything.* He braced himself for the inevitable explosion. "I, um, I even have trouble climbing stairs if I'm not careful. It is better than it was even a couple weeks ago, though," he added hastily as Tommy jerked around, staring at him aghast.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?!?"

"Because it's nothing really serious, and because you couldn't have done anything anyway," Jason shot back at Tommy's alarmed question. "Chill, Bro; I told you I've been getting better."

"Yes, but … what the hell's wrong? You seem fine, mostly …" Tommy tried to recall any symptoms Jason might have been displaying that had escaped his notice – aside from fatiguing easily, that is.

"You want a list of what all of me was affected by holding the Gold Powers? Think back to your Green Ranger days, when Zedd was after you all the time and you went through the slow drain. Then multiply by six or so." Jason's expression was wry; he remembered that time all too vividly himself, especially as he'd been the one to coax his best friend out of the doldrums after each particularly bad bout.

Tommy winced. "That bad, huh." He was unlikely to ever forget the dizzy spells, headaches, nausea and worst of all, the sheer craving he'd had to morph during that time; it was not a memory he particularly cared to relive.

Jason shrugged. "Yeah, well. I'll live – and that's what matters in the end. And it sure beats the alternative. Right?"

"Of course. But I really wanted you to see this, Jase," Tommy said softly, not wanting to think about what had almost happened. *If we hadn't been able to transfer the Power back to Trey … if Jase had died … no. Not going there.* The thought was too horrible to contemplate, even for a minute. He shook himself inwardly and went back to the matter at hand. *Much safer to keep it neutral.* "The few times I took Falconzord over this range, it looked pretty awesome, and the weather is perfect for far-seeing – and if this lookout point is as ideal as David says it is, you'll be missing out on some truly great scenery."

"Yeah; I'd love to take a look myself. But there's no way I'm going to put all of us at risk when I know I'm not fully fit," Jason replied regretfully.

"Why did you come at all then?" David asked, hiding a slight smirk. Would he be rid of Jason's annoying presence after all, if only to share one of his favorite spots with his brother alone? Could it really be that easy? "I thought the purpose of this hike was to look at the scenery." His tone made a mockery out of it.

"In the desert," Jason answered curtly, sensing the other's hostility but not wanting to make a scene in front of Tommy. "Which usually is pretty flat, even here. If I'd known beforehand we were gonna do some climbing, I'd have told you right off I might not make it."

Uncomfortable with the exchange, Tommy looked from one of his companions to the other. *What's going on here?* He chose to address his Bro.

"Jase? Is everything … are you okay?" But he was also staring at David, chocolate-brown eyes begging both brother and friend to tell him yes.

"Sure," Jason said blithely, but wouldn't quite meet Tommy's eyes. "We're fine. Aren't we, David?" The question was tossed offhandedly over one shoulder, a veiled challenge to either agree and be silent about their differences, or have it out here and now, right in front of the very person they both wanted to keep out of it. David bristled, glaring daggers at Jason, but answered in much the same vein.

"Yeah. Everything's just peachy."

Neither answer fully satisfied Tommy, but as he couldn't pinpoint what felt so decidedly weird about the way his companions acted, he let it drop. *For now.*

"If you say so …"

"We do," Jason stated firmly, then heaved himself to his feet. "So, are we gonna sit here all morning, or what? If I can do the climb after all, I'd prefer to try it before noon."

Tommy groaned and rose to his full height as well. Clipping his half-empty canteen back on his belt, he mock-scowled at Jason. "Slave driver."

"Slacker," he grinned back unrepentantly.

Grumbling under his breath, Tommy gestured for David to lead the way. He did so, listening to the stream of friendly insults the other two were still exchanging as they followed close behind, wondering what kind of friendship this was where two people could hurl imprecations at each other with total abandon and only laugh about it. Why, if he used even half the words Jason and Tommy bandied about so carelessly with any of his contemporaries at the Reservation, he knew he'd be dragged behind the nearest house for some serious 'talking to' – usually done with fists. David refused to acknowledge even in his own mind that rather than chiding his companions, he'd much prefer to join in. Instead, he stayed silent, radiating disapproval through his ramrod-straight posture (as much as he could, anyway; scrambling over shale and rocks demanded all the agility he could muster, not stiffness).

About 150 yards up the incline, the path of sorts they'd been following petered out, and the three young men needed their energies to keep their footing. Conversation ceased except for short, terse comments about a safe step here, a convenient handhold there. All were again starting to sweat in the late morning heat, and wished for tall, cool drinks to soothe their parched throats – or at least a bucket full of water or three to sluice over their heads to wash away the dust, sand and grime they were collecting on their bodies.

Curses could be heard more and more often as feet slipped and fingers got scraped the higher they climbed. As David had said, it wasn't a particularly arduous climb nor was it very dangerous; if one of them should miss a step and fall, there might be minor injuries, but in all likelihood nothing fatal would happen. Nevertheless, caution was called for, and duly exercised by all.

~*~

Jason was reaching for the small ledge Tommy had just vacated, when he was suddenly hit by a dizzy spell. He stopped where he was, pressed against the rocks, and waited for his vision to clear of the black spots dancing before his eyes. When they did, he found he was breathing hard – far harder than the moderate exertion warranted. Still, determined to hold out as long as he could, he inched along, carefully testing each small foothold and crevice for stability before placing either feet or fingers into a spot where he was reasonably certain that it would support him. However, within minutes another wave of vertigo hit him – even harder than before. Swearing under his breath, Jason looked back where they'd come from, then at the slowly advancing backs of Tommy and David. From experience, he knew that the dizziness wouldn't go away anytime soon – usually, these bouts lasted for quite a while; up to an hour even, before subsiding again. They weren't very debilitating, just required rest to let them pass. And there wasn't much chance of resting plastered against a mountainside, was there?

*I can't stay here in the rocks for an hour!*

Dismayed, Jason realized he had to make a decision. Ignore his weakness as best he could and forge ahead regardless, or turn tail and go back? With a sigh, he slumped against the hot granite at his back. He'd promised Tommy he wasn't going to do anything foolish – like letting his pride overrule his good sense. Which told him in no uncertain terms that he better go back now, before something happened to him and/or his companions, or else.

*Guess I'm heading back down again.*

Swallowing an oath with difficulty, Jason wiped the sweat off his brow. Squinting against the sun, he cleared his throat and called out to his friend.

"Tommy?"

The Red Ranger scrambled for leverage when the stone he was placing his foot on suddenly decided to come loose and tumbled down with a loud clatter. However, in the freed space Tommy found a small crevice just right to place his boot in. Despite his chagrin and disappointment, Jason had to grin at the rather creative curses Tommy let loose while regaining his footing.

"Yo, Tommy," he called again, slightly louder.

Tommy looked down. "What?"

"I hate to say it, but this is it for me," Jason explained. "Dunno if it's the heat or what, but I'm getting kinda dizzy" playing down the encroaching nausea "and I think I better climb down before I take the shortcut." He nodded down the mountainside.

"Aw man," Tommy exclaimed, making Jason grin again. What a typical Tommy reaction! "What if you just take a timeout? Would that help? I'll wait here with you," he offered.

"'Fraid that's not enough, Bro," Jason replied regretfully. "It'll take longer than just a few minutes to get over the dizziness, and the sun and heat exposure here aren't exactly helping."

"Then we'll go back with you …"

Tommy immediately started to angle his body back the way he'd come, but Jason's next words stopped him.

"No, don't. I knew this might happen, remember? You just go on with David; I'll take a short breather, then go down again."

"What's up, Tommy?" David called from above; he had advanced too far to overhear the conversation. "You two coming, or what?"

"Just a sec," Tommy called back, then addressed Jason once more. "You sure you can't go on?"

"Yeah."

"Damn."

Jason grinned wryly, having recovered some of his equilibrium by the enforced stop. "No lie," he concurred. "Tell you what – I'll take another break as soon as I'm at the base, then mosey back to our camp. And yes, I'm gonna take it easy," he forestalled the admonition he could see forming in Tommy's eyes before the other could open his mouth. "Promise."

"Oh, okay then, I guess," the long-haired Turbo Ranger grumbled. He heaved a deep sigh. "Just be careful going down."

"I will, Mom," Jason quipped with a smile, touched by his friend's obvious concern. "Have fun."

"I'd have more with you along, Jase," Tommy murmured earnestly.

"I know. But I can't, and your brother's waiting," Jason replied. "Now shoo." He pried one hand loose from the rock face and made a flipping motion with his fingers, surprising a laugh out of Tommy.

"I'm going, I'm going," he muttered, still reluctant to leave his best friend behind, but also aware of David's growing impatience. With a last look at Jason's confident expression, Tommy determinedly turned back towards the ledge he'd been reaching for before. "Coming, Dave," he called, and started to climb once more. Within a couple of minutes, the brothers vanished from Jason's sight behind an overhang, only their grunts and muted voices audible a while longer.

Sighing to himself, Jason blanked his mind except for the need to retrace his steps as carefully as possible and slowly made his way back to solid ground.

~*~

With a relieved moan, Jason reached their campsite shortly after noon and sank down on a convenient flat rock next to the tent. He'd walked slowly, taking it as easy as possible (and not only to keep his promise to Tommy, but out of sheer necessity) and pausing often, having to pay tribute to the dizziness and general weakness that had assailed him on the climb and necessitated his return. Even so, his breathing was laborious, he was covered in dust, and his shirt stuck to his sweaty back, chafing in places he'd never felt before.

*That definitely was NOT one of your brighter ideas, Scott,* he mused after a brief rest as he stripped off his shirt and stretched to work the kinks out of his legs. *Whatever possessed you to walk through the desert when the sun's at zenith?* Although he'd wrapped a bandanna around his head to ward off the worst of the heat, he was feeling overheated, lightheaded and absolutely parched. Well, he could do something about that, at least. Stumbling slightly with exhaustion, Jason scrambled to his feet again, crawled into the stiflingly-hot tent – *Ugh! So much for resting inside, in the shade!* – dug out a clean t-shirt and a towel from his backpack, grabbed a couple of apples and granola bars and walked slowly down to the well.

Washing the sweat and dust off his torso felt heavenly, although Jason would have willingly traded in any and all of his former Zords for a loooong shower right about now. Which was unfortunately about 50 miles, and several hours' hiking, not to mention a car ride, out of reach. As it was, he revelled in being relatively clean again; then a slight breeze obligingly sprang up at just the right moment, drying the water on his skin and cooling him further. With a sigh of relief, Jason slipped the fresh shirt over his head and picked up his newly-filled canteen. Choosing a spot about halfway back to the tent, he sat down against a boulder that at least looked as if it might be a comfortable backrest, taking advantage of what little shade there was and started to munch his way through the light lunch.

*

Imperceptible to a human, the ground shook slightly as Jason sank to the floor. The minuscule tremors aroused a snake lying hidden in a small crevice at the bottom of the boulder, only a foot or so to the side from where he sat. A flat, triangular head lifted briefly and poked out, a forked tongue flickered towards slit-pupil eyes, but as the big shape made no threatening move, the snake subsided again into motionlessness.

*

When he was finished, he wrapped up his bit of trash, then allowed himself at last to think about the day's events so far. On his lonely trek back to camp, he had concentrated solely on conserving his energies, deliberately not letting his mind stray from the task at hand. However, now that he was 'home', he could take the time to reflect on everything without distraction while the quiet of the stark landscape surrounding him seeped into his very bones.

After a while, Jason let his meandering thoughts focus on more than just feeling better; the nausea and dizzy spells had passed, he was reasonably rested and cool – as much as he could be, anyway, sitting in the midst of the California desert with little to no shelter from the sun – and turned the day's events over in his mind. Specifically, the early-morning confrontation with David. He hadn't wanted to dwell on it too much, not while Tommy or David were around, but now that he was no longer distracted by the brothers' presence, he knew he had to do some hard thinking. Idly, almost unconsciously, he picked up a handful of small stones with his right hand, toying with them for a few minutes before pitching them one by one down the hillside.

What was wrong between him and David, anyway?

With a sigh that seemed to rise out of the ground beneath him, Jason thought back to the very beginning – right after his return from Geneva, when he'd become the Gold Ranger and learned that Tommy had found a brother he hadn't known he'd had.

Tommy had been so enthusiastic when he'd told him … in almost anyone else, Jason would have called his reaction 'bubbly'. He grinned at the image. If there was any term that fit Tommy less … but, refusing to be sidetracked, Jason recalled his own reaction to the startling news. He'd honestly been delighted for his best friend; a few late-night confessions during sleepovers had given him a very good idea of what family meant to Tommy. Adding in the fact that David had been brought up Native American – baby Tommy had slipped through a crack in the system, at a time when Native Americans were still fighting for the right to keep their people in their communities and within their culture, rather than losing orphaned children to often more prosperous white adoptive families, and thus ended up with the Olivers – it was a truly fascinating story, and Jason had been quite eager to meet David. Especially as he was the only civilian Jason was aware of who knew about their Ranger identities.

*I wanted to like him – I really did,* Jason ruminated. *If only for Tommy's sake. I mean, I'm not all that fond of Kim's older brother, and Zack's cousins can be a pain in the neck – never mind the whole DeSantos bunch; God, how can Rocky stand the NOISE? – but I can get along with all of them fairly easily, under most circumstances. And I honestly expected the same to happen with David.*

However, things had gone wrong almost from the start. Jason knew it wasn't really his fault that his car had to be repaired; sure, it inconvenienced David, and maybe he and Tommy should have made more of an effort to prevent that, but certainly that couldn't have been the only reason for the quiet antagonism he'd sensed in David from the moment he and Tommy had shown up at his house, could it? Forcing himself to examine yesterday's events with ruthless honesty, Jason admitted that he hadn't made much of an effort not to exclude Tommy's brother from their conversation over breakfast. He'd blithely assumed that the other wouldn't mind listening to him and Tommy reminisce about things; an impoliteness, yes, but not done with malicious aforethought, as David seemed to think. The one-time Gold Ranger sniggered as the pretentious phrase skittered through his mind; he was so glad that he no longer needed to use such expressions! He'd had more than enough of that during his stint at the Peace Conference.

*Don't digress,* he admonished himself, picking up another handful of stones, fingering them absently before sending the first one after the rest.

*

The motion alerted the snake once more and he hissed warningly when Jason's hand came perilously close to touching him. Sinuously, the brown-banded coils stretched and slithered outside, within striking distance of the wicked-looking fangs. Perceiving no immediate danger, the serpent waited, all senses alert. Over the gentle breeze, he young man never heard the hiss nor the soft rustling the scaly skin made against the gravelly ground, so absorbed was he in his musings.

*

*Okay, where was I? Yesterday morning…*

Jason did his best to reconcile his memories of the previous day with the accusations and snide remarks David has hurled at him during their almost-fight at dawn. What all had he said?

*So Tommy and me have been inconsiderate towards David. Okay. He has a right to be pissed about that; I wouldn't have liked to get up at the crack of dawn, either. But … am I trying to cut him out of Tommy's life, only to be closer to him?*

The answer was quick and immediate.

*No. No way. If only for no other reason that it would hurt Tommy – and I'd never want to do that. He's had a hard enough time already, what with Rita and Zedd going after him, then Kim's letter … besides, he's the best friend I have, even if we haven't known each other all that long. Sure, Billy and Zack are close to me, too, but it's just not quite the same. Tommy and I … we're equals. In all things. He's the brother I always wanted.*

This wasn't a new idea by any means; Jason had always accepted their closeness as a given, and knew that Tommy did the same, although neither had ever put it into so many words. It just WAS.

*And David's a part of Tommy, whether I like it – well, him – or not. They're REAL brothers, by blood; not just calling each other 'Bro', like I do. End of story.*

Rolling that thought around in his mind, Jason slowly realized that a deeply-buried part of him actually was a little jealous of this unalterable relationship. It was unthinkable that anyone or anything would ever be able to destroy the bond he shared with his best friend, but as he well knew, stranger things had happened. Distance, growing up, growing apart … they were possibilities he had to consider, however much he might not want to.

*But whatever happens in the future, in the end David and Tommy will STILL be brothers, no matter what. And man, I would sure like to have that guarantee!*

He sighed deeply, tossing the last of the pebbles down towards the well. The tiny, clattering sounds seemed awfully loud in the desert stillness. Jason wasn't usually given to so much introspection, but the whole situation bothered him more than he'd thought possible. He'd always made friends easily, or at least managed to get along with most people; that someone he knew he'd have to accept as part and parcel of his best friend disliked him so wasn't an easy thing to stomach.

*Guess I'll have to make more of an effort to get to know David,* he thought morosely. *Probably start by apologizing to him for being so self-centered yesterday. Grrr.*

It was not a pleasant prospect, but it was the right thing to do; Jason admitted that much to himself, even though it galled him. But it would be a start to rectify an intolerable situation – for all three of them.

*The one thing I absolutely can't do is make Tommy choose between me and David. It wouldn't be fair, and it wouldn't be right. David and I will just have to learn to get along. And if me telling him I'm sorry for being something of a jerk yesterday helps, then that's what I'll do. Why does doing the right thing have to be so hard, though?*

Jason was under no illusion that David would welcome his apology with enthusiasm.

He grinned wryly. *Nobody ever promised me easy. Oh well. If eating a little crow will help, I'll do it. For all our sakes'.*

And hopefully, he'd be able to convince David of his sincerity. After all, had his time at the Peace Conference taught him nothing? The first rule towards genuine understanding was always to bring problems into the open, not let them fester secretly until misunderstandings and misconceptions grew into insurmountable barriers. So, he would try and get David alone somehow when he and Tommy returned, and convince him to talk. Quietly, reasonably, like adults.

Jason breathed a gusty sigh, feeling better for having decided on a course of action. Seemed this time by himself, thinking things through without distractions, had done the trick. Regaining his optimism, Jason's energy returned in a sudden rush that was a welcome change from his bad mood earlier. He chuckled out loud with relief, glad to have – hopefully! – found a solution to his dilemma, thumped the ground next to him with his hand as if to put a seal on his decision, then jumped to his feet.

It was a mistake.

Startled by the sudden noise and movement, the serpent lying in the sun next to the boulder Jason had been resting against first recoiled, then reacted instinctively to what seemed like an attack. The three-foot-long body reared up, there was a sharp hiss, a loud rattle from the very tip of his tail, and with lightning quickness, the snake's head snapped forward. Wickedly sharp fangs sank deep into Jason's leg, depositing deadly poison.

~~***~~

David and Tommy reached the lookout point out of breath and more than a little the worse for wear, but as David had promised, the view was definitely worth it. They sank to the ground, panting and gulping down the contents of their canteens thirstily, all the while gazing admiringly out at the magnificent scenery. Brownish-yellow sand and rocks as far as the eye could see, at first glance arid and lifeless, but a closer look showed moss and sparse shrubbery, the quick flit of a small rodent from rock to rock, birds of prey circling high in a cloudless blue sky. The desert, a lifeless wasteland? Hardly that.

Letting his eyes sweep to the horizon, Tommy was filled with awe at the vastness, a sight only paralleled by being far out on the ocean, or taking his Zord into space. The line between earth and sky was blurred, hazy with heat shimmers, and only added to the impression of immensity. At his back, the solid rock of the mountainside literally grounded him, and he knew that he only needed to turn around and see the Sierra rise high into the sky.

"This is awesome, David," he murmured. "Thanks for showing this to me." Somehow, nature's glory made him want to keep his voice down, as if any loud noise would spoil its impact on his senses and mind.

"You're welcome, Tommy," David replied, pleased that his brother obviously shared his own appreciation of what lay before them. "I'm glad you're here."

Tommy smiled warmly, then a troubled expression entered his eyes. "I just wish Jason didn't have to leave; I'm sure he'd have loved seeing this as much as I do."

Instinctively, David withdrew, only just checking any overt motion. *Damn him, does he have to intrude even when he's not even present?* But something gave him away, despite his best effort. His younger brother's face fell, grew wary, even slightly desperate.

"Dave? What's up? I know you and Jason both told me you were okay, but I'd have to be more dense than Bulk and Skull not to notice that something's not right between the two of you." He rubbed the back of his neck, as he was wont to do when agitated. "What I can't figure out, though, is what is wrong, and why. Don't you like Jason?"

It sounded like a little boy's plea, even Tommy noticed that, but didn't much care. He turned what Tanya liked to call his 'lost-puppy-dog-look' on David, willing him to deny his growing suspicion. David squirmed inwardly under that look, and to his shame felt his face grow hot. He glanced quickly aside, but too late. Alarmed, Tommy reached out and gripped his brother's arm.

"Tell me what's wrong, David. Please! I need to know!"

Sighing, David closed his eyes. *So much for keeping Tommy out of this. Okay, maybe it's just as well.* Setting his mouth in a grim line, he looked back up.

"You're right, Tommy – all is not well. I'm sorry, but … I would have preferred if we had come here alone from the start."

Bewildered, Tommy sat back, the spectacular desert view forgotten. "What? But why?"

"Because I wanted this experience to bring us closer, I guess," David explained. "I mean, we're brothers, yeah, but we barely know each other … now that you're no longer in school, you have hardly any time for me …"

"David, between racing for Uncle John and being a Ranger, I hardly have time for anybody, family, friends or otherwise," Tommy said reasonably. "You don't want to know what this is doing to my social life, either; I'm only glad Kat's on the team with me, or I'd be as single as Rocky!" His attempt at levity failed, however.

"Yes. And now that you can take a little time off to spend with me, you decide to bring someone else along – an outsider!"

Tommy actually flinched, both at the unexpected sharpness of David's tone, and at his choice of words.

"What do you mean, an outsider? Jase is no outsider, he's my best friend! You know that!"

David blushed slightly. "He's not family," he muttered sullenly, staring at his feet. It sounded weak, even to his own ears. Why couldn't Tommy understand?

Tommy shook his head, not seeing the point at all. "Maybe not, but I've sure wished often enough he were," he said, trying for calm. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that things might be even worse than he'd begun to suspect – that there was some kind of clash between his brother and his Bro, the two people closest to him next to his parents.

*Aren't you forgetting someone?* a voice in his head asked.

*Kim* his foolish heart answered softly, only to be overshadowed by his conscience.

*Of course, Kat! Duh.*

If a heart could snort, Tommy's would have. He ignored it. Not for the first time.

"Dave … I'd hoped I'd made it clear to you, and if I haven't, I'm sorry, but Jason is as close to me as any member of my family – Mom and Dad, you … he was the first person ever who accepted me right from the start, no conditions, nothing, just offered me his friendship. Man, I tried to kill him when I was Rita's Green Ranger! Jason never, ever held that against me. Actually, he was the first of the original team who held out his hand to me. Literally." Tommy smiled briefly at the memory; that moment on the beach was embedded in his very soul and would stay there for the rest of his life.

"Yeah, yeah, the guy's a saint," David muttered, not quite keeping the sneer out of his voice. He was surprised when Tommy ignored it and just laughed.

"A saint? Jason? Hardly. He can outstubborn a mule, and trust me, you do not want to be in the same country with him when he loses his temper!"

Having caught flashes of it in the fire blazing in the dark eyes only this morning, David could well believe that. But he'd also seen the determination with which Jason could put a lid on said temper. Knowing that he, on the other hand, had pretty much completely lost control over himself did nothing to improve David's mood. Quite the contrary. But Tommy wasn't finished yet.

"Anyway, I'm not gonna give him up; no matter what, I'll always have time and room for him, no matter where I am or who I'm with. Get used to it." Realizing belatedly that such a peremptory statement might not be very diplomatic, he grinned a bit wryly.

"Sorry; didn't mean that quite the way it sounded. But it's true," he shrugged. "What is wrong between the two of you, anyway? Just a general personality clash, or is it just that you don't know him very well yet?"

The other was silent for a long minute. At last, David spoke. "I … I don't know." He couldn't very well admit that he was jealous of Jason, could he? Tommy would probably just laugh at him, tell him he was being an idiot or something – and that would make things even worse.

The one thing David couldn't bear was having someone look down on him one way or another. It didn't matter if it was by verbal insult, laughter behind his back (or to his face) or just if he was made to look stupid or incompetent. It always made him feel humiliated, like the one and only time the brothers had sparred – being bested by his younger brother had been bad enough, Ranger expertise or not, but Tommy didn't have to make it look so easy, did he? And with his Ranger friends watching, too … there had been no other way for him than to run out, as far away as possible before he'd be ridiculed. His pride demanded it.

Trying to find halfway rational reasons for his resentment of Jason, besides his jealousy, David started to explain that he felt that Jason was showing up his shortcomings at every opportunity. His lack of worldliness, for want of a better term, his comparatively lesser education … even his living circumstances. He could – barely! – accept the differences between his own life and Tommy's; not that he begrudged him having been adopted by a reasonably well-off family or anything, but he was human enough and young enough to covet some of the things which Tommy and Jason took for granted and which were pretty much out of his reach unless he worked for them himself, for various reasons. Not all of which had to do with money.

David knew he was fumbling for the right words. Somehow, putting his vague feelings into concise sentences was harder than he imagined it to be, and made them seem rather insignificant, truth be told. And yet he struggled on. David wasn't at all sure whether he was making any sense – the increasingly puzzled look in Tommy's eyes as he listened seemed to indicate otherwise – but that was hardly surprising; his jumbled emotions didn't make much sense to himself anymore, either. *I always thought of myself as rather open-minded; why can't I be so where Jason is concerned?* David grimaced, still searching for a way to put his state of mind into something at least vaguely resembling coherency. *I … I don't like feeling like this – so mean and petty and jealous!*

"I think you've got it all skewed, David," Tommy murmured, rather disturbed by these revelations. He'd never experienced that kind of resentment of another himself, even at his most lonely, and was having trouble wrapping his mind around the concept. And it bothered him a lot that his own brother should feel like this, especially towards his best friend.

"First of all, you don't have 'shortcomings', the way you think you do. You just grew up under totally different circumstances than we did." Tommy would never know how much that simple 'we' hurt David – it seemed to separate them far more than anything else. But Tommy wasn't finished yet. "Second, Jase isn't like that at all; he'd never look down on anybody, for whatever reason. Especially when there is none. You see, when I first moved here, he …" Tommy never got to finish his sentence. He was interrupted by a chirping sound David had only heard a few times before.

"Oh shit," Tommy muttered disgustedly, and activated his communicator.

"Yes, Zordon?"

"Tommy, Divatox is attacking Angel Grove. Your presence is needed here." Even over the tiny device, the Rangers' mentor's voice was booming, deep and authoritative.

"Be right with you. Alpha, alert the others!"

"Ai-yi-yi, Tommy! They're already on the way!"

All business now, the Red Turbo Ranger jumped to his feet, all else taking second place behind his duty.

"I've got to go," he said tersely, shifting seamlessly into the Rangers' leader's role. "Come on, I can teleport you at least down the mountain," he explained, reaching for David's arm. Before the other had time to protest, there was a dizzying rush of sensation, a brief blackness, and the brothers rematerialized not just at the foot of the peak it had taken them well over an hour to scale, but a good distance away, back where they'd come from. Tommy released his brother, took a step, then hesitated and turned once more towards David.

"Listen … we need to talk about this some more, but when I come back, okay? Will you be okay from here on?"

"Yeah, sure. You go and kick that pirate chick's butt," David said, smiling feebly.

"Will do." Tommy reached into his back pocket for his Turbo Key. Before he morphed, though, he looked seriously at David. He was reluctant to ask this of his brother, but concern for his best friend won out. "Dave? Promise me one thing?"

"What?" David wondered at the strange and sudden urgency in Tommy's voice.

"Look out for Jase while I'm gone? I know you may not really want to, after what you've just told me, but the bad guys have too often tried to get at us through our friends and families … and he's really not quite up to snuff …"

Grudgingly, David conceded the point. How could he not, after what happened to him with King Mondo? That didn't mean he had to like it, though. But Tommy's eyes begged him to understand, offering his brother a trust that couldn't be refused.

"Sure, don't worry."

"Thanks."

His communicator beeped again. "Tommy, haul your butt down here! NOW!!!" Unmistakeably Tanya's irritated voice, punctuated by sounds that could only mean his team was already in the midst of trashing a bunch of Piranhatrons.

Cursing under his breath, Tommy fell into stance and summoned his morpher.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" He didn't even wait for an answer.

"Shift into Turbo!"

In a flash of crimson light, he disappeared, leaving a bemused and still rather grouchy David behind, to make the mile-long hike back to camp on his own. Grumbling about the worst timing ever for being interrupted, the young man started to walk.

~*~

"AURGH!"

Jason cried out more from the surprise than actual pain; he'd sustained more painful injuries as a Ranger, not to mention a few domestic accidents involving paring knives or opened cans. However, as soon as his brain got over the first shock, he saw the ropy shape slithering away quickly, and fear set in.

Along with a burning sensation radiating outward from the twin puncture wounds just above his ankle.

"Oh shit," he groaned, steadying himself against the rock. The pain was already intense, and seemed to intensify with every breath he took – and was it his imagination, or was his leg beginning to swell already? Jason wasn't sure; he'd read about snakebites and their symptoms way back when he first started going on hikes, but poisonous snakes really were rare in California; it just wasn't something he'd been overly concerned with, to tell the truth. If it had been scorpions … but he had chanced upon that rarity, he had to be concerned, or he might … die. Through the pain and increasing confusion – another by-product of the venom coursing through his blood, Jason dimly remembered – he desperately tried to think.

*Snakebite! Okay, what do I do … note the time …* Jason looked at his watch, but it was dubious if he'd be able to remember the position of the hands. Sometime after 1 pm, he thought. It would have to suffice. *Type of snake … I think I heard a rattle … didn't I? … Shit … I need antivenom – fast!*

He looked up the hillside, towards their tent, hoping that either Tommy or David had remembered to pack the remedy. He knew he shouldn't move, should stay as still as possible, but he also needed to get up there, look through their packs … fighting down incipient panic, he took a couple of stumbling steps. The pain in his leg got impossibly worse, and he winced. Gritting his teeth, Jason moved uphill, even though his imagination had shifted into hyperdrive, showing him images of how the poison was moving through his veins, infesting his bloodstream with every excruciating step he managed.

Somehow, he made it to the tent, sweating and cursing all the way.

But once the tent was almost within his reach, Jason found to his horror that he couldn't – COULD NOT – go on. Only two more steps, three at the most, and it was no use. Nausea set in, worse than any ever caused by losing the Gold Power, his skin was clammy with shock, and his stomach heaved as bile rose in his throat. Too weakened already both by his exertion and the poison to fight it, Jason lost his sparse lunch there and then until he was retching pitifully, sinking first to his knees, then slowly all the way to the ground, where he curled up in a foetal position. His eyes were watering as he tried to hold his throbbing leg. Even with blackness encroaching on him, spots dancing before his eyes, he could feel that the area around the snakebite was swollen and puffy … and it was spreading.

*I don't want to die! Not like this … not all alone!*

He lifted his head, the action causing him to gag again; what little he could see of the desert was just that – deserted. Nevertheless, the human spirit wouldn't give up so easily. Mustering what little strength he had left, Jason called for help.

To whom, he didn't know, nor cared; he'd have been grateful for Lord Zedd's company right now, all things considered. He just knew that he didn't want to be by himself, helpless, hurt … possibly dying.

"Help! Tommy! David … anybody … somebody help me …"

The deep voice grew weaker with every word. And it died off completely when Jason lost consciousness.

~*~

It was less than a mile to the campsite from where Tommy had dropped him off, so David took his time getting there; after all, he had no burning desire to play babysitter to Jason. At least that's how he thought of the request Tommy had made of him. Hadn't he heard a single word his brother had told him? For if he had, how could he still ask David to look out for Jason?

*It's not fair,* David groused as he ambled along, kicking up loose gravel every now and then. He cursed as he stubbed his toe on a larger stone which was embedded in the soil. *Is EVERYTHING against me? Why can't Tommy see my side? Why the HELL is Jason the one for whom he is so concerned?* Although, he had to admit it wasn't entirely without cause – less so after Divatox already had had Jason in her clutches once. The new Bad Girl in town sure sounded like someone who'd hold a grudge. So, David would honor his promise.

*Nobody says I have to like it, though.*

The heat was getting to him, so David quickened his pace some; he still didn't want to spend more time than he absolutely had to alone with Jason, but the prospect of fresh water and a little shade, plus a chance to really rest after their earlier climb, was too enticing. *And Tommy has NOT asked me to entertain him. If I don't want to, I don't have to talk to Jason at all.* Slightly cheered, David trudged on, reaching the foot of their hillock soon after. He paused at the base, letting the breeze wafting downhill lift his long hair in welcome relief, and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Only the easy scramble uphill separated him from their camp … and Jason.

Grimacing, David started up the barely-visible path, only to stop again after a few steps. Was it his imagination, or had someone just called for help? He listened intently for several seconds, but could detect no sound aside from the wind rustling in the sparse bushes, or the sand shifting under his feet. He shrugged, not really concerned. There was no danger out here, and besides, Jason could damn well take care of himself, lack of stamina or not. A sudden flash of memory took David back to the cave in which Mondo had imprisoned him, though, and caused goosebumps to break out over his skin. What if Tommy's fears were real, after all, and the Space Pirate was going after Jason?

*If this Divatox chick really is out for Jason's hide, what can –I- do to stop her, anyway?* David tried to assuage his suddenly clamouring conscience, but sped up anyway. *I don't even have a communicator to call the Rangers!* But he knew he was just procrastinating. He might not be able to fight a monster, but his assistance – if it really was an attack by the current batch of cannon fodder – might mean the difference for Jason between being captured and holding out long enough until Tommy returned.

*Shit.*

With a last grumble, David topped the rise, prepared to do battle … only to find the area deserted. Nobody was in sight, not even Jason.

"What the heck?!" Clearly, there was no attack in progress, nor were there any signs of a struggle having taken place recently. He'd fully expected Jason to rest in the tent's shade, if he weren't fighting Piranhatrons hands and nails. Then again, the sun hadn't passed zenith all that long ago, and it was possible that the former Ranger had looked for shadow closer to the well. But a look down the slope showed just rocks and moss, the only movement coming from a small lizard which was scurrying into a particularly sunny spot.

"Where is he, anyway?"

Shaking his head in puzzlement and slight annoyance at having wasted some perfectly good worrying for nothing, David waited for his adrenaline rush to subside, then slowly rounded the tent. What he saw there stopped him right in his tracks, then sent him into frantic activity.

Jason was lying on the bare ground, obviously unconscious, curled up just out of reach of the tent flap. One arm was outstretched as if he were trying to reach the zipper – and the reason for that was quite apparent as David took in all of his prone form. His right leg was swollen to half again its usual size from the ankle upward to the knee, straining his pants leg at the seams and everything pointed to the fact that the oedema was still spreading. Sinking to his knees beside the prone body, carefully avoiding the spot of vomitus, David turned Jason carefully onto his back. Looking him over, David saw what he'd feared – twin puncture wounds, grossly discoloured, right above the edge of Jason's sock. A drop of blood had congealed on each already.

"Snakebite! Oh damn!"

David knew enough about the local fauna to be pretty certain about the type of snake that had bitten Jason; it could only be a certain species of rattlesnake common to the western USA. They were rare in California, but not unheard of. He had the appropriate antivenom packed. The big question was, how much time had passed since the bite? There was a 90-minute time limit in which the remedy would be effective at all, or it would be too late to save Jason. David didn't think it had been that long ago; his heartbeat was still reasonably strong and regular, but … The only person who could – hopefully! – answer that was Jason himself; to do that, he needed to be conscious.

*First things first!*

Hastily, David went for his backpack. The first-aid kit was tucked into one of the outside pockets for easy access. He grabbed the special insulating container for the antidote and hurried back to Jason, all enmity forgotten in the face of this emergency. Next, he reached for one of the canteens, noting with silent relief that they'd been filled since morning – probably Jason's work. In falling, he'd obviously knocked one over – half of its contents had spilled, testified by the still-damp patch on the ground.

*Good thing he's thought that far …*

Pouring a measure of water onto a piece of bandage from the first-aid kit, David cleaned the punctures, then wetted Jason's face, all the while calling his name, trying to wake him up again.

"Wake up, Jason! Come on, don't be such a stubborn cuss. I need your help here! Wake up, damn you! JASON!"

David knew he was yelling, but didn't care; he lifted his unconscious companion, then dragged him towards the back of the tent where a little shade provided welcome relief from the scorching heat. Next, he propped Jason up into a half-sitting position, elevated his leg on a hastily-snatched backpack as far as he dared, prepared a tourniquet and did all he could think of, his brain racing as his hands acted as if on autopilot. When he still got no reaction from Jason, he slapped him lightly.

"Wake UP!!!"

He was rewarded with a faint moan. Jason moved his head marginally to escape the stinging slaps, but only received yet another slap. More relieved than he thought he'd be, David redoubled his efforts.

"That's it, come on …"

Clawing his way back to consciousness, Jason fluttered his eyelids in a brave attempt to open them. When he finally succeeded, he immediately became aware of the burning ache in his leg, and he groaned, instinctively reaching for his ankle, the source of the pain. David caught the wandering hand.

"No, you can't touch the bite."

The voice was familiar and yet wasn't; frowning, Jason squinted to make his blurry vision focus. He saw a tanned face framed with long dark locks hovering over him, and sighed softly.

"T-tommy," he mumbled indistinctly. "Knew … you'd come. Hel … he'p muhhh…"

David couldn't help but marvel at the simple trust evident in those few words, accompanied as they were by a noticeable relaxing of the tensed muscles. He realized Jason must've mistaken him for his brother, dazed and semi-conscious as he was. It cracked some of the hard shell he'd formed around his heart – seemed the relationship between Tommy and Jason was as close as Tommy had claimed, or Jason wouldn't react the way he was doing.

"Sorry, no," he murmured, fumbling for the snake kit. With quick movements, he removed Jason's shoe and sock. No sense in restricting him any more than absolutely necessary. Already, the elasticised edge of the white stocking had left a deep ridge in the swollen tissue around Jason's ankle.

Jason jerked out of his painful haze when he felt someone touching his foot.

"Hurts," he complained weakly.

"I can imagine, but there's no way around it," David replied in a no-nonsense voice. "Now hold still!"

Finally, it registered on Jason's fogged mind that it wasn't Tommy ministering to him. The voice was similar, but not quite the light tenor he was used to; nor was the touch of the skilled hands at all familiar. Making a supreme effort, he opened his eyes fully and waited for his sight to clear. Sure enough, there was long brown hair, but it was straighter than Tommy's, the shoulders in the plaid shirt were muscular but broader … oh.

"D-david," he stammered, recognizing the person shoving him against a handy rock at last; gagging as another wave of nausea hit him. He swallowed the rising bile with difficulty, knowing he had nothing left to give. "Where … where's …"

"Tommy had to teleport out; some kind of Ranger emergency," David explained, opening the emergency kit and picking up a hypodermic needle. "Good thing he brought me down the peak with him, or I would've been too late."

"… What?"

David stopped whatever he was doing and looked at Jason. "Do you remember what happened?"

Jason briefly closed his eyes. Why was it so hard to think all of a sudden? And why was David being almost nice to him? But an explanation was needed; the effort of giving it actually helped him focus, Jason found, much to his surprise. "I … I think so," he muttered. "I went to get water … ate a little … I was sitting halfway down the bluff, just thinking about stuff … tossing stones … then I got up … " the deep voice, now thready and weak, trailed off as memory set in.

"There … there was a snake … it bit me!"

"It sure did. Probably some kind of rattler. It's why you're feeling so rotten now."

Well, duh. Jason had figured that one out all by himself. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the lack of hostility both in David's voice and demeanor. As lousy as he was feeling, he couldn't handle a second round of their early-morning quarrel. Thinking about his mishap, though, brought the pain back to Jason's consciousness with a vengeance. Instinctively, he tried to reach for his lower calf, only to find his hand once more restrained in a firm grip.

"Oh no, you don't."

"Wanna know …" Jason muttered rebelliously, glaring at David, who grinned briefly, humourlessly.

"I just bet you do. But you mustn't move – no more than absolutely necessary, anyway. It'll speed the flow of the poison. Bad enough you came up here," David went on, letting go. "But if you have to know, the bite itself is discoloured, your leg looks as if it belongs to a baby elephant, and you generally look like shit. Wanna know more?"

"No. Thanks a lot," Jason replied ungraciously. The world around him was again gyrating worse than a group of breakdancers on speed, and try as he might, he couldn't get rid of the urge to vomit. Heavy eyelids drifted shut again even as he retched.

"My pleasure." Only, strangely, it wasn't, not anymore. How had that happened? He'd thought he would like seeing Jason miserable, or in pain. Now that his earlier wish was coming to pass, though, David found he didn't. He refused to look at his suddenly changed feelings too closely. There was work to be done.

"Okay, I need you to concentrate for a minute, alright? Jason?" He spoke the other's name sharply, fearing he'd lapse into unconsciousness again. "Jason!"

"Yeth," Jason winced, yanked back from the brink of oblivion. What was it David wanted? Oh. Concentrate. Yeah, he could do that. Maybe. "What!"

"Do you have any idea how long ago it's been that the snake got you?"

Jason tried to think. "Dunno," he had to admit. "Not long, I think … what time is it?"

David spared a glance at the position of the sun, then checked it against the length of what little shadow there was. "Quarter to two, or thereabouts."

What had his watch shown? Jason wasn't sure. "Think it was … after one. Not s-sure."

"Hmmm." Reflecting on how he'd found Jason, David was inclined to accept the estimate. The water dripping from the overturned canteen hadn't fully evaporated yet when he'd arrived; a process that wouldn't take long in the current heat.

"Okay, I think we're on time then," he declared, forcing a cheerfulness into his voice he didn't really, feel. It wouldn't quite be a lie – yet. "I'll give you the antivenom now, okay?" He'd selected a vial and loaded it into the hypo. Showing the gleaming needle to Jason, he went on. "This may hurt a bit." He ripped up Jason's pants leg, to expose his thigh.

"Can't be worse than what it's like now," Jason panted, grimacing as another wave of pain washed over him, radiating upwards from his lower right leg. His insides were starting to coil in some kind of cramp, worse than the nausea. On top of things, his heart was racing so much it hurt his ribs. He eyed the hypo distastefully. "Man, I hate needles! I just hope you know what you're doing with that thing," he grumbled between gasps.

"Trust me," David said without thinking, too busy using a disposable alcohol-soaked swab to wipe Jason's skin at the back of his knee, the only place he could think of to find a vein. He positioned the tip against the bluish line, but stopped when Jason spoke quietly.

"Guess what? I do."

Surprised, David looked over his shoulder, meeting the pain-glazed dark eyes fixed on his face.

"Why?"

"You're Tommy's brother," Jason said simply, as if that explained everything. It stunned David momentarily. Before he could react one way or another, Jason sank back with another moan. "Just get it over with!"

"Sure," David murmured, confused. Why would Jason trust him just like this, when he hadn't given him reason to? Certainly their fight this morning wasn't exactly motivating … but thinking about all that would have to wait. Time was of the essence, and he was wasting it, big time. His hands were steady, though, as he pushed the tip of the needle into the muscular flesh. Carefully depressing the plunger, he watched the clear liquid enter Jason's bloodstream. When the vial was empty, he withdrew the hypodermic, swabbed the area again and quickly put a band-aid over the small puncture. No sense in courting infection from a secondary source.

"If the description of this is correct, you ought to be feeling better in a short while," David said gruffly. "Hopefully, you'll be able to hold out long enough for Tommy to come back and teleport you to the car. It's gonna be a close call as it is."

"Yeah," Jason sighed, well aware of the restrictions Zordon had placed on the use of their Powers. 'Never use them for personal gain.' He hoped Tommy would be able to bend the rules this once, just a little, anyway, seeing as it was an emergency. Maybe Zordon wouldn't mind … The rules were made for a reason, and Jason had always adhered to them religiously, but he really didn't want to die yet. The lengthy car ride was going to be tough enough as it was.

"Knowing Tommy, he'll try to break the landspeed record," he joked feebly. "Better prepare yourself for one hell of a tri-"

He never could complete the sentence. A sudden rush of unbearable heat constricted his throat, and he arched upwards, crying out inarticulately in pain. Sweat broke out all over his body, and yet Jason's face turned pasty-white under his tan. David tried to hold him down, to stop the thrashing-about that was following, and found to his dismay that Jason's skin was cold and clammy to his touch. That, however, was quickly replaced by a feverish flush.

"Oh SHIT!"

Even inexperienced in most medical matters as he was, David was aware of the symptoms of anaphylactic shock. It seemed as if Jason was allergic to the antivenom. In his weakened condition, coupled with the effects the fast-spreading poison on his system, it looked as if time had just run out on Jason Scott.

~~***~~

"I don't remember how long it was that Jason had convulsions … five minutes, ten … I just don't know," David sighed, rubbing his face with both hands wearily. "I was too busy trying to calm him, to prevent him from injuring himself, but had no idea how. If Tommy hadn't come back then …"

~*~

Never in his life had David been so relieved to hear the sound of teleportation.

"Man, what a waste of time," Tommy groused even as he powered down. "That had to be one of the lamest monsters ever – worse even than Squatt or Baboo. Can you believe it was a giant lawnmower this time? If that's the best Divatox can do, she won't hold out for long. We didn't even need to summon the Zords; the Turbo Ram was more than enough to deal with …"

David interrupted his rambling with a sharp exclamation.

"Tommy!"

Puzzled, the Red Ranger paused and stared at his brother and friend, of whom the latter was writhing on the dusty ground, agonized groans coming from the heaving chest while the former was apparently restraining him forcibly.

"What the hell's going on here?" Tommy asked, coming closer. The two had problems, as he'd learned, but surely neither would resort to physical violence. Wouldn't they? "You're not fighting, are you?"

Even in his panic, David could see how it might look that way.

"No! Tommy, Jason's been bitten by a rattler; he was unconscious when I got here. I gave him the antitoxin, but I think he's having an allergic reaction … he needs help, NOW!" It was a frantic rush or words, totally unlike David's usually placid tone, and that, more than anything else, convinced Tommy that David wasn't joking.

He blanched. For a second, his mind went blank, then instinct set in. Tearing his eyes away from the agony contorting Jason's face, Tommy quickly considered his options. Getting the car here was out of the question; so was transporting Jason to the car. The drive alone would take far too long. So, the obvious – the only – solution was using the Power Chamber's teleportation system – if there weren't the restriction of not using it for personal matters. If Jason were still a Ranger, he could take him to their base … but he wasn't, there was no guarantee that the Power Chamber even had the resources to treat his condition …

"The hell with it!" Tommy wasn't even aware he'd spoken aloud. Jason had done his duty as a Ranger, not once, but twice – almost losing his life the second time. If anyone deserved special consideration from Zordon, an exception made to save his life, it was him. Better act first, explain later.

Decision made, Tommy crouched next to his companions, taking hold both of David and Jason's arms. Almost as an afterthought, he morphed.

"I'll take you directly to the hospital."

*

Their arrival in a streak of crimson light, the Red Ranger carrying both an unconscious youth and a Native American, had caused a minor sensation in the ER, but the trained personnel had acted quickly once the seriousness of Jason's condition became apparent. As controlled chaos broke out, Tommy slipped away unobtrusively to a restroom, demorphed and rejoined David who'd been shouldered aside by the nurses. He'd had enough experience at fibbing where his Ranger activities were concerned, so it was easy to concoct a halfway plausible story where the Turbo Rangers had just happened to be in the vicinity when things got dangerous. No, he didn't know where the Red Ranger had gone to. No, he didn't know why or how the Rangers come to be near their camp, or why the Red Ranger had decided to help them, and could he PLEASE call his friend's family already?

The resident asking the questions let himself be distracted by that bit of administrative detail. With long practice, Tommy had glossed over his sudden appearance, redirecting attention to Jason. The patient was unconscious, the hospital needed someone to authorize treatment … yes, of course, there's a phone at the nurses' station.

Getting out of the doctor's way with alacrity, Tommy had placed a call to the Scotts, summoning them to Angel Grove Memorial on the double, while David had retreated to a waiting area, sinking into a faux-leather chair and letting the horror of what happened wash over him. He didn't object when Tommy tasked him to call Kat, who would summon the rest of the Rangers, while he stayed to wait for Jason's parents. When they arrived, it caused David another pang to see how Tommy was treated like a second son by both Helen and Joe Scott, how he was admitted to the treatment room just like family, but it was fainter than before – more out of wistfulness than envy.

He'd made the call to Tommy's girlfriend who'd been horrified at what he had to tell her; she promised to inform their friends right away and come as soon as they'd be able. They would support their friends as always, even if it was just by being there. Then, after a moment's reflection, David called his foster father, too. Because right now, David needed someone to support him.

~*~

"It's all my fault, anyway," he murmured once he was finished with his tale, leaning forward and letting his long hair hide his face. Nobody needed to see how miserable he was feeling.

There was a long silence from the assembled friends as they digested what David had just told them. Even Sam Trueheart was quiet, his lined face showing both a sad and stern expression. He hadn't liked hearing his foster son admit to jealousy and pettiness, and how he'd treated someone dear to a close relative. It went against everything he'd tried to teach David, and he knew they'd have words about that – later.

Characteristically, it was fair-minded Trini who spoke up first, forestalling a still-seething Rocky.

"How is it your fault, David?" she asked quietly. "You had to give Jason the antivenom, or he'd be dead of the poison by now. You couldn't have known he's allergic to the remedy."

There were agreeing murmurs from the others.

"Maybe so, but if I hadn't picked a fight with him, if I had finished checking the campsite area for wildlife … I knew there might be snakes, or scorpions, I never completed what I'd set out to do, what I was proud of doing without help … I let myself be distracted by my dislike, and that's how, WHY he was bitten!"

"So you were a little forgetful," Trini conceded, smiling slightly. It seemed the brothers shared more than looks. "But that's hardly a crime. Jason may not have your expertise about the wilderness, but he's hardly a complete neophyte. He should have checked where he sat himself. You did not make the snake bite Jason. Nor did you make him sit down near its lair. It was an accident!"

"For which I'm responsible!"

"How do you figure that?" Adam asked. "I mean, sure, you should've finished your check, but even if you had, you might not have found the snake, anyway. What if it had been hunting? Then you wouldn't have found it, right?"

David looked helplessly at the slim Asian. Why couldn't he see it was his fault?

"But …"

"No buts, David," Tanya interjected firmly. "Trini's right, it was an accident. It could just as easily have happened to Tommy or you." The others nodded at that, too. Of course they would have liked to blame someone for Jason's condition, but were fair enough to see that, despite David's tale of jealousy and misunderstandings, he was not the one.

David wasn't ready to let go that easily. He shook his head despairingly.

"But if I'd walked faster when Tommy dropped me off, if I hadn't taken my time … I should have reached Jason much sooner, given him the antidote faster …"

The group of friends considered this quietly, exchanging glances. It was a thought that had occurred to them as soon as David mentioned it.

"Would you have reached Jason in time to prevent him from being bitten at all?" Zack asked suddenly. David looked startled; he hadn't thought about that yet.

"I … I don't know. Maybe not," he had to admit. "I mean, I was slow getting to camp, but not all that slow … and Jason said he'd been halfway to the well; I might not have seen him."

"So the bite isn't really your fault. Okay. After it happened, though … did you have any choice but to give Jase the antivenom?"

"… no …"

Zack grinned a bit wryly. "And nobody knew that Jase was allergic to it. So how the heck is it your fault?"

What Zack said made sense, and a part of David was relieved to be exonerated, but a bigger part of him sought to place blame – and since he had been there, had been the one to administer the (as it turned out, near-fatal) drug, it was natural that his conscience wanted to accept responsibility. More so, maybe, since there had been a moment when he had wished Jason would come to harm.

"It feels like it is," David muttered stubbornly.

"I know why," Rocky said, to everyone's surprise. He'd calmed down while listening, and was now able to look at things with a measure of detachment – caused in part by his own experience. "You think it ought to be your fault because right now you're feeling guilty for being jealous of Jase, for disliking him even though he hasn't really given you reason to feel that way. And for wishing a couple of times he'd just go away."

David slowly looked up at the former Zeo Ranger Four. That was what, in more quiet moments, his mind had already been telling him. Only his stricken conscience wouldn't let him listen; too vivid was the memory of his brother's quickly-masked panic, of the terror in the chocolate eyes when he'd realized his best friend was in mortal danger and there was nothing he, Tommy, could do to save him.

"I … yeah, I guess so," he said, thinking it over. Rocky's statement did pretty much sum up his present state of mind. "How … how do you know?" David searched the brown eyes for truth. The wry expression spreading across the mobile face astonished him.

"Because I've been there, pal," Rocky stated simply. "When Jason first came back and rejoined the team, I was so jealous of him like you wouldn't believe. I felt pushed aside, worthless … desperate to to guard my place on the team. I even took on Mondo all by myself, thinking I had to prove something."

Tanya, Katherine and Adam nodded; they remembered that incident all too well.

"I ended up getting my butt kicked. Nearly endangered the team, too. And if that had gone wrong … the consequences would've been pretty gruesome," Rocky continued seriously. "Not just for one person, but for the whole world."

"But we made it through that – together," Kat reminded him softly. "As a team, and were the stronger for that. We just have to hope that Jason will make it, too."

As if on cue, a doctor entered Jason's room, and soon after, Jason's stricken-looking parents were led out, Helen held by Tommy. Joe Scott murmured something to his wife, then, with a last helpless glance at his son's sickroom, took his leave. Tommy guided Jason's mother to the waiting area, where Trini relinquished her seat immediately, but hovered close by. Wearily, the distraught woman sank down, clinging to Tommy's hand as if to a lifeline. He let her hold on for a full minute before gently disengaging himself.

"Will you be okay with Trini for a minute, Helen?" Tommy asked softly. "I need to use the restroom."

"I … of course," Helen murmured, her lips quivering in a not-smile when Trini smoothly took Tommy's place.

"Don't worry, Tommy, I'll be here," she assured her friend. After all, she'd been in and out of the Scotts' house countless times ever since she became friends with Jason in grade school; Helen was as familiar and dear to her as the Taylors, the Harts or Mr. Cranston.

"I'll only be a minute," he said, and quickly went off. Helen looked after him, a rather watery smile on her pale face.

"I really don't know what we'd do without him," she confided to Trini. "Tommy's been such a rock for us … me especially, now that Joe had to leave. But he has customers waiting, and we can't allow the business to fail …"

"We understand, Mrs. Scott," Trini murmured, patting the older woman's arm. "Nobody's blaming him."

But Helen hardly seemed to hear her, her mind still on her son's best friend. "Tommy is such a dear; if I'd known Jason would build such a relationship with someone, I wouldn't have hesitated to adopt a child myself, give him the brother he always wanted. You kids all were so close, but when he met Tommy – there's always been a loneliness deep within Jason that only went away when they became friends."

"They were very tight, right from the get-go," Zack agreed. He'd come to sit with the two women, the only other of the original group of friends present. "It really surprised us all."

Trini smiled gently. "Jason and Tommy have called each other 'Bro' almost as soon as they met," she recalled. "They truly are as brothers – not in the flesh, maybe, but certainly in spirit."

"Yes," Helen said, fresh tears threatening, but she dashed them away. The time for crying hadn't come – yet. "Which reminds me … where's Mr. Trueheart?" She looked around for David. Spotting him at the edge of the row of chairs, she waved him over. Reluctantly, he obeyed her summons.

He'd heard every word Helen had said, and they were like knives in his heart, reviving all of his bitterness and jealousy, but those feelings withered when Helen's blue eyes met his warmly, and she grasped his hand.

"I'd like to thank you for what you did for Jason," Mrs. Scott murmured. "If it hadn't been for your thoughtfulness in bringing the antivenom, and for knowing how to administer it …"

That was about the very last thing David had expected to hear, and his astonishment and confusion was evident in his expression.

"Huh?"

"Yes," Helen nodded. "You saved his life, you know."

"B-but …"

"How is Jason, Mrs. Scott?" Zack interrupted curiously. "Nobody's telling us anything!"

"Yes, we're worried, too," Katherine added in her soft, accented voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Helen apologized. "I thought someone had … oh, never mind. He's stable for now; they managed to stall whatever's reacting negatively on his system."

"That's good, isn't it?" Rocky asked. There was something in Jason's mother's voice which made him very uncomfortable, and her next words confirmed it.

"Yes and no," she sighed. "Jason's not getting worse, true, but unfortunately that doesn't mean he's getting better, either. It seems as if he has some strange health condition nobody has an explanation for that is preventing all known remedies to work."

At that, the former Zeo Rangers exchanged furtive, guilty looks. They had a very good idea that it was Jason's near-fatal brush with the Gold Powers which was the reason, but that wasn't something they could disclose. Not without betraying their shared secret.

"Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place," Rocky mumbled under his breath, only to be shushed by Tanya's elbow in his side. "Oof." She shot him a quelling glance and he blushed, clamping his mouth shut.

"Then – how can you be thanking me?!?" David blurted, completely dumbfounded. Jason was still in danger, because of something he'd done … "I don't understand! It's my fault that he went into anaphylactic shock! If I hadn't given him the antidote …"

"… Jason would have died of the snakebite," Helen said firmly. "Mr. Trueheart – David – at the very least, the poison would have done serious damage to his kidneys, or even his heart if you hadn't acted as quickly as you did. The antitoxin prevented that, at least."

"I feel responsible …" David murmured, knowing he should feel relieved that he was thus exonerated from blame, yet strangely didn't. If anything, Helen Scott's forgiveness made him feel even worse. For the first time in his life, David understood the meaning of 'having coals of fire heaped on one's head'. He wished he could just disappear into some hole and pull it in after himself.

"You're not. Trust me, I'd just love to have someone to blame for Jason's condition, but nobody knew he's allergic to some ingredient in the antivenom. You couldn't have known. As it is … he's very, very ill, yes, but there is still a chance. If you hadn't given him the injection, though …" Helen's up-to-then brave, firm voice trailed away, cut off by a choked sob.

"He'd be dead," Adam completed quietly. "David, it's true. Don't go on blaming yourself."

"At least now, we can hope Jason may yet come through," Kat said soothingly, wishing that there was something she could do. It wasn't in her nature to sit idly by while someone suffered. However, her hands were tied, by lack of knowledge as much as circumstance.

Helen had herself under control again.

"Indeed. And if you'll excuse me, I think I'll need to go ask for some more hope," she sighed, getting up. Noticing the puzzled glances her son's friends exchanged at her somewhat cryptic remark, she couldn't help a tiny smile from forming. "I believe there's a chapel here somewhere?"

"Of course!" Trini exclaimed, joining the blonde woman. "May I come with?"

"Yes, dear," Helen agreed. "I'm sure Jason would appreciate your support."

She took the slim girl's arm, and together they left, in search of comfort nobody present could give them.

~*~

The others watched them go with thoughtful expressions on their faces, sending their wishes along even though neither felt the need to express them in a more formalized setting; their place, they believed, was close to their friend, as if being near could impart some of their strength and vigor to the patient behind door number 227.

Only when the swinging doors had closed again behind Mrs. Scott and Trini did they notice Tommy, who had returned from his trip to the bathroom. On the way, he'd collected a soda, but he was merely staring at the can, not drinking from it. When he finally looked up at his gathered friends, they were shocked to see the haunted look in his eyes. It didn't bode well for Jason.

"Oh Tommy," Kat whispered, going up to her boyfriend. "I'm so sorry …" She reached out as if to hug him, but recoiled when he stiffened and took a step backwards.

"Tommy? Can't I help you?" she asked, hurt.

"Not now, Kat," he rasped tightly. "I'm sorry, I know what you're trying to do, but …" He shook his head, despair in every line of his body.

"I – I just can't. Not now. I … I need to keep it together … for Helen," he tried to explain. *Also for myself,* he didn't have to add. Tommy's friends knew him well enough to realize that, being who and what he was, he couldn't give his emotions free rein right now, or he'd lose it completely. And that was not the Red Turbo Ranger's way.

"Okay," Katherine murmured, only partially mollified. All she wanted to do was comfort him, help him deal with his obvious pain, but once again Tommy retreated into his loner personality, rebuffing everyone, even those who he should know cared about him.

It occurred not just to Kat, but to all of the watching Rangers, that the one person whose help would not have been refused was lying only a few feet away, struggling for his life.

The Rangers sat in silence after that, each by himself except for Tanya, who had scooted up to her best friend. She was trying to soothe Kat's ruffled feathers by telling her that her boyfriend, shy, gentle Adam, hadn't acted all that differently only a short time ago when his best friend had hurt his back before the Karate Tournament and they hadn't known whether Rocky would ever walk again. It seemed to work – slowly, but surely, and Tanya was glad; Kat would need all her strength to be there for Tommy should the unthinkable really happen.

~*~

There was a slight commotion at the nurses' station; heads came up slowly as the friends heard familiar voices in the distance. Eyes widened in shock, then cautious joy as two well-known figures rounded the corner to the waiting area.

"Billy! Kim!"

"Hey guys," the blond scientist smiled, even though his green eyes were distant. However, his friends assumed – correctly – that it was out of concern for Jason, not because Billy was reluctant to be back. They surged forward to greet him with suppressed enthusiasm.

"Man, it's so great you're back! Are you okay? How's Aquitar? Have you recovered?"

Billy interrupted the babble of voices with a raised hand.

"Thank you, yes, fine, and mostly," he answered all questions in one go, then posed one of his own. "How is Jason?"

Adam was the first to recover his equilibrium. Dark eyes sparkling, he replied sombrely. "According to his mom, hanging in there. No better, but not getting worse, either."

"From what we heard, we think that the aftereffects of holding the Gold Powers are causing him extra problems," Rocky added. "That sort of interferes with everything else, I guess."

"I would tend to agree, based on the research I was able to do," Billy murmured. "The Triforians' genetic makeup is such that … let's say that in retrospect, I have had moments where I counted myself fortunate that I was unable to assist Trey at the time."

"Whoa," Rocky whistled. Because he'd felt so guilty for 'usurping' Billy's color, he'd watched him more than usual, and had seen how miserable Billy had felt at being denied that chance to join the Rangers again. "That bad, huh?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know, Rocky. Only a Human with Jason's robust physique and incredible stamina, coupled with his enormous force of will, could have held them at all. As it is, I'm amazed how long he held out."

"But he was recovering from that," Tanya interjected. "Slowly, yes, but Zordon was keeping an eye on him, and we knew he was getting better!"

"Until the snakebite, that is," Zack sighed. He sincerely wished he'd met his old friend again for a more cheerful reason.

"I think it's just too much on top of each other," Adam speculated. "The Gold Powers, the physical exertion of the hike with David and Tommy, then the snakebite – and to crown it all, he's allergic to the antitoxin. If Tommy hadn't bent the rules and teleported him directly here …" He shuddered.

"Well, I hope I can be of assistance," Billy said, to everyone's delight. "The Alien Rangers have collected enough data on Human biology while they were here that they were able to concoct a remedy that just might be the solution to Jason's problem. However, I'm at a loss as to how I can present it to Jason's doctors without betraying any secrets."

"Well … Tommy brought Jason in as the Red Ranger," Kat mused, her crystal eyes regaining their usual lustre. "What if the Rangers decided to help some more, as they are involved already …"

"Great idea, Kat! We can ask Justin; he's intelligent enough to relay Billy's instructions without mistakes, when he's morphed he doesn't look or sound like the boy he is, and most of all, he probably won't be associated with us!" Tanya, too, was getting excited. "In fact, the Blue Ranger would be a perfect choice!"

"It does sound like an ideal solution," Billy concurred. "However, this drug has never been tested on a Human before; do you think the Scotts would agree to it? I am as sure as can be that it won't be harmful to Jason, but there is an undeniable element of risk."

"I'm sure Tommy can talk them into it," Kat assured the young genius. "They treat him like a second son, anyway, and I don't think there'll be much of a problem. Right, Tommy?"

Only now did she – and everyone else – notice that Tommy hadn't been part of the happy crowd surrounding Billy. When he and Kimberly had appeared so unexpectedly, Tommy had been leaning against the wall, lost in his private hell of fear for his best friend. Kat looked over her shoulder at her boyfriend, saw that he had taken a couple of steps away from the wall and was even paler than before. He was staring transfixedly at something that seemed to be just behind Billy's left shoulder. As if by a silent command, the group of friends changed position, forming a corridor between Tommy and that something.

Not something.

Someone.

Behind Billy, all but forgotten in the heady rush of welcome and good news, stood Kimberly, her doe-brown eyes sad and serious as she met Tommy's burning gaze.

He stared at her for what seemed like a small eternity, ramrod-stiff and frozen, but the longer the former couple traded glances, the more the iron façade of control began to crack.

"Kimberly," he whispered.

"Tommy," she murmured back.

The sound of her voice, the concern and affection in it, was too much for Tommy. Knowing that here at last was someone who would not censure him, who had seen him at his lowest and still been there, who knew like only three other people did what Jason meant to him, he broke.

Released from his momentary paralysis all at once, he stumbled forward, arms reaching out to his first love, and he pulled her to him, burying his face in the caramel locks as he finally gave vent to his too-long suppressed feelings.

Kat watched the scene, shock, anger and fear written clearly on her porcelain face. She wanted to shout out her pain at seeing Tommy, her boyfriend, turning to Kimberly, who had left him over a year ago, but she couldn't. Not now, when Tommy, strong, confident Tommy, was kneeling in front of the petite girl, his shoulders wracked with sobs as his fear for Jason finally found a voice in a torrent of scalding tears.

~~***~~

"Tommy …!" Kat's voice was choked with emotion as she instinctively took a step forward as if to separate the two, but found herself restrained by a hand on her wrist.

"Don't."

She turned and lifted tear-filled blue eyes to Billy's compassionate ones.

"Why not!" she demanded, her wounded feelings and confusion obvious in her whole stance.

"Because right now, you can't help Tommy," Billy replied, keeping his voice low and soothing – both for Katherine's sake as for Tommy's. Carefully, he let go of Kat, hoping she wouldn't rush forward at once. To his relief, she stayed where she was, giving him a hurt look.

"And she can?" Kat wanted to know, jerking her head in a derisive little gesture at Kimberly, who had led Tommy to the row of seats. She'd sat down when he sank to his knees and buried his face in her lap, stroking the bent head tenderly as he continued to shudder in pain. "She left him, with a 'Dear John' letter, too! You know, you were there!"

"Yes," Billy sighed. Did he ever remember! "But still, Kat … I don't think that anyone else can help Tommy now – except maybe Jason, and he's the reason Tommy is having this breakdown in the first place." He stalled Kat's next comment with a tiny headshake. "Trust me on this. I strongly doubt that any person but one of us 'originals' can get through to Tommy now, and neither Trini, Zack nor I have ever had the same emotional connection with him as Kim has had."

"But we're supposed to be a couple! I offered to help him first, and h-he fobbed m-me off," Kat sniffled, the expression in her eyes turning slightly mutinous. The next words broke out of her heart with the force of a flash flood. "Kim broke his heart with that letter! With no warning at all; you've seen how much that hurt him. I did my best to help Tommy get over her, I thought I had when we started dating; and now he not only pushes me aside, but runs to her as soon as she shows her face. What right has she? Why should I let Kim take what should be my place?!?" Kat knew she sounded bitter, but didn't care; this was her right. Wasn't it?

Zack stepped closer, his dark eyes warm. He liked the pretty dancer, and it was making him very uncomfortable to see her so upset. But he also knew that Tommy hadn't acted consciously, just reacted – both to Kim's sudden appearance, and his own need.

"Because you weren't there, Kat," he said gently, touching her arm in a gesture meant to comfort. "I'm sorry, but I have to go with Billy on this one. I know you were teammates with Jase last, but he and I shared a dorm room for almost two years in Geneva; trust me, during that time I learned more than I ever wanted to know about how close those two are!" He essayed a tiny grin which was not returned. Not that he was surprised. "I think that, if Tommy had been a girl, Jase would've gotten a serious case of love at first sight, it was like that for him. And I'm pretty sure it was the same for Tommy. Those two … yeah, they had their problems at first, and Rita tried more than once to use them to break up the team, but in the end they cared too much about each other to ever let it affect them for long." He shrugged. "Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, Kim was there when Jason and Tommy became friends; she's seen it all, plus she's already seen Tommy at his lowest once before, when he lost the Green Ranger Powers for good. I guess opening up before her comes kinda naturally for him. No offense to you," Zack hastened to add.

"It is not a reflection on the depth of caring you two share," Billy added. "Just an instinctive, involuntary reaction to extreme stress. I've only caught a glimpse of Tommy when I arrived, but knowing him, I feel safe to guess he's been in his strong-leader mode until now, hasn't he? Afraid to show his emotions in case somebody would think him weak."

"I think he was more afraid to let go and be unable to stop," Tanya murmured, recalling the little scene right after Tommy had emerged from Jason's room. "Remember? He said he couldn't let you help him, that he needed to keep it together …"

"Just like when Zedd had Kim's Power Coin in his clutches, kidnapped her and was trying to drain her life force," Rocky piped up, only to be silenced by an absolutely furious glare and kick against his shin from Adam.

"Ow! What?" Bewildered, Rocky stared at his best friend, then belatedly remembered how Kimberly had come to lose her Coin in the first place. "Oh. Um, sorry," he mumbled, shame-faced at Kat's sudden guilty blush and averted look. That had been her doing, while she was under Rita's spell. The lingering guilt and current unhappiness made her eyes brim with tears.

Drawing a deep breath, Billy decided that it'd be better to move things along – for Kat, for Tommy, and most of all for Jason, who needed the remedy he'd brought. He gave Katherine a brief hug; an action that was sufficiently uncharacteristic for him to make her look up again.

"Kat … if you really care about Tommy, does it matter who can give him the comfort he needs right now? Isn't it more important that he gets it?"

Kat thought that over for a minute. She didn't like to admit it, but Billy had a point. Resentfully, she glanced towards the seats, where Kim was patting the muscular back soothingly. Tommy was still clinging to Kimberly's slender frame, hiding his face and breathing hard, but at least the nerve-wracking sobs had stopped. It seemed as if Kim was helping him – and quite honestly, nothing too intimate was taking place between the former couple. And yet, Kat couldn't help wish that it was her, not the petite gymnast, who was comforting him.

"I … I guess you're right," she conceded reluctantly at last. "Still …"

"We understand, Kat," Tanya murmured, hugging her friend. "Come on, let's go outside for a minute, shall we? When we come back, maybe Tommy will have calmed down, and then you can be there for him."

Kat hated to go. She didn't want to leave Tommy alone with Kimberly, out of her sight, but …

"Trust him, Kat," Billy advised softly. "Tommy is an honorable man; he will not betray you – as much as he couldn't abandon Jason right now. You know him well enough to be aware of that."

"Yes," Katherine sighed. They were all right about this, but at least no-one had demanded of her to accept the situation gracefully. And it would be a relief to pour out her hurt into her best friend's ear, out of hearing of the guys. *Oh well.* Dragging her feet, she allowed Tanya to guide her down the corridor, to a small alcove which had a balcony attached; they could get some much-needed fresh air there.

Adam, Rocky, Zack and Billy watched the girls leave, all of them heaving a huge – if silent – sigh of relief that the emotional atmosphere was getting back to normal. Well, as normal as it could be while one of their own was still in critical condition, anyway. That thought recalled Billy to his self-appointed task. Clearing his throat a bit awkwardly, he turned to Adam.

"Could you please alert Justin and call him here? We need to formulate a plan of action if he is to present Jason's doctors with the remedy I've brought. And persuade them to try it in the first place. I've already cleared the necessary things with Zordon – like teleporting here, and involving the Rangers even further."

"Sure thing, Billy."

The four young men retired to a quiet, unobserved corner, and Adam activated his communicator.

~*~

David had watched the scene with wide eyes, his and Sam Trueheart's presence apparently quite forgotten by the past and present Rangers. Which was actually to his liking; it had given him a chance to compose himself from reliving the previous day as he'd told his story. Plus, he'd gained a rather fascinating insight into his brother's recent history. Sure, he'd heard a mention of 'Kimberly' here and there the few times he'd hung out with the gang, and each time he'd seen the shutters go down in Tommy's eyes, but he'd accepted the terse explanation given – 'my/his ex-girlfriend' – rather at face value. He'd just assumed the relationship had ended somewhat badly and that Tommy was perfectly happy now with Kat.

Apparently not so.

But now was not the time to investigate his brother's love life. Instead, he needed to confront his own feelings about the depth of Tommy's concern for Jason. Because if anything was able to convince him that Tommy felt strongly about his best friend, it was the way he'd wept for him when someone truly close to him showed up.

David looked at his foster father. He'd noticed Sam's disappointment as he'd confessed to his jealousy, and it made him feel even worse. If that was possible.

"It's my fault he's in there, isn't it?" he asked, hoping that in this, at least, Sam would exonerate him at least a little, the way Jason's mother and his friends had.

The old man took his time answering. His wise old eyes were warm yet a little sad when he did.

"No, David, it's not." David was about to slump in relief, when Sam went on. "Not in the sense at least that you did anything wrong after the snake bit Jason. His being allergic to the antivenom was something truly unforeseeable. But, you should have checked the area more carefully; it was your neglect that is at least partially responsible for his current condition. You knew better. I'm very disappointed in you."

David hung his head, blushing. He'd known Sam wasn't going to yell at him or punish him, but right now, he would almost prefer that rather than know he'd fallen short of Sam's expectations of him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It is not I you should be saying that to, son," Sam admonished gently.

"I know. I will," David promised, knowing his foster father was correct. "To Jason, if – no, when! – he makes it. And to Tommy." That would be harder still. Because it meant having to admit that he'd thought his brother had lied to him when he'd said that he was happy, ecstatic even, of finally having found part of his biological family. Or that he believed Tommy incapable of caring for more than one person, that he had halfway expected him to desert a friend for someone else's sake. Even if that someone was Tommy's own brother. Out of that thought arose another question.

"Sam … how can Tommy care so much about Jason, anyway? I mean, they've only known each other a pretty short time, all things considered. They were even separated for nearly a couple of years! And yet he acts as if …" David's voice trailed off as he realized what he'd been about to say.

"… as if they were brothers, just as you are," Sam completed the sentence for his son. The older man nodded in confirmation, letting his expression grew distant as he looked inward to things only he could see.

"From what I have seen and heard, the young Falcon is indeed a brother to the young Eagle. They may have hatched in different nests, but they are of the same breed, belong to the same element. Soaring the skies, each free and unbound … yet united in Purpose and Spirit."

David listened to Sam's musings, as always slightly awed when the old Shaman grew mystical on him. "What do you mean?" he whispered.

Sam turned towards his tall foster son and smiled. "It means Tommy chose Jason as his brother, before he even knew you existed. As Jason chose him. You are brothers in the flesh, by birth; they are brothers in Spirit, by choice. It may not be to your liking, but it is a fact. David … if you ever want to have such a true bond with Tommy, you'll have to learn to accept that."

"I know," David said miserably. He could see his dreams about sharing everything with Tommy, as brothers should in his mind, dissolve right before his eyes. He hadn't even had developed a close relationship with Tommy yet, and already it was being taken away from him. That hurt. Sam sensed his turmoil, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder as he got up from his seat. His old bones weren't meant to sit in uncomfortable hospital chairs for hours.

"Just think about this, son: A bond between two brothers need not be exclusive. A third one may be integrated in due time. And it is never a one-way street. For anyone."

With that, Sam reached for his walking stick and went off, leaving a rather bemused David behind.

~*~

The Blue Turbo Ranger's appearance in a stream of azure light caused quite a stir among the nurses, especially when he asked to talk to 'the injured young man's' doctor. It had been decided on Billy's suggestion that the Rangers officially shouldn't know Jason's identity, but had chosen to monitor the situation out of simple human interest, since they'd already been involved in his rescue.

"Yes, Blue Ranger," the physician spoke up as soon as he'd answered his urgent page. "I'm Dr. Jenkins. What can I do for you?"

Justin, unrecognisable in his morphed form, cleared his throat. *I hope I'll get this right!*

"We have followed developments here with your patient," he explained, continuing quickly to forestall any questions about the where, why and how. "And we've learned that there are complications?"

"Yes," Jenkins replied, casting a worried glance at the IC room door behind which Jason lay, hooked up to all sorts of machinery to keep him stable. He knew he ought not discuss things with a stranger, doctor-patient confidentiality and all that, but this was the Blue Ranger, and since the Red Ranger had brought Jason in … *What the heck. I'm at my wits' end, anyway.* "We can keep him stabilized, but that's it. The poison from the snake bite isn't spreading any further, due to the antitoxin, but we have absolutely no way of getting the elements from that out of Jason Scott's blood which are causing the allergic reactions. It's as if there's something in his body that's refusing to let anything be drawn from him. To be totally honest, I've never seen anything like it."

Jason's friends, who had all drifted back unobtrusively by now, exchanged glances. Kat had at once looked for Tommy and Kim, but to her surprise the short brunette was by herself, watching the tall Red Ranger sit hunched over a few seats away, his face covered by his hands. He could have posed for a picture titled 'Abject Misery'. As Kim stood with a last, lingering glance full of compassion at him and rejoined the group, she gave her successor a small headshake and slight, apologetic shrug which the blonde Australian found herself unable to return with anything other than a little grimace which, with a lot of goodwill, could pass as a smile. She desperately wanted to know what had passed between the former couple, but this was hardly the time to give in to a fit of jealousy; even in her current state of mind Kat could see that much. Instead, she turned her back on Kimberly and focussed on Billy who was explaining to them sotto voce that it was most likely Jason's body reacting to the traumatic effect the withdrawal of the Gold Power had had. Almost as if it was a kind of immune reaction, the body tried to hold everything inside to prevent a further loss of vitality. Only perversely, this basically positive thing might kill their friend after all.

"Well … we, the Rangers that is, may have found a way to treat the condition," Justin said as confidently as he could.

"You do? What? How? There's nothing in all the medical literature that we've found, nothing on earth …" The doctor's eyes widened as he realized who exactly he was talking to. A Power Ranger. One of the group of young superheroes saving them all on a near-daily basis from crazy monsters and whatnot. Who reportedly had access to weapons and other things that were clearly not of this earth, if the media could be believed. "Now wait a goddamned minute …"

"I don't think your patient can, Doctor," Justin interrupted the man as politely as possible under the circumstances. He couldn't afford to get into an in-depth discussion on the origins of their arsenal. *Time to get on with things!* "You remember the Alien Rangers?"

Jenkins sputtered. "I … well, blast it, man … sure, I mean … of course I do! Why?" He'd have given his right arm, and maybe a leg, to have been able to examine one of the aliens during their brief stay in Angel Grove, but of course he couldn't say that, could he?

"During their time here, they not only helped the then-current team of Rangers, they also gathered quite a lot of data about humans. We contacted them from our headquarters and asked whether they might have anything in their pharmacopeia of medicines to help the young man we rescued in the desert. Turns out they did." Behind his visor, Justin grinned to himself. For once he could indulge his love for big words without getting into trouble for it. While he'd never used what Tommy and Adam had labelled 'technobabble', he still had to be careful, especially being a 12-year-old in high school. The too-smart ones who showed off tended to get clobbered by less intellectually-gifted students. But he was pretty sure the doctor would understand. He reached for his belt, to which he'd clipped the carry-case Billy had handed him. Unfastening the container, he handed it to Dr. Jenkins.

"This is a serum that will purge all non-indigenous substances from your patient's system," he explained. "I do not know how it works, precisely, but our Aquitian associates assure us it should work on humans."

"What do you mean, it should work?" Jenkins asked suspiciously, his trained mind picking up exactly on the thing Justin and Billy had hoped would be overlooked in the relief of having a treatment at all. "Don't they know?"

"Well … it hasn't exactly been tested on an earth human yet," Justin was forced to admit. "The serum in its basic form works perfectly on most known humanoid races, and the Alien Rangers' research was quite thorough, they made all the appropriate modifications, but …"

"But they don't know for sure." Jenkins glared at the Blue Ranger, torn between hope and chagrin.

"No."

"What if it doesn't work? What will be the effects, anyway?"

"The serum should produce a very high, but very short fever-like condition. Theoretically, the elevated body temperature should eliminate all foreign substances from the patient's bloodstream."

"Theoretically. And in practice, a very high fever which we can't treat in order for it to do what it's supposed to do may cause serious damage. At best, he'll just have a couple of seizures. At worst, he'll develop Serum Sickness, which can be fatal since it can lead to kidney failure or cause bleeding in the brain."

The assembled friends gasped and traded alarmed looks. Would this be a case where the cure was more damaging than the illness?

The physician sighed, opening the carry-case and taking out a vial. The pale green liquid sloshed slightly as he shook the clear container. So much hope in so small a thing … and so much danger, too. He looked back at Justin, shaking the vial in his visored face.

"What you're telling me is that this is an experimental drug of extraterrestrial origin which has never been tested on a human. What if the Alien Rangers made a mistake? Miscalculated something? Do you really believe it's worth the risk? The young man barely holding his own in that room over there may well die from the treatment if they have."

Justin swallowed, very glad the man couldn't see the panic he was feeling. *I don't know! I can't deal with this!* But he had to. His friends depended on him. He made his voice as firm as he could.

"I believe that our Aquitian friends would never do anything to harm an innocent being," he said with as much conviction as he could muster.

Jenkins stared hard at the opaque visor, wishing he could read something, anything in the Ranger's eyes. But of course that was impossible, hidden inside the helmet as they were. If only he could ask the guy to take it off … but no. The Rangers had never revealed their identities to anyone; it was vain to hope they'd do it now. He looked at the serum once more. It was what he'd been looking for ever since Jason had been admitted and all known treatments had proved ineffective. If he only dared using it …!

"I really don't know …"

"Doctor, do you have an alternative?" the Blue Ranger asked reasonably. "What will happen to your patient if you don't find another remedy soon?"

The older man shook himself, swallowed hard, then made himself say what he knew he must.

"If we don't do something soon, the stabilizing measures we are using right now will slowly lose their effectiveness. And once they do, either the anaphylactic shock from the antitoxin will kill Jason, or the snake poison will start working again. Resulting in damaged kidneys and heart failure."

"Which will be ultimately fatal, too, right?"

"Yes," Jenkins admitted grudgingly.

"Then … do you really have a choice?"

The doctor inhaled deeply. Squaring his shoulders, he looked at the Blue Ranger.

"No. I don't. But I won't do anything without getting permission from the family. And I want you to explain to them who's going to be responsible if this cure fails and kills their son that much faster."

Justin barely prevented a horrified shudder. This wasn't going the way he thought it would at all! Why the heck had Billy and Adam given him the task to do this? He couldn't!

But he had to. Closing his eyes briefly, Justin called on every ounce of determination he possessed.

"Very well."

"I'll get Mrs. Scott," Adam said quietly, slipping away to go to the chapel where he knew the blonde woman was praying for her son's recovery. Trini was still with her; she would know how to support her. He hoped.

"I'll call Jason's dad," Zack murmured, wandering off towards the payphone down the hall. He really didn't want to make that call, but somebody had to.

The others just looked at each other in stunned silence. They'd had such high hopes when Billy had come, bringing what they'd thought would be a miracle. Now it seemed that that miracle might carry a price which was far too high.

The friends instinctively drew together in a tight circle. Kat and Tanya were clinging to each other, eyes filled with tears, and Kimberly blindly reached out, to find her hand captured unconsciously by Tommy's. The two didn't glance once at each other, but it was obvious that they drew comfort from the contact. Rocky and Zack both looked as if they needed someone to hug, too, and Billy was quietly desperate, wishing there was something more he could do. Unfortunately, this was a situation where he couldn't construct a device of sorts in a flash; it left him wondering what good all his intellect was if he couldn't help his oldest friend.

David, however, was watching only his brother. He saw the pallor wash over Tommy's face, observed the chocolate-brown eyes grow empty and dead. In this instant, he began to understand what it would mean for Tommy if Jason died. He'd lose not only his best friend, his chosen brother, but a part of his soul … and David wasn't sure if he, or anyone else, would ever be able to heal such a wound.

~*~

"I can't make such a decision!" Joe Scott protested vehemently when Dr. Jenkins and Justin explained the situation to him and his wife half an hour later. "You're asking me to agree to let our only son to be used as … as a lab rat? No way in hell!"

"Joe," Helen shook his arm, tears running unhindered down her chalk-white cheeks. "I don't want Jason to be experimented on, either, but … I also don't want him to die," she sobbed quietly, despair radiating off her.

"You heard what the doctor said, Nell," Joe rasped, vacillating between anger and hopelessness. He was a man very much given to physical action, like Jason himself. To know he was forced to remain inactive, his hands figuratively tied as he had to stay on the sidelines of a battle waged solely inside Jason's body, was driving him crazy at a time when he needed all his wits to decide what was best for his son. "This alien wonder drug may kill Jason even faster!"

"But it may also save him!" A mother's hope, reaching for the tiniest chance to protect her child, grown up or not.

"We don't know that!"

Helen drew calm around herself with a visible effort. She knew she needed to be strong now. "No, we don't," she admitted in a mere whisper, dabbing at her face with a damp tissue. "But the Rangers have always saved people. They have never done harm to anyone. I trust them not to start now." Her blue eyes swerved briefly to Justin. "So did – does – Jason," she added, almost inaudibly. Joe Scott looked helplessly at his slender wife. He wanted to trust, wanted to save his son, to spare Helen the inevitable grief if he did nothing, but …

"I don't know what to do," he confessed roughly at last. It came hard to him, but it was the plain truth. "I only know I want Jason to live."

"I don't like taking such chances with my patients' lives, either," Dr. Jenkins said quietly. "But right now, I have nothing else at all to offer you. Just this." He showed them the vial of serum. The Scotts stared at it, indecision written all over them. Finally, Joe looked up again.

"If there was only someone we could ask to help us make up our minds," he groaned. "Can't you test the stuff first, or something?"

Jenkins shrugged helplessly. "I wish. But frankly I have no idea what I'd even be looking for. I've never had an alien concoction in my hands before. Besides …" he sighed deeply, "I'm afraid we're running out of time. The longer Jason is left untreated, the lesser the chance that any kind of treatment will help. He's deteriorating – not rapidly, but steadily."

Mr. Scott blanched. "H-how long?" he breathed.

"Until it's too late? Morning," the medic stated matter-of-factly, not without sympathy for his patient's family. But it had to be said, no matter how much he hated this part of his job.

Helen pressed her hands against her mouth, uttering a choked little cry as the meaning sank in. They were going to lose Jason in a few hours if nothing was done?!? That couldn't be! It just couldn't! Her husband drew her into his arms, but right now even such a loving embrace was cold comfort.

"Honey … I'm so sorry … God, I wish …" Joe whispered into her blonde hair, at a loss for words. But she understood what he was trying to express.

"Me, too," she replied in a tear-roughened voice, hugging him back, trying to draw strength from their closeness. "But wishing won't help Jason …"

Helen sighed unhappily, then disentangled herself, to glance around her. Searching her surroundings for she knew not what, or whom. Help, support, guidance … all of it. But who could give them what they needed?

A little distance away, she saw Jason's friends, watching them, waiting for a decision, hope and anguish clearly visible on each young face. Zack, Trini, Billy, Kimberly … she'd known and liked them for years and was grateful for their silent, unstinting support. The friends Jason had made since coming home from Geneva were there, too – not quite as familiar yet, but also already well-liked. Adam, Rocky, Tanya, Katherine … and a little apart stood David Trueheart, Tommy's brother, whom she'd only met a scant 48 hours or so before. Helen stiffened suddenly. There was one face missing in the group – the one she could have sworn would be there.

"Where's Tommy?" she asked. "He's as close to Jason as if they were brothers; I want to hear what he thinks!"

Everybody looked up, startled. Somehow or other, at one point Tommy had managed to sneak away from the group without anyone noticing.

Well, that wasn't quite true.

"He went back in to be with Jason," Kimberly spoke up, her voice soft and her doe eyes full of compassion.

"He's back in Jason's room," David murmured almost simultaneously, blushing as his quiet comment raised a few questioning eyebrows among the group of friends. He couldn't blame them; after all, what he'd told them earlier about his feelings was a marked contrast to the neutral tone he now used. But having seen his brother's inner turmoil as he steeled himself to enter the sick room, he could no longer feel any resentment. He understood now why Tommy had stayed, why he needed to be at his best friend's side. Jason's fate still hung in the balance; none of them could know for certain if he would survive the night – Aquitian serum or not. And if he should lose his life, Tommy would be totally devastated. David just couldn't begrugde either any time they might have left together. He quirked his mouth in an almost-smile, trying to be reassuring.

"I'll go get him."

On near-silent feet, he approached the off-white door. Drawing a fortifying breath, he reached for the handle and carefully opened it, easing inside.

It took a few moments until David's eyes adjusted from the bright lights in the ward corridor to the muted glow permeating the room, most of it coming from a shielded lamp above and behind Jason's bed. The first thing he could make out was Jason's still form, lying motionless against the pillows and hooked up to all sorts of machinery. David had no idea what the various blinking and beeping displays monitored, but he assumed it was stuff like heartbeat, blood pressure and so on. It didn't matter. What mattered was that the dark eyes were closed, that the broad chest was moving in slow, shallow breaths … and that Tommy was sitting hunched over on a stool next to the bed, holding one of Jason's hands in both of his.

David waited a few moments, but Tommy didn't seem to notice his presence at all, his attention completely focussed on Jason. Swallowing, David shuffled forward and when even that went unacknowledged, gently touched his brother's shoulder. Tommy didn't so much as flinch. He continued to stare at the pale face. At last, David quietly murmured his name.

"Tommy."

The Red Ranger shuddered once, briefly. Without turning around, he spoke – hushed, as if he were afraid to disturb his friend.

"He doesn't even know I'm here …"

It sounded so forlorn, David had to close his eyes. Opening them again, he squeezed Tommy's shoulder once.

"Maybe he does."

Tommy shook his head once, his thumbs absently rubbing circles on the large hand. As if he hadn't heard, he continued.

"If something doesn't happen soon, we – I – will lose him. I dunno how I know, but I do."

"That's why I'm here, Tommy," David replied gently. "Your friend Billy has brought a cure, via the Blue Ranger. Jason's parents want to talk to you about it."

Desperate brown eyes finally looked up, to meet David's compassionate gaze. "I can't stand the thought of losing him, Dave. I just can't. Jase is as important to me as my folks, or you. If he should die, it'd be my fault."

That was something David hadn't expected to hear in a thousand years. Here he had barely been able to let the others convince him Jason's injury wasn't entirely his responsibility, and now Tommy was feeling guilty? The irony made him snort softly.

"How do you figure that?"

Tommy gulped and lowered his head. "If I hadn't insisted on this hike … Jase wouldn't have gotten anywhere near a snake."

*Oh boy.*

"Right. And if our last name was Gates, we'd be millionaires several times over. Don't do this to yourself, brother. Your friends just spent a lot of effort telling me it wasn't really my fault; I still don't fully buy that, but I do know you're not responsible for anything." The calm conviction in David's voice seemed to reach Tommy, because a hint of color crept back into his cheeks.

"You think so?" he murmured.

"I know so," David answered. "Now come on, the Scotts want you."

"For what?" Tommy asked, reluctantly letting go of Jason's hand and standing up. He ignored his aching legs; the stool he'd sat on really wasn't made for his tall, lanky frame.

"I'll let them tell you." David tried to steer Tommy towards the door, but he stepped once more to Jason's bed. Reaching out, he brushed a strand of dark hair away from his forehead, the gesture curiously tender between two young men barely out of adolescence, but somehow not inappropriate at all; even David could see that. And felt only a deep compassion for both.

"Don't die on me, Bro," Tommy whispered. "I need you."

The, he inhaled a deep, shuddering breath and finally allowed David to guide him out into the corridor.

~*~

"So what do you think, Tommy?" Helen asked him tearfully, after they had laid out the situation for him. "Do you think we should do it – treat Jason with an untested, alien drug?"

He took his time to digest the information. A long, unobtrusive glance at Billy wasn't much help; the former Blue Ranger spread his hands in a helpless 'I-don't-know-for-certain-either' gesture, but the greenish eyes were steady and open.

*Billy has never let us down – both the Rangers and his friends. I can trust him implicitly not to harm us. I do. And Delphine wouldn't do anything to harm another living being, either – it'd go against everything she stands for.*

Tommy was as certain of that as of himself.

*But the drug Billy's brought IS untested on a human. He says himself that there is a risk that it may backfire on us.*

It seemed an unsolvable dilemma. However, one question demanded to be asked.

*What would JASON want to do? Want US to do?*

The answer was so obvious, Tommy couldn't help but wonder why it had taken him so long to think of it. He looked at Jason's parents.

"I think … I think Jase would want us to use it," he said slowly. "He believed in trusting his friends implicitly, and the Rangers have never been anything but friends, to all humans. And Jase has always been willing to take a chance. This serum the Blue Ranger has brought … it is a chance. Probably the only one he has."

Helen and Joe exchanged a long look.

"Tommy's right, Joe," Helen murmured at last. "It's what Jason would want us to do."

"Maybe. But what if this substance kills him even faster than the snake venom, or the antidote?"

"That's something we'll have to deal with if and when it happens," his wife said, her voice growing stronger. "We'll never forgive ourselves anyway, no matter why."

"Damned if we do, and damned if we don't?"

"Unfortunately." Helen smiled tremulously. "Love, God knows I don't want to lose our son, but I can't stand by and do nothing, either. And I think neither can you."

Defeated, Joe Scott's broad shoulders slumped in his red-checkered shirt, so reminiscent of what Jason used to wear during his time as the Red Ranger.

"No. No, I can't." Gulping down his anxiety with a major effort of will, he reached for his wife's hand, then turned towards the doctor.

"Alright. Do it."

"Are you quite sure?" Jenkins had to ask.

"Yes," Helen answered, her voice shaky but resolute. "Give him the serum."

"Very well." Decision made, Jenkins glanced briefly at Justin, who was standing a ways off, waiting for developments. The audio equipment in his helmet allowed him to hear the physician's muttered comment quite clearly. "I just hope you know what you're doing, Rangers."

Justin sighed. It was time for him to go; he'd stayed morphed longer than ever before, and it was beginning to make him feel slightly uncomfortable. Besides, his curfew at the Children's Home would start in fifteen minutes. There'd be hell to pay with the matron if he was late without a good reason.

"We will continue to monitor the situation," he promised. "Good luck for your son." Before anyone could say another word, he hit the teleport button on his communicator and vanished in a cobalt streak of light.

"That's creepy," Dr. Jenkins muttered, then shook himself. "Okay, here goes nothing."

Summoning a nurse and an intern, he purposely strode into Jason's room. Filling a syringe with the pale green liquid was routine work and quickly accomplished. Checking Jason's vitals one last time, he reassured himself that the situation hadn't changed – a slight, but steady decline towards near-certain death. He'd done everything humanly possible, he was sure; now it was time for some inhuman treatment. Wishing he hadn't thought of it in quite these terms, the doctor's hands were steady as he sought a vein and carefully injected the unknown drug into Jason's bloodstream.

"Do you think it'll work, Doctor?" the nurse asked in a hushed voice.

"I sure hope so."

"What if it doesn't?"

"I honestly have no idea, Karen."

"What do we do now?" The young intern asked, his eyes wandering between the readouts and monitors and his superior's face.

Jenkins breathed deeply.

"Now … we wait."

~*~

So, they waited. The Scotts withdrew to a corner of the waiting area, holding onto each other, mostly silent because they'd already been through all the what-ifs. At times, Helen would lean back in her chair, close her eyes and sit perfectly still for a few minutes – then turn towards Joe once more with a wobbly smile and renewed if precarious calm. Trini saw her lips move slightly on one such occasion and guessed correctly that the older woman was praying for Jason's recovery.

The others sat in a close circle, one or the other occasionally making a foray for drinks or some food to nibble on, even though none of them had much of an appetite for either. They were quiet, too, but after a while Zack started talking about Jason, calling up a childhood memory that produced a few tiny smiles. Then Kimberly chirped in with another story about their friend … Rocky followed, Billy was next … it was as if each of them tried to keep him alive simply through remembering how he'd fit into their lives.

For David, it was a revelation. He obviously had nothing to contribute to the conversation, but just by listening he gained a far more complex picture of Jason than Tommy's glowing stories had managed to paint. He'd expected the comments of how he would fight against prejudice of any kind, how injustice made him mad or that he was always ready to stand up for the underdog. David had gotten that much from his brother.

What he hadn't expected was to hear about Jason's flaws – and there were a lot more than he'd counted on. Billy told of Jason's curiously blank spot in 8^th grade Maths; Kim chuckled when she remembered that Jason, while able to appreciate beauty in nature and art, was totally hopeless at producing anything artistic himself, be it music, painting or literature. Trini grumbled a little about his overprotectiveness and how long it had taken her to convince him she was capable of fighting her own battles, thank you very much. Zack mentioned Jason's temper – something David had first-hand experience of – and how he had to struggle not to hold grudges. Kat smirked, mentioning Jason's ineptness as a dancer and Adam groused about his penchant for atrocious puns. Rocky, blessed (or cursed, depending on his mood of the moment) with a large number of siblings, wondered how Jason was sometimes impatient with smaller children.

All these things were hardly major character defects, but to David, who'd felt so inadequate in the face of Jason's many accomplishments, they showed that Jason was not a paragon of virtue, not the Knight in Shining Armor he'd come to expect, but simply human. Great good mixed together with a few not-so-good things. And the fact that his friends spoke about them with tolerance and affection told its own story. Jason was someone worth knowing … someone who deserved to live.

Casting a glance at Tommy, who sat between Billy and Rocky and had just listened as well, only adding a quiet word here or there, David found it in himself to offer his own prayers to the Great Spirit, begging for hope.

~*~

As predicted, Jason soon began to develop a fever. As night fell over Angel Grove, his temperature, elevated to begin with, rose to 103, then 104 degrees. His whole body was flushed and hot to the touch, and the discomfort even penetrated his coma-like state. He began to moan, and squirm restlessly in his bed.

The nurse on duty in his room watched this with a worried frown; under normal circumstances, she would have long ago given the patient some Tylenol, or at least started to put ice packs around the pulse points of his body, to cool him down externally. But her orders said clearly to let the fever run its course, so she sat by, doing precisely … nothing.

Suddenly, Jason reared halfway up, his eyes snapped open, and a gurgling sound escaped his throat. Then, he stiffened and began to thrash. Quick as lightning, the nurse hit the call button.

"Dr. Jenkins! Room 227, the patient is having a seizure!"

~*~

Within seconds, the room was a bustle of frantic activity, nurses dashing in and out, the doctor calling out orders that were unintelligible to the fear-galvanized group in the waiting area. All talk had come to a stop, and a lot of breaths were being held.

Tommy had jumped up from his seat and took a couple of long strides towards Jason's room, when he caught himself. There was nothing he could do – moreover, he rightly feared he'd only be in the way of the medical personnel doing their jobs. He clenched his fists and swayed lightly, burning eyes fixed unwaveringly on the door, as if he could will knowledge of what was happening to come to him.

After what seemed an eternity to those waiting outside but in reality had taken maybe fifteen minutes at most, the ward became quiet again. Nurses removed carts, a couple of harried-looking interns wandered off to the ER again, and lastly Dr. Jenkins emerged. He scrubbed a hand over his face, then addressed Joe and Helen, fatigue and post-adrenaline rush making him curt.

"Jason had a fever seizure; I feared this might happen. He's stable again for now, but I'm afraid it won't have been the last."

"Will it damage him?" Joe asked hoarsely.

"Too early to tell," the doctor sighed. He was weary, but the night wasn't even half over yet. He'd be at his post until morning. "We'll have to wait and see, sorry."

Helen was too tired to fight her tears. They coursed down her pale cheeks unhindered as she touched Jenkins's sleeve.

"Doctor … can't I sit with Jason? I promise, I'll stay out of everyone's way … I just need to be close to my son," she sniffled.

"I don't know, Ma'am," he hesitated. Family more often than not were a hindrance during emergencies. The light-blue eyes begged for understanding.

"Please, doctor …"

The physician sighed again. Who was the idiot anyway who had called women the weaker sex? Obviously the guy never had to deal with a mother fighting for her child.

"Very well," he reluctantly gave permission. "But only family!"

"Of course. Thank you, doctor!" Helen was already pushing open Jason's door, Joe but a step behind her. Just before she let it fall closed behind her, though, she held out a hand to Tommy.

"Come, dear. You're Jason's family, too; you belong with us."

It was an invitation Tommy was unable to resist. He nodded once, took Helen's hand and let himself be drawn inside.

In the waiting area, the friends exchanged glances which ranged from frightened to resigned, with every emotion conceivable in between as well. They all wanted to be with Jason, too, but nobody even thought of protesting Tommy's right to a place with the Scotts. He had to be with his Bro.

Silently, they returned to their vigil.

~~***~~

Later, the former and present Rangers would agree that this was about the longest night they had ever had to live through, even though objectively speaking it had just the regular amount of hours, like any other night. It just seemed as if it would never end …

*

They stayed in the waiting area, sitting close together, drawing comfort from the fact that none of them was alone with their fears for Jason. For the most part, they were quiet, lost in their own thoughts as they waited … and were periodically alarmed by renewed activity in and around Jason's room. From the nurses, they gathered that he suffered two more fever seizures, each one a little worse than the last … and that nobody really knew what to expect next. Would it be doom, or deliverance?

"This is driving me nuts," Rocky groaned when he settled back down in his faux-leather chair again after the last such incident. His back ached abominably, both from his injury and from the uncomfortable seats. But even a fully-powered Megazord couldn't have dragged him away. Just like his friends, he needed to be here.

"Is there any news yet?"

"No," Tanya sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "Nothing at all." She'd drifted off a little, leaning against Adam, and was feeling a bit guilty about it – although she knew the others wouldn't blame her for succumbing to her exhaustion. It had been a long day, and an even longer night.

"They say that no news is good news …" Kat murmured, disbelief about the old adage evident in her tone.

"Yeah, right." Zack snorted through a jaw-cracking yawn. "Sorry. We should be so lucky."

"Let's hope Jason is," Billy said seriously. Usually he managed to lose himself in some scientific problem or another even under the most tense circumstances, but tonight even that method failed. It didn't really surprise him; Jason had been his friend and confidant, not to mention sometimes protector, for too long that he could forget about his plight. Besides, it was he who had brought the serum; what if it was unsafe, after all? Billy wasn't sure he could live with the guilt if it turned out he somehow had a hand in Jason's possible demise. Nor was he at all certain that Tommy, who had endorsed it, could. If worse came to worst, they might just lose two friends instead of one. "We just have to trust that Jase will pull through; he's a fighter, and his will to live has always been exceptionally strong."

The others nodded. Yet, the waiting and not knowing came hard to all of them. They settled back once more, not talking, but supporting each other just by being together. As they always had – always would.

~*~

Dawn was breaking over the distant mountains not far from Angel Grove when the big hospital began to wake up. The ER grew quiet, nurses working the night shift made a last round to check on their patients, most of whom were sleeping peacefully. Charts were signed, materials cleared away, and with a few smothered yawns, the tired personnel waited for their replacements to arrive. They duly did, singly and in groups, and their bright greetings to their colleagues filled the air with subdued cheer as the changeover progressed.

Kimberly was the first of the friends to rouse from a fitful doze; no-one among them had truly slept, but weariness of mind and body had let them find some uneasy rest at least. She sat up, stretched her arms and legs and was considering whether she dared nip off for a quick wash in the restroom, when she caught Adam's somber gaze from across the waiting area.

"Morning," she murmured. "Has anything happened? I snoozed a little, I guess." She smiled sheepishly.

"Not that I know of," he replied just as quietly. "Don't feel bad, Kim; I think none of us stayed completely awake all night. I know I didn't. Besides, I'm pretty sure someone would've told us if there'd been a change either way."

"You're probably right."

Around them, the others stirred as well.

"Ow, my back," Rocky moaned. He had lain on the only couch, but it was little more than a two-seater – far too short even for his medium height.

"Here, let me see," Trini offered, pulling him to his feet. Circling around to his back, she probed the muscles in his lower back, then applied gentle pressure. Rocky winced as her slender but strong hands kneaded the kinks out.

"Thanks," he sighed when Trini was done and he could move more easily.

She smiled tiredly. "You're welcome."

Billy had unobtrusively slipped away and talked to the ward nurse; he returned now with a frown on his face. "Nothing new," he reported to his anxious friends. "Dr. Jenkins has looked in on Jason a half-hour ago, but there was no change. The fever's still dangerously high."

"At least he hasn't had yet another seizure," Tanya tried to find the silver lining, but it was cold comfort; they all had been made aware that the fever in itself posed a threat to Jason, should it continue much longer.

"I wonder how Tommy and Jason's parents are holding up," Katherine said, a worried frown marring her smooth forehead. "I mean, it must've been pretty horrible for them to see Jase in so much discomfort."

"That's putting it mildly," Zack was about to answer, when he was distracted by the door to room 227 opening.

David was the first to recognize the tall figure clad in a red sweatshirt who came out into the hallway. He slowly rose from his seat, his heart starting to thump heavily in his chest.

"Tommy," he whispered hoarsely.

Tommy's face was pale and his eyes glazed over with strain. He carefully closed the door behind him, turned and swayed on his feet exhaustedly. He was facing his friends, but it was obvious that he saw none of them, even though only a few short feet separated him from them. The past and present Rangers all surged to their feet, closing ranks and looking to their leader for news, waiting with bated breath for what he had to tell them.

To their horror, tears began to fall from the red-rimmed eyes – first one, then another and another, until a steady stream of salty drops coursed down the lean cheeks. Tommy started to tremble all over; he practically folded in on himself, to lean against the nearest wall. His legs gave out from beneath him, and he slid bonelessly to the floor, silent sobs wracking his body.

"Oh my God," Trini choked, seeing her worst fears realized in Tommy's collapse. Before anyone else could utter a single word, two pink-shirted forms knelt next to the distraught young man.

"Oh Tommy, please don't," Kat implored, stroking the long hair with trembling fingers, her own eyes already blinded by tears.

"Let us help you," Kimberly begged, taking a limp hand into her suddenly cold ones. She, too, was weeping.

The girls exchanged a quick glance when Tommy didn't react, just hid his face on his drawn-up knees and inhaled a shuddering breath. Either wished deep in her heart to be alone with him, to take him into her arms and kiss away his tears, but neither was heartless enough to express that wish. There was no room for jealousy or resentment now; they were one in their desire to help the man they both cared about. This wasn't about them, or their problems – this was about Tommy, and Jason. Best friends, close as brothers. One of whom was …

Kimberly swallowed hard. Her voice unsteady with emotion, she nevertheless found the strength to ask the question all of them feared.

"Tommy? W-what about Jason? Is … is h-he …"

She could not bring herself to say it – that dreadful, final word.

Is he dead?

It hovered above them, like a malevolent miasma poisoning the very atmosphere. The fear rose to unbearable heights, paralysing all of them while they waited for Tommy to compose himself enough to speak, to give them the truth. The silence enveloping the group of friends was deafening in its intensity, more so as it was punctuated by a few isolated, quickly suppressed sobs and sniffles. Not all of which came from the girls.

At last, Tommy looked up. His chocolate eyes were burning with an intensity few had ever seen in them – only Billy, Rocky and Adam recognized the look. He had worn it before – once when Kimberly had been trapped in a time hole; again when Lord Zedd had captured her. And all of them had seen it when Jason had collapsed from the effects of the Gold Powers on his body. As then, it had the power to arrest their hearts and numb their minds.

"Tommy?" Billy's voice was strangled; he couldn't have produced another sound if his life depended on it.

It was enough to break the Red Ranger out of his stupor. He inhaled deeply, freeing his lungs to speak at last. His usually light voice was deep and rough with emotion.

"The fever broke half an hour ago. It was touch and go for a few minutes, but he's at peace now."

Tommy knew his lips were quivering and fresh tears were spilling over, but he didn't care. Not now. Not when, after this nightmarish day, his universe finally was right-side-up again.

"Guys … Jason's gonna live."

~*~

Days passed; Jason spent them in the hospital, slowly recuperating from his ordeal. The doctors were curious about the serum which had saved him and had told him that they'd given the last bit of it to a renowned laboratory to examine. Maybe it could be duplicated eventually, thus helping others experiencing the same or similar problems as Jason had.

He was glad about it, in a somewhat detached way; the whole affair already was taking on qualities of a distant nightmare for him, the only evidence that it ever happened at all being his all-encompassing weakness and a vague ache in his right leg. The puncture wounds from the actual bite had gotten infected after all, but that was nothing a standard antibiotic couldn't take care of. However, neither Dr. Jenkins, Mr. and Mrs. Scott nor Jason himself were willing to take any chances. Thus, in the hospital he remained.

Jason moved restlessly in his bed; the dinner tray had already been removed, visiting hours were already over, there was nothing on TV that really interested him, and he was too weary to hold a book for long. In other words, he was as bored as he could ever remember.

With nothing else to do but think, Jason let his mind wander back over the events of the last few days, ever since he'd woken from the deep sleep after his fever. Wondering what everybody was up to, now that they were no longer hovering over him like a bunch of mother hens. He didn't mind it so much from his mother – she was just being Mom, after all; it sort of came with the job, didn't it? – but it had been slightly embarrassing to accept so much solicitude from the girls. At least the guys hadn't been overly mushy.

*Thanks, Rocko, for dropping a word in their ears. Guess you would know; were we really that bad when YOU were injured?* Most likely they had been, Jason acknowledged with a rueful grin, reaching for a glass of water. It was one of the risks one ran when one had such good friends. *And all things considered, I wouldn't want it any other way. Not really.* Sipping slowly, one arm tucked behind his head, Jason let his eyes roam to the window as he went back to his musings.

~*~

The accident had happened around noon on Saturday; Billy had arrived in the early evening hours. Sunday he'd spent mostly dead to the world, barely conscious yet, so no visitors except family had been allowed. Not that he'd have truly noticed. Luckily, Monday had been a holiday, so the friends had all been able to look in on a weak, exhausted Jason before returning to their various homes, jobs and other duties. He was still sleeping a lot, his system needing the rest to recoup, but he'd recognized everybody and been extremely grateful for their support and good wishes. Despite a bothersome disorientation, he'd managed to extract a promise from Billy to come back to see him at the earliest opportunity – even if it should take years. Trini, Zack and Kimberly had been more frequent visitors, but the former two had to leave now in order not to miss college registration. While he was going to miss them, Jason wasn't selfish enough to keep them at his side. There would be other times to visit, and UCLA wasn't all that far away from Angel Grove.

Rocky was busy with his karate school and physiotherapy – something Jason knew he would have to start as well as soon as he was strong enough. The Aquitian serum had rid his body of both the venom and the antidote; an unexpected bonus, verified by a secret scan with Power Chamber equipment, had been that apparently any last, lingering effects from the Triforian Powers had been purged as well. *No more dizzy spells, or nausea attacks! Great!* Jason knew he would make a full recovery … after he regained all the ground he'd lost in the cure. He was weak as a baby, as if he'd been severely ill for months instead of days, and it would take time. Lots of time.

He groused about that to his friends, but only half-seriously. He was far too glad simply to be alive to care much either way – Jason wasn't stupid, after all. He knew in how much danger he'd been in. Well, it was over and done with; it was results that counted after all.

*If only I wasn't so bored!*

The Rangers were more than busy. It was getting increasingly difficult to combine their Rangering duties with the responsibilities of leading adult lives now – like holding down jobs instead of being in school. Which was why Tommy could spend so little time with him – he was more at the race track than in Angel Grove. *Damn. I miss him.* Additionally, none of them was very happy with their new mentor. Dimitria's eternal questions could be rather irritating, or so Jason had heard from the on-duty team. The word 'retire' had already been mentioned more than once. He sighed a little as regrets rose up within him of not having been able to say good-bye to Zordon. But there had been nothing he, or anyone else, had been able to do about it. Closing his eyes wearily, Jason switched off the lights and burrowed into his pillow. Remembering the old sage, he gradually drifted off into a deep, healing sleep once more.

~*~

Kimberly was talking a walk through the park by herself, memories about all the times she'd spent here as a child, then as a teenager assailing her wherever she looked. There was the picnic table she and Tommy had sat at when he'd returned as the White Ranger. Down there was the path to the lake she had taken so often to meet her friends. That was the bush Bulk had hidden behind in his silly lizard-monster costume, back when he was still trying to uncover the Rangers' secret identities. Here had she fought ArtistMole all by herself. And there was …

She smiled to herself, cutting off the flow of memories.

*We practically lived here,* she thought. *And what a life it has been!*

Kim grinned. A rather maudlin thought for someone not yet nineteen! Even to herself, she sounded as if her life was all but over, or something. And that when her future was just beginning! Nevertheless, she let her mind roam free again, not caring where her feet took her. So it happened that she ended up at the small pond – the place where she and Tommy had first kissed. Then, he had been practising a kata, nearly oblivious to everything around him. Now, he was sitting on a flat rock next to that very spot, watching her approach with serious eyes. Almost as if he'd been expecting her to come.

*Maybe he had.*

"H-hello," she stammered, surprised and yet not.

"Hi, Kim," Tommy said somberly.

"I … I didn't expect you here."

*Liar!* her heart whispered.

"Didn't you? Didn't we always end up here eventually, whenever we had problems?" While they'd been together a long time, their relationship had had its bumps; they had never really quarrelled, but had their occasional disagreements, like anyone else. And not all of them caused by a spell of Rita's, either.

"Well … yeah," Kim admitted, taking a seat close by after a moment's hesitation. Not touching Tommy, but near enough to reach for his hand if she wanted to. "What we had wasn't perfect, was it?"

Tommy sighed. "No. But close." Which, as far as he was concerned, wasn't the whole truth – to him, everything about being with Kim had been perfect, or as near to it as made no difference. He had even started to think about asking Kim to 'make it official' when she decided to go to Florida – not marriage; he knew they were too young for that, but … an engagement had seemed distinctly possible. Until her letter. Chasing the memory of how that had hurt away, he meant to coax a nostalgic smile out of her at the least with his comment, but was surprised by Kim's reaction. Sure, he'd expected the guilty blush staining her cheeks, but not the visible flinch she couldn't control.

"Kim? Didn't you think so?"

"I … yes. No! It was too close," Kimberly whispered, looking down. Why, oh why were the good times all she could remember – the romantic walks, the tender kisses, the shared dreams? Desperately, she tried to find some detachment. She had given it all up of her own free will after all; there was no sense in hanging on to it.

"What do you mean, too close?" he asked, puzzled. Why wouldn't she look at him?

Kimberly was afraid that if she saw the expression on his face, she'd break down and bawl, and she didn't want that. There had been too many tears already … and Tommy had a right to know about them. That she had shed them, and why, and how they had led to her writing him that cursed letter.

She met his eyes at last.

"Tommy … I broke up with you because what we had was nearly perfect."

"Huh? That makes no sense," he protested. How could something be too close to perfect? And why throw it away?

The petite girl gulped. This was going to be so hard! But she owed Tommy the truth. In fact, he was way overdue for an explanation. *I just hope he'll understand …* Drawing a deep breath, she started to talk.

"Tommy … you know it wasn't easy for me to go, right? To leave everything and everyone behind?" She barely waited for his nod. "Well, when I got to Florida, I seriously expected to be homesick, to miss you guys … especially you. And I did – terribly. What I did not expect was that I cried myself to sleep every night for weeks because all I wanted was to be with you. Outside of practice, all I could think about was how much I missed you. I could talk about nothing else but you, my tutor was complaining about how my grades dropped, I sat in my room for ages just staring at your picture … it was like an obsession," she remembered. "The whole bit – I stopped eating, lay awake for hours when I should have been resting, rejected everybody who tried to make friends, couldn't concentrate … It got to the point where it was beginning to affect my training – and that got noticed by the coaches. They made me see the team counsellor, and with her help I figured out what made me so miserable."

"Oh man, Kim … I had no idea …" This was terrible; if he'd known, he could have made more of an effort to stay in touch via the phone, promised her a visit maybe … but Kimberly didn't seem to hear him.

She cleared her throat. This next bit was going to be hard for Tommy. "It was you."

"Wh-what?!?" Tommy couldn't believe his ears. HE had made Kim miserable? HOW??? To say he was shell-shocked would be putting it mildly.

Kim smiled wryly at Tommy's flabbergasted expression. "Yes. Oh, it was nothing you had said or done, just … our relationship, and how intense it had become. It scared me, Tommy."

That was pretty much the last thing he'd expected, and it showed in his incredulous voice.

"Scared you? How?"

Kim sighed. She hated being blunt, but she had no choice. Not when Tommy needed to understand. "Tommy – tell me, when I decided to leave … were you perhaps thinking of asking me to marry you? I kind of had that impression." She blushed; it wasn't exactly how she'd dreamed that topic would come up between them. Or her and anyone else, for that matter. But at the time, the air had been rife with yet-unspoken promises of a shared future. And a part of her had been thrilled and deeply affected by that realization.

"I … yeah," he admitted, blushing as well. It had been one of his boyish fantasies. One he'd thought was in his grasp. "I mean, I knew we couldn't have gotten married then, at least not anytime soon, but I did want to propose. Only, I thought I should at least have a ring to give you, so I decided to wait until I could afford to buy one." Which had been shortly after Christmas; Kim's birthday in February had seemed like the perfect opportunity. If she hadn't dumped him barely a week before.

"That's what I thought." Kim laid a hand on his knee until he would look at her. "And believe this, Tommy – I think it's very sweet. I'm very much honoured that you cared so deeply."

"Then why did you …"

The look in the brown eyes tore at Kimberly's heart, it was so lost and confused. Especially since she knew she would add more pain in just a second. But that couldn't be helped – things needed to be brought into the open once and for all.

"Because I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment," she said as gently as she could. "I still am not. And I had no idea how to tell you. Tommy, dearest – I never wanted to hurt you, even when I knew I had to. For myself. And for my career – gymnastics is what I want to do at this point in my life, and it doesn't really mix well with an intense relationship, especially not long-distance. And that's all we could've had. That's what I realized during my talks with the counsellor. I had to choose between you and my own goals … and I chose what was best for me. I admit, I was selfish, and cowardly, by sending you that letter, but at the time … would you have understood any other reason than the one I gave you?"

Tommy was at a loss for anything to say. It was difficult enough for him to grasp what Kim was telling him, and deep down, he felt a tiny flame that had continued to burn despite everything throughout the long months of their separation sputter and shrink, as if its oxygen supply was slowly being cut off. Mutely, he shook his head.

"I didn't think so," Kimberly murmured, feeling pretty choked up herself. "That's why I wrote to you I'd found someone else."

"A-are you saying there was no other guy?" Tommy demanded to know, experiencing a total jumble of emotions at that thought. Relief, anger, sadness … a whole host of things. And a surge of hope that maybe, just maybe …

But, no.

Km's next words doused that tiny flame inside of him as surely as a dash of cold water.

"Not at the time," she confessed in a whisper, feeling guilty. Both at the one-time lie and for causing him to blanch with pain. "But there is now."

"Oh."

Even Tommy's voice had become dead and lifeless, emphasized by his utter stillness. Kim knew it was the way he dealt with this blow.

"I'm so sorry, Tommy," she murmured. "I wish I had handled things differently, but I didn't, and …" Her shrug said it all.

Tommy felt numb all over. Could this really be the end? He knew that he wouldn't lose Kim completely, they'd still remain friends, but ever since he'd broken down in front of her at the hospital, he also knew that a part of him still wanted more, wanted her back despite everything. The break-up, the pain, time gone by, Kat … His heart was funny that way.

But all of that was utterly irrelevant now. What mattered was that Kim had just told him she had indeed found someone else. Someone other than him. When that had come to pass was ultimately unimportant.

"He … he doesn't scare you, then?" he managed to ask through stiff lips, trying to maintain at least some composure.

Kim smiled fondly, thinking of her new boyfriend. "No. Kurt is a bit older than we are, he's in grad school … he knows that right now, gymnastics is my life. That it has to be THE most important thing, and he accepts that, because he's pursuing his own goals. He just doesn't ask for the kind of commitment the two of us were heading for, and that's the way I want it to be."

Tommy nodded slowly. It galled to admit, but he knew he wouldn't have been able to step back, to make fewer demands of Kim. For himself, he would have welcomed a deeper relationship, wanted it, needed it to make himself feel more secure – but what if they had taken things a step further, into an official engagement or even intimacy, and then found out either one of them felt trapped, or whatever? They would both have been hurt. And he believed Kim that the decision hadn't been an easy one to make. Just as he – however reluctantly – had supported her dream to pursue a gymnastics career, he couldn't deny her the right to do what was best for herself. Then, or now. She meant too much to him to do that.

And if the best for Kim didn't include him anymore … well, he'd just have to learn to live with it.

Tommy heaved a sigh that seemed to rise from the soles of his feet. He looked at his former girlfriend, reading sincerity and honest regret in those large doe eyes. Briefly, Tommy closed his own eyes, burying a cherished dream once and for all. It was over. Perversely, he felt a tiny part of him cheer softly, as if he'd been freed from invisible shackles that were his lingering feelings for Kim. But he didn't want to look at that now. Not when it felt as if his heart was being broken all over again. More gently this time, and face to face, but still … it hurt not a whit less.

"Okay," he murmured. Then, more strongly, "Okay. If that's the way it has to be …"

"It does. I wish I could give you a different answer, but I can't. I'm truly sorry, Tommy."

"Yeah. So am I."

The two sat silently side by side, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Tommy spoke again. "I hope you'll be happy." How he managed to say it without bitterness, he never knew. Maybe because it was the truth – he did want Kim to be happy. Even without him.

"I'll be a lot happier now that I've finally told you," Kim admitted. "If I'd known how to tell you otherwise, I would have. And I'm sorry for lying to you."

He nodded. One last question was bothering him, but he was unsure whether he should ask it. Or if he even wanted to know the answer. In the end, he asked it anyway. Better to clear the air once and for all.

"This guy … Kurt? … Do you love him?"

Kim took her time answering, causing Tommy's throat to go dry. What if she didn't? Worse, what if she did?

At last she sighed a little. This was a bit of truth she'd avoided looking at too closely until now. But Tommy deserved to know.

"I … yes, I do. Well, I'm in love with him, anyway. Not the way I was with you, but … you're special. You always will be, Tommy," she added softly. "You'll always be my first love."

He had to smile at that. "Uh huh."

Kim couldn't blame him for not feeling greatly comforted. She wouldn't, either.

"If we'd met when we were a little older … or if things hadn't gotten so intense so fast …"

"Maybe. But we weren't, they did …"

"Yeah."

There was nothing more to be said. They both rose from their sitting positions, Tommy helping Kim up – then they stood, staring at each other just as they'd done that day when they'd kissed the first time. They were even in practically the same spot. He gently squeezed her hand which he still held and tried for a smile. He managed – not much, but a little.

"This is good-bye, then?"

Kim smiled back, feeling sad but as if a huge load had fallen off her slender shoulders.

"Yes. I'm leaving for Florida tomorrow morning."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it, Kim," Tommy chided gently.

"Oh." She blushed. "I – I think so," she mumbled.

He drew a deep breath. So. That was it. However, there was one small thing his injured heart wanted … very diffidently, kicking himself for needing this last thing, Tommy tilted up Kim's chin and gazed into her eyes.

"Can I kiss you one last time?"

Surprised, Kim blinked. Then, she smiled again. This was what she'd hoped for – how it should have been.

"Of course."

Her lids fluttered shut as Tommy kissed her gently, as sweetly as only he knew how. First kiss, last kiss … there was no difference, really, in the way it made her feel to be in his arms. And a part of her wished this feeling would never end. When it was over, she looked at him. Slightly breathless, she touched his cheek. An irresistible urge from deep within her made her say something she knew she shouldn't, but was unable to stop.

"Maybe … maybe in a couple years, when we're older … when we've both done what we want to do … if we're both free, and if we still care for each other … maybe …"

"Maybe we can try again? Is that what you're saying?"

It seemed that tiny flame hadn't gone out completely after all, Tommy realized. There was still a minuscule ember hidden and half-buried among the ashes, glimmering against the darkness. Only time would tell if it was strong enough to survive – or maybe even grow again.

Against her better judgement, Kim gave a barely perceptible nod. "No promises, though."

"I understand." It was more than he'd had only minutes before, after all, and hope was too strong to die. "Thank you. And … yes. I'd like that … if …"

"Uh huh. If."

Feeling immensely relieved, Kim extricated herself from Tommy's loose embrace and stepped back. Everything that needed to be said between them had been expressed, and it was time to let go. *For now,* that silly place in her heart, the one which wanted to stay with him regardless, said smugly. She deliberately ignored it.

"Good-bye, Tommy," was all she said. Without another word, she turned and walked away, out of his life.

*I'll NEVER tell him how much this is costing me!*

Tommy watched Kim go with longing in his eyes until she disappeared around a bend in the path, knowing he could do nothing else. With a last sigh, he shook himself once, then started a kata, losing himself in the fluid movements of the exercise, trying to forget. Soon, he was oblivious to the world, except for one thing filling his mind.

*Maybe.*

~*~

Tommy eased his foot off the accelerator and let his car coast into the pit; he knew he'd done well in today's practice and was looking forward to a hot shower, a meal and a chance to rest. A stock car wasn't exactly spacious, he really was a bit on the tall side for a driver, and each night he needed some time to ease the cricks out of his back and legs.

*Thank God the motel has a pool!*

Swimming was Tommy's preferred way to relax after a day of driving; he only hoped he'd get the chance and wouldn't have to deal with yet another lame-brained scheme by Divatox. He exchanged a few comments with his uncle and the pit crew, then went for his bag and left the track. On the way to the parking lot, he began making after-dinner plans.

*Maybe I can meet the gang … or call Jason; he doesn't leave for Montana until the weekend. Bummer that he couldn't find a place for therapy closer to home. Yeah, I think I'll do that … after 20 laps and a large pizza …*

However, when he approached his 4X4, the tall figure leaning against it was a sure-fire indicator that his plans were most likely about to be cancelled.

"David," Tommy greeted his brother, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," David replied subduedly. "You're never at home anymore, your friends tell me they haven't seen you outside of emergencies lately, you don't answer the phone … I think you're harder to get hold of than the President."

The attempt at levity fell woefully flat; Tommy just looked away to hide his guilty blush. David was right, he had been avoiding everyone – well, except Jason, that is. Whenever his time allowed, he was at the hospital, often sneaking past the nurses' station when official visiting hours were already over. But he needed to see his best friend, needed to see him alive and well and grumbling about the hospital food more often than not. Trying to cheer Jason up helped distract himself, to not to think about his problems – mainly, what to say to Kat. Who, truth be told, was avoiding him as much as he was keeping his distance from her. But the hurt in the blue eyes was more than Tommy could bear, especially knowing that he was responsible for it.

Forcing his thoughts into another direction, Tommy essayed a weak grin.

"Yeah well … I've just been real busy lately."

He saw right away that David wasn't buying that pitiful excuse for an explanation.

"Too busy even for your friends and family?"

"Sorry," he mumbled, lowering his eyes and starting to hunt for his keys.

David watched him fumble and fidget, then sighed. Seemed as if he would have to take the proverbial bull by the horns, after all. What he had to say to Tommy wasn't going to get any easier with procrastination.

"Tommy … we need to talk."

That was exactly what the Red Ranger had feared.

"What about?" he asked defensively.

"Lots of things. But mainly … about us. You and me, you and Jason … me and Jason."

Tommy shook his head, wanting to do anything but that, but he could read the message in David's eyes quite clearly. He wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Not this time. He finally managed to unlock the car. Throwing his bag on the back seat, he cast a sideways glance at David as he slid behind the steering wheel.

"I suppose you're going to bug me until I agree?"

"You bet your ass, little brother." The words might have sounded playful, but the intent was all-too-serious.

"Okay," Tommy sighed in defeat. "Get in; we can talk over dinner. I just want to swing by my room first for a quick shower, if you don't mind." *So much for my swim. Damn.*

"Fine by me."

Silently, the two drove to Tommy's motel.

~*~

The pizza at the cosy Italian restaurant a few blocks down from his digs Tommy had come to favor was excellent, but neither young man was in a mood to really do it justice. Still, the slices vanished with astonishing speed, all things considered. They were lingering over after-dinner coffee when Tommy couldn't stand making small talk anymore. He met David's eyes head-on.

"You wanted to talk. So talk."

Carefully, David set down his mug. He'd been pondering ways to get started all day, but now that the moment had finally arrived, he had no clue on how to broach the subject. Certainly not by jumping right into it, as Tommy seemed to expect him to do. Gulping, he sought the right words. Maybe if he backtracked just a little … yes, that might work …

*Here goes nothing!*

"You remember what we were talking about, that day in the desert? Up at the lookout, just before you were called away?"

"Sure. You said that you resented Jason's presence, that you felt Jase was an outsider," Tommy answered, his tone vaguely hostile. That remark still rankled. How could David – how could anyone even think that when he and Jason were so close?

"Yeah well … Tommy, when I said that, I had no idea how close the two of you really were."

"But I told you! I know I did, several times," Tommy interrupted, but subsided when David gestured to let him continue.

"Yes, you did. But Tommy … being told about something and really seeing it for myself are totally different things. You see … whenever we were together, all you would do was talk about him, praise him, compare things we did with what you'd already done with him … to me, it seemed as if there was nothing I could offer you that you didn't already share with Jason. And you wonder why I wasn't exactly thrilled to meet him?"

"Well …" David certainly had a point. However unintentional, Tommy knew he did tend to praise Jason to the skies. Wasn't that only natural, though, given how much they liked each other? "Dave, I-"

"Please, I'm not yet done; can you hear me out first? I've thought quite a bit about this, and I need to have my say."

A bit sulkily, Tommy sat back. "Go on."

David sighed. "Tommy … that trip was supposed to bring us closer; at least that's what I hoped would happen. Quality time and all that, y'know? I wanted to get to know you better, to learn about the things that interest you, what makes you tick. To have to share that with a virtual stranger wasn't something I was looking very much forward to." He paused as the waitress appeared and refilled their coffee cups, briefly smiling his thanks. Tommy took that opportunity to comment.

"David, if you wanted to know stuff about me, all you had to do is ask!"

"Yes – and every time I did, I'd get another story or anecdote about your friends. More often than not, about Jason in particular. It got to the point where I wanted to slug you – or him, or something – if I had to hear his name one more time!"

Taken aback at the vehemence in the quiet voice, Tommy stared at David.

"But … but why?"

"Because I was jealous. I wanted to have what you have with him. I felt as if he had taken my place, as if there was no room in your life for me." Squirming often in guilt and shame, David continued to lay out his feelings for his brother, every bit of resentment and petty emotion that had eaten at him. Until that long period of waiting at the hospital, where Jason's friends and family had absolved him from responsibility for Jason's accident.

"Tommy … as I started to say at the beginning, I hadn't truly known, in my heart, how much Jason means to you. But seeing how hard it was for you to wait if he would live or die … it made me realize that I'll have to accept him as part of you. Just like your folks." The admission came hard to David, but he felt better for having made it.

"That doesn't mean I'm over my jealousy," he muttered. "I still wish that there was something special that I could give you. Something he can't."

Amazed, Tommy tried to take everything in what David had just revealed to him. It literally boggled his mind. Sure, he, too had experienced jealousy at one time or another – most notably whenever Kimberly would smile at another guy before he'd ever had the guts to ask her out himself – but never to the degree he'd just heard. Nor was it in Tommy's nature to attack someone over it – be it verbally or physically. That his own brother could have picked a fight with his best friend was inconceivable.

"I had no idea," he murmured.

"I'm not exactly proud of it," David confessed. "Actually, I was feeling pretty miserable while I was being nasty. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and still couldn't stop myself." He hadn't needed Sam's lecture to come to that conclusion. "All I wanted was to have you to myself, at least now and then. I'm sorry. "

Mostly, David was sorry about having caused Tommy further distress. But that revelation might have to wait for another time.

~*~

Tommy only half heard what his brother was telling him. He was way too busy to sort through his own muddle of feelings … irritation, anger, disgust, confusion … and yet, some part of him understood David, too. When he first came to Angel Grove and after he'd been freed from Rita's spell, it hadn't been easy for him to become part of a tightly-knit group of friends who had known each other for years and were extremely protective of each other. If it hadn't been for the instant rapport he'd shared with Jason, and Kim's badly-hidden attraction towards him, it was anyone's guess if, when and how he could have been integrated into the very first Ranger team. 'Outsider' didn't even begin to cover what he'd felt like at times!

Now, David was in his shoes. Only, he had it all wrong.

It had never been Jason or the Rangers who were the outsiders, as far as Tommy was concerned. It was David himself.

He was trying to form a bond with someone who already had a strong support group. Tommy was perfectly willing to include his brother in his activities, but he was equally unwilling to agree to any form of exclusivity. He knew his friends would accept David for no other reason than because he was of Tommy's family, they cared that much, but it was definitely a two-way street. Quite rightly, they expected the same kind of acceptance in return. David would have to do his own bit, too.

"You've got to try, Dave," Tommy said at last, very seriously. "I can see where you're coming from, and I want you to play a part in my life, but you gotta understand, I'm not giving up my friends for you. Or for anyone else. Ever. They come with me. Jason more so than the rest. Sorry, but you'll just have to deal."

"I know," David replied. "Only … I know I'm repeating myself, but what can I give you that he doesn't already? What good am I to you as long as you have him?"

He'd meant to say 'them', but somehow it all got back to Jason. Tommy's chosen brother. The big question, which David was shying actively away from, was whether that bond would prove ultimately stronger than the biological one – the only bond he had with Tommy, or so he believed.

Incredulously, Tommy blinked. *He's not serious, is he?* It was so obvious to him – could it really be that David didn't know, didn't see?

Apparently he didn't. Well, he'd tell him.

"Everything," he said simply. He shook his head in wonder when the puzzlement in David's eyes intensified.

"How? In what way?"

"It's so simple," Tommy mused, chuckling a little. He just knew, with sudden conviction, that David would understand once he explained. "I can't believe you can't see it!"

*Idiot. David wasn't adopted, like you were. He also didn't move around so much as a kid. HIS life has always had stability and permanence. Not like mine until we moved here.*

"Well, I don't," David grumbled when nothing more was forthcoming for a couple of minutes while Tommy just sat there, eyes glowing and a strange little smile played around his mouth as he absently toyed with the handle of his cup. "Are you gonna tell me, or what?"

The gruff question, and more so the genuine need behind it, startled Tommy out of his reverie. He leaned forward, nearly pushing his forgotten coffee mug off the table top in the process, and put a hand on his brother's forearm.

"You are giving me something nobody else can, David," he stated firmly. "Not my folks, not Jase, not any of the others." He drew a deep breath. After all, he was about to reveal a very personal thing, and that was never easy, brother or not.

David sensed the importance of what he was about to hear. He tensed in anticipation. "What's that?" he asked softly.

Tommy smiled, his look warm and affectionate.

"You're giving me roots."

"Roots?" David asked, bemused.

"Yeah. You see … my folks honestly are the best, I couldn't have better parents if I advertised for them, but … there's nobody else. We are the whole family. Neither Mom nor Dad have any sibs, I barely got to know the grandparents before they died, there are no cousins on either side … it's why they chose to adopt a kid in the first place. And they chose me partly because there seemed to be no biological family lurking in the background. Until you showed up, everybody thought I was totally orphaned in that car crash."

Tommy had been barely a year old when his parents had taken him across the country and gotten caught in a multiple-car pile-up on the highway. Their car and its passengers had been burned beyond recognition when the tank ignited; only by a stroke of sheer luck, the baby boy on the back seat was thrown out by the force of the explosion, escaping with only a few minor scrapes.

"I used to think it was just the three of us. Even my birthday … the folks set it up so that it's the date my adoption became final."

David had to smile at that. Strange how Tommy had never asked about such a personal detail before. "You were born on September 17."

"Really? Cool – that's Jason's birthday, too! Another thing we have in common," Tommy remarked without thinking. He blushed when he noticed David's grimace. "Oops, I did it again, right? Sorry. It's a nice coincidence, nothing more – trust me, after eighteen years of thinking my birthday is in November, I'm not about to change my official birthdate. Way too much hassle. Unless I can find a way to finagle double presents out of everyone," he laughed.

"Dream on," was all David said when he accepted the implied apology without further comment, but there was no doubt Tommy was pleased about this information. *Guess I'd be tickled pink, too, if I had a friend like Jason,* David was honest enough to admit to himself.

"Anyway, roots … yeah. Since there were no papers or anything when I was found by the State Troopers at the accident site where my other parents died, just wearing a bib with 'Tommy' embroidered on it, my folks pretty much had to create their own history for me. I was only 18 months old when I came to live with them, after eight months or so in a state orphanage, so I have no memories at all of before. Meeting you, finding out I do have a family besides the Olivers … this may sound pompous, but it filled a hole in me I didn't even know was there. And I can't wait for a chance to meet all those uncles and cousins and whatever Sam's been mentioning."

The prospect was rather daunting, but also very exciting.

"I'll take you to the next big tribe powwow," David promised. He hid a small smirk; Tommy had no idea what he was letting himself in for. All the elderly relatives wanting to know every last detail of one's personal life … and the unmarried girls looking for a husband … he was going to be lucky if he escaped without being scrutinized to death!

"Just make sure you'll have the time," David said blandly. If Tommy didn't, he would, he promised silently. It was going to be worth it to see how an essential loner like Tommy dealt with the tribe as a whole – an enormously large extended family in which everything was everybody's business. "You'll get roots up the kazoo," he murmured.

"Awesome! I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Grinning at Tommy's unfaked enthusiasm, David slowly finished his cooling coffee. Having learned that he had indeed a unique place in his brother's life, he felt more at peace within himself than he had in a long time. To be precise, not since he'd seen Jason and Tommy share an unembarrassed hug at the Scotts' residence that Saturday morning, before they went on their hike.

Which brought him back to his own problem – namely his envy of the relationship those two shared. Long discussions with Sam, the observations he'd been able to make of Tommy's emotional involvement with his best friend, and forcing himself to take a more rational look at his own situation had brought David to the grudging realization that he had tried to force something that demanded time to grow. Sure, instant rapport and friendship had sprung up between Tommy and Jason, but it was a rare thing. And even they readily admitted that the road to today's unshakeable bond hadn't always been an easy one for either of them, as they adjusted to dealing with another strong-willed character.

David knew now he needed time. Time to get to know his brother, to learn about the person he was (which included his family and friends), and to give Tommy the same opportunity in return. Because brotherly love was not just going to be handed to him. He would have to work for it in order to create something meaningful and lasting.

Tommy was willing to do that, he knew now; ergo, David couldn't do anything less. He had a feeling it was going to be worth it, though.

*Even if it means putting up with Jason!*

~~***~~

Tommy stared at the doorbell for a long minute, his palm sweaty around the stem of the exquisite pale-pink rose he'd purchased on the way. It was Kat's favorite flower, and the sweet, elusive scent was noticeable even here, out in the open. He knew that the flower was not going to make Kat magically forgive him, but he hoped it would at least gain him a hearing. And he really needed to talk to her – the very least he owed her was an explanation. Never mind the apology.

Butterflies were doing dive bombs in his stomach when he finally got up the nerve to push the innocuous brass button. Muted by the white-lacquered wood, he heard the musical chime ring somewhere in the Hillards' home. Soon after, a light, familiar footstep approached. Tommy closed his eyes, swallowed hard and sent up a prayer to whatever deity might be listening – *Please, let me talk to her!* – then the door opened, and he found himself face-to-face with his lovely blonde girlfriend.

"Hi Kat," he murmured. He hardly dared look at her, she seemed so miserable – a fact attested by her unusual pallor and the shadowed blue eyes. To know that it was he who was responsible for Kat's unhappiness sent a shaft of pain into his heart.

*Oh man, I did that to her! She must think I'm such a jerk!*

"Tommy," she said, staring at him. Her expression gave nothing away, and yet that very fact made Tommy feel even more like a cad. He awkwardly shifted on his feet and had to clear his throat twice before he could speak again.

"May … may I come in?"

The look in Kat's eyes grew suspicious – and even more pained. "Why?"

*Oh boy.*

He sighed. "Because I'd like to talk with you. Please?"

Kat looked hard at him, then exhaled heavily and silently stepped aside, her shoulders slumped in resignation. She wasn't exactly welcoming, but Tommy knew it was the best he could expect under the circumstances.

*Can't say that I blame her, either. I screwed up – majorly.*

Katherine led him into the living room, then left him standing by the door while she moved to the French doors leading into the garden, her back to him. Usually the understated elegance of the room, with its russet and cream color scheme, made Tommy feel very comfortable, but not today. He was way too nervous … and wished desperately Kat would speak to him, or at least look at him just once. No such luck.

Not knowing how to begin, he waited, then suddenly remembered the flower he was holding. Swallowing, he took a step closer.

"I, uh, I brought this for you." He gingerly touched her shoulder, holding out the rose.

Kat cast a fleeting glance at the bloom, but showed no reaction other than stiffening slightly under his touch. He withdrew his hand at once.

"It's your favorite, isn't it?" Tommy tried again, getting desperate. Still no reaction. "Aren't you going to at least put it in water?"

It wasn't the rose's fault. Even upset as she was, Kat acknowledged that much. Grudgingly, she turned and held out her hand. Tommy placed the slender stem on it.

"Thanks." There was no pleasure in the soft voice, nor any delight in the blue eyes.

"You're welcome."

Moving woodenly, Kat fetched a vase, filled it from a brass watering can and put the rose inside. She then left it on the coffee table. She stared at it for a full minute, then raised her face to Tommy's.

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" She didn't wait for him to answer. It was as if by speaking to her boyfriend at all, the floodgates of her hurt and justifiable anger had been opened, and her feelings could no longer be contained. "Newsflash, Tommy – it doesn't. It wouldn't have mattered if you brought a whole bouquet. You hurt me too much for that!"

"I know," he said miserably. "And I didn't mean it like that. All I wanted was …" he trailed off.

"Wanted what?" Kat demanded sharply.

He blushed, then sighed. She wasn't going to make it easy on him, it looked like. Well, she was certainly entitled. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. Honestly. And I was hoping that you'd like it enough to at least let me explain …"

"Explain what? Why you practically rejected me in front of everybody? Why you embarrassed me, shut me out, then turned to your ex while I was standing right beside you, not caring at all whether I was hurt by it or not? Is that it?" Angrily, she dashed a hand across her eyes. She wasn't going to cry, not in front of him – she just wasn't! "Because if it is, you can leave right away again!"

"No!" Tommy exclaimed, shocked. This was worse than he'd imagined! "Kat, I know that I behaved badly, and I'm truly sorry, but please – can you a least believe that I never meant to hurt you? Please, just listen to me for five minutes," he begged.

Katherine snorted softly, but she knew that it wasn't in Tommy's nature to deliberately cause pain to anyone, much less one of his friends. She snuck a peek at his face, feeling a certain amount of satisfaction to recognize definite signs of anguish on the lean features. And the look in the brown eyes … a lost puppy dog had nothing on him. She felt herself soften a bit.

"I suppose," she conceded grudgingly at last, squelching the impulse to say 'let's forget it'. If their relationship was to have any chance at all to survive, they needed to have this out, no matter how difficult it was for either of them. And dear lord, how she hoped they would succeed! "You've got your five minutes. But it had better be good."

He ran a hand under his ponytail, massaging his neck. "I don't know if it's going to be 'good', exactly," he mumbled, "or if that's time enough, but I'll try." He'd rehearsed a speech all the way to the Hillards' house, but now that the moment had come to deliver it, the words just wouldn't come. If only Kat's normally sweet face didn't look so forbidding! But it was his own fault. So, Tommy gulped down his anxiety and guilt and tried to organize his thoughts.

"Kat … when I came out of Jason's room and you tried to comfort me, I wasn't 'rejecting' you. I'd never do that. I just knew that … that if I let you – or anyone, really – get close to me, I was going to lose it. And I didn't think I could afford to. I needed to be, well, strong, I suppose," he said haltingly.

"Tommy, you're not Superman," Kat said exasperatedly. "For heaven's sake, we all know how close you and Jason are; nobody would've held it against you if the strain of the situation was too much for you! Least of all me! You don't have to be strong all the time!"

She was right, of course, but for that, he actually had an argument. "You're a very pretty girl," he said softly. "You don't need fancy clothes or makeup for anyone to see that. Why do you still dress up and stuff when we go out?"

Kat looked at him strangely. It was a most unexpected question, and the answer seemed so obvious … She gave it a moment's thought, though, then answered. "Because I … well, I guess it's because I'm going out with you; I want to make an extra effort … oh."

He grinned fleetingly, wryly. "Exactly."

She frowned. "Okay, I can accept that, I suppose. But why then – when you saw Kim, you didn't even think twice. You just went to her and broke down. And it didn't matter at all that everybody could see it, either. Why didn't you have to be strong for her?"

"I wish I knew," he sighed. "And I've been trying to figure that out ever since. Didn't have a lot of success, but … anyway, I … I suppose it's because she's already seen me at my worst – when I lost the Green Ranger Powers for good, the second time. I can't remember ever feeling so low. And Kim didn't mind, she stayed with me through it all, never criticized or anything …"

"And you think I wouldn't have, is that it? Do you really think so little of me? And have you any idea how that makes me feel?!?"

Oh damn, he was going about this all wrong! Tommy shook his head, denying her accusation.

"No, of course not. I know you would have been there, too; I know you're not like that," he hastened to assure the lovely blonde. His lips quirked. "And I think that you most likely felt pretty rotten."

"That's putting it mildly," Kat grumbled, giving him a baleful look. *Understatement of the century, Tommy Oliver!*

"I'm really, really sorry about that," Tommy repeated, cringing involuntarily. He hated receiving such looks – from experience, both with his mother and Kimberly; they usually indicated that he'd screwed up royally. *Guess I have, at that. Aw man!* "Only, Kat … please believe me, I didn't do it on purpose. I care way too much about you to ever want to cause you pain!"

"Well, you did!"

"Yes."

His quiet admission and assumption of responsibility did much to soften Kat's disposition towards him. Still, she wasn't ready to forgive him yet. But she did sit down on the couch, looking steadily at her boyfriend, waiting. After a moment, Tommy sat down, too – but at a slight gesture from Kat, he left most of the seat's width between them.

Tommy realized that he had to come clean once and for all; he didn't relish the prospect, but after what he'd put her through, Kat deserved the whole truth. He only hoped that their relationship would survive his confession.

"Kat … I've thought pretty hard about what happened, about how I reacted at the hospital," he began. "As I said, I didn't turn to Kim deliberately. It was … a kind of instinct, I guess. I've asked myself since why that's so, and I had to realize that despite all that time, despite that letter she sent me, I still wasn't completely over her. I just thought I was," he murmured haltingly.

Katherine felt her breath catch and she blanched. Did that mean Tommy was still in love with Kimberly? At that moment, her worst fears seemed to manifest. Tears rushed to her eyes and beaded her lashes.

"D-do you mean to tell me you're still in l-love with h-her?" she stammered.

Discomfited, Tommy closed his eyes. He knew this would hurt her. "I guess," he admitted softly. "A little, anyway." He winced when he heard Kat moan softly in acute pain, but didn't dare look at her. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the carpet at his feet.

Kat fought not to cry. But her voice was unsteady as she posed the question she didn't want to ask – the one with the answer she feared most.

"Does that mean you've come to break up with me?" she whispered. "Is that what you want to talk about?"

At that, Tommy's head snapped up. He took in the pale cheeks, the rosy lips which quivered despite Kat's best effort, and the tiny liquid diamond drops coursing down her face. Everything in him demanded he hug her right now, but he'd lost the right to do so. *Only for now, I hope! Please!* Restraining himself with difficulty, he kept his distance.

"Not unless you want it," he replied, equally softly.

That was not what she'd expected, and Kat felt her heavy heart do a sudden leap of renewed hope. "I … I don't understand." *He's NOT breaking up with me? Thank You, God!*

Tommy inhaled deeply. "Kat … when I met Kim, it was practically love at first sight. I never questioned what I felt or her, it just was, and boy, it sure felt great. All the time. I'd even started to hope it was going to be forever." Kat winced, but Tommy was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice. "When she dumped me … it felt as if my whole world had crashed around me. I honestly don't know what I would've done if you and Billy hadn't been there for me. Did I ever thank you for being such a great friend, by the way? Because you were – are, and I'd hate to think I never thanked you," he interrupted himself.

"I think so," Kat murmured. "Doesn't matter." He hadn't, not in so many words, but that was irrelevant now. She wanted to know how he felt about her, not Kimberly!

"It does, too, but … anyway, after I got over the first shock, I tried to forget her, to let go … and I honestly believed I had. I didn't know I was only kidding myself."

It hurt, but Kat had to concede that she couldn't blame Tommy for that. Heart and mind were funny things, especially when things like hurt pride and non-comprehension were added. She also believed that Tommy was being truthful about not realizing his state of mind at the time. He just wasn't deceitful by nature, and although her heart ached, she was pretty certain that he hadn't used her in any way. Still, she had a need and a right to know …

"Why did you ask me out in the first place, anyway?" she wanted to know. "I mean, it was long enough after the letter that you ought to have had time to sort through your feelings."

He shrugged. "I thought I had. But – you really don't know why I asked you out?"

She looked away. "I thought I did. Now, I'm not sure anymore." A very faint blush crept over her features as she remembered his endearing shyness when he'd first asked her to the luau at the Beach Club that went so disastrously wrong, his solicitousness when they went to the movies the next day, the gentlemanly behaviour when all she'd longed for was a good-night kiss ... That had happened five dates later at last, and it had been a dream come true for her, especially after having to wait so long.

Seeing the trace of color return to her face made Tommy bold enough to scoot a little closer and take one of Kat's slim hands in his. Her fingers were cold to his touch, and he began to rub them gently, trying to warm them again.

"I asked you out because I'd grown to like you a lot," he said softly. "I may be pretty dense at times about a lot of things, but I could hardly not notice how hard you tried to cheer me up, how you did all sorts of little things for me, how you always tried to be there for me … and I really appreciated that. Still do. Besides, you're a wonderful person – talented, bright, a great Pink Ranger … not to mention one of the prettiest girls I know," he added.

Kat blushed. Tommy wasn't exactly stingy with compliments, always telling her she looked nice or when she'd done well at something, but a list like that … he'd never given her so much praise before!

"Really?"

*Geeze, girl, you sound like you're twelve and just got a smile from the school hunk in the hallway!* Kat frowned at the eagerness in her voice, hoping Tommy hadn't detected it.

"Of course," Tommy said matter-of-factly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He gently squeezed her hand, sensing that somehow, though, it wasn't enough. Well, he'd wanted to tell her something else before, anyway. Now, if ever, was the time.

"Kat … I dunno if you realize this, but … in all the time I've been with Kim, I've never even looked at another girl. Not until I met you, that is." She couldn't help raising a sceptical eyebrow, and he chuckled sheepishly, blushing a little. "Well, okay, I did look a couple of times, but that's all it was – looking. Sure, I noticed when a girl was pretty, but it was more like, um, seeing a pretty flower or something. Part of the scenery, so to speak. Somehow, I didn't care how attractive or charming another girl was; all that mattered was Kim. Then, I met you at the Youth Center. And for the first time, I noticed such a girl was flirting with me … and I didn't mind."

"Rita made me do that," Kat mumbled, embarrassed even after all this time. It had been so unlike her to come on to a guy the way she'd done! She snatched her hand back from Tommy's wonderful touch, as if even that slight contact was too much.

Tommy smiled. "I know that now, but not then – anyway, whatever the reason, I kinda liked the way it made me feel. You made me feel. Of course, I'd never have done anything behind Kimberly's back, but … it sure felt great!"

"Oh." Kat was beginning to feel rather great, too – hearing Tommy say that he found her attractive and charming did wonders for her bruised feelings. However, there was still the question of Tommy's current emotional involvement.

*Is it me, or her? I've GOT to know!*

"But what about you and Kim now?" she asked diffidently, her heart in her eyes. Which she tried to hide by gazing intently at her hands – so tightly clasped together that the knuckles showed white under her skin. "Do you … do you still want to get back together with her?"

It was Tommy's turn to look away. "Even if I did, it's no use," he replied slowly. "Kim and I had a talk the other day, just before she went back to Florida … the one we should have had instead of that stupid letter. She really has another boyfriend now." This was not the moment to tell Kat that at the time it had been a lie. "It's truly over between us."

The murmur of 'maybe' in his heart was ignored.

Kat felt her spirit soar. If Kim really was out of the picture, maybe she had a genuine chance for happiness with Tommy after all – without the shadow of her predecessor looming in the background.

"And now? What do you want to do now?" she asked. At his questioning look, she elaborated. "What I want to know is – what does that mean for us, Tommy? What am I to you? Am I just a substitute for Kimberly because you can't have her, or what?"

"Never that," he answered very seriously. "Kat … I care way too much about you for you to ever be a substitute for anything or anybody."

It wasn't a glowing declaration of love – not by a long shot. Deep down, Kat had hoped …

"You … care?"

Tommy had the grace to wince as he realized how lame the word sounded. But he couldn't be anything but completely honest.

"Yes. I'm not making you any promises, Kat. I can't, and I won't. I'd hoped for promises from Kim, and got my heart broken in the process. I really wish I could offer you more. I'm hoping I'll be able to in time – if you're willing to give me a chance. But I need a little more time to sort everything out in my head."

"I guess I can understand that," Kat said reluctantly. If what he said was true, the final breakup with Kimberly had occurred only days before. And confronting her almost certainly had opened the wound of her leaving afresh. *Why the heck am I making excuses for him?!? He's the one who hurt ME!* She tried to summon back her righteous anger, but Kat knew her heart wasn't really in it anymore. She already had forgiven Tommy – more or less. However, that wasn't going to get him off the hook. He was going to tell her where they stood, or else. With that thought fixed firmly into her mind, she turned her attention back to her boyfriend, who was still talking.

"But I'd like to try again with you … if you can find it in you to forgive me for hurting you, if you can give me the space I need right now and if you can wait for me," he finished in a rush, holding his breath. How would Kat react?

Kat thought about this proposal. "That's an awful lot of ifs," she mused, faint disappointment audible in her voice. As much as she wanted to deny it, she was too much in love with him not to grant him this favor – which was a rather sensible request in any case. Tommy sighed, rubbing the back of his neck once more.

"I know. I'm sorry. But it's the best I can do right now."

Tommy looked and sounded so contrite, and as miserable as she'd ever hoped he would, that Kat felt her resistance wane. It would take time for her as well to forget the kind of pain he'd caused her. She also realized with some surprise as she tried to read his true feelings in the chocolate-colored eyes that he'd never been so open and frank about his emotions before. It was a development she'd unconsciously waited for all the months they'd been dating – a willingness to share what was in his heart. Not the face he showed to everybody, but something special between just the two of them. *Well, maybe Jason, too. But I can live with that.* Even if it wasn't quite what she'd wanted to hear … it was a step in the right direction.

The question was, was she equally willing to take that step along with Tommy?

Kat's mind urged caution. Her heart cried yes.

As she'd suspected all along that it would, her heart won. Resignedly, but not at all unhappy, Kat let a tiny smile creep into her eyes.

"Your best usually is pretty good," she murmured, lowering her lashes. She wasn't going to make it that easy for Tommy. *Let him squirm a little. He deserves to!*

Tommy seized on the vague comment eagerly. "Does that mean you give me a chance?"

Sending a quick prayer to the skies, Kat drew a deep breath. Time to make her choice, for better or worse.

"A last one," she conceded. "But if you ever hurt me like this again …"

"I'll deserve to be shot," Tommy agreed with gratifying alacrity, his expression lightening up considerably. He was almost giddy with relief – he wasn't going to lose Kat! Now that the danger of that happening was apparently past, he could admit in the privacy of his own mind how much the mere thought had terrified him. Especially on top of having almost lost Jason, and having finally to let go of his first love. He sought to hide his reaction in a bit of silly banter. "Or hanged, drawn and quartered, put on the rack …"

Kat had to giggle involuntarily. "I'll think of something suitably medieval," she promised/threatened gravely. "I'm sure Tanya would love to help, too!" The Yellow Ranger had quickly gained a reputation for not getting mad, but getting even – and the guys knew it.

"Not Tanya! Help!" Tommy shuddered melodramatically, smiling broadly when Kat couldn't suppress a small, delighted laugh. He dared reach out and drew Kat towards him, so that their knees touched on the couch. To his joy, she didn't resist. Gently, he tucked a strand of silky blonde hair behind a delicate ear.

Looking deep into her eyes, he gave in to a sudden impulse. It wasn't really like him, but it felt right. "I love it when you smile," he whispered. "Your eyes shine just so …" Kimberly's eyes had sparkled, but that was a memory best forgotten. Tommy shook his head at himself. Luckily for him, the small gesture came across as bemusement, and nothing else. Kat deserved better than that from him, and he vowed that from now on, there would be no more comparisons between her and Kim. No matter how great the temptation.

Kat had no idea where the romantic comment had come from, it was unexpected to say the least, but it served to make the last bit of reserve melt.

"Thank you," she murmured, feeling her face heat up with pleasure. She reached out in turn, cautiously trailing her fingertips down a lean cheek. She gasped softly when Tommy turned his head, captured her hand in his and kissed it.

"No, thank you," he replied softly. Then, he smiled. "I know I said no promises, but … Kat, I will promise you this: I'll give what we have my best shot. I don't want to lose you, and I'll never be able to make it up to you that you're not giving up on us."

"I care too much about you to do that, Tommy," Kat admitted. "That's why you were able to hurt me in the first place, and that's why I'm not letting you go. Not without a fight, anyway."

"And the Pink Ranger has always been a good fighter," Tommy nodded, accepting the unspoken challenge. What she could do, he could as well. He hoped.

He leaned back against the couch then, pulling an unresisting Kat into his arms. She rested securely against his shoulder and threaded her arm around his waist. The two sat like that for a while, letting the rest of their stormy emotions settle down once and for all. Only when both felt at peace and their hearts beat in unison did Tommy tip Kat's chin up and looked a question into the sapphire eyes. She nodded minutely, and he lowered his head.

Soft as butterfly wings, their lips met, sealing a bargain that wasn't quite a promise. But it was forgiveness. Another chance. At hope, and at love.

~*~

Jason moved slowly around his hospital room, packing his bag. The breakfast trays had just been removed, he'd had a final check-up by Dr. Jenkins, and he was going to be released at 11 o'clock. His mother had promised to come by early and do the packing for him, but after days in bed, not allowed the slightest bit of exertion, he was sick of being waited on, of being treated like an invalid, like he had no mind or will of his own. In short, he was sick of being sick. So, he did what he could, even if it took him an hour and his leg hurt abominably with every step. He was just coming out of the bathroom, his shaving kit in hand, when the door to his room opened slowly.

Jason raised a curious eyebrow; who could that be? His friends had all promised to drop by his house for a farewell party tonight before he left for that rehab place in Montana tomorrow, it was too early for his folks, and he didn't expect any other visitors. A dark head with shoulder-length hair poked inside, and to his considerable surprise, Jason recognized David.

"Well, hello," he said, dropping his toiletries on top of the bag as he limped to the bed. "Look what the cat dragged in!"

Drawing himself up to his full height, David froze into an offended posture, and Jason would have bitten off his unruly tongue if he hadn't feared they'd keep him here even longer if he did.

"I wasn't dragged here," David huffed. "I'm here of my own free will." And prompted by a still somewhat guilty conscience and Sam's strong recommendation he should mend his fences, but Jason didn't need to know that, did he?

"Sorry," Jason grinned. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Good morning, and come on in."

Visibly controlling his temper, David did just that, closing the door behind him.

"Good morning," he replied stiffly. He stood rooted to the spot, however, just staring at Jason. He looked worlds better than the last time he'd seen him out in the desert, even if he was paler than usual and moved with exaggerated caution. Jason gestured to a chair, but David didn't move. Jason huffed exasperatedly.

"Will you sit down already? I'm trying to be polite here, and as long as you're standing, I can't do anything else, either, and frankly, my leg hurts too damn much to stay upright much longer!"

Oh. That made sense. Still, David couldn't help glare at the other young man as he lowered himself into the plastic seat. He'd come here to make peace with Jason if he could, and what happened? Within a minute of laying eyes on each other, they were squabbling again. *Maybe we're just not meant to be in the same room. Town. Country. Whatever.* How, though, could he explain that to his brother? David's thoughts were interrupted when with a sigh of relief, Jason plopped onto the bed and with a hiss/groan stretched out his injured leg onto a bolster, elevating the foot.

"Don't tell anybody, but this feels really good," he murmured. Strangely enough, this tiny attempt at boyish conspiracy washed away a great deal of David's irritation.

"Why were you up and around, anyway?" he asked, curious despite himself.

"Packing," Jason replied succinctly. "I'm blowing this joint in –" he glanced at his watch, " – exactly one hour and twenty-three minutes. I want to be ready the minute I can go. No way am I letting anybody keep me around just because my stuff isn't packed!"

David could relate to that with no problem whatsoever.

"But surely your mother would help …"

"Yeah, but I don't want her to," Jason interrupted. "I can do for myself. I'm not a baby, nor at death's door."

It was strange to find himself so in accord with someone he considered his nemesis, but there he was – finding himself agreeing inwardly with every word Jason said. David hated to be fussed over, too. And while Helen Scott had struck him as a very sensible person, she was also a mother who had nearly lost her only son. Of course she would be a little overprotective.

"Well, you aren't anymore now," he said a little lamely, not quite knowing how to react.

Which reminded Jason of something.

"Right – thanks to you," he smiled. "If you hadn't brought the antivenom, I'd be pushing up daisies already. Thanks, man." His sincerity was obvious.

David looked away, embarrassed. "Yeah, well, that made things almost worse," he mumbled.

"Not your fault, you couldn't have known," Jason shot right back, reiterating what his friends and family had already stated. "Hell, I didn't know myself I was allergic. But the doc tells me that without that shot you gave me I'd have died for sure, or at the least sustained damage to my kidneys and whatnot."

It was weird, but hearing it from Jason himself made David believe at last. He felt a weight he hadn't known he was still carrying lift off his shoulders. And yet, he protested.

"But …"

"Stop arguing already! Hasn't your foster father told you it's impolite to contradict someone who's trying to say thanks?" Jason demanded to know, hiding his grin. He'd encountered that type of behaviour before, from two of the most stubborn and mule-headed people it had ever been his pleasure to know. David was even more fun to tease than Billy – and neither had anything on Tommy, when it came to feeling guilty over something. Jason blithely ignored his own strong tendency to do just that as well.

"I, uh … er …" Confused, David looked at Jason. This conversation wasn't going the way it was supposed to at all! He was trying to apologize for endangering the guy's life, maybe even admit that he'd been just a tad wrong about the way he'd thought Jason was usurping his place, and he … he was teasing him?!?

*I KNOW my name isn't Alice; why do I feel as if I've just stepped through the looking glass?*

Banishing his whimsical thought, David assumed a resigned expression. On the way to the hospital he'd laid out a mental game plan of this encounter, having thought out the most likely sequence of events in advance. Jason was supposed to listen seriously to David's attempt at an explanation/apology, accept it in an effort to please Tommy, and both would then go their merry ways, agreeing to spend as little time as possible in each other's company. Only problem was, Jason wasn't playing.

*Damn him anyway!*

That was a way-too-familiar thought. Better not go there.

"Oh, okay. If you insist," David said gruffly.

"I do," Jason replied, disgustingly cheerful. Then, his deep voice grew suddenly serious. "And while we're on the topic of being polite, I'd like to apologize to you. I didn't realize at the time that Tommy and I were being inconsiderate of you in making you pick me up, or that we didn't make enough of an effort to include you in our conversations. I'm sorry about that; I'll try not to make that mistake again."

It was so much like what David had wanted to say, he felt as if someone had pricked him and all the air was escaping from his body. Furthermore, it took him completely by surprise. Jason was apologizing to him? That was not in the scenario he'd envisioned at all. What's more, it took all the steam out of his own apology. David knew that he couldn't hope to say what he had to with the same easy graciousness and sincerity that Jason had just demonstrated. Even on such a slight acquaintance as they had, it was unmistakeable that he'd meant every word.

*It's going to look as if I'm apologizing just because he did!*

"Damn you, you're doing it again!" he exclaimed, suddenly angry. "Why do you always have to show me up? Can't you let someone else be first, for a change? Do you have to be so fucking perfect all the time?!?"

Thoroughly taken aback by the unexpected outburst, Jason felt his jaw drop. Here he thought he was going to have a fight-free conversation with Tommy's brother for once, and David was harping on all the old, ridiculous stuff again?!? Where did he get that from, anyway? *Me, perfect? Yeah, right. I'd laugh if it weren't so idiotic!* However, he managed to collect his wits reasonably fast.

"Whoa, whoa, time out," he interrupted David, forming a T with his hands. "What the hell are you talking about? I wasn't trying to show you up, and I'm certainly not perfect," he snorted. "Whatever or whoever gave you that idea, anyway? All I was doing was try and apologize for being something of a jerk towards you!"

Guiltily aware that Jason was right, that his damnable temper had been too quick to take offense at what he feared was only an imaginary insult, David looked at the floor. He didn't know himself what had made him lash out again, only that having Jason apologize first made him feel thwarted. Inferior, somehow. And he didn't like that feeling one bit.

Neither did he enjoy having his own as-yet unspoken apology hovering over his head.

"That's what I was going to do," he mumbled in a surly voice, still not meeting Jason's eyes.

*Uh huh. Sure you were.* Rolling his eyes, Jason cranked up the bed's headrest with the remote control and lay back against his pillow. "Well, why haven't you?" he asked. "Nobody's stopping you!" *Jerk!*

Kicking himself for it, wishing he could recall the words the second they left his mouth, David nonetheless couldn't hold them back.

"I wanted to say it first."

~*~

The plaintive comment caught Jason unawares, and he looked sharply at David. Really looked at him. And for the first time, he was able to see past the overt hostility and standoffishness to the man underneath. What he saw was someone who was embarrassed, angry, confused, uncomfortable … a little bit of everything, really. That rearranged his perception of his visitor rather radically in the space of a few heartbeats. David wasn't an arrogant prick after all; it was just a defense mechanism for his insecurities. And a cover for his loneliness.

In that instant of clarity, Jason was reminded of both Billy and Tommy, in the early days of his friendship with either of them. Billy had been painfully shy, all too aware of his awkwardness in social situations, and unconsciously arrogant about his undeniably superior intellect. Tommy, on the other hand, was guilt-ridden about his time as Rita's Evil Ranger, unused to having friends – and just couldn't seem to grasp that the Rangers didn't hold his time under the spell against him. Both, in their own ways, had pretended not to care, had rebuffed overtures of friendship, and it had taken the concerted efforts of all four (or in Tommy's case, five) of them to crack through their shells. It had been worth it.

*Boy, has it ever!*

~*~

Jason's first impulse was to laugh, but he suspected correctly that David would take instant offense if he did. Where his friends would clearly see the humor in the little-boy-like complaint and join him, he just wasn't close enough to David to pull it off. And the very last he wanted was to widen the rift between them – if only for Tommy's sake. His best friend should not have to choose sides between him and his brother – and Jason knew that David agreed with him on that, at least.

*Both of us might wish Tommy likes one better than the other, but it's not fair to HIM. And I didn't ignore all the little barbs on our trek for nothing!*

So, instead of giving in to his mirth, Jason eyed David speculatively, waiting for him to look up. When he finally did, he hid every trace of a smile and spoke very quietly.

"So that's what it's all about, is it?"

David stared at him suspiciously. "That's about what?"

Jason snorted lightly. "You want to be first in something. Unique. Special. Most of all with your brother." He fiddled with the drawstring of his sweatpants, unable all of a sudden to hold the look. "Guess what? I can understand that. Much better than you probably imagine."

"Yeah, right," David scoffed. "When have you ever not been popular, or gotten what you wanted?"

"Often enough. You think it's always easy, trying to be a 'good' kid? You should have heard some of the names I've been called because I didn't cut class, tried to keep my grades up and preferred to study rather than hang out at the mall or wherever … on the football team, I was laughed at because I wouldn't drink. Just recently, I lost my girlfriend because I wouldn't do 'recreational' drugs or sleep with her unprotected. I know I disappointed my Dad when I told him I wasn't interested in joining his business. And never mind the phase I had at thirteen – bad skin, greasy hair, a weight problem, the works – my sensei had to kick me out of the dojo for a few weeks until I adjusted my attitude, let Mom take me to a nutritionist and Kim dragged me shopping with her." Jason made a face at the memory, showing half amusement, half chagrin. "Sure, compared to some other kids I may have had it easy, but it certainly wasn't all sweetness and light, either."

He knew he was veering off on a tangent that had very little to do with the basic problem, but he was feeling a certain need to justify himself before David. "If it hadn't been for the discipline I learned in karate or the support my friends have always given me, I don't know how I could have gotten through it without lashing out at something or somebody sometimes."

David looked surprised. What Jason had just told him could have been taken from his own life – during that time in his early adolescence when he'd attended an off-reservation school. Sam had made so many sacrifices to give him a chance at a brighter future! Only, he had had to put up with prejudice and racial slurs as well because of his Native American heritage. Not knowing how else to deal with it, he'd gotten into fights more than once. Jason hadn't had to suffer through that, true, but he certainly couldn't blame Jason for not belonging to a minority. In any case, after a year he'd begged Sam to let him come home, choosing the simpler education and familiar surroundings available on the Reservation over the chance at a college scholarship.

Only days ago, the realization that Jason had toughed it out when he hadn't would have caused another burst of intense jealousy. Now, however, David began to feel a connection to his brother's friend for the very first time. Which was a minor miracle, all things considered. Thoughtfully, he nodded.

"I wish I had friends like that."

Jason smiled. "Yeah, they're the best."

Both young men were silent for a few minutes, Jason mentally reliving a few instances when his friends had helped him over this or that particularly rough spot, and David musing over the gradual shifting of attitude towards him he could feel happening in his mind. Why had he ever just assumed that Jason had things handed to him on a silver platter? Sure, Tommy had praised his best friend to the skies often enough, but he had never actually said how Jason's circumstances were, or how he had become the person he was today.

*I've jumped to conclusions because I was jealous. I didn't WANT to admit that the guy Tommy is so fond of might actually be someone worth knowing. And I couldn't see Jason's qualities because I deliberately closed my eyes where he was concerned. What does that say about me?* Newly disgusted with himself, David ran both hands through his hair in a gesture very reminiscent of Tommy. *I'm a self-centered jerk. Well, I can do something about THAT, at least.*

David exhaled gustily. He may not have been able to apologize first, but he could be the first to offer an explanation for his unfriendly attitude. Still, he found he couldn't come straight out and say it; he had to do it in a roundabout fashion.

Jason was startled out of his reverie when David cleared his throat a bit awkwardly and began to talk in an offhand, almost casual manner.

"You know … one of the reasons I kind of hated you sight-unseen was that Tommy has this habit of talking about you as if you're the Dalai Lama, Bruce Lee, Abe Lincoln, Neil Armstrong and Robert Redford all rolled into one," he said. "No matter what I did, said or showed him, you had done it before. Usually better, faster, and more often, too. How was I supposed to ever measure up to such a paragon?"

"Ouch," Jason winced. "Yeah, I can see how that would irritate you. If I had heard that kind of nonsense about me, I would've hated myself, too. But that's Tommy for you – once he likes somebody, they can do no wrong in his eyes. You should've heard him going on and on and on about Kim, when they first started dating. According to him, she was friggin' perfect. He just forgot that Billy, Zack and I had known her since kindergarten, so we dismissed about 75% of what he said right away and took the rest with a grain of salt." He grinned, his expression suddenly decidedly sheepish. "To tell the truth, I've been told once or twice in Geneva that I should stop holding up my friends back home as examples of perfection and try meeting new people on their own merits. Sound advice, really. It wasn't easy, but once I stopped looking for another Billy or Kim, I did make a few new friends."

"What, you weren't looking for another Tommy?" David wondered, only half joking. He had a feeling he already knew the answer to that.

He was right. Jason shook his head, dark eyes suddenly very, very serious.

"No. Never. What's between me and Tommy … it can't be duplicated. Ever. I dunno how we connected, or why, but right from the start it was as if we'd been friends for years. Well, once he'd got over the urge to kill us, that is," he quipped.

"Yeah, that would tend to put a crimp on things …"

"No kidding."

David shook his head. "Anyway, what I was about to say is this – I didn't even give you half a chance when we met, never mind the circumstances. I didn't want to like you, so I didn't. What I did want was your relationship, your instant, deep rapport with Tommy, and I wanted it right now. And only for myself, too – I didn't want to share. At all. Only, it didn't work out that way. It kinda pissed me off, and that's the reason I let my antipathy take over. It shouldn't have happened. Sorry."

There, it was said. With a sigh of relief, David sat back in his chair. He wondered briefly how Jason would react, but by now was fairly sure that it would not be negatively. He waited for an acknowledgement of some kind – a joke, a plain 'okay', anything, but when nothing was forthcoming, he snuck a peek at Jason. He was still half-reclining on his bed, a pensive expression on his face as he just stared at his visitor. Finding that dark gaze slightly unnerving, David shifted in his seat. At last, unable to stand the continuing silence any longer, he cleared his throat.

"Jason?"

He only blinked. "Hmm?"

"Do you, um, believe I'm sorry?"

To David's surprise, Jason rolled over to lean on one elbow.

"Can I ask you something?" he queried, completely ignoring David's question.

"Huh? Sure," David replied uncertainly. "What is it?"

"When Tommy first mentioned me – what was your reaction? The initial one," Jason said.

David actually had to think about that. What had he felt?

"Curiosity," he finally decided. "When I heard he had a best friend, I wanted to get to know him. It was only later, when it was constantly 'Jason this, Jason that' that I began to dislike you even though we hadn't met yet."

"Were you happy for him?"

"Sure. I mean, I thought I'd lost my little brother along with my parents, and when we finally learned he had survived the car crash it took so long to find out where he was, that he'd been adopted … and the Olivers moved around the country so much … I was glad he had someone at his back at least for the last couple years. If we'd been together I would've looked out for him, but as I wasn't there, I'm glad someone was. Why?"

Jason ignored that admission as well. Instead, he glanced intently at David, as if gauging his sincerity. Apparently satisfied at last with what he saw, he chuckled lightly, but without mirth.

"You want to know what my reaction was?" Not waiting for an answer, he went right ahead. "I had just come home from Geneva. Things were pretty hectic, what with me having to take on the Gold Powers nearly right away, but as soon as we had a minute to breathe, the very first thing Tommy did was tell me about you. He was so excited, so enthusiastic and happy … 'I have a brother! Isn't that great?' were his exact words. I should have been happy with him – for him. Instead … all I could think was, 'Now he doesn't need me anymore'." Jason swallowed hard. Afterward, he'd been thoroughly ashamed of himself, but at the time, the thought had hit him right in the gut. And it had HURT.

David had trouble keeping his jaw in place. This echoed his own innermost feelings so perfectly, it was positively uncanny. And was just about the last thing he'd ever expected to hear – from Jason, anyway. Because, when he brought the idea to its logical conclusion, it meant …

"You were as jealous of my relationship with Tommy as I was of yours with him!"

"Yeah," Jason admitted softly, squirming and blushing. "Of course, once I was over the first surprise and had time to look at things rationally, I realized that I was doing Tommy an injustice – he's not the kind of guy who drops his friends just because someone new has come along. I really should have known better. But I couldn't help myself."

It boggled the mind. David had believed that the differences between him and Jason were nearly insurmountable, competing as they were (however subtly) for Tommy's affections. Instead, they were both coming to the realization that where the Red Ranger was concerned, they really weren't coming from such different positions after all. That made it much easier to dig a little deeper.

"I don't get it. Why would you be jealous of me? I mean, you both live in the same place, you see each other every day – or used to, anyway, until Tommy took up racing, you even were Rangers together … whereas I live out in the boonies and really have very little in common with him, all things considered. I couldn't live in Tommy's world – trust me, I've tried, and it didn't work out – and he's made it pretty clear that he has no plans to join me on the Rez."

Jason sighed. It had taken him hours of introspection to come up with an explanation that covered most of the facts and clarified his feelings … and he wasn't really the introspective type. But he'd had more than enough time when he was recuperating from losing the Gold Powers, and now he at least understood himself a little better. Which did not mean he particularly liked what he'd found out. Haltingly, he began to explain.

"It's pretty simple, really. I've always wanted to have a brother. Apart from the fact that Mom couldn't have any more children after me, it was also this – I didn't want an older or a kid brother, I wanted a twin. Someone my own age. When Tommy moved here and we just sorta clicked, it was as if that old dream had finally come true. We are as close as ay brothers I've ever seen. Only … deep down, at the farthest back of my mind, I always know that we aren't. Not really. We're just friends."

"About the best friends anybody has ever seen, or so your friends say," David interjected, fascinated.

"True, and I'm certainly not dissing that. Tommy really is the best friend I could wish for. And I know it'll last, too. For both of us."

"Then what's the problem?" His puzzlement showed clearly in David's eyes.

Jason grinned wryly. His recent ordeal had brought his secret fear poignantly to the fore. A sweeping gesture indicated his room, the hospital, the events which had brought him here.

"This, for example. I know Tommy was with me as often as he could, because my folks like him and accept him as part of me. They knew I'd want him close by. But what if they didn't? Or if they hadn't been around? There would have been no way Tommy would have been able to see me, at least not while I was out of it. What if it had been him instead of me? His parents kinda like me, too, but I'm not part of his family. Not the way my Mom and Dad consider him part of ours. I just wouldn't have had the right to stay at his side, no matter how much we wanted that."

That was true. In situations like this, only family were given access to critically-ill patients. Jason's next words clearly expressed his indignation at that custom, and his sadness that he could do nothing to change it.

"I'm not family. You are. If worse comes to worst, you'd even have the right to keep me completely away from Tommy, if he were ever seriously ill. Because you're his real brother, and I'm 'just' his friend. No matter that we're closer than most everybody, in a case like that I'd have to stay away. Even if he needed me. And that would just about kill me."

The last sentence was spoken in a rough whisper, which made it all the more believable to David. He'd seen first-hand the devotion his brother had for Jason, and by now there was no more doubt in his mind that it was returned in equal measure. At that moment, if it had been in his power, he'd have offered to share his relationship. But it wasn't, and so all that was left for him to say was a murmured "I'm sorry."

Jason shrugged. "Yeah well. Nothing to be done about it. I'll just have to learn to live with it. But I'd give an arm and a leg to be in your shoes."

David snorted at the irony.

"Funny. So would I."

~*~

The two stared at each other for a small eternity, then both started to grin reluctantly. Seeing their own reaction mirrored on the other's face let the grins grow into chuckles, then rueful laughter. It died down soon, though.

David was the first to sober up again. He stretched his long legs, working a few kinks out of his shoulders as he shifted in the chair. He hadn't even noticed how tense he'd been! But it seemed as if he was relaxing all over, now that the air between him and Jason had been cleared. A quick glance towards the bed confirmed that Jason, too, was shaking muscles loose as best he could while still lying down. Eventually, they were both done and shrugged sheepishly.

"Guess we have a lot more in common than we thought," Jason murmured at last. He wasn't sure why, but he found the idea strangely comforting. He didn't like being so at odds with someone as he and David had been.

"Yeah. Feels kinda strange, doesn't it?" David's grin was wry.

That surprised a short laugh out of Jason. "Does it ever!" But it was a good feeling nonetheless. For both of them.

There followed another brief silence, this time terminated by David.

"So where does that leave us?"

"What do you mean?"

"What are we going to do now? I mean, I'm glad we managed to apologize and explain things and all, but to be perfectly honest, I don't have any burning desire to buddy up with you."

"Me neither." Jason wasn't averse to forming new friendships, or even to adding David to his circle of friends eventually, but after the rocky start they'd had, he knew it wasn't going to be easy. *After all, David may look a lot like Tommy, but he's nothing like him. At all.* But it was definitely something to look forward to, if it should ever come to pass. If not … well, they'd just remain casual acquaintances.

"So?" David asked.

Jason replied slowly, formulating his thoughts as he went along. "So … I guess we agree to a truce of sorts. After all, even when we had that fight at sunup, we both wanted to keep Tommy out of it. I'm pretty sure I can be civil to you around him; it's not as if we have to live with each other day in and day out, is it?"

"Nah. And I can be civil if you can." David displayed just a hint of smug superiority in his reply. After all, he was older, and supposedly more mature than the barely-legal Jason.

"You bet your ass I can!"

The not-so-faint challenge in Jason's voice and eyes made David's hackles rise once more, despite his best intentions not to let himself be baited by anything he might do or say.

*And here I thought we were about to make a truce! Right. More like a cease-fire at best!*

"Whatever."

He suppressed the impulse to add a nasty remark. If this thing between Jason and him should have a chance to work at all, they both better stop needling each other. And it was easier to resist temptation if it was as far out of reach as possible. Jason quite obviously couldn't leave; he was waiting to be officially released from hospital. Ergo, it was up to him. Without another word, David heaved himself to his feet and took a few steps towards the door. His hand already on the doorknob, he turned once more to face an equally mute Jason.

"So we're agreed then? We both try to be polite?"

Jason nodded decisively. "Yeah."

"Good." David opened the door, but just before he went into the hallway, he glanced back again. There was one thing he just had to say. Even if it wasn't entirely true anymore.

"You know … just because we both care about Tommy and found out we have stuff in common after all … I still don't really like you all that much!"

Jason frowned briefly, then he recognized the not-quite-teasing glint in David's eyes. His own lit up with almost unholy glee. *So that's the way you want to play this? Okaaaaaaay …* He chuckled.

"Right. And I still think you're an idiot and an asshole for even thinking I was trying to push you away from Tommy. Guess that makes us even – doesn't it?"

"For now." Nodding a brief farewell, David departed without further ado, leaving a be- and amused Jason behind.

~~***~~

Months later

"... and this is all, people. The Falcon's Pass Nature Reserve will open as planned tomorrow!"

Applause branded up in the Reservation's Assembly Hall as Douglas Rainsinger, the Tribe's attorney and official spokesperson, closed the thick folder he'd brought. It had taken a lot of hard work on everyone's part, the amount of governmental red tape had been enormous and there had been inevitable delays beyond everyone's control – like the nearly-unprecedented week of heavy rainfall which had only ended in the early hours of the morning – but the Big Day had come at last.

Now, everyone was justifiably excited and psyched; if Falcon's Pass was a success, it would mean financial security and a lot of prestige for the whole Tribe.

The audience slowly dispersed, chattering excitedly and making last-minute plans for the next day. There was to be a grand opening ceremony, with representatives from several Native American nations, as well as officials from the neighboring towns, the state's Educational Board, a number of environmental groups, the Forest Ranger service … even the Governor had promised to drop in for a brief visit.

TV crews were milling around, filming and interviewing everything and everyone who would hold still for just a minute, but the publicity for once was welcomed; after all, the project was supposed to benefit a lot of people, aside from preserving the area.

Small groups stood here and there, talking, laughing, arranging car pools and whatnot. David, Tommy and Jason waited a while for Sam to join them, but the old shaman was talking earnestly to Mr. Rainsinger, with two other Elders listening intently.

"I think this is gonna take a while," Tommy commented at last. "Dave, why don't we just leave word with someone and go ahead? I'm starving!"

"Uh-oh," Jason quipped. "In that case, we better hurry. Never get between Tommy and free food!"

David grinned at his brother as the three young men wended their way through the crowd towards the exit. "I thought Rocky was the bottomless pit among you guys?"

"He is," Jason said drily. "But that doesn't mean that Tommy can't give him a run for his money when he feels like it."

"Like you aren't drooling over the thought of Mrs. Sundancer's brownies?"

Jason looked extremely pious. "I'm not."

David snorted. "Right. But only because she's given you a whole tin just before the assembly started. I saw that."

Jason didn't even try to hide his smug grin. "What can I say? She likes me!"

"Wonder why," David muttered under his breath, dodging Jason's elbow jab with a quick feint. A faint smile quirked his lips, showing that his remark had been meant exactly as serious as Jason's retaliation. Meaning, not at all. He inadvertently bumped into an older man standing right behind him, who gave David a disapproving look. "Sorry!"

Jason just laughed and quickened his pace, being the first to step outside into the warm evening. The big party was going to be the next night, but there was still food aplenty to sample for everybody involved in the planning. David and Tommy followed, and together they walked to the central village square.

Tommy was feeling especially good; he had managed to get the weekend off from his rather hectic racing schedule, and he always enjoyed spending time with his brother and best friend – especially now that the hatchet between them had been buried. Well … except for the bickering, of course. He shook his head, listening to the two argue amiably.

~*~

When Jason had returned from physiotherapy, Tommy had deliberately invited him and David to his birthday. The two had been polite but distant at first, but at least the tension that had spoiled large parts of their ill-fated camping trip had been absent. They were both making an effort for Tommy's sake, and as a result managed to keep the atmosphere relatively easy among them.

At one point, conversation had turned to the plans for Falcon's Pass Nature Reserve, and Jason, who had been interested in the project right from the start, offered quite casually to call up several environmental agencies he'd come in contact with in Switzerland.

"Not that you couldn't do it yourselves, I know, but I've met a few of the national representatives personally, and trust me – even with them, Vitamin C counts!"

"Vitamin C?" David had asked confusedly.

Jason had just grinned and shrugged. "C as in connections."

"Oh."

"Hey, I have them, you need them – why not use 'em?"

David hadn't liked the idea of being obligated in any way to Jason, but he knew the other was right; so, for the sake of the project, he'd agreed to let him help. And it had helped. Before he knew how it happened, Jason was hip-deep involved in the cause, ingratiating himself with his easy manner to a lot of people. In consequence, Jason spent a lot of his weekends on the reservation, staying at Ruth Sundancer's house if he had to … and thus managed to pick up a lot of goings-on of daily life there. David was sceptical and very reserved at first, but in time got used to his presence, even learned to value Jason's input and contributions.

One advantage of Jason's involvement was that there were chapters of Greenpeace and other environment-conscious groups at Angel Grove University, which Jason now attended; he managed to persuade them to take an interest in this local venture, and the publicity was very welcome indeed – more so, because it didn't cost the Tribe anything but time and a concession to promote the groups at the Trading Post.

So, the two had become colleagues of sorts – with David representing the Tribe, and Jason working as liaison to official organizations. It did not make them instant friends, but having to work together built a mutual respect for their respective dedication and talents that left little room for jealousy or overt animosity.

Not that they still didn't verbally spar constantly. Tommy, their families and friends often rolled their collective eyes in exasperation when the two went at each other tooth and nail, but things had progressed to the point where it was more a case of who could come up with the most creative insults rather than who could put the other down most effectively.

~*~

"Mmm, I can smell the food even over here," Jason announced as the three approached the picnic area which had been set up on a piece of lawn right in the village center. A white fence enclosed the area, with several vine-covered arches marking the entrances and exits. Around the fence was a two-yard-wide strip of freshly-turned earth which was supposed to be filled with flowers, but the ground was still too muddy from all the rain they'd had to do any planting. A group of volunteers had offered to do that final chore very early the next morning, providing a chance for the moisture to evaporate overnight. Boards had been laid to protect the lawn from being trampled too much, but even that was still kind of slippery. "Let's get in line, guys; I want to try everything at least once!"

"If you do that, you won't be able to move afterwards," David predicted. "And I for one am not gonna carry you to the house just because you pigged out."

"Hah. Like you'll be able to resist all the goodies? I've seen you lurking around the kitchens, sniffing like a fox at the henhouse," Jason retorted. "Although, come to think of it, maybe the food wasn't the real attraction …"

To his gleeful delight, he saw David blush, despite the gathering darkness. He sniggered for good measure.

"Oh shut up," David muttered.

"Why?" Jason asked innocently. "Don't you want Tommy to know that there's a very lovely young lady in charge of the dessert table?"

Tommy's ears pricked up. "What?" David and a girl? What girl? This was certainly news to him.

Jason winked and grinned, while David could feel his face heat up even more. *Damn Jason for noticing!*

"Nothing," he said, trying for a nonchalance he didn't feel. "Jason's seeing things, is all."

The three young men stepped in line at one of the entrances, shuffling forward slowly with the crowd. A few yards behind them, just out of earshot, Sam and the two other Elders did the same, moving with stately dignity. Their age and stature on the Reservation ensured that nobody would jostle them; in fact, had they so wished they could have moved to the front without anyone protesting. But that was not in their nature; the older men took the opportunity to watch and observe, commenting quietly on this or that as the throng crept towards the enclosure step by step.

"I am so not seeing things," Jason protested. "Just this morning, you were talking to Melissa Runningdeer behind the Assembly Hall!"

"Yeah, so?" David challenged, fighting the urge to run his fingers behind his suddenly too-tight collar. "I was just making sure we have enough Five-Cup-Salad tonight; it's Sam's favorite dessert. What's so unusual about that?"

"Oh, is that what it was?" Jason said, his expression studiedly neutral. Only someone who knew him well could recognize the fiendish gleam in his dark eyes.

Tommy, who was listening and watching with great interest, mentally went on full alert. If he'd known about this, he would have loved to join Jason in teasing his brother; David had, to his knowledge, never shown any particular interest in a girl before. And Melissa was an absolute stunner. *Way to go, brother!* he cheered inwardly. Now if only Jason wouldn't take things too far; he wasn't at all sure how David was going to react to the kind of good-natured needling that was quite common among their circle of friends in all things romantic. He knew; he'd been there twice already.

"Of course. A perfectly normal, innocent reason," David replied. As soon as the word 'innocent' left his mouth, however, he could've bitten his tongue off. It gave Jason exactly the opening he'd been waiting for.

"Innocent. Right. Then I suppose you were only holding her hand because she was unsteady on her feet, or something?" Jason smirked and turned towards Tommy. "You know, maybe David was right to do that; after all, the ground behind the Assembly Hall is sooo unsafe to stand on!"

Despite himself, Tommy chuckled. Behind the Assembly Hall was a perfectly flat, paved parking lot.

"Uh-oh, Dave," he grinned. "I'd say you're busted!"

Flustered, David glared at Jason. "You had to go and open your big mouth, had you?" But he no longer denied the allegation.

He got an unrepentant grin in return. "Just payback for siccing your cousin Mary on me the last time I was here to bring Sam the Greenpeace brochures."

Tommy gasped, torn between laughter and shock. "David, you didn't!"

Mary Trueheart was all of thirteen and had developed a serious case of hero worship for Jason – much to his chagrin. Not that he was ever unkind to the girl, but it was quite embarrassing to have her hover around him all the time, blushing and giggling nervously every time he so much as glanced in her direction. And David had sent her to help him carry the boxes with information material inside … causing poor Mary to literally trip over her own feet because she was watching Jason more than where she was going. When Jason had solicitously tried to help her up, she'd suddenly thrown her child-thin arms around his neck and tried to kiss him.

It had taken all the tact and diplomacy at Jason's command to extricate himself from that situation; he didn't want to hurt the girl, but he also knew he had to nip her crush in the bud as gently as possible. He thought he'd succeeded, too, by hinting he himself was interested in a mysterious girl he wouldn't name, but it was enough to distract the thirteen-year-old – even if she shed a few tears over Jason's supposedly unrequited love.

"He sure did," Jason grumbled, shooting David a venomous look. "I'd have slugged you if you hadn't turned tail and run!"

"Did not," David replied, trying to look innocent and failing miserably. "I had to pick up my uniform." He'd completed his Ranger training a couple of months before, and was eagerly looking forward to his first official day of work tomorrow.

"Like that wouldn't have waited for you!"

"Guys, can it," Tommy interrupted. They were nearing the wooden walkway crossing the flower bed. "Don't let's spoil our appetites, shall we?"

"Nothing can spoil yours, Bro," Jason jibed good-naturedly. But he couldn't resist a last sly wink in David's direction. "I wonder – is Melissa as sweet as the desserts she's helped prepare? Because if she is, I may just discover my own sweet tooth!"

He wasn't serious, of course; while the lovely Miss Runningdeer was a genuinely nice person, his own tastes ran to blue-eyed blondes with a bit more spirit than her gentle nature.

David didn't think, he just reacted. Jealousy of an entirely different kind filled him suddenly, and fired his temper. Without further reflection, he balled a fist and punched Jason in the shoulder. As blows went, it wasn't even a very hard punch, but it was enough to let Jason's fighter's instincts kick in. He shoved back.

"Hey!"

"You keep your paws off Melissa!"

"Oh yeah? Why should I?"

"Because I say so!"

"So you are interested in her," Jason smirked. "I knew it!"

"That's none of your damn business," David hissed, calming down a little as he recognized the spark of amusement in Jason's dark eyes. This wasn't a threat to his budding romance, just another of the mock battles the two often engaged in. If he were honest, he even enjoyed them by now – as did Jason, he knew. Over the past months, it had become part of their relationship. 'Cordial dislike', was what Jason had called it once, which was pretty accurate. And yet underneath both were aware that they'd gone long past the stage where it would ever turn into hostility. He glowered at Jason. "Just leave her alone!"

"Make me," Jason challenged with a grin, shoving David again for good measure. He barely avoided being pushed off the slippery boards as David shouldered him aside. To keep his balance, he made a grab for the nearest arm – which just happened to be David's, yanking him nearly off-balance in turn. The ensuing shuffle looked rather alarming to Tommy, who was standing behind the two, and had completely missed the looks and grins passing between his brother and best friend. So, to head off what he thought was going to be a quarrel, he inserted himself bodily between the two.

"Stop it, guys!"

Jason let himself urged back willingly, but couldn't resist aiming another fake punch at David. Tommy blocked it immediately.

"He started it," he claimed in a child-like whine that escaped Tommy's notice.

"Did not! You did," David retorted, pouting unconvincingly as he tried to place a kick against Jason's shin – impossible to do with Tommy in the way. Neither noticed that the people in line before them had passed the entry arch. Everyone waiting behind them stayed well back, not wanting to get caught in a scuffle among three trained martial artists, no matter how benign it was. Several rows back, one of Sam Trueheart's friends turned to the old man.

"What are the young ones up to?"

"The usual," Sam answered placidly. He had observed the change in David and Jason's relationship during the past few months, and knew they wouldn't harm each other, not even in jest. "It's just high spirits, nothing more."

"Hmph."

Sam smiled to himself. Sometimes, his fellow Elders seemed to have forgotten how it was to be young. He glanced back at the still half-wrestling young men. David and Jason were resorting to name-calling now, with Tommy trying unsuccessfully to referee – and still vainly attempting to deflect various kicks, blows and punches, bearing the brunt of them in the process. He was starting to look slightly frantic, totally oblivious to the rather friendly undercurrents between the other two in his near-panic. To the older and wiser Sam, it looked mostly like a playground squabble among very young boys, not like fighting adults, and he smiled to himself. The melée was moving perilously close to the edge of the wooden boards. Only a step or two more to the left, and one or all of them would slide off …

"Injun!"

"Pale-face!"

"Karate klutz!"

"College geek!"

"I'll give you geek," Jason threatened, laughing soundlessly to himself. Ducking under Tommy's restraining arm, he landed a not-quite-gentle blow in David's midsection, who doubled over, his breath whooshing out of him in a rush.

"Oof!"

"Gotcha!"

"Oh yeah? Gotcha back!" David recovered quickly and swept his foot out behind his brother's back, hooking it around Jason's ankle.

Hopping awkwardly out of harm's way and windmilling his arms to keep upright, Jason was irresistibly reminded of the time when he and Tommy had trained for the Team Ninja Competition – each trying to outdo the other instead of working together. *What had Trini said we needed to do? Oh yeah, 'Gung ho'. Working together.* He smiled at the memory. Facing Titanos together certainly had cemented his friendship with Tommy in the end – and they'd won, as a team. *Guess David and I have become a team of sorts as well by now – not as good together as I am with Tommy, but still a team. Good!* It didn't stop him from trying to take David in a choke-hold – very difficult to achieve with a babbling Tommy in the middle … and in the way.

"Jason, stop! Dave, I swear, if the two of you don't cut it out right now, I'll clobber both of you!"

David was shaking with suppressed laughter. All his anger, embarrassment and jealousy had vanished, and behind his brother's back, he winked at Jason while pummelling a broad shoulder with rather weak blows. "You and what army?" he growled.

"Yeah, you couldn't take us on even if you were piloting Dragonzord," Jason jibed, returning David's wink. Really, sometimes Tommy was just too easy! He was so concerned about keeping peace between them, he didn't have a clue that they weren't even serious! Not that they weren't trying very hard to give just the opposite impression. Reaching across Tommy's chest, he gave David another shove. David shoved right back.

Desperate, Tommy took a step forward, interposing himself between the two combatants. He put a hand on either broad chest and pushed hard to keep them apart. However, in his eagerness to stop what he thought was an escalating fight, he neglected to watch his footing. The middle of the boardwalk had pretty much dried out after so many feet had already crossed it, but about a foot on either side was still saturated with rainwater. And therefore extremely uncertain, especially to the leather-soled shoes Tommy had chosen to wear.

His push had been harder than intended; all three lost their balance. Flailing about for a few seconds, David and Jason managed to stay upright, as their respective footwear – moccasins and hiking boots – gave them a much better purchase on the unexpectedly slippery surface. Too, they turned their punches into instinctive grabs towards each other's hands and thus barely managed to stay on the boards.

Not so Tommy.

Finding himself suddenly falling backwards, he shouted in surprise, desperately reached towards any kind of hand-hold … and found none, as David and Jason were busy holding each other up. As if shoved by an unseen hand, Tommy toppled over backwards … and landed with a loud, disgustingly squelching sound smack-dab in the strip of freshly-turned, moist, muddy designated flowerbed.

The wet soil splashed a little on impact, spattering Tommy with hundreds of tiny mud specks all over his clothes, face and hair. Within a split second, he looked as if he'd been walking under a shower of ink drops, or wet black confetti. One especially large glob had even landed on his nose and was now slowly dripping down.

Tommy's expression was … indescribable. Shock and surprise mixed with fury, confusion, embarrassment, outrage, incredulity … in a word, priceless.

David and Jason froze in a moment of stunned silence. They stared at Tommy, exchanged a single glance that conveyed a world of meaning … then, in complete and rare harmony, doubled over with laughter. In fact, they were laughing so hard, they couldn't even help their fuming comrade out of the mud patch, howling even louder when after a first scrambling attempt to get up on his own, Tommy lost his balance again and landed back in the mud – this time face-down.

Everyone in the immediate vicinity started laughing as well, as what had looked like a fight turned into slapstick right before their eyes. Tommy blushed crimson, but accepted the helping hands gratefully which gingerly assisted his mud-covered form back onto the boards. Heedless of his dirty clothes – or their clean ones – he glared impartially at the near-hysterical David and Jason, snatched both into choke-holds before they could get out of reach and marched them away, off the boards and back to the Truehearts' house. The amused crowd parted before the trio willingly enough, watching as they stumbled down the street. Tommy's angry mutterings could be heard as clearly as the others' sniggers while they simultaneously tried to avoid close contact with Tommy's clothes as well as get free from his death grip on their necks.

As the line towards the buffet tables reformed, Sam Trueheart met his fellow Elders' eyes.

"Yes?" he inquired mildly, seeing their disapproval of his foster son, his brother and their friend's behaviour.

"What an unseemly display," one of his friends huffed. "No dignity, no sense of decorum … and with everybody watching, too!"

"They are young," Sam soothed. "There was no harm done."

"Maybe not," his other friend grumbled. "Still, it was not what I expected of them. All three usually are more mature than that."

"Maturity isn't everything," Sam shrugged. "There are times when other considerations are of more importance – like sharing an embarrassing public experience to the amusement of others."

"Do you mean to tell me that you are not going to rebuke them for this?!?" The rheumy voice was very indignant.

"Of course not," the older Trueheart said placidly.

"And why not?"

"Because it is perfectly natural behaviour."

The two Elders looked at their colleague unbelievingly. "What is so natural about three young men fighting in public, behaving like unruly children and embarrassing each other and their family?" one wanted to know. Sam just smiled.

"Don't you see?" he asked.

"See what?"

"It is natural for David, Tommy and Jason."

"How so?"

The wise old eyes of Sam Trueheart gleamed in the light of dozens of lanterns as the three Elders walked into the picnic area at a stately pace. Just before they took their seats at a special table, Sam nodded sagely.

"All the bickering, the fights, the disagreements, the teasing … it is right for them. Because when all is said and done … it is what brothers do."

The End.