Title: Forever Blue

Author: Cobalt-Blue

Fandom: Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

Timeline: Post Forever Red

Pairing: Jason/?; Tommy/Kim; Zack/Trini; Adam/Kat

Rating: PG-13

Summary: A sequel to my Forever Blush story which is a sequel to the special episode Forever Red

Archive: yes

Forever Blue
by Cobalt-Blue

Jay Oliver smiled at his departing godfather and namesake and said, "Thank you for the present, Uncle Jason." Jason Scott had come over to his house that night, the night before his thirteenth
birthday to give him his birthday gift early- just like he did ever year for as long as Jay could remember. Jay loved his godfather as if he were a blood relative, and loved to spend as much time with the man as possible. The older man was not only one of the finest martial artists he'd ever met, and his own father's best friend, but he just seemed to ooze a calm strength that Jay found himself basking in on many occasions. Most importantly, he was the father of his best friend in the world, Trini Anne.

"You're welcome, Jay," Jason tousled the boy's hair. "Anytime." He gave Jay a sad smile, "I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will, Uncle Jason." It was true; Jason always seemed to know just what gift would please the young man the most. It was never anything extravagant, or expensive, just something that would make him happy. Jay wished that he could take away the sad look he saw in his uncle's eyes far too often.

"I'd better get home. I have to take Trini's to her grandmother's. She's staying with her tonight, but she's planning on being here for your party tomorrow," Jason smiled.

"Uncle Jason?" Jay asked.

The tall dark haired man turned and smiled at him, "Yes?"

"Couldn't you please come tomorrow? Just this once?" For some reason Jason had never made it to one of Jay's birthday parties. He would always drop off his gift the night before, claiming that he had something important that had to be done and could only be done on this day. When he was younger Jay had a secret fantasy that his uncle was a superhero and had to go off and recharge his powers on this day every year. Now that he was almost a teenager, he didn't quite get caught up in those kinds of fantasies anymore. Now he just assumed his godfather had something else he had to do. Something important enough to keep him away from family. He'd asked Trini about it once, but all she could tell him was that she always spent that day with her grandmother, and had no idea what this mysterious something was. He'd asked his father, and he wouldn't discuss it, saying it was a grownup matter and hoped he never would understand. Which was something that confused Jay, because normally his father would talk to him about anything. After seeing the haunted look in his father's eyes, Jay had not asked again.

But being a boy on the cusp of his teenage years, he couldn't help but wonder. He was a year older now, and maybe a year wiser. He'd discovered in the past, that sometimes his mom would discuss things with him, his father wouldn't. Checking the clock, he realized that his dad wouldn't be home from the dojo for another two hours, so made his way toward his mom's sewing room.

Kim sat in the room Jay, and Tommy liked to call her sewing room, looking out the window at the bright California afternoon. When Jason had arrived, they'd talked for a while and then she'd
withdrawn to here, to keep her son from seeing her upset. She'd tried to convince Jase to come to Jay's party tomorrow- it would mean so much to her son, and he was already starting to ask
questions- questions to which the answers were becoming more difficult to hide. Besides, it was time he did something other than putter around that cavern he called a house on the anniversary of Billy's death. It wasn't good for him. She understood his reluctance, and never wanted him to forget, God knows she wouldn't- but it was time he lived again. She knew that Jase didn't blame her, but sometimes, especially the closer they got Jay's birthday, she blamed herself. She knew it wasn't her fault, but all the emotions that had been tied up in her labor and what she'd been told
right afterward just wouldn't let go of her.

Although the Olivers and their circle of friends had made it a point to look at the beauty and joy of tomorrow, for her and Jason that joy would always be tinged by sadness. Kim did her best to
hide it from her son, and Tommy adamantly refused to discuss it, but sometimes it was hard for her, hence, her retreating to the sewing room to hide her tears. It wasn't fair to Jay, but she had no desire for him to feel any guilt for what had happened on the day he was born. It wasn't his fault. It was just one of those unfortunate coincidents of timing. Although thinking of her son, she really couldn't think of it as unfortunate- she and he might have died if things had been different, still it left her with a hole in her heart she didn't ever think she would fill.

A soft knock came at the door. "Mom?" her son called.

"Yes, honey?" she wiped her eyes, hid the picture she was looking at in her apron and looked.

"Uncle Jason just left." Then seeing his mother's red eyes, "Mom, are you crying?" Jay had always been a perceptive child, and as he grew older he seemed to have inherited Kim's open
heart.

Kim smiled weakly at him, "It's nothing. It's just the pollen."

"Mom," Jay said. "Please don't."

"Don't' what honey?" she asked.

Jay seemed to consider his words carefully. Kim could tell he was trying to come to some kind of decision. Finally he seemed to reach a conclusion, drew his shoulders back and said carefully, "I
was going to say don't cry." He looked down for a moment then looking back up, he said, "but I was thinking, please don't lie to me."

"Jay!" Kim protested. "What a thing to say!" She stood, and slipped the tissue into her pocket.

"Mom?" Jay's voice suddenly seemed small again. "Why does my birthday make you cry?" Jay Oliver had never felt an unwanted child, quite the contrary, he was much loved and cared for- not only by his parents, but by the rather tight group of friends they shared- but he also had always felt that his birth had cost his family a great deal. He didn't know what it had cost them, but he knew there was a loss there. It was one of the reasons he spent so much time and energy trying not to disappoint his parents- to make them never regret giving up whatever it was. "Why are you and Uncle Jason always so sad on my birthday." Last year, he'd even seen his godfather crying as he left the house. That had shaken Jay to the core. Uncle Jase's strength had always been one of the fundamental foundations of his life, and to see him brought to tears by something had unnerved him greatly.

Kim silently cursed herself. This was exactly what she'd feared would happen. She never liked the idea of keeping the story away from Jay, but Tommy had insisted on not talking about it, and she could never bring herself to burden her son with the story. Now she wondered if that was such a good idea. Screwing up her courage, she looked at her son. If Tommy and Jase wouldn't explain things to her son, then it was up to her. Smiling gently she said, "I want to tell you a story, Jay. But first why don't you go fix us some tea and then join me in here."

Her son seemed to sense that she needed time to gather her thoughts, and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

After he left the room, Kim went over to the closet and took out some old worn photos. These were photos dating all the way back to when she was in elementary school- back to when it was a group of five friends who became very close after a year of tragedy struck each of their lives. Later, Tommy and then others would join them, but she seldom needed to be reminded that at first there were only five in the beginning, and now there were only four.

A few minutes later, Jay joined her with two cups of hot tea- a taste she'd picked up from Kat- and a box of sugar cookies. She smiled at him, patted the window seat beside her and said, "Come
here. I want to tell you about Trini's dad."

Jay gave her a strange look, "You mean uncle Jase?"

Kim shook her head, "No I mean her other dad."

"Huh?" Jay asked.

Kim smiled, "You're almost thirteen now. I think you're old enough to know about these things." She smiled at him and said, "Usually this is the kind of talk your father would have with you, but there are some things that are too painful for him."

Her son asked, "And they aren't for you?"

She smiled weakly at her son, "No. Actually in some ways they're more painful. But they go back to time when your dad and Uncle Jason were fighting."

"Dad and Uncle Jason fought?" Jay asked. "I can't believe that. I mean they're so close."

Kim smiled, "Your dad and Jase have been close for a long time. But that hasn't always been the case. Twice in their lives they've fought. She didn't tell her son that the first of those occasions,
Tommy had done his level best to kill Jason and only Billy's quick thinking had saved both teenagers. You know your Uncle Jason and I have been friends for a very long time, longer than I've even known your dad."

Jay smiled. He'd been told about how his mom had had four friends she'd grown up with. How they'd always been close, and still were. He nodded, "Yeah, you and Uncle Jase, and Aunt Trini,
and Uncle Zack all went to school together."

Kim smiled at her son, and couldn't help but notice the affection in his voice when he named off her closest friends. Although none of them really were blood related, their children all called and thought of the adults as aunts and uncles. "We had another friend too," Kim forced the tears that wanted to well up in her eyes back.

Jay nodded, "Billy, the one who died, the one nobody talks about."

Kim nodded at him in surprise. She hadn't realized that her friends had shut Billy's memory out of their lives. Maybe that was why Jase was always so morose on Jay's birthday. If nobody would
talk about Billy, maybe he felt he had to do something to keep the former Blue Ranger's memory alive. Billy deserved better than that, so did Jason. "Yeah, Billy." Coming to a decision she smiled, "You're right. Nobody ever talks about Billy, and I think that's wrong. It's not fair to his memory, it's not fair to Trini, it's not fair to you, and it's not fair to Jase."

"What does he have to do with my birthday?" Jay asked, "And why is it not fair to Uncle Jase?"

"Everything, Jay. If it weren't for Billy, there's a very good chance that neither you or me would be here having this conversation."

"I don't understand," Jay said.

Kim sighed. This was more difficult than she thought it would be. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Billy Cranston was probably the smartest man to ever live."

"Cranston? That's part of Trini's last name."

Kim smiled, "I know honey. There's a reason for that. Anyway, Billy and Jase had always been close. Considering how little they had in common, it was really surprising how close they were: Jason was always the athlete of us, but he had a strong big-brother streak in him. Billy on the other hand seemed to attract bullies. The first time they met, three bullies were beating up Billy, and Jason stopped it. From that moment on, the two were great friends, and over the next few months, we all got to know him." She shook her head, "But what I need to tell you is about a later time, and it deals with some grown up issues. Some issues that our society is only now coming to grips with."

"What kind of issues?" Jay asked.

Kim smiled. How do you tell a kid who's only recently had THE talk from his father about these kinds of things? Taking a deep breath she said, "Issues about people who are different."

"You mean like racial differences?" Jay asked.

Kim shook her head, "No, honey. You know Mr. Gardner, your science teacher?" She purposefully named Jay's favorite teacher. He nodded his head, "You know how he has a picture on his desk of him and his domestic partner?"

Jay nodded his head, and it was clear that her son was thinking about what she was saying. Taking a moment to let him collect his thoughts, she waited until he finally said. "Are you saying that Uncle Jason and Billy were boyfriends? Like Mr. Gardner and his partner?"

Kim nodded, "Yes, that's what I'm saying. To be honest with you I don't know when it happened or how it happened, your Uncle Jase has never talked about it to anybody."

Jay looked up at her confused in a way only a twelve year old- soon to be thirteen could be. "Why not? I mean you and dad have always talked about the first time you met."

"I know honey, but for Jason it's harder. You see, back then, same sex couples weren't as accepted as they are today," Kim told him.

"Okay, but I mean you and dad are Uncle Jase's closest friends. You guys loved him, you wouldn't have a problem with him and Billy would you?" Jay couldn't understand how anyone could have a problem with two people in love.

"There was more to it than that, honey," Kim tried to tell him.

"How can there be more to it than that? I mean, he was STILL Uncle Jason wasn't he?"

Kim smiled at how clear her son saw things. It was difficult to express how different things were just a few short years ago. "I know, but you see honey, when we found out about it, it was after
your Dad and Jason had stopped talking to each other over something else that had happened."

"What?" Jay demanded. She could tell her son wanted a justification for his father and his favorite uncle fighting. "What could make them fight?"

Again Kim took a moment to gather her thoughts. How could she tell him about Billy's accident, without giving away that they'd been Rangers in the past. She expected one day to tell her son who his parents had been, when he was older, and when they knew he could understand the importance of keeping it a secret. Now, however, was not the time. "You see, your father and Jason and Billy had all worked together on a very important project. They had become very
close, almost like brothers. Then Jason left the project for a while and came back. He came back though after Billy had moved from a position of being more active to one of support. I think that
Jase had been upset about that, but kept it to himself. He thought Billy deserved better than to be put in the background. Anyway, Jason came back, and everything was fine for a while until your Uncle Jason got sick and had to quit. While he was recovering, Billy got hurt, and pretty badly too." She kept it to herself that he'd fallen fifty feet from a `Zord when he collapsed from exhaustion. She still had her issues over that accident herself. She knew Tommy still blamed himself too for it. In the past they'd all taken care of most of their own maintenance themselves, but for some reason during the Zeo era, it all fell to Billy.

"Your father had always blamed himself for Billy getting hurt, because he hadn't noticed how much Billy had been overworking himself. Billy was like that, he would work himself until he dropped if he thought it was important enough. Well, when Jason found out that Billy had gotten hurt, he came to visit. He heard what had happened and he blamed your father. They fought, and Jason took Billy with him back to LA." She smiled at her son, briefly debating how much to tell him. Finally deciding on as much of the truth as she could, she continued. "During the argument, your father said some pretty harsh words about Billy. He didn't mean them, he was angry- angry at himself for letting his friend get hurt and angry at your Uncle Jason for pointing it out. Anyway he accused Jason of always protecting Billy- which he did. He also always protected all of his friends, but for some reason, he always took extra care of watching out for Billy. Tommy told Jason that if he really wanted to protect Billy why didn't he just marry him." Kim smiled, "Which he ended up doing- or at least coming as close to doing as the law would let them at that time."

"And that's why they stopped talking, because Uncle Jason and Billy became partners?"

Kim smiled, "No honey, they stopped talking because of Billy getting hurt." She put her hand on her son's shoulder, "You have to understand something, Billy wasn't weak. He was just very giving, and he gave so much of himself to his friends, your father included, that he let himself get hurt. Your father was angry at himself, and he was angry at Jason, and you know how bull headed they both can be."

Jay nodded. Before he could say anything though, another voice interrupted them, "Well, we were even worse back then." Turning to the door Kim saw her husband standing there smiling. He winked at her and said, "You know it's funny, but I came home early today to tell Jay this story. I think it's time we put it to rest."

Kim stood, fighting back the tears in her eyes and went over to her husband and hugged him. She'd been hoping to hear those words for over a dozen years now. "I'm glad."

Tommy kissed her gently on the head and entered the room where his son was sitting listening intently. "But what's this got to do with my birthday?" Jay asked.

Tommy sat down cross-legged on the floor next to his son and said, "Your mother was about to get to that." He took a deep breath, and Kim could see him trying to collect his thoughts. "You
see, neither your mom nor I heard from Jason or Billy for a couple of years after that. As a matter of the fact it took an emergency to get both of us in the same place again." Kim shuddered at the reminder of the Serpentera mission, when Tommy had once again donned the Zeo Powers and fought against the Machine Empire's last minions.

"What happened?" Jay asked. "Did you two fight again?"

Tommy smiled, "No. We just didn't talk. In the end, it took Billy and your Mom got us together at Trini's and Zack's." He smiled, "She was expecting you then, so she was very demanding when
it came to getting her way, and I felt it wise to give her anything she wanted."

He dodged the blow coming from his petit wife as she said, "I was not!"

"Oh yes you were. You were hot, you were demanding and you were complaining of being fat." Tommy teased Kimberly.

"Will you two stop teasing each other and finish your story?" Jay demanded with a playful smile.

Tommy smiled, "Anyway, in the end, we ended up at Zack's and Trini's, thinking it was to meet Jason's new wife." Tommy shook his head, "Billy had only told your mom that Jason wanted us to meet someone, and that he was going to ask us to be godparents. We thought he'd gotten married."

Jay shook his head and wondered, "Who did he want you to meet?"

"Trini Anne," Kimberly said. "It was then that we found out that Jason and Billy had formed a family. They'd gone to Europe to have a special procedure done that would produce a baby that was both of theirs, and Trini Anne was the result."

Jay looked closely at his dad. Kim watched her husband sweat under her son's questioning gaze, "I bet you were surprised at that."

Tommy chuckled, "I was so surprised that I made a royal Jackass out of myself.

"Dad!" Jay complained. "Over Trini?" Kim could tell that Jay was outraged at the idea of anybody not liking Trini Anne. The two were as close as she and Jason had ever been. Kimberly would never tell anyone this, but she had a secret desire in her heart that the two would eventually marry.

Tommy nodded to his son sheepishly, "I'll admit, Jay. I was wrong. I was still too caught up in my own prejudices at the time to realize just how much Jason and Billy loved each other. I really didn't get my act together until it was too late. Much too late."

"What do you mean?" Jay asked.

"What neither of them told us at the time was that Billy was dying," Tommy told their son. She could still see the pain in her husband's eyes. The pain over the things he'd said about his friend, things that he could never ask forgiveness for now, because Billy was gone.

"Dying?" Jay asked.

Tommy nodded, "He'd gotten exposed to some radiation back when we worked on that project your mom was telling you about. Jason said that the only reason they'd called about that meeting was that Billy wanted your Uncle Jason and I to make up and be friends again, before he died."

"He didn't want to make up with you?" Jay asked.

Tommy shook his head, "You see, there's something about Billy you have to understand. Even thought I blamed myself for Billy's accident, and Jase blamed me, Billy never did. He just accepted as one of those things and went on. As far as he was concerned, we had nothing to make up for." He smiled again and said, "Anyway, I made such a jackass of myself that it was several weeks before we tried to get together again. It never happened, though."

Kim picked up the story, "It was on a Saturday. You were due any day, and Jase and Billy were going to come over with Trini Anne. Your father had to go the race track- he was still racing NASCAR back then, and I was at home alone when there was a monster attack." She smiled at the litany of disasters that struck over the next few hours to keep the tears she knew was coming at bay. "About the time the power went out, I went into labor with you. Second's later one of the monsters exploded about a block over and the concussion knocked me down. I hit my head on the coffee table and passed out."

Reaching into her pocket, Kim took out the tissue she' put there and wiped her eyes. She sighed and continued, "I came too, and Billy was there. He coaxed me through the delivery and when it was over he put you in my arms and stayed with me until your Uncle Adam and your Dad arrived." She ignored the stern look that Tommy was giving her, and plunged on, "You'll notice your dad is glaring at me. He doesn't like me to say that."

"Why not?" Jay asked.

"Because Billy had died in the hospital that morning when the monster attack occurred- two hours before you were born." She stared defiantly at her husband. "You can call me crazy, you can tell me I was hallucinating, but even Adam confirms that SOMEONE delivered Jay, and I say it was Billy."

Jay looked at his mom incredulously. "You mean, that Uncle Jase's husband died on my birthday, two hours before he delivered me? I was delivered by a ghost." Kim nodded her head, feeling the tears well up in her eyes, unable to verbally reply. The boy turned to his father, "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Trini?"

"Trini Anne knows," Tommy told him.

Jay couldn't believe that. They didn't keep secrets from each other, she would have told him! She was his best friend! "Why didn't she tell me?" he demanded.

Kim looked over at her husband, "Tell him, Tommy." She smiled to take the sting out of her voice.

Tommy looked at his son, "Because I asked her not to."

"But why?" Jay asked, the emotion and betrayal in his voice apparent.

"Because I didn't want you to feel sad on your birthday." Tommy told him.

Jay looked at his mother and then his father. "I've got just one question to ask then."

"What is it son?" Tommy asked.

"If Billy was the one who delivered me, even after dying, why wasn't I named for him. That seems like something grownups do."

Kim was surprised at her son's insightful question. She took a deep breath and told him the truth, "Because Jason asked us not to."

He looked confused and hurt, "But why?"

Tommy put a hand on his son's shoulder. Kim could see both their tear-bright eyes, so alike, "Not because he doesn't love you, Jase. Because he wanted to be able to love you more, and he was afraid that if we named you after Billy that he would always be reminded of his loss. He didn't want you, a person very special to him, to remind him of losing Billy." Tommy knelt and pulled his son in to his arms, "Do you understand that?"

"I guess so," Jay said. Kim could see him fighting back sobs.

After a few moments, her son pulled back from his father and nodded. Wiping his eyes on the back of his hands, he said, "I think I want to go to my room now." Turning to his mom, "Would you call me for supper?"

Kim understood her son needed time to be alone. The telling had been hard on her, and she suspected that it was hard on him too. "Sure thing, Saaba," she used Tommy's pet name for their son.

Turning to watch their son leave the room, Tommy put his arm around his wife. "What made you decide to tell him?"

"He asked why his Uncle Jason and I were always sad on his birthday." Kim told him. Then remembering her earlier insight, "Do Jase or the others ever talk about Billy to you?"

Tommy shook his head, "No. I think they think it might be too painful or embarrassing for me."

Kim nodded, and stood up to leave. "Where are you going?" Tommy asked.

She pulled her sweater from the closet, "Angel Grove Cemetery. I think I need to say hi to an old friend."

Kim walked along the pathways of Angel Grove Cemetery thinking of her youth and all her friends. One particular friend being foremost on her mind today: Billy Cranston-Scott. She smiled at the memory of the first day she'd met the thin serious looking boy so many years ago. How he'd been so shy about talking to her.

Later, after they'd been friends for a few years, Billy had told her that one of the things that had always made their friendship special to him was that she and Trini were the first pretty girls who'd ever been nice to him. Back then, that idea had bothered her a great deal. It was her nature to be nice to people no matter who they were, and it said a lot about how others had treated her sandy-
haired friend.

Working her way along the path, she looked up to the general direction of the headstone for which she was heading. A lone figure, a man dressed in light blue polo shirt and jeans was standing at Billy's Grave. His body language was such that he appeared to be speaking to someone, but she was still too far away to make out anything he was saying.

As the path rounded a small grove of trees the headstone was momentarily obscured from her vision. When the grave was once again in sight, she saw that the visitor was gone. She briefly wondered who else was visiting her old friend this eve of the thirteenth anniversary of his death. Arriving at the gravesite she saw a single blue rose lying on edge of the stone.

Fighting tears, she looked up at the double-stone: William Kevin Cranston-Scott October 4th 1978 – August 9th 2002 . Next to his name was Jason Scott-Cranston December 7th 1978 -. Of course the final date for Jason's name had been left blank. It was in mute testimony to the love that the two men had shared that Jason had ordered his name on the stone too. She shuddered despite the late summer warmth, and hugged herself. "We miss you Billy, Jason most of all. I'm worried about him. I'm not sure he's moved on yet, and I know you wouldn't want that for him."

She sat down on a small blue and white marble bench the other Rangers had purchased in memoriam to the first of them to fall. For anyone who cared to look closely, mixed among all the animals pictured along its edges were a Tyrannosaur, Pterodactyl, Saber- toothed Tiger, Mastodon, and a Triceratops. Carved into the seat itself was head of a wolf. Sighing, she looked over the grave, "Trini is growing like a weed. She's going to be some young lady. I think before it's over, Jason is going to have to buy a shotgun to keep the boys at bay. That is if Jay, doesn't bust all their heads first." She laughed at the last, "Actually, she's more likely to do it herself. She's a lot like Jason: strong, brave, talented, and hell on wheels in the dojo. Of course she's a lot like you too. She definitely got your intelligence, but to be honest with you Billy, I think she handles it better than you did."

A quiet calm settled over Kimberly as she sat recalling all the memories she shared with her friend- the good and the bad. She talked to the stone reminding herself of all their misadventures,
both as Rangers and simply as friends. She caught Billy up on their friend's lives. She told him about the spate of births that seemed to follow nine months after he'd died. She smiled and said, "I think that maybe we all turned to each other to deal with your passing, and from our sorrow a new generation of life was created. Now, your daughter is a part of another group of five friends that seem as close as we ever were. "Zack and Trini had a daughter they named Wilhelmina," she grinned in mischief, "fortunately, they've shortened it to Mina. Adam and Kat had twin little boys that finish each other's sentences, named Aidan and Alexander." She told him about the children's exploits including the disastrous attempt to dig a fishpond in the Taylor's back yard that resulted in their hitting a waterline. She recalled some of their own adventures including Billy's Jason's and Zack's attempt to launch a rocket from the roof of Scott's home, and almost setting fire to the dwelling. She chuckled, "Trust me those five are enough like us, we're not letting them go anywhere near Angel Grove Forest without at least three adults with them," she summoned the memories of that summer so long ago, they'd had one of their greatest misadventures before they
ever became Power Rangers. "I really wish you could see them all, Billy."

So the afternoon passed with Kimberly quietly reconnecting with her memories of one of her dearest friends. Finally, as the sun dipped into the western sky, she got up and left, feeling much
better than she had in a long time. Before she left she turned back to the grave, "I won't take so long to come back and visit next time."

After quietly clearing the dinner table and loading the dishwasher, Jay came into the living room where his parents were sitting quietly reading. "Mom, Dad, I'm going over to Trini's for a few minutes."

Without looking up his mom said, "Okay dear. Just don't be too long. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"I won't," Jay said. "I want to thank Uncle Jason for the birthday gift again."

Tommy smiled at him, "Be sure to remind Jason that he's supposed to chaperone that field trip to the museum Monday."

Jay smiled remembering his uncle's excitement about seeing the new pre-Christian Celtic exhibition at the Angel Grove Museum. Over the past the few years, his uncle had become something of an amateur archeologist, and had managed to even write a couple of well received articles for National Geographic. "Will do, Dad, but I don't think I'll have to remind him. He's been looking forward to it, more than we have."

Jay left his house and headed down toward Trini's. He was unsure if his Uncle Jason had told his mom that Trini was staying with her grandmother tonight, but it was his best friend's father
that he wanted to see, not her. Walking up the pathway to the huge house where Trini and her father lived, Jay felt his courage begin to waver. He wanted to know more about the man who'd died on the day Jay was born- supposedly delivering him two hours after dying- but he was afraid of hurting his uncle by prying too much. Of course it was Uncle Jason who'd told him that if he ever needed to talk, all he needed to do was ask.

Jason was sitting on the front porch watching squirrels chase each other around his huge front yard as Jay approached. "Trini's at her grandmother's Jay," the burly man told him as he put down his glass of lemonade.

"Hi, Uncle Jason, it's not Trini I want to talk to," Jay told him.

Jason flashed him a smile, and said, "Well, grab you a glass of lemonade and pull up a chair."

Jay smiled, "Thanks, but I'll settle for the chair."

"What's on your mind?" Jason asked. "You look like you've got pretty heavy burden for a soon to be teenager."

Jay laughed, "I wanted to talk you, but I'm not sure how to ask."

Jason smiled, patted the chair next to him, "How `bout just asking, Saaba?"

Taking a deep breath, he plunged in, "Would you tell me about Trini's other father?" he said before he lost his nerve, "The one who died."

The surprise in his uncle's face almost made Jay regret asking. But then the big man smiled and said, "What do you want to know?"

Jay shrugged, "What was he like. I mean nobody ever talks to us kids about him."

Jason chuckled, "Well, that's not entirely true. Trini and I talk about Billy quite a lot. I don't want her to grow up not knowing her father at all."

"But she doesn't talk to us about him," Jay volunteered.

Jason nodded and sighed, "That's one of the ways she's like him. You've known Trini all your life. You know she doesn't talk about her feelings very much."

Jay nodded, "You can say that again. I thought girls were always wanting to talk about their feelings." The he shook his head, "But Trini sure won't."

Jason smiled, "Billy was the same way. He called it the Cranston Way. I called it bottling things up."

"Mom says that you guys grew up together. How did you meet?"

Jason leaned back in his chair, picked up his lemonade and sighed, "I stopped four sixth graders from beating him up."

"Mom said he used to get picked on a lot," Jay volunteered.

Jason nodded, "Yeah, Billy sort of stood out when it came to attracting bullies. I think it had to do with the fact that he couldn't understand the concept of not doing his very best on anything he tried. I think he was hardwired to excel in academics, and there were some people who didn't appreciate what they saw as him showing off."

"But he wasn't, was he?" Jay's comment was more of a statement than a question.

Catching the tone in the boy's voice, Jason smiled, "No he wasn't. He was just being Billy."

Jay looked up at his uncle. He didn't want to hurt the man, but he really wanted to know what kind of person would be good enough for Jason. "When, uh…, how…. Uh… how did you know you'd fallen in love with him." Jay blushed, "I mean, according to Mom and Dad it was love at first sight for them." He grinned, "Although, I get the feeling there's a lot more to THEIR first meeting that anybody will tell me."

Jason smiled, "You do, do you?" Jay nodded with the solemnity only a thirteen year old boy can muster. Jason smiled back at his nephew, "Well, you're right, but that's a story I don't think you're ready to hear just yet. Or, that any of us are willing to tell." Jason leaned forward and looked at Jay, "Does your Dad know you're asking these questions?"

Jay swallowed, "No sir."

Jason considered what the boy had told him. He wasn't sure how much Tommy would want his son to know about Jase's and Billy's relationship. Tommy had never seemed comfortable with the idea of Jason and Billy being lovers. He suspected that the only reason the situation had not become an issue over the last thirteen years, was that Jason had not dated anyone. He had his hands full with an extremely active daughter who'd inherited her father's intelligence. "You just know. It doesn't necessarily hit you all at once, just one day you know." Jase told the boy. "I'll tell you what, I'll tell you more, when you're a little older."

Jay looked at him, "You just don't want to make Dad mad by talking to me about things he might not be comfortable with my knowing."

"Okay, you nailed me there. Your Dad and I fought over Billy once, and I don't want to fight with him again. I love him too much for that," Jason told him.

"Okay," Jay said. "But would you do me a favor, Uncle Jason?"

Jason smiled at the boy and nodded, "What is it, Saaba?"

"Will you tell me more about him later?" He looked down at his watch. "I think I'd better get home soon. I just wanted tell you not be sad about Uncle Billy on my birthday. If he was as special
as you and Mom say, I don't think he'd want that." Jason could see the boy's eyes glisten with unshed tears, reflecting his own. An old expression came to his mind; Out of the mouths of babes.

"I'll try to remember that, Jay." Jason told him standing up. "C'mon, I'll walk you home."

******************

Across town, the man known as Dr. Kevin Carstonn finished putting the last of his dinner away. "You would think that after almost twenty years, I'd have learned to cook by now," he said to
himself smiling. "I can build a nuclear reactor, but I can't boil water."

Entering the Spartan living room he sat down and looked at all the boxed still left to be unpacked. He briefly wondered how he'd managed to collect so much stuff while living in the field for almost twenty years. Berating himself for being grouchy- must have been the visit the cemetery, he unfolded the paper and smiled at the headlines: NEW CELTIC EXHIBITION AT ANGEL GROVE MUSEUM A CRITICAL SUCCESS.

******************

The sun was just peeking up over the eastern horizon as Jason walked along the paths of Angel Grove Cemetery with his daughter. He'd thought about what Jay had asked him about, what he'd said to him last night. It was time to move on, time to let go, and live his life again.

"Daddy," Trini Anne squeezed his hand, "Are you all right?" Her midnight eyes spoke volumes to him.

He smiled at her and gently returned the squeeze, "I'm fine, sweetie." Sighing deeply, he looked around, "I was just thinking about your dad."

"Daddy?" she asked, "Why did you bring me along today?" She swallowed, "I mean it's always been a tradition that you come here by yourself today. You know, to visit Dad's grave alone."

He hadn't realized that she'd started to see their yearly ritual as any kind of tradition. Then again, he guessed that was as good a definition of tradition as he'd ever heard. As they rounded the small grove a trees casting long shadows in the morning light, he replied, "Because I think it's time we made a few new traditions for today. One of them is not to be quite so sad today."

"I think maybe Jay would appreciate that," she smiled at him.

Patting her hand, he told her, "I do too." Sighing he eyed his daughter critically. She was blossoming into a very beautiful young woman. She had Billy's honey-blonde hair, hanging long and straight to the small of her back, and his own black eyes. Her complexion was creamy smooth with just a hint of freckling across the bridge of her nose- something else she'd inherited from Billy- that was just starting to turn a few shades darker as the summer wore on. She was
tall like him, but had more of a swimmer's build, lacking his own burly girth. All in all, he was very pleased with the results of the procedure he and Billy had traveled to Europe to have done those long years ago. It did after all give him a little piece of Billy left in the world.

"What?" she must have noticed him staring at her smiling.

"I was just thinking about what a beautiful daughter I have, and how lucky I am to have you in my life," he told her. Suddenly feeling tears welling up in his eyes, he pulled her into a tight hug. "You are a very special young lady. You know that, don't you?"

She hugged him back, "I know, I've got a very special dad. That makes it easy."

Pulling out of the hug, he draped an arm around her shoulders as the two headed on toward the headstone at the end of the walkway. He realized that the coming years were going to be the hardest of his life. What the hell do I know about raising a daughter- especially a daughter who was as beautiful as Kat, smart as Billy, talented as Zack, and athletic as me? Then of course, he was her father, so he had to admit his opinion was prejudiced. Still, he was grateful for Kim and Trini's help when it came time to have "the" talk with her. If it weren't for the former yellow and
pink rangers, he was sure he would have made a complete mess of things. Like the song says, "there are some things a man just doesn't know."

"Can I ask you a question, Daddy?" Trini asked, her voice suddenly serious as they arrived at the grave.

Looking down, he nodded, "Of course honey."

"Why haven't you gone out with anybody?" She shrugged, "I mean, it's been thirteen years. I don't think Dad would mind." She shook her head, "It's not good for you to be so lonely."

"I'm not lonely, Trini." He smiled, "I've got my friends, and my daughter to keep me from ever being lonely."

She smiled up at him, but he could tell she was unconvinced. As for himself, he wasn't sure. He didn't feel lonely. It was just that after what he and Billy had shared, anything else would seem a
pale comparison. Moreover, to be honest with himself, he had to admit that what he'd seen of the gay dating community just wasn't attractive to him. He wanted more out of life than a mindless club scene, shallow psuedo-politics, and superficial relationships. "Well, at least think about it. Okay?"

"Hey what is this? First Jay comes and tells me that Billy wouldn't want me to be sad today, and now you're trying to get me to find some guy to date?" Next thing you know, you two will be setting me up on blind da…," the look of surprise on his daughter's face stopped him dead cold. Something he'd said had surprise her. Reaching out he touched her shoulder and asked quietly, "What honey?"

Seeming to regain her composure, she smiled at him weakly and shook her head. "Nothing."

Knowing his daughter better than to push her, he let it slide for now. She'd eventually bring up what ever it was that had startled her. He smiled and said, "Okay."

For long moments the two of them stood there simply looking at the grave. Jason smiled at the small row of flowers lying at the base of the stone. He could identify which ones were left by which Rangers; roses from Kat and Adam, orchids from the Kim- he smiled to himself thinking of Billy's and Kim's conversations about the fragile flowers- daisies from the Taylors, buttercups from Rocky and Aisha, and a single yellow rose from Tommy- after all these years he was still trying to say, "I'm sorry." Putting down the two red roses, he and Trini had brought, a new flower caught his eye. A single blue rose lay among the others. Jason picked it up and smiled wondering which Ranger had found such a rare flower.

Standing again, he put an arm around his daughter, and hugged her gently. She broke their silence, "I hadn't really thought about who you might go out with, Daddy."

Jason smiled to himself. So that was what had startled her. "Tell you what? What say we go and have breakfast at the IHOP, and we'll talk about it?"

She blushed up at him, "Okay."

Nodding to the blonde girl he said, "Why don't you meet me at the car? I'll be there in a minute."

She smiled at him and turned to leave, "Sure dad."

"Trini," he called to her.

She stopped without turning, "Yeah dad?"

"I know that he's very proud of you," Jason said.

"Thank you dad," she said before heading off.

Waiting for her to get out of earshot, he turned back to the stone, "I don't know if I can do this by myself, Billy. She's growing so fast. I'm just a man, what do I know about prom dresses, gymnastic practice, and particle physics?" He shook his head, "She's really a piece of work, that one. I think you two would have loved each other's company more than you could ever imagine. Kim, Kat and Trini help out a lot, but it's not the same for her. I know she feel's different, and not just because she's the only one of her friends that doesn't have a mom. Sometimes I wonder if that was how you felt growing up. I hope it's not as painful for her as it was for you."

Only the morning wind answered him, not that he expected anything else. Finally, he knelt at the stone, putting his hand out to touch the name on it, and said softly, "I love you." Then without another word, he got up and returned to his car.

Half an hour later, Jason and Trini Anne were sitting down to two plates piled high with Belgium Waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon and a large carafe of orange juice. After a quick grace, the two
dug into their breakfast with a gusto that surprised Trini. Looking up between bites, she saw her father staring at her. She knew the look. She knew that he was wanting her tell him whatever it was that was bothering her.

She smiled thinking about her Aunt Kimberly accusing her of keeping her feelings to herself. She called it the "Cranston Way" but Trini knew that she was saying it affectionately. Of course,
Trini wouldn't have any idea what the Cranston Way was anyway. It wasn't as if she had any contact with her grandfather from Billy's side of the family. But, she also knew her father, and knew that he wouldn't let the gaff at the cemetery pass. Sighing she said, "I guess when I suggested that you start dating again, I really hadn't thought it through."

Her dad simply smiled at her, "What you mean, is that you thought I might date women."

Blushing, she nodded, "I guess so."

"Not that I'm likely to go out and look for a date any time soon, but I married a man once. If I were to start going out again," he smiled at her, "which to be honest is not very likely, it
wouldn't be with a woman."

She looked down, "I guess I know that dad. I guess what I mean is that you don't act like most of the gay men I've known or see on television."

"What should I act like, honey?" he asked her.

She chuckled, "You shouldn't act like anything you're not dad. You just don't fit the stereotype."

"Would it make you feel better if I did?" he smiled at her.

Shaking her head she said, "No! I'm just saying that I guess I hadn't thought this out very far."

"Okay," he smiled. "On to safer subjects; what did you get Jay for his birthday?"

She grinned at him, "The Blue Ranger Action Figure, circa 1993, still in its original box."

Her father whistled, "Where did you ever find that?"

"A yard sale on Spruce Drive," she told him. "There was this older man who was selling his house and was getting rid of a lot of this stuff." She shook her head remembering all the boxes for
sale. "He had a whole collection of all the original Power Rangers, complete with `Zords. I got them all."

She watched a flicker of surprise shoot across her father's face and then disappear behind a glass of orange juice. "1420 Spruce?"

"How'd you know?" she asked suddenly feeling strange.

"Because that was your dad's father's house," he told her. "There's a very good chance that you just bought your dad's old collection," he smiled putting down the glass.

Smiling she said, "Then I'll be sure to hang on to the rest of them. But, you know how Jay always loved the Blue Ranger in the old newscasts. I thought it would be the perfect gift for him."

Her father smiled at her again, there was a look of mischief and genuine amusement in his eyes. "I know. I think I agree with you about it being the perfect gift."

"You mean that my grandfather?" she asked realizing what her dad was telling her.

He nodded at her and smiled, "Most likely."

She put her glass down, "I'm not going ask anything else, Daddy. This is NOT a day for us to be sad about things we can't control." She smiled, "Besides, it's his loss, he has to deal with it."

Her father chuckled, "When did you get so wise?"

She laughed, "I was born this way." Shrugging she said, "Besides, I hang around with Jay and his great-grandfather a lot."

Jason laughed, "That'd do it."

*****

Kim wasn't sure what to make of Jay's mood. After returning from Trini's last night he'd gone straight to bed without any of his usual arguments, about the unfairness of bedtimes in the summer. When he awoke this morning, he was cheerful and happy as any boy should be on his thirteenth birthday. Kim wasn't sure, but she got the feeling that something profound had happened last evening. She wasn't sure what it was, but something inside her said that it was
important.

Leaning against the doorframe, she watched as Zack, Adam, and Tommy tried in vain to put up a tent pavilion in their spacious back yard. Kim took a moment to look around the house where she lived now. It was much larger than the one where Jay had been born, with a bigger back yard and an Olympic sized swimming pool- Tommy's idea. They'd moved several years after Jay had been born, when it became clear that Red Dragon Dojo was going to be successful.

Kim smiled at that idea. In some strange way, Billy had gotten his wish; Jason and Tommy had finally put their differences aside, and had finally gone into business together- re-establishing a close friendship that had been strained to the breaking point. Tommy hung up his racing helmet and Jason closed an extremely successful architecture firm so the two men could open one of the most successful martial arts schools since Chuck Norris. Now they trained everyone from junior high school kids, to military personnel, to Hollywood actors preparing for a role. Of course, the
extra money had meant that the Oliver's could move to a bigger house- one with a pool- a lifelong dream of Tommy's.

"What's got you in such a reflective mood?" Trini asked from beside her.

Turning to the beautiful Asian woman, she smiled and said, "I was just thinking about how lucky we all are." She couldn't help but chuckle, "I mean Tommy and Jason's business is very successful, we're not rich, but we're not hurting for material things, we've all our friends around us, and we have five healthy kids who seem as close as we were."

Trini smiled at her and laughed, "We are lucky, aren't we. Let's just hope that things stay a lot quieter for them than us. I don't know how I could handle it if they suddenly got teleported
away by a disembodied head trapped in tube."

Kim smiled, "Well, we'll just have to keep an eye on them and start asking questions if they all of a sudden start wearing a single color most of the time, and come home with funny looking watches."

Any reply Trini might have had was lost in the sound of the doorbell. Kim smiled at her, "That must Linda and Trini Anne," she said as she headed to the front foyer. Kim opened the door to find Jason and his daughter standing there waiting for her. "Jase!" she smiled fighting back the tears in her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Jason smiled at her, turned and pointed to his car with his thumb, "I can always leave," he said with a smile.

"You do and I'll kick your butt," Kim replied pulling both her Jason and Trini Anne into the foyer. "You have no idea how much this means to Jay."

Jason smiled at her, "He explained it to me last night, Kim." Then pulling the smaller woman into a hug, "You've got a pretty perceptive boy there. I think he takes after his mother."

Kim smiled up at him, "Don't tell Tommy that. He wants him to take after him."

Jason smiled at her, "He does, but taking after his mom isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Kim winced, realizing that Jason may have taken that comment wrong. Some scars were still painful. Kim wasn't sure that Jason and Tommy had ever really dealt with Jason's being gay. Since Jase hadn't dated since Billy's death, the issue was just ignored- especially since Jason didn't ACT gay. "I know," she smiled up at him, "I just think that Tommy likes to think of Jay as wearing red one day."

Jason laughed, "Nah, that's going to be Trini Anne's color."

Kim smiled up at him, "Now wouldn't that be a kick in the pants."

"Uh excuse me, Aunt Kim, but where's Jay?" Trini Anne asked.

"Boring you already, huh?" Kim smiled at the girl. "He's out back watching his father try to put up the pavilion."

Trini Anne simply smiled back, scooted around the two adults and said, "No ma'am, but I've noticed that when our parents start talking about certain colors, the only thing that starts to make
sense scares the bejeebers out of me."

Kim and Jase both followed her with their eyes, hoping the shocked look on their faces wasn't apparent. Finally, Kim shook her head, "Well, she is her father's daughter."

Jase beamed with fatherly pride, "You bet she is."

Kim punched him in the arm, and then slipped hers through it as she guided Jase toward the back yard, "I was talking about her OTHER father."

Jason just smiled down at her, "So was I."


~*~

Tommy looked up to see his wife come walking through the back door arm in arm with Jason. He tapped Adam and Zack on the shoulder and nodded toward the door with a smile. Both of the former Black Rangers looked up, saw Jason and then grinned back at him. "Now, that's a sight I thought I'd never see on this day," Adam said.

"Me too," Zack replied.

Tommy just smiled; glad to see his Bro, finally coming out of his self-imposed exile. Deciding not to make a big deal of the situation, hoping that it meant Jason finally put the tragedy of their past behind them, Tommy yelled over to his Bro, "Hey man, you have any idea how to put this thing together?"

Jason grinned at him, disentangled himself from Kim and came over and looked at what was happening. Taking a long look at the instructions and then what the other three were doing he finally said, "I think I see the problem."

"What Zack asked."

Jason grinned big, "You've got Tommy in charge." Shaking his head, and dodging the mock punch Tommy threw, Jason said, "Here, let me see if I can help." Looking at the directions for a few moments, he too lay them down in frustration and went to look at the actual pavilion.

Before long, all four men fell to an easy silence between them as they wrestled with the pavilion, to no more success than before. Tommy looked up to see Jay and Trini giggling over the directions, "What?" Tommy asked.

Jay looked at his best friend, "Should we tell them?"

The girl looked back and smiled, "I'm not sure. Do you think they'd listen?"

"Uncle Adam and Uncle Zack might, but somehow I don't think Uncle Jase or Dad will though," Jay replied.

Then as if on cue the two turned to face Tommy shruggedsimultaneously and said in unison, "Oh nothing." Then they turned and walked off.

"You two come back here!" Tommy demanded, half joking and half serious.

"Yes Dad?" Jay said.

"Yes Mr. Oliver," Trini Anne replied.

"Do you two know something we don't?" Tommy asked.

Again the two teenagers looked at each other. Jay said, "I don't know how to answer that. After all, we don't know EVERYTHING they know."

Trini Anne smiled, "I know. They could be doing it this way just to give themselves a challenge."

Jay said, "Maybe you're right. After all, Uncle Adam is a surgeon, and Uncle Zack at least plays a genius on television. They could be doing it for the practice."

"Maybe you're right," Trini Anne said. Then turning back to Tommy she smiled, and for just a moment, Tommy saw something in her face that brought to the forefront of his memory another blond, "Are you sure you want to know, Mr. Oliver. After all it might upset Uncle Adam and Uncle Zack?"

Tommy grinned at the girl said, "Spill it girl."

Trini shrugged and handed him a slip of paper saying, "Here's the addendum to the instructions, telling you what you're doing wrong."

"It was folded up in the packet with the screws," Jay said giggling.

Tommy looked at the addendum and sighed. This little piece of paper suddenly made the whole thing clear, "They were right. It does clear everything up." He handed the paper to Zack and shook his head. "Those two are thick as thieves sometimes."

"What are you worried about?" Zack said.

"I'm just worried that pretty soon one or the other will start to notice that there IS a difference between boys and girls."

Jason nodded his head, "I think they know that, Tommy."

"Yeah, but what happens when they decide to find out just HOW different?" Adam asked grinning.

Jason shrugged, "I trust Trini Anne," he looked over at Tommy and added, "and I trust Jay."

Zack put a hand on Tommy's shoulder and said, "You have to understand something, Tom. These guys are like Jase, Trini, Kim, and Billy and I were when we were kids. They've grown up together, they're friends first. I KNOW I've taught `Mina what's right, and I trust that the rest of you guys have taught yours."

The conversation was starting to stray into areas that made Tommy uncomfortable. The first five Ranger's relationship had always been something of a sore spot with him. It had been part of his problems with Billy. Tommy was a loner by nature, and sometimes he had felt like an outsider. It took a long time for him to finally accept that he'd been on the inside all along, and by then it was too late to make amends. "I know but I'm a father, so I worry."

Tommy watched as Zack and Jase exchanged grins. Zack said, "He's worried. He has a boy, not girls."

Both men grinned and Tommy recognized their concern. He understood that it wasn't right, but it was a fact of parenting that most fathers worried more about their daughter's virtues than their
son's. Tommy figured it had something to do with fathers remembering their own youths. "Well, hopefully we won't have to worry about that for a while."

"Trust me, Tommy," Jase said, "we already worry." Then smiling, "But like Zack said; we trust the kids to do what's right."

All four men laughed nervously and went on with their work. The recovered addendum made a huge difference in getting the pavilion raised, and they were soon finished. Tommy found himself retreating to a small corner of the yard to observe the kids' interaction.

Zack was right. All five of them reminded him of what he'd seen those long years ago when he'd first laid eyes on the original Rangers. Each of the children were moving in and out of conversations and horseplay with the ease that came from a long familiarity. They really were as a tight knit group as the others said. Something about the interaction bothered Tommy and he wasn't sure what it was.

"Wanna' tell me why you're brooding on Jay's birthday?" Jason had approached him unseen, in mute testimony to the depth of Tommy's thoughts. "That's supposed to be my job."

Tommy smiled at his old friend, "I figured that since you were taking the day off, one of us had to take up the slack, Bro."

Jase shook his head, "Nah, I think this day's had enough brooding."

Tommy gave Jason a surprised look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jason smiled and looked over at the pool where Trini and Jay were defending themselves from the other three in a rather cutthroat game of water polo. "It means that it's time for me to let go." He sighed, "I still love Billy. I always will, but it's not good for Trini Anne for me to continue to hold onto the past like this." He shrugged and blushed before adding, "or good for me for that matter."

Now Tommy really was surprised. "I'm not sure what to say, Bro."

Jason turned to him and said, "Then don't say anything."

"Okay," Tommy said confused. After a long moment, he added, "You know, I miss him too. Kim and I were talking last night. I think maybe we haven't been very fair to you and Billy…"

Jason turned to face Tommy and said quietly, "You don't have to say anything Tommy." He sighed, "I'd really rather you didn't today." He put a hand out to Tommy's shoulder, "Talk to me about it tomorrow, or Monday, but not today."

Tommy just nodded, and turned back to watch the children play.

~*~

"Can I ask you something?" Adam asked Kim from behind.

"Sure Froggy," Kim replied.

Adam smiled back. He'd been watching the interplay between the kids earlier and their interaction with the adults. Something Trini Anne said had disturbed him greatly, but he was unsure of how to
approach it. Finally, he decided to take it to the one person who could get to the bottom of his question. "What does Trini Anne call you most of the time?"

Kim shrugged, "Same thing as the other kids: Aunt Kim, or Aunt Kimberly."

Adam nodded and continued, "What about Kat, Zack and Trini?"

Kimberly looked at him, and thought a minute, "Pretty much the same thing, I guess. I mean don't they all pretty much call us by our first names with Aunt or Uncle tagged on?"

Adam just smiled to her, "Are you sure?" He patted her on the arm and turned to head back to his wife. His job here was done. He knew all he had to do was plant the question in her mind, and she
would eventually get to the bottom of it. Adam learned a long time ago, that sometimes it was best to turn the first Pink Ranger loose on a problem that was as delicate as he thought this one might be. The part of him that was a physician finally settled down and let him enjoy watching Aiden and Alex play with the others.

"What have you been up to?" Kat asked as he joined her.

"Nothing," he smiled sipping his soda.

"Adam Park, I recognize that look. You've been up to something," Kat accused, her tone taking the sting out of her accusation.

"Just playing psychologist, that's all."

"You be careful Adam. One of these days something is going to blow up in your face."

"Not this time. It's something that needed to be taken care of, so I turned it over to the one person who could fix it."

~*~

Thirteen candles, a cut cake and scooped ice cream later, Trini sat down to watch her best friend open his gifts. She'd had a funny feeling about things ever since she and Jay had teamed up to tease her dad and Mr. Oliver. She noticed that she'd been distracted in the pool, and had felt like there was a lead weight in the bottom of her stomach. Finally, she'd called time and swam to the edge of the pool and sat the rest of the game out, somewhat nauseously.

Now, she found herself watching her best friend open his presents feeling as if she was sitting two feet to the side of her body. "Everything alright, Trini?" Kim asked sitting down next to her.

She nodded, "I guess so. I just feel kind of blah, and a little sick to my stomach."

She felt as Kim reached out and touched her forehead gently. After a moment of concern, she said quietly, "Why don't you come with me for a minute."

Trini gave her a questioning look but said, "Okay."

Following the closest thing she'd ever known to a mother into the house, she waited in the bathroom while her Aunt took her temperature. Looking up, the small woman asked her, "How long you been feeling this way?"

Trini shrugged, "A couple of days."

"Any cramps, diarrhea?"

Trini blushed and nodded, "Some cramping, but actually the opposite problem."

Kim looked at her critically before saying, "Lift your shirt."

Trini gave her a confused look but complied. "Yes, ma'am."

She felt Kim gently prod her stomach and side, asking whether this area or that was tender. When a sharp pain followed one such probe, and Trini jumped, Kim said quietly. "That area tender?"

Trini just nodded. It wouldn't do any good to argue with her now.

Kim just clucked and said, "Go get your things, and meet your Dad in the foyer."

"Why?" Trini asked suddenly worried.

"This isn't something I want you take a chance with Trini. Just do as I say, and don't argue."

Sufficiently frightened, the young girl did as she was told.

~*~

Kim calmly walked out of the house and found Jase talking to Kat and Adam and pulled him aside. "I don't want to worry you Jase, but I think you need to take Trini to a doctor- Now."

She knew she instantly had the former Red Ranger's attention. "What?"

Kim shrugged, "She's pallid, she's running a temperature of almost a hundred and three, and she's complaining of tenderness in her side- her RIGHT side." Jason just gave her a confused look.
Kim could tell that he was confused. "I think she has appendicitis." She smiled, "Go take her to the emergency room. This is something you don't want to take a chance with Jase. She's waiting for you in the foyer"

Understanding dawning on the bigger man, he quickly headed into the house with her. Looking around he saw no sign of his daughter anywhere. Then looking down, he saw her slight form lying on the floor, unconscious.

****

Jason was pacing back and forth in the emergency room floor. Tommy could feel his best friend's frustration as an almost palatable force. Tommy had driven Jase over to the hospital- he felt the former Red Ranger was in no temperament to drive- while Adam had ridden with Trini Anne in the ambulance. The former Black Ranger had pretty much confirmed Kim's diagnosis, and was afraid the girl's appendix had already burst.

Trini and Zack agreed to stay with the children while he and Kim brought Jason to the hospital. Now they were waiting, and waiting was one thing Jason had never been good at. Kim came into the waiting area with three cups of coffee, and passed one to Tommy, "How is he?"

Tommy gestured to where Jason was staring out the window at the park beyond, "See for yourself."

Kim smiled at him, walked over to where Jase was, and handed him the last cup. "Here, you need this."

Jase took the cup and sipped it, "Thanks Kim."

"Any word?"

Jason shook his head, "No, she's still in surgery and we're still waiting."

Tommy watched as his petit wife reached out and put an arm around Jason's waist and squeezed gently, "She's going to be all right Jason."

The brief look of despair that flashed across his best friend's face sent a chill through Tommy soul when Jason turned around to acknowledge the words. It was a look of utter despair and hopelessness that was suddenly quashed by the indomitable will of the first Ranger leader. "She just looked so small and helpless lying there," Jason whispered. He sighed and turned back to the
window, his eyes filled with something unsaid.

Kim smiled up at him, "I know." Then she gently turned around and faced her old friend, "What is it Jason?"

He shook his head, "It's nothing. Just me being paranoid."

"Jase it's something. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to shut us out."

"I'm not trying to shut you out, Kim," Jase protested.

"No, you're just trying to handle it all by yourself. Like you've always done." She touched his cheek, "We're here to help you."

Tommy saw his Bro start to say something. Saw a look of pain on his face before he finally walled it off again. Tommy came up and put a hand on Jase's shoulder to offer what support he could. Jase smiled over at him and then turned from him and Kim and looked out across the park again, "I was just thinking that God can't be this cruel."

"Jase, it's appendicitis. Kid's get it all the time. She'll be all right."

Jase turned back to her and said, "You're right." The tone in his voice told Tommy that he didn't believe what he said.

"Jase Bro, she'll be all right. She's a strong kid," Tommy told him. "Like Kim said, kids get appendicitis all the time."

"Not like this they don't. Not this quickly."

Kim told him, "Trini Anne said she'd been feeling bad for a couple of days. It wasn't all of a sudden, she just didn't tell us about it." She reached up and forced the bigger man to face
her, "She's good at hiding things from us." Tommy noted that she didn't mention that she was acting a lot like Billy when she did that. Jason didn't need any more reminders of what he'd lost.
Tommy quickly squashed the thoug ht that came to mind next as being unworthy of Billy, Jason and most of all- himself. He quietly realized that he'd not exactly come to grips about his own feelings about the former Blue Ranger. Turning, he left Kim to give his best friend the comfort he felt he couldn't.

For long hours he sat alone watching Jase and Kimberly feeling like he not only couldn't help comfort his friend, but also in need of some serious contemplation time himself. What was it about the former Blue Ranger that brought out these powerful negative emotions inside himself- even after all these years? He felt like he was letting Jason down.

After almost ten hours in surgery, Adam came out with another surgeon in tow. Something about the other man was familiar, almost comfortable, but Tommy couldn't place what it was. "This Doctor Carstonn, he was the primary surgeon for Trini Anne." Adam blushed and shrugged, "I'm really not supposed to operate here, I don't have hospital privileges here, but since I was the doctor who treated her on the scene, I was allowed to assist."

"Hello Mr. Scott," the other man said. Tommy took a minute to observe him closely. He was a weathered man, who reminded Tommy of someone who'd spent a great deal of time out doors. His face was just starting to show the lines of age, that was exacerbated by the deep tan he wore. His almost white blond hair had receded to leave a deep widow's peak on either side of his temples and a spot at the back of his head. His eyes were a familiar deep blue green that seemed to haunt Tommy for their familiarity. "Your daughter is going to be okay."

Tommy saw the others relax beside him, and for some reason, he found himself surprised at the realization, and for some reason that surprise shamed him. "When can I see her?" Jase asked anxiously.

"In a little while. As soon as she's out of post-op we'll move her to a room, and you can see her then." He sighed. "It's a good thing you got her here when you did. Evidently she'd been in pain
for a while. Dr. Park tells me that she was swimming today. The exertion must have been too much for her." He sighed, and Tommy could see a weariness in his eyes, a weariness and something else, something that worried Tommy a great deal. "Her appendix burst. It ruptured her bowel and lower intestine."

Tommy watched his best friend pale at the news, and his confusion over Jase's worry hit Tommy like a physical blow. Why should he be surprised at Jase's worry over his daughter? "What does that mean?" Jase asked the man.

The doctor smiled and leaned back, "It means that she's in for a rough few months, but if she follows her doctor's orders, and does what she's supposed to by Christmas she should be fine."

"Thank you doctor," Jase said.

"You're welcome Mr. Scott."

"That's Scott-Cranston," Jason said. It wasn't like him to correct people about his name like that. Tommy guessed he was just tired.

~*~

Jason sat quietly in the chair beside his daughter's bed, holding her smaller hand. So caught up in his own thoughts was he that he failed to notice when her eyes opened. Looking down he was
surprised to see her face smiling up at him. "Hey, Princess," he said. "You finally decided to wake up?"

"Guess you forgot to put the pea under the mattress."

"I'll try to remember next time," he told her with a smile.

"Jay?" she asked.

"Jay's at his house," Jason told her. "He wanted to come, but we thought it best that he stay home until you're better."

"I see," her eyes twinkled, "You know of course, seeing Jay and the guys would make me get better faster." She looked at her father and smiled, changing the subject, she asked, "What happened?"

"I'll see what I can do," he smiled and told her. Then to answer her question, he said, "Your appendix burst."

"That would explain the dull pain in my stomach."

Jason couldn't help but laugh, and found it bordering on tears. She sounded so much like Billy then it was almost frightening. Before he could reply, there was a knock at the door. Looking up, he saw Dr. Carstonn and a nurse coming through door with a clipboard. "Hello." He smiled over at his patient and Jason saw a surprisingly tender look come over the man's face. "We're glad to see you finally awake."

Trini nodded, "When can I go home?"

"Not right away," Jason interjected. "Not until we're sure you're going to be okay."

The doctor smiled over at him, "Actually, it will be just a day or so. We want to make sure you don't pull any of your stitches out." He looked over at Jason, "Would you mind excusing us for a
moment?" Looking back at the girl in the bed, "We need to check her stitches, and…"

Jason smiled, realizing that is daughter wasn't a little girl anymore and would probably appreciate the privacy. He got up and left the doctor and nurse to carry out their duties, only to find Kat waiting outside. "How is she?" Kat asked.

"She's awake," Jason looked back over his shoulder, "The doctor is in with her now."

"Jason?" Kat asked. "When was the last time you slept?"

Jason smiled weakly, "Friday night," he told her.

"Jase, that was thirty-six hours ago," she smiled at him, "You're not fifteen anymore. You can't go that long without sleep."

Jason laughed and leaned back against the wall, "I do what I have to, Kat." He shook his head, "There's nobody else."

"Like hell, there's not!" Kat said vehemently, the normally prim Pink Ranger's use of profanity cutting through the fog of haze in Jason's mind. "You've got friends out here. We'd be glad to sit
with her." She shook her head, "And I know for certain that Linda wouldn't mind. For God's sake Jase, you don't have to do this by yourself."

Looking back on what he said, Jase wasn't sure why he said what he did. Granted he was physically tired, but he suspected that he was just tired of a lot of things. He took a deep breath, "As a matter of the fact I DO have to do it by myself, Kat. I have to be father, mother, and grandfather all in one. You, Kim, and Trini help out a lot, but it's not the same. You have your own lives, and your own children to care for. Trini Anne's MY responsibility, and I love her too much to shirk it." He looked down realizing he was close to tears, but unable to keep them from coming. He said quietly, "I loved Billy too much to fail her now." Turning his head, he told his friend, "Excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom."

Heading back into the room, he entered the small bathroom supplied for patient use and leaned heavily against the wall. Don't cry! The Red Ranger doesn't cry!, he told himself viciously. As
hard as he fought it, he couldn't stop the tears. Finally, he sank to the floor, his back to cold tile behind him, and let the tears flow, his big shoulders shuddering with the weight of what he was
carrying.

A soft knock came to the door, "Ja… uh… Mr. Scott-Cranston," Dr. Carstonn's voice came through the door. "We're finished now."

Jason stood, "I'll be right there, Doc," he said through the door. Washing his face in the sink, he toweled off and went out to meet his daughter's doctor.

The other man smiled as Jase came out of the small bathroom. He gestured toward a chair next to the bed, "Trini's doing fine. Like I said, we had to repair some internal damage her appendix's
bursting did to some of her internal organs. She's going to be fine, but it's going to be a hard couple of months for her and for the next few years, she's going to have to watch what she eats so as not to create ulcerated tissue around the wound."

"What can I do for her Doc?" Jase asked.

The smaller man reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, "For now, get some rest. She asked me if you'd been sleeping." He smiled, "Later, keep an eye on her. She seems to be a very active
young lady- a really rare thing these days- so don't let her pull any stitches loose. Then, when she gets stronger, help her ease into resuming her activities. There's going to be a lot of pain, and
you're going to have to keep an eye on her pain medication. Make sure that she takes it when she needs it, but only then."

"Thanks Doc," Jason told the man.

"That's my job," he turned to leave but stopped at the door. "J- Mr. Scott?"

"Yeah Doc?"

The doctor smiled at him, "She's a really special kid. Take care of yourself, so you can take care of her."

For some reason, the tone of this man's voice reached to Jason's soul. There was a gentle touch there that seemed to break up the despair he was fighting to keep at bay. He said, "I will."

"Good," the doctor said as he left.

Jason turned to his daughter, "Hey girl, you holding together?"

She smiled at him, "Evidently better'n you are. When was the last time you had some rest, Daddy?"

He smiled at her, "I'll get some rest just as soon as I'm sure you're all right."

"You'd better," she smiled over at him. "Dr. Carstonn said I'll be okay, and I believe him." Another knock came from the door, and Kat walked in. "Aunt Kat!"

"Hey pumpkin," Kat told her. "I've got a message from Jay, Mina, and the twins for you."

"Oh?" Trini Anne asked.

"Yeah," she gave the girl a conspiratorial look, "they want to know when you want them to break you out of here." She turned and winked at Jason.

She smiled back, "How about now?"

"Sorry, but there's this big burly guy who loves you so much that he's not going to let you out of here until he's sure you're okay." She smiled again and patted the girl's hand, "So you're just
going to have to do what the doctor says so you can get out of here soon. They've decided that they're postponing their trip to the museum until you get better."

"They shouldn't do that. Adien and Alexander were really looking forward to picking Daddy's brain about some of that stuff," Trini protested.

"They said they can wait." She smiled over at Jason, "Besides, if you're not feeling well, then your dad's not going to feel very much like answering their questions."

She raised an eyebrow, and gave Jason a long hard look before saying, "I think they may have a point." All three laughed.

~*~

Several hours later, Trini managed to convince her father to go home, get some rest, and take a shower. Jay on the other hand had managed to make his way over to the hospital and was now sitting in a chair next to her. There was a comfortable silence between them. In a burst of insight rare for somebody her age, she realized that Jay just needed to assure himself that she was okay- that she wasn't going anywhere. Finally, she looked over at him and said, "I'm sorry for ruining your birthday, Jay."

"S'kay," he shrugged. "You didn't mean to." Then smiling to lighten the mood, he said, "Besides, it could have been worse."

"How?" she asked.

"You could have made the cake."

Both children laughed. Trini's skill- or more accurately lack thereof- in the kitchen was legendary, among their circle of friends. Not even their Uncle Rocky's tutelage could help her get the hang of how to cook. "You've got a point there. All of us would be in here with botulism," she said.

Again silence fell between the two of them. "Jay?" she finally asked carefully.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Have you seen my doctor?" she asked.

"No," he asked, suddenly alert. "Are you all right? Do you hurt? Do I need to get a nurse?" he asked halfway out of his chair.

She laughed, and then because it hurt, she regretted it, "I'm okay. I was just wondering if you've met him."

Jay shook his head, "No can't say that I have."

"Do me a favor would you?" she asked.

"Anything Trini?"

"Stick around, so you can meet him when Dad's here." She smiled, "I want to ask you something later."

"Trini?" Jay warned. "What are you up to?"

She smiled at him, "Me?" She leaned back against her pillow. "What makes you think I would be up to something?"

"I don't know? Maybe that look on your face," he told her. "The same one you got when you found out that Uncle Zack was afraid of spiders. You know, just before you reprogrammed his laptop with that arachnid desktop theme."

***

"You're playing a dangerous game, Kev." Thea told him. It was their weekly Sunday morning ritual, ever since Kevin had returned from Romania; breakfast at IHOP. It wasn't extravagant, but it was at least a sense of normalcy for two very abnormal people. "It could backfire and blow up in your face."

"What should I have done, Thea?" He asked, "Let the girl die?" He shook his head. "That would have been a poor way to make amends."

"Kevin, you've spent your life in Rwanda, in Bosnia, in Romania, and in a dozen other hell holes around the globe caring for the sick and poor. You've more than made up for anything you might have done under Zedd's spell," she reminded him of his attempt at self-imposed penance. "And no, you shouldn't have let her die. That's your life that could have been but wasn't. You could no more let her die than you could stop being what you are. But you need to be careful."

He smiled at her and sighed, "You may be right." He shook his head, "I really should turn the case over to Adam. I'm too close to it."

"Kevin, you shouldn't have come back to Angel Grove. If anyone recognized you, there could be hell to pay."

"You're probably right. How was I to know that all the Rangers would still be living here?" he told the Asian woman.

"You of all people should have known that they would be here," Thea told him. She looked over and sighed, "Still, you look a lot different than you did back then. Maybe nobody will notice."

"Tommy suspects something," he told her. "I could see it in his eyes. "Jason is too distraught to look too closely, but Tommy was always the more suspicious one. He suspects something deep down."

"Kevin, you have to be careful. If he finds out who you are, he'll kill you," Thea said.

Kevin just nodded. "I know. He'll say it's to protect his friends, to protect Jason, but he'll do it anyway."

Thea snorted, "Like Jason needs protecting from you. I've seen the way you look at him when you think nobody is looking. You'd no more hurt him than you'd cut off your own arm."

Kevin sighed, "I can't help it. It's who I am. It's WHAT I am. I didn't ask to be this way, hell I didn't ask to come into existence. It would have been best if I hadn't, but I did, and now I have to live with it."

"You could have let them kill you," she said.

"Sorry, I'm not the kind of person who gives up. I'd rather just stick it out and see what comes of it." He sighed, "At least I'm able to defend myself. If Tommy comes after me, I can handle him." He shrugged, "Trust me, I can still run pretty fast."

"Yeah, but Tommy has access to quite a few resources. He could hunt you down. He might even convince Jason to help him," she told. "And if they caught you, it might lead them to me." She
shuddered, "I've got a lot to make up for too, and I'm not finished yet."

"I won't lie down and die. Not even for Jason," Kevin told her. "As for leading them to you, trust me. I won't do that."

She stood smiled, "Look, I have to get to church. Are you sure you won't come with me?"

He shook his head, "You kidding? The place would probably fall down if I walked in." He smiled, "Besides, I'm supposed to check in on Trini Anne at one and I don't think I could make it from Stone Canyon to the hospital through all that church traffic in time."

She put a hand on her old friend's shoulder. "Somehow, I don't think God would mind. Maybe it's time you put some of YOUR demons to rest Kevin. You're not the same man you were fifteen years ago. I think you've made up for your past sins."

"I'll keep that in mind," he stood and embraced her. "I may even decide to take that position in Iraq I was offered. The Peace Corps is very happy with my service so far."

"Why don't you go somewhere else?" she told him. "I understand that the Appalachian region is screaming for qualified rural doctors. You could disappear into the hills of West Virginia; build
a new life for yourself there while doing some real good. You don't have to keep hiding in the most dangerous parts of the world you can find."

"I'll think about it," he told her.

"You do that Kev."

~*~

Sunday after church found Kim sitting quietly at her kitchen table thinking. Tommy had taken Jay over to the hospital to visit Trini Anne and she had the house all to herself. Adam's question to
Kim kept nagging at the back of her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she wasn't sure. Trini Anne was so quiet it was sometimes difficult to figure out what she was feeling and saying. She thought of the times she'd visited Jay and how the girl was always polite, almost painfully so. It reminded her of Billy, and his way of always being respectful to adults when they were kids. Of course with Jason as a father, she'd expect nothing less than courtesy.

Before she could pursue the matter further, there was a knock at the back door, and Trini Taylor stuck her head in. "Hey girl, Are we still going shopping today?"

Kim looked up surprised and said, "I'd totally forgotten! With everything that happened yesterday, it completely slipped my mind." She stood and said, "Let me get my purse."

"Take your time," Trini said as Kim. "The malls are going to be open till eight."

Kim grabbed her purse and a moment later the two women were on their way to Stone Canyon Mall. After church traffic was heavier than usual, and it wasn't long before Kim found herself once again thinking about Adam's question in the quietness of the car. Exactly what did he mean by "am I sure"? All the kids pretty much call us all Aunt or Uncle. Don't they?"

"You seem quiet today, Kim," Trini said. "What's on your mind."

Pulled from her thoughts, she looked over at her best friend, "I was just thinking about something Adam asked me yesterday?"

"Oh and what was that?" Trini asked. It was generally understood that if Adam went out of his way to mention something then it was a good idea to pay pretty close attention to what ever
it was.

"He asked me what does Trini Anne call me, you, Kat, and Zack. When I told him that I thought she referred to all of us pretty much like the other kids, you know Aunt or Uncle, he asked me if I was sure. For some reason it seemed important."

"Oh that?" Trini said.

"What?" Kim asked.

"It's nothing really. Just something Zack and I noticed a couple of years ago. We haven't talked to anybody about it, because there's nothing really to say."

"What?" Kim turned to face her best friend and asked.

Pulling into the parking lot, she found the first available spot and parked. It was a running joke between the two of them. They'd rather walk the extra distance of parking away from the entrance than to drive around half an hour looking for a closer spot. It gave them more time for the important stuff- namely shopping. Turning off the ignition, she looked over at Kim and said, "Trini calls all of us Aunt or Uncle, except for Tommy. No matter what, he's always `Mr. Oliver.' That's all. We noticed it when she was about eight she stopped calling him Uncle Tommy."

Kim thought back to the last few times she'd seen the girl and her husband together. She remembered yesterday's exchange at the pavilion. Trini Anne called Tommy, "Mr. Oliver." Sighing, she got out of Trini's SUV and said, "I wonder why?"

Trini chuckled, but Kim could see the humor didn't quite reach her eyes, "Who knows why kids do things?"

Kim thought about it a minute, and then joined her friend as they headed toward the door. With the same off handed casualness Trini used, she said, "I don't know. I think maybe you do."

Trini stopped and looked at Kim. Her voice suddenly very serious, she said, "You're right. I do." She sighed and looked toward the Mall. "Tell you what, let me buy you a cup of tea and we'll talk about it."

Kim nodded, "Okay."

Ten minutes later the two women were seated in a small booth in the corner of a little café at the edge of the mall sipping tea. Trini leaned forward and said, "First, let me say this much: I first
noticed it when Mina mentioned it. She told me that Trini Anne was just a little afraid of Tommy."

"Afraid of Tommy?" Kim asked. "Why?"

Trini looked into her tea before saying anything else, "Have you ever looked at Tommy's eyes when he talks to her?"

Kim shook her head, "No, I can't say that I have. I mean, it's not something I've ever thought about doing."

Trini smiled weakly, "Neither did I until Mina brought it up. For some reason, there's always just a little hardness about them when he talks to her. His voice is just a little sharper. If you look, you can see where it looks like he's trying to be fair about something, but is having to force himself to be."

Kim shook her head, "I think maybe you're reading more into something that's not there." Kim suddenly felt a need to defend her husband.

Trini just smiled and said, "Maybe you're right." Looking up for the waiter she said, "There's a shoe sale at Macy's want to check it out?" Kim knew that the former Yellow Ranger would say no more on the subject if she thought Kimberly wasn't willing to listen.

"Look Trini, I'm not saying you don't see something, I just think your interpretation of what you're seeing isn't correct. Tommy would never hurt Trini Anne…"

"I know that, and you know that, Kim." Trini said, "But Trini Anne is a thirteen year old girl. She may not- especially with all the tragedy in her life. Let's face it, Tommy can be pretty intimidating at times, even without realizing it. I can see how she would interpret his distance as something else."

"He's not distant!" Kim protested.

"He is to Trini Anne," Trini said simply. "Those two have a very formal relationship, not an affectionate one. Not like Tommy has with Mina or Aiden and Alexander."

"Trini Anne's not that affectionate of a person. She's more like Billy in that manner," Kim said, but knew it was a untrue. She and the girl shared a very special relationship and affectionate is definitely a word that applied to it. It was not quite a mother/daughter one, but close. Trini after all, was the daughter of two of her dearest friends, and the best friend of her son.

"I think you know that's not true," Trini said. She sighed, "Look I'm not saying that Tommy treats her poorly, just differently." Leaning back she said, "And there's really no wonder, she's a constant reminder of what happened between him and Jason. He probably doesn't even realize he's doing it himself, and if he did, he'd make it a point not to. It's just something he can't help."

Kim nodded. She would have to think about what Trini said. It made sense in an odd Power Ranger sort of way. Sighing she decided to let best friend off the hook, "About that shoe sale at Macy's"

"Yeah?"

"Think they got anything in pink?" she smiled.

~*~

Jason watched as Jay and Tommy came into the hospital. He smiled at the look of genuine pleasure that spread to his daughter's face at the sight of her best friend, "Jay! You come to break me out of here?" Then she turned to his father, "Hello Mr. Oliver, thank you for bringing him."

"Nah, Dad won't let me mount a rescue just yet," Jay smiled. "He says you're likely to bust a stitch open if we tried."

"No problem Trini Anne, Kim wanted some time to herself I think." He smiled at the girl in the bed and looked over at Jase. "You finally get some sleep Bro?"

Jason smiled at him, "Yeah," he pointed to his daughter, "Princess here made me go home and take a shower. She said I was starting to reek."

"Leave it to a woman to appeal to your vanity."

Both men laughed and watched the two children seemed to share something between them. For some reason they both kept looking over at Jase and then smiling. He leaned in to Tommy and said, "I think they're up to something again."

Tommy smiled back, "Hide your PDA and Laptop then."

At the sound of a knock, all of them looked up at the door as Dr. Carstonn came into the room. He was dressed in khaki slacks and a muddy brown shirt. Jason noted his smile as he looked on at the Trini Anne and Jay. The smile changed slightly as he turned to nod to Jason, now it seemed to be tinged with something else. However it became almost vacant, draining from his eyes as he nodded to Tommy. "Good afternoon all."

"Hello Doctor," Trini Anne smiled at him, "When can I go home?"

The man laughed, "If you continue to follow my directions and get better, probably tomorrow afternoon." He smiled and checked her eyes. After a moment, he looked up and said, "If you gentlemen would excuse us a moment, I would like to check her stitches." He smiled, "It'll just be a minute."

Jason smiled over at the nurse who was coming in and nodded as the others followed him out the door to the hall. Jason couldn't help but notice a strange look on Jay's face.


~*~

Trini Anne watched the doctor as he inspected her wound, and then checked her vitals with an ease and efficiency that seemed to come from long years of practice. He probed the area around the scar to check for tenderness and pain, asking occasional questions about how she felt.

"How long have you lived in Angel Grove, Doctor?"

The question seemed to catch him by surprise. He looked over at her, "I just moved here." He sighed and seemed to think for a moment, "I did spend a few days here when I was very young, but I haven't been back since."

"Oh, where were you?" she asked.

"Various places. I spent some time in Africa and Eastern Europe, mainly with the World Health Organization."

"What does your partner do?" she didn't know how, but somehow she knew this man did not have a wife. In a lot of ways, she reminded her of her father. He didn't act gay, but some how she knew that he was.

The man gave her a second look, and asked, "Isn't that a little personal, Miss Cranston-Scott?"

She smiled up at him sheepishly, "You've seen inside my body Doctor, that's about as personal as you can get. Don't you think that makes us at least close enough to ask a few questions?"

He smiled at her, "You sound like your father."

She raised an eyebrow, "How do you know my father?"

The doctor smiled at her and covered up his chagrin as quickly as he could, but Trini Anne knew a lie when she heard it, "I don't really, I just got to talk to him a little while you were in recovery." Then turning to her, "And to ask the question you were hinting at, I don't have a partner."

She smiled at him, and said, "Oh really?" An idea began to form in her head.

The man known as Dr. Kevin Carstonn suddenly felt like he'd been neatly maneuvered into some kind of trap, but wasn't sure what it was.

~*~

Jay watched as the Doctor came out and said, "You can come back in now." He saw how the doctor seemed to address only Uncle Jason, as if nobody else was in the room.

"Thank you Doctor." Uncle Jason said. "How's she doing?"

The doctor nodded and then looked at Jay and then his father, "I usually don't discuss a patient's condition in the presence of non- family, but I get the feeling that this might be a special case."

Uncle Jase just nodded, "Go ahead." Jay realized that if there were anything serious to be discussed, that the man would have excused himself and Uncle Jase to speak with him alone. He also noted that Uncle Jase seemed to concentrate only on the man's presence almost not noticing him or his dad.

"She's going to be all right, Mr. Scott-Cranston," the doctor said.

"Look, Scott-Cranston is getting to be a mouthful. Just call me Jase."

The doctor nodded, "Okay, Jase. She's going to be fine. You're going to have to tie her down for about two weeks to keep her from tearing her stitches loose, but after that she should heal nicely."
He looked over at Jay's dad for a moment before turning back to Uncle Jase, "I'll give you more details on what all needs to be done, what she can and can't eat, and that sort of thing tomorrow
before you take her home."

Uncle Jase nodded, and Jay could almost see the weight lift from his shoulder. Suddenly the doctor turned on Jay and said, "As for you," he smiled, "I get the feeling that you're probably going to have more pull with her than her father does, so I'm going to put you in charge of making sure she doesn't eat too many spicy foods for the next few months." Jay saw him wink up at Uncle Jase and his dad. "You know, for when you guys are out by yourselves or end up at the Youth Center for smoothies."

Jay swallowed hard at the man's suggestion. He was surprised that the doctor was willing to treat him as responsible enough to keep an eye on his friend. He felt himself straighten up and smile, "Yes sir."

"Good," the doctor smiled, and Jay felt himself warm to the older man. "In that case, I'll see you tomorrow, Jase." He missed the look of surprise on his father's face at the use of the name.

"I'm looking forward to it, Dr. Carstonn," Uncle Jase said.

"Call me Kevin." He checked his watch, a blush slowly rising in his face. "Well I've got other rounds to make so I'd better be going." Looking up he said, "Have a good day all."

Ten minutes later, the parental units finally decided to give him and Trini Anne a minute to themselves. She looked over at him and asked, "So what do you think?"

"I think you're playing with fire girl, and those two may be an accelerant that can get you in trouble if you're not careful," he told her.

All she did was lean back in her bed and smile.

END PART 6