Archive of Our Own ^beta

It had been nearly a month since Tommy became an official part of the team as the Green Ranger. Zordon and Alpha were still fixing a few things that were not running at optimal efficiency. They were currently working on the Morphin grid to make sure their Rangers could morph with no problems. Rita was angry when Jason defeated the evil Green Ranger and it was showing in her new monster creations.

Zordon watched as Alpha buzzed about the consoles when it started to beep incessantly. The robot looked up at him. “I can’t seem to find the problem, Zordon,” Alpha told him.

“Perhaps I should send for Billy. A new pair of eyes may be able to detect something we’ve missed.”

Before Alpha could reply the alarm went off. “Ay yi yi yi yi yi! Zordon, there is a monster in Angel Grove Park.”

“Check the Viewing Globe, Alpha.” Zordon frowned. “It seems as though Rita has sent her Electro Drone. Contact the Rangers and have them sent there immediately.”

“Yes, Zordon!”

**

Four of the Power Rangers were already suited up and ready to go. The fifth was trying to get away from his parents to morph. When Jason finally did he felt an odd surge of power. He shook his head to shake away the dizziness that hit him, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late. You know how it is trying to ditch the parents.”

They nodded. “I hear ya,” Zach replied dodging a putty.

Jason turned to see Billy and Trini fighting the Electro Drone. A moment later they were flying through the air and he jumped in front of the monster. “Well what do we have here?” Electro asked.

“I’m the one who’s gonna destroy you!”

Electro sniffed the air. “I smell a power surge coming and I know just where to put it!”

The others joined Jason once the putties were gone and saw Electro was gearing up for an attack. They were about to go in while it was distracted when Billy told them not to. Jason, however, didn’t hear him and made a flying leap for the monster.

**

“Jason!” Billy exclaimed.

There were two things that happened. The first thing is that Electro had been destroyed, almost as if it self-destructed. The second thing was that it took Jason with it. “Oh my God!” Kimberly exclaimed, falling to her knees. Jason, the one person who had always been there for her. The one guy she’s loved since she could remember. She shook her head. “This can’t be happening!”

“Billy, where is he?” Trini wanted to know. “He can’t be…”

Zach shook his head. “No! We’re not even gonna say that out loud!”

“Guys, I don’t… I don’t know. Hopefully Rita just sent them to her dimension. We need to get back to the Command Center so I can help Alpha track him down.”

They arrived at the Command Center a few minutes later all talking to Zordon at once. “He can’t be gone, can he?” Trini asked, tears in her eyes.

“I am afraid that is a possibility, Trini. Billy, please help Alpha analyze the data. We should be able to determine what exactly happened to Jason.”

While Billy worked he could just feel the worry radiating off his friends. It was so heavy you could cut it with a knife. He understood how they were feeling, that was true enough, but he was having trouble concentrating on what he was doing.

“Um, guys, can you maybe go worry someplace else?” he asked quietly.

Trini held onto Kimberly as she cried and Zach was about to yell at him, but Tommy placed a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, it’s cool, Billy. Call us the minute you find something out.”

“I will.”

Billy had been working close to five hours and he was exhausted. The hope of finding Jason was waning fast and that scared him, made him feel useless. Jason had always been there for him. He remembered the first time they met. They were in the fourth grade and it was Billy's first day at Angel Grove Elementary.

No one really paid any attention to him, but it didn't surprise him at all. He didn't have any friends at his previous school either. Most of the time he just spent the day in the library or at home working on some sort of science project.

He was in one of the science labs working on something when Bulk and Skull appeared looking for something in the room to play a prank on the principal. Billy refused to help them and they got angry at him.

Billy was trying to explain to them that they could get into trouble but of course they weren't listening. Bulk and Skull found two compounds that when put together could cause a small explosion.

He didn't remember much of what happened after. All he knew was that Jason had knocked him onto to floor and he was glaring at Bulk and Skull who were standing there, eyes wide and hair sticking up all over.

Luckily they hadn't used enough to cause much damage. That didn't stop the principal from suspending them for a week and that didn't stop Bulk and Skull from deciding that Jason was no longer cool. Jason had been the most popular kid in school and the minute he helped out "the geek" his status dropped.

Eventually people started talking to him again but Bulk and Skull never stopped picking on any of them. "Billy!"

He blinked, looking up at Alpha. "What's wrong?"

"You are falling asleep!"

"Yes, Billy. You have done all you can for now. Return home to get some rest. Alpha and I will continue to try and locate Jason." Billy nodded then paused. "Please find him, Zordon. I owe him that much."

"We will do everything in our power to find him, Billy, I promise."

**

Jason's eyes snapped open. He was surprised to see he was alive and standing on his feet even if he was unmorphed. Looking around he could feel power pulsating around him. It felt familiar somehow and he wasn't sure why. As he walked around all he saw was a white room that seemed to go on forever. It was amazing.

"Am I dead?" he asked himself.

"You are not, Jason." He knew that voice. When he turned he smiled. "Zordon."

His mentor smiled. "Yes, although I am not really Zordon."

"What does that mean?" Zordon walked over to him and Jason understood. "You must be in my mind."

"In a way. Look around then close your eyes as you feel the power around you."

Jason did so and after a few minutes he realized where he was. "I'm in the Morpin' Grid. How is this even possible?"

"It has something to do with Rita's Electro Drone. You did not defeat it."

He frowned. "It defeated me."

"No," Zordon said, shaking his head. "You were both brought here. You have to protect the grid because Electro can destroy it." Jason nodded. "Once Electro is gone can I get out of here?"

"I do not know as I am not fully Zordon. I have his memories and I am able to speak with you but I cannot communicate with the Zordon in the Command Center."

"I guess I'm on my own for now."

Zordon placed a hand on his shoulder. "You know your fellow Rangers will do everything in their power to find you. Trust in that, Jason."

"Can I morph?" "You can, but it could be painful."

Jason didn't care about that. "It can't be avoided. I'll need to be morphed to fight it."

Zordon smiled. "You are truly a Power Ranger. May the Power protect you, Jason."

"It's Morpin' Time!"

The pain, which started at his feet and made it's way to his head, wasn't as bad as he thought. It only took his breath away. "Wow that was fun," he muttered sarcastically. Jason figured as long as he stay morphed he wouldn't have to deal with that again.

**

After school the Rangers teleported to the Command Center to see if Alpha and Zordon had come up with anything. "Any word?" Kimberly asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately not, Kimberly," Zordon replied. "There is no longer anything left to trace. I..."

They all stared at one another when Zordon trailed off. Alpha tried to get the Eltarian's attention but wasn't having any luck. Billy went over to help him try to figure out what was wrong, but they didn't need to because soon their mentor smiled. "Zordon, are you okay?"

"I am well and I have located Jason."

The Rangers gave each other high fives. "Where is he?" Tommy asked.

"He is in the Morphin' Grid."

Zach shook his head in amazement. "How did that happen?"

"Zordon and I were working on making the Grid more efficient. There was a brief surge just before you began fighting Electro."

Billy nodded. "That surge is what I noticed in my helmet readouts. That's why I didn't want us to attack Electro while it was building so much energy."

"It may have been better if you had all attacked."

"Why do you say that, Zordon?" Trini asked.

Alpha's hands went up. "Ay yi yi! Because Electro is in the Morphin' Grid with Jason!"

"That's not good," Kimberly replied. "We've gotta get him out of there!"

Before anyone could reply the alarm went off. "Rangers, behold the viewing globe. Fortunately it's just Goldar and putties making a mess. Do not morph unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Why?" Tommy wanted to know.

Billy took a deep breath. "Because all five us morphing at the same time could kill Jason."

**

Goldar watched the Ranger’s fight with interest. He knew they only morphed when Rita escalated the fight and wondered if the loss of their leader was making them all crazy. While Goldar had been happy that the Red Ranger was dead, he still felt slighted that he hadn't been the one to kill him.

He saw Tommy coming over this way. "Missing someone?" he asked with a laugh.

Tommy dodged Goldar but he still managed to put up a good fight without being morphed. There was a loud boom and suddenly another monster appeared. He laughed again. "Have fun!"

**

"We're gonna have to morph, aren't we?" Trini said nervously.

Billy nodded. "I'm afraid so. That thing looks a little crazy."

"Rangers," Zordon said. "Return to the Command Center immediately."

"How are we going to fight that thing?" Zach asked when they arrived. "We can't morph."

Zordon's expression was grim. "I didn't say you couldn't morph, Zachary. It is just possible that morphing could kill Jason."

Kimberly shook her head, tears in her eyes. "But how can we? No! We can't do that to him!"

Tommy was silent as the others began protesting to Zordon. He knew what he had to do, it's what Jason would do if their positions were reversed. "Guys, take it easy! I am as scared about this as all of you, but we have to protect the city. It's what Jason would have wanted. It's what he would have done."

Trini and Kimberly nodded solemnly as they held onto each other. Zach, while in agreement turned away from them hiding his tears. Billy was the only one who spoke. "Remember it's only a possibility this could kill him. This is Jason we're talking about here."

"You're right, Billy," Zach said. "Jason's strong, he'll be okay."

Tommy nodded as everyone stood behind him. "Good luck, Jase! It's Morphin' Time!"

**

Jason had finally found Electro and called for his Power Sword. He found that he was stronger and more accurate in the Grid. "You're in the wrong place, Electro!"

"Well if it isn't the Red Ranger! Thank you for bringing me here to your power. I seem to be gaining as much as you right now." Jason didn't like the sound of that. Why didn't the Grid Zordon mention it?

Suddenly a loud rumble began to shake the floor and Jason felt an excruciating pain deep in his skull. It spread further through his body and he collapsed to the ground. Electro took the opportunity to attack him. He grunted in pain as he went flying through the air and landed back on the ground.

The pain lessened to a dull ache but Jason wasn't ready to get up. He remained on his back keeping his eyes shut from the pain and dizziness and trying to stop the place from spinning. He heard a noise to his left and saw Electro making its way towards him. That gave Jason an idea. He would just have to repeat the conditions that sent them there.

Electro sent another bolt of electricity towards him. Jason was still a bit dizzy but he was able to dodge it this time. He picked up his sword again and glared at Electro. "It's down to you and me now," he said. "Let’s stop poking at each other and end this!"

"If that's how you wanna play it, Ranger," Electro replied.

Jason grinned as it started up the same attack that led them there.

**

"Zordon, something is wrong with the Morphin' Grid! Ay yi yi, Jason!"

"Alpha, I know what he is doing. Create the same energy spike from earlier."

The robot nodded, understanding forming in his circuits. "Good luck, Jason!"

**

"Wow!" Zach said as he jumped out of the way of an attack. "This thing is lethal! I'm surprised she hasn't tried to make it grow."

Kimberly glared at him. "Don't say things like that, she might hear you!"

"If Jason were here we could use the power weapon," Billy told them. "It would be most effective in destroying this monster."

There was a loud rumble and a flash of light and Jason was standing there unmorphed and looking completely singed. There was no sign of Electro. "Billy, check on Jason," Tommy said as the others continued to fight.

Billy went over to his friend. He was pale and his eyes were red and glazed over. "Jason," he said, shaking his shoulders. "Jase, are you okay?"

He finally blinked looking at Billy. "I... what happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Some, but I can see we'll have to table that discussion for a minute."

Billy shook his head. "I really don't think you should morph right now."

“Probably not.” His friends needed him so Billy knew he wasn't going to ignore that. "Tyrannosaurus!" Jason and Billy joined the others. "Hey guys! Sorry I'm late!"

"It's good to see you, bro!" Tommy said.

"Well isn't that touching? I'm gonna be sick!" The monster launched an attack that tossed the Rangers a few feet back.

Billy saw that Jason was a bit slow getting up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Let's bring them together and finish this thing off!"

"Right!"

"Power Axe!"

"Power Bow!"

"Power Daggers!"

"Power Lance!"

"Power Sword!"

"Power Rangers! Fire!"

With the monster destroyed Billy wanted to make sure Jason was okay. His shoulders seemed heavy and he suddenly unmorphed. Tommy and Zach caught him immediately. "Let's go guys!"

**

Jason woke up groggily and looked around in confusion. It took him a minute to see that he was in the Command Center. He glanced to his right to see his friends talking to Zordon. Kimberly was the first to notice him and she ran to his side. "Jason, oh my God, are you okay?"

His head was still aching pretty badly and he wanted to say something but he couldn't speak. He could just hear random things from his friends. The odd thing about it was that their mouths weren’t moving. Jason eyed Zach curiously before looking over at Kimberly. "What's wrong, Jason?" Kimberly asked, taking his hand. When he didn’t reply, looking at her helpless, she turned to Zordon.

"I was afraid this would happen. Jason's experience in the Morphin' Grid has rendered him unable to speak. He can only communicate telepathically."

The hell?

Stop cussing, Zach. He frowned. Apparently he could hear them but they couldn’t hear him. "Whoa, what?" Zach asked. "How did that happen?"

Billy was looking through Alpha's scans of the Grid. "It would seem that it's a side effect of the rest of us morphing."

"Zordon, can we reverse this?"

"That is unknown at this time, Trini. Jason we will be working on this non-stop."

Jason nodded. How was he supposed to go to school? What was he supposed to tell his parents?

"We gotta think of something," Tommy said, placing a hand on Jason's shoulder. "We can't be gone for too much longer."

He knew what Zordon was going to say before he spoke and his eyes widened. NO!

Zordon actually winced at the force of Jason’s telepathic thought. "The only way to keep you from getting into trouble is to tell your parents that you are a Power Ranger."

"I think I understand Jason's reluctance in this," Billy said. He glanced at Jason, who nodded, before continuing. "His father is an avid proponent against violence. In fact he has spoken against the Power Rangers several times. He especially dislikes the Red Ranger."

The others were stunned to hear this, Jason could tell. Billy and Kimberly were the only one who knew about it because they had been over when his dad went on one of his rants. "Why didn't you tell us, Jase?" Tommy asked.

Of course he couldn't answer so he looked to Billy again for him to explain it. He could tell his friend was more than happy to. "I've been there for one of Mr. Scott's rants. They can get pretty heated. Jason didn't want anyone to know how much we weren't liked by his own father."

Trini nodded. "It's okay, Jason. We understand. I know there are people who don't like how we do things. We just have to keep them safe, that's the important thing, right?"

Jason nodded, smiling at her. He took a deep breath as he thought about it more. His dad was just going to have to deal with it. He gave Zordon the okay signaling that he didn't want his dad to know who the others were. With his decision made, Jason stood up. A wave of dizziness hit and held up his hand to let them know he was okay. He knew they wanted to go with him, but this was something he had to do on his own. Before he left he asked Zordon how he could speak to him but not the others.

Because I am tied into the Morphin’ Grid. I am sorry it’s come to this. I realize that it’s put you in a difficult position with your father.

It’s okay, Zordon, I’ll just deal with it the same way I deal with everything.

That you will, Red Ranger.

“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Kimberly asked.

He smiled at her and gave her a kiss as a thank you. She nodded and stepped back as he teleported away.

**

When he arrived home Jason saw both his parent’s cars in the driveway. As he walked to the door, rubbing at the ache in his head, he heard another car pull up. Crap, he thought, not even turning when she called his name. He completely forgot that his sister was coming over for dinner.

"Jase, what are you doing? I can't believe you're ignoring me. She turned him around and nearly gasped. "Hey, are you okay?" He decided to be truthful about it and shook his head. Jason then pulled her into the house. "You're scaring me little brother, answer me!"

What the hell happened? He looks so pale and freaked out. "Hannah, what is all the shouting about?" his mom asked coming in from the kitchen.

"Look at him, he looks ready to keel over and he won't answer me!"

Mom placed a hand on his forehead and frowned. "You feel a little warm to me, honey. What's wrong?"

Jason shook his head pointing to his mouth. The two woman realized his dilemma. Before they could answer Jason's dad came down the stairs. "What's going on?"

"That's what we're waiting to find out," his mom said as she led him to the couch. "Hannah get some paper please."

Jason glanced up at his dad who sat beside him. He had a feeling this wasn't going to go over well. Hannah handed him the paper and he wrote down the following:

We're hoping this is only temporary. I'm a Power Ranger and I had to fight one of Rita's monsters. It was summoning an attack when I went after it and the effect caused me to be transported to the Morphin’ Grid - where we get our Ranger powers - and my experience there caused this to happen. Jason got up, ignoring the protests his head made at the movement, and gave the notebook to his parents. Hannah walked over to him and gave him a hug. He raised an eyebrow at her. "I read it while you wrote it. I believe you."

"Jason Lee Scott." He looked at his dad, who was now looming over him. Jason wasn't normally afraid of him, not after facing off monsters as tall as buildings, but he looked pretty intimidating right now. "What the hell is this? If you're not feeling well, that's fine, but why are you acting like a child? You know how much I dislike those so-called superheroes. Why would you even pretend to be associated with them?"

No, definitely not! They thought he was crazy! Jason took a deep breath knowing he would have to prove it. He glanced at his sister, who nodded with a smile. This time he had to think about morphing since he couldn’t call it out. He was surprised it worked.

But now he stood there in front of his parents and they were absolutely speechless. "Oh my God!" Hannah said squealing and giving Jason a hug. "I can't believe it! You're the Red Ranger. That's so awesome!"

"Jason," his dad said. Recognizing the seriousness of his father's voice, he unmorphed. "You of all people. How could you do something like this?"

He crossed his arms. It wasn't fair that he couldn't defend himself for doing what he thought was right. It didn't help that his head started pounding again. It was such a distraction that he couldn’t hear their thoughts although he was glad because he didn’t want to know what his dad was really thinking.

It probably hadn't been a good idea to morph just then but he didn't know how else to convince them he was telling the truth. "Jase!" Hannah said, grabbing him before his knees gave out. "Dad, can this wait until he's rested? It's obvious he just risked his life to save the world."

"Hannah!"

"John, she's right," his mom said. "You can yell at him later."

He huffed and left the room muttering something about how no one ever listens to him. "Hannah, help me get Jason up to his room." Once they finally got him upstairs in bed, Hannah left to get a cold washcloth. His mom was about to leave when Jason grabbed her hand, looking at her questioningly.

She sat down beside him and gave him a hug. Jason felt her tears on his shoulder. "I know how much your father rants about all of you, but I'm proud of you, Jason. Please don't mistake my silence for anger." She gently pulled away so she could look him in the eye. "You are a born leader and you have always been there for everyone. I remember when you met Billy and how you protected him from Bulk and Skull. I knew you were special then."

Jason smiled feeling relieved that at least she was understanding about it. His smile faded as his head pounded again. "You need to rest," she said, helping him lie down. "Hannah, could you get some Tylenol?"

"Sure, mom."

Jason gestured that they didn't need to do everything for him. His mom just chuckled as she patted his cheek. "Just relax and close your eyes, honey."

He needed no further urging and after he took the pills he was fast asleep.

**

John Scott was a reasonable man. He was also against violence in any form. He allowed Jason to learn martial arts only because it taught discipline and not to fight. The fact that his son was one of those Power Rangers upset him greatly. Not only that, but he was the Red one!

How could he continue being one of them knowing how he felt about it? John was having a hard time deciding what to do. The most obvious choice was to leave it alone. As much as he hated it, Jason was his son, and he couldn't allow anything to happen to him. On the other hand, the Power Rangers have been responsible for the destruction of the city countless times. He was amazed their taxes haven't gone up because of that.

"A monster tax, that's what we need around here!"

"What are you muttering about now, John?"

John shook his head. "I can't believe you are okay with this! Your son is one of them!"

"You're the one I can't believe! Why are you treating Jason differently all of the sudden? He is trying to save the world from being destroyed. Your son is a hero!"

John shook his head. "No, he and his little band of Rangers are going to get us all killed! How many times have we had to rebuild this city? How many times have we been kidnapped ourselves? How many people have died?"

"Maybe if you would talk to him instead of yelling at him and putting him down you could find out for yourself? Of course right now you won’t be able to because he was hurt trying to save us all! And you cannot blame them for what that alien on the moon has been doing, John," she said. "That's like blaming you because you dropped off the wrong mail at someone's house because someone addressed it wrong!"

John slammed a hand on the kitchen table. "Rose, this is not the same thing! I don't go around in mecha machines shooting things up!"

She crossed her arms, glaring at him. "What do you propose to do then?"

"We give Jason the choice of giving up his powers or I will force him to."

"You can't do that to him!"

John paced the room. "If he doesn't he can no longer live under this roof."

**

Hannah frowned when she found her brother sitting at the top of the stairs as he listened to their parents arguing. She sat down and put her arm around his shoulder. Jason was still not able to speak and she could tell he didn't know what to do.

"Hey, you'll get through this, okay? I'm sure dad will get over the fact that you're a Power Ranger." She smiled. "I have to say I knew there was something about the Red Ranger. I just didn't know I was seeing you shining through."

Jason returned the smile but it quickly faded when they heard a hand slamming the table. "Rose, this is not the same thing! I don't go around in mecha machines shooting things up!"

"What do propose to do then?"

"We'll give Jason the choice of giving up his powers or I will force him to."

"You can't do that to him!"

"If he doesn't he can no longer live under this roof."

Hannah saw Jason slump forward shaking his head. "Jase, he'll change his mind, you'll see!"

She was surprised she saw tears in his eyes. Hannah couldn't remember the last time she saw him cry. He lifted his wrist, pressed a few buttons, and was gone in a flash of red.

**

Tommy jumped up from the chair in surprised. “Jase!” he exclaimed.

He looks terrible. I don’t think things went well at home.

Jason gave him a look and nodded. “Sit down, bro, before you fall down,” Tommy told him. He grabbed a notebook and pen from his backpack. “What happened?” My dad wants me to give up my morpher or move out.

“What? No way! I’m sure he’s just a little overwhelmed.”

Jason shook his head. Tommy didn’t know Jonathan Scott that well, but he knew when his mind was made up that was it. He knew Jason couldn’t give up his morpher though. He made a promise to Zordon and he wasn’t going to go back on that promise no matter what his dad thought about it.

“We’ll figure it out, man, but I think I should get you home,” Tommy said grabbing his car keys. “No more teleporting because while Zordon might let it go once, I don’t think he’d appreciate you doing that just because you’re upset with your dad.”

Jason nodded, then scribbled down something else in the notebook. Tommy looked up at him nodded. “Anytime, bro.”

**

Jason walked into the house to see his mom pacing. She stopped when he appeared and shook her head. “Where have you been?”

Of course he couldn’t answer her and everything that happened finally crashed down on him. Jason felt his mom’s arms around him as he cried. He only wished he could explain to her what he was feeling and why he chose to become a Power Ranger.

Jason’s communicator chose that moment to go off. He pressed a button and gestured for his mom to answer. “Um… hello?”

“Mrs. Scott, this is Zordon. We have found a way to help Jason get his voice back. We will be teleporting him here shortly.”

She nodded, forgetting the man wasn’t in front of her. “May I come with him?”

“Yes, we will see you soon.”

Jason shook his head, gesturing at the house in an effort to keep his dad from getting even more pissed by involving her in this mess. Again he was upset for not being able to voice his opinion on the matter.

She placed a hand on his cheek. “Jason, it’s okay. I know you’re upset about what your father said, but he isn’t going to stop me from helping you, loving you, or being proud of you.”>

He winced when John Scott’s thoughts were broadcasted into his mind. That boy is going to learn some respect. Jason saw his dad coming down the stairs as they were teleported away.

When the two materialized in the Command Center Jason watched as his mom took everything in. Once she did, her eyes rested on Zordon. He could tell she had not been expecting a floating head in a glass tube.

“Mrs. Scott, welcome to the Command Center. I am Zordon, and this is Alpha.”

“Jason you look like your mother!” Alpha said suddenly.

He smiled and took her hand letting her know he was happy with that compliment. Jason then exchanged a quick telepathic chat with Zordon. Jason nodded, gave her a hug and went with Alpha to the medical chamber.

**

“What’s going on?” she asked as she watched them leave the room.

“I spoke with Jason telepathically. While he can hear other’s thoughts I am the only who can speak with him. The process in which he is to regain his voice is complex and it will cause him some pain. He does not wish you to witness it.”

Rose nodded. “I understand. Are the other Rangers here?”

“Only the Blue Ranger. He is helping Alpha to help Jason,” Zordon replied. “Your son is a very honorable young man and asked that none of the other Rangers’ identities be revealed. He is a strong and capable fighter, which is why I chose him to be the leader.”

“Jason has always been very responsible and respectable. It was something that I felt important to instill in him.” She paused before continuing. “About my husband. Zordon, I don’t know what to do about him. He’s usually so rational about things but he gets so angry when anyone even mentions the Power Rangers. When he found out about Jason being the leader, I think he snapped.”

Zordon was about to reply when a steady sound of beeps emanated from the console in front of Rose. “Please press the red and black buttons on your right, Mrs. Scott, and behold the viewing globe behind you.”

Rose did so and turned around. What she heard made her stomach drop. “What would you give for the identity of the Red Ranger,” John was saying. “Good, that’s what I wanted to hear. I’ll meet you in an hour.”

“No! This isn’t true! John would never do that!”

“He would not,” Zordon agreed, “however, he is under a powerful spell that was cast on him by Rita. She has decided to take his anger and use it against Jason.”

She took several deep breaths when she realized that Zordon had been through this before. “How many times has this happened? How many times have those children been in this position?”

“Too many to count,” Zordon admitted, not bothering to tell her that the others weren’t children so to speak. They would always be children to a mother. “The power coins try to meld with someone of good character and I help to find that person.”

“What about the Green Ranger?” she asked pacing in front of him.

Zordon explained to her how the Green Ranger came to be. “He had been corrupted by an evil spell of Rita’s, but Jason and the others saved him. He is now the White Ranger.”

“It would seem that everything is back to normal,” a voice said. Rose turned to see the Blue Ranger entering the room, with Jason following.

While he still looked a little pale he was smiling. “Hey, mom!” he said, pulling her into a hug.

“Oh thank God, Jason!” she cried.

“I’m okay,” Jason told her, but she was refusing to let go. He tapped her lightly on the back. “Mom, I love you too, but I need some air please.”

Rose finally let go with a chuckle. “Sorry.”

“Jason, it is good to see that the procedure worked, however you are still suffering some side effects from being within the Morphin’ Grid. Those will abate in time.”

“Zordon, will you show him what we saw?” Rose asked. She hated to have to do this to her son but he had a right to know and she was going to do everything in her power to keep him safe from Rita’s spell.

“Rita,” Jason growled when the video ended. “I’m gonna kill her!”

Rose did not like the look on her son’s face and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s try to talk to your father first. Maybe we can get through to him.”

**

Jason and his mom arrived home to a freaked out Hannah. "Oh my God, where have you two been!" she cried. "Dad's gone crazy!"

"Relax," his mom replied.

"Relax? How can I relax? Dad said he's going to tell his anti-Power Ranger friends who the Red Ranger is! You know how some of them are! They might want to hurt Jason!"

Jason shook his head. "I'm not going to let that happen! We're going to try and talk to dad."

She blinked. "You can talk again?" she cried, hugging him happily. The anger quickly came back though. "And what is talking to dad going to accomplish, Jase? You didn't see how angry he was. I was scared."

"I have to try, Hannah, because he's under one of Rita's spells. Dad wouldn't knowingly put any of us in harm's way. I know he has to be fighting the spell! Besides I don't have just myself to protect, I have five other Rangers."

His mom grabbed his arm. "You are not going alone," she said.

"I have to, mom. I'm not even going morphed. I just need to talk to dad and I can't do that as the Red Ranger."

Tears formed in her eyes. "But, Jason, if you won't let me come then bring the other Rangers with you."

Jason shook his head. "I can't bring them with me either, but I'll have my communicator so if I need them I can call them. I promise."

"Okay, okay," she replied, giving him a hug. "Just be careful, honey."

"I will." Taking a deep breath, he glanced over at Hannah.

"You can do this," she told him with a smile and then he was gone.

Jason teleported directly into his dad's car. "What the hell!" he exclaimed, swerving in shock. "Jason, what are you doing?"

"Stopping you."

His dad pulled the car to the side of the road. "This is irresponsible young man!" he said. "We both could have been killed!"

"Listen to yourself! This isn't like you, dad! You're under a spell! I know you never liked the Power Rangers or how they do what they do, but I also know that you wouldn't hurt anyone let alone me! I can live with you not being happy about what I do, but I can't live without you!"

His dad smirked and his eyes turned dark. Before Jason knew what has happen, he was being slammed into the car door. His vision swam as his head made contact. "Dad," he gasped out. "Dad, you have to fight it! I know you're in there somewhere!"

Jason knew how strong his dad was, both physically and mentally. He just hoped he could get through to him. More pain exploded in his head as it was slammed into the window again with a smack. Jason tried again. He didn't care how pissed off he made his dad, he just had to get through to him for his family.

"I know you don't care for the Power Rangers dad, but right now it's me talking to you. It's Jason, not the Red Ranger. Dad, look at me, please!"

Jason saw a glimmer of recognition in his eyes and his dad loosened his grip around his neck. "Jason, I... oh my God," he cried. "I don't... what's happening to me?"

"It's okay, dad, you're under a spell," Jason replied weakly. He was quiet and Jason wondered what he was thinking. “Dad.”

John shook his head as if he were clearing all the bad thoughts from his mind. “Jason…” He frowned then looked up at the Rangers standing around him. "I..."

The White Ranger placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mr. Scott. This was all Rita."

"We should get him back to the Command Center," the Blue Ranger replied quietly. "Both of them."

"Shouldn't we take him to the hospital?" John asked, glancing over at Jason who felt like he was going to be sick.

The Pink Ranger shook her head. "It's best if we take care of everything. The Blue Ranger will be able to help him just as well as a hospital and with no questions asked."

John wasn't so sure there shouldn't be questions asked but he nodded. The Yellow and Black Ranger stayed behind to deal with the car while the others took them to the Command Center.

**

Billy and Tommy were holding Jason up between them as they were transported. "Ay yi yi yi!" Alpha exclaimed.

"Rangers, please get Jason to the infirmary. Alpha."

"Of course, Zordon," he replied going to help them.

A few moments later Kimberly appeared with John Scott. She smiled reassuringly at him. "Zordon, this is Mr. Scott."

"Mr. Scott, I am sorry that we have to meet under these circumstances."

It took several minutes for him to respond and Kimberly shuddered at the haunted look in his eyes. "I nearly killed my son," he whispered. "How could I do that?"

"You were under a spell, Mr. Scott," Kimberly told him.

"And you broke through," Zordon added. "I can see where Jason gets his strength from."

John shook his head. "How can you say that? I wasn't strong enough to fight that spell! Jason's going to die and it will be all my fault!"

"No!" Kimberly exclaimed and before Zordon could stop her she removed her helmet. "No! I have known you for a long time, Mr. Scott. You are the strongest man I know! You are fiercely loyal and are even like a father to me. This was not your fault, trust me, please!"

John placed a hand Kimberly's face, tears in his eyes. "So you're a Ranger too?" he asked.

"Yes and it's been a rewarding experiencing. Jason and I are very proud to be a part of this team."

John nodded but didn't reply. "Kimberly," Zordon said, "Please bring Mr. Scott to see Jason and have Alpha check him over. I am certain he's in shock."

**

Rose was pacing nervously while Hannah sat on the stairs staring blankly ahead. The two nearly jumped out of their skins when the Black and Yellow Rangers appeared. "Did you find them?" Rose asked as she walked over.

The Black Ranger nodded but did not respond. The two shared a glance before they were teleported away. "Zordon!" Rose exclaimed, grabbing Hannah's hand. "Are they okay?"

When Zordon told Rose what happened she felt dizzy. She was very grateful her daughter was nearby to keep her grounded. "Can we see them?" Hannah asked, her voice shaking.

"Of course. Yellow Ranger, please take them to the infirmary."

Once they were gone, Zach removed his helmet and wiped his tears. "Zordon, it was horrible."

"I know, Zachary. Alpha and I were able to see some of it on the Viewing Globe. Unfortunately Rita blocked most of it from us. She stopped when she realized that John Scott wasn’t going to kill his son.”

**

Kimberly had John lie down despite his request to check on Jason. “I’ll let you know how he’s doing as soon as Alpha and the Blue Ranger are finished, I promise, Mr. Scott. Just try to relax.”

She glanced over at Billy, who looked up and motioned her over. Kimberly bit her bottom lip. “I had to take off my helmet to calm him down,” she explained. “How’s Jason?”

“He’s holding his own. He has a serious concussion, but I think he’ll be okay.”

Kimberly frowned. “Concussion? Do we know how he got that?”

“I did it.”

She turned to see Mr. Scott standing beside her taking in his son’s pale features. “I… I slammed his head against the window of the car twice. Jason is never going to forgive me.”

Kimberly was about to reply but Billy did as he unmorphed. “Mr. Scott, Jason would never blame you for this. Rita had you under her spell, he’ll understand that. We’ve all been there before.”

Mr. Scott shook his head, glancing down at Jason. “Maybe.” He was quite for a moment before looking back at Billy. “So am I right in assuming that the other Rangers are Tommy, Zach, and Trini?”

Just then Jason stirred. The three stood over him expectantly. When he opened his eyes he seemed a bit disoriented. “Jason,” Billy said. “Do you know where you are?”

“Um… the Command Center. How did I get here?” Jason replied.

Kimberly glanced over at Mr. Scott. “You don’t remember?”

She watched as he thought about it and took him almost a minute to respond. “I remember talking to my mom and Hannah freaking out about something, but I can’t…” Jason trailed off when he saw his father standing there. “It wasn’t a dream was it?”

“No, Jason,” Mr. Scott said quietly.

**

Jason frowned as his dad looked away and reached out to take his hand. “Dad, don’t do that. I don’t blame you for what happened. It was Rita okay, no one else!”

“But Jason I almost killed you!”

Everyone turned to see Jason’s mom standing there looking at them in shock. Hannah was behind her, eyes wide. Jason slowly got up, ignoring the pain emanating from almost every part of his body. When he gasped out he had three pairs of hands attempting to get him to lie back down.

“Jason, you shouldn’t be moving,” Billy said. “You’ll only aggravate your injuries further.”

When Jason finally calmed down he asked his mom and sister to come over. Billy and Kimberly took that moment to excuse themselves. "Jason," his mom cried, rushing to his side. "Honey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mom. We're fine."

His dad shook his head. "No, Jason, I don't think I am fine right now."

“Oh, John, what happened?"

Jason shook his head, not wanting his dad to go through it again, but he knew John Scott wasn't going to keep anything from his wife. "I was under a spell," he began. "I could hear a woman's voice telling me that the Red Ranger was evil. She kept telling me I had to tell everyone who he was and I had to kill him. I... brought my gun with me. I never used it though,” he added.

His mom gasped as Hannah took Jason's hand. She knew he was trying to be strong but she also knew that he wasn't going to forgive himself for getting his family involved. "I hurt him. In more ways that I could ever imagine."

Jason shook his head. "But you fought it, dad! You were stronger than her!"

He could feel his head pounding and the was pain taking it's toll on him but Jason refused to fall asleep. Not until his dad realized he wasn't to blame, that Jason didn't blame him either. "Listen to him, John. Your son doesn't blame you. I don't blame you!"

Jason glanced up at Hannah, who was watching the exchange but not saying a word. He could really use that telepathy right about now. He was about to ask her what was wrong when he heard her say something. It was almost in a whisper but Jason heard it loud and clear.

"I do."

"Hannah," Jason said.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jase, but I do! He wasn't under that spell when he wanted you to quit. He wasn't under the spell when he wanted to expose the Power Rangers."

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked.

"I've overheard him countless times talking about how he and his friends wanted to expose the Rangers. It doesn't matter that he didn't know Jason was the Red Ranger!"

Jason could tell his mom was stunned, so was he. "John?"

"Rose, you know that when we meet up we're all talk. We would never have tried to hurt them."

She crossed her arms. "John, as Hannah said, that doesn't matter. I know you don't like how they do things, but they are defending our city, our planet. The least you could do is have some respect."

Jason closed his eyes as nausea assailed him. He could feel the tears escaping before he could stop them. He wasn't upset at his dad, not at all. He knew the damage they did, albeit reluctantly. It wasn't like the town was big enough when it came to the size of those monsters or their Zords.

"Jason! Jason!"

His eyes snapped open and he saw his family looking at him in concern. "I'm fine, just a headache."

Rose frowned, placing a hand on his arm. "We can discuss this later because we're obviously upsetting Jason. Honey, you just get some rest, okay? I'll talk with Zordon to see when you can come home. I love you."

"Me too, mom," he replied.

Jason watched her glare at Hannah as she left the room. The two apologized, gave him a hug and left. He knew his friends would be come in to see him so Jason slowly got to his feet, ignoring the pain and dizziness he felt. Once he had it under control he headed to one of the guest quarters Zordon had Alpha set up for them.

**

The Rangers were quiet as Zordon told them what happened with Jason's family. "I do not normally eavesdrop on conversations with your family but with Jason and his father in such precarious emotional states I felt it was warranted."

Zach looked up at him. "It's okay, Zordon, we understand and I'm sure Jason will too."

"Where is he now?" Trini asked.

"I spoke with him before you all arrived and he asked not to be disturbed right now. I am keeping an eye on his vital signs. He just needs some time to process everything that has happened."

Billy nodded. "Understandable. Will he be returning home soon?"

"If we can get him to go," Alpha said. "We're giving him time but from what Zordon and I can tell he doesn't seem to want to go home."

"Alpha is correct," Zordon replied. "While Jason does not blame his father, he is having a difficult time dealing with what Rita has done with his family."

Kimberly nodded. "Yeah, I know what he's thinking. It's one thing to mess with him, but if someone goes after his family, watch out!"

**

Alpha was walking down the hall when he heard a loud noise from the training room. He went to investigate and saw that Jason, despite his injuries, was beating the punching bag quite forcefully. He didn’t know what he could say to his human friend, but he would try to help.

He entered the room and waited patiently behind him. Jason must have sensed Alpha there and stopped, turning around to face him. “Alpha.”

“Jason, you should be resting.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Jason sighed. “I lay in that bed and all I can see is my dad attacking me. I know he wasn’t himself but that doesn’t undo what Rita made him do to me. I think she did this to force me to give up my powers.”

“That is what Zordon suspected as well,” Alpha told him. The robot paused a moment before continuing. “Jason, you weren’t thinking of doing that were you?”

He shook his head. “No, of course not. If I do that she wins. I just…. I mean, I know she’s used our parents against us before but this… it was scary Alpha.”

Alpha didn’t think he’d ever admit that to anyone else. “You should tell the others how you are feeling. They want to help you too.” “I can’t do that. They need to know I’m not freaking out or going crazy.”

Alpha tilted his head. “They know you are neither, Jason. They know you are strong or Zordon wouldn’t have picked you to be the leader. They also know you are human and you have feelings just like them. They won’t hold it against you. Neither will your family for that matter.”

Jason smiled, placing a hand on the robot’s shoulder. “Thanks, Alpha.”

“You’re welcome. Now get some rest. Zordon would like to speak with you before he sends you home.”

**

A few hours later, Jason was standing in front of Zordon. The Eltarian knew this young human was very resilient and a true Power Ranger. "Jason, I am glad you are doing well."

He nodded. "My head still hurts a bit, but I'll be fine. I just don't know how I'm going to face my family. They know all about us now and Rita used my dad against me. I'm worried Zordon."

Zordon knew how much it took for Jason to admit his weakness. "You have come a long way since I first teleported you here, Jason. I know you will overcome this as you have done with everything Rita has thrown your way. I would understand if you decided to step down."

"No," Jason said. "As I told Alpha earlier, I couldn't do that. This is important to me and I have a responsibility to Earth now. I know my family and I will work it out. We always do."

Zordon nodded. "Remember that your friends, myself, and Alpha, will be here for you if you ever need anything."

"Thanks, Zordon," Jason replied and with a nod he teleported in a streak of red.

**

The only reason Hannah went back home was because Jason was going to be there soon. She was so angry with her father that she just couldn’t stand to be around him. She remembered overhearing a conversation he had with their neighbor not even two weeks ago about how they should confront the Power Rangers into forcing them to reveal their identities. They also spoke about possibly filing a law suit against them for damages.

Hannah knew her father wouldn’t hurt Jason but he must have every time he spoke out against the Power Rangers. Now that she thought about it, the looks on Jason’s face would say it all, but he hid it very well no matter how much he wanted to stand up for himself and the others.

Sitting outside on the porch she looked up when her mom came out with some iced tea. “Thanks,” Hannah said, accepting the glass. “Honey, you should really go in and talk to your dad about this. I understand if you’re upset with him but the whole conversation upset Jason. He doesn’t want the two of you angry at one another. Besides he’s going to think he’s to blame for it.”

Hannah shook her head. “Of course he’s not to blame, Mom! Dad’s the one who screwed up!”

“Maybe so, but if you two don’t resolve this Jason is never going to forgive himself! He’s going to regret being a Power Ranger because it drove you and your father apart! Think of him, please!”

The door opened and her dad poke his head through. “Jason’s home,” he told them.

Her mom stood up, giving Hannah a kiss on her forehead. “Just think about what I said, okay?”

“Yeah,” Hannah replied with a sigh.

**

When Jason appeared in his room he looked around nervously. He half expected his mom to be in there pacing. Taking a deep breath Jason left the room and went to look for his family. He found his dad in living room reading the newspaper. “Dad.”

John Scott shot up from his chair. “Jason! You’re back! I’ll get your mom.”

He just stood there staring after his dad. He was jumpy and he looked drawn and haggard. Jason knew everyone wasn’t dealing with things very well. He only hoped they could get through it. If it was too much for his family, he would have to leave because he couldn’t stand being the cause of the rift.

“Oh, Jason!” his mom said, coming over to give him a hug. All the tension he was feeling bled out with that action. He really missed her even though he was only gone for three days. When she pulled away she frowned. “You’re still a little pale. Come and sit down, I’ll make you some soup.”

“Not right now, mom,” he replied. While he knew he should eat he couldn’t until they resolved a few things. Besides his stomach was flopping all over and he wasn’t sure he could even keep anything down.

“John, was there something you wanted to say?” his mom asked, holding Jason’s hand.

After a few minutes his dad finally came over and sat on the other side of Jason. “Son,” he began, “I know I wasn’t in control of my actions and I accept that, but you do understand that I am still working through on getting over this. Even though it wasn’t my fault, I still saw what I was doing to you and I tried hard to stop it. I have to come to terms with it, but I want you to know that I love you. As for my actions towards the Power Rangers before I found out… well I only hope you can forgive me.”

“I know you do, dad, and I love you too. I’ve seen firsthand the evil that Rita does and it does take some time to put what happened into perspective. And your actions before, I’m sure you were just scared about Rita and what that could mean for Earth if our defenses are ever not enough. You have the right to be worried about that and so does everyone else. Know that we will do everything in our power to keep the world from falling into her hands.”

He could see that his parents were looking at him differently than they had almost a week ago. What would make this officially resolved would be Hannah forgiving their dad as well. Jason knew how stubborn his older sister was so he wasn’t going to hold his breath just yet.

Imagine his surprised when she came in the front door. “Hannah!” he said. Jason could see the uncertain look on her face and the way she avoided their dad. “Come here, talk to us.”

“Jason, I... I’m sorry for the way I acted the other day. I saw you lying there and I guess I just got scared. I can’t stay right now, though. I have classes in the morning so I need to head back to school.”

He got up and went over to her. “Please don’t leave like this,” Jason said to her.

“I have to go, Jase. I have some things to think about. I’m proud of you little brother and I love you,” Hannah told him, giving him a hug. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

Jason watched in silence as she left the house. He really did it. He destroyed his family faster than Rita ever could.

**

It was almost a week later that Jason started feeling like himself again. He was able to get back into light training. Working on his katas were therapeutic mentally and physically. The dreams of his dad going after and killing his friends were finally dwindling and he was back in school.

Rita was also back in rare form and sending her monsters down every two days or so. Luckily nothing too crazy. She was probably licking her wounds because her plan didn't go like she wanted. The only thing that would make everything better would be Hannah coming to see him. She was avoiding them all in every way possible. She hadn't even called him since she left!

Jason knew she was busy with school but Hannah had never been too busy to call him. He was walking over to meet his friends for a smoothie when his communicator went off. He glanced at them and then headed to a secluded area of the Youth Center.

**

Hannah was going by the common room in her dorm when someone called her name. "What's up?" she asked her roommate, Mary. "You're from Angel Grove, I thought you might want to watch the latest monster fight on TV."

She knew what that meant. Jason and his friends were battling. Hannah felt guilty that he was risking his life and she couldn't even pick up the phone to see how he was doing. Deciding she wasn't going to be able to concentrate on her class anyway, Hannah joined Mary as everyone crowded around the TV.

She watched as the Rangers dodged attacks from Rita's latest monster. It looked like a cross between a suitcase and a key. "Where does she come up with those things?" Hannah muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Hannah held in a gasp as Jason went flying through the air landing just short of the lake. She was relieved when he immediately got back up and went back into the fray. "That Red Ranger is awesome," one of the guys said. He paused, wincing. "I spoke to soon. What the hell was that?"

Hannah couldn't stop herself. "Like you could do better?"

"What did you say?"

"You heard me, Mark. Those people risk their lives every day to keep Earth safe and you have the nerve to nitpick them?"

Mark stood up and glared at her. "You're a little touchy, Hannah. Why is that?"

Before she could respond, Mary stepped between them. "Calm down guys. Mark, that's Hannah's home town so yeah she's gonna be a little touchy about it. Hannah, this is Mark we're talking about. He has no brains."

"Hey!"

"Shut up guys," someone said. "They're bringing in the big guns!"

Zords, Hannah thought as she watched them jump into the huge robots. It was still hard for her to believe her little brother was a superhero. It wasn't hard for her to believe he had be chosen, though.

Jason was always an advocate for those smaller than him. She remembered the day he came home with a black eye after protecting Billy from some bullies.

Hannah was pulled from her thoughts by the newscaster. "Another fantastic job by the Power Rangers. No word on how the Pink Ranger is doing just yet. We'll keep you informed."

"Wait, what?" Hannah said blinking. She looked around to see everyone filing out of the room. "Mary, what just happened?"

"Wow! You really were out of it weren't you? The Ranger's Zord was knocked down a few times. I think something happened to the Pink Ranger."

Hannah frowned, worried about Kimberly. "Is she okay?"

"I think they're waiting on a statement before they start speculating."

"I gotta go!" Hannah exclaimed, rushing off to her room. She needed to go home and check on Jason and Kimberly.

**

"Kim, are you sure you're okay?" Jason asked. He knew he was being annoying but that electrical feedback scared him, especially when it hit Kimberly and knocked her out.

She nodded, smiling at her boyfriend. "I'm fine, Jase, I swear. I was just a little dizzy."

He didn't believe her so he looked over at Billy. His friend smiled. "She really is fine, Jason. I've checked her vitals twice."

"Okay, just making sure." Jason took a deep breath. "I should probably make a statement."

Zordon nodded. "Yes. I know how much the people of Angel Grove worry about all of you."

He grabbed Kimberly's hand. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Jason transformed then teleported to the TV studio. He was greeted by the main newscaster, Frank Blevins. “That was an amazing battle,” he said.

“Yes, Sir,” Jason replied.

“How’s the Pink Ranger? Will she be all right?"

“That’s definitely good to hear,” Frank told him. “Again, the people of Angel Grove thank you all.”

“Happy to help!”

Jason was about to leave when movement behind Frank caught his eye. He saw a young girl and boy coming over to him. “Brianna, Thomas, come back here!”

“But mommy, it’s the Red Ranger!” Brianna said excitedly.

“Yeah,” Thomas replied. “No one is gonna believe this!”

He knelt in front of the two kids. “Hi,” he said, shaking their hands.

“Can we get your autograph please?” Thomas asked, holding a small notebook and a pen.

“Sure, why not.” As Jason signed the notebook Frank began filming him in action. He laughed and joked with Brianna and Thomas for a few minutes before finally getting to his feet. “It was nice to meet you two, but I really need to go.”

“Ranger,” Frank said, “before you go…”

**

Mrs. Scott let Kimberly in. “He’s asleep on the couch,” she told him. “You can sit with him if you’d like.”

“Thanks.”

“Kimberly, would you like to stay for dinner?”

She nodded. “That would be nice, thank you.”

Once Mrs. Scott was gone, Kimberly sat on the floor by Jason’s head, watching him sleep. She knew he was still having dreams of his dad attacking him so it was nice to see him actually getting some rest for once. She must have been so lost in thought that she didn’t even see Jason had woken up. “Hey, Pink,” he said.

“Red!”

“How are you feeling?”

“No longer like burnt toast,” Kimberly replied with a smile. “How about you?”

He shrugged, sitting up and pulling her onto the couch with him. “I’m okay.”

She could tell that wasn’t entirely true and she knew exactly why. “You haven’t heard from Hannah yet, have you?”

“No. I understand why she doesn’t want to come over here, but why can’t she call me? Is she worried about dad answering the phone? She can just hang up on him, it’s not like we have a phone that can tell who is calling.”

“Jase, calm down,” she told him. Kimberly could tell he didn’t mean to raise his voice. “I’m sure she’ll come around soon. Have faith. Isn’t that what you always tell us when we feel like it’s hopeless?”

He smiled, giving her a kiss. “Yeah. Thanks, Kim."

**

Thanks to rush hour traffic it was late when Hannah arrived. The living room light was on and she wondered if Jason had gone to bed yet. She knew she had to speak with her dad before she did anything else though. Hannah hadn’t been fair to him. Besides if Jason could forgive him, she could too. Her dad was great man and every characteristic he gave to her younger brother. He deserved just as much respect as Jason too.

Unlocking the door with her own key she was surprised to see her dad sitting in his recliner. Normally that wouldn’t be any different than any other night, but he was just sitting there. He wasn’t watching the TV or reading a book. She shut the door and went to sit on the couch, watching him. After a few minutes he looked over at her. “Hannah, when did you get here?”

“A few minutes ago,” she replied. “Dad, I…”

“Honey, it’s okay. I understand why you were upset. I’ve been horrible and I shouldn’t have said those things about the Power Rangers. And I’m not just saying that because we know they’re Jason and his friends,” he added.

Hannah nodded. “How are you doing, you know, with everything?”

He leaned back in the recliner and seemed to be gathering his thoughts. Finally he spoke up. “It’s hard to get to sleep some nights,” he admitted. “I keep seeing myself lunging after Jason and trying to kill him. I know it’s not my fault but the fact of the matter is, Rita used me against my son. How can I get past that?”

“By seeing that your son is still alive and he loves you no matter what.” The two turned to see Jason standing on the stairs. “I know you weren’t responsible for your actions and trust me Rita will pay for what she did to you.”

Hannah watched the expression on their dad’s face change into a smile. “All I know right now is that I have some pretty amazing children and I love them both no matter what.”

“So you’re gonna let Jason be a Power Ranger?” Hannah asked.

“Of course,” he replied. “For as long as he wants to be one. Jason, I am proud of you, son.”

Jason joined them in the living room. “Thanks, dad. That really means a lot.”

“How’s Kimberly?” Hannah asked. She knew how much Jason loved her and vice versa. They’d been together for almost two years now.

“She’s fine, just got a little zapped by the fuses that blew in the Zord. I have to admit I was a little worried when she didn’t wake up right away.”

Hannah nodded. “That was part of the reason I came home. The other part was that I wanted to apologize for acting like such a brat and ignoring you this past week, especially when you needed me the most. Can you forgive me?”

“Definitely,” Jason said, giving her a hug.

“Oh!” her dad said getting up from his chair. The two siblings exchanged amused glances as he knelt in front of the TV. “It should still be in here. Ah, okay!”

“What is it?” Hanna wanted to know.

He pressed play on the VCR and a video camera was focusing on the Red Ranger as he spoke with two little kids. You couldn’t hear what was being said but the children were laughing and talking animatedly with him.

Frank Blevins appeared in the foreground. “That, ladies and gentlemen, is the sign of a true superhero.”

Jason sat there just staring at the screen. He hadn’t said a word yet. “Jase?”

“All those kids wanted was an autograph, it wasn’t such a big deal.”

John Scott stood up, shaking his head. “That’s where you’re wrong, son. You’re showing the world that the Power Rangers aren’t just here to protect the planet itself, but it’s people, it’s future.

“Dad’s right, Jason, you are a superhero.”