Legal Disclaimer: I acknowledge that I am using concepts and characters from "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" and "Power Rangers Zeo" without the knowledge or permission of Saban Entertainment, Inc. This story was written solely for entertainment value and may not be distributed for profit of any kind. When reproducing this document, all parts, including this disclaimer, must be kept together in their original, unaltered state.
Part 1
Tommy opened his eyes, looked around his bedroom, and stretched. It was
the beginning of another day. But for Tommy, this was a special day. He
was racing for the first time today. After only three months of careful
training under his uncle's watchful eye, he was ready to race
professionally.
Tommy knew the entire gang would be there today. He had been so excited
when his uncle had registered him for the race that he had gone home and
called all his friends with the news. They had all promised to come back
to Angel Grove for the race-- ALL of them. Even Aisha was flying in from
as far away as Africa just to be there for his big day.
Just as Tommy was headed for the kitchen to eat breakfast before going
to the track, the phone rang. He picked up his extension. "Hello?"
"Tommy!" Tommy nearly jumped at the sound of Kim's voice. It had been
almost a year since they'd seen each other, and he'd sort of forgotten
that she would be in town for the race as well.
"Hey, Kim!" He looked at his watch to see how much time he had. "So,
what's up?"
"I was just wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Sure."
"I forgot until I got here that I've never been to the race track in
Stone County... I need directions."
"Oh, no problem." He relayed the information to her.
"Thanks. Well... see you there."
"Sure thing. Bye."
"Bye."
****
Three hours later, Tommy was standing at the side of the racetrack in
his racing gear, looking anxiously up into the crowd. He wanted to see
all his friends there... wanted to make sure they had all made it. His
race started in about five minutes, and he had to admit, he was a little
nervous. Suddenly, there they were. They had all found each other and
were seated together in one section of the stands. He smiled at that.
They probably couldn't see him, but that was ok. He was glad they were
there. For Tommy, it was a special day.
His uncle Jeff was standing at his side now, holding Tommy's helmet. He
handed it to him and Tommy eased himself inside his car, Bullet-- #63.
At the starting line, he fought off the butterflies as the announcer
called out the names of the racers and which cars they were in. Tommy
could hear the crowd roar at certain racer's names as he awaited the
sound of his own. Finally, the announcer said, "And in his first race
today, a young man from right here in Angel Grove, Tommy Oliver, number
63!"
After that, things went quickly. Before he knew it, the gun was fired
and he was off. Because of his experience as a Ranger and all those
years driving a zord, driving a race car was a second nature to him. But
there was something about it that was different, and Tommy knew what it
was: the competition. He wanted to win so badly, or at least to do well.
He did do well at first, all things considered. He was in the top ten,
he knew that... he could count approximantly seven or eight cars in
front of him. Time to put the pedal to the metal, he thought to himself
as he came up on the last leg of the race. He slammed his foot on the
gas as he cleared a turn... or so he thought.
It happened so quickly that Tommy didn't have time to react or even to
think. He realized too late that he had not completely cleared the turn
before speeding up, and now he was going much too fast. Things seemed to
move in slow motion. He was heading for the wall and tried with all his
might to turn the car and stay on the track, but he was going too fast
to do so. Despite all his efforts, he could do nothing to save himself.
He heard the sound of his car hitting the wall, and even felt it flip
once before he passed out.
Part 2
The two girls looked at each other. Both of them had begun to cry. They
shared a bond, although niether of them had ever realized it before.
They both loved Tommy very, very much.
Finally, Kim was able to let out a sigh with relief as she saw a rescue
worker pull Tommy from the driver's seat. But she tensed again as she
saw what had become of him: His body was completely limp, and he wasn't
responding to anything. Not the voices of the rescue squad, not the
pain, not anything.
Kim and the rest of the gang fled from the stands and went to join
Tommy's parents, who were already standing near the ambulance. And with
a familliar reasuring voice, Jason looked down at Kim and said, "Don't
worry, Kimberly. Tommy's going to be okay."
Kim didn't say a word. She was in a state of shock, paralized with fear
for Tommy. She simply followed the others as they got in their cars and
prepared to follow the ambulance to the nearest hospital.
****
"Mr. and Mrs. Oliver?" At the sight of the doctor, Tim and Jessica
Oliver jumped to their feet, as did all of Tommy's friends.
"I'm Dr. Hanson. I've been assigned to Tommy's case." He shook Mr. and
Mrs. Oliver's hands and gave the teens a nod.
"How is he? Can we see him?" Jessica Oliver was nearly hysterical.
"He's resting. We treated his physical wounds-- the broken bones and
internal bleeding-- in the ER, but we won't know his mental state-- that
is, if there was any brain damage-- until Tommy wakes up." "When will
that be?" Tim put an arm around his wife. "I can't say for sure. It
could be a couple of hours, a couple of days...." He let the sentence
hang there, unfinished.
"Or longer." Tim knew that's what the doctor had wanted to say. His
brother Jeff had been in a number of accidents in his racing days,
including the one two years ago that was severe enough to end his
career.
"Yes." Dr. Hanson looked at the crowd through wire-rimmed glasses,
reguarding them solemnly. "The good news is, things look good for him.
He was wearing a helmet and a seatbelt. Unfortunately, at the speed your
son was going when he hit that wall, they didn't do him a whole lot of
good, but in contrast, there is no doubt in my mind that they saved his
life."
"Can we see him?" Jessica asked quietly.
"Yes, you may. But only for a few minutes and--" he turned to Tommy's
friends--"I'm sorry, kids, but family only."
****
"Tommy? Tommy, it's me." Jessica Oliver stood at her son's bedside and
took his hand. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Tommy, don't give
up. You're a fighter. You always have been...." She took a step
backwards into her husband's arms. "We can't lose him," she whispered in
a shaky voice. Her thoughts returned to the day Tommy had been placed in
her arms as a newborn. "When we were told we would never have children,
it felt like the end of the world. I wanted a child of my own so
badly.... But then, we thought of adoption."
Tim Oliver smiled slightly as he, too, remembered that joyous day when
Tommy had become a member of their family. "That was a great day, wasn't
it?"
"They placed that little baby in my arms and I thought, this is okay. We
have a child. He's ours. And I never thought for a moment that he would
ever be taken away, especially not like this...."
"I know. I know." Tim turned his wife to look at her and gave her a
tight hug. "He's gonna beat this, Jessi, you know he is. He's the
strongest eighteen year old I know. He's a fighter. He'll make it."
****
There wasn't much the other Rangers (or former Rangers, as it were)
could do. That was something they just couldn't deal with... Tommy was
their friend, their teammate, and someone they cared about very deeply.
But they had no choice. It was family only, no acceptions.
Jason sat on a window sill in the waiting room, his chin proped up on
his fist. This bites, he thought to himself. There HAS to be something
we can do. He looked across the room at Kim. His friend was in pieces,
but she was not nearly as bad as Kat. Although he did not know Kat very
well, Jason could tell that the girl was very upset, even more so than
Kim.
It was only the two of them who stood apart from the others. Everyone
else seemed lost in his or her own thoughts, as Jason was. And then Dr.
Hanson returned.
"Kids?"
Everyone jumped to their feet, and with the profound absence of Tommy,
Jason once again stepped into the lead. "Do you know something about
Tommy?" he asked, his eyes darting quickly to either side of him,
catching glimpses of his friends.
"Yes. This is something I think you all should hear. I just came from
Tommy's room, and I've spoken with his parents, and they've agreed that
you need to know." He took a long look around, as if trying to meet each
of their eyes individually. "I reviewed Tommy's x-rays and what I found
was... well, it's not so good." Again he paused, and this time, they
could all tell the doctor was stalling for time. "In addition to several
bruised, cracked, and broken ribs, a fractured left leg, and a few other
broken bones, Tommy has.... well, there is pressure that built up inside
his brain. I don't know if that was a direct result of the accident or
if maybe there was something there before that the accident made more
apparent, but it's there."
"What's that mean for him?" Tommy asked. He spared a look at Billy and
Justin, knowing that the two of them, with their seemingly endless world
of knowledge, probably already knew and were trying to fight the tears
until the doctor broke the news to the others.
"It means, in short, that Tommy is never again going to be the Tommy you
once knew. When-- and if--- he wakes up, he may have memory loss, mental
instability, paralyzation..."
"NO!"
Kim's voice caught them all by surprise. Never in all her days as a
Ranger had Kim ever spoken with such force. "You're wrong, I know you
are! That's Tommy in there! You don't know him! To you he's just another
patient, but I know him! He's a fighter! He's going to live and he's
going to be fine!" With that, Kim ran from the room, tears streaming
down her face.
The truth was, Jason felt the same things himself. He wasn't going to
address them the way Kim just had, but he, too, felt that Tommy could
overcome any obstacle, even one this big and this difficult.
"Is it true?" Katherine asked, turning to Billy, almost as if she
couldn't believe the words of the doctor, but that they would have more
truth coming from Billy.
Billy nodded solomnly, fighting back the tears. "He'll never be Tommy
again."
Part 3
Kim was somewhat surprised when, after darting down a randomly chosen
hall, she reached Tommy's room. She knew she was not allowed in there,
but the opprotunity was there, and she couldn't pass it up. Bravely, she
stepped into the room.
Kim had a difficult time accepting the sight that met her eyes, but she
was glad she was seeing it for herself, at least. Tommy's eyes were
closed, and he was connected to so many machines and monitors that to
Kim, it didn't even look like he was a person anymore... he appeared
more like a robot or a humanoid than her ex-boyfriend and a recent
graduate of Angel Grove High.
"Tommy, it's me." Kim's voice was barely louder than a whisper. She
could feel tears stinging at her eyes as she took his hand. She ran her
finger gently over his veins, up his chest, and to his face. She brushed
his cheek gently, the way she had when they were dating... he used to
respond and touch her face in the same, loving way, but now she knew he
wouldn't.
Her hand traveled back down his body and landed on his heart. It was
still beating, as strong and as healthily as ever. Next, she ran her
hand over his chest... and let it come to rest on a spot just below his
rib cage. She knew he had a scar right there, as did Jason. In Tommy's
days as the Evil Green Ranger, the two had faced each other in a fierce
battle in Rita's Dark Demension, and a touch from Tommy's Sword of
Darkness had resulted in Jason's scar... Tommy's, however, had come much
later, after he'd lost his Green Ranger powers and was fighting, unarmed
and unprotected, against Turban Shell in The Other World. Kim had been
the only Ranger who knew the significance of Tommy's scar... in fact,
she suspected she was the only Ranger to know it existed, except maybe
Kat.
"Kat." Kim couldn't help wondering how far she'd gone with Tommy... how
serious they were. She had to admit that, deep down, she still had
feelings for him. But she knew they were ancient history. Tommy belonged
to Kat now, and Kat belonged to Tommy. "Oh, Tommy, I wish you could
answer me..." Kim wiped a tear away. "I wish you could give me some sort
of sign that you're going to be ok." Suddenly, Kim detected the voices
of medical personel coming down the hall. Quickly, she ducked under
Tommy's bed and prayed she wouldn't be found. "It's a shame," one woman
said as she and someone else (Kim could see 2 pairs of shoes from her
hiding place). She came up beside the bed and Kim cringed. "He was going
places. I knew he was." She paused.
"You knew him?" the other voice, also female, replied.
"Lord, yes. His father and I go way back. That's why it's going to be so
hard to break the news to him. I broke his heart once... now I have to
do it again." With that, the pair left the room and Kim emerged from her
hiding place. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard! They were
talking about Tommy like he was already dead.
"Oh, God, Tommy!" Kim sobbed. She buried her face in his chest, feeling
the steady rising and falling of his chest as he breathed. He looked so
calm as he laid there, and his body felt so warm, so comforting, as it
had always been.
Kim knew she had to get back to the others. Should I tell them what I
heard? she wondered. No, she decided at last. I shouldn't have been in
here, and besides, it won't do them any good to worry any more than they
already were.
"Please, Tommy," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair.
"Please, you have to fight this. You have to come back to us. Please."
Not knowing what else to say, she turned and left the room.
Kim had no sooner closed the door to Tommy's room behind her than she
nearly ran into Kat. Both of them stood for a moment, looking at each
other in surprise, each wondering what the other was doing there.
Finally, Kat spoke.
"I thought I'd find you here," she said with a tiny grin.
"How'd you know?"
Kat shrugged. "You and Tommy were-- ARE-- so close.... I don't know. It
just seemed logical." There was a pause. "I don't know if I could bear
to go in there... if I could stand to see him like that... How bad is
he?"
Kim looked away. "It doesn't even seem like it's really him in there.
He's got so many machines and stuff hooked up to him... It's not really
him." Now it was Kim's turn to pause. "You should go talk to him,
though," she said finally. "He loves you." It had been extremely
difficult for Kim to admit that, but she knew it was true. She had
broken up with Tommy, and he had moved on. In her heart, she would
always care for him, but she knew he loved Kat now. She knew it was not
her loving touch and gentle voice that would bring him back to them, but
Kat's.
"I don't know, Kimberly," Kat replied, glancing over Kim's shoulder and
into Tommy's room. "I don't know if I can do it."
Kim smiled and put a reassuring hand on Kat's shoulder. "You can," she
whispered. "You have to. I know we both care for Tommy. I know he's
special to both of us. But he loves you now, Katherine. He needs you."
"Thank you, Kimberly," Kat replied. "Thank you for being a great
friend." She gave Kim a gentle hug and stepped into Tommy's room. When
the door closed behind Kat, Kim returned to the waiting room and the
rest of her friends.
Billy met her first, giving her a hug in the friendly way he always had
about him. "Are you gonna be ok?" he asked.
Kim nodded. "I'll be fine, Billy."
"Where's Katherine?" Jason asked.
"I convinced her to take some time alone with Tommy."
"That was brave of you, Kimberly," Aisha told her old friend, stepping
forward for her turn at a hug. "I know how much you loved Tommy."
Kim didn't reply as she and Aisha parted and Kim took a seat in a
cushioned chair. She had done all she could. Now, like the others, all
she could do was wait.
Part 4
A week passed. Nothing changed. Tommy remained unconcious and his
friends remained hopeful. Kim refused to return to Florida... even
though she had come to accept Tommy and Kat's relationship, she was
still Tommy's friend and she couldn't leave him.
It was once again Saturday and the Rangers and former Rangers alike
filled the chairs in Angel Grove Community Hospital's waiting room.
Nobody said much... there wasn't much to be said. Tommy's parents spent
most of their time with their son, and the other Rangers came and went
from time to time. Tommy's brother David had been by a lot... sometimes
he'd sit with the Rangers, sometimes he'd just go visit Tommy and then
leave right away.
From what Jason had observed, Tommy had about 4 doctors... and then he
had Billy and Justin. Dr. Hanson was the main guy... the rest were
probably specialists or something.
A voice interrupted Jason's thoughts and he looked up. It was Dr.
Hanson... with good or bad news, Jason couldn't be sure until the doctor
spoke.
"Kids," the old man said, a hint of a smile appearing on his face,
"Tommy's woken up."
Cheers and hugs and happy tears filled the room. "Can we see him?" Billy
finally asked.
The doctor was hesitant. Finally he said, "Ok. But... I have to warn you
first..." The smile that had given them so much hope faded away. "Tommy
is paralyzed from the waist down. Whether temporarily or permanently,
I'm not certain... but he cannot feel his legs."
The celebration ceased as the teens prepared themselves for what they
might find when they walked into that room. Finally, they began speaking
again... and on Dr. Hanson's word of "one person at a time", it was
agreed that Jason could go first. With a look of determination, Jason
walked down the hall to Tommy's room.
****
"I was so stupid!" Tommy exclaimed. "Man! All I cared about was
winning... I knew it was dangerous, but I just wanted to proove
myself... I wanted to win..."
"I know man. I know."
"And now... everything I've worked for... my martial arts, my racing..."
Tommy looked down. "It's all gone."
"You don't know that for sure," Jason replied, trying to be hopeful.
"Doc Hanson says it could only be temporary... that with therapy, you'll
walk again. You just have to have faith in yourself... we know you can
do it."
Tommy's next words had been long in coming... but Jason hadn't expected
them quite the way they came. "I know I can get back on my feet again,"
he said. "But Jason, there is one thing that I will never do again, and
that's battle monsters. My ranger days are over Jason..." With a shaking
hand, Tommy reached into the top drawer in the table by his bed and took
out his Turbo morpher and key. "I couldn't think of a person who was
more worthy of these than you."
"Tommy I--"
"Jason. Please. I know that it will be months... maybe years... before I
am ready to get back out on the battlefield again, and Divatox won't
wait for me, you know that. The team needs a leader who can pick up
where I left off without missing a beat, and I know that you can do just
that."
"I won't let you down," Jason said in a soft monotone.
"I know you won't, Jase. Oh... and... look after Justin, will ya? Take
care of him... don't let him get hurt."
"You got it."
And with that, Tommy's Ranger days came to an unexpected end... and
Jason's began once again.
Epilouge
"Alright, you ready?" Tommy's uncle Jeff asked him.
"As I'll ever be," Tommy replied.
One year had passed since Tommy's accident. After months of intense
physical therapy, Tommy had taken his first steps on his own just two
months ago. Since then, he had been determined that on this day...
exactly one year after the accident that could have cost him his life,
he would get back into a stock car and race again.
The track was nearly deserted. Only Tommy, his uncle Jeff, and his
friends were there this time... unlike the day of the accident, when
Tommy had been racing for a crowd of thousands of people.
"Alright, Tommy. You can do it," Kat told him, kissing him on the lips
gently.
Tommy couldn't hide his slight nervousness as he pulled on his helmet.
He looked over at his uncle, whom he would race around the track... and
a twinge of excitement in his stomach caused him to smile.
The race began and Tommy's friends watched and cheered him on. It was a
shorter race than the one that had taken place the day of Tommy's
accident... only because Tommy had not raced since that day. In the end,
Jeff beat Tommy... but that was to be expected... he was older and more
experienced, and this was all in fun. And as Tommy climbed out of his car
and walked slowly over to his friends, he knew that he truly had his
life back.
"You were great," Kat told him, giving him a big hug and a kiss.
"Thanks." Tommy looked down at Justin... the boy had been so special to
him, almost like the younger brother he had never had. And Jason...
Jason had become part of the team again, and Tommy knew that made him
happy. Jason loved being a Ranger probably more than Tommy did.
Tommy's ranger days were over... never again would he face a giant
monster or call on his zord... never again would he have to worry about
his communicator beeping in a public place or someone uncovering his
secret identity. It was over, but even though he no longer had the
power... he understood now what it meant when it was said to a departing
ranger, "You will always be a Power Ranger in our eyes." He and the
others would always be friends, power or no power. And that was the most
comforting thought in the world.
Tommy smiled happily as he headed off the track that day. He had done
what no one thought possible: he had become himself again. He was Tommy
once again, and he had beaten the odds... But then again, that was just
his way. He knew it would be a long hard road from the beginning, but he
had taken it all in stride. And now... he came, he saw, he conquered...
with a little help from his friends.
THE END
