Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for anything that is supposed to be in the disclaimer. The characters belong to Saban. Except Laura and her family, I made them up. This story occurs in the MMPR timeline, mostly because it was the only one I ever watched. I am no good at fight scenes so don't expect many. PS. True story, well, except the Ranger parts... This also really doesn't fit with my other stories, I wrote it as therapy. If you need context; Put it before a Friend from long ago.

Uncertain Futures
by Sarah Clutter

The six friends walked out of the hallway after taking their ACT.

"How do you think you did?" Asked Laura to everyone.

The others just groaned.

"Do you guys want to go to the Youth Center or something?" Laura asked, feeling maybe she shouldn't go home quite yet.

"No, I gotta get to work." Jason had said.

The others either had homework, or practice, and Trini had to babysit. Laura thought to himself for a minute, "I might as well just go on home."

She walked to his trusty Buick. She loved her car, it made her confident. she felt like nothing could ever happen as long as she was in it.

"Ok," she said as she sat down, "Time to go on home."

She drove down the driveway from AGHS. "I may as well take the gravel road." she said to herself. Her mom had always told her not to take the gravel, but as time went on she took it more and more and became very confident on it.

She took off down the gravel road. She only had about 10 more miles to her house. Her speed picked up as he thought about taking a quick nap when she got home. As she went over a hill she glanced to the speedomoter and noticed she was up to about 82 mph. "Hmm, better slow down."

Suddenly she looked up.... "Darn!" she hollered, and swerved off to the side because a car was about to hit her head on. She found however that it was not easy to accomplish that on a gravel road her car began to swerve all over the road. She looked out the window, and realized she was going to wind up in the ditch. Suddenly she realized, she wasn't only going to wind up in the ditch, she was going to roll her Buick!!!

She screamed as the first roll occured, then the second, she thought it was over, and began to get her bearings back. Suddenly she went over one more time.

"Why did this have to happen? God, why did this have to happen???"

She tried to get out the driver's side, but the door was stuck shut. she glanced over to the passenger's side, but knew, she wouldn't get through there, because the roof was pressed to the dashboard. There was glass all over the seat, but that meant the front window, was gone, she stepped out through that.

When she got out, she sat on the road for a few minutes, and looked at her car. On the first roll the mirrors had both fallen off, and the rear window broke out, on the second, the front windshield came out, and the trunk came off. The third roll seemed to have been the one to cause the most damage, it seemed to have been the one that crushed the roof.

She was amazed while she looked at the car. Amazed to be alive. If she hadn't been wearing a seatbelt she would definately have died. She stood up carefully pretty sure she was alright. She noticed her wrist hurt pretty badly, and she had a really sore head. She also felt a really sore, stiff neck. But mostly, she felt stupid.

"I should have known. I should have figured. Mom is going to kill me."

She looked at his poor Buick sitting in the ditch crushed to pieces. "Thank you." she whispered to the car, "You saved my life." The only part of the roof still up, was that which was over the head of the driver's seat..

Lauraa began to walk toward home, about six miles away. A car was driving by so she carefully flagged it down.

"Hi, your name is Laura right? Is that your car?" asked the man, "Are you OK?"

"Yea, I think so." answered Laura, "can you give me a ride somewhere?"

"Do you need to go to the hospital or anything?" Questioned the man.

"No, I think if you'd just take me home, Please, by the way, who are you?"

"I'm your neighbor, John Wilson. I'll get you home right away."

Laura and John drove carefully to Laura's home. When he arrived, her dad came out to meet her. "What happened?" asked Robert Johnson.

"I had a car accident about six miles up the road. I'll be right back." Laura replied.

Rob and John talked for a while, as Laura went to change her clothes, and look for her mom.

"Where's mom?" Laura asked as she went back outside.

"She went to town to get some dinner." replied his father, "now what happened?"

Laura related the events leading up to the accident, as her father drove them to the site of it. As Robert Johnson looked at the car he asked Laura once again if she was sure she was alright.

"Yes, I'm fine."Laura replied once again amazed at the view of her car. "I don't think I want a whole lot of people to know about this."

"Why?" her father asked.

"I just don't want to be talked about anymore." she replied, "After suddenly coming back, people talk."

"Well, you have to at least tell Jason." her dad said. "He will want to know."

Laura agreed, her father drove them to town, as her father was inside talking to the Tow Truck Company, Laura's head was reeling...

The Next day

Laura walked slowly, and carefully towards the Youth Center, she was feeling aches and pains in places she didn't know existed. "Ouch." she said as she shook her hand.

She finally reached the Youth Center. She looked around quickly for the members of the Rangers, she had decided that she would tell her close friends about the accident only.

She found them and walked toward their table. "Laura." Zack started, "No offense, but you look awful."

She had no time to respond however, because Jason came up behind her, and put his arms around her. Unfortunatly his arm hit one of her sorest spots, the side of her hip. "Ow." she said as quitely as she could.

Jason, however heard her. "What, did I hurt you or what?"

"Look everyone, can we go to Jason's for a few minutes, I gotta tell you something."

"Yeah, I can." Zack said. Everyone else quickly agreed.

The walk to Jason's house was only about two blocks.

Jason and Laura were holding hands. "How did you get this bruise?"

They entered the house.

"Can we go to the basement?" she asked Jason.

"Sure."

They walked down the stairs into the basement. "Everyone, you might want to sit."

"Ok now Laura, what do you have to tell us?" asked Kim.

"Well, I'm alright now."

"What what happened?" asked Jason,

"Don't worry, I'll tell you. On my way home I had an accident. A bad one. I rolled my car three times."

"Oh my gosh are you alright?" Trini asked.

Jason didn't bother to wait for an answer, he immediately jumped off the couch, and began to check her arms, her head, and her back all the while kissing her.

"I can't believe it, what happened, were you careful?" he kept muttering over and over.

She continued to recount how the accident happened.

"Where's your car, can we see it?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah, it's sitting behind my house, just ask my dad if you can see it. But if it's all the same to you guys, I really never want to see it, think about it or anything else ever again."

"We understand." Zack spoke for all of them, "And we're glad you're alright."

The others all climbed up the stairs leaving only Jason and Laura.

"Are you sure you're OK? Did you see a Doctor?"

"I didn't see one but I'm OK, geez, a girl has one little escapade with the evil king of the Universe, and suddenly I can't seem to get you to stop worrying about me."

"I just worry honey, I can't help it. Does this hurt?" He asked as he found a small cut on her back."

"I'm OK, I promise I'm OK. Now let's hurry up, before the others leave us."

Jason and Laura walked up the stairs. The others were waiting at the top. "That didn't take long." Tommy whispered to Jason, "She won't tell me anything yet." Jason replied.

They left the house and piled into Jason's Van in the driveway. They had decided to take Laura home, and then look at her car.

As Tommy began to drive, Jason and Laura were sitting in the seat to the end of the van. Jason noticed that Laura's fists were clenched, and her eyes were closed.

"OK?" he asked. "Are you OK?"

"I didn't think it would be this hard." she answered.

Jason grabbed her hand.

As Tommy swerved the wheel a little bit. Laura squeezed Jason's hand very hard. "Hey, don't worry." Jason whispered in her ear.

They finally reached her driveway after what had seemed like an eternity to Laura.

Her mom and dad met them in the driveway. "We would like to look at the car." Jason told them.

Laura and her mom went into the house. "I'll call you tonight." Jason told her. "Bye I love you."

"I love you too." she replied.

"Aww." the Rangers teased.

Jason, the others, as well as Laura's dad piled into the van.

They drove to the car, and were amazed at what they saw.

"How's she doing with you?" Robert asked Jason.

"She's not telling me too much, I'm kind of worried about her."

"She likes to try to handle things herself, I just hoped she'd tell you."

"Maybe we can do it." suggested Trini. "Maybe Kim and I could get her to talk."

"Why don't you take Laura to Jason's tonight. You can all stay the night together. Hopefully she'll talk to one of you."

They finally decided they did not want to look at the car anymore.

"I'm letting her have my car." her dad said, "But she's terrified to drive."

"I know, she was a basket case on the way over." Jason said.

"Really?" Tommy asked, "I thought I was doing pretty good."

They drove back to Laura's house. "I'll go in for a minute, and invite her for tonight." Jason said, "I'll be right back."

Jason walked up the steps and into Laura's house, a place he knew almost as well as his own. "Laura." he said when he found her, she had been wiping a tear from her eye, "Are you OK?" he asked not wanting to press the issue.

"I'm fine, hon."

"Well, then, if you're sure. I just wanted to invite you to my house tonight for a sleepover, everyone will be there."

"I don't know if I should."

"Yes, you should, you know you won't be able to sleep anyway." at that she just nodded, "Look I'll pick you up at 6 OK?"

"Do I have a choice?" she laughed.

"No." he stated firmly and kissed her goodbye, "I hope you feel better," he whispered, almost to himself as much as to her.

He left the house and went back to the van. "Will she go?" asked Robert.

"Yeah." Jason replied, "I'm glad, I'm really getting worried about her."

Jason entered the van. "Hows she doin?" asked Kim. "I'm worried about her."

"Me too." Jason answered, "Me too."

"I just wish she didn't think she had to handle everything by herself." Trini said.

"Tell me about it." Jason mumbled.

"Well, we have to try and make her feel better." Tommy said, "Any ideas?"

The ride continued almost in silence. They finally reached Jason's house.

"Be here around 6 OK?" he said, "That's when I'm going to go get Laura."

Jason went into his house, thinking to himself I'd better get sleeping bags, and food, and well everything.

Time passed quickly after that.

Six O'clock

Jason left his house anxiously to go get Laura. He drove carefully. He finally arrived at her house.

"You ready?" he asked as she got in the car.

"Yea, and I'm fine."

But as she and Jason were driving to his house it became apparant that she was not OK. Her eyes were closed, and her knuckles were white.

"Still scared huh?"

"No comment."

They finally reached Jason's house, and Laura was happy to see everyone there, and escape further questions.

"Hey Jase!" Tommy said, as Jason got out of the car, "We ordered Pizza."

They entered the house and went downstairs. There were 4 pizzas on the table. "I'm hungry." Zack hollered as he grabbed an entire box.

Laura sat down gingerly on Jason's couch. "Thanks." she said as he handed her a slice of pizza.

"So, what should we do now?" Trini asked everyone.

"Watch a movie?" suggested Kim snuggled up by Tommy.

"I don't know what I got?" Jason said. "Maybe us guys can go get one. Any suggestions?"

"How about Pretty Woman?" suggested Trini. "Can never get enough of that one."

"OK, but if you get that one, we get one." said Zack, "Deal?"

"Deal." the girls agreed.

The three guys headed out the door.

> "Bye honey." Jason started, "Are you sure you're OK?"

"Quit asking me that, and just go and have fun, and stop worrying!"

So Jason, Zack, and Tommy left to go get the movies, and as soon as the three were out the door, Trini and Kim were all over Laura.

"He's really worried about you." Trini commented.

"He wants you to talk to someone, you shouldn't have to deal with it by yourself." Kim added.

"You can talk to us, we'd be happy to listen to you." Trini finished.

"Did Jase talk you into this?"

"No, we're worried about you too." answered Kim.

Laura looked off into space for a moment, and said, "It's just, well, ever since I've been little I've had to handle things myself. It bothers me that I can't do that with this. It scared the hell out of me, I admit it."

"Well, talk to us."

"I wish I could talk to Jay, but he just gets so worried anymore, and I can just see him not letting me out of his sight for the next six months."

"Give him a try, he's a pretty good listener." said Tommy, who had walked down the stairs, just a few minutes ago, "and I should know. Oh by the way we're back with the movies, Zack talked us into Scream."

"Great, seen it a few times." Laura started, "And I guess I'll talk to Jase..." but cut off as Kim began to wave her arms.

"Talk to Jase about what?" Jason asked as he came down the stairs.

"Later hon, Later."

They put the movies into the machine, and soon, they had watched both of them.

"I suppose we should get some sleep, you never know when Zedd may call..." Tommy said sarcastacly.

"OK, good idea." Jason started. The group set up sleeping bags and other items.

"Goodnight everyone." Kim said.

Everyone continued to say goodnight, and all drifted off to sleep. All except Jason, he was still worried about her.

Three hours passed, and he still could not sleep. Suddenly Laura screamed. He grabbed her right away, "OK honey, it's ok."

"Jase, I want to talk."

The two crept upstairs to the kitchen table. "Can I make you some tea?" he asked her.

"No. Look Jase here it is. I hate this, I have a problem, I'm scared. I'm not used to being scared. I've been trying to handle this on my own. It scares the hell out of me that I can't."

Jason simply put his arms around her.

"I love you, you know that?" she said back to him.

"Yeah, I love you too. So now, what's on your mind?"

"Are you sure you want to go into it?"

"Now Laura, you shouldn't have to deal with anything like that by yourself." He flashed her a big grin, "That's why you've got little ole me..."

"Well, then if you really want to know, OK, it bothers me every second, I think I'm OK, then suddenly I get a flashback. It's like, well, even in school, suddenly I'll start feeling dizzy and think about rolling the car. Heck, I can't even ride in a car anymore without freaking out, in case you didn't notice, oh and the other thing, this amazing feeling of guilt. It shouldn't have even happened, and then, my parents you know, don't exactly have tons of money, and then I wreck their car."

She began to cry, "It's just hard, you know."

"I know."He held her.

Meanwhile, downstairs

"Ouch." Tommy complained as Kim hit him.

"Are you awake?" she asked.

"Yup, now." As Tommy looked around he saw the others were 'awake' too.

"Hey, where did those two go?" Zack asked suddenly.

"I don't know, you don't suppose?" Trini said looking at Kim.

Kim smiled, "I don't know, but I'm getting kind of thirsty..."

Trini smiled back, "Let's go guys."

"OOH Leave them alone." Tommy started, but as he saw the others start up the stairs, "Hey wait a minute."

The 4 headed towards the kitchen, in it they could hear Jason and Laura talking quietly to each other.

"You know, Tommy is a good person to talk to about those." Jason was heard.

Tommy entered the kitchen, "Talk to me about what?" he questioned.

As Laura looked at him questioningly, he explained, "Kim's thirsty."

"Flashbacks." explained Jason. "I'll take the water downstairs, you two talk. I love you."

"You too." Tommy answered comically, ducking as Jason hit him.

"Well, well, flashbacks, the best thing I can tell you is they never quite go away, I've had them for a long time about the Dark Demension with Jase, and that was almost a year ago now. It does get easier, however, but I've got to tell you. I couldn't have made it through with out talking it out."

They continued to talk....

Downstairs....

"I can't believe you all came to check on us!" Jason exclaimed.

"We just wanted to know how it was going." Trini explained.

"You could have just asked us." Jason started, "It went well, she woke up and told me she wanted to talk so we went upstairs, she talked, I listened, she cried, and I hugged her. Now she's talking it over with Tommy."

"You still worried?" The group asked.

"Nah, she'll be alright."

Tommy and Laura walked back down the stairs,

"I'm OK, I promise." Laura said.

Jason walked over to her. "Don't worry honey, I'll try never to let something like this happen to you again."

"That's a promise." Tommy added.

The Next Day...

"Let's do this." Jason said.

"I don't want to." Laura responded.

"You have to do it sometime better now." Jason retorted.

Laura started the car. "I'm scared OK?"

"Look hon, you have to do it. I know you don't want to but you don't have a whole lot of choice, it has to happen sometime."

Laura backed out of the driveway. "I'm doing it!"

"Now, drive to the Youth Center please, you're doing great!"

Laura drove straight there, "I did it!" she exclaimed happily.

"Thanks Jason."

"You're welcome, and you can use my car anytime."

"Well thanks for that, and well everything else."

"You know, I think you're going to be OK."

The two walked into the Youth Center to join their friends.

The End