Summary~ With Tommy's powers gone, relationships are endangered and events occur that could put Tommy's life on the line and the others in great peril.

Lord Zedd's laughter taunted his ears as he ran through the darkness. He could feel the mist around him and sense the danger, and yet he ran blindly on. Closing his eyes for a moment, he wiped the sweat from his brow and took in a few deep breaths. "Breathe, Tommy. You're going to be all right."

Suddenly, a green light illuminated the darkness of the strange world and nearly blinded him as he tried to see what was causing this brightness, and there was the source...the crystal that had held Tommy's powers intact and glowing as vividly as ever. "I thought I destroyed that thing," Tommy wondered to himself before taking a step towards the crystal. At that moment, something inside him snapped and, not caring if it was a trap, he ran as hard as he could towards the crystal.

"I'm almost there," Tommy muttered to himself. Before he knew it, the crystal was in front of him, and he reached out to it with a deep longing and passion. He missed being a ranger; Tommy wanted this more than anything else in the world.

At that moment, he heard Zedd cackle again and, spinning around, he saw that the monster was looking at him from a few feet away. "Foolish ranger...wait, you aren't a ranger now, are you? Tommy, you are an idiotic boy. How you managed to stay alive this long is beyond me."

Tommy shook his head at the insults. "I have the crystal, and Zordon will find a way to give me my powers back. You've lost, Zedd."

Instead of growing angry as he usually did, Zedd just continued to regard him with amusement. "Have I, Tommy? You should know by now that I don't lose at anything, and if I do I keep going until I win. The draining of your powers was like that."

"I have the crystal in my hand," Tommy remarked coolly. "There's no way you can beat me now."

"I still win," Zedd told him and, with a wave of his hand, Jason Scott appeared next to him with Goldar. The space ape was holding a sword to his neck, and Jason was making no attempt to get away. At Tommy's gasp, Zedd chuckled. "We can do this quite simply, Tommy. Destroy the crystal, and Jason will live. If not, Goldar will kill him. I have ordered him to."

Damn it! Ok, Tommy, stall him. The other rangers must be on their way, right? "Why kill him if you could make him evil instead? You sure are wasting some good power there, Zedd." As Goldar moved the sword closer to Jason's neck, Tommy realized quickly that there was no way he could stall. He had to make a decision.

"Don't tempt me, Tommy," Goldar growled spitefully.

Jason gazed up at his best friend with fear in his eyes. "Please, Tommy, drop the crystal." As the former Green Ranger lowered his eyes, he sighed. "I'm begging you. Tommy, I don't want to die. We'll get your powers back another way. Zordon must know something. Please, just drop the crystal."

To drop or not to drop. That is the question. This is not the time for quips, Tommy. Focus! Drop or don't drop... As Jason called out to him again, Tommy closed his eyes and dropped the crystal on the stone ground, watching as it shattered into a million pieces. "There, Zedd. I've done what you want. Now, release Jason."

"I'm proud of you, Boy," Zedd mumbled evilly. "You've gotten your priorities straight. Unfortunately, you are still as moronic as the day that Rita recruited you to be the Green Ranger. Goldar, kill him."

In that moment, Tommy could only watch in horror as Goldar slit Jason's throat, and the Red Ranger fell to the ground with blood pouring from his neck. "No!" He cried in terror. Not Jason. Damn it, why do I have to be so weak? If I had my powers I would have been able to stop him from doing that!

"What's the matter, Tommy?" Goldar asked tauntingly. "Are you upset that I killed Jason? Well, unfortunately you can't do anything to avenge him, weakling. You just destroyed what was left of your powers."

I don't care about me anymore Tommy told himself strongly. Jason is dead, it's my fault, and I won't let his death be in vain. "I'm going to kill you, Goldar!" With that, he charged the big monkey and fought him for a few minutes before being kicked to the ground. The force knocked the wind out of him, and he winced before looking wearily at Zedd who was now hovering above him.

"No more of these games, Tommy," Zedd commented. Motioning towards Goldar, he chuckled as his henchman grabbed Tommy and held him on the ground. "Now, before I kill you, I figured that I should finish what I had begun."

At that moment, the other rangers appeared beside him. They were obviously dazed, and Tommy gasped as he saw Zedd raise his staff against them. "Don't do it!"

"What's going on, Tommy?" Kim inquired softly. "I feel so sick..." She had no time to say anything else, because at that moment she and the other rangers were burnt to death by Zedd's power. Tommy turned away and, as tears fell from his eyes, he cursed Zedd for making him watch that.

Pushing him to the ground, Goldar stood and raised his sword above Tommy's head before sneering, "Now, Tommy, there is something I've been wanting you to say. Admit that I am your superior."

Tommy shook his head, tears still falling from his eyes. "Never. Do you understand!? I'll never give in to you after you killed everyone I loved!"

"Suit yourself," Zedd muttered. Raising his staff, he watched as Tommy closed his eyes before striking him as he had struck the other rangers. At that moment, Tommy felt himself falling into the darkness. He was well aware of his own fright, though he had no idea what exactly he was afraid of. Suddenly, he watched in horror as a green light swallowed him, and soon it was gone leaving him in the Green Ranger uniform.

"What the hell is going on?" Tommy asked himself softly as he looked around at the black scenery. Suddenly, his surroundings changed to Angel Grove Park, where he saw the other rangers circling around him. He was about to run up to them, when he felt a force drive him to the ground. Looking up, he was shocked to find that it was Zack, as the morphed black ranger, and he was eyeing him warily.

Tommy tried to speak, but it seemed that his tongue was tied. Zack easily noticed this before snarling, "What the hell is wrong with you!? Get up and fight!"

"Fight?" Tommy questioned weakly. "Fight who? Is there a monster?"

Gazing at the other rangers, he saw that Jason was watching him angrily. The Red Ranger walked up to him and kicked him swiftly in the ribs before yelling, "Fight us, or tell us who you are!"

I don't understand. What's wrong with them? "Jason, you know who I am. It's me. Tommy."

At this, Kim gasped. "Tommy, as in Tommy Oliver who just moved to Angel Grove?" The Pink Ranger shook her head dubiously. "He's a liar. Rita must have told him about Tommy. This guy doesn't deserve to live."

"Kim, I don't understand what's going on!" Tommy cried weakly. As it was, though he was in the Green Ranger armor, he didn't feel his own power, and he was almost certain that there was no energy in his costume. "You guys, I'm low on energy. Lord Zedd must be at it again. I don't know what's been happening to me lately."

"I think he's snapped," Trini said softly. Looking down at Tommy, she growled, "Why should we believe you, Green Ranger, and who is Lord Zedd?"

Billy glanced around at the others with confusion. "What if that really is Tommy, and he's broken through Rita's spell?"

Pulling out his pistol, Jason frowned. "I don't care if it's Tommy or not. This guy has killed innocent people, therefore he deserves to die." Before Tommy could protest, Jason pulled the trigger, and Tommy saw nothing but red...

...and it quickly faded leaving him looking around his dark bedroom. At that moment, both of his adoptive parents ran into the room with concerned expressions on their faces. Mr. Oliver turned the light on and regarded his son who was bathed in sweat before explaining, "We heard you yell, Tommy. Are you ok?"

"I must have been having a nightmare," Tommy told him quietly. "Really, though, I'm fine. Just...well...I'm fine."

Mrs. Oliver shook her head. "I don't know. You've been having a lot of nightmares this month. Maybe we should call a psychiatrist--"

Cutting her off, Tommy said, "No, that's not necessary, Mom. I'll be fine. There's just been a lot going on at school, and I'm worried about my upcoming final exams...I doubt there's anything mentally wrong with me."

"Well, I'm keeping an eye on you just in case, Tommy," Mrs. Oliver remarked. "You've seemed...I don't know how to put it...really tired lately, and I want to make sure you aren't coming down with anything." With that, the two left Tommy alone in his room.

A few minutes after they had left, Jackie Oliver wandered into the room and, looking at Tommy who was regarding her wearily, she sighed and walked over to his bed before pushing him slightly and climbing into bed next to him. "I love a good nightmare story, Tommy. You know that better than anyone."

Tommy shook his head. "I don't feel like talking about it." Putting his head down on his pillow, he sighed before murmuring, "Mom thinks I'm a nut."

"I've been trying to tell her that for years," Jackie responded casually. Hearing her brother smirk, she smiled. "We all have bad dreams sometimes, and the best way to dim the pain is to talk about them."

"The content of the dream is inappropriate for your age level," Tommy said with a hint of flippancy in his voice. "There. Are you happy now?" The smile quickly fell from his face as burning pain went through his chest. Groaning, he pushed himself out of bed and began walking out of the room.

Jackie watched him for a moment before standing as well. "What's wrong?"

Tommy glanced back at Jackie and shrugged. "Nothing. I just, well,--" Cutting off mid-sentence, he leaned against his room's door frame as more pain shot through the rest of his body. Taking a few deep breaths, he tried to shake it off, but the pain just got worse. What's wrong with me? Feeling Jackie put her hand on his shoulder, he whispered, "Can you get me some aspirin?" Without saying anything, Jackie did as told and returned a few minutes later with a bottle containing the medication.

Popping two pills in his mouth, Tommy swallowed them dry before stumbling over to his bed and climbing in again. As Jackie got in next to him, he sighed. "This bed isn't big enough for the both of us, Kid."

"What the hell just happened?" Jackie asked worriedly. "That's never happened to you before."

Oh, but it has happened a lot in the past month. You were just never around to see it. "I don't know. Lately I've been working out kinda hard, and since I haven't been getting a lot of sleep...I'm just worn out." Closing his eyes, he turned away from his sister as she moved closer to him and put her head down on his pillow. "Go away, Jackie. I'm tired."

"I am, too, and I'm comfortable here. If you want to sleep by yourself then you leave," Jackie muttered, her eyes shimmering with content. Closing her eyes as well, she snuggled closer to him and, sighing, quickly fell back to sleep.

Tommy turned towards her again for a moment and contemplated whether he was going to push Jackie onto the floor or get up and leave. Suddenly too tired to care, he smiled faintly. "To hell with it then." With that, he looked up at the ceiling and let his sister's breathing lull him to sleep.

Tommy awoke the next morning to his father's strict voice. "Damn it, don't you ever do that again! I thought Jackie had been kidnapped!"

Looking up at him, Tommy grinned sleepily. "Scream at Jackie. I didn't want her to stay in here last night."

"You didn't object," Jackie said as she gazed at her brother. Yawning, she pushed herself up and brushed her medium length brown hair away from her face before looking at the clock on Tommy's desk. Gasping, her eyes widened. "We're late! Shit!"

Seeing what time it was, Tommy, nearly fell out of bed. "Damn! I didn't know it was that late already!"

Mr. Oliver watched his two children before chuckling. "Your mother let you sleep in because of last night. I just wanted to say goodbye before leaving for work." Nodding at both of them, he reached the doorway before turning and saying, "Watch your language! I swear, I have no idea where you are getting this stuff from." As he left the room, the two laughed.

Tommy glanced at his sister before saying, "Now I mean it. Get the hell out of my room. I have to change."

"I'm going," Jackie said. "Come on! It's not like I want to see you naked! That would be worse than hell! Whoever wants to see you naked...I pity them."

"You're funny," Tommy muttered. "Get out of here, Kid."

Jackie frowned. "Don't call me that." At his chuckle, she sighed and left the room.

A half hour later, the two were in Tommy's car on the way to school. Jackie flipped on the radio and smiled as Puff Daddy's "Come With Me" began to play before looking at her brother. "Can we stop and get something to eat? I'm buying."

"You have no idea how much I love those two words," Tommy said. "Sure. What do you want?"

Jackie shrugged. "I wouldn't mind having two eggs scrambled with bacon, ham, pancakes, and sausage with a nice big glass of orange juice, but since we're a little pressed for time, stop by the bagel place and I'll settle for that."

Nodding, Tommy put his foot on the gas petal as the light in front of him turned green before pulling up to the bagel place. As he was stepping out of the car, the pain that had shot through him the night before returned, and he groaned before placing a strong hand on the car so that he could steady himself before rubbing his temple. Shaking his head, he sighed with relief as the pain left before turning back towards Jackie. "Ok, what did I have last time I was here?"

"Cinnamon raisin, and what is wrong with you anyway?" Working out hard my ass. When Tommy was preparing for his first match in Angel Grove against Jason, he worked out from dawn until dusk and never had this happen to him.

Tommy gazed at her before smiling. "I'm fine. As I said, I've been working out a little too hard lately. Are we going to get these bagels, or are you going to let me starve to death?"

Deciding to leave the matter at that for now, Jackie shrugged. "No, I won't let you starve, but it is a tempting suggestion."

About twenty minutes later, Tommy walked cautiously into Miss Hudson's' math class and sighed as she gave him her evil eye. I swear, that woman is shorter than me, and she still gives me the creeps. I hope she doesn't study martial arts. "I have a note. Um, I wasn't feeling very good this morning."

Taking the sheet of paper from his hand, Miss Hudson looked it over before shrugging. "Whatever. Take a seat, Mr. Oliver. You've missed most of the test coverage, but if you start listening now you might be able to pull out a C which would be better than some of your grades this quarter."

Win a few, lose a few. "Right, Miss Hudson." Sitting down at his desk which was next to Jason and Kim, he sighed and fished his binder and a pen out of his backpack before beginning to write faster than he ever had before as Miss Hudson went back to spouting out things to review for the final. This is going to be hell. I hope I'll pass.

After class was over, Jason eyed Tommy cautiously before walking out of the room with Kim. The two silently met up with Trini and Billy, and the four watched as Tommy opened his locker before stepping towards him. Trini did her best to smile as he turned around to face them. "Hi, Tommy."

"Um, hey, guys." This feels weird since I'm not part of the team. I think they feel it, too. Great, does that mean I'm not going to be part of the gang anymore!? "I, uh, I guess you guys have been working hard studying for finals."

Kim touched his arm softly before asking, "Are you feeling all right now? You said you hadn't been doing well this morning."

Tommy nodded. "I...well...yeah, I'm fine. Last night I didn't sleep very well, and my mom let me sleep in."

"Is anything bothering you?" Jason questioned, and quickly cursed himself as the other glared at him. Of course something is bothering him, idiot! The guy lost his powers just a month ago! "Sorry, Tommy. I, um, I meant anything else besides..."

"I'm fine," Tommy told him quickly. "Really. I'm ok about everything. Finals are getting to me, and you heard Miss Hudson. I'd be surprised if she did give me a C."

Billy cleared his throat before saying, "Well, if you need help preparing I'd be glad to give you a hand sometime before the math finals." That's right, Billy. We all agreed that Tommy shouldn't be shunned just because he's off the team.

Tommy smiled. "That would be great, Billy. I really need the extra help." At that moment, a hand fell on his shoulder, and he turned to see that the newcomer was Cindy Wheeler, and the blond girl was gazing up at him with large blue eyes. "I heard you weren't feeling very good today."

"I was just telling the others that I really am fine," Tommy told her. As she grinned, he looked at the others and then down at his watch. "I, um, I should get going. Lately I've been trying to keep my tardies to one class a day, and I already wasted that on Miss Hudson." Waving to the others, he walked with Cindy to PE.

Trini let out a deep breath. "I hate having all these moments feel so odd. There should be nothing wrong. So what if Tommy's not on the team? He's still a Power Ranger at heart, and even if he hadn't been the Green Ranger, he would still be our friend."

Jason lowered his head. "What I said...I didn't mean it to sound like that. I'm sure he must be really upset about losing the Green powers. Why didn't I get the candle!?"

"Don't start that again, Jason," Kim growled. "Tommy losing his powers was not your fault. They were unstable to begin with. You can't blame yourself."

"I know. What I'm afraid of, though, is that Tommy blames me," Jason muttered quietly.

Billy shrugged. "Did you guys know that Tommy was friends with Cindy Wheeler?"

"She seems really into him," Kim breathed. Looking at the others, she sighed. "As it is, my relationship with Tommy has been going nowhere. Should I, you know, leave him? Lately there have been girls all over him, and the whole thing is awkward."

Trini shook her head. "Tommy could use you right now, Kim. If you dump him, it'll be like the final tie between us has snapped."

"If you aren't comfortable, I think you should break it off," Jason admitted. "Tommy was...is my best friend, and the worst thing for him right now is being held back by a relationship that isn't working. Maybe he just needs new people around him."

"Most of the people have been pretty high up," Billy commented. "Tommy is becoming really good friends with Jeff Fowler. I saw him working out with him at the Youth Center."

Jason frowned for a minute before shrugging. "Yes, well, I'm happy for him. At least he'll have people around him during this time." To be honest, though, I don't like the idea of Tommy hanging out with that guy. Jeff is a pervert who never cares about other people. I'm afraid that if Tommy gets too close to him...Jeff will betray him and Tommy will be all alone. Is that really it, Jason, or do you not like the idea of someone replacing you? Tommy was your best friend until he lost his powers, and you don't like the idea of being replaced. Maybe it's that Jeff is more popular than you. We still are best friends. I don't care that he's not a ranger. Well, not much anyway.

Looking at his watch, Jason sighed. "I should get to my next class."

"Me too," Kim said. The two said goodbye to Trini and Billy before walking in opposite directions.

Billy sighed and twisted his wrist with discomfort. "I don't like this, Trini. It seems like this whole thing has been breaking us apart."

Trini nodded. "I know. All we can do now is hope for the best." What would the best be in this situation? Forgetting about Tommy or continuing to try and make him feel included?

That afternoon at the Youth Center, the rangers all sat at their normal table drinking some fruit coolers and talking about anything that came to mind. Trini pushed a strand of long black hair out of her face before saying, "Ok, guys, enough is enough."

"Are you upset because I told you that Richie made a big fool of himself in math today?" Zack questioned with a hurt expression on his face.

Trini glared at him. "You didn't tell me that."

Zack swallowed hard. "Oh. Well, never mind then." Deep breath, Zack. Oh boy, Trini is not a girl I want to mess with.

"What I mean is that we need to stop avoiding the important things right now," Trini said, ignoring Zack's comments. "We need to talk about what's going on between us and Tommy."

Sighing, Jason gazed at her. "There's really nothing to talk about. What's going on with Tommy...it's something that we need to deal with inside of ourselves."

"Jason is right," Zack said. "We can't just say `yes, we'll still hang out with Tommy' or `no, we'll never speak to him again'. It's not that simple."

Kim nodded. "My situation is even worst. I mean, if you guys decide not to talk to him anymore, then that's your problem. Right now, I feel like if I break up with Tommy he'll take in the wrong way in that it'll seem like I'm dumping him just because he's not a ranger, and that's not true!"

"As I said before, Kim, you need to do what you think is right," Jason told her.

Billy shrugged. "I, personally, am going to continue communicating with Tommy. This is no different than our friendship with Richie or Angela or anyone else. If we can't converse with people outside of the rangers then we are going to find ourselves quite isolated. Besides, what has Tommy done to deserve our discomfort around him?"

"It's what I've done by not getting the candle," Jason muttered guiltily.

"Don't start that again, Jason," Kim told him sternly. He sighed but said nothing.

Looking towards the far end of the Youth Center, Trini watched as a large group of people entered and began roaming aimlessly around the room. She chuckled. "Here we go. The supposedly `popular' crowd just hanging out and trying to show off their moves for the rest of us." Seeing who was with them, she lowered her head quickly and blushed.

Kim stared at Tommy wide-eyed. "I didn't know he was hanging out with them!"

"When did Tommy become such good friends with them anyway?" Zack questioned. "It's only been a month!"

"Yeah, but Tommy's been going here for nearly a year," Jason said. "It's possible that he met these people when he first came to Angel Grove."

Seeing them, Tommy quickly turned away and looked at Jeff Fowler who was just stepping onto the blue mats in his white tank top, khaki pants, and white socks. His hair was a dirty blond which had been recently colored so that it would look more blond, and there was a gold loop earring in his ear as there was in Tommy's. "Come on, Man. Are we going to practice, or what?"

Tommy quickly remembered what had been happening to him the whole month with the pain, and shrugged. "I haven't been feeling all too good lately, Jeff. Maybe practicing today isn't such a good idea."

"Tommy, you're the best in Angel Grove," Jeff told him while chuckling. "If you aren't at full strength you could still kick my ass into next year. What do you say?"

"Damn, I remember telling you that I never turn down a challenge," Tommy said with a smile. As Jeff snickered, he shrugged. "What the hell? Let's do this." Getting into position, the two began to spar which earned many onlookers that had been talking or doing something else in the Youth Center.

Jason watched the two and flashbacks came to him as he remembered sparring with Tommy all the time. Ok, just because Tommy is fighting another guy doesn't mean that Jeff is suddenly his best friend because he's not. Good try, Jason, but you still can't lie...not even to yourself.

From behind the rangers, a girl with blond hair put her hands on their table and sighed. "They're beautiful together, aren't they?"

"Tommy and Jeff?" Zack questioned. At her nod, he shrugged. "I guess so, Katie. Actually, I've never seen them spar before."

"Jeff has been practicing a lot lately," Katie Freeman told them. "Tommy has taught him a few new moves, and you would not believe how many people come to see them practice. It really is a beautiful thing."

Kim frowned at her dreamy tone of voice. "I'm sure it is." That's it, Kim. You can't continue to be hurt like this. After Jeff and Tommy finish...you have to break the relationship. There's no way around it.

She continued to watch her boyfriend spar with Jeff, and was glad to see Tommy beat him by a mile. Though she wasn't sure of her feelings for Tommy, Kim knew for a fact that she strongly disliked Jeff and that if he had won she would have had to have a serious talk with Tommy about how his training was coming along. Kim stood from her seat and looked down for a moment as Trini touched her hand comfortingly. "I have to do this," she told Trini and with that she moved away from the others and walked closer to Tommy.

"Kimberly is going to part with Tommy?" Billy questioned.

Jason nodded. "This is going to break him. Why do I feel guilty about her breaking up with him? It doesn't mean that once their relationship is over, I won't be able to hang with him anymore, right?"

Zack shrugged. "I think that you're feeling guilty because you haven't been hanging out with Tommy lately. None of us have, and once Kim dumps him, it is going to be like the last straw. Kim was out last connection to him, and after she does what she has to do he's just going to leave us completely."

"He's going to leave us, or we're going to leave him?" Trini murmured to herself. Keeping her eyes on Kim, she watched as her best friend put her hand on Tommy's arm and pulled him away from Jeff who was smiling brightly.

Jeff watched as Kim and Tommy came back into the room a few minutes later from the opening of the locker area. While she walked back up to where Trini and the others were, he just watched her go with a look of shock on his face. "Hey, Man, what's up?" Jeff questioned flippantly. "Marital problems?"

Tommy looked at him, the pain evident on his face, before grabbing his backpack from where it had been sitting on the floor. Putting it over his shoulder, he sighed. "I need some time alone." Turning around, he exited the Youth Center leaving Jeff to stare after him in awe.

His girlfriend, Cassandra Wilcocks, put her arms around his waist gingerly before following his gaze to the door of the Youth Center. "Jeff, what's wrong?"

"I think Tommy just got trashed," Jeff mumbled. Glaring at Kim, he removed Cassandra's arms from his body before hugging her. "Sorry, Cass, but I have to go after him."

Cassandra nodded, fully understanding what he meant. "Go ahead." As he left the room, she looked up at Katie who had just walked up to her.

"Where did Tommy and Jeff go?" Katie asked. "Are they going to practice some more?"

Shaking her head, Cassandra replied, "Kim just dumped Tommy and Jeff's going to support him."

Katie gaped at her in shock. "Why the hell would Kim do that!? Didn't she know how lucky she was to have Tommy? A million girls were so jealous of her!"

Another one of the girls, Sandra Mackenzie, looked at the two, startled. "Kim dumped Tommy!? They were the cutest couple in the school...along with you and Jeff, Cassie. Oh, and me and my boy."

"I know," Katie muttered. "They were hot for each other just a few weeks ago! What the hell happened!?"

Mark Redman, who had been talking to his best friend, Derek Palmer, pushed his blond hair away from his face before questioning, "What just happened?"

"Yeah, and why did Tommy just storm out of here like that?" Derek asked with confusion.

Shaking her head, Sandra motioned towards Kim. "Tommy just got wasted by Kimberly."

Appalled, Mark gazed at Kim for a moment before looking at Derek and back at Sandra again. "What!?"

Derek sighed. "Poor guy. He really had a good thing going on there."

"The bastard is too sensitive about everything," Danny Solomon muttered as he continued to use one of the weight machines. "Tommy needs to lighten up. Chicks come and they go. He could have every single one of the girls in the school if he wanted to."

Lauren Parker, who had been listening to him, snorted. "Sensitivity is a good thing in a guy. I'd like to see you be as caring as Tommy. Besides, he can't have anyone he wants. Cassie is Jeff's girl, and Sandra is Derek's girl."

Danny nodded. "Plus, your my girl."

"Not for much longer if you keep beating down on one of your friends like that," Lauren mumbled.

Sighing, Danny replied, "I'm not stepping on him, all right? All I'm saying is that he shouldn't see this as the end of the world. It wouldn't be very hard for him to get another girl."

"The question is, though, would he want another girl besides Kim?" Sandra stated. The others glanced at her and shrugged.

Meanwhile, Jeff sighed as he saw Tommy sitting in the park underneath one of the trees. Putting his hand on his shoulder, he shrugged. "I'm not going to pretend that I'm good at this comforting shit. You know me, Man. I suck at this kind of thing."

Glancing up at him, Tommy murmured, "Don't worry about it, Jeff. I just want to be alone right now." She did not just leave me....noKimnoKimnoKim...she only loved me because I was a ranger...I don't believe she fooled me like that.

Looking into his eyes, Jeff was unable to stop a small laugh from escaping his lips. "Why the hell are you crying over it, Man? You can have any damn girl in the school if you wanted them! Don't start blubbering over some freak like Kim!"

Turning away again, Tommy sighed. "You don't understand. I think I loved her, Jeff."

"You didn't love the whore!" Jeff exclaimed incredulously. "Kim's a bitch for trashing you like that. What is it they always say in those zines....oh yeah...you can do a hell of a lot better than her, so don't get all babyish about it!"

"I did love her, Jeff," Tommy whispered. Looking up at the green leaves overhead, he sighed. "I really loved her."

Jeff smirked. "Come on, Tommy. Don't get all soft about it. Get over her. Listen, guys don't cry if they break up with their girlfriends. If you're a guy then you will get over it now by realizing that you can get any girl you want. Katie and Cindy would die to go out with you, and Jennifer Teller...she's pretty hot, and word has it that she's had her eye on you ever since you came to Angel Grove."

Seeing Tommy shake his head, Jeff closed his eyes and shrugged. "Well, God screwed up on you, because you definitely seem wimpy enough to be a girl. If you can't get over this then, well, don't expect to have your admirers much longer. Maybe I don't understand whatever the hell you're crying about, but I do know that guys don't cry. They don't. If your weeping over some slut...damn it, just get over her." Chuckling to himself, he turned and left Tommy alone in his misery.

Glancing over his shoulder at Jeff, Tommy sighed and leaned back against the trunk of the tree behind him. He closed his eyes and tried to get the images of Kim out of his mind, but all he got from the effort was the pain that had been with him that last month. Clutching his stomach, Tommy stood and slowly made his way back to his car in front of the Juice Bar. Once he got there the pain had departed and, letting out a deep sigh, he got into his car and drove away.

From the moon, Lord Zedd, who had been watching the scene with interest, turned towards Finster who had just entered the room. "Is the monster ready?"

"It won't be for awhile, My Lord," Finster informed him. Seeing Zedd turn back towards the Earth without scolding him, the little creature took a hesitant step forward. "There seems to be something troubling you, My Lord. Perhaps I could help."

Zedd glanced at him before shaking his head. "It's nothing, Finster...actually, yes, it is something. The Green Ranger...well, he used to be the Green Ranger. Ever since he lost his powers, he has been going through pain spells, if you will. There are moments that he is overcome with pain so great that he cannot function. What is causing this?"

Thinking about this for a moment, Finster replied, "I believe that what happened to the original holder of the Green Powers is happening to Tommy. You see, the green coin is not like a normal coin. When a person receives the power, a bond is formed between the energy and the being who controls it, and when the energy is lost, it takes the being with it."

"Are you saying that Tommy is slowly dying?" Zedd questioned with intrigue. This could be interesting after all...much more interesting than I had thought. "How would you end this, Finster?"

Finster responded, "I suppose that if Tommy were infused with new powers that it would end the draining of his energy. Also, if he is given a great amount of energy...that would also end the draining of his life force."

Hearing this, Zedd cackled. "That is magnificent! Finster, at this rate we won't need your new monster! I will get Tommy to give in to me, and when he does I will make him a dark ranger. The others will not dare kill him, and he will become the heir to my throne!"

"A wonderful plan, My Lord, but Zordon won't be happy about this," Finster acknowledged.

Zedd shrugged. "I care not of what he thinks. The old bastard could do whatever he wanted and I wouldn't mind. This is my most brilliant plan ever! No one will be able to stop me now!" Laughing again, he sat on his throne. "Finster, you are truly a remarkable being. Call Goldar in here. I wish to have a word with him."

It's past curfew, Tommy. You should be heading home. Kim left me...she never loved me... Just one more drink...one more... Leaning against the outside wall of an liquor store, Tommy put the bottle in his hand to his mouth and gulped down more of the beer before throwing it on the ground and watching the glass shatter. That's for doing this to me, Kim. Do you see what my heart is doing? It's breaking...just like that.

Seeing a man walk up to the door of the store, he put on his most pleading face. "Hey, Man, feel like buying me something? I'll pay you up for it."

Eyeing him suspiciously, the man put a hand through his black hair before mockingly inquiring, "Forget your fake ID?"

"I get to meet more people this way," Tommy told him dryly. "As I said, I have money if you would just buy for me."

The man shrugged. "What's your fancy, kid?"

Tommy sighed. "I don't give a damn. Bud's fine. Cheap, but good enough for now."

"What's your story?" The man questioned nosily. "You sound like a wounded puppy and you look even worse."

Hearing this, Tommy snickered. "I got dumped. What about you?"

The man shook his head. "I don't share with minors. How many have you had tonight?"

"I don't know...only three..."

"Well then, you must not be meeting too many people out here," the man observed.

Tommy shrugged. "Yeah, well, I haven't been out here too long, and it's a weekday. Now, are you going to buy for me or has this chat been for nothing?"

The man sighed. "What the hell? I'll get you a Bud. If you don't give me the money for it, though, I'm going to have to kill you."

Like you could, funny man. "Whatever. You probably have a gun, and I'm getting drunk. Right now I'm not in the mood for fighting."

Nodding, the man entered the liquor store and after five minutes returned with a small paper bag in his hand. Pulling out a Budwieser, he gave it to Tommy before opening his hand. Sticking a hand in his pocket, Tommy retrieved a five dollar bill and handed it to him before watching as he returned to his red convertible and drove off.

Popping the top off, Tommy drank some of the beer before leaning against the wall of the building again and listening as Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" blared out of the small store. Smiling weakly, he sighed. "I just want you to know who I am..." Kim...

Later that night, he quietly opened the door to his house and locked it behind him before beginning to creep towards the stairs. Tommy had only gotten a few steps when, suddenly, the lights came on and he found himself face to face with his mother and father. Closing his eyes, he chuckled besides himself. "Wow, you found me." Liquor's talking, liquor's talking...don't say anything unless you have to.

Mr. Oliver walked over to his son, took one look at him, and groaned before glancing back at his wife. "He's fucking drunk! The boy smells like the ABC store!"

Stepping towards him, Mrs. Oliver took a whiff before shaking her head. "What did we do, Tommy, to make you go off and do something crazy like this!? We trusted you, and you went behind our backs and got drunk! See, Michael, I told you we should have put him in private school. Those kids at Angel Grove High are making him do this at parties!"

"I wasn't at a party, Mom," Tommy said. Closing his eyes for a moment, he lowered his head and sighed before gazing back at his dad. "I swear I wasn't at a party tonight."

"Then where the hell were you!?" Mr. Oliver roared. "We were worried sick, and now you come home drunk!? What are we supposed to think!?"

Mrs. Oliver gasped suddenly. "Damn it, did you drive like that!?"

Laughing lightly, Tommy nodded. "Yeah, and it was a hell of a ride, too."

"Listen to him! He sounds like junkie! What the hell, he is a junkie!" Mr. Oliver exclaimed.

"Junkies do crack. I didn't do crack," Tommy told him. Laughing again, he smiled. "Man, Bud tastes like crap, but it did the job." Oh boy. This is why you don't get drunk, Tommy. It makes you sound like a fucking fool.

Looking at him in shock, Mrs. Oliver just stood in silence for a moment before shaking her head. "I never expected this from you. Jackie was the one I thought would be pressured into drinking. You never...your new friends just seemed so nice! Jason doesn't drink, does he? Or Zack?"

Tommy shrugged flippantly. "I don't hang out with them anymore. They all hate me." Snorting, he grinned. "Kim hates me, too. She dumped me."

"I don't even know where to begin," Mr. Oliver said. "There's just so much punishment to give you...no driving for a month...for two months...your grounded for a year, if you're going somewhere you have to tell us exactly where--"

"Like you'll hold me to that," Tommy muttered. He snickered. "I have to drive to get everywhere. Jackie can't drive yet, Mom is too busy with her ladies group from hell, and your hanging with your slackies over at your job! If you want me to live, then I can't be grounded from driving!"

Mr. Oliver's eyes widened in startlement at his adoptive son's words. "I work damn hard to let you live! If it weren't for me and your mother, you would probably be out on the streets somewhere! Show some respect!"

Tommy shook his head. "I give respect when it's deserved."

Mrs. Oliver looked away from him angrily and tried to control herself. Failing, she slapped Tommy so hard that his cheek immediately began to sting. "We are your parents, damn it! I...go to bed...just go!" As tears began to fall down her cheeks, she turned in the other direction and rubbed her eyes sorrowfully.

Watching her, Tommy cursed himself and reached a hand out to his mother. Before he could touch her, however, Mr. Oliver pushed his hand away. At Tommy's confused expression, he shook his head and did his best to control his rage. "Go to bed and set your alarm. I don't want to see you tomorrow. If I pass you, I don't want you talking to me. You will go to school and not say a word to any of us...Jackie included. At the moment, I wish...I don't want you here. Do you understand me?"

Tommy stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before slowly nodding and walking up to his room. All the while, voices rung in his head. "...Tommy, what I felt for you before...it's over now. We can't go on...Well, God screwed up on you...I don't want you here..." Why is all of this happening to me!?

Walking into his room, he pulled off his clothes and, in his boxers, he climbed into bed. Kim's dumped me, Jeff is going to start spreading crap about me, and my parents want to disown me...plus, I don't have my powers and the gang hates me because I'm not a ranger anymore...who do I have left?

The next morning, Tommy awoke to the sound of Mya's "Movin' On". His face solemn, he stumbled out of bed and, cursing the sick feeling in his stomach, did his best to find an appropriate outfit. Taking a shower and doing everything he needed to, he emerged from his room and walked downstairs...just to find that his father was already there. Licking his lips, he walked into the kitchen and, grabbing some cereal, sat down across from his dad and began eating.

Mr. Oliver regarded his son coolly before turning back to his paper. Watching him, Tommy felt nauseous again and, looking away, he continued eating his cereal in silence. At that moment, Jackie walked into the room. Spotting her brother, she put a hand on her hip. "Tommy, you were supposed to pick me up from track yesterday! Didn't you remember?"

Opening his mouth to respond, Tommy saw his dad shaking his head and, closing it again, he rubbed his eyes. Noticing what had happened, Jackie frowned. "What's going on?"

"We need silence, Jackie," Mr. Oliver explained. "Your...brother...needs some time to think."

"About what?" Jackie questioned.

Mr. Oliver sighed. "Leave it be, Jackie." She nodded slowly and pulled a container of blueberry yogurt out of the refrigerator.

Eating a spoonful, she shrugged. "So...he's still taking me to school, right?"

"No, you'll have to get a ride with someone else or catch the bus," Mr. Oliver told her.

Jackie gazed at him in startlement. "The bus!? I haven't ridden the bus in months!"

"It'll be a good time to get back with all your friends," Mr. Oliver said. "Besides, Tommy needs a lot of time to think." He glanced at his watch before looking back at his son. "Go."

Realizing that he was talking to him, Tommy quickly stood and walked out of the room before grabbing his backpack at the door and leaving. He gazed up at the blue sky and then turned back to his white car before kicking the tire. "Damn my life!"

Feeling the pain return, he grabbed the car door and used it to support his weight. While his head began to pound, and a fiery sensation went through his chest, he bit his lip to keep from crying out.

As the burning dissipated, he wiped the sweat from his brow. "God, what is happening to me?" Climbing into his car, Tommy buckled his seat belt and adjusted the mirror. Turning the car on, he backed out of the driveway and began down the street.

Flipping on the radio, he fumbled with the tuner until he came on N'Sync's "I Want You Back". Let's see...no friends...no family...no powers...what the hell am I doing!? Looking at the light changing above him, he made a right instead of a left and went straight for Angel Grove's more mountainous areas.

Damn it, where is he!? Looking around the hallways of Angel Grove High, Jackie rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily before spotting Jason Scott walking towards her. Stepping in front of him, she frowned. "Have you seen Tommy?"

"No," Jason told her with puzzlement. "Why?"

Jackie took a deep breath before explaining, "My dad was acting really weird this morning. Tommy must have done something awful last night, because this morning he wouldn't even let Tommy speak to me. Dad told me to ride the bus since Tommy needed time to think about whatever the hell it was that he did while he drove to school, and I haven't seen Tommy since he left."

Jason did his best to smile assuringly. "Don't worry about him, Jackie. You know Tommy...late for everything. Maybe he stopped to get some food somewhere." Why do I not even believe myself? Bro, what are you doing?

"Well, if you do see him, could you tell him I was looking for him?" Jackie implored.

Nodding, Jason replied, "Sure. I'll let him know." Jackie smiled. "Thanks, Jason." With that, she left for first period.

I really don't like this at all. Tommy skipping school? That isn't like him. Looking worriedly at the clock above his head, Jason walked to his locker to get a few books before moving on to first period.

At lunch, Trini stepped into the cafeteria to find Kim sitting morosely at their normal table. She sat down next to her and touched her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Let's just say that it didn't take very long for the whole student body to realize I had broken up with Tommy," Kim told her. "Right now I'm trying to avoid Katie Freeman. I've never been called a bitch more times in my life."

"It'll die down soon," Trini said, "so try not to let it affect you." At that moment, Zack, Billy, and Jason sat down next to them. Seeing their concerned expressions, Trini frowned. "Is something wrong, guys?"

Billy nodded. "Tommy is nowhere to be found. It seems as if he really did disregard classes today."

Trini's eyes widened at this. "Tommy skipped!? That's not like him."

Kim shook her head. "W-wait a minute...are you saying that Tommy isn't here?" At Jason's nod, she rubbed her eyes. "Did he not come because I dumped him?"

"Maybe he just needed a day away from school," Zack reasoned. "I've skipped school, and that's why I did it."

"I'm not so sure about that. Jackie Oliver came up to me today in the hallway and told me that he had a falling out with his dad last night...Mr. Oliver wouldn't even let Tommy talk to anyone this morning," Jason informed them.

"This is not good," Kim stated. "I think I broke his heart."

Billy shrugged. "I'm not so sure, Kim. Could his absence be caused by Tommy's need to rebel against his father?"

Zack shook his head. "I don't think so. If I wanted to rebel against my parents, I wouldn't hang around home...they aren't at school so there's no reason to revolt here."

"Zack's right," Trini said. "If Tommy wanted to get back at his parents, he would do it at home...not at school."

Jason sighed. "Well, I guess the big question is: where is Tommy if he's not here?"

It's really beautiful out here. You know, if I were to die...I'd want to die here.. Gazing over one of many cliffs around the borders of Angel Grove, Tommy smiled as he felt the sun bathe his body. Pulling his long brown hair back, he put it in a ponytail before looking over the cliff again.

He chuckled to himself. "I wonder if Jackie is worried about me or throwing a party because I'm not around. That's probably what Kim, Jeff, and everyone else are doing."

That sure as hell is a long way down...I don't think anyone could survive that jump...Well, don't just think about it. Test it out. Jump!? Me!? What do you have to lose? Your family doesn't love you, everyone at school hates you, and your ranger power, the one thing that made you feel important, is gone. There's no point to your life anymore. Why not go out with a bang...? I'm just having problems. This is the only way to solve them.

Standing from where he sitting on the rocks, he looked out over the edge of the cliff. Laughing suddenly, he sat again and continued snickering to himself until he found himself near the point of hysteria. "I'm going to do it!" Tommy told himself. "I'm really going to do it!" That's when the tears started to fall. Pulling out a pen and paper from his car, he wrote a few things down and stuffed the note in his pocket. "Well, just in case anyone finds it."

Crawling to the very edge of the cliff, he looked over it and smiled. Pushing himself to his feet, Tommy mumbled, "I present now...the Green Ranger's last stand." He closed his eyes and brought his arms straight out. A cold breeze flew past Tommy making him shiver involuntarily. This is it. After you do this the pain will stop. I feel so free, and I wish I could just stay in this moment forever. Everything is so calm now.

Breathing in the cool wind, Tommy was about to take a step over the edge when a voice stopped him dead in his tracks. "Taking the easy way out?"

Tommy growled as he turned to face his arch nemesis, Goldar. "Go away, Goldilocks. I'm busy."

"Doing what? Jumping off a cliff?" Goldar laughed. "You're pathetic."

Shrugging, Tommy kept a wary eye on him. "I can't remember you ever antagonizing a common person. Well, that must mean Zedd is pretty bored. Get your facts straight, Goldar. I'm not a ranger anymore."

Goldar nodded. "You can be, Tommy. For reasons not clear to me, Lord Zedd feels that you have a unique power, and he wants to correct the wrongs that Rita did. There are powers he has reserved for you, and you, Tommy, will become heir to the throne."

Tommy smirked at this. "Why even ask me? You know I'm going to say `thanks, but no thanks'."

"Oh, you don't want to say no," Goldar told him. "You see, I know you've been in quite a bit of pain recently. That can be attributed to your loss of the green powers. Your life will continue to be sucked away until you die, but if you take Zedd's powers your life will be spared."

Unable to help himself, Tommy laughed at his words. "You're really funny, Goldar. Why would I care that I'm going to die!? I was about to kill myself before you rudely interrupted!"

Goldar smiled. "Really, Tommy, after all this time you still don't know...I don't give up without a fight."

"A fight you always lose," Tommy added mockingly. "Why do you even bother fighting us...me...if you know you're going to lose anyway?"

"Silence!" Goldar exclaimed angrily. Waving his sword in a circle, a ball of fire consumed the two. Tommy immediately felt the scorching heat on his skin and, yelping in pain, he did his best to find a way out of his agonizing surroundings.

As the fire dissipated, Tommy found himself surrounded but nothing but darkness and mist. He shuddered nervously. "This is just like my dream."

"Now, Tommy, you must decide: will you join Lord Zedd?" Goldar questioned already knowing what the answer would be.

Tommy shook his head. "No way, Goldar. No way." Getting into fighting stance, he grunted. "Teleport me back to Earth or fight."

Goldar sighed with boredom. "This could be so simple, but very well. Putties, attack the human!" Suddenly, a large army of Zedd's new and improved putties appeared behind Goldar. Cackling, the space ape eyed Tommy with amusement. "Enjoy what you asked for, Tommy. Without your powers, you won't last very long. Charge, putties!"

As the gray drones began to near him, Tommy clenched his fists and growled. "I'll take on the clay brains any day, Goldar." Beginning to charge them, he was unprepared for the burning sensation that went through his chest and cut off his breathing. Kneeling in agony, he shook his head. "Not now."

"What's the matter, Tommy?" Goldar called with amusement. "Are you already going to give in? You haven't even tried the putties yet! Ha!"

Tommy shook his head as he wished the pain would go away. "You can't get rid of my that easily." With that, he forced himself to stand again and attacked the putties.

"He what!?" Jeff demanded angrily. Tommy can't have skipped school. That is so unlike him.

Cassandra sighed. "That's what I overheard from his other group of friends, or at least they used to be. Billy Cranston and Zack Taylor made it clear: Tommy skipped school today. It was something about his parents getting mad at him last night. Personally, though, I think Tommy skipped because he didn't want to face Kim."

Hearing this, Jeff lowered his head and closed his eyes, breathing in the cool air in Angel Grove Park. "That's one explanation."

"What's another one?" Cassandra questioned. "Was the thing with his parents really bad?"

Jeff shrugged. "I don't know, but when I came out here with him, we had an argument." Rubbing his temple, Jeff inquired, "He wouldn't skip school because of that, would he?"

Cassandra chuckled and kissed his cheek. "Why the hell do you care? He'll be back in school tomorrow, and everything will go back to normal." Reluctantly, Jeff nodded.

Meanwhile, in the Command Center, Alpha looked up at Zordon's empty tube at the front of the main room before pushing a few more buttons on a console. "Zordon! Wake up, Zordon! We have a problem!" At that moment, the massive head appeared in the tube and looked down at Alpha with confusion. "WHAT IS WRONG, ALPHA?" As the alarms sounded in Command Center, he frowned. "IS THERE A MONSTER?"

"Ay yi yi, Zordon! I've checked all of Angel Grove including every single position of every ranger. There seems to be nothing!" Alpha exclaimed.

"MAYBE THERE IS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE SYSTEM," Zordon reasoned.

Alpha shook his head. "No, Zordon. I rewired the alarms myself a week ago. They are in perfect condition."

Zordon sighed. "YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE COMPUTER IS PICKING UP A DISTURBANCE IN A RANGER'S POSITION, AND YET ALL THE RANGERS ARE OK?"

"Yes, Zordon," Alpha said. "Ay yi yi! What do we do?"

"WHO COULD IT BE TRACKING?" Zordon wondered to himself. "THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WITH A TRACKING DEVICE ON HIM IS...ZEDD COULDN'T HAVE..."

Alpha looked up at Zordon expectantly. "What is it?"

Quickly, Zordon commanded, "GET TOMMY UP ON THE VIEWING GLOBE NOW, ALPHA!"

"Ay yi yi! Right, Zordon!" Pushing a few more buttons, they both watched as the former Green Ranger came up on the spherical screen at the far end of the room. His location seemed to be nothing but darkness, and they stared in horror as Goldar struck his arm with his sword before Scorpina kicked him to the ground.

"CALL THE OTHE RANGERS IMMEDIATELY, ALPHA!"

Alpha nodded. "I'm doing it now, Zordon!"

Tommy looked at his bleeding arm before wincing and trying to put his hand over the wound. After five minutes, however, his hand was sticky from his own blood. Goldar watched him with interest before waving the putties away.

As the two monsters circled around the former Green Ranger, Tommy sighed. "If you're going to kill me, just do it!"

"You know I don't want to kill you," Goldar said calmly, his sword raised. "We can make this easy or difficult."

Tommy grunted. "Nothing you could ever do or say would make me want to join you. This will never work. I was evil once, and it will never happen again!"

Hearing this, Scorpina smiled cruelly. "Are you sure, Green Ranger...Tommy?" With that, she charged him and, easily overpowering him in his weary state, held him down in front of Goldar who was laughing hideously.

"Great," Tommy muttered before cursing under his breath. "I don't know what you two have in mind, but I already don't like it."

Goldar smirked. "Weak and sexually confused." Exchanging pleased glances with Scorpina, he smiled. "You amuse me, Tommy."

Tommy grinned falsely. "I'm glad that you find humor in me, Goldar, and I assure you that you'd find me all the more fun if you would kill me."

"What, and miss the pictures from your past?" Scorpina whispered sweetly in his ear. Laughing, she put her arms over his shoulders and touched his cheek before murmuring, "I wouldn't dream of it." With that, she licked his temple sending chills down his spine.

Gazing painfully at Goldar, Tommy took a few breaths before sighing. "Another slide show, Goldar? It didn't work when I first lost my powers, and it won't work now."

Not paying attention to him, Goldar pointed his sword upwards and waved it around. With this motion a circle of fire appeared and Tommy was forced by Scorpina to watch as images of Kim breaking up with him came up on the screen. Shaking his head, Tommy tried his best to pull away from Scorpina. "I won't give in to you," he whispered. "Never..."

Tommy watched himself getting drunk outside of the liquor store and then being slapped by his mother followed by himself running from a monster after he had lost his Green Ranger Powers. "See what a weakling you really are, Tommy," Goldar mumbled as he saw the young mortal begin to falter under the weight of his own emotions. "They didn't love you. Lord Zedd will make you a ruler among men."

"No," Tommy muttered, "I won't."

"The only reason he beat me that one time was because I let him win," Jason said through the screen. "Tommy is a loser. I can't believe I had to pretend to be his best friend when he was a ranger. Well, at least that's over." Jason? No...

Kim, who was walking by him through the park with the rest of the rangers, laughed. "Oh, I know. I had it worst. Can you imagine having to KISS him!? Ugh!"

Billy shrugged. "He was so stupid. You wouldn't believe how many times I'd have to help him prepare for a test or something like that. Damn, and I thought Bulk was bad. At least he didn't have to stay after school for three months just to make up a failing grade on his midterm."

"I had just lost my powers and was being checked by Alpha the night before midterms," Tommy protested weakly as the images continued to come into his vision. "There was no way I could study. Besides, I'm doing a little better in that class."

Zack nodded. "The guy was a loser. Plain and simple. When he lost his powers I couldn't help but be thankful for Lord Zedd. Without him, Tommy would still have his powers and we'd be stuck with him."

"Thank you, Zedd," Trini breathed. "I would have rather had Richie on the team than Tommy."

Kim smiled. "I know! Hey, he is soooo fine. Too bad I was stuck with Tommy or I would have gone after him."

Trini hit her arm lightly. "Watch it, Girl," she said, and the five laughed.

Tommy watched them in terror before feeling himself weaken emotionally. Feeling a tear fall from his eye, he shook his head. "I never knew...damn it, I never knew they felt that way about me."

"You see, Tommy. There is nowhere that you belong besides here," Goldar said.

Scorpina nodded and put her head on his shoulder. "Do you deny it?"

Tommy pondered this for awhile before shaking his head. "No, I don't deny it."

At that moment, a red light flashed through the barren landscape blinding Tommy for a moment. When he could see again, his eyes widened as he noticed that Lord Zedd was standing right in front of him in all his hideous glory. Cackling, the evil lord stretched out his hand to Tommy, and the former Green Ranger gasped as he saw a Power Coin lying in Zedd's palm. "Fragments of the crystal remained," he informed Tommy, "and now it is back. Green Ranger, you are to reclaim it. Are you ready to become my ranger? You know that it is either this or death."

"I'm ready," Tommy told him, his voice deadly calm. "Make me who I was."

The rangers, who had watched this scene from the Command Center, looked at each other in horror. Kim shook her head. "I can't believe they showed me saying that. Guys, I never said those things."

"I didn't, either," Jason said, "but Tommy is too confused and hurt to see what is true and what's a lie, but that he would commit suicide..." Gazing up at Zordon, he nodded. "We have to get to him."

"RANGERS, TOMMY HAS ALREADY PLEDGED HIMSELF TO LORD ZEDD, AND AT THIS MOMENT HE IS RECEIVING THE GREEN POWERS. I FEAR THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BREAK THE CONTROL ZEDD HAS OVER HIM IS TO ADMINISTER A GREAT CONCENTRATION OF POSITIVE ENERGY INTO HIM. THE PROCESS WILL BE RISKY, AND ZEDD COULD EASILY TAMPER WITH OUR PLANS, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE."

Zack frowned. "Look, don't get me wrong. This is horrible, and I want Tommy to come out of this on our side, but Zordon...we can't ask you to give up your energy again. Last time you almost died!"

"He's right," Billy acknowledged. "What if Tommy doesn't make it through this? He would control your energy as well as the Green Powers, and you would be lost forever."

"IT IS NOT MY POWERS THAT I WOULD BE GIVING TO THE GREEN RANGER...WELL, I SUPPOSE I SHOULDN'T CALL HIM THAT ANYMORE...THE ENERGY THAT I WOULD BE GIVING TO TOMMY IS POWER THAT ALPHA AND I HAVE BEEN CONSERVING FOR A FEW MONTHS.

"WE WERE HOPING TO SURPRISE YOU AND TOMMY. IT WAS MEANT TO BE A JOYOUS OCCASION, BUT I SUPPOSE THIS SITUATION LEAVES US NO CHOICE. ALPHA, SUMMON THE SIXTH POWER COIN."

Alpha pushed a few buttons on a console and a golden coin appeared in his hand. "I have it here, Zordon."

Trini gazed at the coin in wonder before imploring, "Zordon, there's a sixth power coin?"

"Why didn't you ever tell us?" Jason demanded.

"Why couldn't Tommy have received these powers when he was losing his?" Kim added angrily. I don't believe this. Tommy has been depressed, we've all been miserable, and all along Zordon had powers that could have restored the Green Ranger Powers?

"YOU SEEM TO HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR SITUATION. THESE POWERS COULD NOT BE USED TO INFUSE THE GREEN RANGER ENERGY, AND EVEN IF THEY COULD HAVE BEEN, WHY WOULD WE HAVE WANTED TO? THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TEMPORARY ANYWAY. TOMMY WOULD HAVE LOST THEM EVENTUALLY, BUT THIS POWER...THE POWER OF THE WHITE RANGER...CAN NOT BE DRAINED LIKE THE GREEN RANGER POWER WAS."

Alpha waddled over to Jason and placed the coin in his hands. "You will most likely have to do the morph for Tommy. Throw the Power Coin in his direction and call out his morphing call which is `Tigerzord'. If all goes well, Tommy will become the White Ranger, and you can all escape from the Dark Dimension."

Zack shuddered. "If all goes well."

"Do you have the coordinates to this Dark Dimension in the teleportation unit, Alpha?" Billy inquired.

In response, the little droid nodded. "Yes, Billy. I'm teleporting you now."

"We're going to get him back," Jason said, his leader voice evident. As the others turned to him with concern, he sighed. First the candle and now this? Tommy, you really do want me to kill myself, don't you? After a few minutes, the rangers disappeared in flashes of red, pink, yellow, black, and blue.

Watching them leave, Zordon shook his massive head and closed his eyes. "BE CAREFUL, RANGERS, AND MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU. STAY STRONG, GREEN RANGER. YOU'RE COMING HOME."

This was too easy for Zedd. He felt as if he was taking candy from a mortal baby. "Yes, Tommy. I will care for you. We will rule together. It isn't like you will miss anything from Earth, right?"

The former Green Ranger, who was sitting on the ground and staring at him in wonder, shook his head. "I won't miss anything, Master."

Oooh. Master? I like it. Hell, I love it! "You don't have to call me that yet, Tommy. For now, I will let you regain your Green Powers. That is what you want, isn't it?"

"Yes," Tommy responded dully. You know he's tricking you, Tommy. Don't give in to him. Tricking me? How can he trick me with the truth. My family hates me, everyone at school thinks that I'm some sort of freak, and the rangers never liked me from the start. What do I have left? "May I receive my powers now?"

Zedd nodded, almost surprised by how quickly the former Green Ranger had fallen into his clutches. He must be extremely desperate. Oh well... "Yes, my Green Ranger...now is the time for you to receive your power.

He was just about to hand Tommy the Dragonzord Power Coin when the two heard a voice call out, "Don't even think about it, Zedd!"

Turning around, Tommy frowned as he saw the rangers standing behind them unmorphed. Zedd smirked. "Really, Rangers. Coming into my Dark Dimension unmorphed? You actually expect to get Tommy back? Well, go ahead and ask him if he wants to return to you. I haven't given him the Green Powers yet."

Seeing the blankness in Tommy's eyes, Kim knew that he had been completely fooled, but she couldn't help but try. "Tommy, come on. You know that Zedd is going to use you to kill innocent people. Come back to us."

"Just so you guys can kill me from the inside out!?" Tommy snarled at them. "At least Zedd tells me the truth."

Zedd and truth do not belong in the same sentence. "Tommy, listen to yourself!" Trini cried. "When has Zedd ever told the truth!?"

Pausing for a moment, Tommy shrugged. "Now."

"Bro, you have to listen to us!" Jason cried, already seeing that the situation was hopeless. "We're your friends, and the things that Zedd has showed you...we didn't say them! They were all lies! Zedd tricked you!"

Lies? Everyone was so real, though! Tommy gazed at him in puzzlement. "You never said those things?"

Zedd shook his head. "They lie, Tommy. Do not give in to them." Brushing a strand of stray hair out of his face, he laughed softly. "You know where you belong, Green Ranger. They can't even offer you rangerhood back."

"We can!" Billy yelled after overhearing what the evil lord had said. "Zordon has given us powers for you, Tommy! The White Ranger Powers will be yours if you just come back to us and fight for the side of good!"

Zack nodded. "Come on, Man! Zedd is a murderer, and we've missed you!"

Tommy chuckled softly. "Kim hasn't."

Hearing him, Kim's face fell, and, holding in her emotion, she muttered, "As I said to you when we broke up, it wasn't about you not being a ranger. I loved having you as a teammate, Tommy. This is where you belong."

"I will not have my plan ruined!" Zedd exclaimed. "Goldar and Scorpina: attack them!"

The rangers barely had enough time to turn to Zedd's evil henchmen before they were on top of them kicking and punching with all their might. "We've got to morph!" Trini exclaimed as she kicked Scorpina back a few feet.

Jason nodded. "All right, guys! It's morphing time!"

"MASTODON!"

"PTERYDACTYL!"

"TRICERATOPS!"

"SABERTOOTH TIGER!"

"TYRRANASAURUS!"

Now in morphed form, they took the offensive against Goldar and Scorpina and, in majority, took the upper hand rather quickly. Zedd watched this angrily before muttering, "They may beat my henchmen, but they will not steal the Green Ranger from me." Seeing the torn look on Tommy's face, he mentally smiled. You are mine, Thomas. All mine. Throwing the Green Power Coin at Tommy, he pointed his staff at him. "Morph into the Green Ranger and remember your true nature as a being of evil!"

No! You've been tricked! Feeling weak...really weak...Hold on, Tommy...the others will help you. What if they're too late? I can't...give...in...have to, though...it hurts too much to resist.

Green Ranger he heard Zedd speak telepathically. Morph and kill the other rangers, for they have betrayed you.

You command and I obey, My Lord Tommy nodded to himself. There was no other way.

From the other side of the room, Jason saw what was going on before shaking his head angrily. "No way, Zedd!" Throwing the White Power Coin at Tommy, he quickly did the morphing call.

"TIGERZORD!"

You're too late, Jason Zedd cackled to himself. All I have to do is morph him...

"DRAGONZORD!"

What the hell is happening to me!? Zedd is your master...you must kill the rangers... No...the rangers have saved me. I can sense Zordon's presence. He's watching me. Zedd. Zordon. Zedd...Zordon... Falling to his knees in pain, he cried out in anguish as a white glow covered his body but was quickly replaced by a green one. The flashing between the two colors continued for a few moments until he could barely concentrate on what was going on around him at the moment.

"I don't believe this," Billy muttered as he watched the state that Tommy was in. "This is amazing." Looking around, he noticed that the other rangers, Goldar, and Scorpina had halted in their fighting as well. Everyone's eyes were on Tommy as they tried to figure out what was happening to him.

For a moment, the Green Ranger Armor appeared on his body, but this was quickly followed by a White Ranger Uniform that none of them had ever seen before. As speedily as they had appeared, they were gone along with the colors, and Tommy let out one more sob as he felt all of his physical energy leave him before blacking out.

Zedd shook his head in a rage. "Damn it! I don't believe this!"

"You've lost, Zedd," Jason told him proudly. "Tommy is back on the side of good."

"How can you say that!?" Zedd exclaimed. "He also received the Green Ranger Powers! Tommy is mine!"

Kim, who had been staring at Tommy's unmoving form with mixed emotions, raised her communicator to her lips as its six-tone melody chimed out. "I read you, Zordon."

"KIMBERLY, YOU AND THE OTHER RANGERS MUST EVACUATE THE DARK DIMENSION IMMEDIATELY." Zordon instructed hastily. "TOMMY'S SURGE OF POWER HAS CAUSED THE DIMENSION TO COLLAPSE. YOU WILL BE TRAPPED INSIDE IF YOU DON'T LEAVE RIGHT NOW!"

"Shit!" Zack exclaimed, having heard his mentor's words. "We have to get the hell out of here!"

Jason nodded. "Go, guys! I'll get Tommy!"

"But Jason--" Trini protested. Is he crazy? What if they don't make it!?

Cutting her off, Jason smiled. "I'll make it. Go!"

The four other rangers regarded him for a moment before teleporting away in their designated colors. With them gone, Jason gazed down at Tommy before running over to him and putting his arm over his shoulder. "Come on, Bro. Can you hear me?" He got no reply. "Well, then, I guess that's a `no'. We're getting out of here."

"Oh no you don't!" Zedd exclaimed. Pointing his staff at Jason, he pushed the Red Ranger away before looking down at Tommy. "The Green Ranger is coming with me."

Jason shook his head. "I don't think so, Bastard. Tommy's the White Ranger." Kicking Zedd in the chest, he watched with contentment as the evil lord went flying backwards before trying to pick Tommy up again. "You aren't exactly helping me here, Bro."

Opening his eyes, Tommy glanced weakly up at him. "God, I feel sick, Jason. What's going on?"

Before he could respond, Jason gasped in horror as Zedd got up again and pointed his staff at both of them. "Well, the dimension is about to collapse. If I can't have him, Zordon can't either!" With that, he fired a torch-like laser at them and waiting with contentment for the two to burn.

Before they could, however, Jason pushed a few buttons on his communicator. Beginning to fade, neither were prepared for the horrible burning sensation that went through their bodies. Yelping, Jason, feeling scorching heat go through his arms, automatically withdrew them before closing his eyes and passing out.

Back in the Dark Dimension, Zedd watched as the two teleported away before scowling. "Damn it!" Looking around, he cursed quietly as he saw that Goldar and Scorpina had teleported away, and before the misty darkness in which he would live for the rest of his miserable life consumed him, his mind turned to the Green Ranger and what glorious rulers they could have been together.

Zack was barely able to catch Jason as his knees gave way after materializing into the Command Center. "Damn it, Jason, don't ever scare us like that again!"

The Red Ranger shook his head before looking around in a daze. "Tommy...where's Tommy? I had him...we teleported..." Shuddering, he closed his eyes as his ranger armor evaporated leaving him in the clothes he had been wearing earlier.

"Does this mean that Tommy is...stuck in the Dark Dimension forever!?" Oh my God! If I hadn't dumped him he wouldn't have been so depressed and vulnerable when Zedd kidnapped him he might still be with us! Burying her head in her hands, Kim allowed tears to begin flowing from her eyes.

Billy awkwardly put his arm around her before looking up at Zordon feeling tears threatening to spill from his own eyes. "Zordon, is there any possible way he could have made it?"

Jason shook his head, the pain evident in his face. "I had him. Damn it, I had him and I let him go just because I was hurting!"

"This isn't your fault, Jason," Trini told him sternly.

Zack nodded. "Who knows? Maybe you two did teleport out, but Tommy ended up in a different spot. Is that possible, Zordon?"

"ALPHA, RUN A GLOBAL SEARCH FOR TOMMY." Oh, my White Ranger...what if you didn't make it?

Alpha began pushing buttons on a console. Running over to another one, he twisted a few knobs before sighing. "The scan has been initiated, Zordon. We should have the results in a few hours. It would be sooner, but Tommy's surge of energy has blocked his genetic code."

"What if that blast injured him because he was so weak?" Jason questioned softly. "Tommy might not have a few more hours."

About an hour later, Mr. Oliver was flipping through the channels on TV in order to calm his fury. "Damn it, there's nothing on when you want there to be something on!" He knew that the TV wasn't the thing that was bothering him, but anything to get his mind off of Tommy and the argument they had had the day before was a good thing to him. Plus, the fact that he hadn't come home and his teachers at Angel Grove High School had called to say that he had an unexcused absence from all of his classes was making him even more nervous and irked. Was his adopted son trying to get revenge on him for being so harsh the day before, or could he have done something worse like...leave home? The thought made him even more upset, and so when Jackie and Mrs. Oliver entered the room, he snarled. "TV's taken."

"Nothing's on anyway," Jackie informed him before plopping down by his side on the couch. "So, any word from Tommy?"

Mr. Oliver frowned. "You know I don't want to talk about him, Jaclyn Marie Oliver. Drop it."

Jackie raised her hands. "Come on, Dad! I'm just worried about him! He skipped school, and now he's not coming home! What the hell happened between you two last night...sorry, I meant `heck'."

Opening his mouth to respond, he was cut off as Mrs. Oliver mumbled, "Oh, the poor thing!"

"What's going on, Mom?" Jackie asked curiously, the other conversation forgotten for the moment.

Mrs. Oliver glanced at her before replying, "These anchor people are saying that they found this boy lying in an alleyway by the Angel Grove Youth Center. His arm was cut up and he seemed to be in shock."

"We remind you, folks, that you're hearing this story here first," the anchorman, Michael said. "Joan, what do we know about this attack so far?"

The anchorwoman, Joan, frowned before replying, "Not much, Michael, although there are suspicions that the wound to the arm was self-inflicted. A suicide note was found in his pocket, and there seem to be no prints on him, although there is a mystery around this case."

"Yeah," Mr. Oliver said with a smirk. "What was the boy smoking? Any kid in Angel Grove has everything they could ever want and more. Who would want to kill themselves?"

"You're right, Joan," Michael commented. "The note seemed to revolve around the fact that he was planning to take a nose dive off of the Angel Grove Cliffs, and yet we find him in the alleyway of the Angel Grove Youth Center with no weapons and a huge slice on his arm. Unfortunately, we won't know until the boy gets his bearings back.

"For more on this breaking story, we go to Terri Polpia at the scene. Terri?"

Jackie shrugged. "I wonder if I know him." Seeing Mrs. Oliver eye her with concern, she smiled. "Well, I don't think any of the guys I have crushes on are suicidal."

"You don't think," Mrs. Oliver muttered dubiously.

At that moment, Terri's face popped up on the scene. Police sirens could be heard in the background and voices seemed to be coming from everywhere. "Thanks, Michael. Right now, the police are questioning the owner of the Juice Bar, Ernie Halloway, to see if he saw the attack. People around the scene are also being questioned, but so far there are no suspects and no motives as well as no theories on how the boy got from Angel Grove Cliffs to here if he was so intent on killing himself."

Mr. Oliver frowned. "Good riddance to the trash if he doesn't know how good he has it here in Angel Grove."

"Do we have the name of the Angel Grove High School student, Terri?" Joan questioned from the newsgroup.

"Maybe the guy had a rough family life," Jackie reasoned. "I don't know...it usually isn't the city that makes people suicidal. It's the people they're around." Instead of answering her, Mr. Oliver took a sip of his water and shrugged.

Terri nodded and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Yes, Joan, we do. This actually came as somewhat of a shock. The boy's name is Tommy Oliver, and he is a sophomore that just transferred to Angel Grove earlier this year."

Hearing this, Mr. Oliver had to put a hand over his mouth to keep from spitting out his water in shock. Mrs. Oliver stared at the screen in disbelief before turning to her husband. "There must be some mistake. Why would Tommy want to kill himself?"

"We do have a picture of him," Michael said. "Again, this came as somewhat of a shock. Tommy Oliver seemed to have made a good impression on the school after competing with Jason Scott in a karate tournament. As we can all remember, the two tied."

Joan nodded. "This is startling news. Now, for the sake of privacy, we will not be reading the suicide note on the air, but we do ask for Tommy Oliver's family, if they are watching this, to go to Angel Grove Hospital immediately. The news now is that this is not a life or death situation, but he is still in a state of mild shock. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program."

The three Olivers stared at the screen for a moment before standing and running out of the house towards their car. Jumping in, Mr. Oliver nearly ran down six cars as he raced to the hospital. Once they had gotten there, the three speedily walked inside and up to the information desk. The nurse there greeted them with pity before sending them down the hall to room number 511.

Entering, the Olivers found that one of the doctors was examining Tommy's arm. He looked up at them and frowned. "The Olivers, I presume."

"Yes," Mrs. Oliver said slowly, never taking her eyes off of her adopted son. "How is he?"

The doctor sighed. "Well, the arm will heal, but it took a major stitching. Tommy is in a mild state of shock, but this should be gone by morning. You really have nothing to worry about."

Mr. Oliver shook his head. "Not physically, anyway. I want to see the suicide note."

"I wouldn't want to betray his confidence by showing it to you, Sir--"

"You're going to show us the damn note, or I'll beat the hell out of you for it," Mr. Oliver growled.

Apparently convinced, the doctor picked up a piece of paper that had been lying on the wooden table by Tommy's bed before handing it to them. "There is some blood on it, but we assume it was from his arm wound."

Mr. Oliver nodded before looking down at the piece of paper.

"To all who actually care that I did this...if there are any of you out there:" it began...

"Maybe I'm idiotic for doing this. Go ahead and curse me. Mock me even after death. I won't mind. Kimberly, I loved you and I'll always love you even in death. I can't help but wonder what could have been, but that's all over now, and I know why you went out with me. Don't worry about it. Maybe I'm just not as appealing without that little extra something.

"Jason and the others...don't worry about me. Then again, I can't remember the last time you did. When was the last time we had a decent conversation? I'm trying to recall, but I can't. Ever since I lost what made me one of you I just haven't belonged, and that just killed me...no pun intended.

"Jeff, I hope you'll be happy with Cassandra. She's really great. Anyway, don't blame yourself for my doing this. You've actually made it easier. Now that the whole school thinks I'm a loser who God screwed up on, who'll be left to feel bad about my death? I owe you one.

"Dad and Mom, I'm sorry to have fooled you into believing that I was the child for you. There was probably some wonderful kid in that orphanage, and yet you chose me...the demon child who got drunk to escape his fears, but this backfired and I lost you, too. I don't know...maybe I never had you. Anyway, take care of Jackie for me. I always wanted to be there for her, and now that I'm not tell her that this wasn't her fault and that I love her just as I'll always love you. I wish you could have felt this way about me.

"Mom, I'm sorry to have made you cry, and look, Dad, I saved you the trouble of disowning me. There would have been things to sign and arrangements to make, and this way I'm just...bam...dead. I doubt you'll miss me at all, but just in case you do...know that I'm a rotten son, a horrible friend, a terrible lover, and a coward for not being able to face all of this. I love you all. Jackie, I'm counting on you to keep up my legacy. Kick some ass in those Kung-Fu tournaments. I'll be watching you in spirit.

Goodbye, and sorry for being such an disappointment to all of you,

Tommy J. Oliver"

Staring at the note for another moment, Mr. Oliver clenched his fists before tearing it in half. He threw it on the ground and stomped on it a few times before yelling, "I can't believe him!"

Mrs. Oliver put her hand over her mouth in shock. "God, I never knew he was going through all of that."

"Going through what!?" Mr. Oliver exclaimed. "He has a few problems, and he decides to kill himself over it!? Damn him! Didn't he know that if he killed himself that he would be killing us and nearly everyone who has ever known him!?"

Jackie shook her head slowly. "I guess he didn't." Tommy, you didn't have to do this. We could have worked it all out. Walking to her brother's side, she put her hand on his before rubbing it with her thumb. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. "You've got some guts, Tommy. I still don't believe you were actually going to go through with it."

Mr. Oliver stepped in front of her angrily. "What do you mean that he had guts!? Your brother was being an idiot!"

"Michael Oliver!" Mrs. Oliver exclaimed in horror. "How can you...say those things about him?" Yes, what Tommy was going to do was stupid, but if he was feeling that low then something horrible must have happened to him. Mike just didn't understand.

"How can I say this!?" Mr. Oliver roared. "How can you defend him!? What he was going to do was amazingly foolish! This is even worse than him getting drunk that one night! I can't believe that you--"

Jackie rubbed her eyes. "You didn't let him talk to me that one morning because he had gotten drunk? Dad! Do you realize that if he had gone through with it that I would have missed the opportunity to say anything to him before he died!? Besides, if I had been driven to school by him then he wouldn't have gone to the cliffs! Who knows? He might have told me what was going on!"

Mr. Oliver shook his head. "Tomorrow I'm going to come talk to him. We're going to straighten this out."

"Mike," Mrs. Oliver protested, "Tommy is going to need time to get over this. I don't know if he'll be ready to talk tomorr--"

"I'm not giving him a choice!"

True to his word, Mr. Oliver was standing outside of Tommy's hospital room the next day with a million thoughts going through his mind. Why had Tommy been about to commit suicide? It couldn't have been his fault, could it? Then again, his words that night when Tommy had come home drunk had been harsh. In all honesty, he didn't know what he was going to say to his adoptive son, but he knew that he had to see him. They had to clear this up.

Mr. Oliver took in a deep breath and hesitantly opened the door to room 511 only to find that Tommy was nowhere to be found. His bed was unmade, and a tray with breakfast food remained untouched on the table by his bed. Damn it! Where could he be?

Stepping out of the room, Mr. Oliver walked over to one of the nurses that was smiling at him brightly as if nothing was wrong. Damn her. Something is wrong, you grinning geek! "Where is the patient from room 511?"

The smile immediately fell from the nurses face. "I don't know. The patient wasn't there?"

"He's my son," Mr. Oliver told her. "His name is Tommy Oliver. Have you seen him at all this morning?" Either find out something or get another job that would be easier on your IQ!

Shaking her head, the nurse quickly replied, "N-no, Sir. I don't have the shift on this ward until the afternoon. Another nurse was in there this morning, though. I guess he was there since she said that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Um, Dr. Jancen was in there earlier. Do you want me to call him to see if he's having your son tested this morning?"

"Please," Mr. Oliver said. As the nurse ran off, Mr. Oliver stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced around aimlessly at the doctors and nurses rushing by. Occasionally, a family would pass carrying flowers. Some had big smiles on their faces, but others were in tears. Is this why you were going to kill yourself? Did we not love you enough?

Gazing down the hallway, Mr. Oliver sighed at the light that was coming through the front door of the hospital. That's when the person caught his eye. At first, he just saw the guy as someone blocking his view of the sun, but that was when he got a better look at him. He was tall, had a muscular build, and was wearing a gray muscle shirt and blue jeans with a white band holding his long brown hair up. Tommy...Dear Lord...

Mr. Oliver ran down the hallway as quickly as he could and was barely able to catch his son as he walked out the hospital doors. "What the hell are you doing!? You haven't been permitted to leave yet!"

Seeing who it was, Tommy turned away and continued walking without giving his father a second glance. He's ignoring me!? Hell, he was the one that was about to throw himself off of a damn cliff! "First I find you drunk, then I find out that you were going to jump off a fucking cliff, and now you're leaving your hospital room for no reason!? I want some answers from you, damn it!"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to speak to you," Tommy said softly. Lowering his eyes to the ground, he turned towards his father. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm doing what I'm doing, and I've done what I've done."

"Don't give me that crap!" Mr. Oliver grabbed his son's arm in fury. "You are getting back in that hospital, and then you're giving me answers! That is not an option!"

Pushing him away, Tommy shook his head. "I want to be alone." Why can't he understand? After all I've been through...not just with him, but with everyone...I just want to be by myself. I almost just want to forget myself and start over. If only I could turn back time to when this all started so that I could right my wrongs. Who knows? I could be a Power Ranger right now, and I don't even know it. Maybe when my dad leaves me alone I can check, although knowing my luck I seriously doubt it.

Mr. Oliver grunted. "Alone!? I think you've been alone long enough! Now I want answers!"

Tommy raised his eyes to his father's and glared at him. "Why can't you understand!? I need to be alone if ever I'm to tell you why I was going to do what I did! No one seems to realize that--" Cutting off mid sentence, he turned away as the burning began to go through his chest again. Why is this still happening to me!? He began to speedily walk away and hoped that his father would let him go instead of witnessing one of his "Pain Attacks" as he had so bluntly named them.

Of course, when had his father ever done what he wanted him to do? "Don't you dare walk away from me! I'm your father!" Grabbing his arm again, Mr. Oliver pulled him backwards and was caught completely off guard when, instead of resisting his pull, Tommy knocked right into him before putting a hand on his chest and having his knees buckle under his weight. "What's wrong?" Mr. Oliver questioned, his worry overcoming his anger for the moment.

Shaking his head, Tommy did his best to smile. "It's nothing. Just...um...oh God, it hurts..."

"What's happening to you, Tommy?" Mr. Oliver questioned with concern. "Tell me what I can do."

This time, a genuine smile appeared on his face as he innocently whispered, "Kill me."

Before Mr. Oliver could respond, he heard a strong voice from behind him call, "Please, Sir, back away from him."

Turning around, Mr. Oliver gasped as he saw who was standing there. "Red Ranger? What do you want with my son?" This is getting weirder and weirder. "Did a monster do this to him?"

"Your son was involved in a galactic battle last night," The Red Ranger told him, his voice softening. "We need to run tests to make sure that a certain being isn't using him in a way that could be damaging to both him and us." Stepping next to Tommy and putting a hand on his shoulder, he glanced at Mr. Oliver. "What he did was very brave. You should be proud of him."

After watching in awe as his son and the mysterious Red Ranger disappeared in flashes of red, he sighed. "I am proud of him. Very proud."

As soon as they reached the Command Center, Jason pulled off his helmet and rubbed his eyes before running to his best friend's side. Tommy glanced at him after leaning most of his weight on the console behind him before shrugging. "I'm really ok. You didn't have to bring me up." He looked around the room. "Where are the others?"

"The teachers have been getting suspicious about us all leaving school at the same time," Jason told him, "and I figured that I could handle you."

"Well, how did you get out?" Tommy questioned already pretty sure that he knew the answer.

Jason smiled. "Sick approach. I was in Applebee's class, and you know how much she hates when people feel like they're going to throw up." Ah, I should be an actor. Tommy nodded.

"WE NEED TO CHECK OUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY, TOMMY. I NOTICED YOU HAD ANOTHER PERIOD OF EXTREME PAIN IN FRONT OF YOUR FATHER TODAY."

"Yeah, Zordon, and I don't know why," Tommy told him. "Did I receive the Green Powers, the White Powers, both, or none? I barely remember what happened yesterday. Everything was so confusing--"

"I UNDERSTAND. THE RANGERS ALSO COULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR WHAT HAPPENED. IT ALMOST SEEMED AS IF YOU RECEIVED BOTH THE GREEN AND THE WHITE POWERS."

Tommy looked at him in amazement. "Is that possible?"

Jason frowned. "We don't know. Zordon told us that you'll just have to try it out and see."

"What about the Green Powers, Zordon?" Tommy questioned. "I could feel Zedd trying to put a spell on me when he was giving me the Green Power. If I try to morph into the Green Ranger, will I become evil?"

"I DOUBT THAT, TOMMY. HIS SPELL WOULD HAVE BEEN EXACTLY LIKE RITA'S. IF PUT UNDER AN EVIL TRANCE, WE WOULD HAVE NOTICED AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE IN YOUR ATTITUDE AND MENTAL PATTERNS."

"...which we haven't at this point," Jason finished. "Still, it is possible that you received the Green Powers without the spell. We'll need to try out both. If you did receive the Green Powers, they may drain from you, and if the two energies repelled each other and you have nothing you could be losing your life force even now."

Tommy nodded. "That would explain why I had another pain spell out there. Well, here we go." Fishing through his pockets, he pulled out two Power Coins and looked at them to make sure that he had the right order. As Zordon eyed him with surprise, Tommy smiled. "I guess they just stayed on me yesterday." Well, here goes nothing.

"DRAGONZORD!"

Looking around, Tommy frowned as nothing happened. "Well," he muttered shakily, "I guess that's zero for one. Now to try the other one."

"Bro," Jason said solemnly as he put a hand on Tommy's arm, "if this doesn't work, we will find away to restore your full life force and ranger powers. You belong on our team, and I need to apologize for the way that I've been treating you since you lost your powers."

Tommy nodded. "I know you are, and I'm sorry for not initiating any friendship, either. It was just that I was still hurting, and I knew you guys were uncomfortable, and then there was the thing with Kim--"

Jason sighed. "She didn't dump you because you weren't a ranger, Tommy. We talked about it, and Kim never meant to hurt you to the level that she did, but you will get over her. It's just that...I can't believe you would...do we really mean that much to you? Tommy, you were seriously going to jump off of those cliffs!"

"It wasn't just you guys," Tommy told him. "My whole life just seemed to go down the drain when I lost the Green Ranger Powers. I felt like all meaning in my mortality was gone, and losing you guys and my parents just made it worse."

"You didn't lose us. We lost you, and we missed you a hell of a lot," Jason said. "It was just that we didn't know what to say. You had lost your powers, and before that we all had the rangers in common. It wasn't like that was all we ever talked about because it wasn't. In fact, we usually talked about rangering only when something was up, but when you lost your powers it felt like some bond between us was broken, but I'm not going to let that happen again, Bro, because when I saw you in the Dark Dimension with Goldar beating the crap out of you--"

Tommy smirked. "Thanks, Man. You're very kind."

"...I didn't see you as just a ranger in trouble anymore," Jason continued. "I was watching my best friend almost get killed by an evil being, and I realized at that time what an ass I had been. So, am I forgiven?"

"On one condition."

"And that is?"

Tommy grinned. "Forgive me for being such an ass and moping around when I was still luckier than many because I was friends with a bunch of people that I could have only dreamed of back home."

Smiling, Jason nodded. "Definitely."

Becoming grim again, Tommy looked down at the White Ranger Coin in his hand. "Well, this is it. If this doesn't work...I'm screwed."

`TIGERZORD!"

Looking down at himself, Tommy shook his head. "Damn it." I don't believe that I didn't get either of the powers!

"Zordon, is there any way we can infuse the power into him again?" Jason questioned, anger, guilt, and frustration building within him. I don't believe this! If I ever see Zedd again...

"NO, JASON. I'M SORRY, BUT THE POWER IN THE COIN HAS BEEN SPENT. IF TOMMY DOES NOT HAVE IT, THEN IT HAS BEEN LOST IN THE COLLAPSED DARK DIMENSION." Glancing down at Tommy, he was surprised to find that the White Coin in Tommy's hand had begun to glow. "SOMETHING IS HAPPENING."

"What's going on?" Tommy looked at the coin in wonder before dropping it as it heated to the point of scorching. "Shit, that thing burned me!"

Jason gazed at him worriedly before looking up at Zordon. "What's happening to him, Zordon!?"

Feeling the burning go through him again, Tommy fell to his knees and whimpered faintly before blacking out. When he came to, he found that everything around him was dark. "Jason?" He called nervously. "Can you hear me, Bro?"

"I'm here," Jason said with relief. "Damn it, you blew out the Command Center's power with that trick of yours!"

"What trick?" What is he talking about?

Jason snickered. "Didn't you look at yourself? Welcome back to the team, Old Friend."

Glancing down at himself, Tommy gasped as he saw that instead of his normal clothes he was wearing White Ranger Armor that he had never seen before. Even before he could examine the armor in great detail, he heard a muffled voice from under him. Looking at the sword that seemed to be...squirming around...in its holster, he pulled it out and glanced at it. "Whoa!"

"Whoa yourself," the sword muttered. "You've been sitting on me for about five minutes!"

"CALM YOURSELF, SABA," Zordon chided with amusement. "MEET TOMMY OLIVER. HE IS YOUR NEW PARTNER."

Saba groaned. "I could do better on my own, thank you, but very well." Gazing at the White Ranger, Saba mumbled, "I'm sure you're thrilled about getting these powers. As you can tell, I'm ecstatic. I'm Saba, and I'll be your partner.'

Tommy looked up at Zordon in shock. "A partner? Who said I wanted a partner?"

"My point exactly," Saba said.

Zordon chuckled. "I KNEW THAT THIS ARRANGEMENT WOULD WORK WELL. TOMMY, YOU NEED TO LEARN BETTER TEAMWORK NOW THAT YOU WILL BE THE LEADER OF THE RANGERS, AND SABA JUST NEEDS TO LEARN BETTER TEAMWORK."

While Saba scoffed, Tommy turned to Jason who was eyeing him, startled, before glancing at Zordon again. "W-wait a minute...why am I leader, Zordon? Jason is the leader. He's always been since I first came to Angel Grove."

"TOMMY, THE WHITE RANGER WAS CREATED TO LEAD THE TEAM. THIS POWER IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE RED RANGER POWER, AND WHILE YOU'VE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO BE THE LEADER OF THE TEAM, I KNOW YOU'LL MANAGE."

"Um, congratulations, Bro," Jason said softly. "This is really great." Zordon is making him leader!? No, Jason. Tommy deserves this. You know he does.

Zordon is making this guy leader!? I don't think he could even throw a straight punch! "Happy, are we? Cheer up, Sport. You'll like leading the team. It's fun."

Zordon is making me the leader!? Is he nuts!? I can't be the leader! "Zordon, superior powers or not, Jason has been and always will be the leader of the team. I've gotten used to fighting under his command. You can't ask me to change just because I have these powers!"

"I'VE THOUGHT THIS THROUGH, TOMMY, AND THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. THE WHITE RANGER WILL LEAD THE TEAM."

"So, let me give Jason the White Powers," Tommy suggested. "That way, I'll still have powers, and Jason will still be leading the team."

"TOMMY--"

Jason hurriedly cut him off. "Tommy, I'll be fine with your being leader. You deserve this. It's a big honor."

Tommy snarled. "Yeah, it's an honor to be regarded more highly than you. Come on, Man! You know I'll be horrible as the leader!"

Zordon shook his head. "THE WHITE RANGER POWERS WERE MEANT TO LEAD, AND SO YOU SHALL, TOMMY. I HAVE FAITH IN YOU, JASON HAS FAITH IN YOU, AND THE OTHERS WILL, AS WELL WHEN THEY LEARN OF THE SITUATION."

Jason nodded. "He's right, Tommy. Believe me, you'll love being the leader." Tommy just stared at him in awe, not sure exactly what to do.

Saba, however, used all of his might to whack his new partner in the leg. "Come on, Sport! Either use me to kill someone or unmorph! I'm getting bored out here!" Unmorphing in order to make his new partner happy, Tommy turned his attention to the floor and pretended to be more interested in his shoes than in the current complications between himself and Jason.

Goldar, Scorpina, Baboo, and Squatt stood in Finster's laboratory and watched as the old creature continued to mold a new monster out of clay. "I can't believe that Lord Zedd is gone," Scorpina murmured. "He just always seemed so powerful!"

"Yes, and his being trapped in the Dark Dimension will give Zordon and the Power Rangers an extra advantage in the fight between good and evil," Goldar growled. He still couldn't believe that Zedd had given his life to make Tommy the Green Ranger again. Now, Goldar's hate for him was not just because of the rivalry they had shared when Tommy had first been the Green Ranger, but it was also because it was his fault that Lord Zedd had been trapped in the Dark Dimension.

Finster nodded. "That's why I am making a new monster. Oh, I wish Rita were here. Even though Lord Zedd had far more power, Rita always had the better monsters, and she would listen to my input."

"When I think of all the horrible things that Rita used to do, I get goosebumps!" Squatt exclaimed.

Scratching his head for a moment, Baboo mumbled, "Yes. She was actually able to make the Green Ranger evil before."

Goldar glared at him. "Don't mention his name again! I'm frustrated as it is!"

Baboo shrank back into a corner of the room. "Sorry."

At that moment, the five looked around as they heard a familiar voice yell, "Hey! I'm down here, morons!"

Finster gazed down at the ground and gasped as he saw who it was. "Rita? Is that you?"

"Of course it's me, Finster. Where's Lord Zedd?" The tiny version of Rita called.

Scorpina frowned. "He is trapped within the collapsed Dark Dimension, My Queen. Zedd will be there for eternity."

Cackling, Rita smiled. "Excellent! Finster, find a way to make me my normal size again so that we can kill those rangers!"

"Right away, My Queen," Finster said. Oh, I'm so glad she's back! After a few minutes, Finster pointed a strange looking device in Rita's general direction. "The beam from this machine will make you your normal height again. Are you ready?"

"Get on with it," Rita ordered. Do I have to do everything myself around here? Argh!

After firing the beam the monsters watched as their old leader returned to her normal height. Squatt clapped happily. "Oh goody! Rita's back!"

Baboo nodded. "No more of that rotten old Zedd."

"It is good to have you back, Rita," Scorpina told her. "Our preliminary investigations have shown us that Tommy has received a power called the White Ranger Power. This energy is far stronger than the Green Ranger Powers were."

Rita shrugged. "Well, we'll have to find a way to strip him of these powers." With that, she laughed hideously and the others joined her. It was good to be back together again.

Jason turned around and smirked as he saw that Tommy was literally hiding behind him as they walked up to the school building. "Come on, Bro, it won't be so bad. Since you've been gone, I haven't heard a single rumor go around about you."

"That doesn't mean that Jeff hasn't told other people how much of a wimp I am," Tommy mumbled.

Zack, who had been walking next to Jason, sighed. "Tommy, you are not a wimp. I'd like to see Jeff keep a squadron of putties, Goldar, and Scorpina busy without getting killed."

Tommy shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's not like I can tell him that I did that." Walking up to the doors, he took in a deep breath. "Whatever is to happen will happen. Let's go."

Stepping into the school building, Tommy glanced around nervously as nearly the whole lobby became deathly quiet when he entered. Jason looked at Zack, and the two swallowed hard before pulling Tommy towards his locker. Reaching it, they looked around as everyone in that area grew silent as Tommy began to open his locker. Finally, Jason groaned. "Come on, Guys! This is a school hallway, not the library or Mr. Wilton's science class! You're allowed to talk!"

A lone person began to talk to another person, and soon the majority of people were murmuring to each other, but most of their whispers had to do with the White Ranger. Their comments were not lost on him, and he lowered his eyes to the ground before muttering, "I should get to Miss Hudson's class. Are you coming, Jason?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm coming. Zack, are you meeting up with someone here?"

"Trini and Billy are going to meet me for first period," Zack told him. "You guys go ahead, though. They shouldn't take much longer." Nodding, Tommy and Jason walked together to Miss Hudson's class silently, trying their best to ignore the whispers of the students around them.

Entering their classroom, they took their seats and looked at the clock. "Five more minutes till class starts," Jason muttered. Glancing at Tommy, he sighed. "Are you going to be ok, Bro?"

Tommy nodded. "I'll be fine. This'll just take a little getting used to, you know? After awhile I'll get use to my social decline."

"They don't know what you've been through," Jason observed. "Besides, if Jeff is spreading things about you, then he wasn't your friend to begin with."

Sighing, Tommy was about to add something else when he looked up to find that Miss Hudson was looking down at him with a concerned expression on her face. "How are you, Tommy?"

"I, um, I'm all right," Tommy stammered. "H-how about you?"

Miss Hudson ignored his question and implored, "Are your...personal matters cleared up?"

Tommy nodded slowly. "For the moment, Miss Hudson. Thanks for--"

"I don't understand why you didn't come to me or the guidance counselor!" Miss Hudson exclaimed. "Am I really so menacing that you couldn't come to me?"

As Jason covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud at this, Tommy licked his lips. "I, uh, I didn't want to talk about what I was going through, Miss Hudson, and I still don't. Thanks for your con--"

Miss Hudson through her arms up in the air with exasperation. "Was it that my test was going to be too hard for you!? Was it the comment about you barely being able to get a C? Tommy, you could have done better than a C if you put in the effort, and so I'm sorry."

"It wasn't the test, Miss Huds--"

"I'd hope that you would be able to stay after school if you really needed help, or get a study partner...someone other than Jason..."

Jason looked up at her. "Hey!"

Tommy frowned. "Really, Miss Hudson, I'm ok now. I can't say aloud what was on my mind, but it wasn't the test." Looking around, it was at that moment that he noticed the bell ring and found that everyone else in the class had been listening in on their conversation.

Burying his head in his hands, he cursed under his breath as he heard Miss Hudson begin the math lesson. At that moment, he felt something poke his shoulder and, turning around, he found that Jennifer Teller was poking him on the back with her pencil. Tommy took the note that she handed him and opened it quietly.

"You need to talk to Jeff Fowler sometime today. Things have not been good since he heard that news report."

Writing back to her, he waited a few moments for her reply. Tommy, after receiving the note again, skimmed over it.

He had written: "What has he been saying about me?"

"Nothing, but he's been sounding really depressed. He told Cassandra, his girlfriend, that your being suicidal was his fault for arguing with you after Kim dumped you. You have to tell him that this wasn't his fault, because this has slowly been eating away at him even though he refuses to admit it. After this class he has Spanish, and you'll be able to catch him at his locker. You should know it, but just in case, it's 1033."

Glancing back at her, Tommy saw Jennifer nod at him before smiling shyly. After math was over, Tommy left Kim and Jason alone to go seek out Jeff at his locker. He found him angrily stuffing things in and getting even more furious when it wouldn't close. He does not look good...

"Close, you fucking piece of shit! Damn it!" Punching the door, Jeff jumped back as someone poked his shoulder, and when he saw who it was, he lowered his eyes quickly. "God, Tommy, you scared me."

Moving around some of the things in his locker, Tommy quietly closed the door before sighing. "We have ten minutes between classes. Do you feel like talking about whatever is on your mind?"

Jeff shook his head. "You'll be late for your class."

"I have Applebee next period," Tommy informed him. "If I tell her that I needed some time to myself, I'm sure she'll understand. I mean, it isn't like everyone doesn't already know about the poor little sophomore that was seriously considering taking a nose dive off Angel Grove Cliffs."

Jeff nodded, and the two walked together wordlessly down a hall as some students stopped to stare and point at Tommy. He lowered his eyes and bit his lip before harshly telling himself that if he started to cry that he would never forgive himself. Glancing self-consciously at Jeff, he found that his own eyes were moist. "Hey, Man, are you ok?"

"How can you be ok, damn it!?" Jeff shouted startling Tommy and nearly every other person in that hallway. As Tommy backed away from him slightly, Jeff shook his head. "Fine! Hide from the truth! I know it was me!"

Tommy shook his head. "It wasn't you, Jeff. Really, it was just that my life was screwed at the time. I'm ok now."

Jeff groaned. "You were screwed because I screwed you!"

"Not literally," Tommy mumbled. Seeing Jeff give him his `I'm-not-in-the-mood-for-quips' face, he sighed. "It isn't a big deal, Man, and I'm being honest."

"So be honest with me now," Jeff pleaded. "Tell me the truth: did I play any role in your suicide attempt?"

Tommy pondered over the question for a moment before nodding. "Of course you did." As Jeff rubbed his eyes, Tommy gazed at him. "Yes, what you said hurt, but it hurt because everything else around me hurt, too. My other friends all hated me, Kim dumped me, and my dad literally wanted to disown me. Any argument I had made me feel like a loser, so of course I felt bad when you told me that God screwed up on me--"

"I take it all back!" Jeff hollered quickly making Tommy back away from him a little more. "God didn't screw up on you. A lot of people admire your sensitivity, and I didn't mean for you to get upset like that, but I had no idea that you were suicidal! That just shocked the hell out of me!"

"Well, I'm sorry. There's nothing else I can say but that I'm sorry," Tommy told him. "This whole situation is going to be awkward for awhile, but I'd like for us to still hang out sometime. If you'd feel uncomfortable--"

Jeff shook his head. "Of course not. I'd love that, Man." He grinned faintly. "Well, doesn't having a friendship survive death mean that the friendship is indestructible?"

Tommy shrugged. "I never thought of that." Suddenly, the bell rang, and the two snickered to themselves before smiling at each other and running off towards their separate classrooms to receive tardies from their teachers.

Kim walked into the Youth Bar a few days later and almost bumped into Jackie Oliver who was beginning to leave. Stopping, she smiled. "Hi, Jackie. How have things been going?"

"They're finally getting back to normal," Jackie responded, "although Mom is still trying to convince Tommy that he should go to a psychologist and that letting out his feelings will help him get through his suicidal stage. He seems out of it, though."

"Really?" That's good to hear. I haven't really seen Tommy at all since we got him from the Dark Dimension, but I'm glad he's all right. Luckily no monsters have come in the past week. "Where is he now?"

Jackie turned around and pointed towards the sparring mats. Following her finger, Kim's eyes sparkled as she saw that her former boyfriend was sparring with Jason, and that the two were bathed in sweat. God, has he always looked that good? Lately, I seem to have forgotten. It's amazing how you can take being with a person for granted, Kimberly.

Seeing the gleam in her eye, Jackie grinned. "Even though I know you're looking at my brother, I have to say that Jason is really hot...especially when he's nice and sticky like that." As Kim sighed, Jackie murmured, "Sometimes second times around can be better than the first time around."

Kim nodded. "I thought the third time around is the best time."

"Well, you haven't broken up with Tommy a second time," Jackie said, "so how can you reach the third time without going for a second." Moving closer to her, she smiled. "He'll say yes. You know he will. Tommy is head-over-heels in love with you."

Her parents are going to kill me for getting her thinking about stuff like this. "Hey, Jackie, how old are you?"

Jackie sighed. "I'll be going into Angel Grove High as a freshman this fall. Why?"

"Nothing. You just...seem older sometimes."

"Tommy says that, too," Jackie told her, "but it's usually because he's told me some juicy secret and he wants me to be mature enough not to tell it to anyone else."

Kim smiled at this. "Really? Any you want to share with me?"

Jackie shook her head. "Sorry, Kim, but if I do that I'll be breaking an oath: tell anyone of what I say and I'll beat the hell out of you." Looking at her watch, she frowned. "Great. I have to head over to the middle school to make up a test. Miss Gregory is such a hard teacher. Well, I'll see you later, and good luck."

"Good luck with what?" Kim inquired. As Jackie motioned towards Tommy, she grinned. "Thanks." Walking over to the White Ranger as he finished up his routine with Jason, she pulled him away before saying, "We need to talk."

Tommy nodded. "Sure, because I've been wanting to say something to you." As Kim waved her hand, gesturing for him to continue, he sighed. "When you first dumped me I didn't know what I had done wrong, and then I thought it was just that I wasn't a ranger anymore, but then Jason told me it was just because you weren't interested anymore, and so I just wanted you to know that I'm perfectly cool with us just being friends and fellow rangers." As Kim frowned, he did so as well. "Why? What were you going to tell me?"

"Tommy," Kim began before swallowing hard, "I want...I want us to go out again." As he began to turn away, she put a hand on his shoulder. "We need another chance. I was confused about my emotions before, but I learned that I was just afraid of rejection from you since you weren't a ranger anymore. To be honest, I don't think I could live up to girls like Cindy, Jennifer, and Katie. They're all so much prettier than me--"

"Don't say that, Kim," Tommy said. "I think you're beautiful, and I have ever since I moved here, but you know that I have to say no to us getting back together." She shook her head, but he put a hand up to silence her protests. "Believe me, I would jump at the chance to get back together with you, but I want to make sure that we're going to be going out with each other as regular people instead of as rangers. I want you..." he chuckled lightly, "I want you to know who I am, Kim, and I want you to want me because of me and not because I'm a ranger."

Kim nodded. "I want you, Tommy, but I understand the fact that we both need time to adjust to this. Can we at least be friends until then?"

Tommy smiled. "Of course. Well, we'll have to be. How could we function as rangers without friendship?"

"I'll tell you how!" Rita Repulsa said from the moon. "Goldar!"

"You called, My Queen?" Goldar said, coming into the room.

Rita nodded. "Yes, Goldar. Go down to Earth with a squadron of putties and take out those rangers!"

"Yes, Rita," and he teleported away in a flash of flames.

Rita laughed. "Now, it will be the end of those meddlesome rangers!" Cackling, she peeked into her Repulsascope so that she could watch all the action. At least Zedd didn't throw it away while I was gone...oh, I'm so happy to be back that I would kiss a Power Ranger! Well, a male Power Ranger...well, ok, I'm almost so happy to be back that I would kiss a Power Ranger, but not quite.

Tommy, Kim, and Jason were sitting at a table in the Youth Center when Tommy's communicator beeped its six note melody. He and Jason both stared at it for a moment before the three of them stood and walked over to the entrance of the Juice Bar. Pushing a few buttons, Tommy brought the device to his lips. "We read you, Zordon. What's going on?"

"GOLDAR AND A GROUP OF THE OLDER PUTTIES ARE ATTACKING IN THE PARK. THE OTHER RANGERS ARE ALREADY THERE. YOU MUST MEET THEM."

"Ok, Zordon. We're on it," Tommy said. He glanced at Jason before questioning, "So, we're teleporting there?"

Why the hell is he asking me? He's the leader now. "Um, I--" Seeing that both Kim and Tommy were watching him expectantly, he sighed. "Let's teleport over there, and then we can morph after evaluating the seriousness of the attack."

Tommy nodded. "Good call. Let's go." Pushing buttons on their communicators, the three teleported away in flashes of pink, red, and white.

When the three reached the park, they found that Trini, Zack, and Billy were unmorphed and fighting putties. Zack smiled at them. "Great timing, Guys." He kicked fiercely at a putty and watched with content as it fell to the ground.

Trini nodded. "Yeah, but I think we're going to need to morph. There are a lot of them out here." Punching one of them, she ran over to the others as Zack and Billy had.

When Tommy did nothing, Jason poked him. "Did you hear Trini? She said that we should morph."

"I'm just waiting for you, Bro," Tommy told him innocently.

He was listening to Zordon, wasn't he? Zordon specifically said that Tommy was to be the leader, and not me. Frowning, Jason shrugged. "Whatever. It's morphing time!"

"TIGERZORD!"

"MASTODON!"

"PTERYDACTYL!"

"TRICERETOPS!"

"SABERTOOTH TIGER!"

"TYRANNASAURUS!"

"Morphonominal suit, Tommy," Billy observed. "It suits you far better than the Green Ranger Armor."

Kim nodded and touched his arm. "It really does, Tommy."

Turning red from the attention, Tommy glanced at Goldar who was calling to him tauntingly. He gazed at Jason. "Do you want me to fight him, or do you want him?"

"Why the hell are you asking me!?" Jason exclaimed. "I'm not the leader anymore, damn it!"

"You heard me in the Command Center, Jase," Tommy said. "I don't want to be the leader. You're the best one for the job, Man. Who am I to stand in the way?" As Jason remained silent, he sighed. "So, do you want Goldar?"

Jason smiled. "You have him. I mean, if I get to be leader the least you should do is get to fight Goldar." Watching as his best friend and the other rangers went off to attack the putties and Goldar, he sighed. He didn't have to do that but, in a way, I'm glad he did.

Stopping for a moment in front of Goldar, Tommy pulled out Saba and pointed the saber at the giant space monkey. "Ok, Saba. Do you see him?"

"I wish I didn't have to," Saba remarked dryly. "Why?"

I can tell this is going to be fun. "We're going to play a game," Tommy told him. "The name of the game is `see how much damage you can do to Goldar in ten minutes'. Are you interested in playing?"

Saba nodded. "Sure, Sport. It isn't like I have much choice, anyway. I'm a sword, in case you haven't noticed."

"We're going to play two games, actually. That was the first one, and the second one is called `let's see who can go the longest without calling the other Sport.' Get it?"

"Well, that's not going to be a very fun game for you," Saba observed, "since you've never called me Sport."

Tommy sighed. "Prove to me that you can call me other things besides Sport. Ready, Saba?"

"I'm ready, Teen Tiger!" At Tommy's groan, Saba grinned. "Oh, I like that better than Sport. That's what I'll call you from now on. Teen Tiger, go get the big ape!"

"This mysterious White Ranger has been fighting alongside the other rangers for a few weeks now," Joan said in the news room. "It seems as if he's taken over for the Green Ranger who has been missing for a few months."

Michael nodded. "In other Power Rangers news...a store is mobbed my teenage girls and guys obsessed with the super heros when the owner displayed actual pictures of the morphed rangers in action. Now, we go to Terri who is by the entrance of the store right now. Terri?"

"Thank you, Michael," Terri said. Putting her hand over her ear to try and block out the loud noises behind her, she continued, "This is incredible. I've talked with some of the youngsters today. Teen TV and Movie Crushes watch out! There are some girls out there who have secret crushes on the Power Rangers."

One of the girls who had stopped by Terri, a teenage brunette with large green eyes, smiled. "God, I would love to know who they are. We all owe them our lives." After Terri had asked her who her favorite ranger was, she hyperly replied, "The guy rangers, of course, particularly the Red and White Rangers. They have the sexiest voices, and their moves are incredible."

A friend of the girl shook her head. "No way! The Black Ranger has the best voice, and his dance moves...ooh baby!"

"The Blue Ranger is more soft spoken," another girl said, "and I find that really attractive in a guy."

A redhead that had come up behind them, sighed dreamily. "Don't you just love this new White Ranger, though? His voice...God, I'd do whatever he wanted me to do."

"Hey, Tommy, all you have to do to get free sex for a year is morph and go down to this store tonight," Jason called out as he pulled more clothes out of his drawers and stuffed them into a big duffel bag.

Tommy, who had just come up the stairs carrying a big suitcase, turned a bright shade of red before murmuring, "I'm back together with Kim, though. Maybe I should go down there and tell them that I'm taken."

Jason smirked. "I was kidding." Seeing the suitcase, he sighed with relief. "Good, you found it. I didn't think I could fit all my clothes into just a few small bags."

"It was in your basement," Tommy told him. After laying the suitcase on the ground, he sighed. "I guess this is the wrong time to tell you that I don't want you to go."

"Yeah, it is," Jason muttered. Throwing some stuff into the suitcase, he rubbed the back of his neck. "You know I'll come back as soon as it's over, right?"

Tommy nodded. "I mean, what are the odds that you, Trini, and Zack would be accepted to go to the Peace Conference. I mean, out of the whole school!"

Jason shrugged. "I was surprised myself. Trini I could understand. She's really smart, and she'll be able to make some good observations over there, but me!? I thought they would have picked Billy! He's a lot brighter!"

"So what?" Tommy implored. "You'll be fine, Jase. Call me whenever. You know me...I'm always home."

Smirking, Jason replied, "Sure, when you aren't teaching a karate class, making up a test, going out with Kim, fighting monsters, hanging out with the others--"

"I get it." Tommy stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Jason, I'm nervous about leading the team."

Jason shook his head. "I'm not staying just so you won't have to lead the team, Bro. You'll be a great leader. I know you will."

Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. Rocky, Aisha, and Adam seem nice enough, but I'm not sure if I'm going to be as good as you were."

"Bro, I destroyed our first zords," Jason noted. "Even if you destroy the Thunderzords you won't equal all the mistakes I made as leader, but Zordon kept me on, and you thought I did ok, so I know you will." Tommy merely nodded and lowered his eyes. Glancing at his clock, Jason sighed. "Tomorrow morning at nine I leave for the Peace Conference. My whole life is changing, and I'm not even sure if I'll be able to finish school here!"

"I have a feeling that you will," Tommy told him. "There's just something about Angel Grove that'll draw you back."

Jason snickered. "You're beginning to sound like Zordon. Now I know you'll make a good leader."

Tommy nodded and glanced at his watch. "Damn it, we're supposed to do the transferring of powers tonight." He gazed at Jason with concern. "Are you going to be ok with it? I can't imagine having to give my powers away."

"That's cause you were the baby on the team. You like it, Tommy, but I...I need some time to think of the future. I knew that I couldn't be a Power Ranger forever, and even though I'm going to miss it, I need to see if I can stand up on my own without it." Jason chuckled at Tommy's hurt expression. "Come on, you know we always referred to you as the baby on the team. Kim thought it was cute."

"I don't find it cute," Tommy mumbled. As Jason grinned, the two teleported up to the Command Center. When they got there, they found that Kim, Billy, Trini, and Zack were already there along with Adam Park, Aisha Campbell, and Rocky DeSantos who seemed to be a little nervous.

"THIS IS BOTH A SADDENING AND JOYOUS OCCASSION, RANGERS. ZACK, TRINI, AND JASON, WE WILL MISS YOU IMMENSLY IN YOUR ABSENSE, BUT ALWAYS KNOW THAT WHENEVER YOU FEEL THE NEED TO RETURN THAT WE WILL ACCEPT YOU WITH OPEN ARMS."

Zack looked down at his Power Coin sorrowfully before glancing at Adam who was fidgeting slightly. "Adam, I know you'll take good care of the Mastodon Coin in my absence. May you learn a lot and have a jamming time with it." Handing the coin to Adam, he watched as a few surges of black energy flashed off of him and went through Adam's body.

The Asian glanced down at the Power Coin and smiled faintly before sticking it into the pocket of his black jeans. "Thanks, Zack. I won't let you down."

Trini seemed to have tears in her eyes as she handed Aisha her Power Coin. "Aisha," she whispered, "I know you'll take good care of the Sabertooth Tiger Coin in my absence, and I hope that you gain knowledge from this experience as well as physical and mental endurance."

"Trini, if ever you want the Power back, I'll be here to give it to you," Aisha murmured as a few surges of yellow energy went through her body. "Thank you for trusting me with this."

Jason gazed at Rocky momentarily before handing him his Power Coin. "Rocky, may you fare well as the second-in-command of the Power Rangers. I'm sure the Tyrannosaurus will serve you well in the upcoming stages of your life." Feeling the ranger power within him dissipate, he glanced at Tommy who was shaking his head and had his arm around Kim who looked close to tears.

Rocky nodded. "I'll make you proud, Jason. Believe me...when you come back you'll be surprised how honorable I've been."

"NOW, I PRESENT THE NEWEST CHAPTER OF THE POWER RANGERS. JASON, YOU HAVE BEEN A FINE LEADER EVEN AFTER THE WHITE RANGER CAME INTO EXISTENCE, AND A BOLD FIGHTER. TRINI, YOU HAVE BEEN EVER PATIENT AND CARING, AND ZACK, YOUR LIGHT SPIRITS ALWAYS BENEFITTED THE REST OF THE TEAM. WE WILL MISS YOU GREATLY.

"PRESENT RANGERS, I WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO GET AQUAINTED, ALTHOUGH I MUST SUGGEST THAT YOU MEET WITH THE PAST RANGERS BEFORE THEY LEAVE TOMORROW."

"Come on, Zordon," Kim voiced, "we wouldn't miss this. God, I'm going to miss you guys."

Tommy nodded. "It's going to be hard without you, but I'm sure our newest members will fit in nicely with us."

"Make sure to come back whenever it ends," Billy said. "Maybe you'll be able to graduate from Angel Grove High School."

Trini sighed. "I hope so. Well, we'll leave you guys some time to get to know each other. Meet us at the airport at eight so we'll at least have an hour to talk to each other before take off."

Jason grinned faintly. "Yeah, Bro, and remember to pick me up on time. You promised that you'd make sure I wasn't late getting to the airport."

"I told Jackie not to let me be late," Tommy told him. "She's like my permanent alarm clock."

As the three teleported out, the newest members stared in awe at the older members of the team. Kim ran a hand through her hair nervously before saying, "Welcome, Aisha, Adam, and Rocky. I'm sure we'll work great together as a team."

Aisha nodded and took a step forward. "This is going to be awkward for awhile because I know we're filling in for three of your best friends, but we are going to try our best. Hopefully that will be enough."

"Of course," Billy said. "All any of us can do is try our best. We all make mistakes."

"Oh, I've never been the leader before," Tommy mumbled shyly earning a small poke in the ribs from his girlfriend. "If I make mistakes, feel free to knock me around a little until I come to my senses."

Rocky smiled. "Sure, and if I start goofing off too much, do the same thing to me."

"If I start to talk too much, do the same," Kim said.

"If I don't put in enough input, go ahead and do the same thing to me," Adam stated.

Billy muttered, "If I become too scientific, do the same to me."

"If I become too pessimistic, go ahead and do the same to me," Aisha stated. Everyone laughed, and Aisha observed, "Well, I guess we're all a little nervous about some things."

Tommy grinned. "Obviously." Putting his hand out, he shrugged. "Power Rangers no matter what."

Putting her hand on top of her boyfriend's, Kim nodded. "Power Rangers no matter what."

"We'll stick together," Billy added, putting his hand on top of Kim's.

"No matter if the going gets tough," Rocky said, laying his hand on top of Billy's.

Putting her hand on top of his, Aisha smiled. "We'll stick together."

"Power Rangers no matter what," Adam breathed as he put his hand on top of Aisha's. The six grinned. Somehow they had a feeling that everything was going to work out perfectly, and that the Power Rangers legacy would continue smoothly onward.