FicWad

Disclaimer: Not my sandbox; just borrowing the toys
Note: In response to the LiveJournal PRSW 22 challenge; theme: acceptance (original) and #6, family (reprise)
You've probably been wondering what Jason and Tommy's friends think about their relationship; after all, nobody lives in a vacuum. Well, here's my take on it. - deep breath Right. Please note in the second half that I'm trying to extrapolate on the backstory I'm giving the character(s), and thus assign them reactions which I think may be plausible; they do not necessarily reflect my own experiences and/or stand on the matter. No offense is meant to anyone. That said, enjoy, I hope, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?



More Than Friends And Brothers
Chapter 16: A Friend's Choice

Four cars were parked in front of Club Bulkmeyer when Jason and Tommy drove up to meet their friends after they'd spent Thanksgiving with Tommy's parents. In the past, the gang had met at hotels or inns, but found that such premises didn't offer them sufficient privacy to talk freely about their past as Rangers - and the subject came up frequently enough to present a problem.

Bulk's facility was already closed for the season - not even the California climate was warm enough to allow running a public open-air pool past October - but he was happy to augment his income by renting out the cabana/bar to small groups like theirs. Food and drinks were being catered, and he knew he could trust his former classmates to use his property responsibly.

Jason parked his car next to an upscale sedan that sported a rental-agency plaque in the rear window.

"Nice wheels," Tommy commented. "I wonder who's driving that."

"Probably Trini and Billy," Jason said. "I don't think it's quite Kat or Kim's style, Adam and Tanya use one of the Parks' cars whenever they're here, and Zack would go for more sporty wheels. Rocky has his own car, and I wouldn't have a clue what Aisha or Justin drive. Besides, they can certainly afford it."

"Sounds about right." Grabbing his jacket from the back seat, Tommy noticed that Jason's hands on the steering wheel were white-knuckled with tension. He reached over and loosened them with a gentle touch. "Don't be so anxious, Bro," he murmured. "Trust the guys to understand."

"What if they don't?"

"Then we'll deal with it - together," Tommy said firmly. "None of them has ever shown homophobic tendencies, and if one or two can't accept our choice, I'm sure they'll be civil about it."

"I guess," Jason sighed and slowly unbuckled his seatbelt. "It's just ... aren't you nervous? At all?"

"Sure I am. If I'd let myself, I'd be shaking in my boots - especially when I think about Kim or Kat's reaction. It's natural to be wary," Tommy comforted him. "But I honestly don't think they will kick us out or anything. We've been through too much together; we know what true evil is like. We used to depend on each other day in and day out, for our lives, hearts and sanity - I seriously doubt any one of them would condemn us or anyone else because they chose a different lifestyle. They're our /friends/, as good as family, and you know it."

"I do." Jason refrained from pointing out that in his experience, 'as good as family' didn't necessarily mean something positive. He inhaled deeply to calm his nerves, then gave his lover a smile that wobbled just a little. It was time to put his parents' reaction behind him and face this new challenge. "I just hope you're right."

"Yeah." Smiling back at Jason reassuringly, Tommy opened the door and swung his legs outside. "Why don't we find out?"

"Okay." Leaving the car as well, Jason clicked the remote lock and squared his shoulders determinedly. Better to find out what their friends' reaction would be as soon as possible than give himself a nervous breakdown from apprehension. "Let's get this over with."

*

They were greeted with an excited squeal from Kimberly who launched herself like a small pink missile at both men. "Jase, Tommy! It's so good to see you! You look great! Oh my God, Tommy, I still can't get over how short your hair is - and you've finally shaved off that ridiculous beard, thank heavens! Have you heard Trini's news yet?"

"Hello to you, too, Beautiful," Tommy laughed, hugging the petite brunette and kissing her cheek before handing her over to Jason for an equally fond welcome. "We've only just arrived - let us at least see who all is already here!"

"Sorry," she grinned unrepentantly. "It's just, I'm sooo excited!"

"I'd never have guessed," Jason grinned, ruffling her stylishly-cut hair. Kimberly's enthusiastic greeting put him instantly at ease. "Hi, Kim."

"Hi, Jase. Mmm, still Mr. Muscle, I see! Gosh, we really should, like, meet more often - it's always such a rush to hear everyone's big news in person, not just in a written message or by phone." She looked him critically up and down, then gave Tommy the same once-over. "It's not fair; the older we get, the more handsome you two look!" she pouted. "Why don't guys ever gain weight or have bad hair days or something?"

"You've obviously never seen Tommy straight out of bed," Jason winked. "Then you'd know how his hair is sticking out every which way!" Oops, better watch it. I don't want to blurt our news out within the first five minutes! Luckily, Kim and the others took his words innocently, as the voice of experience from best friends who routinely stayed overnight at each others' homes.

"Really? Maybe I should sleep at his house one of these days, then."

"Like Kevin would let you," Tommy snorted, referring to Kimberly's husband of two years. "I think he'd trust me, but I don't know that it'd go that far - you are my ex, after all!"

"Well, there's that, yeah ..." she grinned up impishly at her high school sweetheart. "Could he trust you not to get fresh with me?"

"Stop teasing Tommy and let someone else say hello, Kim," Trini chided with a smile, approaching the trio. "You're neglecting Jason, too!" She looked radiant, and the reason was quite apparent even to the men by the slight bulge of her stomach that her shirt couldn't hide.

"Good God, congratulations, Trini!" Jason exclaimed, started to give her his patented big-brother bear hug, then suddenly stopped himself. Trini laughed and stepped into his arms anyway.

"Thanks - and don't even think of not giving me my hug! I won't break, I promise!"

"Well done, Will," Tommy said, pounding the former Blue Ranger on his back. Billy flinched, but couldn't help sporting a proud grin.

"Thank you. Consider yourselves hereby informed of our contribution to the dissemination of news," he said modestly.

"And great news it is, too. Couldn't happen to nicer people," Tommy replied after processing what Billy had just said. He wanted to add more, but was distracted by a tall young man he hardly recognized. "Justin? Is that you?"

"In living color," Justin winked. "Only, no longer exclusively blue. Hi, Tommy, Jason."

"Hi yourself. Any more news as big as this, anyone?" Jason asked, high-fiving Billy after greeting him more sedately. Bet we'll be giving Billy and Trini a run for their money later!

"Not as far as I know, but let's wait with the sharing until the others are here?" Kimberly suggested. "I'm positively dying of curiosity about what's going on in everybody's lives, but at least we won't have to tell everything twice."

"Good plan, Kim. Now, where can a guy get something to drink? I need something to hold me up in case of more surprises," Tommy joked, slanting a quick glance at Jason. And it'll be good to know where to find a stiff drink later, just in case we - or anyone else - needs one!

"I've set the bar up here," Farkus Bulkmeyer said from the doorway, smiling at his former classmates as he pointed towards the far corner. They'd never been friends, exactly, but it was still good to be marginally part of this reunion at least. "The caterer will arrive soon.; when you're ready to leave, just lock up the main entrance and drop the key in my mailbox on your way home, okay? Oh, and if you want to leave your cars here, don't worry; they'll be safe overnight. The number of a cab company is stuck under the car-shaped magnet on the fridge door."

"Thanks, Bulk," Trini said, impressed with his planning. Apparently, running a business had taught their former nemesis a lot. "You've thought of everything, it seems! Are you sure you don't want to stay until the rest of us arrive?"

"Maybe another time. Someone's waiting for me," he replied. His expression was a funny mixture of excitement and defiance, and it immediately set off Kimberly's 'romance alert'.

"Someone special, I guess - not just Skull, right?" she teased and had the satisfaction of seeing his ears turn red as he squirmed bashfully.

"Could be."

Jason nodded approvingly at the former bully. "In that case, don't let us keep you - and good luck!"

"Thanks. Have fun, geek squad," he grinned.

"You, too, Big Guy!" Bulk laughed at the fist Tommy mock-threateningly held under his nose, threw up his hands in a warding-off gesture and left.

They watched him walk around the pool to the parking lot, and Kim started bouncing excitedly on her feet as Adam, Tanya and Aisha passed him at the club's entrance and exchanged a few words before approaching the cabana.

"Hey, we're almost complete," she gushed. "Only Zack, Rocky and Kat are still missing!"

*

The caterer came first and was just done setting up platters and chafing dishes when the missing three former Rangers arrived. Rocky's surprise for the day was as immediately evident as Trini's pregnancy, even before everybody had said their welcomes. He was the last to join the group, dressed like most of the men in jeans and a button-down shirt - and wearing a clerical collar.

"Oh my God, Rocky," Aisha gaped at her old friend, brushing a near-reverent fingertip against the white cotton strip around his neck. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yeah," he laughed, the good humor in his brown eyes tempered with a serenity none of his friends had ever seen in them before. "Pretty amazing, isn't it? I could hardly believe it myself when I got accepted at the seminary."

"To put it mildly," Adam commented quietly. "Your mother must be over the moon. Didn't she always hope at least one of her children would take holy orders?"

"Uh huh. And now there's even two of us - Consuelo has entered the novitiate of the RSHM at Loyola Marymount university this summer, right after she completed her nursing degree," Rocky said proudly. "Both her oldest and youngest ... Mama nearly fainted when we both told her last Christmas."

"Wow. Are you ordained yet?" Billy asked.

"No, but I will be soon. Meanwhile, I'm continuing my work at Boys' Town," Rocky explained. "It was one of the priests there who suggested it might be the right path for me. Once I got over the 'you've got to be kidding me' stage and started to look seriously at the issue ... it seemed as if I'd finally come home."

Tanya shook her head. "You know ... it's certainly a tremendous surprise, but strangely it also isn't - somehow, when I stop to think about it, it's the perfect choice for you."

"Thank you, Tanya. That means a lot to me."

"We're all happy for you," Jason said sincerely, but he couldn't help sending a covert, worried glance towards Tommy. Given the nature of their impending revelation, Rocky's status as a future priest had the potential for some pretty big complications. He'd always been easy-going and open-minded, but the Catholic church's stance against same-sex relationships was among the most strident ... and there was no telling how Rocky would react. Outright condemnation would be bad enough, he thought. but having our love labeled as a sin, especially by a close friend, would be even worse than Mom and Dad kicking me out. Can we handle that?

"Don't borrow unnecessary trouble, Bro," Tommy murmured quietly in his ear. He'd correctly interpreted the myriad of emotions flitting across Jason's expression; a mute cry for help had appeared in the dark eyes, so he'd come over to stand by his side and unobtrusively lend his support. "Not every priest follows official doctrine; Rocky may well have his own opinion."

"I hope so," Jason sighed, then determinedly tucked away his concerns. Tommy was right; Rocky was their friend, and might, if not condone, then at least tolerate their relationship. They'd find out soon enough. Meanwhile, there was food to be had.

By common consent, conversation stayed general while the dozen friends sat down to devour the delicious Mexican dishes. Only when neither Justin nor Rocky could eat another bite did Kimberly steer the topic back to everybody's news.

"Okay, now it's, like, showtime, guys," she declared emphatically, tapping a dessert spoon against her wine glass to catch everyone's attention. "Since we could hardly miss it, we already know Rocky's going to be Father DeSantos, and Billy and Trini will be Mom and Dad to a little Cranston. So what else is new?"

"Why don't you start, Kim?" Aisha teased her friend. "Because I for one have nothing much to tell - when I bought my house in Atlanta this spring, I already sent you my new address. Other than that, the people I'm working with at CDC are making some progress with the animal plague on the veldt, but it's slow going. Unless there's a real breakthrough in a lab somewhere soon and a vaccine gets developed, we're stuck with treating cases as we find them."

"Every animal you save is one more step to preserving Earth's indigenous species," Billy consoled her. "Even having found a cure for newly-infected animals is better than watching countless others die, isn't it?

"Yes. Doesn't stop me from wishing things would go faster, though," she sighed. "There are just so many variables in the plague, it's frustrating. And funding for animal-related endemics /sucks/," Aisha continued. "Enough of me, though. Kim?"

The petite gymnast shrugged. "Actually, I have nothing earth-shaking to tell, either. Kevin and I may have found a sponsor for the gymnastics school we want to set up."

"But that's great," Kat exclaimed. "Sponsors are so important for athletes!"

"Sure. I just wish they didn't expect us to be part of their newest advertising campaign," Kimberly said with a wry grin. "You know, former Pan-Global medalist and US Olympic team coach say our product is the bee's knees. It is really quite good so I don't mind doing the endorsement, but having our faces plastered all over in newspaper ads and on billboards is bad enough. Unfortunately, they also want TV ads. So we've just finished filming a long promo segment for workout equipment ... anyway, come next month, you guys can catch Kev and me on the Shopping Network. Just in time for the Christmas market."

"Woo-hoo, we've got us a celebrity," Zack crowed. "Way to go, Kim! I'm counting on one of you guys to record it and send me a copy! I'll be in Brazil with the Peace Corps, so I probably won't be able to catch it live," he finished. "We'll be helping a whole group of villages to dig a well, set up an irrigation system for their fields and hopefully build some kind of electrical plant with a water wheel. If that works, we can start building a hospital next, and I've been appointed chief engineer for the whole project."

"That's cool," Tanya remarked. "What about Toyah? Won't she miss her dad?" During college, Zack had finally gotten together with Angela, his high-school crush; they had a daughter together, but the relationship hadn't lasted. They were leading separate lives, but shared custody after an amicable parting.

Zack smiled proudly. "Yes, probably, but she started Kindergarten in September; she's too busy making new friends and learning to write so she can send me letters!"

"Good grief, is she old enough for school yet?"

"Five going on twenty, it feels like sometimes," Zack sighed comically.

"Poor baby," Tanya grinned a little maliciously, then turned serious once more. "I kind of envy you; Aisha and you are really doing your part to save the environment. Even Kim's at least promoting something healthy and helpful. That makes getting a part in a Broadway play sound rather insignificant."

"Broadway? Whoa - which play? A musical? What?" Her friends were practically falling all over themselves with excitement, and Tanya laughed, pleased at their enthusiasm on her behalf.

"I'll be Mama Morton in a new production of 'Chicago'," she explained. "You know, the prison matron? It's not a big part, but still quite a challenge."

"Who cares? It's Broadway!" Kat marveled.

"Well, yes," Tanya sighed. "I've never done any acting yet, though. The singing I'm okay with, but ..."

"You'll be /fine/," Kat interrupted her emphatically. "Don't worry so much! Me, I'd kill for a chance like that, but unfortunately nobody seems to be looking for a ballet-trained dancer. I stink at anything free-form, like hip-hop and so on. Besides, a lot of shows these days don't have big dance numbers anymore," she sighed.

"You go, Tanya!" Tommy said, genuinely happy for his former teammate. If anyone could cope with the stress of playing on one of the biggest stages in the world, it was she! After all, hadn't she stepped into Aisha's shoes as the Yellow Ranger with nary a hitch? To someone who could do /that/, Broadway would be child's play, and he didn't hesitate to tell her so.

Jason added his own comments to those of the others, feeling just as keyed up and happy at all the good things that had befallen each of them in the time since their last big reunion. However, he couldn't help but grow increasingly apprehensive about what kind of reaction he and Tommy would get once they announced their relationship. Would their friends be as happy for them, wish them luck, or would they be shocked?

Shocked seems likely. After all, I never told anyone but Tommy about being bi, he said himself that except for me he's never been interested in guys, and since he used to date two of the girls ... will they assume that I seduced him, or something? That he's become my lover only to humor me? He couldn't bear to think that his friends might pity him, and Tommy by association - in a way, that would be even worse than if one or more turned away in disgust and/or moral outrage. If the worst happens, they'll no longer want to have anything to do with us. I don't believe they would, at least not all of them, but ... what if they do? There's a real chance I might lose my best, my oldest friends just because I happened to fall in love with another man. I've already all but lost my parents; can I deal with another rejection like that? What's more, can I do that to Tommy? Because he would suffer right along with me.

The unfairness of that seemed monumental to Jason. For a minute, he was tempted to signal Tommy to keep their relationship secret despite their resolution to come out, then gave himself a mental shake. I don't know that the guys would turn on us. But some of them might. To say nothing would be the easiest way ... only, I don't want to keep our love a secret. Not from the people who mean as much to us as family. Even Sam Trueheart, as old as he is, accepts us. If he can do it, surely at least some of our friends can, too ... and they deserve to know.

Across the table, he met Tommy's eyes. The steady love and support in that warm brown gaze managed to calm Jason's nerves like nothing else could've done, and restored his confidence. He nodded minutely, telling Tommy with a small smile that he'd received and understood the silent message. He drew a deep breath and concentrated once more on the lively conversation around them.

"But what about you, Adam? What will you do now that Tanya has to move to New York?" It was Justin who asked the question.

Adam smiled quietly. "I'm taking a sabbatical from my job and go with her. I'll still freelance for my newspaper, but I've decided to try and write that novel that's been rattling around in my mind for the past three years. New York is actually a good place to do background research. Since one or two publishers have expressed interest, I'll need the time off from the Tribune to write a complete outline and come up with sample chapters. So, if I'm lucky and get a contract ... Tanya has agreed to marry me at last," he beamed.

"Way to go, man!"

"Yay, Tanya! You took your sweet time making up your mind!"

"How could you leave Adam hanging for so long? That was so mean ..."

Once the hubbub died down - of course everyone's news and stories had to be discussed in detail - Trini did a quick tally. "That makes eight of us who've brought everyone up on what's happened since the last time we met. Okay, who hasn't spilled any beans yet?"

"Justin, Kat, Jason and Tommy," Kimberly replied promptly. She, too, had kept tabs. "So who's next?"

"Might as well be me," Justin grinned. He was the youngest of the group and had been a part of the team for the least amount of time, but he felt just as accepted as everyone else - especially now that he was an adult. "I already told you last year that I graduated from university; well, I finished and defended my doctoral thesis this spring. You're not the only one with a doctorate anymore, Tommy."

"Hey, great! I always knew you could do it!" Tommy smiled as proudly as any father; it had been a long time since he'd first taken on a mentor-like role to the bright kid, but that didn't mean he had ever lost interest in Justin. "Of course, we've got to discount our first certified genius - how many titles have you collected by now, Will?"

"Actually, I sort of lost track of my honorary degrees," Billy admitted sheepishly. "I've earned three before and since I got tenure, though."

"You're tenured at MIT now? And you say that Trini's pregnancy is the only news you have to share? Not nice, Professor Cranston," Aisha pouted.

"Sorry," Billy murmured contritely. "At one point, that was indeed the pinnacle of my aspirations. However, I have discovered that, compared to the prospect of impending parenthood, professional success pales quite significantly."

"Say what?" Zack blinked. Kimberly grinned and bopped him on the arm.

"Come on, even I understood that. Billy says that becoming a dad is more exciting than getting that professorship."

"Well put, Kim," Trini said approvingly.

"Indeed," confirmed the former Blue Ranger with a smile. "But we are digressing from Justin's disclosures. Tell us - now that you're finished with your education, have you found a job yet?"

"I have - and that's my big news, really," Justin said. He actually blushed a little as he continued. "You guys know how damned hard it was for me to let TJ and the others go into space without me, right? I wanted to go with them so bad, it hurt. But at the time, I felt I couldn't leave my Dad ... anyway, it won't be long until I get my chance after all. Guys - I've been accepted into the space program. I start training at Cape Canaveral in January to work on the ISS!"

"Justin, that is the best news ever! I'm so happy for you!" Katherine, who was sitting next to him, gave the young man a hug and kiss.

"Yes - if anyone deserves to be a bona-fide astronaut, it's you!" Tanya followed Kat's example. The others hid their smiles as a silly grin spread over Justin's still-boyish features at being embraced from either side by a beautiful woman. Obviously, he no longer considered his former teammates' signs of affection to be 'mothering'.

"Thanks," he said simply. "I just wish you could all come with me. Wouldn't that be something?"

"Oh yeah. Looking at the earth from space is the most awesome thing. I think you can only fully appreciate how beautiful and special our planet is if you've been away from it," Jason said softly. Watching Earthrise from the moon's surface was one of his most treasured memories.

"At least you got to go to the moon," Rocky grumbled. "If I hadn't injured my back just before graduation, I could at least have come on the Red Ranger mission with you."

"Trust me, we would've loved to have had you," Jason assured him seriously. "Leo and Aurico almost didn't make it on time, and I still get chills every time I remember that damnfool stunt the rookie pulled. He could've gotten us all killed!"

"Cole did what he thought he had to," Tommy interjected. "I could cheerfully have wrung his neck at the time as well, but let's be honest - if any of the rest of us had had access to a flying vehicle with enough firepower to blow up Serpentera, we would've done the same thing. Wouldn't we?"

The others laughed as Jason muttered something unintelligible and mock-glared at Tommy over the rim of his glass. "Come on, Jase, you know you would," Zack chortled. "You're as much of a hot-rodder and show-boater as the next guy - especially when you're wearing that red uniform!"

"Like you wouldn't have jumped in head first?"

"Sure. But I at least admit it," Zack snickered. "But time's a-wasting - who's next? Kat?"

"Why me?" she hedged. "Let Jason and Tommy go first. There's two of them, and only one of me!"

"Oh no - ladies first," Tommy declined with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Surely a world-traveling ballerina has far more interesting stuff to tell than two plain old California high school teachers." Until we drop our bombshell, that is! A quick sideways glance at Jason showed that his partner was aware of the underlying irony in Tommy's remark. So far, exciting as everyone's news was, none were entirely unexpected - just developments and opportunities growing naturally out of previously-chosen career paths. Well, except for Rocky becoming a priest; that had come very much out of left field.

The world-traveling ballerina stuck out her tongue at him, making everybody laugh. "Chicken."

"Yes," Tommy said smugly. "You still got to go first."

"Hmph," she huffed, then gave in gracefully. "Okay, okay - I quit the tour ballet and accepted a permanent position with the Montréal Opera House," she explained.

"Oh, that's cool," Tanya exclaimed. "Finally we'll be able to reach you whenever we want or need to!"

"Yes, it'll be much easier to keep in contact. It was such a drag having to look up your touring schedule even just for a phone call," Aisha agreed. "Why eastern Canada, though? I mean, I suppose it's a great country and everything, but - are you sure your French is good enough?"

"Most of the great choreographies were written in French, so yeah. The language is just as important to a dancer as some knowledge of Italian is to a classical musician," Kat said. "I've become fairly fluent - I had lots of practice recently."

"With that colleague of yours?" Kimberly guessed. Kat's ballet troupe had had an international cast, and she'd routinely shared a room with a Belgian dancer while on the road.

"Among others," Katherine replied with a mysterious little smile, folding her hands around the stem of her wine glass. It was Adam who caught the glint on her ring finger first and reached across the table to hold Kat's hand up into the light. He whistled, impressed by the delicate design of the diamonds set in a narrow platinum band.

"I think I can guess how. You're wearing some pretty fancy rocks there, Kat," he grinned. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you have a very personal reason to move to Montréal for good. Or you wouldn't look like a cat that has swallowed the canary. What's his name, girl?"

Kat blushed prettily as her smile deepened. "André," she confessed in a soft voice. "André Beaumaris. And yes, he's asked me to marry him."

Kimberly squealed and jumped up, ran around the table and gave her successor a fierce hug. "Congratulations! Oh my God, I'm so happy for you!"

The tall blonde found herself swarmed by her friends as everyone started to express their own well-wishes and admire her ring. Sitting in the center of all the attention, Kat laughed breathlessly as she tried to answer the questions coming at her from all sides. "He's a businessman. I met him in Stockholm last summer. He proposed in Paris on Bastille Day, during the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. Yes, I love him very much." And on it went, with all the women wanting to know every little detail and the men listening indulgently.

At one point, Jason went over to the bar to refill his drink. He stood with his back to the room for a couple of minutes, listening with half an ear to his friends, when he sensed a familiar presence at his side. Tommy reached for the wine bottle as well and poured some into his own glass.

"Pretty big news all around, right, Bro?" he murmured quietly.

"Uh huh. I'm thrilled for all of them, Will and Trini especially. - How do you feel about Kat's engagement?" Jason asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm happy for her," Tommy replied without hesitation. "It sounds as if all her dreams are coming true - a fiancé who worships the ground she walks on and has enough money to keep her in style, life in a large, metropolitan city plus a job she loves with a prestigious company. It's what she always wanted, and what I could never give her. She deserves it."

"No regrets?"

"None." Tommy laid a reassuring hand on Jason's shoulder and squeezed briefly. "I've got everything I ever wanted in /you/, Jase," he whispered. Jason gave him a small, grateful smile in return.

"That's what I needed to hear; thanks, Tom." He swallowed. "Think the guys'll be as happy and excited about us?"

"I hope so," Tommy murmured, glancing over his shoulder to see that their friends were finally quieting down and settling once more into their seats. "Looks like we're about to find out soon." Indeed, Kimberly was waving to them from the table.

"Jase, Tommy, come back already! You're the only ones who're left," she called imperiously. "We want to hear your news, too - if you have any, that is?"

Tommy inhaled deeply while Jason briefly closed his eyes, sending a quick prayer to any Higher Power who would listen that the trust they had in their friends' loyalty and understanding wouldn't be misplaced. "Coming - anyone else want a refill?"

There were several requests for fresh drinks, which Jason and Tommy were quick to collect. Jason was grateful for the few extra minutes this simple activity afforded them, but it took a lot of effort to suppress the shaking of his hands as he filled a tray with various glasses and bottles. Tommy sent him a reassuring smile, then clapped his lover encouragingly on the back before picking up a carafe of juice and a bowl of chips. "Have faith in them, Bro," he said under his breath. "I do."

Jason just nodded, squared his shoulders and rejoined the group.

Please - don't let it be the last time!

*

All eyes seemed to be on them as Jason and Tommy took their seats side by side; this wasn't the way they'd planned to reveal their relationship, making a big announcement out of it, but the way it had turned out they apparently had no choice.

"Well? Don't keep us on tenterhooks forever, guys - do you have any big, dark secrets to share?" Aisha asked.

Depends on what you'd call 'dark', Jason thought. But big ... hell, yeah. He produced a wry grin. "Well ... I've quit my job at AGH," he said lightly.

"What? Why?" Tanya wanted to know. "I thought you loved teaching there!"

"I did. Only, a new high school opened in Brookhill. They were looking for a head of the whole sports department, I applied, and got the job. I started this fall."

"Cool," Justin commented. "Go you!"

"Yeah, that's quite a career move at your age. Way to go, Jason," Rocky said, clearly pleased for his friend. The others quickly echoed the sentiment.

"Where's Brookhill?" Kimberly asked next; she obviously had never heard of the place, which wasn't surprising.

"It's a small town about half an hour from Reefside," Tommy explained.

"Ah. And you live there now, or closer to Tommy's place?"

Jason surreptitiously drew a deep breath. Here we go ... "Actually, I moved in with Tommy."

"Figures," Adam grinned, thinking nothing of it. "And how is life as two bachelors?"

"Great," Tommy smiled. "Best thing we ever did. Living together is fantastic."

Zack pulled a mock-disappointed face. "Is that all? Not that I'm not pleased for you, Jase," he hastened to add. "I'm sure you'll do fine in your new job. I was just expecting something more, well, exciting from you guys - like ... have you committed a crime lately, needed a psychiatrist or maybe turned gay?" he joked.

Tommy almost choked on his drink and had to cough as the others either laughed or groaned.

If only you knew! How the hell are we supposed to tell you anything when it's being turned into a questionable joke from the start?

"That's it, Zack - no more beer for you!" Aisha declared, trying to grab his drink while fighting a giggle attack. "This is Jason and Tommy you're talking about!"

"So? I'll give you they're likely not criminals, but needing therapy or turning gay? Could so happen to either of our big heroes!" Zack fended off Aisha with one hand, holding the bottle over his head with the other, only to have his beer snatched away by Kimberly.

"Like they'd do any of those things," Kimberly snickered, then nearly upended the bottle over Zack's head in the playful tussle to keep it away from him. She opened her mouth to say something, but unexpectedly produced a very loud, very indelicate burp. "Oops."

For some reason, that set off even more laughter among the group. Everybody had had several drinks by now - nobody was truly /drunk/, but it seemed they had all definitely reached the 'silly' stage. All except Trini, that is, who had limited herself to half a glass of watered-down wine because of her pregnancy. Thus she was the only one who noticed that neither Jason nor Tommy looked particularly amused. In fact, instead of laughing along with the others Jason had gone slightly pale and was staring holes into the tabletop, while Tommy's whole expression had turned rather grim as he compressed his mouth and placed his hand on Jason's wrist in a light, comforting touch. She could even read Tommy's lips as he murmured softly to his best friend.

"Easy, Bro. I'm sure he didn't mean it in a bad way."

Trini watched Jason shudder slightly and send a grateful look at Tommy. His broad chest rose once as he inhaled deeply, then visibly caught himself. "Yeah, I know," he mouthed back.

Several puzzle pieces she'd collected over the years she'd known Jason suddenly coalesced into a whole picture. She remembered observing Jason closely during his time at the Peace Conference; he'd missed Tommy terribly, more so even than during the weeks when Tommy had retreated to his uncle's cabin after losing his Green Ranger Powers. For the longest time Jason had refused to make new friends; where Zack had flirted outrageously with every female in sight, Jason had suddenly started to hang out in exclusively male company, almost to the point of ignoring all girls and women outside the seminars. Thinking of Geneva also made her remember one instance, very late one night, where she'd seen him come out of a fellow male delegate's room. Vague suspicions she'd dismissed as too out there at the time came back with a vengeance now.

Jason and Tommy had been best friends, closer than brothers, practically from the moment they'd met. Trini had no doubt that either man wouldn't hesitate to admit they loved each other.

The question is - what kind of love is between them?

Another memory arose, and it proved to be the last clue she needed. That inexplicable tension between those two that time in Angel Grove Park just before Billy and she had moved to Massachusetts. It had hardly been noticeable if one didn't know them well, but she did - and had wondered about it at the time. Only, with all the excitement and inherent hassle of moving to the other side of the country, she'd forgotten to delve deeper into the matter. What if it hadn't just been a momentary bad mood on Tommy's part, or on Jason's, but something much more? It almost seemed as if they had something to hide ... so, what if they did? And did Tommy just ever so slightly emphasize that they're 'living together' now? Trini nearly gasped as her intuition (or Occam's Razor, as Billy would call it) led her to the one possible conclusion that fit all the facts.

Oh. My. God! They really are living together! Jason and Tommy are ... they're lovers?!?

Her immediate reaction was, About time!

Trini briefly marveled that she wasn't shocked, only a little surprised, but in a weird way it all made sense. Tommy's relationships with Kimberly and Katherine hadn't worked out in the long run; she was certain that if he'd truly wanted it, he could've compromised to make things work. As for Jason, despite the efforts of some very nice, intelligent, pretty and capable women over the years, had never met a girl that could capture his heart completely. Why shouldn't they turn towards each other, given the undoubted depth of feeling already existing between them? They were certainly unbiased enough to see past gender to the person underneath, Trini knew.

What's more, they are great guys; loyal, trustworthy and caring deeply for the ones they love. They ... they deserve each other!

Zack's remark, and both men's reactions, suddenly took on a whole new meaning. If her assumption was correct - and the longer she rolled the idea around in her mind, the more certain she grew - the connotations were tactless at best, and downright discriminating at worst.

With an effort, Trini wrenched her attention back to her surroundings. Kim, Aisha and now Tanya were still berating Zack for his provocative question, certainly intended to be humorous ... only, it wasn't, not anymore. In fact, he was in the process of digging himself into an even deeper hole.

"Well, you gotta admit, it'd be frickin' hilarious if the two most macho types on the team suddenly went around calling stuff 'FAB-u-lous!', wouldn't it? All that'd be missing is the limp wrist and a rainbow flag!"

"Way to go stereotyping people, Zack," Tommy all but growled while Jason's face blanched even more and he clenched his fists.

"Yeah, not funny," he grated. "I expected better from you."

"Hey, lighten up - can't you guys take a joke?" Zack protested with a grin. "It's not as if you are gay, right?" For the first time, he looked directly at his friends. To his surprise, he read barely-suppressed anger in Tommy's expression, and when he looked more closely at Jason, the dark eyes were shuttered and filled with ... Is that - pain? I've hurt him? How ... why? The answer presented itself out of nowhere, and Zack gulped.

Oh shit! Desperately, he tried denying what he sensed to be truth.

"But you're not," he stated into the sudden hush that fell around the table. "Right?" Zack looked around rather wildly, seeing only dawning comprehension and openmouthed stares on the group's faces as the others started adding up two and two, coming up five each time - and felt his confidence falter. "O-or are you? Jase? Tommy?"

"What if we were?" Tommy said with forced calm, reaching once more for Jason's hand. Their fingers instantly interlaced, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by anyone. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen; if anything, it was probably the worst possible way they could have told their friends. But the cat's out of the bag now; all we can do is make the best out of a shitty situation!

"Oh my," Aisha murmured, the first to find her voice. It released the others from their near-paralysis.

"You're not gay," Katherine protested. "I should know!" She was giving away too much information that had remained private until now; but she didn't care.

Tommy regarded her steadily and shrugged, just a little. "People change," he said quietly. It was enough.

The blue eyes went wide at his simple statement. "Not like this," she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. A new thought suddenly occurred to her, making her choke. "A-are you saying that ... that everything that was between us was ... a lie?!?"

"No. Everything I felt for you - and for Kim, before - was real."

"Then how ... why ..."

"I'm bisexual," Jason spoke up suddenly, his deep voice rough as he cut to the chase. "I've known for years. Just as I knew I loved Tommy." There it was, out in the open at last. Now it was up to their friends to decide what to make of his admission. He sat up straighter as the burden of secrecy fell away, and he managed a small smile. "I'm just lucky that he happens to feel the same way about me."

"Oh my God," Kimberly breathed into the still-stunned silence. "You two are ... are really /lovers/?!?"

"Yes. We've been together for five years now," Tommy confirmed.

"Whoa," Adam murmured, expressing everyone's feelings in that single syllable.

Trini was just about to speak up, when her husband beat her to it. "In that case, felicitations are in order, aren't they?" Billy said calmly, getting up and offering his hand first to Jason, then to Tommy. His green eyes were open and sincere. "May you be as happy as Trini and I."

"Thanks, Will," Tommy replied with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks," Jason chimed in, relaxing a little. At least one of their friends wasn't rejecting them! "That means a lot to us."

"All the very, very best! You deserve it!" Trini came around the table and hugged them both. The couple's natural, matter-of-fact acceptance freed the others from their shock, and one by one they came forward to add their wishes to theirs. Not everyone was as quietly pleased as the Cranstons, or as exuberant as Aisha, but nobody seemed particularly upset, either. Only Zack visibly held back when it was his turn to face his friends.

"I'm sorry, guys," he murmured, squirming in embarrassment. "I didn't mean what I said the way it probably came across. If I'd known ..."

"It's cool," Jason assured him. Shock and caution he could deal with; what he'd been afraid of was rejection, and that thankfully hadn't happened. On impulse, he reached out and drew his childhood friend into a one-armed hug-cum-backslap that was instantly returned. "We know you didn't do it on purpose."

"Never," Zack confirmed, getting his emotions firmly under control. "Congratulations." He surprised himself with how sincerely he meant it, and started to feel a little better.

"Thank you."

Once everybody had said their piece, Tommy saw Kimberly standing a little apart, her doe eyes brimming with tears. Concerned, he went over and touched her shoulder. "Kim? What's the matter?"

"I'm just happy that you're happy," she sniffled, then threw her arms around him, buried her face in his chest and started to sob. "Ever since I broke up with you, I've wished for you to find someone special to love. And now you have!"

"There, there," he murmured, feeling suddenly very helpless with his armful of loudly weeping femininity as he awkwardly patted her back. Jason looked on, torn between laughter and discomfort.

"Kim, please don't cry ..." Is she happy, or only hiding something else? Damn, I wish I could tell! His only answer was a muffled wail as the woman he'd always considered a baby sister clung even more firmly to his lover.

"You have a funny way of showing happiness, girlfriend," Aisha teased, coming to the men's rescue as she gently loosened Kim's death grip on Tommy's waist. She received a teary glare for her efforts as the petite brunette finally let go and looked up at her tall ex-boyfriend.

"Whatever. Jase is as special as they come!"

"Are you saying I wasn't?" Kat asked, more sharply than she'd intended. She was still reeling with shock, but she, too, had added her well-wishes.

"Maybe not quite enough," Justin grinned. "Or not in the right way, anyhow. You gotta admit, for a supposedly hetero guy to hook up with another guy takes a special kind of special!"

Katherine opened her mouth for a heated reply, then shut it again as the truth of their youngest teammate's words hit her. Jason was special; so was Tommy, and their relationship. As friends, or otherwise. I've seen that years ago; how could I forget? "I guess," she admitted grudgingly at last. Then, an impish smile curled her lips. "At least I don't have to obsess about how Tommy found someone slimmer, or younger, or prettier than me," she murmured in a slightly reluctant attempt at humor.

It wasn't the funniest thing anyone could have said, but it was enough to bring laughter back to the group. Soon, they were all back in their seats and demanded to know more. The two men gladly obliged without going into too many details, and at last the hubbub died down. Someone proposed a toast to everyone's good news, and the reunion party was well and truly on again.

*

The group gradually split up into smaller units, each discussing different things or asking more questions of individuals. Tommy eventually excused himself from a stimulating conversation about morpher mechanics with Billy and Justin to take a trip to the bathroom. When he returned, he decided to step outside for a minute to catch some fresh air. He was looking out over the half-empty pool, musing on the evening's events and remembering the day he'd waited right here for Andros' call when he heard a light step approaching from behind. He turned and recognized Katherine in the moonlight, looking pretty as always, but with a troubled, almost anxious expression in her eyes.

"Hey, Kat," he said casually, gesturing her over.

She closed the distance between them hesitantly. "Hey yourself."

Something was clearly on her mind, and Tommy didn't need Billy or Justin's genius to figure out what it was. He waited for her to speak, but when she remained silent, fidgeting uncomfortably, he decided to spare her the effort of finding the right words. He came straight to the point. "Are you having problems with us? Jason and me, I mean?"

The blonde dancer shot him a look that was half chagrined at being so easy to read, and half grateful that he recognized her need to breach the subject once more. She sighed, then plunged ahead.

"Not as such - that you're with another man, I mean. Half the male dancers in my company were gay; if I'd had issues with that, I'd have missed out on making quite a few good friends. Although I must admit, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I realized ..." She shrugged and smiled apologetically. "I don't think any of us saw that coming."

"We kinda figured that," he said dryly. "But if that isn't it - then what else is wrong? You do have something on your mind - something that troubles you. Haven't you?"

"Well ... yes," she admitted in a small voice, then raised her chin determinedly. "Tommy, don't get me wrong; I'm glad you found someone you say you love. And I realize this is going to sound incredibly self-centered and maybe arrogant, even, but ... did my breaking up with you have anything to do with your decision to get together with Jason?" she finished in a rush, blushing. "I'm sorry, but I need to know."

He smiled, having halfway expected the question. "Whether I was driven into a relationship that's ... let's call it unconventional, huh ... because we both decided to call it quits?"

"Something like that, yes."

Tommy tapped her flushed cheek with his fingers in a gentle, playful slap. "The answer's no. Kat, if you think back we both knew it wasn't working out. You want the big city and everything that goes with it. I'm not cut out for a big social life, red-carpet events, the arts and so on. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy stuff like that on occasion, but I don't thrive on it the way you do."

"Put like that, it sounds incredibly shallow," she frowned.

"Oh, I know you're not. There's nothing wrong about having and liking an active social life. You, and many other people, genuinely care about what you do, all those charity functions, soirées and whatnot. And I realize that there's a lot of merit in many of these activities, but it's just not me. Not on that scale, anyway. I like living in a small town, teaching, doing research, hanging out with a few close friends. Come crunch time, you'd have been as unhappy in my world as I'd be in yours, and since neither you nor I was ready to compromise, it was right and honest for us to end it. You just happened to be the one to say it first."

"Oh." She mulled over what he'd said. "Then ... you getting together with Jason had nothing to do with m- ... with us?"

"Nope." Seeing that Kat still looked dubious, Tommy decided that a few details were necessary to set her mind at ease. She deserved that much from him. "Kat ... I'd gotten your letter several days before Jason revealed his feelings for me. Sure, it was part of the many crappy things that were going on in my life at the time, and yes, I was bummed out by it. A lot. After all, we'd been together for quite some time, and I really cared about you. But was it a deciding factor in starting my relationship with him? Not at all."

"What was?" Kat asked curiously. "If you don't mind telling me, that is."

Tommy let his mind wander back to that rainy night over five years ago. "As I said, my life was rather in a mess at the time - and getting your letter certainly contributed to my general depression. It just wasn't the main thing. Jase told me he loved me because he realized I needed to hear it, but that was all; he made no demands whatsoever. He laid it out, then completely left it up to me to choose to act on it - or not. The decision was wholly mine. And I'm glad I made the one I did."

"But ... but you never indicated even once in our years together that you were, uh ..."

"Attracted to him? Or to guys in general?"

"Um, both, I guess."

He rubbed his hand along his neck and blushed a little. "If you must know ... I've had a fantasy or two," he confessed. "After all, I've always been close to Jason, and since he told me he was bi a couple of years earlier, I kinda got a little curious. But I never thought I'd act on these fantasies. Certainly not with any other guy."

"Just Jason?"

"Yeah. Like Justin and Kim said, he's special."

"I ... see," Kat said slowly. She turned away, staring into the darkness. Then - "You really love him, don't you?" she asked abruptly.

"Uh huh. As soon as I admitted that to myself, something clicked in my mind. It just felt /right/, you know?"

"That's how it happened between me and André," she said slowly. "Marrying him means that eventually I'll have to give up my career, to be his full-time wife and a mother to the children we hope to have one day. At first I wasn't even sure whether I could do that, if I should accept his proposal, but when I realized I was totally miserable without him ..."

"Exactly. Jason trusted me enough to offer me his heart. How could I possibly refuse?" Tommy asked rhetorically, a reminiscent smile on his lips. "After that ... well, let's just say it was all but impossible to go back to being 'just' friends. And we surely wouldn't be where we are now - together, happy, and very much in love."

"Then I'm glad for you," Kat replied with a relieved smile. "Truly. For you and him."

"Thanks." Their eyes met, and with a small chuckle Tommy drew her into a light embrace and kissed her cheek. He found that he still liked having her gentle curves mold against him. "You have one advantage over Jase - you're easier to hug," he murmured into her hair. "Less ... compact."

The tall blonde giggled. "I should think so. Don't let Jason hear you say that, though!"

"Don't let me hear him say what?" a deep voice came from behind her back, and Kat flinched, disengaging herself quickly.

"J-jason," she stuttered, clearly flustered at being found in Tommy's arms, however innocently. "I, ah, we didn't ... I mean, we just ... oh God ..."

He came forward, a gentle smile on his lips. To her relief, the midnight-dark eyes were calm. "Hey, relax," Jason soothed her. "I know you did nothing to concern me. Are you okay?"

"We both are," Tommy said, but didn't try to hold on to his ex-girlfriend. "Aren't we, Kat?"

"Absolutely." She watched as Jason moved forward, past her, to stand next to his partner. They didn't touch, just shared a glance and a smile, and suddenly she had an impression as if they were actually embracing merely by that. Years ago, it would have disturbed her; now, it seemed quite natural. What a shame for girls everywhere! I bet a lot of hearts were broken when you came out. But at least André won't have to worry about Tommy wanting me back or something. Actually ...I think ... no, I know André is going to like them! Kat felt her mood shift suddenly and found herself bubbling with joy, for herself and her friends. It enabled her to tease them with a mock-regretful sigh as she let her eyes sweep over two of the most attractive men she knew - barring her fiancé, of course.

"You know, it's really unfair; if either one of you had to choose another guy, couldn't you at least have gone for someone short, fat or ugly?"

Jason grinned and cast a sideways look at his lover that made Tommy's breath catch in his throat. "Sorry. I like 'em tall, dark and gorgeous. Just like you, huh?" The picture she'd shown them of her future husband had clearly indicated that Kat remained true to type; Tommy in an Armani suit and a conventionally-stylish haircut would look a lot like the Canadian businessman.

"And me," Tommy murmured warmly, letting his eyes linger on Jason's broad chest, his impressive muscles subtly outlined by the soft fabric of his jersey shirt. He, too, was thinking that Kat's future husband had nothing on Jason in the good looks department.

Kat watched them not-so-surreptitiously ogle each other and had to laugh. "Touché. And I think that's my clue to leave this mutual admiration society, before you guys start seriously embarrassing me!" She snickered at the wholly unconvincing innocent expressions the men were striving for. On impulse, she kissed first Tommy, then Jason. "Be happy, guys." With a quick wave, she spun on her heels and went back inside.

*

"So, how was it to hold a woman again after five years of being with a man?" Jason casually asked Tommy once they were safely alone again.

Tommy started. "How did you -" He stopped himself. Shit, of course Jase would know - he's had partners of both genders before you, remember? "Never mind," he muttered, his face suffused with sudden color.

Jason grinned. "Been there, done that," he replied softly, confirming his lover's assumption. "Well, kinda, anyway. After the first time I'd been with a guy and found I liked it, it was sort of a relief to discover that I could still get a hard-on from seeing or touching a sexy girl. Didn't exactly make things easier when you're seventeen and trying to figure out your sexuality, but them's the breaks." He shrugged, then winked. "Well?"

"I didn't get a hard-on over Kat, if that's what you want to know," Tommy grumbled, then sighed. "I gotta admit, though, it felt good. I love having you against me, but ..."

"But there's nothing quite like feeling a pair of tits smushed against your chest, right? And from what little I've seen, Kat's are as nice as they come," Jason said with a tiny leer.

"Keep your mind out of the gutter, Bro; as if I'd tell you! Not outside the bedroom, anyway," Tommy added under his breath, making his partner smirk. Then, he placed one hand on the broad shoulder. "You're not jealous, are you?"

Jason covered the long fingers with his own. "Nah. I trust you implicitly. Kat, too."

"Good." They stood side by side, connected only by the light touch of hands and their feelings for each other, a good silence settling over them. At last, Jason spoke, his voice pensive and hushed.

"You were right about the guys. They took it amazingly well - didn't judge us at all."

"I told you."

"Yeah. Still, coming out today could've gone terribly wrong. Especially when Zack started making those cracks."

"But it didn't - and I'm pretty certain he's not gonna do it again."

Jason snorted lightly. "I wouldn't count on it. You think I have a warped sense of humor? Just wait until he's had some time to think things over. Except for when you first tried to ask Kim out, you haven't given him that kind of ammunition yet. He's gonna come up with all sorts of things to tease us with."

Tommy groaned. "Oh, great." Then he recovered. "At least we can be sure it won't be malicious or mean, though."

"No. And I for one can live with a few jokes as long as it's among friends."

"Me, too." Tommy looked sideways at his lover, smiling warmly. "Life feels pretty good right now, doesn't it?"

Jason smiled back and squeezed Tommy's hand. "Very."

*

Both men were unaware that their quiet conversation was being observed from inside the cabana. Aisha, Justin and Tanya couldn't hear their words, but body language and facial expression told them a lot.

"They look good together," Tanya said softly. "I've seen them stand like this a number of times after Jason came back from Geneva, but I've never realized just how much feeling there is between them."

"Uh huh," Aisha agreed. "Still, I can't remember being this floored by news from anyone - and among the twelve of us, we've had a few doozies over the years!"

"Talk about something totally coming out of left field," Justin murmured. "Did anyone see that coming?"

"Trini, I think; she mentioned something a while ago. Does it bother you?"

Justin shrugged. "Me? Not particularly. It'll take a while to let it sink in because I've seen how gaga Tommy used to be over Kat, but other than that? Nope. They're as much my friends as my family; I want them to be happy."

"Which they seem to be," Tanya said. "And that's what matters, isn't it? Somehow I don't care that they're both guys."

"Family is the right word," Aisha nodded. "We all are. Anyway, what they do behind closed doors is none of our business. Same-sex orientation isn't catching, after all, and they're hardly the type to start groping each other in public."

"A pity, really," Tanya grinned wickedly. Seeing her companions' slightly scandalized looks, she laughed. "Come on, Ish - Jason and Tommy are hot guys by anyone's standard. Don't tell me the idea of them doing the naughty together, all nicely sweaty and nekkid, doesn't make you get at least a /little/, um, bothered!"

"Well ..." Aisha drawled, instinctively licking her lips. "Now that you mention it, girlfriend ..."

"Thanks for a mental image I so didn't need, ladies," Justin groaned comically. "Excuse me while I go looking for something more exciting to me - like talking quantum physics with Will and Trini!" He beat a hasty retreat as the two former Yellow Rangers snickered.

"Men," Aisha giggled. "They can be such prudes!"

"Yeah. Good thing Rocky didn't hear us, though - we might've shocked him right out of his collar!"

"Oh my, yes," Aisha gasped with suppressed laughter. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Beats me," Tanya frowned, looking around. "I don't see him. Maybe he's gone to the restroom?"

"Could be. Come on, let's see if there's some gin and tonic left; I could use another drink."

"Hmm, I'm kinda thirsty, too."

"Thirst has nothing to do with it," Aisha said dryly as he led her successor to the bar. "I need to drown my sorrow that two hot, intelligent, nice guys hooked up each other while I'm still single!"

Tanya laughed. "As if you didn't have tons of fun trying to catch one for yourself!"

*

Rocky hadn't gone to the bathroom as Tanya had surmised; he'd crossed to the other side of the pool for some quiet and solitude instead. There were a few things on his mind that he needed to sort out, and he couldn't do that in a happy, noisy group. He found a wooden bench almost hidden behind some foliage and started to think about his problem.

Jason and Tommy. Or rather, their relationship. As a friend, he knew what he felt about them as people, but as a future priest he couldn't ignore what he should be feeling about them as a couple. Therein lay Rocky's problem, and it was a big one. However, it was impossible to make any kind of decision on his further actions without having talked to them first, he concluded at last. The question is, when and where?

Rocky looked up from his meditatively-steepled hands and glanced towards the cabana; Tommy was standing not too far from the doorway, his shape outlined by the light streaming from the windows. Kat joined him; they talked, then hugged. Rocky felt a momentary relief that was instantly followed by slight shame; no matter what, he shouldn't condone what looked like betrayal between committed partners! He caught his breath as Jason stepped towards them, but there was no confrontation; instead, after another brief exchange of words, Katherine kissed both their cheeks before going back inside.

He observed the light, gentle touch Tommy offered Jason, and saw them smile at each other. The distance between them and his vantage point was too great to fully read their expressions, they were further obscured by the darkness, but even so it was obvious that the men shared a deep bond that went beyond friendship and thus could easily overlook a small, intimate yet innocent gesture towards a friend.

Rocky sighed as he unfurled from his seat. He really needed to talk to them - and the sooner, the better. However, he would have to choose a better opportunity.

Determinedly, he walked around the pool once more and approached Jason and Tommy. They heard his footsteps on the tiled path; as soon as they recognized him, Jason released Tommy's hand, letting it glide off his shoulder. Rocky noted absently that it was a natural, easy gesture, without a trace of guilt or shame. Just like my brother lets go of his wife if someone catches them smooching at family gatherings. The realization brought a reluctant smile to his face, and he managed to address them with a voice that was reasonably calm.

"Hey, guys."

"Rocky. What's up?" Tommy replied lightly. Jason just nodded.

Rocky briefly closed his eyes and sent up a quick, silent prayer that he might find the right words to say what he needed. Yet he had to swallow twice before he could find his voice.

"I-I need to talk to you."

Jason's smile vanished, and he stiffened slightly. "What about?" he asked warily.

"Something's that important - to me, anyway."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Sounds ominous."

Rocky tilted his head and made a somewhat helpless gesture. "It doesn't have to be. But this is neither the time nor the place. Can we meet somewhere private tomorrow? Please?"

Tommy exchanged a glance with Jason. After a second's hesitation, he received a minute nod. Turning back to Rocky, he shrugged. "Sure. Why don't we have breakfast together? There's an I-Hop right next to our hotel."

"Perfect. Around ten?"

"Why not. Now let's get back inside; I see Tanya's getting ready to sing for us. Wouldn't want to miss that."

"Me neither," Jason murmured, in what sounded to Rocky like forced cheerfulness, and led the way.

*

"What do you think Rocky wants to talk about?" Jason asked the next morning as they entered the well-lit restaurant. The regular breakfast crowd had already left, so they could choose a booth at the back, well away from the few remaining customers. Tommy signaled for coffee and reached for the menu, yawning. They'd had a late night, and instead of sleeping in as they'd planned, here they were waiting for their fellow Red Ranger.

"No idea, but I'm guessing it's about us," he replied, quickly making his selection as the server brought two steaming cups. "Pancakes, toast, bacon and two eggs, over easy."

"The same for me, please." Jason laid the menu aside and took a first sip of his coffee, nearly scalding his lips. "Damn, that's hot!"

"This place doesn't have to put warnings on the beverages yet," Rocky had come in right behind them, unnoticed, and slid into the booth as well. "Good morning, guys." He quickly placed his order as well.

"Morning, Rocko," his friends chorused. They chatted idly until their food arrived, then dug in. Only when they were finished, the platters removed and refills had been poured did Jason fix his one-time successor with a steady look.

"So what's so important that you had to drag us out of bed this early today?"

Rocky folded his hands around his mug. He wouldn't meet his friends' eyes as he weighed his words carefully - if he got it wrong, he might alienate Jason and Tommy completely, and he didn't want that to happen. If only he knew how to start! Gathering his courage at last, Rocky drew a deep breath and looked fully into their eyes. "There's no easy way of saying this," he began.

"Just spill it, man. Beating around a bush never does any good," Tommy said.

Rocky had to grin at the customary take-charge attitude, but what little humor there was vanished again right away. "Too true. Okay, then ... Jase, Tommy - please believe me when I say that I meant what I said last night. I honestly wish to see both of you happy. It's just ... I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I'm not having a problem with your relationship."

"Because of your vocation, you mean?"

"It goes further than that. Accepting, or condoning a same-sex relationship is against everything my faith has taught me. In the eyes of the Church, homosexuality is a sin, and that's that," he said unhappily.

"No offense, Rocky, but neither one of us is Catholic, like you," Jason murmured. This was what they had feared, but at least Rocky seemed to be willing to listen. "And strictly speaking, we're both bisexual, not gay."

"I know, and I'm not trying to impose my faith onto you. But as far as being gay or bi is concerned ... I just can't get past the fact that no matter how you look at it, the act is the same," Rocky replied. "I've prayed and turned it round in my mind all night, but the answer was always this - according to everything I believe in, what you're doing is wrong/. My mind is trying to tell me it isn't, that you're still good men, but my gut says otherwise. It's driving me nuts." He laughed humorlessly. "As a priest, I'm supposed to love the person, hate the sin. I found out that it's one thing to do that when counseling strangers who are /thinking about having homosexual leanings, quite another when it's two of my closest friends who are actively engaged in a same-sex relationship," he finished with a sigh.

"So in your eyes, we're committing a sin by being together?" Tommy asked.

"Yes ... no ... shoot, I don't know," Rocky replied, running both hands through his hair in a despairing gesture. "I know you guys; I'd swear any oath that you're good, honest, honorable men. We're almost family; I'm proud to be your friend. But ..." He shook his head. "It's a major dilemma for me, and I don't know what to do!"

"Why do anything?" Jason wanted to know. "We're not trying to convert or corrupt anyone, we're not imposing our chosen lifestyle on other people ..."

"That's exactly part of the problem, Jason," Rocky leaned forward earnestly. "You chose to enter a same-sex relationship. Therefore you can choose other partners if you truly want to. If you were true homosexuals it'd be all but impossible, I know, but as you aren't ..." he let his voice trail off as he saw a flash of anger in Tommy's eyes.

"What do you expect us to do? Split up and go looking for some girl just so we can be 'normal'? Sorry, but things don't work that way," Tommy growled. "I'm not giving up on what Jase and I have to fit anyone's outdated notion of propriety!"

"You have a /choice/," Rocky insisted stubbornly, only to be interrupted by Jason.

"No, we don't."

"But ..."

"Just listen, Rocky, okay?" Jason requested, waiting until Rocky grudgingly subsided.

"How do you choose love?" he asked next, his deep voice calm and measured. "I've loved Tommy as a friend, as the brother I never had practically from the start. You must've known that for years; surely not even your church has any objection to that/, right?" He barely acknowledged Rocky's nod before he continued. "It was only when I discovered I was bisexual that I realized I was also /in love with him. For years, I hid my feelings for fear I would destroy what we already had if I ever betrayed them to anyone." His tone rang with conviction as he continued. "I never asked to love another man, Rocky. That feeling grew within me without my volition, was given to me, and the only choice I ever had was whether to continue living a lie or to admit my feelings to Tommy. I chose honesty, and was fortunate that my feelings were - are - returned."

Jason drew a deep, shuddering breath, finding it harder than anticipated to lay his heart bare like that to someone other than Tommy. "Now you tell me if that is a sin!"

"Jase and I tried to find love with women, but as it turned out, neither one of us ever found one who could complete us the way we do each other, Rocky," Tommy added softly. "Would you really have us throw away something good and deep and true, just because some old man in Rome, or maybe society and convention in general, say it's not right? We can't do that. If we did, we'd be denying who and what we are - and I believe that that would be the real sin. Wouldn't it?"

Rocky had no answer. He desperately wanted to say yes, to find a way to refute what his friends had just revealed to him, but couldn't do it; the only argument he could think of was 'Everyone says so'. That'd be lamer than a one-legged duck! However, he also couldn't bring himself to just blithely go against every single one of his own beliefs. He slowly shook his head.

"I don't know. I truly don't know, guys. As your friend, I'm tempted to say 'okay, fine, forget about it, it's cool', but I am Catholic and will soon be a priest, and therefore bound to the teachings of my faith at the very least. I have to follow the Church's precepts - and they tell me unequivocally it's not cool, I can't forget it."

Helplessly, the three stared at each other. They had a brief respite when the server came by and topped up their coffees, but the conundrum remained, looming large over their heads.

"So what are we going to do?" Jason asked at last in a hushed voice. "You can't accept us, and we can't give up what we share. Where does that leave us as friends?"

Rocky sighed. "Unfortunately, at some distance, I'm afraid. I don't want to keep you at arm's length, but I feel that I have to. I'll certainly pray for guidance and will talk to one or two of my superiors, to see if they can help me sort it out, but until then ..."

"I can see where you're coming from, even if it's not something I believe in myself, or even think is right. At least you're being honest with us," Tommy murmured unhappily.

"I have to be," Rocky said simply. "Even if it doesn't look that way right now, I'd still like to think of us as friends. I care about you as much as I care about my family. And I'll also pray that somehow, some day things will change and I'll get used to the idea of you as a couple. Different legislation or a readjustment of the Church's official policy might help; I think steps are being taken, or will be in the not-too-distant future. We'll have to wait and see."

"Fair enough," Jason replied. "But what about in the meantime? We're bound to run into each other from time to time; if only when the whole gang meets, like last night. What then?"

Rocky smiled a little. "Can we agree to pretend I don't know? You don't tell me about your relationship, and I'll refrain from trying to change your minds - not that I probably could, anyway," he shrugged. "That'll be my choice. I realize it's not ideal, but it's the only way I can think of."

"We'll have to tell the others as well, or it's never gonna work," Tommy muttered. "And it'll require some pretty fancy verbal tap-dancing from everyone. That sucks."

"Yes, it does. But if it's okay with you, I'll tell them and explain," Rocky offered. "After all, it's more my problem than yours."

Jason and Tommy shared a long look, communicating silently, before Jason made the decision for both of them.

"Thanks, we appreciate it. And thanks as well for not condemning us outright," he added quietly, the memory of his parents' rejection haunting him once more. At least their extended family of friends remained more or less intact, despite Rocky's caveat!

"I'd never do that. Thank you for trying to understand my position."

"It's the least we can do," Tommy said.

"Exactly," Rocky smiled, then heaved himself to his feet. He picked up his bill and prepared to leave. "If I hurry, I can still make it to Mass at Sacred Heart," he said apologetically. "Might as well start praying for guidance right now."

"Good luck with that," Tommy smiled back.

"Yeah - and if you can, throw in a prayer for everyone's happiness?" Jason requested.

"I always do. /Vaya con Dios/, guys." With a parting wave, he left.

'Go with God'. How fitting. Pensively, Jason finished his coffee. "That wasn't as bad as I'd feared," he said at last. "I'm not thrilled that Rocky feels the way he does, but at least he hasn't slammed any doors in our faces."

"No. And things are changing; who knows, maybe one day he'll even get to marry a same-sex couple."

"As a Catholic priest, in a Church?" Jason snorted. "Not bloody likely. Not until Hell freezes over, anyway."

"Oh ye of little faith," Tommy said lightly, sliding out of their booth. It was nearing noon; they needed to pack, drop in at the Olivers' house to say good-bye and drive home to Reefside. "Stranger things have happened."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Jason glanced briefly at the bill, took the correct amount of notes from his wallet and handed them to the cashier. Side by side, they left the restaurant and walked the short distance back to their motel.

His partner grinned. "Let's see ... you being picked by a floating head in a giant tube to fight an evil space sorceress. Her picking me to fight /you/. Going into space together to fight a giant mechanical dragon. Me getting a doctorate in paleontology. Us becoming lovers. You baking a cake that's actually edible - hey!" He barely managed to duck Jason's playful punch.

"The strangest thing that ever happened is that we love each other," Jason said softly once they were back in the privacy of their room and slid his arms around Tommy's waist. He didn't resist when Tommy tightened the embrace and nuzzled his cheek.

"That's not the strangest thing," Tommy murmured. "It's the /best/!" His lips closed over Jason's in a deep yet gentle kiss.

Jason moaned contentedly as he accepted the questing tongue. Damn right it is!



To Be Continued ...