Jason's Reason

The Rangers decide after everything with Rita is said and done with that it was time to celebrate with a bonfire. This time it's Jason's turn to tell the others all his secrets.

My headcanon revolving Jason and why he pulled that stunt but didn't seem too broken up about not being able to play Football anymore.

Pre-Poly Power Rangers – Jason/Billy/Zach/Kimberly/Trini

Jason breathed through his nose when his foot landed the wrong way on the steep hill he was climbing up to get to the place where the others were waiting for him. Jason leaned against a nearby rock and massaged his knee as it throbbed a bit.

"There you are Red, you were taking your time so the others sent me to find you." Zack's voice rang out causing Jason to look up taken off guard.

"I'm fine Zack, thanks for looking though." Jason straightened up and took another step only to grunt in pain as his bad knee gave out on him.

"Whoa!" Zack cried in shock, already moving to support Jason against his own side.

"Sorry about that, just landed funny." Jason tried to brush it off but the look Zack gave him told him that he wasn't fooling the Black Ranger one bit.

"We'll ice your knee when we get to the others okay?" Zack's voice was gentle and he hefted Jason's upright and together they staggered up to where the others were already drinking beer by the roaring campfire.

"Jason!" Kim leapt to her feet to help Zack aid Jason and settle him his empty chair. Trini dug around in the ice cooler until she found an ice pack and tossed it to the Red Ranger who easily caught it and with a exhale he placed it on his knee.

"Thanks Trini." Jason nodded his thanks and she flashed him a small smile while Billy shuffled his chair closer to Jason while wringing his hands.

"I'm fine Billy I swear." Jason reassured the other teen, fighting back the urge to hold Billy's hand; unsure how Billy was feeling about psychical contact after everything they had been through lately.

"Fine is not collapsing on the trail." Zack scoffed but his eyes gleamed with real worry as he sank into his own chair and Kim just pursed her lips but settled back in her own chair that was right next to Trini's.

"Zack's right, my knee may have been mostly healed by our 'super powers' when we got our coins but every so often it still hurts and after the battle with Rita and those putties it's been hurting more often. I just need to take it easy and I'll be fine, no reason to worry." Jason explained and smiled when Billy was the one to reach over and lace their fingers together in comfort.

"Just tell us next time it starts to hurt okay?" Kim said firmly as she leaned against Trini who just finished passing Zack another beer.

"Yeah and I'll be sure to carry you bridal style." Trini smirked at Jason who just laughed.

"Seriously though man, don't scare me like that." Zack muttered and Jason reached over his free hand and smiled when Zack shuffled his chair over and let Jason rest his arm around his shoulders.

"I will I promise." Jason made eye contact with each of them.

"Jason never breaks a promise so I know he's going to tell us when he's hurting next time. All of us will tell at least one of us, I don't want anyone hurt anymore. I want everyone safe and sound." Billy said firmly as he nodded to himself.

"You got it Billy." The others murmured their agreement, eyes softening as they gazed at Billy.

"So um, while we waiting for you, I told the others about what I did. The picture, punching Ty, everything." Kim broke the silence that had settled over the group as the fire crackled and ashes rose up into the sky above them.

"That's good," Jason smiled when he saw Trini take Kim's hand and the Pink Ranger just held on tight.

"Why are you two way over there? Come over here!" Billy exclaimed as an idea popped into his head and he waved his hands until Trini and Kim had dragged their chairs over to join them. Trini having kicked her feet up onto Zack's lap with a wiggle of her eyebrows while Kim curled up in her chair and smiled when Billy slowly put his hand on her knee and she covered it with her own hand.

"I don't actually like football." Jason said out of the blue as he watched the fire spark and flare in front of the group. He knew without looking he had all their attention now. It was only fair that they knew about him now as well.

"For as long as I could remember I had been playing football, I loved it as a kid. It was the only time I had with my dad you know. It was easier back then, before Pearl was born and then I had a little sister who I wanted to be there for. I wanted to go to her recitals and important events or just play tag with her in the backyard… Football always came first." Jason shifted and before he could move to catch the ice pack, Trini snatched it and pressed it to his knee for him and nodded her head at him to keep talking.

"When I got on the team in high school, it was great my dad came to games we would spend hours together just going over plays… Then it hit me one day while looking at his jersey in the school hallway after he told me how he was contacting some scouts for scholarships to college for football… He intended me to do this for the rest of my life, to go pro… I just couldn't stomach the idea of it, I also couldn't stomach the idea of telling my dad after all these years I didn't want to play anymore… when the other approached me with the idea of stealing beefcake I realized that was the perfect way to get kicked off the team."

Jason took a steady breath and carried on when Billy squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"It was a cowardly way but I rather have my dad angry at me than disappointed you know? I didn't intent to get hurt in that crash, but having a busted knee really helped my cause of not playing football anymore… I had a concussion, a busted knee and some blood lost so I agreed with my dad's idea of pleading guilty… Then he left me alone and hurt in jail for 3 days and made me walk across town when I finally was let out. That may be one of the reasons I felt angry all the time, why none of my plans ever seemed to work out and why everyone in this town says my name like it was a curse word. So yeah what I said at the last campfire was true, everyone knows me. I'm Jason Scott, the town screw up." Jason fell silent and chest silently heaving as he realized that was the first time he had said it all aloud and he felt lighter than he would have expected.

"Oh Jason." Kim reached forward and gripped the blond's uninjured leg in a silent reassurance.

"That's kind of messed up man." Zach ran his fingers through his own hair as he absorbed what Jason just told them.

"No worse than some of the shit I pulled in my old schools," Trini shrugged and winked at Jason who relaxed at the Yellow Ranger's reassurance.

"You aren't the town screw up Jason, they just don't know the real you." Billy said firmly as he nodded his head to himself as he tightened his grip on Jason's hand.

"I thought I had a messed up relationship with my dad." Kim shook her head and Jason sent her a small smile understanding what she was trying to convey.

"Doesn't matter you're with us now and your stuck with us oh Red Leader." Zach announced firmly making the others crack smiles and the atmosphere lightened up.

"Wouldn't be anywhere else." Jason said firmly. "Now someone pass me a beer and let's get this celebration started!"

"That's what I'm talking about." Trini beamed as she passed Jason a beer bottle.

"A toast!" Billy held up his own unopened beer.

"We faced down Rita and everything she threw at us and we came out the other side. We're different now but closer and stronger. I wouldn't go back and change anything since everything that happened means that we are here together now. So to us!" Billy took his time as he managed to get the right words out but none of them pushed him they just kept their attention on Billy with fondness and something else on all their faces.

"To us!" The others raised their bottles as the fire behind them let sparks and ashes rise up into the night sky.