Long Journey Home

During the time that followed, Jason and Tammy had never felt happier


During
the time that followed, Jason and Tammy had never felt happier. Their friends
tried to warn them about getting too involved with each other, but both
reassured the team that they knew what they were doing. The others had
no choice but to take them at their word and be ready to pick up the pieces
afterwards, if and when 'Jase' was switched back with their Jason. In the
meantime, they were doing their best to be as supportive as possible; they
all could see how much in love the Red and Gold Rangers were.
 
The male Rangers came out of gym class, their last for the day, to find
their three female teammates clustered around a poster that hadn’t been
there this morning. Judging by their excited chatter, it was about something
the girls were looking forward to. Instantly suspicious -- the girls had
gotten them into some pretty embarrassing things in the past -- Jason,
Rocky and Adam stopped at their lockers ... and stayed there. Soon enough,
the girls noticed them, and came over, still talking animatedly. Jason
drank in Tammy’s glowing face, her excited smile, and decided there and
then to go along with anything she wanted to do -- well, almost anything.
There were some things a guy just had to weasel out of, weren’t there?
 
"What's up, girls?" Rocky asked cautiously. "What’s the fuss all about?"
He’d seen a lot of his classmates gathered around the posters -- all of
them female.
 
"It’s the Spring Dance next week," Kat informed them. "I just can’t
wait! I bought this dress after Christmas that David hasn’t seen yet, and
I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees me wearing it!"
 
"Spring Dance?!" Rocky groaned. "You mean, ties and dress shoes, right?"
 
"You bet -- at least, if you want to take Penny!" Tanya informed him
coolly, eyeing Adam meaningfully.
 
The Green Ranger nodded resignedly.
 
"Penny can’t see what I’m wearing, anyway!" Rocky protested.
 
"That doesn’t mean she won’t know!"
&nbs"Let"Let me guess -- if I don’t, you’ll tell her?"
 
Tanya and Kat just smirked at him, and Rocky’s shoulders slumped in
defeat. He knew when he was beat.
 
Jason slipped his arm lightly around Tammy’s waist. She leaned into
him and smiled.
 
"Do you want to go?"
 
"I ... I’d love to." Tammy looked at him hopefully. "You don’t have
to take me, though. If there’s something else you’d rather do ...."
 
The Gold Ranger squeezed his girlfriend gently. Jason wasn’t overly
fond of formal dancing, but he saw how much it would mean to Tammy. Spending
a whole evening holding her in his arms was worth far more than the discomfort
of wearing dress clothes for a few hours.
 
"I’d love to take you -- that is, if you don’t have a date already,"
he teased.
 
She elbowed him in the side.
 
"It would serve you right if I did!" She smiled, knowing that he knew
she’d never go with anyone else but him, now that they’d finally found
each other. It felt so good to tease each other, though!
 
Both laughed. Then, Jason took both her hands in his and lifted one
to his lips. Pressing a gentle kiss on her knuckles, he looked deeply into
her eyes. His voice husky, he made it official.
 
"Tammy, will you be my date for the Spring Dance?" He ignored the chuckles
from their friends.
 
"Of course I will." Neither one had ever doubted it. Nor had their friends,
who had a hard time hustling the couple out of the school building, they
were so involved in each other.
 
On the way home, Rocky complained playfully to Adam and Kat. "Man, I
can’t believe those two! Sometimes I can’t decide when they were more pathetic
-- when they were still mooning over each other, or now, when they go all
spacey on us at the drop of a hat!"
 
"Come on, Rocky, they’re not that bad! Besides, I think it’s very sweet!"
 
"You would!"
 
Bickering back and forth, with Adam as a reluctant referee, the Blue
and Pink Rangers made their way home.
.