The Garden of Vacant Dreams

Taken

AN: Saban/Disney owns the characters you know. I own the ones you don't.

CHAPTER TWO

TAKEN

In his basement laboratory, Dr. Thomas Oliver sat behind his desk glaring at what was sitting in front of him. His desk was littered with student exams and bills. With an exasperated sigh, he began grading the next test. He stared at the paper in front of him, leaning back in his chair as he shook his head in disappointment. He had been teaching science for over ten years at Reefside high school, but as much as he enjoyed it, the job was still stressful at times. Grading was especially difficult for him as he hated to give out poor grades, though the upset parents knocking on his door seemed to bother him more. He proceeded to write a 'C-' on the front of the test before setting it back down. 'I am never going to finish all of this.' He thought to himself as he looked at his mess of paperwork.

"Dad!" He heard his daughter call from upstairs.

"Yeah, Jamie?" He yelled back up.

"Can Jason come over for dinner?"

"Yeah, give him a call!" He smiled. It was getting late, so he began to gather the tests and his bills into stacks. He could finish after dinner.

It had been seven years since Tommy Oliver had last worn the all-powerful suit. He was a retired Ranger but he never saw it that way. He had finally settled down and he was satisfied despite his frequent urges to return to duty. He still wanted a woman in his life but since Katherine he had only been on a few dates and never really made an attempt to see someone. His closest friend would probably tell you that Tommy was still caught up on the one that got away.

Aside from that, the desire to have children had always been there for Tommy as well. It was a year after the enemy was defeated when he decided it was safe enough to bring a child into his world. He sought adoption and it was the best decision he had ever made.

When he first saw Jamie Sinclair, she was just eight-years-old, playing with a pair of worn plastic dinosaurs. He had fallen in love with this brown-haired, green-eyed, little girl the moment he saw her. Jamie had lost her mother at a very young age and her father remained in prison, where he had been since she was five.

Now fourteen, Jamie was everything Tommy could have asked for. And although they had grown very close, she knew nothing of his Ranger past and he had planned to keep it that way. But one day he knew he would have to tell her. He couldn't keep hiding it, but he could try.

Jamie was in the kitchen preparing dinner. She had prepared extra pasta before she asked to invite Jason, but that was her secret. She fretted over the boiling noodles and tested the other dishes before leaving the kitchen. Everything would be finished in a few more minutes.

She went into the foyer where Tommy usually left his cell phone to charge. She listened to it ring twice before she heard Jason Lee Scott answer on the other end.

"Hey bro!" He answered. "How's it goin'?"

"Hi Jason! It's me, Jamie." She was already beaming.

"Oh, hey Jamie! How's my favorite Goddaughter doin'?"

"I'm good! Are you busy? I'm almost finished making dinner and wanted to see if you'd like to come over?"

"Yeah, absolutely!" He replied. "Was just finishing up some work on the motorcycle. Tell your dad I'll be there in 15."

"Okay, I will!" Jamie told him excitedly. "See you soon!"

"Alright, see ya Jamie!"

She was overjoyed; it had been over a month since she and Tommy had last seen Jason. They had spent a lot of time together when Jason first moved back to Angel Grove from the east coast but over the years he had gradually become more and more recluse. The cities of Angel Grove and Reefside are fairly close to one another, ten miles just about. Tommy had been thrilled to find out that his best friend of over a decade was going to be so close to him again, not to mention that he would get to be a part of his daughter's life. Tommy had planned to make Jason the Godfather for some time and Jason was more than accepting of the title.