[PR] A Rose By Any Other Name (3/11)
Apr. 13th, 2010 10:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eirenicalHmm... wondering about the dead silence on the LJ... Guessing that most of the people who read my PR stuff don't do it here... *watches tumbleweeds go rolling by* O_o;;;
Fandom: Power Rangers
Pairing: Andros x Zhane, TJ x Ashley... and beyond that, I'm not telling. ^_~
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: Total -- 56,556; shortest part is 3866 words, longest is 6831, most fall somewhere in between. I tried to keep them uniform... it just didn't quite break down that way. :-P
Warnings: Slash. Not mine. Don't sue.
Summary: Andros and Zhane have fought many battles together, both with and against each other. And no one can cause you pain like the one you love, a lesson they have to learn the hard way. Add in three other Ranger teams and a long-lost sister and even that lesson won't be easy. Sequel to Taking Root and Forget Me Not.
April 13, 2010: I warned you it was going to get worse before it got better. O_O At least we're providing a little help this chapter...? *sigh* Yeah, that wasn't reassuring to me, either. :-P
A Rose By Any Other Name
by Renée-chan
Andros winced as he felt something pecking at his hair. His head hurt. His heart hurt. His body hurt. Everything hurt. He felt like a large bundle of raw, exposed nerves. He managed to lift one hand and brush irritably at whatever was trying to rouse him from the waking coma he'd fallen into. That only seemed to make it more determined. It pecked at his hair again, this time settling its body on his shoulder to get a better angle. A particularly hard peck finally jolted him into alertness. A deep voice sounded from inside his head, ~It's about time! You can be impossible sometimes, fledgling.~
Andros was in no mood to listen as his Guardian Spirit lectured him. He turned his face away. The Raven ruffled up all his feathers, then settled them, preening each one individually, ~Honestly, fledgling... I don't know what to do with you. We haven't spoken in almost three years! I might be able to help you if you'd give me half a chance...~ He left the last sentence hanging, as if asking Andros to respond.
When Andros failed to answer him for another ten minutes, the Raven finally gave up, ~All right. I can't force you to talk to me. But please, Andros, for your own sake, find someone to talk to. You need to.~ With those parting words and the rush of great wings, the Raven was gone. Andros continued to sit silently still, focusing on the ground in front of him as if his life depended upon it. He didn't even notice when the tears starting running in tracks down his face.
It wasn't until much later that Andros came back to himself again. The sunlight was starting to dim, leaving a murky gray in its wake. It was so depressingly appropriate that Andros almost smiled. Almost being the key word. With a heavy heart, he rose to his feet, weaving unsteadily as if he were half dead. Which, in a way... he was.
Andros stumbled out of the clearing, body and mind completely numb. Before, it had hurt. The pain had been so overwhelming that he'd been sure it would tear him apart. Zhane's words had struck nerves deep within him. It had hurt so badly because Zhane had been right... and he hadn't seen it. He'd hurt Zhane and hadn't even noticed. It was unforgivable.
He'd spent some time wallowing in the agony, trying to deny the truth of his lover's words. But Zhane was right, and he'd been right to do what he had. He was better off leaving... finding someone else... someone who wouldn't hurt him. Someone who would understand him... someone who would be able to meet his needs. He had no right to ask anything of Zhane, not after what he'd done. So, he'd gathered up his strength and pushed back the pain -- pushed it back behind the walls that had hidden his memories of Zhane so well for so long. It had left him numb, but anything was better than that soul-searing pain. Right?
Realizing dimly that he was getting closer to downtown Angel Grove, Andros had DECA teleport down more appropriate clothing: black jeans and a blood red shirt. The dark, dull colors seemed well-suited to his current mood. He also asked her to keep the other Rangers off his trail -- she'd proven fairly adept at that already, and he wasn't above taking advantage. Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, he began to walk. He just wasn't ready to go back to the Megaship and face the other Rangers. How could he even begin to explain what had happened? No. He needed time to think. A lot of time.
Several hours later he was no closer to an answer and the numbness was starting to dissipate, leaving a sharp, raw ache in its place. A distant rumbling made him look up. He hadn't even noticed the dark, angry storm clouds which had gathered during his wanderings.
A bitter chuckle escaped his lips as the clouds broke open and a steady downpour drenched him to the skin. He stood there in the rain, unable to move and unwilling to care. Caring hurt too much. Everyone he'd ever cared about had left him eventually. So why bother?
The rain was chilling him to the bone, bringing with it its own kind of numbness, and he could only be grateful for it. None of his friends were around to break him out of his state of shock... and so it was with great surprise that he felt someone grab his arm and drag him inside a nearby building. Andros idly noted the sign as he was pulled under it: Adele's Surf Spot.
The stranger shook him roughly, "Geez, man! What were you thinking? That's a sure way to catch pneumonia! You feelin' all right?"
He stared at the owner of the pleasant tenor voice, disbelieving that anyone would interfere in his affairs. The young man was taller than himself and had a full head of long brown hair that fell straight and soft to mid-back. His brown eyes held true concern and worry as they met his. He repeated his question, "Are you feeling all right?"
Andros stirred himself enough to nod. The young man shook his head sadly, "Yeah, I believe that. C'mon. Sit with me and I'll buy you a cup of tea. You look like you could use it."
He led Andros to a table and pushed him down into a seat. Andros couldn't bring himself to be much more responsive. When the other man pressed a mug into his hands he took a few hesitant sips, the practical side of him acknowledging that he had to do something to warm up. The other man sat across from him and sighed deeply, "I don't suppose you want to talk about whatever it is that sent you out into that storm?"
Andros shook his head and took another sip of tea. The warmth was finally starting to seep into his chilled body, but it was doing nothing to warm his frozen soul. To his dismay, his drinking companion continued to talk.
"You know... I used to be a lot like you. Nothing and no one could touch me and I could never talk about what was bothering me. It cost me the most important people in my life."
Andros looked up, interested in spite of himself.
The other man gave a bitter chuckle, "My best friends, my girlfriend... I pushed them all away without even realizing it. At first, I was angry, after all, they were the ones who up and left me, right?" He paused to take a sip of his tea, and his voice was subdued when he continued, "What I didn't see was that it was my fault, not theirs. They might have left me, but only because I shut them out. Once I got over being angry and realized exactly what I'd done... guilt central, man. So my natural response was to assume that if I was such a bad friend that they were willing to leave me alone when I gave them the least excuse... then they were probably better off without me."
Andros nodded, silently agreeing with the other man's assessment. It made perfect sense to him, "So what happened?"
The young man leaned back and answered, a light hint of sarcasm in his voice, "I have a very smart, very loyal friend. He gave me a good, swift kick to the posterior and told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was being an ass. He told me that my girlfriend loved me and always would and that he and the others would be there to support me no matter what. And if I didn't think that they could forgive me for being such a jerk, then I was an even bigger idiot than he'd thought." The stranger's lips stretched into a grin, "I've got good friends." He paused, "Whatever happened... I'm sure that with time and effort, you can fix it. Any rift, no matter how wide and deep it seems, can be fixed if both people want it badly enough."
Andros folded his hands on the table and stared down at them, "I don't think it's that simple..."
"Of course not, man! Friendships are hard work. They take effort on both sides or they don't thrive. I had to learn that the hard way..." His voice trailed off.
Andros sighed, "So did I..."
The stranger clapped a hand on Andros' shoulder, "Whatever you did, if they're truly your friends, they'll forgive you." He smiled, "And I can't give you any more advice without details."
That pulled a reluctant smile out of Andros, "No. Thank you, but that won't be necessary."
The young man frowned as he released Andros' shoulder, "All right... but if I were you, I'd find someone you can talk to. It never does any good to keep things bottled up inside, you know."
Andros did know -- hadn't Zhane told him the very same thing, year after year? But hearing this young man say it, so closely echoing the Raven's words of advice... this time, it hit home. The other man was right. He was out of his league... desperately out of his league. He needed help, and gods but that was hard to admit. But who could he talk to? Who did he know that would understand his problem and be willing to wait to pass judgment? He was hesitant to tell the other Rangers -- for some reason, he really didn't think that any of them would be able to be impartial about it.
Taking his leave of the other man, Andros continued to ponder the problem. He didn't think DECA or Alpha would be any help, either. They both tried, and they both meant well, but they were still computers. Handling delicate human emotions wasn't exactly a specialty for either one of them.
Well, whatever the case was, he'd just talked himself out of returning to the Megaship. He didn't want to subject the others to himself in this state, and in truth, he didn't really wish to subject himself to the other Rangers when he was in this state. He sighed, took one more glance at the rapidly fading sunset, and once again began to walk.
Tommy watched the young man leave Adele's with a thoughtful frown on his face. He had a suspicion that he knew who he'd just spoken with, but wasn't absolutely sure. He pushed aside his rapidly cooling tea and slowly stood. Adele caught him staring at the tabletop and walked over, a concerned expression on her face, "Tommy? You OK, honey?"
Tommy looked up, a genuine smile warming his eyes, "I'm fine, Adele. Thank you for asking." His eyes took on a faraway look before returning to the Surf Spot's matronly hostess. "Do you mind if I use your phone?"
Adele smiled and patted his hand, "Sure, honey, you go right ahead." She began to walk away, but stopped and turned, "By the way, thanks for dragging Andros in from the storm. That boy's alone far too much for his own good."
Tommy froze mid-step and turned, "You know him?"
Adele nodded, "Sure. He and his friends come in here all the time... but even when he's with them, he's so withdrawn. Can't imagine why he'd have been wandering about in the rain all by his lonesome... Why did you want to know?"
Well, that answered that question. Being the Falcon's Ninjetti, he'd thought he'd recognized the protective wings of another Avian Spirit over the young man, but he hadn't been positive. Now he was sure. That desperately unhappy young man was the Red Lightstar Ranger. He whistled low in his throat. Whoo... boy. He had to tell the others -- assuming that they didn't already know. But first he had to do something to help Andros.
Completely forgetting to answer Adele's last query, Tommy lifted the phone from it's cradle and dialed the Youth Center. When Ernie's ever-cheerful voice answered, he couldn't help smiling into the receiver, "Hey Ernie, it's Tommy. Can I talk to Kim?"
"Sure thing, Tommy. She's just finishing up her class. I'll go get her for you."
Kim smiled at her group of students. They'd been working hard these past weeks, getting ready for the gymnastics expo, and she was fiercely proud of every one of them. She hadn't intended to ever get back into gymnastics, but the world had a way of messing with even the best-laid plans. Her old coach had fallen ill shortly after the Rangers had returned from Phaedos and had asked her to help out until he was feeling better. She'd been reluctant at first, but now she was glad that she'd agreed. In many ways, coaching was far more enjoyable and satisfying to her than competing had ever been.
She gave her class one more rousing pep talk and released them back to their waiting parents. When she bent over to pick up her towel, she noticed Ernie waving at her from the counter. She waved back and walked over, "What's up, Ernie?"
Ernie handed her the phone, "It's Tommy. He wants to talk to you..." He gave her a sly smile and a wink.
She playfully smacked the older man on the arm and grabbed the phone. Ernie always managed to make her feel like a young girl, something she often forgot that she was. It seemed like he went out of his way to make her feel like the last two years hadn't happened. She was just a normal high school graduate -- overly cheerful, optimistic and ready to take on the world. In truth, of all the things she'd missed about Angel Grove, Ernie and the Juice Bar were way up on the list. Many of the happiest days of her life had occurred right within these walls. It gave her an anchor, a place to call home. And Ernie had become a sort of surrogate father to her. In the wake of all the upheavals in her life it was something she sorely needed.
She pushed aside those thoughts for a later time and smiled into the phone, "Hey, Tommy... what's up?"
Tommy's voice was preoccupied and worried-sounding, "Kim... I need your help."
Those four words immediately put the Pink Ranger on alert, but the rational part of her mind insisted that if it were Ranger business, Tommy would have used the communicator, not the phone. She forced herself to calm down and take a deep breath, "Are you OK?"
Immediately, Tommy's voice dropped into an apologetic tone, "Oh... Kimmy... Yeah, I'm fine. I'm worried about someone else." This time he didn't make her wait for an explanation, "I just ran into the Red Space Ranger. Kim, I think he and Zhane had a fight or something." He pressed on, telling her what had happened and what little he'd managed to do to help.
Kim was impressed. She knew how close to home this must have hit for the former White Ranger. It paralleled their own history a little too closely. And the fact that he'd once again been practically helpless must have been a shot straight to the heart. But he'd called her and asked for help anyway. Kim felt a sudden surge of pride for her partner. He'd grown so much in the past year, both mentally and emotionally. She loved him so very much.
"I'll go track him down. Maybe he'll find it easier to talk to a girl." She didn't really believe that, but she knew that Andros shouldn't be alone right now, and it was worth a shot.
Tommy's voice was tinged with relief, "I knew I could count on you. Thanks, Kim."
Kim smiled. She loved it when he spoke like that, as if she were the most important person in the world and he trusted her completely to do what he could not. She'd missed hearing that in his voice. It was only just now starting to reappear. He was only just now beginning to feel secure enough in his own Power and abilities to let it. It made her even more sure that she never wanted to let him down. She let that warm glow radiate down their ever-strengthening bond and let the love shine in her voice, "I love you, too, Tommy. I'll call you later and let you know how it went."
After exchanging a few more words, Kim hung up the phone. She raised her eyes to meet Ernie's concerned ones, "Everything OK, Kim?"
Kim smiled reassuringly at him, "Yeah. Everything's OK -- or as OK as it ever is around here."
Ernie rested one large hand on Kim's shoulder, "You know that I'm here if you need anything, right?"
Kim patted his hand, "I know, Ernie, and I'm grateful. Far more than you can know."
He pulled her into a brief, gruff embrace, then gave her a gentle push towards the door, "Go on then -- don't want you to be late for saving the world."
Kim had been halfway out the door when she heard those words. It made her wonder, yet again, how much Ernie knew. She'd have to find some way to ask him... Later. Right now, her main concern was finding Andros.
As the red glow faded from the edges of his vision, Jason took a deep breath... and immediately started choking on the thick layer of dust in the air. "Man! This place is a mess." The Red Ranger wiped tears from his eyes with one sleeve while covering his mouth with the other. Geez... How am I supposed to find Billy in all this?
Moments later a sandy head of hair popped up from underneath one of the Power Chamber's wrecked consoles. Jason squinted and just managed to make out Billy's features through the dust. He carefully picked his way through the rubble to the Platinum Ranger's side and clapped a hand on the smaller man's shoulder, "Any luck, bro?"
Billy shook his head as he stood up, "Negative. As you can see, this place is a shambles. It took me an hour just to figure out where the main computer console used to be." A frown tugged at his mouth, "The truth is, I don't think we'll be able to get anything useful out of the computers. Whatever circuit boards weren't completely destroyed in the explosion were fairly well fused together by the resulting fire."
Jason let out a sigh as he looked down at the melted boards in Billy's hands, "Damn. I was hoping..."
Billy nodded, "So was I. I suppose we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way."
Jason smiled, "Time to introduce ourselves to the Lightstar Rangers, eh, bro?"
Jason frowned when his friend didn't answer him. Billy tossed the board back onto the pile at his feet and let out a breath. Jason looked on worriedly as Billy stared around the room. His eyes lit on one particular spot and he slowly walked over to it. Jason moved over to join him, "Bro? What's wrong?"
Without a word, Billy slowly pulled something out of the wreckage -- the broken end of half of the Power Lance. Understanding slowly dawned. In spite of how badly Zordon had screwed up in his tenure as their mentor, it was still hard to let go of the past. Times had been so much easier then, and they'd been so much more innocent.
He had never felt more secure than with his original team, and he'd been lucky to get most of that security back. Though Billy was clearly thrilled to be a Ranger again, he'd been awfully quiet since they'd returned to Earth. It was as if the confidence he'd gained on Phaedos had been washed away. He squeezed Billy's shoulder, "You've been awfully quite for the past few weeks. Are you ready to tell me what's wrong, Billy?"
Billy shrugged as he wrapped his hands more firmly around the Power Lance, "I don't really know, Jason. I suppose..."
Jason quietly prompted him when he seemed disinclined to continue, "Yeah, bro?"
Billy ran one hand through his hair, then tugged his shirt back into place, "It's wonderful being the Platinum Ranger, and your mother is an excellent teammate, but it just isn't the same. I've been Blue for so long that nothing else really feels right."
Jason's eyes filled with sympathy, "Change is never easy, huh?" Before Billy could answer, Jason gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, "You know you're always welcome on our team, right, bro?"
Billy nodded, still far too quiet for Jason's tastes. The Red Ranger gently pulled the Power Lance from Billy's hands and put it down on the console in front of Zordon's old dimensional tube. He spoke quietly, "The past is past, Billy. I'm not saying you should forget it... just don't live in it. Those of us in the present would miss you too much. Understand what I'm saying, bro?"
Billy stared at the makeshift memorial for a long, silent moment, then closed his eyes and sighed heavily. When he opened them again they were clear and beginning to shine, "Yes... I do understand. I just needed to hear it. Thank you, Jason."
Jason smiled and clapped Billy's shoulder, "Then let's leave this..." he waved his arm around the Power Chamber, "...in the Past, where it belongs, and go seek out the Present."
Billy smiled, a light smirk playing at the edges at of his lips, "Prodigious..."
Jason laughed and smacked him lightly on the back, "Right on, bro... right on."
Moments later, twin beams of red and platinum light shone through the Power Chamber and disappeared.
The world returned with agonizing slowness, but even that was not nearly slowly enough. Zhane whimpered and curled a little more firmly into himself. If he'd had any idea that it would hurt this much, he'd have thought twice before embarking on this course... or maybe it would be more accurate to say that he would have thought, period. He should have thought. If he had, he'd never have had the guts, or the stupidity, to do what he'd done.
The first of his senses to re-establish itself was the sense of touch -- he was cold. It must be nearing nightfall... The breeze ruffled his hair and sent its cold fingers right down his shirt collar. But that bitter chill was nothing compared to the one settling in his chest.
The next sense to return was his sense of smell, but the fresh, spring scent of the grass under his nose was totally at odds with how he felt, so he pushed it away.
Taste returned when the salt of the tears that had escaped his control tracked down to his lips and made him cough weakly. He fought each return with everything he had. He wanted the darkness back. He wanted... no. He needed the numbness. Otherwise he'd fall apart.
Despite his efforts, the next sense made itself felt, not in a rush, but as a slow fade in. It started with two unfamiliar voices... male voices. They held laughter and an innocent sort of joy that he greatly envied. He found himself listening, trying to catch the words as a sort of anchor.
"...You've been getting better, bro! Might actually beat me one of these days..."
A deep baritone voice that practically radiated calm strength and leadership, very pleasant to listen to. Zhane caught himself idly wondering if it could sing.
"Highly unlikely. I don't think I'll ever reach your level of ability with the martial arts."
A lighter tenor, but no less pleasant. Reminded him of Carlos in some ways -- quiet and unassuming, but with an underlying feeling of competence and intelligence.
"Never say never, bro. Never say never."
The first voice again -- now quiet and intense... and getting closer.
Instinctively, he tried to get his arms and legs to work, to move himself out of the pair's obvious line-of-sight, but his cold, exhausted limbs refused to cooperate. A very nearby, very startled gasp finally prompted him to pry his eyes open... and sight returned in a rush of blinding colors. His vision locked onto a pair of very familiar mahogany-colored eyes for the second time that day, only this time in a male face. He only barely had time to register that the owner of the eyes, and the deeper of the voices, was asking if he was OK before the blessed numbness finally rose up to send him sliding back into the dark.
It took a moment for Jason to realize that the young man had passed out. In truth, he felt quite a bit shocked himself. His uniform clearly identified him as a Space Ranger, and his hair and features marked him as Zhane, the current Silver Ranger. But all the reports and all the pictures had left him unprepared for one thing... Zhane's eyes. They'd been hauntingly familiar. He turned to look at Billy as the Platinum Ranger knelt down next to him, "Well, bro? Suggestions?"
Billy frowned in thought as he eyed the ever-darkening sky, "It's most likely too late to attempt to contact the Space Rangers this evening. Perhaps we should bring him with us to your home. He looks like he could use a warm bed and a good meal."
Jason nodded, "I agree. And maybe my mom'll have some idea about what's going on." He lifted the Silver Ranger, cradling him gently in his arms. He murmured, mostly to himself, "He's so light."
Zhane stirred in his sleep, his brow wrinkling in pain. He curled himself closer to the Red Ranger's warmth and whimpered slightly, "Andros..." Jason just held him tighter as he walked, his own heart aching with the pain he could so clearly feel. Poor guy. What happened to you?
When they reached Jason's house, Billy unlocked the door and held it open. As Jason stepped into the living room and Billy closed the door behind him, he heard his mother's cheerful voice from the kitchen, "Welcome back, boys! Find anything interesting?"
Jason and Billy shared a wry look. They'd found something interesting, all right... just not what they'd expected to find. Aerin emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel, "Well? What... did... oh my." Aerin's eyes went wide with shock as one hand rose to her mouth and the other pressed to her chest. Her voice re-emerged as a harsh whisper, "What... what happened? Is he OK?"
Jason laid Zhane carefully down on the living room couch, letting Billy answer for them, "We don't know. We found him like this in the park. He woke up briefly, but lapsed into unconsciousness shortly thereafter."
Jason straightened from where he'd been tucking a blanket around the unconscious Silver Ranger, "Mom... he's hurting. I've never felt anything like it before. So much pain..." He wrapped his arms protectively around himself, as if that might help him block it out.
Immediately, she was there supporting him. Her slim arms wrapped around him, providing a physical ground for her formidable mental strength. Her mind created an effective barrier around his own, holding the worst of the pain away. He smiled in gratitude, "You're the best, mom." As close as they were at that moment, it was impossible for him to miss the sudden surge of guilt in the Green Ranger's mind. "Mom?"
At his query, she immediately let go of him, leaving the strength of her shields around him, but not allowing him any closer contact, "It's nothing, Jason. Nothing..." Which, of course, made him automatically assume that it must be something.
Jason watched as she drifted over to the couch and sat down gingerly on the edge. She lifted one hand and gently pushed a lock of hair out of Zhane's eyes. Her own were unreadable. Jason watched the tableau in confusion, suddenly feeling as if he were intruding on something intensely private. That made no sense. After all, Aerin and Zhane had never met before... right?
He started as he felt a tug on his sleeve. He'd been so focused on his mother that he'd forgotten that anyone else was in the room. Billy leaned closer and whispered, "Come on. I think she wants to be alone with him for a while."
Jason nodded and slowly followed Billy out of the living room. Neither one mentioned the oddity of the situation. They didn't have to. Jason put his mind to work trying to figure out this newest piece to the puzzle that was his mother. Maybe Billy would have some insight. He sure hoped so.
Tommy walked slowly down the street, lost in thought. Of all the problems he thought the Rangers would face in the coming months, this had been farthest from the top of the list -- hell, it hadn't even been on the list. Andros and Zhane were such a solid couple, bards throughout the galaxy had written ballads about them. No one had even thought to prepare for something like this, and with the Lightstar Ranger team so divided, they would be easy prey for Astronema and Dark Spectre.
The Green Ranger turned at the corner and began walking up Jason's street. Since Aerin was more familiar with the Lightstar Rangers, he hoped she would have an insight into the problem that he'd overlooked. She always seemed to know more than she let on, as if she were always keeping secrets. Tommy had tried to broach the subject with Jason on Phaedos, but the Red Ranger hadn't wanted to hear it. He was as dazzled by his mother as Tommy had ever been by Zordon. Tommy couldn't really blame him, but it made things difficult at times.
Tommy walked up the front drive, wondering how he was going to explain this new problem to the elder Green Ranger without sounding accusatory. He had a suspicion that Aerin knew he didn't totally trust her, but what confused him the most was that she seemed to be fostering that mistrust on purpose... and he didn't know why. But if he were being honest, he'd admit that he'd likely never understand even half the things the Altiyaran-born Ranger did.
He raised a hand to ring the doorbell, but the door opened before he completed the motion. Aerin stood on the other side, a finger held to her lips in the universal gesture for silence. She motioned him inside and he obeyed with a raised eyebrow.
The normally cheerful and cozy living room was dark, all the shades drawn and the lamps turned off. Aerin led him past the living room and down the hall to Jason's bedroom. As they passed the couch, Tommy frowned. It almost looked like there was a person curled up there, but he couldn't see well enough to be sure. He mentally added it to the growing list of questions he had for the Green Darkstar Ranger.
They paused at Jason's door while she knocked. Tommy was only mildly surprised when Billy answered. If the Red and Blue Rangers had been close before going to Phaedos, they were almost inseparable now. Every now and then that fact still caused a surge of jealousy on Tommy's part, but he hid it for Jason's sake, and -- he could admit it now -- a sense of competition. If Trini could handle it, so could he. And really, the last thing the Red Ranger needed was to be forced into a position where he'd have to choose between his two best friends. Billy looked mildly surprised to see Tommy, but ushered them inside quickly.
Jason was sitting on his bed, a mildly confused expression on his face. When they were both inside, he looked up and tried to catch his mother's eyes. The Green Ranger was strangely evasive. Finally, Jason gave up and simply voiced his question, "Mom, how do you know the Silver Ranger?"
Was it his imagination or had Aerin blushed at her son's words? No... definitely not his imagination. Now she was shifting from foot to foot as if in embarrassment, "Well, he's the son of a very close friend of mine... He was born about a year before I left KO-35 to come to Earth."
Not true, not true!! Tommy's senses all but screamed at him. The words sounded sincere enough, but something about them rang false. Perhaps it was in the way that Aerin simply wouldn't meet any of their gazes as she gave her explanation. Perhaps it was the slight fidget in her hands and feet. Perhaps it was the slight trembles in her breathing as she spoke. Whatever it was, there was something that clued Tommy in to the lie. But why she would lie about something like this, he couldn't even begin to guess. For now, he let the lie pass by unmentioned.
"...so you think that his troubles with the Red Lightstar Ranger have not been resolved?"
Oops. Apparently, he'd missed part of the conversation. He tuned back in as Aerin answered her newest teammate, "Judging from what Jason picked up, yes I'd say that's the case." She turned towards Tommy, as if only then remembering that he hadn't been in on the events of earlier in the day.
Before she could speak, Tommy shook his head, "Wait. Before you spend 20 minutes explaining what's going on, I think I can guess. Andros and Zhane had a fight." At the trio of startled looks he received in response to his statement, the Green Ranger couldn't help but smirk, "I caught the other end. Andros was busy trying to turn himself into a fish earlier. I dragged him in out of the rain and got a bit of what was going on. Kim was going to go find him and try to get him to talk while I came over here to ask our resident Space politics expert her opinion." With that last statement, he quirked an eyebrow at Jason's mother.
Aerin sighed as she sat heavily next to her son, "I don't know what I can say, Tommy. I've been out of touch with the Kerovan people since before Andros was even born. All I can do is extrapolate how he might react to situations based on what I know of his parents. And given what I've heard of his childhood, it's very possible that my guess-timations would be woefully inaccurate."
Tommy nodded. He'd suspected as much, but it hadn't hurt to ask, "Then I suppose we'll have to wait for Kim to swing by and tell us what she found out. Though I doubt she'll have much more luck getting Andros to open up than I did. That boy's worse than I ever was."
"Perhaps we won't have to wait that long..." Tommy turned to look at the Platinum Ranger. Billy's eyes were thoughtful, "I believe you didn't see exactly who is keeping company on the Scotts' living room couch..." At Tommy's headshake, Billy gave him a sad little smile, "Jason and I found Zhane unconscious in the park on our way back from the Power Chamber."
Tommy nodded in understanding, "So we just have to wait until he wakes up and ask him."
"We may not need to wait much longer." Tommy started, having nearly forgotten that Jason was in the room, he'd been so quiet. His eyes held that glazed, slightly unfocused look that was a clear sign that he was utilizing senses other than the normal five. He continued, "I think our visitor is already awake."
A/N:
Zhane: O_O Oh, come on, already! I didn't get to be conscious for more than a minute or two! You just had to end it there, didn't you? *thud*
Jason: *frowns* I have to say... that really wasn't cool.
R-chan: *rae* Do you really want to temp me here, Jason?
Jason: O_O Maybe not... *edges away*
R-chan: ^_^ I didn't think so.
Master Post and Chapter List
Questions, comments, roasted plantains? Mmm... Roasted plantains... with cinnamon...
Coming Soon: Aerin learns how very much Zhane is like his father and has cause to curse the fact. As for Zhane, he's trying... but all he really wants is to disappear.
Fandom: Power Rangers
Pairing: Andros x Zhane, TJ x Ashley... and beyond that, I'm not telling. ^_~
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: Total -- 56,556; shortest part is 3866 words, longest is 6831, most fall somewhere in between. I tried to keep them uniform... it just didn't quite break down that way. :-P
Warnings: Slash. Not mine. Don't sue.
Summary: Andros and Zhane have fought many battles together, both with and against each other. And no one can cause you pain like the one you love, a lesson they have to learn the hard way. Add in three other Ranger teams and a long-lost sister and even that lesson won't be easy. Sequel to Taking Root and Forget Me Not.
April 13, 2010: I warned you it was going to get worse before it got better. O_O At least we're providing a little help this chapter...? *sigh* Yeah, that wasn't reassuring to me, either. :-P
by Renée-chan
Andros winced as he felt something pecking at his hair. His head hurt. His heart hurt. His body hurt. Everything hurt. He felt like a large bundle of raw, exposed nerves. He managed to lift one hand and brush irritably at whatever was trying to rouse him from the waking coma he'd fallen into. That only seemed to make it more determined. It pecked at his hair again, this time settling its body on his shoulder to get a better angle. A particularly hard peck finally jolted him into alertness. A deep voice sounded from inside his head, ~It's about time! You can be impossible sometimes, fledgling.~
Andros was in no mood to listen as his Guardian Spirit lectured him. He turned his face away. The Raven ruffled up all his feathers, then settled them, preening each one individually, ~Honestly, fledgling... I don't know what to do with you. We haven't spoken in almost three years! I might be able to help you if you'd give me half a chance...~ He left the last sentence hanging, as if asking Andros to respond.
When Andros failed to answer him for another ten minutes, the Raven finally gave up, ~All right. I can't force you to talk to me. But please, Andros, for your own sake, find someone to talk to. You need to.~ With those parting words and the rush of great wings, the Raven was gone. Andros continued to sit silently still, focusing on the ground in front of him as if his life depended upon it. He didn't even notice when the tears starting running in tracks down his face.
It wasn't until much later that Andros came back to himself again. The sunlight was starting to dim, leaving a murky gray in its wake. It was so depressingly appropriate that Andros almost smiled. Almost being the key word. With a heavy heart, he rose to his feet, weaving unsteadily as if he were half dead. Which, in a way... he was.
Andros stumbled out of the clearing, body and mind completely numb. Before, it had hurt. The pain had been so overwhelming that he'd been sure it would tear him apart. Zhane's words had struck nerves deep within him. It had hurt so badly because Zhane had been right... and he hadn't seen it. He'd hurt Zhane and hadn't even noticed. It was unforgivable.
He'd spent some time wallowing in the agony, trying to deny the truth of his lover's words. But Zhane was right, and he'd been right to do what he had. He was better off leaving... finding someone else... someone who wouldn't hurt him. Someone who would understand him... someone who would be able to meet his needs. He had no right to ask anything of Zhane, not after what he'd done. So, he'd gathered up his strength and pushed back the pain -- pushed it back behind the walls that had hidden his memories of Zhane so well for so long. It had left him numb, but anything was better than that soul-searing pain. Right?
Realizing dimly that he was getting closer to downtown Angel Grove, Andros had DECA teleport down more appropriate clothing: black jeans and a blood red shirt. The dark, dull colors seemed well-suited to his current mood. He also asked her to keep the other Rangers off his trail -- she'd proven fairly adept at that already, and he wasn't above taking advantage. Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, he began to walk. He just wasn't ready to go back to the Megaship and face the other Rangers. How could he even begin to explain what had happened? No. He needed time to think. A lot of time.
Several hours later he was no closer to an answer and the numbness was starting to dissipate, leaving a sharp, raw ache in its place. A distant rumbling made him look up. He hadn't even noticed the dark, angry storm clouds which had gathered during his wanderings.
A bitter chuckle escaped his lips as the clouds broke open and a steady downpour drenched him to the skin. He stood there in the rain, unable to move and unwilling to care. Caring hurt too much. Everyone he'd ever cared about had left him eventually. So why bother?
The rain was chilling him to the bone, bringing with it its own kind of numbness, and he could only be grateful for it. None of his friends were around to break him out of his state of shock... and so it was with great surprise that he felt someone grab his arm and drag him inside a nearby building. Andros idly noted the sign as he was pulled under it: Adele's Surf Spot.
The stranger shook him roughly, "Geez, man! What were you thinking? That's a sure way to catch pneumonia! You feelin' all right?"
He stared at the owner of the pleasant tenor voice, disbelieving that anyone would interfere in his affairs. The young man was taller than himself and had a full head of long brown hair that fell straight and soft to mid-back. His brown eyes held true concern and worry as they met his. He repeated his question, "Are you feeling all right?"
Andros stirred himself enough to nod. The young man shook his head sadly, "Yeah, I believe that. C'mon. Sit with me and I'll buy you a cup of tea. You look like you could use it."
He led Andros to a table and pushed him down into a seat. Andros couldn't bring himself to be much more responsive. When the other man pressed a mug into his hands he took a few hesitant sips, the practical side of him acknowledging that he had to do something to warm up. The other man sat across from him and sighed deeply, "I don't suppose you want to talk about whatever it is that sent you out into that storm?"
Andros shook his head and took another sip of tea. The warmth was finally starting to seep into his chilled body, but it was doing nothing to warm his frozen soul. To his dismay, his drinking companion continued to talk.
"You know... I used to be a lot like you. Nothing and no one could touch me and I could never talk about what was bothering me. It cost me the most important people in my life."
Andros looked up, interested in spite of himself.
The other man gave a bitter chuckle, "My best friends, my girlfriend... I pushed them all away without even realizing it. At first, I was angry, after all, they were the ones who up and left me, right?" He paused to take a sip of his tea, and his voice was subdued when he continued, "What I didn't see was that it was my fault, not theirs. They might have left me, but only because I shut them out. Once I got over being angry and realized exactly what I'd done... guilt central, man. So my natural response was to assume that if I was such a bad friend that they were willing to leave me alone when I gave them the least excuse... then they were probably better off without me."
Andros nodded, silently agreeing with the other man's assessment. It made perfect sense to him, "So what happened?"
The young man leaned back and answered, a light hint of sarcasm in his voice, "I have a very smart, very loyal friend. He gave me a good, swift kick to the posterior and told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was being an ass. He told me that my girlfriend loved me and always would and that he and the others would be there to support me no matter what. And if I didn't think that they could forgive me for being such a jerk, then I was an even bigger idiot than he'd thought." The stranger's lips stretched into a grin, "I've got good friends." He paused, "Whatever happened... I'm sure that with time and effort, you can fix it. Any rift, no matter how wide and deep it seems, can be fixed if both people want it badly enough."
Andros folded his hands on the table and stared down at them, "I don't think it's that simple..."
"Of course not, man! Friendships are hard work. They take effort on both sides or they don't thrive. I had to learn that the hard way..." His voice trailed off.
Andros sighed, "So did I..."
The stranger clapped a hand on Andros' shoulder, "Whatever you did, if they're truly your friends, they'll forgive you." He smiled, "And I can't give you any more advice without details."
That pulled a reluctant smile out of Andros, "No. Thank you, but that won't be necessary."
The young man frowned as he released Andros' shoulder, "All right... but if I were you, I'd find someone you can talk to. It never does any good to keep things bottled up inside, you know."
Andros did know -- hadn't Zhane told him the very same thing, year after year? But hearing this young man say it, so closely echoing the Raven's words of advice... this time, it hit home. The other man was right. He was out of his league... desperately out of his league. He needed help, and gods but that was hard to admit. But who could he talk to? Who did he know that would understand his problem and be willing to wait to pass judgment? He was hesitant to tell the other Rangers -- for some reason, he really didn't think that any of them would be able to be impartial about it.
Taking his leave of the other man, Andros continued to ponder the problem. He didn't think DECA or Alpha would be any help, either. They both tried, and they both meant well, but they were still computers. Handling delicate human emotions wasn't exactly a specialty for either one of them.
Well, whatever the case was, he'd just talked himself out of returning to the Megaship. He didn't want to subject the others to himself in this state, and in truth, he didn't really wish to subject himself to the other Rangers when he was in this state. He sighed, took one more glance at the rapidly fading sunset, and once again began to walk.
Tommy watched the young man leave Adele's with a thoughtful frown on his face. He had a suspicion that he knew who he'd just spoken with, but wasn't absolutely sure. He pushed aside his rapidly cooling tea and slowly stood. Adele caught him staring at the tabletop and walked over, a concerned expression on her face, "Tommy? You OK, honey?"
Tommy looked up, a genuine smile warming his eyes, "I'm fine, Adele. Thank you for asking." His eyes took on a faraway look before returning to the Surf Spot's matronly hostess. "Do you mind if I use your phone?"
Adele smiled and patted his hand, "Sure, honey, you go right ahead." She began to walk away, but stopped and turned, "By the way, thanks for dragging Andros in from the storm. That boy's alone far too much for his own good."
Tommy froze mid-step and turned, "You know him?"
Adele nodded, "Sure. He and his friends come in here all the time... but even when he's with them, he's so withdrawn. Can't imagine why he'd have been wandering about in the rain all by his lonesome... Why did you want to know?"
Well, that answered that question. Being the Falcon's Ninjetti, he'd thought he'd recognized the protective wings of another Avian Spirit over the young man, but he hadn't been positive. Now he was sure. That desperately unhappy young man was the Red Lightstar Ranger. He whistled low in his throat. Whoo... boy. He had to tell the others -- assuming that they didn't already know. But first he had to do something to help Andros.
Completely forgetting to answer Adele's last query, Tommy lifted the phone from it's cradle and dialed the Youth Center. When Ernie's ever-cheerful voice answered, he couldn't help smiling into the receiver, "Hey Ernie, it's Tommy. Can I talk to Kim?"
"Sure thing, Tommy. She's just finishing up her class. I'll go get her for you."
Kim smiled at her group of students. They'd been working hard these past weeks, getting ready for the gymnastics expo, and she was fiercely proud of every one of them. She hadn't intended to ever get back into gymnastics, but the world had a way of messing with even the best-laid plans. Her old coach had fallen ill shortly after the Rangers had returned from Phaedos and had asked her to help out until he was feeling better. She'd been reluctant at first, but now she was glad that she'd agreed. In many ways, coaching was far more enjoyable and satisfying to her than competing had ever been.
She gave her class one more rousing pep talk and released them back to their waiting parents. When she bent over to pick up her towel, she noticed Ernie waving at her from the counter. She waved back and walked over, "What's up, Ernie?"
Ernie handed her the phone, "It's Tommy. He wants to talk to you..." He gave her a sly smile and a wink.
She playfully smacked the older man on the arm and grabbed the phone. Ernie always managed to make her feel like a young girl, something she often forgot that she was. It seemed like he went out of his way to make her feel like the last two years hadn't happened. She was just a normal high school graduate -- overly cheerful, optimistic and ready to take on the world. In truth, of all the things she'd missed about Angel Grove, Ernie and the Juice Bar were way up on the list. Many of the happiest days of her life had occurred right within these walls. It gave her an anchor, a place to call home. And Ernie had become a sort of surrogate father to her. In the wake of all the upheavals in her life it was something she sorely needed.
She pushed aside those thoughts for a later time and smiled into the phone, "Hey, Tommy... what's up?"
Tommy's voice was preoccupied and worried-sounding, "Kim... I need your help."
Those four words immediately put the Pink Ranger on alert, but the rational part of her mind insisted that if it were Ranger business, Tommy would have used the communicator, not the phone. She forced herself to calm down and take a deep breath, "Are you OK?"
Immediately, Tommy's voice dropped into an apologetic tone, "Oh... Kimmy... Yeah, I'm fine. I'm worried about someone else." This time he didn't make her wait for an explanation, "I just ran into the Red Space Ranger. Kim, I think he and Zhane had a fight or something." He pressed on, telling her what had happened and what little he'd managed to do to help.
Kim was impressed. She knew how close to home this must have hit for the former White Ranger. It paralleled their own history a little too closely. And the fact that he'd once again been practically helpless must have been a shot straight to the heart. But he'd called her and asked for help anyway. Kim felt a sudden surge of pride for her partner. He'd grown so much in the past year, both mentally and emotionally. She loved him so very much.
"I'll go track him down. Maybe he'll find it easier to talk to a girl." She didn't really believe that, but she knew that Andros shouldn't be alone right now, and it was worth a shot.
Tommy's voice was tinged with relief, "I knew I could count on you. Thanks, Kim."
Kim smiled. She loved it when he spoke like that, as if she were the most important person in the world and he trusted her completely to do what he could not. She'd missed hearing that in his voice. It was only just now starting to reappear. He was only just now beginning to feel secure enough in his own Power and abilities to let it. It made her even more sure that she never wanted to let him down. She let that warm glow radiate down their ever-strengthening bond and let the love shine in her voice, "I love you, too, Tommy. I'll call you later and let you know how it went."
After exchanging a few more words, Kim hung up the phone. She raised her eyes to meet Ernie's concerned ones, "Everything OK, Kim?"
Kim smiled reassuringly at him, "Yeah. Everything's OK -- or as OK as it ever is around here."
Ernie rested one large hand on Kim's shoulder, "You know that I'm here if you need anything, right?"
Kim patted his hand, "I know, Ernie, and I'm grateful. Far more than you can know."
He pulled her into a brief, gruff embrace, then gave her a gentle push towards the door, "Go on then -- don't want you to be late for saving the world."
Kim had been halfway out the door when she heard those words. It made her wonder, yet again, how much Ernie knew. She'd have to find some way to ask him... Later. Right now, her main concern was finding Andros.
As the red glow faded from the edges of his vision, Jason took a deep breath... and immediately started choking on the thick layer of dust in the air. "Man! This place is a mess." The Red Ranger wiped tears from his eyes with one sleeve while covering his mouth with the other. Geez... How am I supposed to find Billy in all this?
Moments later a sandy head of hair popped up from underneath one of the Power Chamber's wrecked consoles. Jason squinted and just managed to make out Billy's features through the dust. He carefully picked his way through the rubble to the Platinum Ranger's side and clapped a hand on the smaller man's shoulder, "Any luck, bro?"
Billy shook his head as he stood up, "Negative. As you can see, this place is a shambles. It took me an hour just to figure out where the main computer console used to be." A frown tugged at his mouth, "The truth is, I don't think we'll be able to get anything useful out of the computers. Whatever circuit boards weren't completely destroyed in the explosion were fairly well fused together by the resulting fire."
Jason let out a sigh as he looked down at the melted boards in Billy's hands, "Damn. I was hoping..."
Billy nodded, "So was I. I suppose we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way."
Jason smiled, "Time to introduce ourselves to the Lightstar Rangers, eh, bro?"
Jason frowned when his friend didn't answer him. Billy tossed the board back onto the pile at his feet and let out a breath. Jason looked on worriedly as Billy stared around the room. His eyes lit on one particular spot and he slowly walked over to it. Jason moved over to join him, "Bro? What's wrong?"
Without a word, Billy slowly pulled something out of the wreckage -- the broken end of half of the Power Lance. Understanding slowly dawned. In spite of how badly Zordon had screwed up in his tenure as their mentor, it was still hard to let go of the past. Times had been so much easier then, and they'd been so much more innocent.
He had never felt more secure than with his original team, and he'd been lucky to get most of that security back. Though Billy was clearly thrilled to be a Ranger again, he'd been awfully quiet since they'd returned to Earth. It was as if the confidence he'd gained on Phaedos had been washed away. He squeezed Billy's shoulder, "You've been awfully quite for the past few weeks. Are you ready to tell me what's wrong, Billy?"
Billy shrugged as he wrapped his hands more firmly around the Power Lance, "I don't really know, Jason. I suppose..."
Jason quietly prompted him when he seemed disinclined to continue, "Yeah, bro?"
Billy ran one hand through his hair, then tugged his shirt back into place, "It's wonderful being the Platinum Ranger, and your mother is an excellent teammate, but it just isn't the same. I've been Blue for so long that nothing else really feels right."
Jason's eyes filled with sympathy, "Change is never easy, huh?" Before Billy could answer, Jason gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, "You know you're always welcome on our team, right, bro?"
Billy nodded, still far too quiet for Jason's tastes. The Red Ranger gently pulled the Power Lance from Billy's hands and put it down on the console in front of Zordon's old dimensional tube. He spoke quietly, "The past is past, Billy. I'm not saying you should forget it... just don't live in it. Those of us in the present would miss you too much. Understand what I'm saying, bro?"
Billy stared at the makeshift memorial for a long, silent moment, then closed his eyes and sighed heavily. When he opened them again they were clear and beginning to shine, "Yes... I do understand. I just needed to hear it. Thank you, Jason."
Jason smiled and clapped Billy's shoulder, "Then let's leave this..." he waved his arm around the Power Chamber, "...in the Past, where it belongs, and go seek out the Present."
Billy smiled, a light smirk playing at the edges at of his lips, "Prodigious..."
Jason laughed and smacked him lightly on the back, "Right on, bro... right on."
Moments later, twin beams of red and platinum light shone through the Power Chamber and disappeared.
The world returned with agonizing slowness, but even that was not nearly slowly enough. Zhane whimpered and curled a little more firmly into himself. If he'd had any idea that it would hurt this much, he'd have thought twice before embarking on this course... or maybe it would be more accurate to say that he would have thought, period. He should have thought. If he had, he'd never have had the guts, or the stupidity, to do what he'd done.
The first of his senses to re-establish itself was the sense of touch -- he was cold. It must be nearing nightfall... The breeze ruffled his hair and sent its cold fingers right down his shirt collar. But that bitter chill was nothing compared to the one settling in his chest.
The next sense to return was his sense of smell, but the fresh, spring scent of the grass under his nose was totally at odds with how he felt, so he pushed it away.
Taste returned when the salt of the tears that had escaped his control tracked down to his lips and made him cough weakly. He fought each return with everything he had. He wanted the darkness back. He wanted... no. He needed the numbness. Otherwise he'd fall apart.
Despite his efforts, the next sense made itself felt, not in a rush, but as a slow fade in. It started with two unfamiliar voices... male voices. They held laughter and an innocent sort of joy that he greatly envied. He found himself listening, trying to catch the words as a sort of anchor.
"...You've been getting better, bro! Might actually beat me one of these days..."
A deep baritone voice that practically radiated calm strength and leadership, very pleasant to listen to. Zhane caught himself idly wondering if it could sing.
"Highly unlikely. I don't think I'll ever reach your level of ability with the martial arts."
A lighter tenor, but no less pleasant. Reminded him of Carlos in some ways -- quiet and unassuming, but with an underlying feeling of competence and intelligence.
"Never say never, bro. Never say never."
The first voice again -- now quiet and intense... and getting closer.
Instinctively, he tried to get his arms and legs to work, to move himself out of the pair's obvious line-of-sight, but his cold, exhausted limbs refused to cooperate. A very nearby, very startled gasp finally prompted him to pry his eyes open... and sight returned in a rush of blinding colors. His vision locked onto a pair of very familiar mahogany-colored eyes for the second time that day, only this time in a male face. He only barely had time to register that the owner of the eyes, and the deeper of the voices, was asking if he was OK before the blessed numbness finally rose up to send him sliding back into the dark.
It took a moment for Jason to realize that the young man had passed out. In truth, he felt quite a bit shocked himself. His uniform clearly identified him as a Space Ranger, and his hair and features marked him as Zhane, the current Silver Ranger. But all the reports and all the pictures had left him unprepared for one thing... Zhane's eyes. They'd been hauntingly familiar. He turned to look at Billy as the Platinum Ranger knelt down next to him, "Well, bro? Suggestions?"
Billy frowned in thought as he eyed the ever-darkening sky, "It's most likely too late to attempt to contact the Space Rangers this evening. Perhaps we should bring him with us to your home. He looks like he could use a warm bed and a good meal."
Jason nodded, "I agree. And maybe my mom'll have some idea about what's going on." He lifted the Silver Ranger, cradling him gently in his arms. He murmured, mostly to himself, "He's so light."
Zhane stirred in his sleep, his brow wrinkling in pain. He curled himself closer to the Red Ranger's warmth and whimpered slightly, "Andros..." Jason just held him tighter as he walked, his own heart aching with the pain he could so clearly feel. Poor guy. What happened to you?
When they reached Jason's house, Billy unlocked the door and held it open. As Jason stepped into the living room and Billy closed the door behind him, he heard his mother's cheerful voice from the kitchen, "Welcome back, boys! Find anything interesting?"
Jason and Billy shared a wry look. They'd found something interesting, all right... just not what they'd expected to find. Aerin emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel, "Well? What... did... oh my." Aerin's eyes went wide with shock as one hand rose to her mouth and the other pressed to her chest. Her voice re-emerged as a harsh whisper, "What... what happened? Is he OK?"
Jason laid Zhane carefully down on the living room couch, letting Billy answer for them, "We don't know. We found him like this in the park. He woke up briefly, but lapsed into unconsciousness shortly thereafter."
Jason straightened from where he'd been tucking a blanket around the unconscious Silver Ranger, "Mom... he's hurting. I've never felt anything like it before. So much pain..." He wrapped his arms protectively around himself, as if that might help him block it out.
Immediately, she was there supporting him. Her slim arms wrapped around him, providing a physical ground for her formidable mental strength. Her mind created an effective barrier around his own, holding the worst of the pain away. He smiled in gratitude, "You're the best, mom." As close as they were at that moment, it was impossible for him to miss the sudden surge of guilt in the Green Ranger's mind. "Mom?"
At his query, she immediately let go of him, leaving the strength of her shields around him, but not allowing him any closer contact, "It's nothing, Jason. Nothing..." Which, of course, made him automatically assume that it must be something.
Jason watched as she drifted over to the couch and sat down gingerly on the edge. She lifted one hand and gently pushed a lock of hair out of Zhane's eyes. Her own were unreadable. Jason watched the tableau in confusion, suddenly feeling as if he were intruding on something intensely private. That made no sense. After all, Aerin and Zhane had never met before... right?
He started as he felt a tug on his sleeve. He'd been so focused on his mother that he'd forgotten that anyone else was in the room. Billy leaned closer and whispered, "Come on. I think she wants to be alone with him for a while."
Jason nodded and slowly followed Billy out of the living room. Neither one mentioned the oddity of the situation. They didn't have to. Jason put his mind to work trying to figure out this newest piece to the puzzle that was his mother. Maybe Billy would have some insight. He sure hoped so.
Tommy walked slowly down the street, lost in thought. Of all the problems he thought the Rangers would face in the coming months, this had been farthest from the top of the list -- hell, it hadn't even been on the list. Andros and Zhane were such a solid couple, bards throughout the galaxy had written ballads about them. No one had even thought to prepare for something like this, and with the Lightstar Ranger team so divided, they would be easy prey for Astronema and Dark Spectre.
The Green Ranger turned at the corner and began walking up Jason's street. Since Aerin was more familiar with the Lightstar Rangers, he hoped she would have an insight into the problem that he'd overlooked. She always seemed to know more than she let on, as if she were always keeping secrets. Tommy had tried to broach the subject with Jason on Phaedos, but the Red Ranger hadn't wanted to hear it. He was as dazzled by his mother as Tommy had ever been by Zordon. Tommy couldn't really blame him, but it made things difficult at times.
Tommy walked up the front drive, wondering how he was going to explain this new problem to the elder Green Ranger without sounding accusatory. He had a suspicion that Aerin knew he didn't totally trust her, but what confused him the most was that she seemed to be fostering that mistrust on purpose... and he didn't know why. But if he were being honest, he'd admit that he'd likely never understand even half the things the Altiyaran-born Ranger did.
He raised a hand to ring the doorbell, but the door opened before he completed the motion. Aerin stood on the other side, a finger held to her lips in the universal gesture for silence. She motioned him inside and he obeyed with a raised eyebrow.
The normally cheerful and cozy living room was dark, all the shades drawn and the lamps turned off. Aerin led him past the living room and down the hall to Jason's bedroom. As they passed the couch, Tommy frowned. It almost looked like there was a person curled up there, but he couldn't see well enough to be sure. He mentally added it to the growing list of questions he had for the Green Darkstar Ranger.
They paused at Jason's door while she knocked. Tommy was only mildly surprised when Billy answered. If the Red and Blue Rangers had been close before going to Phaedos, they were almost inseparable now. Every now and then that fact still caused a surge of jealousy on Tommy's part, but he hid it for Jason's sake, and -- he could admit it now -- a sense of competition. If Trini could handle it, so could he. And really, the last thing the Red Ranger needed was to be forced into a position where he'd have to choose between his two best friends. Billy looked mildly surprised to see Tommy, but ushered them inside quickly.
Jason was sitting on his bed, a mildly confused expression on his face. When they were both inside, he looked up and tried to catch his mother's eyes. The Green Ranger was strangely evasive. Finally, Jason gave up and simply voiced his question, "Mom, how do you know the Silver Ranger?"
Was it his imagination or had Aerin blushed at her son's words? No... definitely not his imagination. Now she was shifting from foot to foot as if in embarrassment, "Well, he's the son of a very close friend of mine... He was born about a year before I left KO-35 to come to Earth."
Not true, not true!! Tommy's senses all but screamed at him. The words sounded sincere enough, but something about them rang false. Perhaps it was in the way that Aerin simply wouldn't meet any of their gazes as she gave her explanation. Perhaps it was the slight fidget in her hands and feet. Perhaps it was the slight trembles in her breathing as she spoke. Whatever it was, there was something that clued Tommy in to the lie. But why she would lie about something like this, he couldn't even begin to guess. For now, he let the lie pass by unmentioned.
"...so you think that his troubles with the Red Lightstar Ranger have not been resolved?"
Oops. Apparently, he'd missed part of the conversation. He tuned back in as Aerin answered her newest teammate, "Judging from what Jason picked up, yes I'd say that's the case." She turned towards Tommy, as if only then remembering that he hadn't been in on the events of earlier in the day.
Before she could speak, Tommy shook his head, "Wait. Before you spend 20 minutes explaining what's going on, I think I can guess. Andros and Zhane had a fight." At the trio of startled looks he received in response to his statement, the Green Ranger couldn't help but smirk, "I caught the other end. Andros was busy trying to turn himself into a fish earlier. I dragged him in out of the rain and got a bit of what was going on. Kim was going to go find him and try to get him to talk while I came over here to ask our resident Space politics expert her opinion." With that last statement, he quirked an eyebrow at Jason's mother.
Aerin sighed as she sat heavily next to her son, "I don't know what I can say, Tommy. I've been out of touch with the Kerovan people since before Andros was even born. All I can do is extrapolate how he might react to situations based on what I know of his parents. And given what I've heard of his childhood, it's very possible that my guess-timations would be woefully inaccurate."
Tommy nodded. He'd suspected as much, but it hadn't hurt to ask, "Then I suppose we'll have to wait for Kim to swing by and tell us what she found out. Though I doubt she'll have much more luck getting Andros to open up than I did. That boy's worse than I ever was."
"Perhaps we won't have to wait that long..." Tommy turned to look at the Platinum Ranger. Billy's eyes were thoughtful, "I believe you didn't see exactly who is keeping company on the Scotts' living room couch..." At Tommy's headshake, Billy gave him a sad little smile, "Jason and I found Zhane unconscious in the park on our way back from the Power Chamber."
Tommy nodded in understanding, "So we just have to wait until he wakes up and ask him."
"We may not need to wait much longer." Tommy started, having nearly forgotten that Jason was in the room, he'd been so quiet. His eyes held that glazed, slightly unfocused look that was a clear sign that he was utilizing senses other than the normal five. He continued, "I think our visitor is already awake."
A/N:
Zhane: O_O Oh, come on, already! I didn't get to be conscious for more than a minute or two! You just had to end it there, didn't you? *thud*
Jason: *frowns* I have to say... that really wasn't cool.
R-chan: *rae* Do you really want to temp me here, Jason?
Jason: O_O Maybe not... *edges away*
R-chan: ^_^ I didn't think so.
Master Post and Chapter List
Questions, comments, roasted plantains? Mmm... Roasted plantains... with cinnamon...
Coming Soon: Aerin learns how very much Zhane is like his father and has cause to curse the fact. As for Zhane, he's trying... but all he really wants is to disappear.
