Scaring the Monster away

Author Note: Merry Halloween, everybody! *Guy whispers to me* I DON'T CARE IF IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY, GUY! *Guy runs* Grief, now I gotta get a new guy...

The thunder and lightning seemed like the perfect lullaby to the youngest Samurai Ranger. She was curled up beside Jayden, abroad in the land of nod as the thunder roared. The other Samurai were watching a highly graphic horror movie, and, while cowering in Jayden's chest, she heard the storm and focused on that. Now the Red Ranger's was trying not to scream so's not to wake his girlfriend as the others cowered. He was trying to look brave and failing miseribly when he hid his eyes in Emily's curls.

"You guys are such whimps," Mike laughed at them and pressed his nose against the screen, grinning at the blood on the screen.

By the time it was all over, Mia was looking green and Antonio held her tight, looking mighty proud of himself as she clung to him. Kevin was already in bed, and Wesley was hiding his face in the couch. Mike was grinning in memory, rising and swatting the Silver Ranger's rear end.

"Are you crying?" he asked, and the trembling proved him right, "baby Silver Ranger boy."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Growling, the chocolate haired older boy jumped ontop of the Green Ranger. The two went a rolling as they pinned each other down, Wesley's anger shaken off with laughter. When they about ran over Mentor, the old man made them go to bed. Tapping Antonio's shoulder, he motioned to his wrist and gave him a little mutter of warning in his ear. Nodding and rolling his eyes secretly at Jayden, the Mexican picked the Pink Ranger up and carried her to bed.

"That goes for you too, Mr. Shiba," Ji looked at the boy who was like his son.

"Yeah, yeah," the Red Ranger picked up the blonde and tucked her in real tight. On his way to his room, he was stopped by the old man.

"Will you be okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," Jayden tried to make himself believe that, "it'll be fine."

He looked in Antonio's room to nod at Wesley, who'd moved in earlier to help him with his storm o' phobia that night. Sighing loudly in his own room a few moments later, he got dressed in his night clothes and tried to get some sleep in the empty room.

XXXXXXXXX

Emily woke up when a loud clap of thunder rang through the Shiba House. Sitting up and prompty smacking her head on the little shelf above her bed, she slid out of her bed and went to get some water. On her way to the kitchen, she heard whimpering coming from Jayden's room. Pausing, she took a peek in. Her hazels turned as wide as moons in shock.

Tears soaked up her leader's face as he turned and tossed in his sleep. He mumured as he wept, cowering from something.

"No.." he begged, "no...leave her alone..."

Curious to see what was wrong and if her was, well, her, she padded in, not making a sound in her fuzzy purple socks. Before she could touch his shoulder to wake him, she heard footsteps rushing down the hallway. Gulping, she darted under the bed and was still. She watched as Mentor came in, holding his stick like a weapon. Pity crossed his wrinkled face as he shook his son figure. The Red Samurai bolted up, sweating and breathing heavily.

"Not again," she heard him moan as he buried his face in his hands.

"I'm afraid so," sighing, the mentor put a hand on his shoulder, "do you want to talk about it?"

"No, go back to bed," the Fire Ranger laid back down with a flop, covering his head and curling up. It was obvious he was embarrassed to have had been crying like a baby.

"I understand. Let me know if you need me," rising, the man went back to his own room.

When she was sure he was gone, the blonde crawled out from under the bed. She watched Jayden sleep and start whimpering again, murmuring and fighting. They'd been in tents together, and he never had done this. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like there was a cause for the nightmares. Sitting gently on his bed edge, she listened to his pleading.

"Stop doing this...I know it's because they can't see...I'll find you someday...no, stop...gah.." tears rolled down his cheeks, "please...it's horrible...you're evil...evil...no..."

She couldn't take it anymore. She lifted up his nightshirt and put her lips to his muscled exposed stomach. Filling her cheeks with air, she blew out, making the buzzing noise as well. His ice eyes flew open as a giggle escaped his lips. Hands flying over his mouth, his eyes widened at her on his bed, lips to his stomach.

"What are you hiding?" she spoke first.

"Nothing," he wouldn't meet her eyes, "just a nightmare." Feeling his red cheeks, he hastily tried to hide the tearstains.

"Jay Jay," she took the 'gentle, scared Emy' approach, and he caved quicker than any of the others could make him at those innocent hazels.

"A Nilock," he sighed, "ever since I was little has haunted my sleep whenever I sleep alone. Every night, Emily, every since Wesley left was horrible. It was really bad, but don't worry about me. Happy now?"

"No, because you're upset and nobody deserves to go through that," she gathered him in her arms, "how can you fight it?"

"I can't," tears stung his eyes, "that's just the thing. He'll be there, showing me my deepest fears...every night for the rest of my life...and I can't stop it."

Her heart went out to her boyfriend. She remembered all those times that she got scared after nightmares when she was little, and how Serena would always get her laughing before scaring the monsters away. And that gave her an idea.

"I know a secret," the blonde laid got ontop of him, nose touching his.

"Secret?" he raised an eyebrow, "what secret? Why are you keeping things from me, huh?"

"I'll tell you," she rolled over beside him, "but you gotta smile for me."

Rolling his eyes, he stretched out, and she knew he was daring her. Hazels sparkling, she put her lips against his stomach and started to blow. He started to giggle, and she could by the shining in his eyes it felt good for her to be with him, making him laugh. He liked being silly and he liked her being silly. It was that childlike nature he never got to have at the right age, and now it was all coming back to him. Smiling as she laughed as well, she allowed her fingers to dance under his arms as she blew all around his exposed stomach.

He was giggling like mad. Poking his stomach as she giggled, Emily hugged him tightly and rocked.

"That's enough, silly boy," she chuckled, "I got my smile." He started to pout a bit, and she teased, "Hey, don't make me put you in time out."

"Tell me the secret," he rolled his eyes, regaining his tough guy image after his childlike episode.

"I know how to get that monster to leave you alone," she crossed her legs and smiled slyly.

"Oh, really?" his eyes twinkled a little at that.

"You gotta do just like I say, so listen real close." she instructed, "now, lay on down." He did, and she went down beside him. "Go to sleep, and I'm going to do the same."

"Em..."

"Do it." Sighing, he closed his eyes.

When he was asleep, she watched through closed eyelids at him. Suddenly, a GAP appeared above his head. A scaly head peered through, and she heard the Nilock chuckle.

"Now I have two victims," he slid out.

She saw he was like a overgrown slimy shadow with devil red eyes. Cracking his claws, he started to mutter a spell. But before he got done, she sprang up and threw the lamp at his head. But he dodged and grabbed her wrist, twisting sharply. Crying out in pain, she fell to the ground and whimpered.

"How did you know?" she whispered as he grabbed her shirt front, pulling her up.

"Because you are a naive little blonde, and I am superior," he purred in her ears, "you will be under my spell. Not even your leader could do against me. So do you think a weak baby Yellow would have even a prayer?"

Growling, she punched his jaw angrily. Hissing, he smacked her already sore head on the wall, and she tumbled. While they rolled around, Jayden kept on sleeping, despite her cries for him to wake up.

"They won't wake up," he chuckled, "my spell will ensure you die silently." He punched her stomach, and she almost got knocked out.

She was too sore and weak to fight anymore. But just as he came for the kill, he froze in mid lunge. Falling over, he vanished and melted to nothing but...well, nothingness. She watched through what vision she had left as Jayden helped her up and to the recovery room.

"You were right," he spoke in her ear, "you knew just how to scare that monster away."

Smiling weakly, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, feeling somewhat peaceful now. But before he left, she took his arm.

"Happy Halloween," she chuckled as it dawned on him that was it was the spookiest night of the year.

And that she had defeated probably the scariest thing of all, too.