DISCLAIMER: I do not own Power Rangers

AUTHOR: A doodle I did some time ago.

Guilt, tattoos and a broken arm

"I'm alright, Nick," Madison ensured for the hundredth time that day. "It's just a broken arm, I'll be okay in no time."

Nick didn't look as if he believed her and Madison guessed guilt played a big part in that. In a way it was his fault her arm was put in a cast. If he hadn't let Koragg get to his head then they wouldn't have run off to the beach to fight him and Nick wouldn't have slipped on the cliff and dragged her down with him in the fall, ending with her landing on her arm.

Madison shuddered at the memory of the snap with which her arm had broken. The sound still made her look for something to throw up in.

"At least take the off, you don't have to work…"

"I'll manage!" Madison shot him a glare. "I can price-tag with one hand. I'm not entirely crippled."

Gosh, having him sniffing at her heels all the time was starting to get really annoying. Not once had he let her do something without his help today. He had even helped her slip into her uniform this morning - as if she couldn't do that herself.

Nick opened his mouth to protest but he changed his mind a closed it again without having said a word. Madison was relieved.

"Now go and help that customer over there. He looks like he needs some help."

She sighed of relief when Nick reluctantly walked over to the customer with a sulky pout. This was going to be three long weeks, she thought to herself as she returned to price-tagging CDs.

"Nick's bothering you, sis?"

Vida appeared at her side out of nowhere. Madison shook her head.

"He's feeling guilty, that's all."

"Well, he should be. It's his fault you're trapped in this." Vida gave Madison's cast a light tap. "You should make the most of it. Make him fetch you a soda and rub your feet…"

"I'm not going to do that!" Madison snarled and blushed at the same time. Images of what Vida was suggestion had already taken form inside her head. "I'm not you, I can't take advantage of people."

Vida grinned. "Can you at least make him cover for you later this afternoon? I want to go to the mall but it's no fun without you."

Madison glanced at her sister suspiciously. "What's at the mall?"

Vida never went to the mall willingly. She claimed she hated the glitz and the girls on shopping spree. For her to suggest to go there willingly was cause for suspicion.

Vida shrugged her shoulders.

"Can't a girl want to look for new clothes?"

"Any other girl, yes, but not you. I know you, you don't go there unless there is something there you really need. Spill the beans, what is it?"

Vida looked guilty for a split second before a huge, wicked grin spread on her face.

"Look!" Vida pulled up her sleeve and Madison gasped.

"You got a tattoo?"

"Ssh, not so loud." Vida glanced around the store to make sure no one was in earshot. "It's not a real tattoo… yet… but I want it to be. I've made an appointment for this afternoon to get inked permanently."

Madison studied the tattoo-to-be for a moment. It was a beautiful design. A fairy with huge headphones on her head. Very suiting for Vida, but…

"Mom will kill you."

Vida shrugged. "She's already mad at me for the thing."

The thing, Madison thought, was Vida coming home drunk after a late night out… again! This time, however, had been an all-time low. Not only had Vida knocked down of their mom's treasured vases on her way up the staircase when finally came home, she had also been so hung over at church the next day she had staggered out halfway through the sermon to throw up in a bush outside. To say their mother had been furious was an understatement and she had good reason to be too, their family was now the talk of their parish.

Madison wondered what the dried-up, nosey old hags in their parish were going to say about her when they saw the cast on her arm. Madison had lied to her mom about how it happened to not put Nick in a bad light; it was bad enough he drove a bicycle. Madison had told her mom that she had broken her arm due to a clumsy mistake, which was true, but she had let her mom think it was her mistake and not Nick's.

Vida's tattoo however would not be a mistake.

"Are you sure about this, sis? Mom will be furious."

Vida pulled down her sleeve with a pout.

"Have some courage, sis. It's just a tattoo. Let mom freak if she wants to freak. I don't care anymore. This is happening. Are you with me or not?"

Madison sighed. They were going to get into so much trouble for this.

"Alright, I'll come with you. Let me go and talk to Nick."

Vida squealed of joy. "You're the best, sis."

Madison rolled her eyes and walked over to Nick, who was just done with the customer.

"Hey, Nick, turns out I might need your help after all. Not with the price-tags," she added quickly when he started to walk that way.

Nick stopped and turned back to her.

"Then what?"

Madison glanced around. Deciding it was too crowded where they were standing, she pulled him to the back of the store.

"Can you cover for me this afternoon, please? Vida wants me to come with her to the mall."

That immediately got Nick's attention.

"The mall? Why is Vida going to the mall?"

Madison cursed silently. She should have known Nick would get suspicious if she mentioned the mall. It was only days ago, Leelee and Vida had a heated discussion about the mall where Vida had stated her opinion very clear. Nick had been the one to break the girls apart before their ripped each other's throat out.

Madison pulled him closer with her good arm and whispered, "She's getting a tattoo."

Nick light up.

"Really?"

Madison nodded. "Yes, and she wanted me to tag along for support. Can you please cover for me?"

Nick grinned.

"Sure, but I can do you one better, I can take you there."

Madison frowned.

"Who will cover for me?"

Nick winked wickedly at her and looked across the room.

"Hey, X! Cover for Madison this afternoon. I have to take them shopping."

Across the room, Xander nodded to Madison's confusion. She looked curiously at Nick for an explanation.

"He owes me," was the only explanation she got though.

Later that day, Madison was firmly escorted through the crowded mall by Nick. Vida had already disappeared in her eager to get her tattoo. Madison was impressed by how smoothly Nick managed to protect her from people walking in to her by using his own body as a shield. She felt protected and nurtured, and she found herself liking it just as much as she liked having a moment alone with Nick. She could get used to this.

"What is she going to tattoo?" he asked her as they took the escalator up to the second floor.

"A fairy with headphones. Very cute actually."

Nick agreed. "I've got a tattoo too, you know."

Madison looked at him in surprise.

"You have? I didn't know that. Where?"

She blushed when she realized it could be at an intimate location. It wasn't on his arms that much she knew. If it had been, she would have seen it by now considering how much time each day she spent drooling over him in secret.

Nick chuckled. "It's on my back. Ironically, it's a phoenix. I did it a few years back."

Madison smiled. "It must have been fate."

"Maybe."

They caught each other's eyes and held it for a second longer than was normal for people being just friends. Butterflies came to life in Madison's belly and she looked shyly away, blushing. Maybe it wasn't so bad Nick was hovered over her, eager to ease his guilt. This was they got to spend time together.

"Here we are," Nick announced as the escalator reached its top. Madison stepped off and found herself standing outside a tattoo studio. Colorful pictures covered the windows. Skulls and demons and snakes… Madison would never have walked in her on her own, but with Nick at her side, she swallowed her insecurity and stepped inside.

Vida had already been admitted to a small room behind the counter so Nick and Madison spent their time waiting by looking at tattoos that had been done at the shop, the pictures hung all around the walls.

"That's a cool one," Nick said and pointed at a gruesome zombie.

Madison shook her head.

"I wouldn't want to have that on my body."

"You're thinking of getting on yourself?"

Madison shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe, I don't know. If I find the right one."

Nick nodded.

"A mermaid, perhaps?"

Madison blushed, was it that obvious?

Nick suddenly left her side and walked over the counter where a young woman cover in colorful tattoos sat. She couldn't hear what he asked the woman but a few moments later he returned with a large folder in his hands. He motioned to her to sit down and placed the folder in her lap. When Madison opened it, she realized the folder was filled with motives for tattoos, all with a marine theme. It didn't take long until mermaids with long hair and sensual looks in their appeared.

"They're beautiful," she told him.

Nick nodded in agreement and pointed at one.

"That one would look great on you. She looks like you."

Madison arched an eyebrow and couldn't help smiling. The mermaid's face might resemble her but the body… Madison would have loved to have that body!

"I don't know. A tattoo is kind of a big thing to get spontaneously, don't you think?"

"Be spontaneous, Maddy." Nick's gaze found hers and dug in deep. Madison felt herself losing her breath. Was he daring her to do something else than a tattoo?

Madison blushed and looked away.

"Another time perhaps, I'm not feeling spontaneous today."

She closed the book and put it away on the table in front of her. When she leaned back again, she noticed Nick had a sad expression on his face. She realized her comment must have made him think she meant it as a taunt directed to him when it in truth didn't have anything to do with her arm.

"I'm really sorry, Maddy. I never meant for you to get hurt."

"I know and it's okay."

"It's not okay," Nick blurted out, "Will you please stop saying it's okay. It's not, you broke your arm and it's my fault!"

Madison glanced nervously at the woman by the counter. The woman was looking at them with watchful eyes. She must be thinking Nick had abused Madison in some way.

"You slipped on that rock, Nick. It was an accident. There was nothing you could have done." There, now it was properly explained. The woman by the counter seemed to relax a little. "I can't be mad at you for slipping. It could have happened to any of us. Those rocks were not to play with."

That didn't make Nick feel any better.

"I was the one who insisted we should follow Koragg to the beach."

Madison placed her hand on top of his.

"You did what you thought was right. And we have an opinion of our own, you know. Don't beat yourself up for us coming with you to the beach, we could have refused."

Nick nodded slowly and Madison squeezed his hand.

"Go and buy me a milkshake."

"What flavor?"

"Surprise me."

Nick grinned, "Ah, so we are feeling a little spontaneous today after all."

Madison giggled. "Well, I have to give you something to wipe that sad face off."

Nick blushed and left the shop. The woman at the counter glanced at him and then at Madison.

"You sure have him wrapped around your finger. Let me know if you find something you want in that." The woman nodded at the folder in Madison lap. "We have whole section of piercings at the back. Piercings are little less spontaneous and much easier to hide from moms than tattoos."

Madison blushed. Was she that easy to read? In lack of anything better to do, Madison flipped open the folder once more and skipped forward to piercing section. Her eyes immediately fell upon a rhinestone in blue.

Madison bit her lip. Her mother would freak if she saw it, but then again - why would her mother ever see it?

Struggling to rise from the couch with the heavy folder clutched to her chest, Madison walked over to the counter.

"I want this one."

The woman looked at the picture and grinned wickedly.

"Oh, that boy is in trouble."

Five minutes later Madison sipped on her milkshake feeling very pleased with herself. Nick had his arm around her shoulders, him too sipping on a milkshake. They were waiting for an excited Vida to pay for her tattoo.

"Don't forget to keep tattooed area clean for the next couple of days, to avoid infections," the woman said as made the exchange. "And avoid direct sunlight until it's healed. Your skin will be very tender for the next couple of days."

Vida took the change and thanked the woman.

"Don't you look cozy," the pink ranger told her fellow team member as she spotted them on the couch. Madison blushed but ignored the meaning look her sister was giving her.

"Let us see it," she urged.

With a grin that stretched from ear to ear, Vida pulled up her sleeve and gently removed the plaster covering the tattoo.

"It's beautiful!" Madison smiled.

"Really nice, V. It suits you," Nick agreed. His arm disappeared from her shoulders, to Madison disappointment.

Vida looked at her arm with pride.

"The best part is, now that I have done one I want to do another. I'm thinking of doing another fairy on my calf. Maybe a tornado. That would be cool."

Nick helped Madison to rise up from the couch. Madison feeling her own plaster pull her skin.

"Let this one heal first, sis. And don't let mom see it. Otherwise you will never be able to do a second one."

Vida showed her tongue.

"You should do a tattoo too, Maddy. It's wicked."

Oh, her sister was so clueless. Madison glanced at the woman by the counter who winked back. No one but them knew about the little mermaid dangling from Madison's bellybutton.