Keys To The Universe
By Didi
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters; they are the sole property of Saban and company. I am not making any money off of this, though I wish I was, so please do not sue me. All you are going to get is pocket lint.
Note: Story picks up after the death of Zordon and before Lost Galaxy. I don't remember every little detail to any of the series so don't expect the story to be perfect.
Rated: R due to context and language. I reserve the right to change the rating if I feel like picking up the heat a little. Enjoy.
Summary: With Zordon gone, who is there to guard those he defeated before?
"Spoken words." [Thoughts]
Acknowledgement: Pricilla, you are a darling. Congratulations on your big day!
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Chapter Twenty-One - Shifting
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-Astro Mega Ship -
He blinked. Then he blinked again. Somewhere in the nether recesses of his mind, he knew that his girlfriend had reached up and closed his mouth with two fingers against his chin. But his mind was too far gone at the moment to do anything more taxing than blink. Dark Specter could have swooped in from his grave in hell and given him a big smacking kiss on the lips and he wouldn't even have noticed. The words kept ringing in his ears. "I'm carrying your baby."
Waving a hand before his face, Karone frowned with concern. She really wouldn't have been so concerned had Zhane not looked so... stricken. It frightened her to see such a blank look in his usually expressive eyes. "Zhane? Did you hear me?"
[Hear her?] He could hear nothing else but her voice.
"Zhane?"
He knew he was frightening her but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't quite get his mind away from the words that turned him inside out and upside down. Plus, the image of two children, both blond and green eyed, kept intruding on any other thoughts that formed. [Light, but they're beautiful kids!]
Green eyes that shone with unshed tears pleaded with him. "Please, Zhane, say something. Anything!"
Blinking again, he tilted his head as if to shift something back into place. "Could you run that one by me again?"
"What?" Her brows came down in a frown once more.
"What did you say a minute ago?"
"Well, it was more like ten minutes ago but I said that I was having your child." The explanation came out a whole lot calmer than she felt.
The Silver Ranger had battled hundreds of enemies, died and come back from deep freeze, defeated Dark Specter's invincible army, and managed to find the love of his life despite everything else life had thrown his way, and yet he still couldn't quite wrap his brilliant and brave mind around the fact that he had been so careless as to impregnate his girlfriend. "Yeah, that's what I thought you said."
Karone was befuddled to say the least. "Zhane, are you all right?"
"Well," he nodded his head slowly. "I'm still alive."
"That's good," she replied slowly, not all together sure of anything now. "But how do you feel about becoming a father?"
The word staggered him. [By the great light of the celestial skies! I'm going to be a dad!]
"Zhane," she asked again as the non-responsive look dropped like curtains over his eyes once more. [I knew I should have let Trini do this for me.]
But before the Silver Ranger could answer, or reassure his lover, DECA interrupted. "Zhane, Karone, you are needed in the infirmary immediately."
"What is it, DECA?" Karone answered, seeing that Zhane was still not quite coherent yet. "Has there been another attack?"
"No," DECA answered in that infinitely bright voice. "Andros has fallen ill."
"What?" Zhane's head snapped to attention. "What did you just say?"
"Andros has..."
"What happened?" Karone asked, her eyes wide with concern. "Was my brother hurt in the attack? Why didn't anyone call me sooner?"
"There was no indication that..."
"He was fine," Zhane answered as he moved down the hall, his hand instinctively closing over Karone's as she held tight for reassurance. "A little tired, which was to be expected, we all were but he wasn't hurt at all. I don't know what could have happened!"
"Oh, light," Karone's mind traveled into all directions of horror. "Please let him be all right. I can't... I can't lose him again. I just can't."
"You won't!" He tugged her to a stop and looked her straight in the eyes. "You will not lose Andros, I promise. As long as I'm alive no one is ever going to separate the two of you again."
"But..."
"No but's," he hugged her tight for a moment. "I'll protect you. I'll protect Andros. You're my family. I'll always protect you both, no matter what comes our way."
"I love you, Zhane," she whispered against his shirt before he let go. "And I will always protect you as well, no matter what happens."
He nodded his head with eyes sober as stone. "I love you, Karone. Come what may, I'll always be here to protect you; you and our child."
She blinked. "You mean that?"
"Absolutely," he nodded, sealing the idea in his mind. [Karone and my child. Andros: my brother. Karone, Andros and my child. My family. My life.] "Forever."
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The taste of copper was the first indication that he was biting too hard on his lower lip.
"Hey, hey, hey," Billy reached and began to pry open Andros's mouth. "None of that!" Once the Red Ranger's jaws went slightly slack, Billy looked around for something to help. Picking up a rolled up bandage, he offered it as a substitute. "Here, bite on this so you don't do some real damage to yourself."
Andros grunted his thanks as a new wave of nausea and pain flashed spots of red across his vision. It was as if someone had shoved his sword through his eyes and twisted it about in his brain. The ache was excruciating.
Billy winced as the gurgled noise came from the Red Ranger's white lips. Just looking at the man was enough for Billy to feel the pain that no doubt was wrecking the lean body. Holding the guy up while he was half aware was hard enough. Trying to hold the guy down when he was in agonizing pain was near impossible. Twice now Andros had managed to toss Billy halfway across the room. It had been a painful but educational experience: extreme emotions really do give a person superhuman strength. The former Blue Ranger only wished that he hadn't been on the receiving end of it.
"What happened?" Trini asked in her no nonsense doctor voice.
"What does it look like happened?" Billy answered as he readjusted the pair of spectacles on his nose. The last flight across the room had caused him to ram his chin into the next bed frame. He was going to be a major bruise tomorrow morning. "I found him this way down the hall. Couldn't see straight much less walk straight."
Trini shook her head and nodded to Jason. "Want to help him with that?"
Shrugging his broad shoulders, Jason walked over and grabbed Andros by the shoulders, pulling his twisted body out of the curled position. "Grab the legs, Billy, they're easier."
"Only a guy that can bench press two hundred pounds would say that," Billy retorted as he made an effort to grab Andros's flailing legs. "Jesus, Andros. Try not to break any of my bones while we help you, okay?"
But the young man could no longer hear anything. The pain had blinded and deafened him to anything else in the world. His body and face twisted in agony, as what had been a periodic stabbing became a constant bright, hot pressure in his mind. All coherent thought had left the building some time ago.
"Trini," Jason called out as he put a little more pressure down but not so much for in fear of breaking something. "I think you better do something. His nails are cutting his palms open."
"Just one more second," Trini called back as she prepared the sedative.
"Hurry, Trini," Billy called as a boot came close to connecting with his nose. "If he doesn't calm down soon, you may have another patient in about a minute. Me."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she approached with caution, careful to point the needle away from the others. "Hold him steady for a moment."
"What do you think we're trying to do?" Billy asked, irritated by the delay. "Get on with it."
"Billy," she turned and looked at him, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "There is absolutely no need to be rude to me at the moment."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Billy said quickly, seeing too late that he had made a really bad move there. An angry Trini was the worse kind of person you wanted to be around. It was always the quiet ones that were the most dangerous. "I apologize for my rude behavior. Now could you please help Andros before he knocks one of my teeth out?"
"That's better." She nodded her head and injected the needle into Andros's arm, putting some weight of her own in holding the arm steady. "Give it a minute to take effect."
"Take you time," Jason replied, watching the young man's face relax only a bit then the body lessened its erratic movements before Andros finally became still. "You want us to keep holding him while you run tests?"
The young man was calm now, dead to the world thanks to the wonders of modern medicine. But while she watched him for any signs of change, her mind was already elsewhere. Trini glanced up at Jason after studying Andros's face for another moment. "I'm not ready to do any tests yet." She turned to Billy. "What's the news from the frontline?"
The bespectacled former Blue Ranger nodded his head, guessing correctly where she was going with this. "Not since the attack. But perhaps now would be as good a time to check up on the happenings as any."
"Good idea," she smiled and leaned over to Jason. "Why don't you go with him?"
Jason nodded but frowned. "Something going on here that I should know about?"
Trini nodded her head to Billy, indicating for him to explain as she moved about the room.
"Walk with me," Billy asked as he headed to the door. Jason caught up in three strides. "I'm guessing Trini saw what I saw earlier. Our first two victims had remarkable timing."
"Coinciding with the breaking of the first two seals you mean?" Jason replied with a grin. "I noticed it too, just didn't want to speculate over it."
"I don't think any of us did," Billy grimaced as his mind slid over the thought that erupted first in his mind.
"Just say it," Jason suggested as he watched the emotions fly across Billy's face. "It'll be easier if you say it out loud."
He slanted his friend a bracing look. "And you won't yell at me for saying it?"
"No." It saddened him to know that Billy would, but he understood. "Go ahead."
"I simply cannot accept that Zordon would have chosen Astronema as a carrier of one of the keys," he glanced over at one of his eldest friends, waiting for a reaction. But Jason merely stared straight ahead, accepting without judgment. "She's evil, ultimately caused the death of Zordon. She's nothing like the rest of you."
"Don't you mean the rest of us?" Jason replied quietly.
Billy paused, not sure why he hadn't included himself in that little outburst. "She's everything we fought against, everything we're opposed to. How can we even contemplate the thought that she could be a chosen member of this..."
Jason held out a hand and stopped Billy.
For a moment, Billy thought that Jason was going back on his word. But he should have known better than that. Another moment passed before Karone and Zhane came barreling around the corner. And there would have been a collision had Jason not been ready for the speed in which the couple came around the bend.
"He's resting comfortably now with Trini watching him," Jason said without a hint of emotion on his face as he studied the near frantic pair. His eyes were steady, as if to steady them with his will. "Calm down. He's fine."
"What happened?" Karone asked, her face twisted in fear. "I don't understand why something like this would...."
"He's probably just tired," Jason reassured her, glancing at Billy for a moment. Without a word, they agreed not to pass their theory on yet. "As leader, Andros probably pushed himself twice as hard as any of the others."
"I've been meaning to talk to him about that little bad habit," Zhane muttered, taking Karone's shoulders. "I'm sure that's it, darling. We just have to make sure that he gets plenty of rest from now. Everything is going to be fine."
She looked at him, believing simply because he believed. Nodding her head, she opened her mouth and looked at Jason. "Who got him to the infirmary?"
Jason didn't hesitate for a moment. "Billy did."
The former boy genius suddenly and unexpectedly found himself facing a pair of grateful green eyes belonging to a face he had learned to hate for the past year and a half. The same perfect visage that haunted his nightmares, robbing him of laughter that would never be heard, visits never made, thoughts never shared, thanks never given. The same features now poured forth gratitude that he didn't need, didn't want... didn't understand.
"I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you for helping my brother," Karone whispered, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of what might have been. "But I will try for the rest of my life. Thank you."
Speechless, confused, definitely disturbed by the riot of emotions that ran through his head and more than a little uncomfortable, Billy merely nodded and looked away.
Sensing his friend was being pushed his limit, Jason gave Karone another reassuring smile before motioning for them to go. "Don't stay too long or Trini is likely to kick you both out. And don't irritate her, there's nothing worse than irritating your doctor. Plus, that girl's got a really nasty left hook. Get some rest," he frowned mockingly at them. "You both look like hell. If Trini sees that you're working yourselves into an early grave, she's likely to order bed rest for you both. Take care, okay?"
"We will," Zhane replied with a smile, silently thanking the former Red Ranger for his thoughtfulness. Taking Karone's hand, he moved down the hall toward their target.
Jason watched them leave, waited until they were around the corner and out of earshot before he turned back to the pensive Billy. "Now, you were saying?"
Blue eyes clouded with both anger, pain and confusion blinked at him for a moment. One look from the fragile looking Karone had pushed past all the confusion for a moment. There was nothing like pure solid human emotions to muddle the pot. [And how does one confront understandable fear for a love one?] "Let's get to the command deck."
Nodding wisely, Jason said nothing more.
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"I wish it could be this peaceful for a while longer," Tanya commented as she readjusted the power outlays. "But like everything else good in life, this must end sooner or later."
"My, aren't we morbid?" Zack laughed as he watched the temperature drop another degree. Already smothered under four layers of winter clothing, he wondered if it was possible for him to still move should he choose to pull on yet another sweatshirt. His fingers were beginning to lose some of their color, which was amazing considering his coloring. "What's up?"
"Not much," Tanya glanced over and pulled her hat on tighter. With more than half her body heat leaving from her head, she thought it wiser to keep it covered. "I'm just saying that we generally don't get more than a few hours of reprieve from the action when we're part of this."
"And I thought I had a dim view of Ranger business," he nodded sympathetically. "But I understand. It's going to get worse before it gets any better." He watched his breath leave in a poof of white cloud. "And possibly colder before warmer."
"Oh," she groaned as she pulled the cover over the circuit relay. "I'm not sure if I'm going to survive this."
"Sure you will," Zack said getting up to hobble over to the depressed young woman. "We all will. This ain't over until the fat lady sings. And considering what kind of shape you lady Rangers generally keep your beautiful selves in, that isn't likely to happen any time soon."
She flashed him a smile that warmed his heart. "You always so honey tongued?"
"It only comes natural when the truth is in it," he replied and grinned, unabashed. "Why don't you go get some rest, I'll finish this up."
"Not with that leg of yours," she pointed to the cast. "You might want to think about talking to Trini about that. Maybe there's something on this ship that may help heal that thing faster. It isn't safe with us in battle and you weighed down like that."
"I'll make it a point to talk to Trini about it when she's not so busy with so many other things in her life," he shook his head. "Some things never change. But seriously, you should get some sleep."
"I will when we finish making sure this ship isn't going to blow up on us while we sleep."
"It'd be a peaceful way to die in comparison to what may be awaiting us at the end of this mission."
"Now who's being morbid?"
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"What are you thinking?" Adam asked as he sat watching the stars streak by with only half his mind on the spectacular view.
"I'm wondering how the two of us ended up with night duty," Kat answered with great amusement.
"Probably because neither one of us thought to leave fast enough," Adam answered as he turned his head toward his former teammate. "How are you doing, Kat? We haven't really gotten a chance to talk since we came on board."
"We've been kind of busy with one thing or another," she grinned and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "So, Adam. What's up?"
"You mean besides the fate of the universe?" He asked teasingly, glad that she was keeping the mood light. With everything else going on the way it has, it was difficult to find time to enjoy the simple pleasures of having one's friends around. "Nothing much. Why? What are you up to?"
"Tommy's in with Kim now," she said rather smugly. "And I think it's safe to assume that they are on their way back to one another."
Dark brows rose in surprise. "And you're okay with this?"
She grinned. "Who do you think gave our fearless leader a quick kick in the ass to get him moving?" She shook her head, rather exasperated. "You know, throughout the centuries, they say that men are the braver and stronger of the sexes."
"Hey, I've long since learned otherwise," Adam replied with a grin. "Look at how many female villains we've had to deal with!"
"Thank you," she nodded. "But the point is, that society and culture has designated the male as the dominant one and the one that is supposed to take charge of situations. Yet when it comes to the affairs of the heart, guys always seem to run with their tails firmly tucked between their hind legs."
Adam gave a visible wince. "Should I be running for cover right about now?"
Kat laughed. "No, you're one of the few guys I know that are semi in touch with their inner womanhood."
He considered this, really considered it hard. "Should I be flattered or insulted?"
Giggling, she shrugged. "Depends on the man."
Adam would have retorted except Jason and Billy entering at a rather anxious pace interrupted them. "What's going on?"
"Any word from the war front?" Billy asked as he took a seat at communications.
"Nothing yet," Kat was startled by the seriousness in both men's eyes. "Why? What is it?"
"We may have a potential problem," Jason answered as he checked the logs. "Billy, let's get in touch with the Elders. See if we can..."
"No need," Billy sighed and looked up. "We're being hailed."
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"So the theory holds?" Trini asked as she brought the needle out of Andros's arm.
"Yeah, it holds for now. First sign was while we were still in combat. The kid must have really been hurting out there but he fought through it, came back, did the debriefing and never said a word. Thirty minutes after we were in downtime mode the seal went, as did our new red leader. So yeah, you can say that the theory holds." Jason answered quietly, averting his eyes from the sight of blood. "Must you do that?"
Shaking her head, she smirked, "How is it that grown men will turn green at the sight of blood when most of them live like pigs in a sty? And yes, I need to do this unless you have a way of drawing blood without a needle."
He grinned at her. "Everyone knows that women are the braver of the sexes."
Trini laughed. "Really? That's a social construct that I have yet to see dominant in the usual cultural thoughts. And how, may one ask, did you come up with that one?"
"Easily," he leaned forward. "I can't imagine a guy being able to do the whole thirty hour labor thing, not even Tommy or me."
Choking on her laugher, Trini dropped a test tube into its holder. "You and Tommy pregnant, now there's a picture I'd pay good money to see."
"Glad to know I can bring some amusement into your life," he replied, pleased to see her smile. She looked ready for some serious bed rest, but with Andros down for the count, she wasn't going anywhere any time soon. Glancing over to the other side of the bed, he shook his head. "Hey, he's going to be fine."
Zhane met his eyes and nodded but Karone appeared to only be able to concentrate on her brother's hand. Reaching out and taking her hand, the Silver Ranger guided the young woman's eyes to his own. "Everything will be all right. Andros is stronger than anyone I know and he is so good that Zordon would never let anything happen to him."
She merely sat and stared for a moment, absorbing the words before whispering falteringly, "What if they hurt Andros to punish me?"
"Why do you say that, Karone?" Trini asked quietly, not reacting as Zhane and Jason were, shocked to the core. When the girl didn't answer but continued to stare at her brother's relaxed face, the young doctor reached over and lifted her chin. "Karone?"
The former Princess looked at her silently.
Something clicked in Trini's mind. [You poor kid. When are you going to let go of the guilt?] "Zhane, take your girlfriend back to her room. She's positively exhausted." When Karone opened her mouth to protest, Trini held up a finger authoritatively. "Doctor mode, not friend mode. Go to bed, that's an order."
"Come on," Zhane gave Karone's arm a gentle but firm tug. "Trini will watch over Andros."
"But..." She pleaded with her eyes.
Normally, it would have been enough for Trini to crack but another thought was kept firm in her mind. "No way, kid. You need to rest, this kind of thing isn't good for you."
"Or the baby for that matter." Zhane nodded his head in agreement, grateful for Trini's rational arguments on this matter. [Left up to me, she'd shed one tear and I'd be caving.]
"Baby?" Jason's eyes looked ready to fall out. "What baby?"
Ignoring her former leader, Trini's eyes brightened. "You told him?"
She nodded, blushing scarlet.
"Good for you," she smiled and patted the girl's arm. "And judging by the way he's looking at you now, I take it he's happy about the news?"
Karone blinked and looked at her boyfriend.
He merely smiled and kissed her eyes shut. "And why wouldn't I be completely and absolutely thrilled with the idea? With my looks and her brains, or her looks and my brain, we're going to have a perfect child together."
She wrinkled her nose. "Modest, isn't he?"
Trini laughed. "Well said. Now you just have to tell your brother the good news."
She glanced at Andros again. "When he wakes up?"
"When he wakes up," she smiled and ushered them out. "Zhane, make sure she gets plenty of sleep and lots of fluids. Don't let her get too cold either, a nasty flu right about now would be out of the question."
Zhane's face bloomed suddenly with the boyish charm he was so infamous for. "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll think of some way to keep her warm tonight." He winked and pulled Karone into his embrace.
Trini rolled her eyes, Jason groaned in exasperation, while Karone hide her red face in Zhane's collar and hit him lightly on the arm. Pushing the two out the door, Jason gave Zhane a warning look. "Get some rest, we're meeting to confer first thing in the morning."
Sobriety dropped suddenly over the Silver Ranger's eyes. "Anything I should know about now?"
Jason shook his head, knowing the kid just went into warrior mode. "Nothing that can't wait. Take care of your girl tonight."
"I will," he smiled once more and nodded to Trini. "Take good care of my brother for me, Doctor. I'll owe you."
Trini shook her head as the door closed behind the lovebirds. "Sheesh, everyone is owing me something these days." She sighed and dropped onto a medical bed, rubbing her eyes. "Looks like it's going to be another long night for me."
Smiling sympathetically, he leaned on the bed and looked at her. "Or you could go get some sleep and I'll watch Andros for you."
A winged brow rose. "Really?"
"Sure," he nodded toward the door. "Go on, you deserve it. God knows you've done the job of three in the past two days. You should be allowed to sleep some."
"Thanks," she smiled and sat up slowly. Leaning over, she placed a light kiss on his cheek. There wasn't anything but sweet thanks in the kiss, yet it sent a lightning hot sensation spearing through both. "But I think it would be better if I handled this myself. Why don't you get some rest? You need it after the battle. Bet the adrenaline level was off the charts for a while and have since leveled off, leaving you feeling like a bear needing its hibernation period."
Though the description was accurate, he wasn't about to admit it, especially with her sitting there with dark shadows below her eyes. "We're going to need you again soon. If our theory is correct, and each seal's possessor is literally incapacitated with the breaking of the seal, you're going to have another patient in another sixteen hours."
"That's sixteen hours from now," she pointed out logically and placed her hand against his arm. "And now I have a patient that needs to be watched over by a professional." She looked at him, her eyes dark in the bright light of the infirmary. "Thanks for the offer. You always were so good to me."
He smiled quietly, taking her hand for a moment. "Someone's got to take care of you."
There was peace, for that brief moment they were at peace. Linking fingers, she squeezed his hand. "I've missed you...a lot. More than I knew I did."
The warm glow that erupted somewhere near the region of his heart made him swallow hard. He brought their joined hands up and pressed his lips against her fingers. "Me too." He nodded, confirming the thoughts that had been juggling through his mind for some time now. "We'll both stay."
She nodded her head and got off the bed to lean against him. "Thank you."
"You never have to thank me for something I'd do willingly and freely," he replied and wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders. "I'll always be willing to be with you, no matter what."
Looping her arm around his waist, she snuggled against him. "Jason?"
"Yeah?" he asked, enjoying the warmth of her body against his.
"Are we going to be okay?"
The pause was almost audible. "We have to believe that Zordon knew what he was doing when...."
"That's not what I meant." She continued to watch Andros, not willing to look at him yet. "Are 'we' going to be okay?"
He refused to look down, refused to break this tender hold. There were so few things in his life that he had a tangible hold upon. The friendships he had formed with this group that was going through hell and back was something he always relied upon in the darkest, most unbearable hours of his life. And this friendship with Trini... She gave him so much strength with her very presence. "You feeling the shift?"
Trini nodded tentatively. "Are we going to be okay?" she asked yet again.
Squeezing her shoulder, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "We're friends first, always, forever."
"But are we going to be..."
"We're going to be okay."
Though he couldn't see it, the smile relaxed the tension in her face, easing the fear from her features. "Thank you."
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Teaser from the next chapter: "Rocky, did you have to spoil her moment of euphoria like that?"
By Didi
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters; they are the sole property of Saban and company. I am not making any money off of this, though I wish I was, so please do not sue me. All you are going to get is pocket lint.
Note: Story picks up after the death of Zordon and before Lost Galaxy. I don't remember every little detail to any of the series so don't expect the story to be perfect.
Rated: R due to context and language. I reserve the right to change the rating if I feel like picking up the heat a little. Enjoy.
Summary: With Zordon gone, who is there to guard those he defeated before?
"Spoken words." [Thoughts]
Acknowledgement: Pricilla, you are a darling. Congratulations on your big day!
-------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Twenty-One - Shifting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Astro Mega Ship -
He blinked. Then he blinked again. Somewhere in the nether recesses of his mind, he knew that his girlfriend had reached up and closed his mouth with two fingers against his chin. But his mind was too far gone at the moment to do anything more taxing than blink. Dark Specter could have swooped in from his grave in hell and given him a big smacking kiss on the lips and he wouldn't even have noticed. The words kept ringing in his ears. "I'm carrying your baby."
Waving a hand before his face, Karone frowned with concern. She really wouldn't have been so concerned had Zhane not looked so... stricken. It frightened her to see such a blank look in his usually expressive eyes. "Zhane? Did you hear me?"
[Hear her?] He could hear nothing else but her voice.
"Zhane?"
He knew he was frightening her but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't quite get his mind away from the words that turned him inside out and upside down. Plus, the image of two children, both blond and green eyed, kept intruding on any other thoughts that formed. [Light, but they're beautiful kids!]
Green eyes that shone with unshed tears pleaded with him. "Please, Zhane, say something. Anything!"
Blinking again, he tilted his head as if to shift something back into place. "Could you run that one by me again?"
"What?" Her brows came down in a frown once more.
"What did you say a minute ago?"
"Well, it was more like ten minutes ago but I said that I was having your child." The explanation came out a whole lot calmer than she felt.
The Silver Ranger had battled hundreds of enemies, died and come back from deep freeze, defeated Dark Specter's invincible army, and managed to find the love of his life despite everything else life had thrown his way, and yet he still couldn't quite wrap his brilliant and brave mind around the fact that he had been so careless as to impregnate his girlfriend. "Yeah, that's what I thought you said."
Karone was befuddled to say the least. "Zhane, are you all right?"
"Well," he nodded his head slowly. "I'm still alive."
"That's good," she replied slowly, not all together sure of anything now. "But how do you feel about becoming a father?"
The word staggered him. [By the great light of the celestial skies! I'm going to be a dad!]
"Zhane," she asked again as the non-responsive look dropped like curtains over his eyes once more. [I knew I should have let Trini do this for me.]
But before the Silver Ranger could answer, or reassure his lover, DECA interrupted. "Zhane, Karone, you are needed in the infirmary immediately."
"What is it, DECA?" Karone answered, seeing that Zhane was still not quite coherent yet. "Has there been another attack?"
"No," DECA answered in that infinitely bright voice. "Andros has fallen ill."
"What?" Zhane's head snapped to attention. "What did you just say?"
"Andros has..."
"What happened?" Karone asked, her eyes wide with concern. "Was my brother hurt in the attack? Why didn't anyone call me sooner?"
"There was no indication that..."
"He was fine," Zhane answered as he moved down the hall, his hand instinctively closing over Karone's as she held tight for reassurance. "A little tired, which was to be expected, we all were but he wasn't hurt at all. I don't know what could have happened!"
"Oh, light," Karone's mind traveled into all directions of horror. "Please let him be all right. I can't... I can't lose him again. I just can't."
"You won't!" He tugged her to a stop and looked her straight in the eyes. "You will not lose Andros, I promise. As long as I'm alive no one is ever going to separate the two of you again."
"But..."
"No but's," he hugged her tight for a moment. "I'll protect you. I'll protect Andros. You're my family. I'll always protect you both, no matter what comes our way."
"I love you, Zhane," she whispered against his shirt before he let go. "And I will always protect you as well, no matter what happens."
He nodded his head with eyes sober as stone. "I love you, Karone. Come what may, I'll always be here to protect you; you and our child."
She blinked. "You mean that?"
"Absolutely," he nodded, sealing the idea in his mind. [Karone and my child. Andros: my brother. Karone, Andros and my child. My family. My life.] "Forever."
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The taste of copper was the first indication that he was biting too hard on his lower lip.
"Hey, hey, hey," Billy reached and began to pry open Andros's mouth. "None of that!" Once the Red Ranger's jaws went slightly slack, Billy looked around for something to help. Picking up a rolled up bandage, he offered it as a substitute. "Here, bite on this so you don't do some real damage to yourself."
Andros grunted his thanks as a new wave of nausea and pain flashed spots of red across his vision. It was as if someone had shoved his sword through his eyes and twisted it about in his brain. The ache was excruciating.
Billy winced as the gurgled noise came from the Red Ranger's white lips. Just looking at the man was enough for Billy to feel the pain that no doubt was wrecking the lean body. Holding the guy up while he was half aware was hard enough. Trying to hold the guy down when he was in agonizing pain was near impossible. Twice now Andros had managed to toss Billy halfway across the room. It had been a painful but educational experience: extreme emotions really do give a person superhuman strength. The former Blue Ranger only wished that he hadn't been on the receiving end of it.
"What happened?" Trini asked in her no nonsense doctor voice.
"What does it look like happened?" Billy answered as he readjusted the pair of spectacles on his nose. The last flight across the room had caused him to ram his chin into the next bed frame. He was going to be a major bruise tomorrow morning. "I found him this way down the hall. Couldn't see straight much less walk straight."
Trini shook her head and nodded to Jason. "Want to help him with that?"
Shrugging his broad shoulders, Jason walked over and grabbed Andros by the shoulders, pulling his twisted body out of the curled position. "Grab the legs, Billy, they're easier."
"Only a guy that can bench press two hundred pounds would say that," Billy retorted as he made an effort to grab Andros's flailing legs. "Jesus, Andros. Try not to break any of my bones while we help you, okay?"
But the young man could no longer hear anything. The pain had blinded and deafened him to anything else in the world. His body and face twisted in agony, as what had been a periodic stabbing became a constant bright, hot pressure in his mind. All coherent thought had left the building some time ago.
"Trini," Jason called out as he put a little more pressure down but not so much for in fear of breaking something. "I think you better do something. His nails are cutting his palms open."
"Just one more second," Trini called back as she prepared the sedative.
"Hurry, Trini," Billy called as a boot came close to connecting with his nose. "If he doesn't calm down soon, you may have another patient in about a minute. Me."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she approached with caution, careful to point the needle away from the others. "Hold him steady for a moment."
"What do you think we're trying to do?" Billy asked, irritated by the delay. "Get on with it."
"Billy," she turned and looked at him, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "There is absolutely no need to be rude to me at the moment."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Billy said quickly, seeing too late that he had made a really bad move there. An angry Trini was the worse kind of person you wanted to be around. It was always the quiet ones that were the most dangerous. "I apologize for my rude behavior. Now could you please help Andros before he knocks one of my teeth out?"
"That's better." She nodded her head and injected the needle into Andros's arm, putting some weight of her own in holding the arm steady. "Give it a minute to take effect."
"Take you time," Jason replied, watching the young man's face relax only a bit then the body lessened its erratic movements before Andros finally became still. "You want us to keep holding him while you run tests?"
The young man was calm now, dead to the world thanks to the wonders of modern medicine. But while she watched him for any signs of change, her mind was already elsewhere. Trini glanced up at Jason after studying Andros's face for another moment. "I'm not ready to do any tests yet." She turned to Billy. "What's the news from the frontline?"
The bespectacled former Blue Ranger nodded his head, guessing correctly where she was going with this. "Not since the attack. But perhaps now would be as good a time to check up on the happenings as any."
"Good idea," she smiled and leaned over to Jason. "Why don't you go with him?"
Jason nodded but frowned. "Something going on here that I should know about?"
Trini nodded her head to Billy, indicating for him to explain as she moved about the room.
"Walk with me," Billy asked as he headed to the door. Jason caught up in three strides. "I'm guessing Trini saw what I saw earlier. Our first two victims had remarkable timing."
"Coinciding with the breaking of the first two seals you mean?" Jason replied with a grin. "I noticed it too, just didn't want to speculate over it."
"I don't think any of us did," Billy grimaced as his mind slid over the thought that erupted first in his mind.
"Just say it," Jason suggested as he watched the emotions fly across Billy's face. "It'll be easier if you say it out loud."
He slanted his friend a bracing look. "And you won't yell at me for saying it?"
"No." It saddened him to know that Billy would, but he understood. "Go ahead."
"I simply cannot accept that Zordon would have chosen Astronema as a carrier of one of the keys," he glanced over at one of his eldest friends, waiting for a reaction. But Jason merely stared straight ahead, accepting without judgment. "She's evil, ultimately caused the death of Zordon. She's nothing like the rest of you."
"Don't you mean the rest of us?" Jason replied quietly.
Billy paused, not sure why he hadn't included himself in that little outburst. "She's everything we fought against, everything we're opposed to. How can we even contemplate the thought that she could be a chosen member of this..."
Jason held out a hand and stopped Billy.
For a moment, Billy thought that Jason was going back on his word. But he should have known better than that. Another moment passed before Karone and Zhane came barreling around the corner. And there would have been a collision had Jason not been ready for the speed in which the couple came around the bend.
"He's resting comfortably now with Trini watching him," Jason said without a hint of emotion on his face as he studied the near frantic pair. His eyes were steady, as if to steady them with his will. "Calm down. He's fine."
"What happened?" Karone asked, her face twisted in fear. "I don't understand why something like this would...."
"He's probably just tired," Jason reassured her, glancing at Billy for a moment. Without a word, they agreed not to pass their theory on yet. "As leader, Andros probably pushed himself twice as hard as any of the others."
"I've been meaning to talk to him about that little bad habit," Zhane muttered, taking Karone's shoulders. "I'm sure that's it, darling. We just have to make sure that he gets plenty of rest from now. Everything is going to be fine."
She looked at him, believing simply because he believed. Nodding her head, she opened her mouth and looked at Jason. "Who got him to the infirmary?"
Jason didn't hesitate for a moment. "Billy did."
The former boy genius suddenly and unexpectedly found himself facing a pair of grateful green eyes belonging to a face he had learned to hate for the past year and a half. The same perfect visage that haunted his nightmares, robbing him of laughter that would never be heard, visits never made, thoughts never shared, thanks never given. The same features now poured forth gratitude that he didn't need, didn't want... didn't understand.
"I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you for helping my brother," Karone whispered, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of what might have been. "But I will try for the rest of my life. Thank you."
Speechless, confused, definitely disturbed by the riot of emotions that ran through his head and more than a little uncomfortable, Billy merely nodded and looked away.
Sensing his friend was being pushed his limit, Jason gave Karone another reassuring smile before motioning for them to go. "Don't stay too long or Trini is likely to kick you both out. And don't irritate her, there's nothing worse than irritating your doctor. Plus, that girl's got a really nasty left hook. Get some rest," he frowned mockingly at them. "You both look like hell. If Trini sees that you're working yourselves into an early grave, she's likely to order bed rest for you both. Take care, okay?"
"We will," Zhane replied with a smile, silently thanking the former Red Ranger for his thoughtfulness. Taking Karone's hand, he moved down the hall toward their target.
Jason watched them leave, waited until they were around the corner and out of earshot before he turned back to the pensive Billy. "Now, you were saying?"
Blue eyes clouded with both anger, pain and confusion blinked at him for a moment. One look from the fragile looking Karone had pushed past all the confusion for a moment. There was nothing like pure solid human emotions to muddle the pot. [And how does one confront understandable fear for a love one?] "Let's get to the command deck."
Nodding wisely, Jason said nothing more.
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"I wish it could be this peaceful for a while longer," Tanya commented as she readjusted the power outlays. "But like everything else good in life, this must end sooner or later."
"My, aren't we morbid?" Zack laughed as he watched the temperature drop another degree. Already smothered under four layers of winter clothing, he wondered if it was possible for him to still move should he choose to pull on yet another sweatshirt. His fingers were beginning to lose some of their color, which was amazing considering his coloring. "What's up?"
"Not much," Tanya glanced over and pulled her hat on tighter. With more than half her body heat leaving from her head, she thought it wiser to keep it covered. "I'm just saying that we generally don't get more than a few hours of reprieve from the action when we're part of this."
"And I thought I had a dim view of Ranger business," he nodded sympathetically. "But I understand. It's going to get worse before it gets any better." He watched his breath leave in a poof of white cloud. "And possibly colder before warmer."
"Oh," she groaned as she pulled the cover over the circuit relay. "I'm not sure if I'm going to survive this."
"Sure you will," Zack said getting up to hobble over to the depressed young woman. "We all will. This ain't over until the fat lady sings. And considering what kind of shape you lady Rangers generally keep your beautiful selves in, that isn't likely to happen any time soon."
She flashed him a smile that warmed his heart. "You always so honey tongued?"
"It only comes natural when the truth is in it," he replied and grinned, unabashed. "Why don't you go get some rest, I'll finish this up."
"Not with that leg of yours," she pointed to the cast. "You might want to think about talking to Trini about that. Maybe there's something on this ship that may help heal that thing faster. It isn't safe with us in battle and you weighed down like that."
"I'll make it a point to talk to Trini about it when she's not so busy with so many other things in her life," he shook his head. "Some things never change. But seriously, you should get some sleep."
"I will when we finish making sure this ship isn't going to blow up on us while we sleep."
"It'd be a peaceful way to die in comparison to what may be awaiting us at the end of this mission."
"Now who's being morbid?"
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"What are you thinking?" Adam asked as he sat watching the stars streak by with only half his mind on the spectacular view.
"I'm wondering how the two of us ended up with night duty," Kat answered with great amusement.
"Probably because neither one of us thought to leave fast enough," Adam answered as he turned his head toward his former teammate. "How are you doing, Kat? We haven't really gotten a chance to talk since we came on board."
"We've been kind of busy with one thing or another," she grinned and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "So, Adam. What's up?"
"You mean besides the fate of the universe?" He asked teasingly, glad that she was keeping the mood light. With everything else going on the way it has, it was difficult to find time to enjoy the simple pleasures of having one's friends around. "Nothing much. Why? What are you up to?"
"Tommy's in with Kim now," she said rather smugly. "And I think it's safe to assume that they are on their way back to one another."
Dark brows rose in surprise. "And you're okay with this?"
She grinned. "Who do you think gave our fearless leader a quick kick in the ass to get him moving?" She shook her head, rather exasperated. "You know, throughout the centuries, they say that men are the braver and stronger of the sexes."
"Hey, I've long since learned otherwise," Adam replied with a grin. "Look at how many female villains we've had to deal with!"
"Thank you," she nodded. "But the point is, that society and culture has designated the male as the dominant one and the one that is supposed to take charge of situations. Yet when it comes to the affairs of the heart, guys always seem to run with their tails firmly tucked between their hind legs."
Adam gave a visible wince. "Should I be running for cover right about now?"
Kat laughed. "No, you're one of the few guys I know that are semi in touch with their inner womanhood."
He considered this, really considered it hard. "Should I be flattered or insulted?"
Giggling, she shrugged. "Depends on the man."
Adam would have retorted except Jason and Billy entering at a rather anxious pace interrupted them. "What's going on?"
"Any word from the war front?" Billy asked as he took a seat at communications.
"Nothing yet," Kat was startled by the seriousness in both men's eyes. "Why? What is it?"
"We may have a potential problem," Jason answered as he checked the logs. "Billy, let's get in touch with the Elders. See if we can..."
"No need," Billy sighed and looked up. "We're being hailed."
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"So the theory holds?" Trini asked as she brought the needle out of Andros's arm.
"Yeah, it holds for now. First sign was while we were still in combat. The kid must have really been hurting out there but he fought through it, came back, did the debriefing and never said a word. Thirty minutes after we were in downtime mode the seal went, as did our new red leader. So yeah, you can say that the theory holds." Jason answered quietly, averting his eyes from the sight of blood. "Must you do that?"
Shaking her head, she smirked, "How is it that grown men will turn green at the sight of blood when most of them live like pigs in a sty? And yes, I need to do this unless you have a way of drawing blood without a needle."
He grinned at her. "Everyone knows that women are the braver of the sexes."
Trini laughed. "Really? That's a social construct that I have yet to see dominant in the usual cultural thoughts. And how, may one ask, did you come up with that one?"
"Easily," he leaned forward. "I can't imagine a guy being able to do the whole thirty hour labor thing, not even Tommy or me."
Choking on her laugher, Trini dropped a test tube into its holder. "You and Tommy pregnant, now there's a picture I'd pay good money to see."
"Glad to know I can bring some amusement into your life," he replied, pleased to see her smile. She looked ready for some serious bed rest, but with Andros down for the count, she wasn't going anywhere any time soon. Glancing over to the other side of the bed, he shook his head. "Hey, he's going to be fine."
Zhane met his eyes and nodded but Karone appeared to only be able to concentrate on her brother's hand. Reaching out and taking her hand, the Silver Ranger guided the young woman's eyes to his own. "Everything will be all right. Andros is stronger than anyone I know and he is so good that Zordon would never let anything happen to him."
She merely sat and stared for a moment, absorbing the words before whispering falteringly, "What if they hurt Andros to punish me?"
"Why do you say that, Karone?" Trini asked quietly, not reacting as Zhane and Jason were, shocked to the core. When the girl didn't answer but continued to stare at her brother's relaxed face, the young doctor reached over and lifted her chin. "Karone?"
The former Princess looked at her silently.
Something clicked in Trini's mind. [You poor kid. When are you going to let go of the guilt?] "Zhane, take your girlfriend back to her room. She's positively exhausted." When Karone opened her mouth to protest, Trini held up a finger authoritatively. "Doctor mode, not friend mode. Go to bed, that's an order."
"Come on," Zhane gave Karone's arm a gentle but firm tug. "Trini will watch over Andros."
"But..." She pleaded with her eyes.
Normally, it would have been enough for Trini to crack but another thought was kept firm in her mind. "No way, kid. You need to rest, this kind of thing isn't good for you."
"Or the baby for that matter." Zhane nodded his head in agreement, grateful for Trini's rational arguments on this matter. [Left up to me, she'd shed one tear and I'd be caving.]
"Baby?" Jason's eyes looked ready to fall out. "What baby?"
Ignoring her former leader, Trini's eyes brightened. "You told him?"
She nodded, blushing scarlet.
"Good for you," she smiled and patted the girl's arm. "And judging by the way he's looking at you now, I take it he's happy about the news?"
Karone blinked and looked at her boyfriend.
He merely smiled and kissed her eyes shut. "And why wouldn't I be completely and absolutely thrilled with the idea? With my looks and her brains, or her looks and my brain, we're going to have a perfect child together."
She wrinkled her nose. "Modest, isn't he?"
Trini laughed. "Well said. Now you just have to tell your brother the good news."
She glanced at Andros again. "When he wakes up?"
"When he wakes up," she smiled and ushered them out. "Zhane, make sure she gets plenty of sleep and lots of fluids. Don't let her get too cold either, a nasty flu right about now would be out of the question."
Zhane's face bloomed suddenly with the boyish charm he was so infamous for. "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll think of some way to keep her warm tonight." He winked and pulled Karone into his embrace.
Trini rolled her eyes, Jason groaned in exasperation, while Karone hide her red face in Zhane's collar and hit him lightly on the arm. Pushing the two out the door, Jason gave Zhane a warning look. "Get some rest, we're meeting to confer first thing in the morning."
Sobriety dropped suddenly over the Silver Ranger's eyes. "Anything I should know about now?"
Jason shook his head, knowing the kid just went into warrior mode. "Nothing that can't wait. Take care of your girl tonight."
"I will," he smiled once more and nodded to Trini. "Take good care of my brother for me, Doctor. I'll owe you."
Trini shook her head as the door closed behind the lovebirds. "Sheesh, everyone is owing me something these days." She sighed and dropped onto a medical bed, rubbing her eyes. "Looks like it's going to be another long night for me."
Smiling sympathetically, he leaned on the bed and looked at her. "Or you could go get some sleep and I'll watch Andros for you."
A winged brow rose. "Really?"
"Sure," he nodded toward the door. "Go on, you deserve it. God knows you've done the job of three in the past two days. You should be allowed to sleep some."
"Thanks," she smiled and sat up slowly. Leaning over, she placed a light kiss on his cheek. There wasn't anything but sweet thanks in the kiss, yet it sent a lightning hot sensation spearing through both. "But I think it would be better if I handled this myself. Why don't you get some rest? You need it after the battle. Bet the adrenaline level was off the charts for a while and have since leveled off, leaving you feeling like a bear needing its hibernation period."
Though the description was accurate, he wasn't about to admit it, especially with her sitting there with dark shadows below her eyes. "We're going to need you again soon. If our theory is correct, and each seal's possessor is literally incapacitated with the breaking of the seal, you're going to have another patient in another sixteen hours."
"That's sixteen hours from now," she pointed out logically and placed her hand against his arm. "And now I have a patient that needs to be watched over by a professional." She looked at him, her eyes dark in the bright light of the infirmary. "Thanks for the offer. You always were so good to me."
He smiled quietly, taking her hand for a moment. "Someone's got to take care of you."
There was peace, for that brief moment they were at peace. Linking fingers, she squeezed his hand. "I've missed you...a lot. More than I knew I did."
The warm glow that erupted somewhere near the region of his heart made him swallow hard. He brought their joined hands up and pressed his lips against her fingers. "Me too." He nodded, confirming the thoughts that had been juggling through his mind for some time now. "We'll both stay."
She nodded her head and got off the bed to lean against him. "Thank you."
"You never have to thank me for something I'd do willingly and freely," he replied and wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders. "I'll always be willing to be with you, no matter what."
Looping her arm around his waist, she snuggled against him. "Jason?"
"Yeah?" he asked, enjoying the warmth of her body against his.
"Are we going to be okay?"
The pause was almost audible. "We have to believe that Zordon knew what he was doing when...."
"That's not what I meant." She continued to watch Andros, not willing to look at him yet. "Are 'we' going to be okay?"
He refused to look down, refused to break this tender hold. There were so few things in his life that he had a tangible hold upon. The friendships he had formed with this group that was going through hell and back was something he always relied upon in the darkest, most unbearable hours of his life. And this friendship with Trini... She gave him so much strength with her very presence. "You feeling the shift?"
Trini nodded tentatively. "Are we going to be okay?" she asked yet again.
Squeezing her shoulder, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "We're friends first, always, forever."
"But are we going to be..."
"We're going to be okay."
Though he couldn't see it, the smile relaxed the tension in her face, easing the fear from her features. "Thank you."
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Teaser from the next chapter: "Rocky, did you have to spoil her moment of euphoria like that?"