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.
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Chapter Thirty Seven - Darkness
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-Astro Mega Ship-
She sat still; perfectly steady and at ease on the medical bed, feet crossed, eyes closed and hands resting lightly on her knees in the classic lotus position. Complete calm and serenity encased her. Deep breaths: in and out, in and out, in and out. Nothing but the void.
"I thought you were still asleep," Jason murmured softly from the doorway, having stood there for the past ten minutes, simply enjoying the sight of her upright again.
"I think a little more than ten hours is enough, even for me," her eyes remained closed but she could sense Jason moving further into the room. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to know that you knew I was there some time ago," he replied, hopping onto the adjacent bed. "How do you feel?"
"Better," taking another deep then exhaling slowly before opening her eyes to look at him. He looked haggard. "Probably better than you look."
Jason smiled; Trini never pulled any punches when she doesn't have to. "I'm fine."
"Really?" raising a brow.
"Awake less than an hour and already you're back on duty?" he asked with a raised brow of his own.
Trini tilted her head. "I take care of my own." She unfolded her legs and sat at the edge of the bed, testing out her own strength before getting off. A little weak but steady, just as she expected and had braced for. Crossing over until she was standing between his knees, Trini studied the strong jaws and tired eyes. "You didn't sleep well."
He shrugged. "I don't know what is it about hospitals and medical bay's chairs. They're never made to be the most comfortable sleeping apparatuses. We'll have to work on that."
The fact that he failed to answer her statement/question didn't surprise her one bit. The Jason she knew would never complain about little things like the discomfort of the lack of sleep, hunger or any of the little things that would drive normal people up the wall. Her sweet Jason: always the hero without a thought for himself when there are others to consider. She touched his cheek, smiling when he rubbed his bristly face against her palm sending a shiver of delight down her spine.
"Cold?" he asked, eyes straying to her lips. The thoughtfulness in her eyes disconcerted him. "What?"
She shook her head. "Nothing."
"No, that was not nothing," he took hold of her wrist, rubbing his face against her palm again and saw the shiver that assaulted her body. Delighted that he could have that effect on her, "What's the matter? Afraid?"
"Of you?" came the haughty look question as she threw a lock of tangled hair. "Never." She made and face and glanced at her hair. "God, I cannot even remember when I last washed myself."
Jason smiled, "You know what I think?"
She glanced back at him while running fingers through her hair. "What?"
"I think you just changed the subject on me."
Trini ran on tongue over her teeth and muttered, "One good turn deserves another."
"What are we avoiding here?" he asked, eyes watching as her hand continued to separate the clumped locks.
"Probably the line that separates the most dangerous of alliances in the world."
That distracted him. "What?"
She rolled her eyes at him and stepped away. "Think that offer of sonic shower still stands?"
"I'm sure it does," he stood up and followed her. He wasn't sure where her thoughts were; they seemed to be flying in several different directions at once. "You want me to show you how it works?"
She slants him a look, not sure where she was really going with this. He looked good, standing here in the weak looking helpful and tired. The poor darling has been pushing himself cause she's been pushed. "What a pair the two of us make."
He frowned, not sure he liked the way she said that and cannot seem to shake off the thrill of delight that she had linked them together. "You want to explain little comment to me?"
"You and your dedication. Me and my obligations. Logically such workaholics would probably drive each other crazy within a week. I'm a logical person, a very reasonable person. I usually think about every consequence before doing anything so I reduce the amounts of mistake that can take place. I guess you can say it's been in my training, both with the Rangers and with medicine. Logic is very important to me and logically, you are I are so alike that it's really wrong. But it doesn't seem to matter to me right now about." She stopped in the hallway and took his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Doesn't matter at all now."
"What are you talking about?" he asked, in the winds as to what she was talking about and not minding that they seemed to be taking a slow stroll down the corridor. She was slight and warm against him, making him feel big and powerful but weak and vulnerable all at the same time. Contradictory emotions weren't something he was use to but seemed to be a constant when he was with her.
"I want a shower," she pronounced, bumping her chin against his shoulder.
"Okay," he nodded, giving on following the woman's train of thoughts, one arm slipping easily around her waist. "I'll show you how to operate the...."
"And I want you in there with me," pressing her lips against the corner of his lips. She heard and felt the gasp before turning her head just enough to allow her lips find its main target, living them both just a little breathless as she looked into his eyes. Watching the confusion, the heat, the passion that misted his glaze, she gave a sigh of appreciation. "I'll do your back if you'll do mine," she promised against his lips.
He swallowed the thumping in his throat where his heart seemed to have taken permanent residence in. "Trini?"
"Hum?" her hand finding the small of his back underneath six layers of clothes and rubbed gently. He stiffened in more than one way against her.
Taking another swallow to get his vocal cords working again, "You do realize that if I take a shower with you, washing your back is going to be least of what I have in mind."
She tilted her head, eyes watching his for a moment, "Well I should certainly hope so. You are after all a healthy young man with a lusty appetite for life."
He nodded, his steps quickening as fantasies he had thought long buried fluttered through his mind. "Okay, just thought I would let you know," almost pushing her into the sonic shower chamber now.
The laugher of delight should have embarrassed Jason but it didn't, his mind was more pleasantly engaged in other thoughts. "Oh wait, Jason..." Pressing her palm against his newly revealed chest. The heat from him almost scolded her hand. "Hum..." taking great appreciation at what he was showing her.
"What?" watching the heat in her eyes.
Her eyes fluttered up to his a second before she pressed another kiss on him. "I love you too."
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"How does anyone expect us to find flowers in subspace?" Aisha chuckled lightly as she circled a few items on the 'wish' list that Tanya had managed to mock up in less time it took for her to comb her hair. "And do they even have champagne on KO-35? Assuming that I'm getting married there. Cause I kind of like my mother and father to be there."
"Well, I thought that maybe you'd like to get marry the minute we hit Gildeon." Tanya frowned as she studied the screen in front of her. "Least there something else come up and interrupt your plans." The yawn she gave had her jaw popping. "Oh man, I'm tired."
"Go to bed," Aisha suggested as she continued to scan the list. "Garter belts?"
"Blue ones," she replied with a grin.
Rolling her eyes, Aisha sighed and shook her head. "I wonder if my honeymoon is going to be spent running for our lives or battling mutant scum of the universe."
"I'd go with the mutant scum," Tanya commented as she continued to check the steady readings on the engine's temperature. Granted the readings told her that while the rest of the ship was near freezing temperatures, the engine was a sweet one hundred and sixteen degrees. "The excitement of the battle might make for better sex."
Aisha burst into laughter.
"Ah... no sound more beautiful," Zack commented as he came in bearing hot coffee and doughnuts. "Not the greatest in the world, but it'll have to do in the pinch."
"Thanks, Zack," Tanya dimpled up at him but paused to see the weariness in the usually jolly dancer's eyes. "Time for bed?"
"Hum..." he smiled at her. "Almost there. I've got Kim, Tommy and Kat upstairs right now. TJ's suppose to relieve Kat in a bit. I just came to relieve you ladies until the next shift comes up." He suppressed the yawn with difficulty before saying, "It only takes one person to watch the readings." Blinking rapidly, he failed to notice the concern in the girls' eyes.
Tanya frowned at him. "I'm not quite there on the sleepy department yet. Why don't you guys take off and let me handle things here for a while."
"Right," Aisha shook her head. "This from the girl that almost fell asleep writing this list you've decided that I needed to have for my wedding." Making shooing movements with her hand, "Go on, both of you. I've had a really long nap after my seal and Rocky makes sure that I rested often. I'm good for at least another hour or two before the next set comes up. I'll take the engine room."
"Speaking of Rocky," Zack looked around the room. "Where is our dear bottomless pit? I thought for sure he wouldn't be letting you out of his sights until you two are properly wed."
"My darling is currently sleeping, trying to ignore the fact that food does not equate body warmth. Contrary to what people think, body fat doesn't produce a ounce of extra heat, not that my man has anything extra on that fine physique."
"Spoken like a woman in love," Tanya sighed enviously. "How did you manage to talk him into going down without you, anyways? I thought he said that he couldn't sleep without you by his side anymore."
Blushing, Aisha smiled. His sweet Rocky was all gentleman most of the time and boyishly endearing at other times. Then there were moments when he was so romantic that he melted her heart. "As much as I would like to take credit for my persuasive ways... I think it was the headache he's been complaining about that finally convinced him that he needed to go down for a few hours on his own while I helped out."
"Rocky has a headache?" Zack asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Yeah, as do some of the others," Aisha shrugged. A part of her knew what Zack was thinking and part of her wished it to be so. But she would never wish the kind of pain she went through on her lover. And so she prayed that it was just a headache caused by the cold. "We're going to have to start thinking of ways to conserve heat. Everyone is suffering cause of the cold."
"I know what you mean," Zack rubbed his neck, willing the tight muscles there to relax a little. "Every time I try to sleep, I could just feel every muscle in my body scrunch together to try to keep some body heat inside."
"Tell me about it. I haven't felt this bad since... oh I cannot even remember when I felt this bad." Tanya groaned and then yawned again, blinking rapidly to push back the sleepiness.
"All right, time for the two of your to go off," Aisha pointed to the door and put down her list. She could look at it at another time when Rocky and her could seriously discuss this. In the meant time, she's got friends that need a quick friendly kick in their behind to get them going. "Go on."
"No thanks," Zack said taking a seat. "I think I would prefer suffering through a little longer than get into that cold bed and feel years of training the body to relax go down the drain."
"And I don't want to go back to bed yet, it's too quiet in that room," Tanya complained then yawned again. "Damn it."
"Yeah, I really believe you when you say that you're not ready for bed," Aisha hauled her best friend onto her feet. "Zack, please help Tanya back to her room. You both need a little sleep and I'm the one that's going to see to it that you get it."
"Aisha..." came the two protest in unison.
"Nope, I won't take no for an answer." She pointed to the door. "Remember what you said to the younger Rangers? We take care of our own here and you're not allow to work yourselves into a state of numbness, I don't care how uncomfortable and..." Her brows knitted together.
"What?" Tanya asked, glancing at the readings on the screens again.
"Zack, why don't you just stay with Tanya tonight," she suggested.
"What?" Zack looked horrified.
"Yeah, Aisha." Nodding her head concurrently. "What's up with you?"
"Take it easy. I haven't gone matrimony mad that I'm playing cupid now. I'm just saying that sharing body heat isn't such a bad idea," she smiled slyly at them both. "We are all friends here, aren't we?" her big eyes told another story all together.
"Um..." Zack shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Of course we are but... but..."
"We can't," Tanya gave Zack an apologetic look that the poor guy missed cause he was too busy glancing down at his feet.
"Why not? Why suffer when you may not have to," Aisha pointed out.
"Well, it's just a little... weird since Zack and I..." she glanced at him, feeling the heat creep up in her cheeks. "We're friends but we... we haven't really known each other for all that long and... sleeping together is kind..."
"I'm not saying have sex," Aisha was thoroughly enjoying being the blunt one now. Watching the blushes that were currently decorating the cheeks of the two most outspoken, fun loving, living life by the seat of your pants members of the team, she was almost tempted to cackle with glee. "I'm saying share body heat, have a good night's sleep without the miseries of this refrigerator that we're currently living in."
Zack decided that it was best to head this one off. "I..."
"You haven't been sleeping well cause of the cold, right?" Aisha asked of him in her most reasonable tone.
"Yeah..." he reluctantly admitted.
"And probably won't now cause we've gone a few more degrees down, right?"
This was going badly. "Yes, but...."
"And all the survival handbooks say that when in extreme cold, sharing body heat is the best way to stay alive and avoid hypothermia." Aisha smiled at the two.
"Um..." Tanya racked her brain for anything that can combat Aisha's solution to her heat deprived sleep.
"Tanya, for gosh sakes, just hop in bed with him and end both your miseries."
Both former Rangers stared at Aisha, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Boy that came out wrong," she chuckled before shaking her head. "Look guys..." she looked from one to the other. "You know that I'm right. The only thing that is stopping you is your shy personalities," she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "And your sense of honor and... morality, I guess. But you know that I'm right about this. And it's the right thing to do."
Tanya glanced at Zack; Zack stared at the floor. They both knew that it was.
"Well?"
Kicking himself mentally and prayed that he doesn't embarrass himself in his sleep, Zack took a deep breath. "So, you want to sleep on the inside or out?"
Tanya made a face at Aisha, warning her friend that she was so going to get her back. "In. I tend to..." she blushed again before she could mention that she rolled in her sleep.
"Inside it is," Zack nodded his head. Scrunching up his courage, he offered her his arm. "Shall we get some rest?"
"Yeah," Tanya replied and talked out, glaring at Aisha over her shoulder.
Aisha wiggled her fingers at them, sighing with satisfaction. "Hum... I wonder if I should have mention that the other reason those two are so reluctant to sleep together is that they are extremely attracted to one another." Thinking about the daggers in Tanya's eyes, "Nah."
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Kat wiggled uncomfortably in the chair and took a sneaking glance at Kimberly toward her right and then at Tommy toward her left. Neither one has spoken a word to the other since the others cleared out to rest or do whatever it is they needed to do. And the silence was becoming decisively oppressive. She was dying to know what was happening between the two of them... and it was kind of awkward to ask... especially given her past relationship with both of them.
"Is there something you want to say, Kat?" Tommy asked after another ten minutes of sensing her discomfort and impatience. One thing he's learned over the years, Katherine Hillard had the patience of a nit when it came to gossip.
Blinking blue eyes at him, she turned and peeked guiltily at Kimberly, who had turned in her chair to stare blankly at Kat. "Um.... Well.... I.... That is.... Oh hell," she muttered darkly.
Tommy suppressed the grin he was feeling beginning to bloom on his face. "You wanted to know what's going on between Kim and me, is that what you were trying to ask?"
Throwing him a dark look, Kat turned to her fellow former pink wearing Ranger. "Kim, I don't mean to pry...."
"But you're going to anyways," Tommy interjected, tongue in cheek.
"Oh shut up, you dummy," Kat shot back at him before turning back to the expressionless Kimberly. Kat made a helpless gesture. "Just with everything else going on around here, I... I haven't really been keeping my ears to the ground the way I use to and...." She glanced at Tommy again, who was sitting suddenly soberly in his chair. Not a good sign. "I wanted to know if you and Tommy have... made up."
"Made up?" Kimberly repeated in a monotone. She tilted her head, as if considering the question. "Tommy and I have talked."
"Talked?" Kat replied, a little surprised. "That's it? Talked?"
"We had lunch together?" Tommy added cheerfully.
"Lunch?" Kat asked, shock clearly on her face. Her eyes went to Tommy's innocent look. The surge of outrage was totally for Kimberly's sake. "YOU WAIT NEARLY FIVE YEARS AND ALL YOU HAD WAS LUNCH?!?" She threw her coffee mug at him, empty now but still quite effectively heavy. Tommy barely ducked in time. Katherine had a deadly aim... As do all outraged women.
Kim grinned. "We also had sex. But that's not the important thing, right?"
Kat's jaw hit the floor. Then she threw the chart of print outs Billy had given her earlier at Kimberly. "You little...."
"What?" Laughing as paper flew in every direction except at the intended target.
Kat huffed for a moment while Tommy and Kim chuckled before her curiosity got the better of her. Crossing her arm over her many layered chest, "Well?"
"Well what?" Tommy asked, wiping a tear from his twinkling eyes.
Kim rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's inability to follow the feminine logic of thought. "We're doing good, Kat. Tommy and I are... treading cautiously through some old issues but definitely moving on with the adult part of our relationship. As for the future, that's yet to be decided. We're looking forward to seeing where this relationship leads."
"We are?" Tommy asked stupidly as he blinked. The glare from both women brought him to his senses. "Well, yeah. We are looking forward the to the future. At least, I am. Isn't that obvious?"
Kat's lips twitched. "Well for a moment there, it looked like it wasn't to you."
"It is," he frowned, not sure he was hearing what he was hearing and not thrilled with what he was getting now. Turning to Kim, he studied her face for a moment. "I just assumed that it would be happily ever after. Call the optimist in me but that's what always believe when I am presented with something that is wonderful." He frowned, concern etched on his face. "Don't you believe in happily ever after anymore, Kim?"
Startled, she didn't know how to respond for a moment. It was a question never posed upon her before. Starting at Tommy, then looking at the bemusement on Kat's face, Kim was hard pressed to answer the question.
"Kim?" Tommy asked quietly, his eyes riveted by the fact that she wasn't able to answer. For a moment, he forgot to breath. This was Kimberly... his Kimberly... his sunshine sweet Kimberly. The one that he always imagined wearing a halo and made from spun sugar. His beautiful angel from the heavens.
"Once upon a time, Tommy, I use to," Kim answered, her eyes sliding to Katherine.
Kat was no dummy. "I think I'll go get some coffee." And slipped out of the room without a backward glance. Her heart slipped a notch as she realized that things were not going to be as easy as pie for those two. As much as they love one another, time and space have made them different people than the ones they remembered. Still, Kat had high hopes for them. There was simply too much love there to go to waste.
Tommy didn't realize he had left his seat until his hands closed over Kimberly's fragile shoulders. She flinched at his touch. The vulnerability in her made him ache. Crouching, he turned her chair to face him, wanting... no, needing to see her face. The helpless loss in her eyes was a knife wound at his heart. "Talk to me, Beautiful, please."
Sober eyes turned to stared at the vest space and stars beyond the viewing screen. "Children are blessed with the ability to see the world in shades of sparkling white. And then one day, you grow up and the gray around you can sometimes suffocate your clear eyes. But then... something miraculous comes along, something you never thought was possible can come along and open those eyes to the world of possibilities once more. When you have something that is so perfect, so wonderful, you can believe in everything and anything." Her thin hand reached out and she touched his cheek. "You know how they say that it's the darkest before the dawn? It's also the darkest just after twilight. And I know."
He leaned in, kissed those sad down turned lips. "We're still at high noon, honey."
She smiled, rubbing her cold nose against his. "I wasn't talking about us."
Deflated, he could only answer, "Oh."
That brought a laugh from Kim. "You men and your egos." Her lips brushed against his to ease the sting of the remark. "I was talking about the Power Rangers and Zordon."
Tommy nodded, resting his cheek against hers. "I know that it was a hard decision to leave the Rangers but you have your dreams to pursuit and..."
Kimberly laughed out loud now, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh boy, you're just batting zero today, aren't you?" pressing her lips against his cheek. The daylong bristles on his scratched her gently, reminding her than he was there, with her. "The darkness is about Zordon's death. The death of something wonderfully good that I thought would never be gone."
"Does it hurt bad?" he asked, smoothing the hair that tickled his nose.
"There are moments when I think that there is nothing good left in this world."
"I never think that," he told her with a smile as he leaned back to look at her pretty face. "I don't ever truly believe that cause I have so much in the world to be thankful for."
Touched at the way he was looking at her, she curled a lock of his fine hair around her finger. "Like what?"
"Like Jason and a perfect-pitch baseball game. Like Rocky and ice cream with heavy cream on top. Like Adam and Saturday Night Live with a huge tub of popcorn shared. Like Aisha and bottled spring water. Like Tanya and rainbows in the sky. Like Billy and the strive for a cure for cancer. Like Trini and a brand spanking new pair of boxing gloves. Like Justin and little girls with daisies in their hair. Like Kat and lemonade on summer evenings. Like Zack and an old movie you see at the video store that remind you of good times shared." He pressed his lips hard against hers; letting her taste his conviction in all the wonders that still managed to touch him in small ways every day. "Like you and sizzling hot showers after a satisfyingly hard work out." He kissed her again, feather like and gentle as a breeze. "Like a never ending hope that I would one day get to hold you just like this again."
She closed her eyes, and sighed from deep within. "You always know just what to say to infuriate me or make me melt into a puddle at your feet."
Smiling cause he found that rather flattering, "I love you, Kim. Hold on to that thought."
"Like a life saver," she replied. "I need you."
"No one to watch the command deck," he replied with regret.
Kim laughed again. "I meant to be my bright spot in the darkness."
Tommy had the grace to blush. "Oh."
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Adam tried desperately to ignore the agonizing nails in his frontal lobes for as long as he could. After tossing and turning for an hour in bed, freezing his ass off, he finally sighed with reluctance and headed toward the infirmary for that much needed aspirin.
The cursing from the medical room as he neared almost had Adam grinning. A part of him was glad that he wasn't the only one suffering this badly from the cold. It also helped to relieve the sickening nervousness that had began when his eyes caught the countdown on the clock. No, if someone else was also feeling ill, it meant that he wasn't... couldn't be.... He shut his eyes for a moment and rubbed his forehead with is forefinger. It was getting steadily worse.
"Hey, you dying too?" Rocky asked, peering at the bottle he was holding up. Eyes vision was getting lightly obscured due to his inability to concentrate. "Agh... can you tell me what this is?"
Taking the bottle from him, Adam squinted at the label. "This isn't even English."
Giving into the rage that seemed to have steadily consumed him, Rocky flung the bottle across the room, shattering plastic and little green pills. "ALL I WANTED WAS SOME FREAKING ASPIRINS!!! IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK???"
Adam closed his eyes and ignored the ringing of his ears. "Are you done?"
Slumping onto a bed, Rocky shook his head slowly. "I wish I was. Then maybe I can get some sleep and be warm for a change."
"At least you have Aisha to keep you nice and toasty sometimes," Adam replied as he began to pilfer through the cabinets for anything resembling pain medication. "Where's Trini?"
"Don't know, she was gone when I got here."
"Probably got moved back to her room so that she's at least semi warm. This room is like an ice box." Adam rubbed his arms and frowned at the label. "I don't suppose we have one of those handy translation programs in the computer like they do on Star Trek, do we?"
"We aren't nearly that lucky, as the recent events have shown us," Rocky grumbled and got up again. He was having a hard time fighting the rage that's been slowly building since the headache started. "You know what? We have the worse luck in all the galaxies."
"On that, I'd have to agree with you," Adam nodded his head slowly, looking at a light blue bottle with green writings on it. The whiff from the bottle nearly knocked him off his feet. "Definitely not aspirin."
"Should you be doing that?" Rocky asked cautiously, looking over Adam's shoulder.
"How else are we going to find something for this blinding headache?" He continued his search. "How are you doing otherwise?"
"Cold, tired, worried, hungry..."
"You're always hungry."
"That's not the point."
"What is?"
"That every once in a while, we should get a break," he rubbed his finger along the bridge of his nose. The needle seemed to be stabbing him repeatedly just behind his right eye. "I mean, how many people, human and otherwise, are always in a constant struggle for their lives." He's tried just about everything now, including some of those mediation exercises that Aisha is always harping at him about. Nothing was helping with the pain. He wanted those aspirins. "When was the last time we actually felt safe in our lives. If it's not one thing, it's another. When do we get a break from all this?"
"When we die and join Zordon," Adam answered simply as he poked a finger into a white bottle with pale pink pills.
That deflated Rocky in a hurry. "You are in one hell of a mood tonight, aren't you?"
"Is it night?" Adam asked, glancing over his shoulder with tired eyes. "I can't tell anymore."
The subdued tone was a warning signal that Rocky recognized through years of friendship. "What's up, buddy?"
Adam tilted his head and looked to be considering the question seriously. "Well, my best friend is getting married in a few days, which is good news. The world may end in a few days, which is bad news. All the heroes of the galaxy are gathered, which is good. Unfortunately they are locked in this tin can with the rest of us, which is the bad. Trini, our resident doctor, is apparently up and around now, which is very good. And we're about to drop another patient on her in about forty-five minutes, which is bad. Zordon is dead, Jorian is about to escape, we're burning out the engines to the most advance ship in the universe, half of the fleet of KO-35 is dead or MIA and there is the fact that my head feels like it's going to explode any second.... Hum.... I'm sorry, what was the question again?"
Running his tongue over his teeth, Rocky nodded to himself. "Yep, definitely one hell of a mood." Moving slow in useless hope of reducing the amount of pounding in his head, he sat down on a bed and looked at Adam as the former Black Ranger scour through the cabinets once more. "You scared, Adam?"
His hand paused on a large tubular bottle. "No so much scared as terrified. Pissed off as hell too but hey, who the hell cares?"
"Adam?"
"Don't Rocky," sighing, he dropped both palms on the counter and leaned heavily against it. The needle pricks were beginning to resemble nails now. "I'm sorry that I lost my head there."
"You are definitely allowed. We've all had our moments."
"We don't get to all have our moments," he smiled without humor.
"We all do," Rocky replied with conviction. A moment of silence passed before he asked, "Are you as mad about all this as I am?"
"Probably more so," Adam asked and resumed his search.
"You don't look it."
"I'm getting pretty good at keeping secrets now a days."
"Me too. Frightening isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Want to go punch out some bad guys?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
Rocky nodded. "Frustrating not being able to do the combat part of this, isn't it? Doesn't help to relieve some of the grief and anger when you've got to sit on the sidelines and do the mundane things when all you want to do is morph and kick some ass." Rubbing his hand over his face, he wasn't sure which was worse, the helplessness or the pounding headache that made him want to throwing himself out the nearest window.
"It's worse when you know there are those out there doing what you can be doing," Adam added, pressing his index finger into his eyes socket trying to ease some of the pain here. "Did you get a look at the casualties list?"
"I tried," Rocky muttered, pulling open a cabinet with even more pill bottles. It would appeared the Andros had an over fondness for pretty bottles with no pills. "Aisha turned it off. Said it would only give me nightmares and she didn't like being kicked in bed. I think she was just freaked out by them and didn't want to see them any more."
"Won't surprise me one bit," tossing an empty bottle in the trash compactor. "Tanya won't even try to look at the first. I honestly thought Kat was going to throw up on me."
Rocky made a helpless noise in the back of his throat as the nails been drill bits. "Any luck?"
"I think I found the aspirin," Adam announced as he shook little diamond shaped pills into his palm.
"Thank god," Rocky groaned as he came over and picked up three. "I thought I was going to have to ask my girl to hit me or something."
"Wouldn't be such a bad idea," Adam muttered as he looked around for water. "I hate dry swallowing pills."
"At this point, I don't care if I have to take them with..."
"Hey!" Karone called out as she stepped into the medical bay. "I was looking for Trini."
"Not here," Adam replied more cheerfully now that relief was in sight.
Frowning, Karone grabbed the bottle in Adam's hand then looked up surprised at them. "Why would you want to take these?"
"We've got headaches like you won't..." Rocky nearly crushed the pills in his hand into powder as the drill bits suddenly became a sludge hammer on every nerve in his face and around his eyes. "Oh..."
Adam grabbed the edge of the counter, taking in deep breath to keep from doubling over with pain. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his will power exerted itself and forced him to look at the counting clock on the wall. Twelve minutes to the next breaking of the seal... no, it couldn't be. But Rocky's sudden sharp cry of pain told him that it most certainly could be. Then everything else was incinerated by the atom bomb that went off behind his eyes. "Jesus H. CHRIST!!!"
"Who?" Karone asked, her arm going around the much taller man as his knees buckled. "Hey, hey, hey," her own knees almost giving out under the weight of the former rangers. "Try not to crush me," the managed to maneuver him close enough to a bed to shove him in the general direction. "DECA, I need help. Get...get..." she wasn't sure who was up and about right now. "Get Trini," since the doctor wasn't in the medical bay, Karone could safely assume she was up and moving. "And Zhane," knowing that her boyfriend was getting food. "Hurry!"
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Next Chapter: "Right, right, like no one saw this one coming."
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.
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Chapter Thirty Seven - Darkness
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-Astro Mega Ship-
She sat still; perfectly steady and at ease on the medical bed, feet crossed, eyes closed and hands resting lightly on her knees in the classic lotus position. Complete calm and serenity encased her. Deep breaths: in and out, in and out, in and out. Nothing but the void.
"I thought you were still asleep," Jason murmured softly from the doorway, having stood there for the past ten minutes, simply enjoying the sight of her upright again.
"I think a little more than ten hours is enough, even for me," her eyes remained closed but she could sense Jason moving further into the room. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to know that you knew I was there some time ago," he replied, hopping onto the adjacent bed. "How do you feel?"
"Better," taking another deep then exhaling slowly before opening her eyes to look at him. He looked haggard. "Probably better than you look."
Jason smiled; Trini never pulled any punches when she doesn't have to. "I'm fine."
"Really?" raising a brow.
"Awake less than an hour and already you're back on duty?" he asked with a raised brow of his own.
Trini tilted her head. "I take care of my own." She unfolded her legs and sat at the edge of the bed, testing out her own strength before getting off. A little weak but steady, just as she expected and had braced for. Crossing over until she was standing between his knees, Trini studied the strong jaws and tired eyes. "You didn't sleep well."
He shrugged. "I don't know what is it about hospitals and medical bay's chairs. They're never made to be the most comfortable sleeping apparatuses. We'll have to work on that."
The fact that he failed to answer her statement/question didn't surprise her one bit. The Jason she knew would never complain about little things like the discomfort of the lack of sleep, hunger or any of the little things that would drive normal people up the wall. Her sweet Jason: always the hero without a thought for himself when there are others to consider. She touched his cheek, smiling when he rubbed his bristly face against her palm sending a shiver of delight down her spine.
"Cold?" he asked, eyes straying to her lips. The thoughtfulness in her eyes disconcerted him. "What?"
She shook her head. "Nothing."
"No, that was not nothing," he took hold of her wrist, rubbing his face against her palm again and saw the shiver that assaulted her body. Delighted that he could have that effect on her, "What's the matter? Afraid?"
"Of you?" came the haughty look question as she threw a lock of tangled hair. "Never." She made and face and glanced at her hair. "God, I cannot even remember when I last washed myself."
Jason smiled, "You know what I think?"
She glanced back at him while running fingers through her hair. "What?"
"I think you just changed the subject on me."
Trini ran on tongue over her teeth and muttered, "One good turn deserves another."
"What are we avoiding here?" he asked, eyes watching as her hand continued to separate the clumped locks.
"Probably the line that separates the most dangerous of alliances in the world."
That distracted him. "What?"
She rolled her eyes at him and stepped away. "Think that offer of sonic shower still stands?"
"I'm sure it does," he stood up and followed her. He wasn't sure where her thoughts were; they seemed to be flying in several different directions at once. "You want me to show you how it works?"
She slants him a look, not sure where she was really going with this. He looked good, standing here in the weak looking helpful and tired. The poor darling has been pushing himself cause she's been pushed. "What a pair the two of us make."
He frowned, not sure he liked the way she said that and cannot seem to shake off the thrill of delight that she had linked them together. "You want to explain little comment to me?"
"You and your dedication. Me and my obligations. Logically such workaholics would probably drive each other crazy within a week. I'm a logical person, a very reasonable person. I usually think about every consequence before doing anything so I reduce the amounts of mistake that can take place. I guess you can say it's been in my training, both with the Rangers and with medicine. Logic is very important to me and logically, you are I are so alike that it's really wrong. But it doesn't seem to matter to me right now about." She stopped in the hallway and took his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Doesn't matter at all now."
"What are you talking about?" he asked, in the winds as to what she was talking about and not minding that they seemed to be taking a slow stroll down the corridor. She was slight and warm against him, making him feel big and powerful but weak and vulnerable all at the same time. Contradictory emotions weren't something he was use to but seemed to be a constant when he was with her.
"I want a shower," she pronounced, bumping her chin against his shoulder.
"Okay," he nodded, giving on following the woman's train of thoughts, one arm slipping easily around her waist. "I'll show you how to operate the...."
"And I want you in there with me," pressing her lips against the corner of his lips. She heard and felt the gasp before turning her head just enough to allow her lips find its main target, living them both just a little breathless as she looked into his eyes. Watching the confusion, the heat, the passion that misted his glaze, she gave a sigh of appreciation. "I'll do your back if you'll do mine," she promised against his lips.
He swallowed the thumping in his throat where his heart seemed to have taken permanent residence in. "Trini?"
"Hum?" her hand finding the small of his back underneath six layers of clothes and rubbed gently. He stiffened in more than one way against her.
Taking another swallow to get his vocal cords working again, "You do realize that if I take a shower with you, washing your back is going to be least of what I have in mind."
She tilted her head, eyes watching his for a moment, "Well I should certainly hope so. You are after all a healthy young man with a lusty appetite for life."
He nodded, his steps quickening as fantasies he had thought long buried fluttered through his mind. "Okay, just thought I would let you know," almost pushing her into the sonic shower chamber now.
The laugher of delight should have embarrassed Jason but it didn't, his mind was more pleasantly engaged in other thoughts. "Oh wait, Jason..." Pressing her palm against his newly revealed chest. The heat from him almost scolded her hand. "Hum..." taking great appreciation at what he was showing her.
"What?" watching the heat in her eyes.
Her eyes fluttered up to his a second before she pressed another kiss on him. "I love you too."
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"How does anyone expect us to find flowers in subspace?" Aisha chuckled lightly as she circled a few items on the 'wish' list that Tanya had managed to mock up in less time it took for her to comb her hair. "And do they even have champagne on KO-35? Assuming that I'm getting married there. Cause I kind of like my mother and father to be there."
"Well, I thought that maybe you'd like to get marry the minute we hit Gildeon." Tanya frowned as she studied the screen in front of her. "Least there something else come up and interrupt your plans." The yawn she gave had her jaw popping. "Oh man, I'm tired."
"Go to bed," Aisha suggested as she continued to scan the list. "Garter belts?"
"Blue ones," she replied with a grin.
Rolling her eyes, Aisha sighed and shook her head. "I wonder if my honeymoon is going to be spent running for our lives or battling mutant scum of the universe."
"I'd go with the mutant scum," Tanya commented as she continued to check the steady readings on the engine's temperature. Granted the readings told her that while the rest of the ship was near freezing temperatures, the engine was a sweet one hundred and sixteen degrees. "The excitement of the battle might make for better sex."
Aisha burst into laughter.
"Ah... no sound more beautiful," Zack commented as he came in bearing hot coffee and doughnuts. "Not the greatest in the world, but it'll have to do in the pinch."
"Thanks, Zack," Tanya dimpled up at him but paused to see the weariness in the usually jolly dancer's eyes. "Time for bed?"
"Hum..." he smiled at her. "Almost there. I've got Kim, Tommy and Kat upstairs right now. TJ's suppose to relieve Kat in a bit. I just came to relieve you ladies until the next shift comes up." He suppressed the yawn with difficulty before saying, "It only takes one person to watch the readings." Blinking rapidly, he failed to notice the concern in the girls' eyes.
Tanya frowned at him. "I'm not quite there on the sleepy department yet. Why don't you guys take off and let me handle things here for a while."
"Right," Aisha shook her head. "This from the girl that almost fell asleep writing this list you've decided that I needed to have for my wedding." Making shooing movements with her hand, "Go on, both of you. I've had a really long nap after my seal and Rocky makes sure that I rested often. I'm good for at least another hour or two before the next set comes up. I'll take the engine room."
"Speaking of Rocky," Zack looked around the room. "Where is our dear bottomless pit? I thought for sure he wouldn't be letting you out of his sights until you two are properly wed."
"My darling is currently sleeping, trying to ignore the fact that food does not equate body warmth. Contrary to what people think, body fat doesn't produce a ounce of extra heat, not that my man has anything extra on that fine physique."
"Spoken like a woman in love," Tanya sighed enviously. "How did you manage to talk him into going down without you, anyways? I thought he said that he couldn't sleep without you by his side anymore."
Blushing, Aisha smiled. His sweet Rocky was all gentleman most of the time and boyishly endearing at other times. Then there were moments when he was so romantic that he melted her heart. "As much as I would like to take credit for my persuasive ways... I think it was the headache he's been complaining about that finally convinced him that he needed to go down for a few hours on his own while I helped out."
"Rocky has a headache?" Zack asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Yeah, as do some of the others," Aisha shrugged. A part of her knew what Zack was thinking and part of her wished it to be so. But she would never wish the kind of pain she went through on her lover. And so she prayed that it was just a headache caused by the cold. "We're going to have to start thinking of ways to conserve heat. Everyone is suffering cause of the cold."
"I know what you mean," Zack rubbed his neck, willing the tight muscles there to relax a little. "Every time I try to sleep, I could just feel every muscle in my body scrunch together to try to keep some body heat inside."
"Tell me about it. I haven't felt this bad since... oh I cannot even remember when I felt this bad." Tanya groaned and then yawned again, blinking rapidly to push back the sleepiness.
"All right, time for the two of your to go off," Aisha pointed to the door and put down her list. She could look at it at another time when Rocky and her could seriously discuss this. In the meant time, she's got friends that need a quick friendly kick in their behind to get them going. "Go on."
"No thanks," Zack said taking a seat. "I think I would prefer suffering through a little longer than get into that cold bed and feel years of training the body to relax go down the drain."
"And I don't want to go back to bed yet, it's too quiet in that room," Tanya complained then yawned again. "Damn it."
"Yeah, I really believe you when you say that you're not ready for bed," Aisha hauled her best friend onto her feet. "Zack, please help Tanya back to her room. You both need a little sleep and I'm the one that's going to see to it that you get it."
"Aisha..." came the two protest in unison.
"Nope, I won't take no for an answer." She pointed to the door. "Remember what you said to the younger Rangers? We take care of our own here and you're not allow to work yourselves into a state of numbness, I don't care how uncomfortable and..." Her brows knitted together.
"What?" Tanya asked, glancing at the readings on the screens again.
"Zack, why don't you just stay with Tanya tonight," she suggested.
"What?" Zack looked horrified.
"Yeah, Aisha." Nodding her head concurrently. "What's up with you?"
"Take it easy. I haven't gone matrimony mad that I'm playing cupid now. I'm just saying that sharing body heat isn't such a bad idea," she smiled slyly at them both. "We are all friends here, aren't we?" her big eyes told another story all together.
"Um..." Zack shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Of course we are but... but..."
"We can't," Tanya gave Zack an apologetic look that the poor guy missed cause he was too busy glancing down at his feet.
"Why not? Why suffer when you may not have to," Aisha pointed out.
"Well, it's just a little... weird since Zack and I..." she glanced at him, feeling the heat creep up in her cheeks. "We're friends but we... we haven't really known each other for all that long and... sleeping together is kind..."
"I'm not saying have sex," Aisha was thoroughly enjoying being the blunt one now. Watching the blushes that were currently decorating the cheeks of the two most outspoken, fun loving, living life by the seat of your pants members of the team, she was almost tempted to cackle with glee. "I'm saying share body heat, have a good night's sleep without the miseries of this refrigerator that we're currently living in."
Zack decided that it was best to head this one off. "I..."
"You haven't been sleeping well cause of the cold, right?" Aisha asked of him in her most reasonable tone.
"Yeah..." he reluctantly admitted.
"And probably won't now cause we've gone a few more degrees down, right?"
This was going badly. "Yes, but...."
"And all the survival handbooks say that when in extreme cold, sharing body heat is the best way to stay alive and avoid hypothermia." Aisha smiled at the two.
"Um..." Tanya racked her brain for anything that can combat Aisha's solution to her heat deprived sleep.
"Tanya, for gosh sakes, just hop in bed with him and end both your miseries."
Both former Rangers stared at Aisha, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Boy that came out wrong," she chuckled before shaking her head. "Look guys..." she looked from one to the other. "You know that I'm right. The only thing that is stopping you is your shy personalities," she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "And your sense of honor and... morality, I guess. But you know that I'm right about this. And it's the right thing to do."
Tanya glanced at Zack; Zack stared at the floor. They both knew that it was.
"Well?"
Kicking himself mentally and prayed that he doesn't embarrass himself in his sleep, Zack took a deep breath. "So, you want to sleep on the inside or out?"
Tanya made a face at Aisha, warning her friend that she was so going to get her back. "In. I tend to..." she blushed again before she could mention that she rolled in her sleep.
"Inside it is," Zack nodded his head. Scrunching up his courage, he offered her his arm. "Shall we get some rest?"
"Yeah," Tanya replied and talked out, glaring at Aisha over her shoulder.
Aisha wiggled her fingers at them, sighing with satisfaction. "Hum... I wonder if I should have mention that the other reason those two are so reluctant to sleep together is that they are extremely attracted to one another." Thinking about the daggers in Tanya's eyes, "Nah."
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Kat wiggled uncomfortably in the chair and took a sneaking glance at Kimberly toward her right and then at Tommy toward her left. Neither one has spoken a word to the other since the others cleared out to rest or do whatever it is they needed to do. And the silence was becoming decisively oppressive. She was dying to know what was happening between the two of them... and it was kind of awkward to ask... especially given her past relationship with both of them.
"Is there something you want to say, Kat?" Tommy asked after another ten minutes of sensing her discomfort and impatience. One thing he's learned over the years, Katherine Hillard had the patience of a nit when it came to gossip.
Blinking blue eyes at him, she turned and peeked guiltily at Kimberly, who had turned in her chair to stare blankly at Kat. "Um.... Well.... I.... That is.... Oh hell," she muttered darkly.
Tommy suppressed the grin he was feeling beginning to bloom on his face. "You wanted to know what's going on between Kim and me, is that what you were trying to ask?"
Throwing him a dark look, Kat turned to her fellow former pink wearing Ranger. "Kim, I don't mean to pry...."
"But you're going to anyways," Tommy interjected, tongue in cheek.
"Oh shut up, you dummy," Kat shot back at him before turning back to the expressionless Kimberly. Kat made a helpless gesture. "Just with everything else going on around here, I... I haven't really been keeping my ears to the ground the way I use to and...." She glanced at Tommy again, who was sitting suddenly soberly in his chair. Not a good sign. "I wanted to know if you and Tommy have... made up."
"Made up?" Kimberly repeated in a monotone. She tilted her head, as if considering the question. "Tommy and I have talked."
"Talked?" Kat replied, a little surprised. "That's it? Talked?"
"We had lunch together?" Tommy added cheerfully.
"Lunch?" Kat asked, shock clearly on her face. Her eyes went to Tommy's innocent look. The surge of outrage was totally for Kimberly's sake. "YOU WAIT NEARLY FIVE YEARS AND ALL YOU HAD WAS LUNCH?!?" She threw her coffee mug at him, empty now but still quite effectively heavy. Tommy barely ducked in time. Katherine had a deadly aim... As do all outraged women.
Kim grinned. "We also had sex. But that's not the important thing, right?"
Kat's jaw hit the floor. Then she threw the chart of print outs Billy had given her earlier at Kimberly. "You little...."
"What?" Laughing as paper flew in every direction except at the intended target.
Kat huffed for a moment while Tommy and Kim chuckled before her curiosity got the better of her. Crossing her arm over her many layered chest, "Well?"
"Well what?" Tommy asked, wiping a tear from his twinkling eyes.
Kim rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's inability to follow the feminine logic of thought. "We're doing good, Kat. Tommy and I are... treading cautiously through some old issues but definitely moving on with the adult part of our relationship. As for the future, that's yet to be decided. We're looking forward to seeing where this relationship leads."
"We are?" Tommy asked stupidly as he blinked. The glare from both women brought him to his senses. "Well, yeah. We are looking forward the to the future. At least, I am. Isn't that obvious?"
Kat's lips twitched. "Well for a moment there, it looked like it wasn't to you."
"It is," he frowned, not sure he was hearing what he was hearing and not thrilled with what he was getting now. Turning to Kim, he studied her face for a moment. "I just assumed that it would be happily ever after. Call the optimist in me but that's what always believe when I am presented with something that is wonderful." He frowned, concern etched on his face. "Don't you believe in happily ever after anymore, Kim?"
Startled, she didn't know how to respond for a moment. It was a question never posed upon her before. Starting at Tommy, then looking at the bemusement on Kat's face, Kim was hard pressed to answer the question.
"Kim?" Tommy asked quietly, his eyes riveted by the fact that she wasn't able to answer. For a moment, he forgot to breath. This was Kimberly... his Kimberly... his sunshine sweet Kimberly. The one that he always imagined wearing a halo and made from spun sugar. His beautiful angel from the heavens.
"Once upon a time, Tommy, I use to," Kim answered, her eyes sliding to Katherine.
Kat was no dummy. "I think I'll go get some coffee." And slipped out of the room without a backward glance. Her heart slipped a notch as she realized that things were not going to be as easy as pie for those two. As much as they love one another, time and space have made them different people than the ones they remembered. Still, Kat had high hopes for them. There was simply too much love there to go to waste.
Tommy didn't realize he had left his seat until his hands closed over Kimberly's fragile shoulders. She flinched at his touch. The vulnerability in her made him ache. Crouching, he turned her chair to face him, wanting... no, needing to see her face. The helpless loss in her eyes was a knife wound at his heart. "Talk to me, Beautiful, please."
Sober eyes turned to stared at the vest space and stars beyond the viewing screen. "Children are blessed with the ability to see the world in shades of sparkling white. And then one day, you grow up and the gray around you can sometimes suffocate your clear eyes. But then... something miraculous comes along, something you never thought was possible can come along and open those eyes to the world of possibilities once more. When you have something that is so perfect, so wonderful, you can believe in everything and anything." Her thin hand reached out and she touched his cheek. "You know how they say that it's the darkest before the dawn? It's also the darkest just after twilight. And I know."
He leaned in, kissed those sad down turned lips. "We're still at high noon, honey."
She smiled, rubbing her cold nose against his. "I wasn't talking about us."
Deflated, he could only answer, "Oh."
That brought a laugh from Kim. "You men and your egos." Her lips brushed against his to ease the sting of the remark. "I was talking about the Power Rangers and Zordon."
Tommy nodded, resting his cheek against hers. "I know that it was a hard decision to leave the Rangers but you have your dreams to pursuit and..."
Kimberly laughed out loud now, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh boy, you're just batting zero today, aren't you?" pressing her lips against his cheek. The daylong bristles on his scratched her gently, reminding her than he was there, with her. "The darkness is about Zordon's death. The death of something wonderfully good that I thought would never be gone."
"Does it hurt bad?" he asked, smoothing the hair that tickled his nose.
"There are moments when I think that there is nothing good left in this world."
"I never think that," he told her with a smile as he leaned back to look at her pretty face. "I don't ever truly believe that cause I have so much in the world to be thankful for."
Touched at the way he was looking at her, she curled a lock of his fine hair around her finger. "Like what?"
"Like Jason and a perfect-pitch baseball game. Like Rocky and ice cream with heavy cream on top. Like Adam and Saturday Night Live with a huge tub of popcorn shared. Like Aisha and bottled spring water. Like Tanya and rainbows in the sky. Like Billy and the strive for a cure for cancer. Like Trini and a brand spanking new pair of boxing gloves. Like Justin and little girls with daisies in their hair. Like Kat and lemonade on summer evenings. Like Zack and an old movie you see at the video store that remind you of good times shared." He pressed his lips hard against hers; letting her taste his conviction in all the wonders that still managed to touch him in small ways every day. "Like you and sizzling hot showers after a satisfyingly hard work out." He kissed her again, feather like and gentle as a breeze. "Like a never ending hope that I would one day get to hold you just like this again."
She closed her eyes, and sighed from deep within. "You always know just what to say to infuriate me or make me melt into a puddle at your feet."
Smiling cause he found that rather flattering, "I love you, Kim. Hold on to that thought."
"Like a life saver," she replied. "I need you."
"No one to watch the command deck," he replied with regret.
Kim laughed again. "I meant to be my bright spot in the darkness."
Tommy had the grace to blush. "Oh."
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Adam tried desperately to ignore the agonizing nails in his frontal lobes for as long as he could. After tossing and turning for an hour in bed, freezing his ass off, he finally sighed with reluctance and headed toward the infirmary for that much needed aspirin.
The cursing from the medical room as he neared almost had Adam grinning. A part of him was glad that he wasn't the only one suffering this badly from the cold. It also helped to relieve the sickening nervousness that had began when his eyes caught the countdown on the clock. No, if someone else was also feeling ill, it meant that he wasn't... couldn't be.... He shut his eyes for a moment and rubbed his forehead with is forefinger. It was getting steadily worse.
"Hey, you dying too?" Rocky asked, peering at the bottle he was holding up. Eyes vision was getting lightly obscured due to his inability to concentrate. "Agh... can you tell me what this is?"
Taking the bottle from him, Adam squinted at the label. "This isn't even English."
Giving into the rage that seemed to have steadily consumed him, Rocky flung the bottle across the room, shattering plastic and little green pills. "ALL I WANTED WAS SOME FREAKING ASPIRINS!!! IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK???"
Adam closed his eyes and ignored the ringing of his ears. "Are you done?"
Slumping onto a bed, Rocky shook his head slowly. "I wish I was. Then maybe I can get some sleep and be warm for a change."
"At least you have Aisha to keep you nice and toasty sometimes," Adam replied as he began to pilfer through the cabinets for anything resembling pain medication. "Where's Trini?"
"Don't know, she was gone when I got here."
"Probably got moved back to her room so that she's at least semi warm. This room is like an ice box." Adam rubbed his arms and frowned at the label. "I don't suppose we have one of those handy translation programs in the computer like they do on Star Trek, do we?"
"We aren't nearly that lucky, as the recent events have shown us," Rocky grumbled and got up again. He was having a hard time fighting the rage that's been slowly building since the headache started. "You know what? We have the worse luck in all the galaxies."
"On that, I'd have to agree with you," Adam nodded his head slowly, looking at a light blue bottle with green writings on it. The whiff from the bottle nearly knocked him off his feet. "Definitely not aspirin."
"Should you be doing that?" Rocky asked cautiously, looking over Adam's shoulder.
"How else are we going to find something for this blinding headache?" He continued his search. "How are you doing otherwise?"
"Cold, tired, worried, hungry..."
"You're always hungry."
"That's not the point."
"What is?"
"That every once in a while, we should get a break," he rubbed his finger along the bridge of his nose. The needle seemed to be stabbing him repeatedly just behind his right eye. "I mean, how many people, human and otherwise, are always in a constant struggle for their lives." He's tried just about everything now, including some of those mediation exercises that Aisha is always harping at him about. Nothing was helping with the pain. He wanted those aspirins. "When was the last time we actually felt safe in our lives. If it's not one thing, it's another. When do we get a break from all this?"
"When we die and join Zordon," Adam answered simply as he poked a finger into a white bottle with pale pink pills.
That deflated Rocky in a hurry. "You are in one hell of a mood tonight, aren't you?"
"Is it night?" Adam asked, glancing over his shoulder with tired eyes. "I can't tell anymore."
The subdued tone was a warning signal that Rocky recognized through years of friendship. "What's up, buddy?"
Adam tilted his head and looked to be considering the question seriously. "Well, my best friend is getting married in a few days, which is good news. The world may end in a few days, which is bad news. All the heroes of the galaxy are gathered, which is good. Unfortunately they are locked in this tin can with the rest of us, which is the bad. Trini, our resident doctor, is apparently up and around now, which is very good. And we're about to drop another patient on her in about forty-five minutes, which is bad. Zordon is dead, Jorian is about to escape, we're burning out the engines to the most advance ship in the universe, half of the fleet of KO-35 is dead or MIA and there is the fact that my head feels like it's going to explode any second.... Hum.... I'm sorry, what was the question again?"
Running his tongue over his teeth, Rocky nodded to himself. "Yep, definitely one hell of a mood." Moving slow in useless hope of reducing the amount of pounding in his head, he sat down on a bed and looked at Adam as the former Black Ranger scour through the cabinets once more. "You scared, Adam?"
His hand paused on a large tubular bottle. "No so much scared as terrified. Pissed off as hell too but hey, who the hell cares?"
"Adam?"
"Don't Rocky," sighing, he dropped both palms on the counter and leaned heavily against it. The needle pricks were beginning to resemble nails now. "I'm sorry that I lost my head there."
"You are definitely allowed. We've all had our moments."
"We don't get to all have our moments," he smiled without humor.
"We all do," Rocky replied with conviction. A moment of silence passed before he asked, "Are you as mad about all this as I am?"
"Probably more so," Adam asked and resumed his search.
"You don't look it."
"I'm getting pretty good at keeping secrets now a days."
"Me too. Frightening isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Want to go punch out some bad guys?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
Rocky nodded. "Frustrating not being able to do the combat part of this, isn't it? Doesn't help to relieve some of the grief and anger when you've got to sit on the sidelines and do the mundane things when all you want to do is morph and kick some ass." Rubbing his hand over his face, he wasn't sure which was worse, the helplessness or the pounding headache that made him want to throwing himself out the nearest window.
"It's worse when you know there are those out there doing what you can be doing," Adam added, pressing his index finger into his eyes socket trying to ease some of the pain here. "Did you get a look at the casualties list?"
"I tried," Rocky muttered, pulling open a cabinet with even more pill bottles. It would appeared the Andros had an over fondness for pretty bottles with no pills. "Aisha turned it off. Said it would only give me nightmares and she didn't like being kicked in bed. I think she was just freaked out by them and didn't want to see them any more."
"Won't surprise me one bit," tossing an empty bottle in the trash compactor. "Tanya won't even try to look at the first. I honestly thought Kat was going to throw up on me."
Rocky made a helpless noise in the back of his throat as the nails been drill bits. "Any luck?"
"I think I found the aspirin," Adam announced as he shook little diamond shaped pills into his palm.
"Thank god," Rocky groaned as he came over and picked up three. "I thought I was going to have to ask my girl to hit me or something."
"Wouldn't be such a bad idea," Adam muttered as he looked around for water. "I hate dry swallowing pills."
"At this point, I don't care if I have to take them with..."
"Hey!" Karone called out as she stepped into the medical bay. "I was looking for Trini."
"Not here," Adam replied more cheerfully now that relief was in sight.
Frowning, Karone grabbed the bottle in Adam's hand then looked up surprised at them. "Why would you want to take these?"
"We've got headaches like you won't..." Rocky nearly crushed the pills in his hand into powder as the drill bits suddenly became a sludge hammer on every nerve in his face and around his eyes. "Oh..."
Adam grabbed the edge of the counter, taking in deep breath to keep from doubling over with pain. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his will power exerted itself and forced him to look at the counting clock on the wall. Twelve minutes to the next breaking of the seal... no, it couldn't be. But Rocky's sudden sharp cry of pain told him that it most certainly could be. Then everything else was incinerated by the atom bomb that went off behind his eyes. "Jesus H. CHRIST!!!"
"Who?" Karone asked, her arm going around the much taller man as his knees buckled. "Hey, hey, hey," her own knees almost giving out under the weight of the former rangers. "Try not to crush me," the managed to maneuver him close enough to a bed to shove him in the general direction. "DECA, I need help. Get...get..." she wasn't sure who was up and about right now. "Get Trini," since the doctor wasn't in the medical bay, Karone could safely assume she was up and moving. "And Zhane," knowing that her boyfriend was getting food. "Hurry!"
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Next Chapter: "Right, right, like no one saw this one coming."