Chapter 37: Bad to Worse

Karone was walking through the park and pushed a stray hair behind her ear as she sat down in front of the lake. She picked up a rock and threw it into the water, watching the ripples form into the water. She let out a sigh and rubbed her forehead. "Karone?" A voice called. Karone glanced up to see that it was Leo before she looked back at the water.

"Hey, Leo," she answered.

Leo sat next to his girlfriend and held her hand. "You okay?" He asked. Karone let out a sigh and pushed her tears back.

"I was raped a few days ago and you ask if I'm okay," she muttered.

Leo sighed and he gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You can always trust me," he murmured. Karone tensed up a bit feeling his arm around her, but after a minute, she placed her head on his chest and let out a shaky sigh. "Will the fear ever go away?" She asked. Leo wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes.

"In time a voice answered.

Karone looked up to see Andros standing there. Karone stood up slowly and tears pressed against her eyes. "You had to go through this for four months…how did you survive?" She asked with a lump rising in her throat. Andros sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's not an easy burden to carry, Karone. It's something that you'll carry around forever, but it gets better. As long as you have friends and family who love you around you, it will get better," he replied.

Karone walked over and hugged Andros tight with tears falling down her face. Andros hugged her back and he looked over at Leo. Leo nodded his head slowly to assure Andros that he would protect Karone. She pulled back and wiped the tears from her face. "I just don't understand how…how you could…live with what she did to you," she murmured while staring at the ground. Andros lifted her chin up.

"Karone, you consider yourself lucky that I was able to find you," he answered.

"But…"

"Hey. You didn't know where I was, that's why I had to go through it longer. I knew where you were from the very beginning."

"I would've known where you were if you didn't send me back to KO-35."

Andros sighed as Karone started walking away. "Karone, if I let you stay that day. Divatox would've kept me in that room and Darkonda would've been the one raping you!" He called out. She stopped short before she walked away completely. "Karone, Divatox, Elid, and Darkonda are all monsters. They would've done anything to make our lives miserable," he added.

"They've done a good job," she muttered.

"Only because we let them."

They heard two laughs behind them. "Well, isn't this a pretty picture?" Divatox laughed. She had the three of them freeze. Andros suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

"No," he whispered.

Divatox circled Andros and she ran her finger up and down his face. "How about I leave your sister's little friend alone if you come back to the ship with me?" She asked. Andros felt his stomach roll and the tears were stinging his eyes. "What do you say?" Divatox asked as she got closer.

"Leave him alone," Leo snapped.

Divatox looked up. "Take me instead," Leo put in. Andros shook his head.

"Leo don't!" He objected.

Divatox sneered as she circled Leo. Karone fought against the invisible restraints and the fear welled up in her eyes when she saw Elid. Andros struggled hard. "DON'T!" He shouted. He stood and an idea came to his head. "Okay, only once," he muttered. Andros closed his eyes and red electricity formed in his hands. The invisibles restraints faded away and he waved his hands over his face. He opened his eyes. "DIVATOX!" He shouted. Divatox stopped and looked up with a shocked look on her face. Karone felt her stomach do a flip at what she saw.

"No…" she whispered.

"Demion? It can't be!" Divatox gasped.

Andros grinned, his plan was working. He held his hand up and his staff appeared in his hand. "Set them free," he snapped.

"The Silver Ranger killed you," Elid snapped.

"Ha! You can't kill Demion," Andros laughed.

He walked over and stood between Leo and Karone. He slammed his staff to the ground and they disappeared. "Where did they go?" Divatox asked.

"My Dark Fortress," he replied.

When in fact, Andros had sent them to the Megaship. He winced in pain when his powers started to backfire a bit. He held his head. "My lord?" Divatox asked.

"Leave Earth, this place is mine for the taking," Andros snapped.

(Megaship)

"Andros is in trouble," Zhane informed as he walked on the bridge with Karone and Leo. Ashley felt her heart stop.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Divatox and Elid have attacked," Karone replied.

"No!" Ashley gasped.

"Main viewing screen," Zhane instructed.

Andros appeared on the screen and they saw that he was struggling to maintain his powers. "It's a trick!" Elid snapped.

"They've figured him out!" Ashley gasped.

"DECA, teleport Andros aboard now," TJ instructed.

Andros appeared aboard, but as soon as he was on board, he collapsed to his knees. "Andros!" Ashley gasped. Carlos, who was closer to Andros, grabbed him before he hit the ground. Ashley kneeled next to Andros. "Andros, can you hear me?" She asked. No answer came from him.

"Get him to the infirmary," TJ instructed.

Zhane and Carlos got Andros to the infirmary.

(Infirmary)

Karone ran a scanner over Andros. "Is he going to be okay?" Ashley asked. Karone rubbed her forehead.

"It's hard to say. He wasn't allowed to use his Demion powers. DECA warned Andros that if he used his powers again it could kill him," she replied.

"What do we do?" Ashley asked.

"All we can do is wait," Karone replied.