When Jayden woke up, every part of his body was sore, but he still tried to push himself out of bed. There was no staying down for the leader of the Samurai Rangers. If he could move, he had to. His bedroom door opened up just as he swung his legs over the side of his bed. Antonio rushed to Jayden's side and tried to get him to lie back down.

"You'll be up and about with less pain much faster if you just stay in bed for the rest of the night," Antonio insisted but Jayden shook his head.

"I'm red Ranger, you're the runaway. I don't follow your orders."

Antonio lowered his head. He held out an ice pack for Jayden to take. The red Ranger smacked it out of Antonio's hand and got up out of the bed. He tried to walk to the door, but stumbled and fell to his knees. Antonio was by his side in an instant. He tried to help Jayden up, but Jayden pushed him away.

"I don't need your help, Antonio."

"Whether you need it or not, you're getting my help," Antonio pulled Jayden up to his feet and walked him back to bed. He tucked him in and placed the ice pack on his ribs, cooling him down instantly and taking the pain away. Jayden let out a small sigh of relief for the comfort, but quickly erased his ease and glared at Antonio with hatred.

"Get out."

"Can we talk?"

"You said it all in the note," Jayden shook his head, "There's nothing left to say, Antonio."

"I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Well, you did."

"I was just… I got scared, Jay. I couldn't use my Barracuda Blade. I couldn't fight with you guys. What if I went into battle and panicked and someone got hurt trying to protect me?"

Jayden wouldn't listen. He wasn't looking at Antonio and seemed to be drifting off. Antonio grabbed his arms and shook him gently, trying to call him back.

"Look, Jay, I'm sorry. I know what I did was stupid and hurtful and if I could go back, you know I wouldn't do it."

Jayden shook his head, "You put the entire team in danger, Antonio. Because of you, Emily was kidnapped and we nearly lost that fight because you were too afraid to touch your stupid Blade."

"I know…" Antonio got up as he realized there was nothing he could do. The damage had been done and the only thing he could do was wait for the broken pieces to be cleaned up. Maybe then he could try and earn back Jayden's trust, but until then, waiting was the only option.

As he reached the door he heard a whisper and then a sob. He couldn't make out what Jayden had said, but it had been something that pushed him over. Now the red Ranger was laying back in his bed, his hands pressed to his eyes, trying to hold back the tears as he cried.

"What did you say?" Antonio asked but prepared to run in case he really set Jayden off.

"Why did you leave?" Jayden asked through the sobs. Antonio looked down at his feet. Apologizing would do no good. Apologizing didn't give Jayden any answers; it didn't take away the pain. Apologies meant absolutely nothing, especially in this case.

"Honestly… I was scared of letting you all down…"

"Look how that worked out," Jayden scoffed sarcastically. He tried to wipe away the tears but they were coming down too fast.

"I was scared you guys would all laugh. I'm a fisherman who is afraid of fish. Of all things, fish?"

"Why would we laugh?" Jayden shook his head, "We're your friends, Antonio. I'm your boyfriend. We would have helped."

"That's what Emily said…" Antonio sighed, "I get it, Jayden. Running away was wrong. You were probably out of your mind with worry and I shouldn't have… I just… I just got so scared."

It was Antonio's turn to start crying.

"I am sorry, Jayden. I really… I really, really am."

"You have no idea how worried I was for you," Jayden said, "Do you have any idea at all what you mean to me?"

"A lot?"

Jayden nodded his head, "I love you, Antonio. I don't care if you're scare of fish, dragons, monsters, or your own toes. You can't run away from the team and you can't run away from me. Not if we're going to make this work. Not if we're going to make us work. We're a team. Our lives aren't our own. My life is in your hands, in everyone's hands, and if you let go you're putting me in a little more danger. You're putting everyone in a little more danger."

"I was stupid," Antonio said, "I didn't expect things to get this bad because I ran away and I know they could have been much worse. If Frankie did get away, Emily would be gone. If I didn't show up to that battle, we could have lost you, or the Zords, and Mia definitely would have been a goner if I had been even one second late."

Antonio gulped, "I get it now, Jayden. I get it now more than ever. I'm not leaving this team again, I won't leave you. Running away was the stupidest thing I could have ever done and it hurt you and the others more than I imagined. I'm really sorry, it won't happen again, and you have me, no matter what, by your side."

"By my side?"

"I'm your partner, Jayden. I'm your boyfriend. Part of that means supporting you, just like you'll support me."

"I've always got your back, Antonio," Jayden nodded, "But I can't protect it if you're off wandering the city and I have no idea where it is."

Antonio smiled, "From now on, you'll know," he sat down on the bed, "So, are we…?"

"I'm still pissed," Jayden huffed and then he cracked a smile and hugged Antonio, "but give it a little time; I think we'll be okay."

Antonio nodded. This was more than he could ask for. He was lucky with Jayden. He was a very, very lucky man, and he would never forget it. He would never forget this experience and all the pain he caused.

"Now get out," Jayden said, "You're still not sleeping here."

"I've got the Zords to work on, anyways," Antonio said, "They took a pretty bad beating against that Nighlok."

-Samurai-

The following morning, Jayden still wasn't too happy with Antonio, but he did feel like he had forgiven him.

In his sleep, he had had a dream about the time he himself ran away. He remembered the fear he felt, all the different emotions and the questions he had. He remembered how worried his team had been when they found him.

And what was worse: he had left no indication that he was gone, and he had left the team badly injured. Kevin and Mike had taken a hit for him that had pulled the out of battle for nearly as long as he had been gone, maybe more if they hadn't been forced out of bed. Emily had her banged up knee and could barely walk. He had basically left Mia stranded with his injured team. At least Antonio had left a note, and had left because he was the weak party.

So on the terms of understanding and forgiveness, Jayden was ready to open his arms to Antonio and let him back into his life.

On the terms of a relationship, Antonio still had quite a way to go.

Limping from his attack the day before, Jayden made it into the common room. No one was up yet. Like usual he was one of the first, up even before Terran. In the common room, he saw Antonio passed out, slouched over the table with Mia's turtle Zord in his hands. He hadn't been kidding when he said he had some repairs to do.

Jayden freed the turtle from the gold Ranger's hand and looked at the work Antonio had managed to accomplish. He hadn't seen the starting point, but he had been inside the Megazord during the beating and he knew the Zords had been quite damaged. To see they were able to go into their inactive state to rest was a huge step up, almost guaranteeing they would be ready for the next battle if Xandred decided to wait another day or so.

Looking to Antonio next, Jayden couldn't help but smile. The gold Ranger had done a lot for the team. Without him… Jayden didn't know where they would be. His contributions started the minute he joined, when he brought back the Octozord, and since then he had been an invaluable member.

"You're worth your weight in gold," Jayden smirked as he grabbed a blanket and draped it over Antonio's shoulders.

"Gold jokes are reserved for me," Antonio muttered, still half asleep, but awake enough to know what was going on. He lifted his head and rubbed his eyes, "What time is it?"

Jayden took a seat on his stool, "You're cute, with your face all pressed against the table and smooshed like that."

Antonio looked to the red Ranger, "How are you feeling? Any better?"

"A little sore," Jayden admitted, "A little stiff, but it won't hold me back."

"You should rest a little more," Antonio pushed himself up, "There's no need to push yourself when you should be recovering. We'll need the team at full strength if that Nighlok comes back."

"Serrator," Jayden said and let Antonio help him up to his feet. "He's serving Master Xandred, but something tells me he's not a blind follower like most Nighlok."

"He's got his own agenda?" Antonio asked.

"Probably," Jayden nodded, "Let's just hope Xandred realizes it soon and destroys him for us."

"I like a good challenge," Antonio shrugged, "Besides, with the six of us, we're unstoppable. Serrator wasn't so tough against the Light Zord."

"You'll have to stay," Jayden said, "I know we discussed it last night, but you'll have to stay and work with us. Even if you think it is humiliating."

"Trust me," Antonio snickered and pointed down the hall, "My fear of fish is not going to be the most humiliating thing anyone's ever done."

Jayden followed Antonio's point and saw Kevin who had just woken up and was headed to the kitchen for breakfast. The blue Ranger was wearing nothing but his boxers and the tutu Mike had used to dress him up as a ballerina. Jayden started to chuckled.

"What the…"

"Fortunately, not everyone was pissed off at me when I came home," Antonio said, "Mia and Kevin tried to help me out with my fear and Kevin promised that if I could find a way to join you guys again, he would wear the tutu."

"If I'm napping through this," Jayden said, "you're taking pictures."

Antonio nodded his head, "I'll have an entire Facebook page of pictures for everyone to see."

"I heard that!" Kevin called from the kitchen.

"C'mon," Antonio let Jayden back to their room, "Back to bed for you."