Dancing in the Shadows Part 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. Don't sue me.
Setting: Still between "A Date with Danger" and "Zhane's Destiny."
Holding On
By: Pink Ranger Karone
Zhane turned pale as he looked at the picture of Astronema that Cassie held in front of him. "Where..where...did you...you get that?" he stammered.
"I found it the other night. You dropped it," Cassie informed him. "Why did you have it?"
"Um, target practice?" Zhane offered.
"Nice try, but I don't believe it," Cassie said, shaking her head.
Zhane made a grab for the picture, but Cassie moved it out of his reach. "Can I have it please, Cass," Zhane begged.
"What were you thinking?" Cassie asked, almost yelling. "Astronema is a villain!"
"Well I guess I just wasn't thinking!" Zhane yelled.
"Why not? You're a Power Ranger for crying out loud! This is not the sort of situation you just jump into without thinking!" Cassie yelled back.
"I'm falling in love with her," Zhane declared, a statement that surprised himself as well as Cassie.
"Astronema? You're falling in love with Astronema? She's tried to kill you, like how many times Zhane? Are you completely out of your mind?"
Zhane sighed and ran his fingers through his white-blonde hair. "But it's different when it's just the two of us. I mean, it's like I'm no longer the Silver Ranger and she's no longer Astronema. We're like two completely different people. It's like..." he tried to explain.
"Like Romeo and Juliet," Cassie finished, rolling her eyes a little.
"Huh?" Zhane, not being from Earth, was confused by Cassie's analogy. "Who are they."
"They were star-crossed lovers in a play by the famous Earth playwright, William Shakespeare. Their families were fighting this feud, but they fell in love anyway, despite the fact that they should hate each other," Cassie explained.
"What happened to them in the end?" Zhane asked.
Cassie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "They died."
Zhane's eyes got big. "Died?"
"Yep," Cassie replied. "Just goes to show you, falling in love with the enemy is never a good plan."
"We're not going to die," Zhane said defiantly. "Those Romiet and Julio people were just a fluke."
"Romeo and Juliet," Cassie corrected him.
"Whatever. It's different with Astronema and me. You'll see," Zhane promised her.
Cassie shook her head. "This isn't good, Zhane," she said. "She's going to hurt you."
"No. She'd never hurt me. You have to believe that." Suddenly, a new thought popped into Zhane's head. "You're not going to tell the others are you?"
Cassie let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what to do," she admitted. "You can't stay with her. It's not good for the team."
"How is it not good for the team? It could end up being very good for the team?" Zhane argued.
"How so?" Cassie asked.
"Well, maybe if we're together long enough I can convince her to be good," Zhane suggested.
Cassie groaned and handed the picture of Astronema back to Zhane. "I guess you have a valid point there," she admitted. "But be careful."
"Thanks, Cass," Zhane said as he took the picture back. "You're the greatest. And I promise--nothing bad will come of me being with Astronema."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Men," she grumbled. "Your hormones are always getting you guys into trouble."
***
Astronema woke with a start. She'd had the dream again--the same dream she had at least twice a month ever since she was a little girl. In the dream, she was till a child and she was playing with a little boy, who she somehow knew was her brother. They were playing with a ball, but it went to far and he ran to get it. Then something grabbed her, and she screamed. She yelled her brother's name--if only she could remember what that name was!--but it was too late. The strange, faceless creature had already taken her away.
"Oh, what does it mean?" she asked aloud. "And why does it seem so real?"
Astronema lay back down, but sleep didn't come again that night.
***
Zhane found Andros on the bridge of the MegaShip, staring blankly out into the stars. "Having trouble sleeping again?" Zhane asked.
Andros jumped a little, startled by the sound of his best friend's voice, as if he had pulled out of deep thought. "Yeah. I had that dream where Karone's kidnapped again," he replied without turning around.
Zhane patted Andros's shoulder. "I know what losing Karone has meant to you. I mean, we were all crushed when she disappeared. But you can't just let it haunt you like this..."
Andros jumped up and spun around to face Zhane. "What else am I supposed to do, huh?" he shouted. "And don't even say you know what it's like, because you don't!"
"What do you mean I don't know what it's like?" Zhane shouted back. "In case you've forgotten, I came to live with you and your family because my whole family was killed in that accident! And don't think losing Karrie didn't effect me, too. All I could think about for months after she was gone was how maybe if I had just been a little nicer to her and played with you guys in the park that day it wouldn't have happened. It was just she always wanted to be around me, and..." he stopped, not wanting to think about it anymore.
Andros calmed down. "I think she had a crush on you," he said softly.
Zhane laughed mirthlessly. "Maybe she did." He paused for a moment. "I'm going to bed. Try to get some rest, okay?"
Andros nodded. "I'll do my best. G'night."
Zhane smiled. "Night," he replied as he started to leave the bridge.
"Oh, and Zhane," Andros called after the Silver Ranger before he could leave. "Darkonda would have gotten Karone whether you were there or not."
Zhane stopped for a second, but didn't look back at Andros. "You're probably right," he replied, although years of guilt made it difficult for him to truly agree with his friend.
***
"Cassie? Cassie? Cassie!" Ashley tried to get her best friend's attention, as they ate breakfast with Carlos and TJ the following morning.
Finally hearing Ashley, Cassie jumped. "Huh? What is it?" she asked.
"Are you okay?" Ashley questioned. "You haven't touched your food."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Cassie replied. "Just tired I guess."
"Are you sure?" TJ asked as he reached across the table and took hold of her hand.
"Yep," Cassie said with a forced smile. Just then, Zhane walked away. Cassie pushed her un-touched food away from her and got up from the table. "Excuse me," she said as she left the room.
Zhane sat down and watched Cassie leave. He frowned.
"Are you two fighting?" Carlos asked.
Zhane shook his head no. Then he got up. "I'm going to go talk to her," he said as he dashed out of the room.
Ashley watched Zhane run off to catch up with the Pink Ranger. "Well, that was definitely weird," she commented. TJ and Carlos nodded in agreement.
***
"Cassie, wait up!" Zhane called.
Cassie stopped and turned around. "What?"
"You said last night that you could handle my relationship with Astronema. Obviously, you can't. What made you change your mind?" Zhane asked.
Cassie sighed. "I'm just really worried about you. I mean, Astronema's only going to hurt you, and you don't even seem to realize it. You said last night that you might be able to turn her over to our side. But what if the opposite happens? What if she turns you against us?"
Zhane gripped Cassie's shoulder. "That won't happen, Cass," the Silver Ranger promised. "And you have to believe me when I say that Astronema won't hurt me. She's even apologized for trying to hurt me in the past."
Cassie looked skeptical. "That doesn't sound like Astronema."
"I know," Zhane said. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. When it's just us, she's, well, different."
"It could be some sort of trick," Cassie warned.
Zhane shook his head. "Somehow I don't think so. I trust her. There's just something about her...something almost familiar, almost as if I've known her my whole life. And you of all people Cassie should know what it's like to care for someone that you probably shouldn't."
Cassie softened a little. "Well, I guess if you really think it's safe for you and the rest of the team..." Her voice trailed off.
Zhane hugged her. "Don't worry. I would never do anything that would hurt any of you guys. And as for me, Astronema's not going to hurt me or turn me evil," he promised.
Cassie gave him a little smile. "Just be careful, Zhane."
***
"Zhane, You're awfully quiet tonight," Astronema said as the two of them sat in their normal place by the campfire.
"I guess I just have a lot on my mind." He looked up. "Cassie, the Pink Ranger, found out about us."
Astronema just stared at him for a second. "How?"
"I dropped your picture, and she found it," Zhane explained.
Astronema let out a heavy sigh. "You have a problem with dropping pictures, don't you?"
Zhane looked puzzled. "Huh?"
"Never mind," Astronema said quickly. "Is she going to tell the other four?"
Zhane shook his head. "She said she wouldn't. But she wants us to break up."
Astronema blinked in surprise. "You're not considering it, are you?"
Zhane frowned. "I don't want to, but maybe..."
"Maybe it's for the best if we just call it quits now before things get out of hand," she finished his sentence.
"Yeah," Zhane said softly.
Astronema looked down at the ground. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've never even known happiness or friendship until now. I don't want to lose you."
Zhane pulled her into his arms. "I don't want to lose you either," he told her, "but what if we end up hurting each other."
Astronema placed her hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at her. "Zhane, the only way we're going to hurt each other is by saying good-bye. We need each other. Don't you understand that?"
Zhane kissed her gently. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Astronema replied.
Zhane smiled at her and got a sudden gleam in his eye. "Hey, have you ever been to a carnival?"