By N. E. Shaw
Soft beeps signaled the rhythm of Ashley's heart, as she lay in the infirmary a day later. Softer came the whoosh of the machine that kept her breathing. Only once before had these machines supported someone in such a state of injury, and that time it had taken two years for him to make it back.
Leaning in the doorframe across the room, Andros fingered the bandage plastered over his stomach. Both he and Cassie were covered with electrical burns, worst at the point of entry. Andros also had a metal crutch assisting his right leg. The tumble across the Plaza had wrenched it, and parts of the ankle were crushed. Generally he was a mess. A fact that disgusted him.
But he at least was breathing on his own. Ashley probably wasn't even aware of her own presence in the room. More life functions had been damaged than anyone wanted to count, and the slightest pause in her heart rhythm gave Andros chills of terror. As he watched over her, he wished he could give his life to salvage hers. But alas, he could only wait for her to fight her own way home.
Slowly, he limped his way to her bedside and pulled up a stool to sit on. He leaned his crutch against the wall and took up her hand in his, giving her a few moments' silent regard.
"You have to get well," he insisted, barely above a whisper. "You've got to promise me...please..."
Of course, she did not reply; did not even indicate whether she heard him, but he gave her time anyway, stroking her fingers as the moments beeped by.
Then there was a small rustle at the doorway, where he had just been. He looked, but saw nothing, and assumed it was just his imagination. Meanwhile, in the hallway, Zhane headed away from the door, having seen his share of suffering already.
The Silver Ranger drifted slowly down the hall with despair on his mind. No coherent ideas bothered him, he just heard music, loud and angry. The mental drums pounded mercilessly, giving him a headache and making it grow until tears formed in his eyes. He inclined his head and tried not to blink, because the last thing he wanted to do was cry.
So instead, he roared and slammed his fist into the wall.
It was a move that prompted immediate regret, because now his hand hurt too. He slid down the wall in defeat. Was there no escaping pain today?
"They say bulkheads aren't the best outlet for frustration," Cassie's voice drifted to him from down the hall. Zhane lowered his moist eyes. "That's what they say. But everyone else is hurting, why not me?"
She approached him slowly and crouched down to his level. "Do you blame yourself for what happened to us? Cause if you do you'd be pulling an Andros, and I'd be forced to hurt you more."
He rolled his eyes at her. "I'm not pulling an Andros. I only know one guy who does that. I'm just angry that it happened and that I wasn't there to help..."
"Why weren't you?"
"'Cause I ran into Ecliptor."
"You what?" she cried. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Calm down, he wasn't there to fight me. I don't know why he was there really, he was trying to talk about Karone."
"You mean..'Astronema'."
"No, 'Karone'. He called her Karone, and he told me to stay away from her or he'd make me eat his sword."
"Sounds like more of a jealous-big-brother remark, than an evil-arch-nemesis one."
"I know, I can't stop thinking about it. It was like his programming was messed up somehow, like he's reverting back to the way he was before, when he actually cared about Karone on some level. If only the same would happen to her, she could stop the Psychos and keep you guys from getting hurt anymore..."
He trailed off and his eyes fell away from Cassie's. "I just want all the suffering to end."
The Pink Ranger bowed her head, tuning into the feeling they all felt by now. "I'm tired of it too," she assured. "But we did take out one of theirs already. It's just a matter of time till the rest of them go down as well."
A ripple of bitterness crossed Zhane's features. "How do you know it's not their turn? Ashley's lying in there right now, ready to--"
Before he could finish, Cassie grabbed his arm--the one he slammed the wall with, so she had his attention.
"Alright, listen up, don't you dare make it harder for her than it already is. She's counting on you to see her through this..."
"Andros is the one she needs, not me."
"Wrong. In case you hadn't noticed, you're another bright spot in her life. Can't you see that? When Andros is feeling gloomy, she turns to you to get her feeling positive again. She needs to feel positive, it's just in her nature. Right now she needs you more than ever..."
Zhane blinked several times, searching her eyes. He had never thought of himself as part of Ashley's world. But then again, she did tend to draw on his energies when morale was down.
"She leans on me? You're sure?" he asked.
"Positive," she replied, finally letting go of his arm.
Zhane took a long, cleansing breath and composed himself. "Can I go now?" he asked gently, showing her his swollen hand.
Cassie helped him to his feet. Zhane left her with a small smile and headed back up the corridor. He had the energy now to spare his hurting friend...
When he peeked in the door, Andros had his head down on the edge of the bed. At first Zhane thought he was crying, or praying, but he was simply asleep. The room was peacefully quiet, with only the gentle hiss of the respirator.
So...where was Ashley's heartbeat?
"Andros wake up!" Zhane hollered, darting to the bedside. The Red Ranger jerked awake and immediately sensed something wrong.
"What happened?" he cried.
"I dunno, I just got here. Her pulse has quit.."
"Well we gotta get it back!"
"I know, I'm trying!"
Zhane was punching buttons, trying to discover how long Ashley had been without a pulse. Andros stopped and restarted the machinery, to see if there was a malfunction. But still Ashley's heart didn't beat.
"Let go of her hand, man.." said Zhane, attatching two tiny electrodes to her forehead. "Charging. Keep clear..."
Ka-CHUNK! went the machines. Ashley spasmed and fell, and nothing else happened.
"Again!" said Andros.
Ka-CHUNK! went the machines.
Zhane tuned out everything but his message to her. "We're waiting for you Ashley..."
Then...BEEP! said the heart monitor, and it kept on beeping as her heart pumped strongly again.
Andros all but collapsed, as the others ran in. They started asking questions, none of which were heard by the two most-relieved Rangers. Shaking like jello, Andros picked up Ashley's hand again and pressed it to his lips. Then he looked at Zhane and whispered, "Thanks..."
The Silver Ranger nodded, reassuring both himself and his friend. "She'll be back, man... count on that."