2. Smile

"I know you're closed-eye watching me,

Listening

I thought I saw a smile

I've found a way to make you

I've found a way

A way to make you smile"

"My most beautiful", REM.

It was 04:30 in the morning. Zhane entered the kitchen on the Astro Mega Ship and found Carlos brewing coffee.

"I thought you guys didn't stay here the night."

"Right."

"So what are you doing here at such an hour?"

"Brewing coffee."

"I can see that. May I have some?"

"Not ready yet. Do you know where the thermoses are?"

"Top right cupboard, first shelf."

"Right."

"What do you need a thermos for?"

"To keep the coffee hot."

"And why…" Zhane gave it up. Carlos's attention was clearly light years away. "I could confess to being in love with our sworn enemy and all you would say is "right"."

"Right," said Carlos, "What's so funny?"

"Never mind."

"Here's your coffee." Carlos poured some of the coffee to a mug and the rest to the thermos. He grabbed his bag. "See you later."

Zhane watched the hurrying black Ranger disappear. "I wonder what got into him."

"You nearly got it this time!" laughed Shiera.

"You still beat me four out of five."

"Hey, it took me years to develop this. What are you getting you bag for? There's still time."

"I thought maybe we could have a coffee break."

"You made coffee?"

"Sure."

"This isn't instant coffee, right?"

"I'd rather drink sewage water."

"Nice to know that we agree."

They set together on the wet grass, the thermos between them, and watched the sun rise above the trees.

"Do you know what we should do tomorrow?" asked Carlos suddenly.

"Arrange for some danishes?"

"That too, but I had something else in mind. How about we meet on the breakwater? It's nice and sandy for sparring, and we can watch the sun rise over the waters. Some way to start the day."

"It does sound nice."

"Is there anything wrong? You look upset."

"Remember when I asked you if you had anything in your mind except sparring?"

"Yes. Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Would you listen to me please?"

He stopped talking and waited for her to continue. Shiera, however, seemed lost for words.

"Would you mind if I do something first?"

"Go ahead."

She placed her mug aside and leaned her head on his shoulder. Carlos felt his heart racing.

"You're the first friend I had in years," she said quietly, "Thank you."

He couldn't speak, so he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"I should be thanking you," he finally managed to say.

"Shush," she said softly.

He brushed a stray lock of midnight hair from her face and whispered: "I could get used to this."

She cuddled closer to him. "So would I," she whispered back.

"So sweet," said Astronema teasingly. Not for anything would she admit that she longed to be held just like that in the silver

Ranger's arms. "You told me that you already have a plan for the girl, Ecliptor?"

"Indeed so." She lost weight, he thought, looking at his beloved princess, I don't know what went wrong, but this plan should help you as much as it should hurt the Rangers. "I have run some background checks on Shiera, and came up with interesting results…"

"There's nothing wrong with making oneself coffee, Zhane," said Andros for the who-know-what time.

"So what did he need the thermos for?"

"Maybe he wanted to take coffee to school."

"What was he doing up so early anyway?"

"I can tell you what he wasn't doing," said Andros wearily, "He wasn't switching the sugar and the salt."

Zhane burst out laughing. "It was hilarious, you should have seen you faces!"

"Let's see you drinking salty tea."

"At least I won't complain about it for a whole day!"

"Zhane…" said Andros warningly.

"Look, I'm telling you he's hiding something."

"Well, I don't think he's hiding anything, and neither does Ashley."

"Fine."

"Hey, where are you going?"

Zhane stood in the doorway and pulled the best of his hurt expression. "To find someone who would believe me"

Andros tried not to cringe under Zhane's gaze. "You're the master of guilt, has anyone ever told you that?"

Zhane grinned, knowing he won. "Only because you force me to."

"Is this getting better and better," said Carlos happily as he set down to lunch, "Those potatoes smell heavenly. Your mother's recipe, Ashley?"

"Almost," she answered, smiling proudly. "Andros added some spices I wasn't familiar with."

"Tastes as good as it smells," said TJ.

"Too hot for me," complained Cassie, "You're getting better with those burgers, yesterday they were still bleeding in my plate."

"That's how they're supposed to be eaten!"

"Your opinion, not mine."

"I agree with Cassie," said Andros, "Or what's the point of cooking the meat?"

"You're a guy, you're supposed to like it rare!"

"I like it rare," interrupted Zhane.

"No, you're not," said Ashley quickly. "You're just saying it to annoy Andros. I saw the faces you were making yesterday."

"Aren't you guys supposed to be good friends?" asked Cassie, "For all I see, all you do is get on each other's nerves."

"So?"

Andros and Zhane gave her such blank looks she was forced to laugh.

"Hey, no choking on your coke!" said TJ, clapping her back. He gave Andros and Zhane a look of mocked fury. "Look what you've done!"

Carlos helped himself to some juice, but put down the cup as soon as is touched his lips.

"Maybe we should put a lock on the kitchen," he suggested, "And make sure Zhane doesn't get a key."

"What has he done this time?" asked Andros. Zhane was eyeing the distance to the door.

"He put Tabasco sauce in the juice."

Zhane bolted, with Andros close on his tail. "Told you the kitchen was a bad idea!" they heard the red Ranger shouting.

"As no harm was done…" begun Cassie.

"Yet," muttered TJ.

"…how about we get some popcorn and ask DECA to broadcast the pursuit to the simulation deck?"

Several hours later, Andros and Zhane were sitting alone on the Astro Mega Ship's bridge, skimming through morpher records.

"Seen that?" asked Zhane, "Carlos has been in the Park early in the morning just about every day."

"Those records go back for months." answered Andros. He was examining the same records on a separate monitor. "Look at those though."

"If his morning sessions in the Park seem perfectly normal to you, what's wrong with evening session?"

"That they started just a week ago. And ever since he started going there in the evening, his morning sessions became longer."

"Hmm…" said Zhane. His hands flew across the board. "Let's see if the scanner records will hold any more clues. Yup, there's something here. Check the IR spectrum."

"Another warm body? Large enough to be human."

"I told you he was hiding something!" cheered Zhane.

"So you were right once in your lifetime."

"You reckon he's got a girlfriend?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, if it was just a friend he wouldn't have a reason to keep it quiet, and I don't think he's turned traitor, so what other option is there? Besides, the bio-signature is clearly human."

"Yes, you're right." Andros seemed mildly amused. "A girlfriend?"

"I'll talk to TJ."

"Why TJ? I think talking to Ashley would make more sense."

"If Ashley knew about this, she would've told at least one of us."

"She'd be furious. I don't think he ever kept a secret from her."

"Which is why we should go to TJ first."

Andros shook his head: "No."

"You don't think we should tell Cassie, right? Because she would go to Ashley right away."

"I meant, no, we shouldn't talk to anyone just yet."

Zhane's expression was crestfallen.

"We don't have any right to go spreading our ideas, if he's chosen not to tell anyone."

"Ah, you're probably right."

"Is this yeast dough?" asked Andros as he entered the ship's kitchen.

"Yes." answered Cassie. Her hands were thoroughly dusted with flour as she kneaded the dough.

"I haven't smelled yeast dough since KO-35. Zhane's mom used to make cakes every other day. She's one of the best cooks I ever knew, if not the best."

"Still think the kitchen's a bad idea?"

"Not really. It keeps Zhane from dressing up like a monster and attacking me in the corridors."

"He does that?"

"Used to do it quite a lot."

"Didn't you get the hinge of it after a while?"

"I fall for it every time."

"You know," said Cassie, her mind reverting, "I don't think you ever told us what happened to your families."

"Zhane's parents and sisters are ok. They fled with the rest of the rebels, after KO-35 fell."

"Zhane's the baby brother, right?"

"No, he's the first-born."

"He's just so acting like a baby brother."

"I'm solemn enough for both of us."

"True." Cassie put the dough in a large bowl and covered it with a towel. "I'll come tomorrow morning and finish it off."

"Wash your hands, I'll tidy up."

"Thanks. So, where are your parents?"

"They're dead."

Cassie gaped at him. His tone had been perfectly casual, his expression neutral, as if he just made a comment about the weather.

"How can you say it so… calmly?"

"One can get used to many things."

Things clicked in Cassie's head. "That's why you want to find Karone so badly. She's the only family you have left."

He nodded.

"Does Ashley know?"

Another nod. "She guessed."

"Andros… I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

"I don't suppose you want to talk?"

"You're right, I don't." It was enough that she knew this much. After all, he only told Ashley because she guessed it – and because he couldn't deny her anything she wanted.

"I don't know if this is the right thing to say right now, but… We're your family too."

She meant it so hard that his expression softened somewhat. He just nodded again, acknowledging her offer of sympathy.

"So, are there any other dishes that you're missing?"

"Well…". He thought hard. "I haven't thought of it ever since I left KO-35."

"So tell me when you remember?"

"Are you kidding? I can give you a mile-long list right now."

"Better write it down then."

"Cassie?"

"Yes?"

"How do you make people speak, even when they don't intend to?"

"I listen."

He thought it over for a minute. "Thanks. I'll watch out the next time."

"You're a lost case".

To Cassie's great surprise, Andros gave half a laugh. "It's weird having this phrase turned on me, after all the times I addressed Zhane with it."

Cassie grinned. "Birds of a feather."

He gave her a look of utmost confusion. "What?"

This was just too much. Cassie couldn't help it. She laughed.

"Oh, Emma, I've been waiting all day to come and tell you this! Today happened the best thing in years! I need to catch my breath.

"You remember the breakwater? It's been ruined and rebuilt like a hundred times in the last years, with all those monsters attacking every other day, but it's still there, and Carlos and I are meeting there tomorrow morning. I haven't been there for years, ever since… You know. And I'm making cookies tonight because he's bringing the coffee. He certainly knows how to make it!

"Ok, I admit, I like him. He's… Today I put my head on his shoulder when we watched the dawn and he put his arm around me and it felt both as if we did it a thousand times before and as if this was the first time a boy held a girl, which is partially correct because it's the very first time that any boy holds this girl, and I think it's his first time too. He's such a big guy I was surprised that he can be so gently. I shouldn't be surprised, really, not with his eyes, not with the way he listens.

"I only know him for a week! How come that I trust him so much? Yes and no, I think. I can still retreat, if I'll feel the need to.

"I may not know him for very long, but I believe that he would let me go, if I'll want him to. Not that I'm going to do that. I hope you understand what I'm hinting at here, because I'm not ready to say it just yet. At the rate things are turning though, I will be ready in not too long a time. And when I'm truly decided, I'll bring him here.

"Oh my, I'm yawing. I'd better go home than. I'll see you tomorrow: I'll come right after, I promise. 'Night, dear"

Next time: "I've only got one idea, and it's ugly"