Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, not sure who does. Here's a nice little Zhane/Andros friendship fic – it is NOT SLASH! Although it may be slightly implied. Please, enjoy this tiny Easter story. Mouse, April 2004.
Family
By Mouse
Andros stood their, smiling at the other four Astro Rangers, Zhane standing next to him.
"Go on, go. Spend the time with your families; it'll be a while before things are this quiet again. We'll call you if we need you." Ashley took his hands in hers and looked at him, her eyes concerned.
"Only if you're sure?" Zhane laughed and grinned at her.
"We are, now go." Ashley looked at Andros and he nodded in agreement.
"Oh, all right. You will call if you need us?"
"Yes, now go." Kissing her on the cheek, Andros gave her a small shove and she headed to the jump tube where the other rangers were already waiting.
"Have a good time everyone." Zhane called and the four rangers waved and then disappeared. Andros sighed, already missing Ashley. Zhane clapped him on the back and smiled.
"Come on Andros, let's go finish up today's duties and then we can sit down for a nice quiet night in." Andros laughed but allowed him to be led out of the room.
"You, wanting a quiet night in? This I have to see." Laughing, the two friends walked out and made their way to the bridge.
A few hours later found the ship mostly darkened and the two of them in Andros's room, discarded plates on the floor and the two of them sitting side by side on the bed, staring out the porthole. They had been quietly talking and Zhane looked over at Andros.
"What do you miss most? About home I mean?" Andros thought a moment and then gave a tiny smile.
"Coming home from training to find Mum had made my favourite meal for dinner and had a hot bath waiting for us both." Zhane laughed along with Andros at that memory.
"Geez, how many times did we beat each other to within an inch of our lives, come home and your Mum would take the other inch in telling us off." Andros grinned then sobered.
"I worry about them you know, wonder if they made it off okay." Zhane reached over and squeezed his friend's hand.
"Of course they did Andros. Your Dad is tougher than the pair of us, at the first sign of things going bad he would have gotten your Mum to the ships, I know he would of." Andros sighed, leaning against Zhane.
"I know he would have. I think he would have been more worried about the two of us, we are Power Rangers after all." Zhane smiled, resting his head against Andros's.
"I know. But he knows that I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Andros said nothing and they stayed quiet for a few minutes. Zhane broke the silence, speaking quietly.
"You know I think of them as my parents to you know."
"I know." Zhane's parents had been killed when he was a child, and Andros's parents, who had been friends of Zhane's parents, took him in. "I think of you not only as my best friend, but as my brother, of my heart, as well as my soul."
"I know. That's what makes it hard sometimes, to try and watch over you. You don't like being babied or looked after." Andros gave a soft snort.
"I know. But you have to admit your worse than I am. At least sometimes I'll accept help, you won't. Or need I remind you about your recent stunt with the lighting?" Andros suddenly felt Zhane stiffen, the good mood that had developed between them evaporating swiftly. Zhane suddenly stood and moved over to the window, crossing his arms. Andros stood and moved over to him, putting his hand on his shoulder. "Zhane? I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring up painful memories." With an effort, Zhane relaxed and looked over his shoulder at Andros.
"I know you didn't. It's just I'm not over the whole 'look two years of your life has gone by but let's just pick up from where we left off' okay. It's going to take some time for me to adjust." Andros laid his head against the back of Zhane's head.
"I know. I keep seeing that day over and over in my head. I would do anything for that not to have happened, to have had you by my side these last two years." Zhane turned around and took Andros by the shoulders, staring him in the eyes.
"Andros, didn't you hear what I said a few minutes ago. I won't let anything, and I mean anything happen to you. That day when I saw that monster about to try and destroy you, I had to act. And I did so, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat." Andros's eyes were troubled.
"But Zhane that cost you two years of your life that you cant' get back!" His tone was sad and melancholy. Zhane reached up and lifted his face up to look him in the eyes. Zhane's eyes were full of love, understanding and pride.
"Andros, I love you more than my life itself. You're the only family I've ever had or ever want. More than anything you're the brother of my soul and my heart. You're stronger than I am Andros than I'll ever be."
"But as the Silver Ranger…" Zhane shook his head and grinned.
"As the Silver Ranger, yes, I'm more powerful than you. But I'm talking spiritually, emotionally. You managed to live here for almost two years, alone with only DECA to talk to. I don't think I could have done that. You had to cope, you didn't have a choice, just as I have to cope and adjust to loosing two years of my life. But we will, because we're back together now and together, there's nothing we can't accomplish." Andros just nodded, his eyes clearing of the guilt that had been in their. Zhane grinned and pulled him into a hug. He whispered softly into Andros's ear. "And don't even start to feel guilty otherwise I'll have to make you stop, and you know what happened last time I decided to do that." Unable to help himself, Andros burst into laughter, which was quickly joined in by Zhane. Releasing each other they grinned in shared memories. Suddenly Zhane clicked his fingers. "Dam almost forgot. Wait here." Andros stared in amusement as Zhane went running out of his quarters. Shaking his head he quickly picked up the plates and put them on the table to be taken back to the synethtron later. A few moments later Zhane came walking back in, a large grin on his face.
"Zhane, what are you up to now?" Zhane was doing his oh so innocent act, which didn't fool Andros for a minute.
"I was talking to Ashley and Cassie about this holiday they are going to celebrate with their families."
"Yeah, Easter I think Ashley called it."
"That's right. A tradition on the Easter Sunday is to give your family chocolate eggs. I'm not sure why, but its tradition right. So here, you're my family, so I want you to have this." Zhane held out a small red foil wrapped Easter egg. He was blushing slightly and looked slightly unsure. Andros reached out and took it, a smile on his face. He looked up at Zhane and smiled widely.
"Thank you Zhane. You're my family as well, come on, let's share this okay?" So, the two friends sat back on the bunk, cracked open the egg and enjoying the chocolate, began to tell each other some absolutely terrible jokes…
After all, Easter is a time to spend with one's family.