A/N: Okay guys, this was written in the hospital after what my doctor decribed a mild cardiac event. I'm currently on my second night in here, and I'm scared shitless, but this at lest gave me something to think about besides worrying over things like heart attacks and tand the cardiac catheratization for tomorrow. This Author's note is written under the influence of prescribed narcotics. I hope the story isn't too disjointed.

Danny


Trini put down the document Kim had brought back from the moon and smiled shaking her head, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again, between you and Billy, I swear we sent the wrong Rangers to the Peace Conference." This was one of the best treaties she'd ever seen. There was something for everyone in it. The dragons got access to the damaged lands of Asia for use for their mating flights, Earth not only gets an end to the attacks on the cities, but the dragons help in repairing the damage done by the all the dust kicked up into the atmosphere. Not only that, there was a clause in the treaty for the establishment of Embassies on Earth, and on the dragons' Homeworld, with the Rangers supplying the technology for interstellar travel needed to get there. She smiled to herself noting that most of the patents involved would belong to Billy. Trini always liked seeing her friends get ahead. "This is one of the tightest written, fairest documents I've ever seen."

Kim smiled back at her, "I can't take too much credit for that," she said. "It's hard to not be honest when you're speaking to someone with this phyrespeak." She shrugged, "Not that I would try to lie, but it sort of made the idea of not laying everything in the open sort of silly."

Trini smiled to herself again. Kim had managed to negotiate Earth's first interstellar peace treaty as well as the beginnings of cultural exchanges all without any training whatsoever in diplomacy, and her whole approach to it was total honesty. No wonder it was so good, she'd used the one tool diplomats refuse to use, the truth. "It's good, Kim, very good. I suspect this is one of the tightest, fairest treaties I've ever seen. There's even a measure in here where both parties apologize for the misunderstandings that led to this whole situation, and declare their friendship. Sounds to me like you're applying some of your training as an elementary school teacher, to dealing with a school yard fight," she smiled good-naturedly.

Kim gave Trini, her patented valley girl look and said, "Duh!"

Both women laughed as a Trini handed Kim the document. "Now all you have to do is get the Coalition to agree to it. And for that you have to talk to Jason." Her visage became more serious, "I've been busy with Zack's,' Rocky's, and Aisha's mission to Japan, so I haven't been able to check in on them, how're he and Billy doing?"

Kim frowned, "Billy's still unconscious. Dr. Storm thinks he should come around soon though. Jason finally woke up and except for some tests and scans the Doc has run; he hasn't left Billy's side."

"How's he holding up emotionally?" Trini asked.

Kim shook her head, "You know Jase; action is his middle name, and all this sitting and waiting is about to drive him crazy. So far Tommy has been able to convince him not to blow the Triangulus out of the sky." Kim looked around as if to make sure no one else was listening. Finally, she leaned across the desk and asked in a hushed tone, "Did he really turn into a dragon on Trey's ship?"

Trini nodded, "That's what it looks like. You know Billy said that the phyre would have different effects on each of us. Combine that with holding a Power Coin, and or the Great Power and you've got some pretty powerful forces flowing through our bodies at one time or another. It's a wonder that being infertile is the only effect it had on us."

Kim nodded. Billy and Trini had both been quietly working on solving the problem the female former Rangers had been having with conceiving. The news coming from Billy now was very encouraging. Of course they would all have to wait until this crisis was over to consider beginning their families, but at least now there was a chance to be a little Adam Junior running around, the Park residence. "Yeah, but nobody expected any of us to really become Morphin' Rangers."

"Think about it; Jase piloted both the Tyrannosaur and the Red Dragon 'zords. He should feel a certain affinity for the dragons as it is," Trini told her.

"I wonder if he can morph into any living thing or if a dragon is it?" Kim asked.

"A dragon is enough, isn't it?" Trini joked.


~*~

Billy had the mother of all headaches. It started somewhere behind his eyes and radiated out to end at the tips of his hair. There was a tickling in his scalp at the back of his head like an army of ants was practicing close order drills. He squinted against the bright light in the room, and slowly opened his eyes. A dark form with worried midnight eyes swam into focus. Smiling softly to himself he said, "I take it something went wrong on the Triangulus?"

Jason smiled, "You scared me Bro."

Billy tried to sit up, but the world swam around him, "I thought we got past the bro thing, Jase." Then feeling himself steadied from the other side, he continued, "And you still haven't answered my question. What went wrong?"

"Was he always like this?" Mic's familiar voice asked from where she was steadying him on the other side of the table.

Jason smiled, "Actually, he's been worse." Before Billy could protest, Jason held up a hand, "And don't argue about it. You're always throwing yourself into harms way and pretending that you're not hurt."

"Jason," Billy protested weakly, "What happened with the Triforians?"

"They said something about strange scans and then one of Trey's guards tried to use your head as a T-ball," Jason told him. "Zack yanked us out of there before I could do too much damage. Tommy is trying to convince me not to send the Triangulus back to Triforia in pieces."

"I would appreciate it if you didn't, Jason. Cestro is on that ship, and he deserves better than that," Billy said.

"You deserve better than to be treated like someone's favorite baseball too, Billy," Jason said evenly.

Billy looked over at Mic and pleaded, "Will you try to talk some sense into him?"

"Me?" Mic asked. "I offered to boost the gain on the plasma cannons."

"Oh, great! I hope that Kim is at least doing better with her negotiations than we did," Billy said.

"Ah, I see your finally awake," Dr. Storm's voice interrupted any possible reply. "Now are you going to follow your doctor's instructions for once, or am I going to have to sedate you?"

Billy smiled and waved off his friend as he lay back. "I am merely attempting to ascertain our tactical and strategic situations, so as to best advise our commanding officer."

"Like hell you are," Jason said. "When your commanding officer- me- decides that you are ready to return to duty, then you can have all the information you want. Until then you follow your doctor's orders." He looked gravely at Billy, "And those are MY orders."

Billy smiled at his lover and said, "Then might I at least inquire as to my physical state?"

Ben and Jason exchanged glances for a second, and Billy smiled silently to himself. He was secretly rather pleased to see his oldest friend and his new one closing ranks, and becoming friends themselves. Granted they were closing ranks against him, so the situation did have some drawbacks, but it was still good to see. They both nodded to him. Ben said, "Shoot."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

Ben looked up at the wall clock and then casually began to check several readouts on the table. "About thirty hours."

"I received a significant amount of damage then?" Billy asked.

"Enough," Jason said. "They hit you in the back of the head twice. The doc had to piece your skull back together with spit and bailing wire."

Billy looked up to Commander Storm, worry burning in his eyes, "Cerebral damage?"

Doctor Storm shook his head, "No, no brain damage."

"Then why the thirty hour time lapse in healing simple damage to my skull?"

"Simple damage to your skull?!" Jase almost shouted. "He had to put your skull back together from pieces! Thirty hours is a miracle you lunkhead!"

"Jason, considering the gifts the phyre has given me, thirty hours is an eternity. That wound should have healed in matter of minutes, not hours." Billy turned back to the Doctor, "Do you have any idea what the delay was." The doctor looked back over at Jason and then to Billy. There was a look of concern on his face. "Ben, please don't try to obfuscate. Why?"

Dr. Storm took a deep breath, let it out and said, "Okay. I'm not one hundred percent positive, but I have a theory, and that theory is backed up by some pretty strong evidence."

"Continue," Billy said.

"Okay, I noticed earlier that Commander Scott started reacting to his phyre treatments more quickly than he should. Almost as if his body were drawing on an outside source for energy," he told Billy.

"Go on," Billy told him.

"I noticed that his adjustments were coming not long after you and he spent the night together right after that first fight off San Diego. I think it accelerated not long after you guys returned from dealing with that massive mating flight." He gave both of them a long steady look that was tinged just slightly with a blush. "The night after you two finally, uh, consummated things."

Billy and Jason exchanged embarrassed glances with each other, "Uh, right, Doc," Jason said. "What does my adjusting the treatments and mine and Billy's relationship have to do with Billy's not healing as fast he thinks he should?"

Again Ben sighed, "Bill should have healed in a matter of minutes, but his body didn't have the energy to do it." He looked over at Jason, "The reason he didn't I believe is that somehow your two life forces have become linked. When you transformed on the Triangulus in order to save Bill it required the expenditure of a great deal of energy. Energy your body didn't have so it drew off the most intimately linked other source it had," he turned to face Billy, "and that source was Bill."

"And since my own energy levels were already depleted from my previous injury, coupled with fueling some form of bio-morphic transformation in Jason, it delayed the reparations to the damage to my cranium," Billy finished matter of fact.

"Exactly," Ben told a stunned Jason.

"You mean to say that I took his life force? I almost got him killed?" Jason asked in anguish.

"No," Billy said, "He means to say that you and I are linked somehow. Much like the Trey of Heart, Trey of Courage, and Trey of Wisdom are."

"But they're the same person!" Jason said. He turned to Billy, his face stricken with anguish, "I almost killed you!"

"Commander Scott!" Ben barked.

Jason reacted instinctively, snapping to attention. "You weren't listening to me. Bill would have healed anyway. Your body needed the energy to rescue both of your from a dangerous situation. If anything, your drawing on Bill's energy saved his and your lives."

Bill reached out gently and touched Jason's hand, "Jason, I'm not hurt. I'm not upset." He shrugged, "I guess this just makes what we share that much more special." His face lit up with a smile, "It means we belong to each other: now and forever."

Jason was still unconvinced, but was willing to let it drop for now. He and Billy would have long talk later, but for now he let it slide. Turning back to Ben he asked, "Is there anyway I can learn not to pull energy from Billy?"

Dr. Storm shrugged, "How should I know? This is a brand new area of human biology." Then seeing the stricken look on Red Ranger One's face, he smiled, "But I would think there should be a way."

Jason nodded solemnly as he looked carefully over at the blond lying on the table. Before he could say anything Billy broke in, "How long before I can get up and around?"

Ben smiled at him. "Just let me run some tests, and if Commander Scott avoids any more Godzilla imitations over the next hour, you should be fine." He sighed and then gave Jason a strange look, before turning back to Billy. "Then, I want you to look at some readings I've been taking from your Big Red Boy Scout."

Suddenly Billy's eyes lit up and Ben knew he'd said something wrong. Billy chuckled as he looked at Ben and said in a voice Ben felt should sound familiar, "Listen kiddo, Jase Scott is a lot of things, but he was never a boy scout."

Both Red and Blue Rangers smiled at each other mischievously as Ben left the room Mic in tow. When he was sure that Ben was out of sight, Bill looked over at Jason and said, "Jase, honestly, how do you feel about this idea that we might be joined by the phyre?"

Jason came over and sat down on the table next to Billy, "I'm worried that if I draw on it, I might hurt you. I'm worried that you might come to see it as some kind of chain to me…" Jason hesitated.

"You're worried that I might get tired of you?" Billy offered. Jason swallowed and nodded. Billy gently stroked the side of Jason's face, "Oh Jason, you're not sure of me? I'm sure. Be sure. I've loved you more than half my life, and I've been in love with you for almost as long." Before Jason could reply, Billy pulled him down into a fierce kiss.

After a few moments, Jason pulled away with a smile, "You are supposed to resting, not trying to seduce your commanding officer."

"And you, are trying to change the subject," Billy replied. Persistently, he asked, "How do you feel about this?"

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to be trying to get you to talk about your feelings?" Jason asked.

"So we swap out roles once in a while," Billy smiled.

Jason took a deep breath and locked eyes with Billy. "Billy I love you. I can't say that any more plainer than that. This phyre-bond thing scares me." Seeing something in Billy's eyes that worried him, he quickly added, "Not because it ties me to you, but because I can use it to draw life from you. I don't want to get in the heat of battle and accidentally hurt you." He stepped over to the wall and studied the pattern in the tiles, not wanting to face what he might see in Billy's eyes.

"Did you ever think that I might be able to draw on your energy too?" Billy asked. "Bonds join both parties you know."

Jason considered Billy's words for a moment and then shook his head. "No, I hadn't thought of that."

Billy smiled as he came to a realization. He could feel something reach out to Jason and the closer Red Ranger One stood to him, the more he could feel himself drawing on Jason's steadying strength. He said, "You know, I do feel better now that you're around. I think that I may just be drawing off your energy supplies to help myself. You want I should stop?"

"No!" Jason almost shouted. "If you're pulling anything off me, I can't feel it. But if you are, then take what ever you need."

"My point exactly, Jase." He slid off the table to stand behind Jason, wrapping his arms around the burly naval officer, "We support one another. Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts. So you tapped into my energy reserves when you needed the vitality to insure we escaped from the Triangulus alive. Now, you're reciprocating the energy to allow my phyre to heal the damage taken aboard her."

Jason turned to face Billy, his strength and love shining through his midnight eyes, "I just can't stand the thought of hurting you again."

Billy smiled, "And trust me Jase, I don't want to be hurt. But you are going to hurt me again, and I'll hurt you. They'll be the little hurts, that make us grow. Life without hurt is a dream Jason. It's nice, but it's not real." He took Jason's hand and gently rubbed the side of his own face with it. "As long as you're in it, I much prefer reality; the hurts and all."

"Shut up and kiss me already," Jason smiled.

"Is that an order Commander?" Billy asked playfully.

"Does it need to be?"

Billy kissed him.


~*~

Bill looked at the readouts Ben had collected on both him and Jason. There was no doubt about it. The two of them were drawing off each other's phyre. No wonder, the last hour he'd spent just being held by Jason had done as much for him than the last thirty lying on the table. "Okay Ben," he said. "I believe you." He shrugged, "Why did you want me to look over this? I trust your science."

Ben shook his head and gave Bill a grave look. "Just how serious are you about your relationship with Commander Scott?"

"Ben! What a question to ask." Bill's eyes reflected the hurt he was feeling. "It's forever. It's always been forever."

"Even when you thought you couldn't have him?" Ben asked.

Bill blushed a moment but then looked defiantly into Ben's eyes, "I know you thought I was foolish for holding out for him, Ben. But let me put it to you this way: Would you have passed up on Melissa, just because you thought you couldn't have her?"

Bill immediately regretted his words at the sight of Ben's face. He'd never set out to hurt his friend, and he knew that Melissa's death had haunted him as much as his own mother's had. "I'm sorry, Ben." He shook his head, "I shouldn't have said it that way."

Ben smiled at him weakly. "It's okay, Bill. I know that." He sighed and turned away from Bill for a moment. "It's just I've been taking some readings on Jason," Bill noted that he didn't call him Commander Scott, "and I've found something disturbing. I want you to take a look at it and tell me what you think." He shook his head, "I'm afraid it's rather disturbing news, especially this soon after you two have reunited."

Bill suddenly felt a sense of dread, at Ben's words. "What?"

Ben walked over to the main diagnostic computer and punched up the files he had on Jason's condition. Bill stared at the readout he saw. "Are you sure this is Jase?"

Ben nodded, "Positive."

"But how?" Bill asked.

"I'm not sure," Ben put a comforting hand on Bill's shoulder. "Take a look at this."

The screen switched again and it took Bill a moment to realize what he was looking at. "Is that what I think it is?"

Ben nodded, "Yeah, I ran the tests myself." He pulled up another file showing blood enzyme counts. "This confirms it." He looked over at Bill, "I'm sorry."

Bill sat down hard. How coud this have happened? They'd never even considered this possibility . Looking down at the console he thought to himself, It's just not fair. Not so soon after we've finally gotten together. It just isn't fair. Finally, he looked up at Ben, "You haven't told Jason yet have you?"

Ben shook his head, "No. I wanted you to confirm it. I thought you might had better break the news to him."

Bill nodded, "You're right."

"What are you going to do, Bill?" Ben asked.

Bill shrugged, "I'm not sure. We'll get him through it though. Trust me, I'm not losing him now, not when I just got him back." Ben just smiled sadly at him.