Nice long chapter! Once again, I own nothing. Hopefully, I can update Home Again before the end of the year, if anyone is interested. Also, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page with this, yes this will ultimately be Zedd/Tommy.

ZEDD

I stare at Pina for a minute, wondering what I said that triggered such a reaction, before I turn to Thomas. "Come on, Thomas."

Looking at me, arms crossed and not moving, he shakes his head. Oh what now? "Not until you tell her you're sorry. You coulda hurt her and she's supposed to be your friend. Tell her you're sorry." My, my hasn't someone regained his backbone in last half hour.

Swallowing back a biting comment at being talked to in such a manner, I remind myself firmly that this is Thomas, and that despite his bold words he is still damaged and could take much of what I could say very badly. "Why were you crying when I came in?"

Biting his lip and looking at Pina in a manner which worries me, I resist the urge to jump on her once more. "I don't wanna talk about it right now."

"I don't particularly like that ans-"

"Let it go Zedd." Looking at me from her desk, Pina shakes her head signaling I better not press it if I wish to live through the night. "He'll tell you when he's ready, trust him to know what he's comfortable with."

Grumbling but reluctantly agreeing, I heave a sigh as Thomas is still not budging without an apology for his friend. "I apologize for yelling at you and nearly ending your life Pina. Again."

"Apology accepted."

Looking at Thomas I gesture towards the door. "Can we go now?"

"All right, but you have to start being nicer." Oh brother.

I leave the infirmary, with him right behind me, standing taller than he has in days. He is going to hurt after that kick. I can't believe that I let him blindside me like that. I'm usually much more alert. Of course, I wasn't viewing him as a threat or an enemy - just as a victim. Realizing my error, it's one I'll be careful not to make in the future. Fortunately, nothing's broken, but it will ache for a while. As we walk, I can't help but wonder what I've gotten myself into.

Once in his bathroom, I collect the items he needs and set them on the counter. "Can you shave yourself or do you need some help?"

Looking slightly irritated, he answers, "I've been doing it myself for years." Just like you've been reading and writing, correct? Making certain I do not say that, I decide to let him give it a try no matter how worried I am about him accidentally nicking himself.

I nod, realizing he's still on the high of success. This might bring him back to reality a bit, but it'll hurt him worse if I forcefully take over. I take a seat on the edge of the tub and wait. "Go ahead then."

As he lathers his face, I ask, "So do you want me to take the measurements or do you want Pina to do it?"

He frowns as he considers the question. "Don't know." He doesn't know? He'll sleep in my bed with me, but yet he won't let me measure him. Humans.

"I know Pina said she would do it, but I don't know how long she will be researching." When he still seems uncertain I press a little harder, trying to do what Pina suggested with making him more comfortable with me. "Once we have your sizes, we can go ahead and order your clothes. Things that will fit you. Not that you don't look cute in my things, but…" I did not just say that out loud. And cute? Where did I get cute? Cute is not a word that should even exist in my vocabulary.

Looking at him wearily to see just how he will react to such a slip, I breathe a small sigh of relief as it looks as if he either hasn't heard or took it for the innocent word choice that it was.

Either way I'm not greatly upset as he picks up the razor and changes the subject. Fortunately, I'm used to it by now. "After I shave, can we go for a walk in the woods?"

I raise an eyebrow at this request. "I suppose we can, although Pina would be a much better guide than I."

He draws the blade down his cheek and I bite my tongue to avoid reminding him to be careful. "I'll finish shaving, then we can go for a walk, and then we can worry about the measurements." And he took over things, when? Seeming to realize this himself, he's quick to follow up his orders in a slightly meeker tone. "If that's okay?"

"I suppose that would be fine, but why do you want to go in the woods first?"

He shrugs as he rinses the razor. "Not sure. Pina said that you thought it might help me by triggering a memory or something. Thought it was worth a try."

His casual tone sets off a warning bell in my head. "Is that the only reason?"

"No." He continues shaving as he tries to put together what he wants to say. Suddenly, he winces and I can see red bloom through the white foam. Fighting the urge to jump up and help him is difficult, but I somehow manage. He continues, "I just want to."

Realizing it's the best he can do for now, I relent. "All right, Thomas. When you're done, we'll go for a walk and when we get back, we'll see to your clothes."

"Okay."

Three winces and a curse later, he's done. I can see he's not really hurt and he really does look much better clean shaven, but I still cannot resist the urge to retrieve some healing salve, placing just a bit over his fresh nicks before he can protest.

Looking him over as I clean up, I groan as I see his still bare feet. That is not going to work. "You're going to need some boots if you're going outside. The slippers Pina gave you are fine for inside, but they'll do little to protect you from jagged rocks or uneven terrain out in the woods."

Frowning but understanding this, he nods in agreement. "Can I just wear a pair of yours?"

Debating this, I finally shake my head. "Mine will be too big, but you can probably manage all right with a pair of Dar's. Tell you what, you go ahead and go down to the front door and I'll go get the boots."

"Okay, if you're sure he won't mind." Oh he won't mind, especially since I won't be telling him. Besides he's got plenty, he shouldn't notice if one pair goes missing for an hour or so.

Heading to Dar's room and relieved to see he's most likely still in his office hiding from his mate, I snag a pair of boots from his closet feeling a little guilty about taking something of his without asking, but knowing in the long run apologizing if caught will be much easier than going off to bother him about it and get a refusal now.

After meeting up with the waiting impatiently Ranger at the door, I help him into the boots, before grabbing two light jackets and heading out of the castle.

Leading the way towards the woods which surround my home and the grounds around it, I realize that really I haven't been out here in quite some time. Pina hates coming out here with me, mostly because I make very little effort to be quiet, and going alone well it doesn't really give me the same amount of peace and enjoyment as it does her, especially when there's no one to talk to. Still though I have a feeling Thomas will be more like her than myself with this matter, which is why this time I am making every effort I can to be quiet, though I'm slightly dismayed to see that despite that I am still louder than the Ranger slightly ahead of me. "Be careful of those rocks."

"I will."

"Watch out for that slope."

"I am."

"Don't trip over-"

Stopping suddenly, he turns back to face me expression one of amusement mixed with annoyance. "Zedd I know how to be careful okay? I'm not going to get hurt, so shhh you're going to scare all the animals away."

Realizing that I was over doing yet again where my protective streak over him is concerned, I heave a sigh and give a silent nod. Fine, but if he gets scraped up I'll…I'll…well I don't know what I'll do but someone will pay.

Walking a bit further, only stumbling once or twice over the uneven path he suddenly stops once more, though this time it would seem that it's not because of me. Cocking his head to the side he peers intently off in the distance as I ease up beside him to see what he's looking at. He barely breathes as he asks, "What is that?"

I look and finally see the creature in question. "Oh, that. It's a twarthen. Similar to your Earth deer, but smarter."

"Smarter how?"

"Well it's not highly skittish as they seem to recognize people they see a lot and know will do them no harm - like Pina for instance - and unlike deer they adapt better to changes in their environment."

"Oh." Looking very interested he takes a small step forward, clearly trying to get a better look, only to have the twarthen bound away after a minute to assess us and decide we are not its usual company. Sighing in slight disappointment, Tommy slowly moves on. "Would it let me get closer if Pina came with?"

"Possibly." Walking closely behind him I'm trying to keep track of where we are so that we can get back, when he abruptly veers off the path. Oh, hell.

"Thomas, Thomas wait." Moving swiftly to keep up, I get beside him, glancing nervously back the way we came. "Thomas we should stay on the path. I don't know these woods as well as Pina does and it could be very easy to get turned around."

Waiting for a response, I frown unhappily as none is given and his speed increases. "Thomas stop walking and answer me, please."

Still nothing and I am growing both annoyed and concerned. Where does he think he's going? What happened? If I didn't know better I'd swear he was on a mission of some kind. Keeping up with him and deciding to wait at least another minute or so before physically stopping him, I feel my confusion and curiosity mount as he suddenly reaches a clearing that I had no idea existed.

Pausing at the edge of it, almost like he's waiting for something, it would seem that somehow someway he was indeed on a mission after all.

I wait as patiently as I can, trying not to fidget, but after several minutes of doing no more than standing there, I am unable to help myself. "Thomas what are we waiting for?"

"I don't know, but I don't think he's coming." He? He who? And if you don't know what we're waiting for how do you know it's a he? Heaving a small sigh he turns away and heads back through the brush toward the path - I think.

"Well then, that was interesting." And it was too. I don't know what just got into him, but I'd wager it's something important. "Do you care to tell me what it was all about?"

"I don't know. I…I can't think of how to say it, maybe Pina would know."

"It's all about Pina isn't it." The quiet mutter coming before I can stop it, I shake my head a bit sadly. Why is it he can trust her to understand things and not me? I'm as intelligent as she is. I grasp the concept of feelings and intuition. And besides I don't make him cry.

Fortunately, my sensitive hearing picks up his next words when he responds - again, very quietly. "Zedd, just so you know, Pina didn't do anything wrong. You should trust her more if she's such a good friend of yours."

Sighing, I knew we'd come back to this - Zedd's wrong and Pina's right. I don't even know how it happened, but I lost control somewhere.

He stops near a large flat boulder, checks it over quickly and then sits down on it. He looks at me and takes a deep breath. "And I'm sorry for the way I talked to you. I just - reacted."

I lean against a nearby tree and fold my arms. "Just like I reacted when I came in to see you crying."

"I wasn't crying." The denial comes swiftly and with a dose of embarrassment from the color of his face.

Fixing him with a look of disbelief, I shake my head, still more than capable of picturing his tear streaked face. "No? What would you call it then?"

Knowing he's in a corner he amends the statement slightly. "I wasn't crying anymore."

"But you were crying and still don't want to tell me why." It's a statement I know to be true, whether it's to protect Pina or spare himself further embarrassment and vulnerability, I am well aware that ever since we got off the ship, she can get more out of him than I can and it's irritating the hell out of me.

"Not really no."

"I don't understand." Sighing at his confused look, I continue, my frustration mounting. "I don't see why you'll tell Pina things and not me. I would like to think that you can trust me enough to comfort you when you're vulnerable and upset, but the longer you're here the less likely that seems to be."

He shrugs. "I've been thinking about that - trying to understand why I can talk to her more easily." Okay, this just got a bit more interesting, well do share.

"And what have you come up with?" I allow my curiosity to be heard in the question. Maybe he'll realize that I really do want to know, that I am just wanting to help.

He looks down at his hands as he answers the question slowly. "She's a woman, for one thing. It's no big deal for a woman to see a guy upset and maybe even cry. To guys, crying means weakness. I don't want you to think I'm some weak kid who needs to be protected all the time." Pausing and looking unsure if he wants to go on, he in the end does and what's said definitely makes a few things clear. "I don't want to give you any ideas, either." He takes a breath. "And you respect me - or at least that's what Pina said - and I don't want to lose that."

Huh - my opinion matters to him - more than I realized, apparently. All right I can fix this, or at least make it easier for him. "Thomas, what you don't know is that - even with just what I know - I respect you more than ever. Not many people could have gone through what you have and come out with any kind of strength. You went through it - and more importantly - survived it. As for the crying thing, your species is more apt to cry as part of the healing process. I think I read somewhere or Pina told me it has something to do with your chemical balance. If that's true, then you were long overdue. Other species cry as well, just not as often as yours seems to."

"You don't think I'm weak then?"

"You're not weak, you never were. And telling me what's wrong, that's not going to change how I treat you or see you, just because something was done to you, something that was in no way your fault, that doesn't mean I'll look down on you for it. I just want to help you."

Taking it all in, he visibly relaxes, hopefully feeling that now he doesn't have to put up appearances just for me.

I bite my lip before the next statement. Honesty is something that Thomas has always valued and he was just very honest with me so... "Just one more thing Thomas. As for the giving me ideas thing, well, I am still a fairly young male. Ideas I have, but that does not mean I will act on them. That is not why you are here and it would be wrong of me to use you needing my help to get something from you."

I do not look at the boy, knowing that I may have irrevocably damaged our relationship. But what was I to do - lie to him? The mere idea leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Not to mention I was hoping that the truth would show him I'm not like those others. That hope dies a slow, painful death though as the silence stretches out to ridiculous proportions.

"So you would have sex with me?" The words are slow and drawn out, due to either upset or uncertainty, which one I'm not clear on yet. "Is that why you said I looked cute before?" I knew that'd come back to bite me in the ass.

"That's not exactly what I was trying to say Thomas. All I meant was that I find you attractive and I would be lying if I said I had no ideas about you, as you seemed to put it. As for calling you cute, well that was a slight mistake on my part, don't get me wrong you are…cute, in a way, but I didn't mean it as a come on."

Thinking this over for a bit longer, he finally speaks again and I'm startled at his next statement. "I don't understand why guys suddenly like me like that. On Earth, the whole gay thing isn't really liked by a lot of people. Now though, guys like that, they're the only ones who notice me. What's wrong with me? Why is it only guys that want me now? Is it because I got hurt, or because I look different or can't remember things right anymore? I don't understand." Okay this could get tricky. Let's see here.

"Thomas, what you went through on Earth, what those men did to you - that was about power. Well, that and gratification." Shaking my head, still far too angry over that whole matter, I try to focus on the point I'm trying to make. "Those men that forced you, they only did that because they could and they knew it would hurt you. Some people are just cruel like that. They get off on it."

"So they weren't gay?"

"No, probably not. I would guess they didn't just go after you and other attractive men there, but most likely the women too." Feeling bad as this only seems to upset him rather than relieve him, I'm about to try again when he beats me to it.

"So is that what it's like with you? So long as someone's pretty you like them?" Well that's a bit of an insulting way to phrase it, but seeing as how he probably didn't mean it to be due to his lack of vocabulary, I suppose I can let it slide.

"Well in a way. I don't choose my mates solely on their looks Thomas, that would be rather shallow of me. As for who I like, well Pina is the only female here and she was taken long before you got here."

"But you can go other places and meet other females." This is true, however I tend to find most other Eltarian women highly annoying and self-centered.

"Work usually keeps me pretty busy, Thomas. Besides I don't need a mate right now. True one would be nice to have, but it's not needed to make me happy. Also if I did have one I'd have to find some way to explain you sleeping in my bed to them." Laughing slightly as I can just picture Rita harping to high hell about me sharing my bed with a Ranger, former or not, I think perhaps I'll let that slip next time I speak with her. Or better yet Zordon.

"They would think you were gay then and be mad?" It's more of a statement than a question, I but I can see what he's learned as acceptable behavior on Earth has got to go if he's going to make it anywhere else.

"No they'd see me sharing a bed with an attractive boy and assume I'm already taken. Thomas I know on Earth people frown upon two males being mates but where I come from, that's not how it works. Mates are mates, regardless of gender. Male or female doesn't matter. People on Earth haven't reached that stage of enlightenment quite yet. Also there is nothing wrong with you. I daresay that you have had a large number of your students have had - what do you call it - crushes on you and haven't even realized it."

"So you would have sex with me?" Why must everything with his species revolve around sex? Seriously.

Sighing and not wishing to lie, but also knowing better than to say yes, I do some careful planning before daring to answer that question. "I already told you, I would never force you to do anything sexual or that you wouldn't like. I won't touch you like that unless I have your express permission to do so. I promise."

"People promise things all the time, but they don't keep them." Crap.

"Who didn't keep their promise to you?"

"Everyone." Looking up at me, eyes filled with buried pain, I find myself wondering if this is what I wanted or not whereas his opening up to me was concerned.

"That's a lot of people. Do you want to tell me about it?"

Ignoring my question and countering it one of his own, I resist the urge to bang my head against a tree. "Have you done things with a guy before?" Back to that now are we? Uncertain if I'm happy for the abrupt topic switch or not, I nevertheless answer calmly.

"Yes."

"Did you love him?" Frowning a bit and knowing he's most likely not going to like my answer I still in the end though decide to continue with the honesty.

"No, we didn't get along very well. We fought a lot over power and control, who was stronger, who was better, who should do what." Come to think of it that's really how a lot of my relationships went. "We weren't friends I guess you could say."

Taking this in his response comes in quietly and in a curious tone. "We're friends, right?"

"Yes, we're friends."

Silence once more and it's starting to get on my nerves. Did I just talk over his head again? Confuse him? Upset him? I glance up at him. He doesn't look puzzled, which is good, but he is frowning, and it takes a moment for me to realize that he isn't even looking at me. "I don't know what you call them here, but something that looks like an Earth snake is right next to your ankle."

I freeze. "What color is it?"

"Kind of a bluish black with a reddish brown stripe down its body."

I break out in a cold sweat. My brain races through what Pina's told me about the wild creatures and which ones were dangerous or poisonous, which right now does me all of no good as nothing is coming to mind.

Thomas glances at my face and then returns his attention to the animal. His voice is oddly calm when he speaks. "Zedd, is it dangerous?"

Forcing my own voice into some semblance of calm, I answer him. "I'm not sure. I don't remember what Pina told me."

Humor in his voice I resist the urge to hurl something at him as his next remark meets my ears. "Well that's good. I'll make sure I pay more attention to her information when she brings me out here."

Surprised by the humor, I respond in kind. "I told you she'd be a better guide." And for the love of all, please get this thing away from me.

Almost as if I'd spoken aloud, Thomas slowly slides off of the rock and, just as slowly, picks up a stick. I'm so busy wishing I had my staff, I don't realize at first what he's doing. Moving slowly and gently, he gets the snake on the stick enough to move it several feet away from me. I'd have just killed the damned thing, but at least it's a safe distance now and I can once more breathe normally. "Come on before it decides to come back." Come back, no, no that would be bad.

When he sees I'm apparently not yet moving Thomas grabs my arm and pulls me away from the area as my mind is still trying to grasp the idea that all is well once more. "Some great protector you are. Remind me to never fall into a snake pit, or else I'll be doomed." Cheeky little brat.

Only when we're a few yards away I snap out of my stupor and finally find my voice once more. "No I'd just send Pina or Dar down to rescue you." Smiling at his laugh, I shake my head as my momentary panic finally subsides completely. "Thank you, Thomas. If that was one of the dangerous varieties, that could have ended very badly indeed."

"Least I could do. Maybe we should go back?"

I nod finding that a very good idea. "We should ask Pina if I was truly in any danger or not so you know." Not to mention then I would know as well.

"Sounds good."

I look around and nothing seems familiar. Not good.

By now, Thomas has released my arm and by his expression he understands what my own means. "Do you know how to get back from here?" Slight worry in his own voice makes me feel rather badly that I'd been so careless with keeping track of things. These woods can go on for hundreds of miles - as this planet is fairly uninhabited - before an ocean or mountains are met, that was why Pina had cleared out the walking path, that was why she was always so careful to take her pack with her. The pack I'd stupidly forgotten. This is not good.

"No. I wasn't paying attention after the snake. Do you?" Hopefully, the desperation doesn't show in my voice.

He considers the question and after looking around carefully points to our left. "I'm pretty sure we need to go that way."

Although I'm reasonably certain that's the wrong direction, I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, after all his guess is really as good as mine right now. "All right, lead on then, Thomas."

He heads out and I'm not far behind him. My doubt grows and I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing the pack or my staff before heading out here when we abruptly break through the tree line and the castle is in front of us. Not where we entered, but still we made it back and right now that's all that matters.

Without delay, we head into the castle and directly to the infirmary. Pina looks up, startled by our sudden entrance. Her eyes take in our appearances and she jumps to her feet. "Zedd, Tommy - what's wrong?"

Without preamble, I ask, "Which snakes are the poisonous ones?"

As she swiftly crosses the room to her medicine cabinet, already picking up jars of anti-venom as she inquires, "Did one of you get bit? What did it look like? What happened?"

"Thomas and I were talking and he noticed it right by my leg. No one was bitten, Pina. Calm down."

"Oh, shut up." Scowling at me, she continues but semi calmer now that she knows we're both all right. "You're white as a sheet, to use an Earth phrase. Tommy, what did it look like?"

"It was bluish black with a reddish brown stripe going down its body. I think it was about three feet long."

"Was the stripe straight or was it curvy?" Pina asks anxiously.

"Curvy."

I see the blood drain from her face and I can feel the rest of mine go as well. She is quiet as she asks the next question. "How did you get away from it?"

"Thomas used a stick and moved it away from me and then we left the area." I'm startled when she moves quickly and hugs the boy.

"Tommy, you did exactly right and you saved Zedd's life. That snake is extremely dangerous and Zedd probably wouldn't have made it back to the castle if he'd been bitten. Especially since my pack was still here." Nice to know for future reference. Not that I think I will be taking any more walks in the woods for a while now.

Thomas' face reddens to an amusing shade and he shrugs off his actions and her praise. "It was no big deal."

"Um, Thomas, it is a very big deal to me. You see, I much prefer being alive to being dead." Trust me I've come far too close to the latter to know exactly how much I do not favor it.

He shrugs again, clearly embarrassed by the wave of sudden attention and fuss, but his eyes are shining nevertheless. "You saved me and I saved you. I just paid you back a little bit." Interesting take on it.

He steps back from Pina, who releases him. "You did good, Tommy. Thank you."

Ever modest, Thomas turns toward the door changing the subject abruptly as he does. "I'm going to change my clothes and then we need to take measurements, right?" The only question is which 'we' are you referring to? "You're going to do it, right Zedd?" Well then.

Mildly amused, I reply, "Right. I'll meet you in my room in ten minutes."

Watching him nod and leave I wait until I'm certain he's gone before turning to Pina, serious once more. "How bad would it have been?"

She fixes me with a look that speaks volumes. "Trust me, you don't want to know." Right, then.

"I think I'll go change as well and then go on from there." She nods as I leave the infirmary and head for my room, thinking all the way.