A/N: In honor of Baby kitty's birthday, I'm going to post several chapters today. I also am giving her full cowriter credit.
ZEDD - A FEW MINUTES AGO
I'm keeping an eye on Rita, sure that she's going to try something. Out of nowhere, I feel a surge of panic from my bond mate, but before I can leave the room it fades and disappears. I let my attention wander away from Rita as I focus on the bond, sensing a dozen emotions rapid fire as his thoughts change. Another minute and I turn my attention back to the people in front of me, paying the barest of attention to the bond.
At this point, I almost feel like Zordon might be being forthright with us, but Rita - not so much. It still feels like she's plotting and planning something and hell only knows what it might be. All I do know is that if I have to chase her down, there will be a dead goddess and hell to pay for it.
Suddenly, I gasp in almost pain at the volume and intensity of emotion coming through the bond. Confusion, pain, rage - lots of rage. I can feel him try and temper it, but he quickly loses control as the rage climbs even higher and all but obliterates the other emotions. The power and suddenness almost drive me to my knees. I hear Dar address me, but I can't answer. A moment later, I hear Jason on the communicator.
"I think we need some help here."
I've already started moving toward the door, Dar right behind me. Again, the conversational shorthand that the three of us have developed comes in handy.
Dar speaks first. "Bad?"
"Very."
"Afraid?"
"Rage."
"Pina will be there too."
"The three of us though-"
"Yes."
All of us reach the back door at the same time and spill out of the castle. I lead the way, drawn by Thomas' volatile emotions, then by his voice. I hear his rant and feel a twinge of pain that, I'm guessing, is a returned memory. I listen, realizing that he has some very good questions. I am finally able to control my own emotions without letting his influence me. I exchange a glance with Pina.
She murmurs, "More issues that he needs to get out."
My attention returns to the two men in front of me as the former Red Ranger approaches Thomas. As I listen to Jason, I realize that - combined with the rage of my bond mate - this is not a good idea and for Thomas' sake I cannot allow it continue. I race to the pair as I signal for Pina and Dar to stay put. Suddenly, everything seems to be in slow motion. I reach them just in time to catch Thomas' punch in my hand and stop him cold a mere inch from the face of his best friend.
"No, Thomas, that's enough. I cannot and will not let you do something that you will regret later - especially this. If you really want or need to fight, then I will spar with you, but not him. Not now."
His eyes narrow at me as he briefly considers my proposal, rage still dominant on his face. Finally, he wrenches his fist out of my hand, spins on his heel and heads around the castle toward the front yard. I flash Pina and Dar a few signals and looks to convey instructions as I follow my boy.
Once I reach our sparring area, he launches himself at me. Oh his rage is at an all time high and he is out for blood. Unfortunately, his rage is controlling him so that he is fighting sloppy and making mistakes. I don't fight back, merely block and defend as he works through the intense feelings. I hadn't realized just how much he had kept caged up and now I was seeing the result.
When he finally pauses, panting, I speak. My voice is quiet to make sure that he must work to hear me. "Are you finished or do you need to continue?"
As he catches his breath, I can feel the rage leech away. It does not disappear, merely lowers to a level that he can once more control. Finally, he nods. "I'm done."
I nod in return. "Then let's get a quick wash and then go eat. You can take a proper shower later."
The man that follows me in the front door is considerably more docile than the one that I followed to the front lawn. I really do not know what to say to him. I feel the bond and I can tell that he is working on forcing that particular monster back into its' (apparently) too small cage. I'm a little startled when he speaks.
"Thank you, Zedd, for stopping me."
"You're welcome." I pause in the upstairs hallway and watch my boy carefully. "If I hadn't stopped you, how do you think you'd feel right now?"
He sighs, "Horrible."
"Because?"
"Because Jason is my friend and I know that nothing on heaven or earth would have kept him from my side if he'd known." He pauses and admits, "And he'd never have let me get away with not seeing him while I was in rehab. Well, if I had actually been refusing to see anyone."
I feel his surge of irritation. "Hmm. So you think that Hayley was allowing you to - get away with it, I mean?"
He shrugs. "I'm only guessing here. I think that, since Hayley knew that I didn't want to go to rehab, she was feeling guilty for making me go to begin with. She probably figured that I was refusing to see anyone to get back at her for that. Considering how I was thinking and acting at the time, it wouldn't be that hard to believe."
Accepting this for the moment, as once again his reasoning is sound, I ask another question. "All right. Then why do you suppose you went after him?"
Swiftly, he replies, "Because he was here in reaching distance - well, hitting distance anyway. Nobody else was."
I nod. "Perhaps you should explain that to him." I stop at my bedroom door and gesture to his. "Go wash and change. Come down when you are ready, Thomas. Unless you'd rather I waited for you?"
He thinks about this for long seconds before he shrugs. "Right now, Zedd, I have no idea what I want."
He heads into his room before I can say any more. What in all the hells do I do now?
