TOMMY

I'm in the kitchen long before anyone else this morning - and I'm not in a good mood. I was so angry, I couldn't sleep at all last night. It didn't help that I remembered something that my mother had said once. I was visiting home from college and got into a fight with my then girlfriend on the phone. Mom had heard enough to know that it was a stupid fight. She told me, "Tommy, honey, that girl might not be the right one for you. But when you do find the right one, never ever go to bed angry. Always find a way to resolve it because if you don't, if you just let it fester, it'll damage your relationship at its base." Well in fairness I may have gone to bed angry, but I that doesn't mean I actually slept while doing so as I was far too angry to even consider using my bed.

Who am I kidding? Yes, I was angry and hurt but that wasn't the only reason I didn't sleep. I'm ashamed to admit that a small part of the reason was because I was afraid that I'd have a nightmare and have to go running to Zedd like a small child - again. I sigh heavily as I get up to refill my coffee for the fourth time. I didn't really want to sleep/stay in the other room, but I wanted him - no, I needed him to understand that I was serious. Again, I won't stay in an unequal relationship, but I also want to give us a chance to fix things so that they balance.

I'm so lost in my thoughts and, truthfully my misery, I'm startled when the door opens and Dar comes in with Pina right behind him. They're just as startled to see me, I think if their expression mean anything. A quick glance at the clock tells me that neither Zedd nor myself are usually up this early. Realizing this is probably their time together I stand up and grab my coffee. "Sorry, guys. I didn't realize what time it was. I'll see you later."

Before they can object, I'm out of the kitchen and headed for my lab. I try and lose myself in my work - after all, there's plenty of it. Between the legal research, language lessons and working on a solution for the Rangers, I have a lot to do and - except for the language thing - no time to do it in. My mind has never been able to work like this before and I'm kind of relishing the ability to focus on multiple things at once.

Unfortunately, I'm also well aware of the passing of time and I know Pina's visitors are due here tomorrow. The clock is running out on the Ranger kids too. I don't want to come up with the answer too late and lose them. I can feel the pressure mounting but I push it away so that I can concentrate.

The part that has me most worried, aside from the kids' lives, is the legal stuff. There are hundreds of thousands of years of laws and changes and revocations and, of course, it's all in the most convoluted language possible. Dar, at least, has a small head start, having lived with it, but it doesn't help at all that we have no idea what we might be up against since we don't know what they want.

Finally, I concede defeat. I have to focus on Pina's problem first since it's - probably - going to hit first. I'll go get some more coffee and then I'll get down here and back at it. I rub my tired eyes, grab my cup and head for the kitchen.

Not surprised that it looks like I've missed breakfast, I check the clock again with a yawn, before pouring a new cup of coffee and making a piece of toast, in truth not overly hungry, most likely due to how tired I am. Given my lack of appetite I suppose it's just as well that Zedd didn't try and grab me for….suddenly pausing as I realize what I just realized, looking in the sink to confirm my suspicions. Three plates, Zedd has been in here and has eaten, which means that he actually decided not to come tell me it was time for breakfast. Sighing and torn between relief and annoyance I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he just assumed I was still mad and thus decided to leave me be for now.

Deciding to deal with the matter later I head back to the lab.

I have no idea how much time has passed when I hear, "Thomas."

I keep my eyes on the screen before me afraid of what I'll see if I look at him. "Zedd, I really don't have the time or the inclination to argue with you right now. Pina's visitors are going to be here tomorrow and I still have thousands of years of stuff to sort through. I need to get back to my other research to try and sa- help the Rangers and-"

"Whoa, Thomas. I didn't come down here to fight with you." Didn't come down here to tell me it was breakfast time either.

"Good."

"Thomas, love, please stop just for a minute and look at me." Sighing heavily, I click a few things, fold my arms and wait. "You're taking too much on yourself again. You and Dar are supposed to be working together, not just you by yourself, on this thing for Pina. As for the Rangers, you need to trust that the other adults are going to keep them safe until someone - even if it isn't you - figures out how to beat Mesogog."

I can't seem to curb my mouth. "As you pointed out yesterday, that whole mess is my fault. I need to fix it before one of the kids pays for it with their life, Zedd. I know it doesn't matter to you if something happens to one of them, but-"

"I never said that, Thomas."

"As you've told me before you don't usually concern yours with the lives of others that aren't one, family, two of some importance in your life, or three that you owe a debt to."

"This is true" he agrees calmly.

"So then I find it hard to believe you actually give a damn about the kids that are currently holding the latest set of powers. Especially when you get aggravated every time I mention things about them or talk about seeing them again."

"I get aggravated because until recently every time you mentioned them I thought you were going to leave me to go back to Earth alone for an undetermined amount of time. Since you've come to the conclusion that we'll all go however, I'm less upset by the notion. However if you're asking if I want a bunch of teenage children running around the house at all hours, no the idea isn't highly appealing to me and that in mind while I doubt I would grieve if something happened to the children, well the girl maybe, it would still matter to me inasmuch as how it would affect you."

I shake my head. "I can't think about that now. It's slowing my research down dividing my attention. As it is, I'll probably have to stay up all night again to try and-"

"Again? Thomas, did you sleep at all last night?"

"Really, Zedd? That's what you're doing here? I'm trying to explain about all that I still have to do and you're going to go off on a tangent about something unimportant."

"Thomas, your well being is important and furthermore I'm not the one getting snippy and raising my voice."

I sigh and slowly count to ten in my head, making certain to keep my voice low and as non-homicidal as possible now. "Missing a night or two of sleep isn't really that big a deal, Zedd. It's not like I'm planning to stay up for most of a week." Yeah, that was a not so subtle reminder that I didn't really sleep when they were ill and I was taking care of them. Sure, it's fine for me to lose sleep if it benefits him, but anyone else isn't important enough as far as he's concerned.

"That's not fair, Thomas. We didn't ask you to stay up all that time. Not that we didn't appreciate it and still do, but you can't blame that one on us. Especially when we found out that you'd done it, we all tried desperately to get you to get some sleep, which you rebuked us on until you basically just passed out." Knowing in the back of my mind that he's right and I am being just a tad unfair, I however shove that thought away anger over yesterday still taking over my mouth today.

I sigh again, fingers pinching the bridge of my nose. "Fine, Zedd, whatever. I said that I didn't want to fight with you because I really don't have the time so let's cut to the chase. What did you come down here for?" Because lord knows it wasn't to bring me breakfast.

He sighs in return looking none too happy himself. "I came down to see how you were, how your night went, and to apologize."

"And?" I press.

Raising a brow, he shakes his head. "And obviously you're still angry at me, you didn't sleep, and I'm sorry."

He's not serious, is he? "Sorry, Zedd but a quick apology isn't going to fix it this time and yes, I'm still angry at you." I grab my empty coffee cup and stand up. "I need more coffee." I move around him and leave the lab. Hopefully, he doesn't mess with anything in there while I'm gone.