ZEDD - A COUPLE HOURS LATER

I'm pacing down in the lair as I wait for the humans to find my mate. What in all the hells is taking so long? I'm still getting nothing from the bond but just the fact that the bond is still there - that it still exists - is reassuring. Unfortunately, as long as Thomas is unconscious, I can't pinpoint where he is and my magic doesn't quite have the range to find his power anymore. An idea occurs to me. "Scorpina, you are both children of the great power. Can't you use that to find him?"

"I already tried. Wherever he is, he's too far away."

"What if you and Jason work together?"

As she opens her mouth to respond to me, the computer beeps and the Ranger children snap to attention. After a minute, Billy says, "Got a portal. Elsa and Zeltrax are coming through - with backup."

Instantly, I summon my staff. Goldar and Scorpina exchange glances and trigger their own transformations. Jason hesitates. "Zedd-"

"No, Jason. We're all going and we're going to finish this once and for all. For Thomas, the children and all of us." Before he can respond, I suck in a breath. "Thomas. He's waking up."

Jason hesitates for another moment and then nods at the Rangers. The five of them morph before he calls upon his own powers. "I call forth the power of the lion!"

We leave Billy and Trini behind and it's not long before we're meeting up with the newest troublemakers on the planet. Not surprisingly, Pina and Hayley attack the leather clad female that seems to be in charge, while Jason and Dar go after the cyborg. The Ranger children have their hands full with - what did Thomas call them again? - Tyrannodrones.

I skirt the edges of the battles making my way toward the still open portal. Either the standards for evil have gone way down or, much more likely, the passage is a trap. Bracing myself - just in case - I step through and I can certainly sense Thomas much more strongly now.

Cautiously, I start to follow the bond. Half a dozen minions jump me from around a corner. I take them down as swiftly as I can and it's not a moment too soon as I'm brought to my knees in pain that isn't mine. I allow Thomas to feel my rage at him being hurt so that he knows that I know and am close. After a minute, he controls the bond enough to dampen the pain I'm getting so that I can function. Still, what is getting through is acting like a beacon and I move as swiftly as I can.

Irritatingly, it seems like every corner I come across I have to fight more and more of these dinosaur things. Not to mention the labyrinthine layout. I'm about to start just blasting holes in walls when I catch a faint, familiar cry of pain and the scent of my mate. Barely restraining myself from calling out to him, I follow my senses until I come to a heavy door that appears to be barricaded from inside.

Finally triggering my own transformation, I pull magic into my staff. Once I feel like I have enough, I release it all at once at the door, blowing it off its hinges. Luck is with me for a change as the weighty object strikes Thomas' tormentor. I turn my attention to Thomas, dismayed at what I see. Mesogog has seen fit to remove his shirt, restrain him and beat his back raw and bloody. It vaguely resembles the ground meat that the humans buy from the store. I can, however, sense the power already working to heal him.

Regardless, I free him with a couple of well placed shots of magic, bracing him so that he doesn't hit the floor. His voice is faint when he speaks. "I'm okay, Zedd."

"Sure you are. Just do me a favor, love and rest for a minute while I kill him, okay."

In spite of the fact that it wasn't actually a question, Thomas responds, "No. Just give me a minute. I have an idea."

"But-"

He grabs my arm as his tone becomes firmer, similar to what he's used with the raptors and the Ranger children. "Wait."

Reluctantly, I do as he asks, watching for movement from the creature still under the door. Mesogog begins to stir, shifting to gain leverage to push the massive weight off of himself. "Care to fill me in on your plan, Thomas?"

I flinch as a bright flash of light appears briefly in the corner of my vision. A quick glance shows me that he's summoned his own staff. He nods at my staff even as his begins to glow with his own power. "Charge it up, Zedd. We'll do this together."

"I love you." I grin at him, pulling magic into my own. I take his hand and he laces his fingers through mine. In a minute, both our weapons are glowing brilliantly. Our opponent finally gets out from under the door and rises to face us.

"This isn't over" he hisses.

I sigh. "I hope I wasn't as monotonous when I was evil as he is."

"You did have more variety in your threats" Thomas agrees. "Since his are rather boring and he's giving evil a bad name, shall we end this?"

"On your mark, love."

He addresses Mesogog. "You tried to kill me. However, your failure led me to better things. As a thank you, we'll make this quick." He squeezes my hand lightly. "Now!"

Together, we release all the power in our staffs. It strikes our foe with deadly force, slamming him against the wall before he simply implodes. Thomas moans softly and sinks to his knees. Realizing that he's used too much power at once, I take his staff from him, quickly binding it to mine with a strip of cloth that used to be his shirt. "Come on, love. Let's get out of here."

He points at a nearby console. "Hit the big red button, Zedd. It'll make this place self destruct."

Quickly, I slam my fist into the indicated button. Knowing that Thomas isn't up to moving quickly just yet, I toss him over my shoulder, grab our staffs and rapidly head for the exit. He groans softly. "If you're going to be sick, Thomas, let me know and I'll put you down but if you can hold on until we're out of here that would be even better."

Dryly, he answers, "I'll see what I can do."

I'm relieved when we don't run into any more creatures on the way out. I leap into the portal just as the explosions start behind us. The disorientation of going through the portal causes me to stumble slightly as we emerge.

I look around quickly to assess the situation. The woman known as Elsa seems to have gone through a transformation of her own - probably at the destruction of her master. The Ranger males have just landed a killing blow on the cyborg - and Thomas and I are way too close for safety as he explodes. I turn quickly, using my own body as a shield for Thomas as I set him on the ground. A sharp stabbing pain in my back has me gasping for air.

"Zedd?" Thomas scrambles out of my weakening hold. "What happened?"

"I'll be all right, Thomas." Damn this hurts!

He moves around to check my back and I hear him suck in a breath as well as feel his flicker of fear through the bond. "Scorpina!"

I can hear her approaching quickly. I start to rise but Thomas' hand on my shoulder keeps me down. "Oh god, Tommy are you all right?"

"The hell with me! Help Zedd!"

I hear Jason call the others in the lair, asking for coordinates but I can't really hear anything else due to a damn buzzing noise that keeps getting louder. "Hang on, Zedd."

"I'm all right, Pina." I feel her messing with my teleportation cuff. "What are you doing?"

"Just relax, Zedd. Tommy-"

"I've got him."

"But-"

Thomas' tone turns to cold steel. "Not now. We can argue about it later. He's in worse shape than I am. Let's go."

I'm further disoriented when Thomas triggers my cuff, landing us back in the lair. I can't help but grip him tighter in an attempt to keep my balance. I hear him hiss in pain, but I can't release him or I'll end up on the floor. "Sorry, love."

"I'm okay, Zedd. Come on. Let's get you laid down on the table so that Pina can look you over, all right?"

I'm feeling weaker by the second. As he helps me get stretched out on my stomach, I have to ask. "Thomas, am I - dying? Is that why I feel odd?"

Firmly, he says, "No, Zedd. I won't let you die. You are hurt, but you aren't going to die. Just relax and let Pina work, okay?"

I can't feel him through the bond. Is he lying to me? Am I actually dying? "Thomas, please love, tell me the truth."

Gently he answers, "Zedd, you aren't dying but if you don't shut up and relax and let us take care of you, I will make sure that someone knocks you out."

I can feel consciousness leaving me. "Don't think that'll be necessary…"