TOMMY

Oh my god - I feel like I've been run over by a truck. I open my eyes and slowly the room comes into focus. Where the hell am I? This sure as hell isn't our bedroom, nor is it the one we've been staying in while visiting Zedd's parents. Not the ship or a dungeon either. "Zedd?"

Clearing my throat as his name barely comes out in a whisper, try again only to end up coughing, my chest and lungs definitely not taking the action well. "Zedd, I don't feel well." Taking a few breaths and trying to get my bearings I try to sit up, but find much to my surprise I can't. What the hell is going on? It takes a minute but my brain finally catches up with the program and I'm horrified to realize that I'm restrained to the bed. This isn't our bed or our room anywhere. I'm restrained to the bed. I feel like I'm dying and - Oh god - I'm in a hospital!

"No, no, no." I can't help it. I start yanking at the restraints, hoping against hope that my now greater strength can get me free. "Oh god help me! Zedd!" Let him hear me, he's got to hear me! "Zedd help!"

It only takes a moment now and suddenly, Zedd's hovering over me. "Take it easy, love. You're all right. I'm here."

"Help me!"

"Shh, I am, it's okay, it's going to be okay. I think your fever finally broke but you have to be still love, please. Just try and be still and I'll get Alundra all right?" Who?! And be still, what the hell is he talking about be still?! He should be getting me out of here not- no, no, no, no, son of a bitch!

"You brought me here! What have you done to me?! Let me out! You promised!" Yep, totally freaking out here and totally going to kill him when I get free.

"Thomas, love, I can't." The hell you can't! "Just calm down and everything will be all right. You're safe here, I'm here, I won't let anyone hurt you, but you have to calm down, please."

My panic climbs higher at his refusal to release me. I pull harder, praying that the straps will give. When they don't show the least sign of loosening, I completely lose it. In some corner of my mind, I realize that either he did this to me or - at the very least - he allowed it to happen. It's bad enough for him to bring me to a hospital, whatever his damn reasons for it, but to dare to allow me to be restrained or do it himself and then refuse to let me up- no, no way, not doing this, can't do this. My trust in my mate, which had already been cracked with the incident at the reunion, shatters completely and with it my feelings of safety and security.

I try and rein in my panic. My only hope now is to try and fool him and whoever is helping him into thinking that I'm harmless so that they remove the restraints and then I've got to get the hell away from here before I have a complete repeat of what happened on Earth. I force myself to go limp and stare off in the distance, focused on nothing in particular as if I'm lost in my own mind again, which in fairness given the circumstances isn't that damn hard to do. I start talking to myself like I've done before. "Just gotta be good. Maybe they won't hurt me this time. Just do as you're told, Tommy."

Zedd's got me blocked out, but I could almost swear I hear his heart break. At least, I'd think so if he hadn't betrayed me. "Thomas don't do that, please love, please don't."

"Be good, be quiet, don't fight. Be good, be quiet, don't fight. It'll be worse, don't fight, just don't fight."

"Thomas, I'm begging you please stay with me. You're safe, I promise you're safe. Please, just stay with me and I'll fix this, I swear." He moves quickly over to the door, opens it and calls for someone loudly before returning to my side. He runs his fingers through my hair. "Come on, Thomas. Come back to me. I'm so sorry, love but we had no choice. It was for your safety."

Sure it was. I keep my focus on my mutterings. The door opens and a woman hurries in. Zedd turns to her. "Alundra, we've got to get these restraints off of him. The last time he was restrained like this, he almost lost his sanity." He sounds anxious, but I'm not buying it for a minute.

"If he's still delusional and violent-"

"Does he look fucking violent to you?! I never should have let you talk me into this!"

"He attacked Scorpina, Goldar, and you, Zedd. Not to mention the bite he took out of my arm. Besides if you hadn't let him loose the last time, we wouldn't have had to use the locking ones this time. Give me a minute to check him and then we'll see." She talks softly to me but I'm not paying any attention to that. Each time she touches me, though, I flinch, playing up the lost in my head thing.

"I'm sorry. Don't hurt me. I'll be good" I whimper softly.

She produces a set of keys. "As far as I can tell, he should be over the worst of his illness. He'll still need to rest but he can do that anywhere. Just remember to keep him warm, maybe see if you can't get him into a bath, and make sure he keeps taking the medicine every six hours."

"Fine, just let him up already."

"Fine, but he bites me again and I'm knocking your teeth out." As soon as the last restraint is removed, I launch out of the bed, past the surprised woman and through the door. I have no idea where I am or where I'm going, I just know that I need to get away. Down the hall and around the corner and I can hear Zedd calling me as he gives chase. Two doors in front of me - one marked 'stairs' and one marked 'linens'. I dive through one, keeping my fingers crossed that Zedd's far enough behind me to not see where I went.

I hold my breath and listen carefully, hoping that the various blowers and whatnot will mask the sound of my heartbeat. I hear a door close, but I wait still listening. My patience is rewarded when I hear him curse softly. I find a small space to squeeze into in case he comes in here next. I hear Pina. "Zedd? You didn't find him?"

"Not yet. If he used the stairs, he could be anywhere by now. I can't get his scent with all the other damn smells here, all I'm getting through the bond right now is fear and rage. Damn it why the hell did I let you all talk me into this?!" Suddenly I realize the next logical step and close the bond on my side so he can't use it to find me.

Dar puts his two cents worth in. "He can't be that hard to find. He's in his boxers, for hells sake." Good point.

As the three of them put together a plan, my eyes skim the nearby shelves. Success! Those look like uniforms. Maybe I can find a set that fits so that I can get out of here. Their voices fade as they walk away and I quickly paw through until I find what I need. I dress in record time. Lacking shoes, I grab some slippers. Maybe they won't notice.

A close listen at the door tells me that the hall is empty. I slip out the door and into the stairwell. I head down, hoping that I can get out before security is alerted and they realize that I've acquired clothes. Finally, I make it to the ground floor. I take a deep breath before I leave the stairs. Just look like you belong, Tommy and you should be able to waltz right out. One more deep breath and I head out toward the door, trying not to look like I'm being sneaky or rushing, just moving with a purpose.

Almost there. Almost got it. Keep going. Yes, yes I- no! Five feet from the door, I stop dead in my tracks. Mara has just come in the door. Shit! What do I do now? Move, Tommy, before she sees you! I dodge behind a pillar, watching as she speaks to someone at the desk for a moment before she heads toward the elevator. Once she's safely on and the doors are closed, I head out the door. Once outside, I head across the manicured lawn. No real idea where I'm going but I know that I can't stay here or they'll find me.

Several blocks later, I slip into an alley, already exhausted. I sit against the wall, knees drawn up to my chest. What do I do now? If I had my communicator, I could at least call someone for help. If I was on Earth I could hitchhike home. Hell even if I knew how to get to the ship I might be able to steal it, but as it stands I've no clue where the hell I'm even at on this planet. I realize with growing dismay that I'm completely helpless and I don't like that feeling at all. Well, okay, maybe not completely helpless but I don't think that the great power can help me right now. Thinking for a moment on what I've done in the past when my power hasn't been an option. I realize unhappily that the only thing I can come up with is having first Jason jump to my rescue, followed now by Zedd. And isn't that an additional kick to the gut.

Not wanting to think of my mate, I however can't seem to help it and since I seem to be safe for now, I finally can't stop myself from falling apart. I trusted him! I let myself love him! Why does this always happen to me? My heart breaks. I can't do this anymore. I'm done with relationships. I'm tired of getting burned. I never would have thought that he'd do that to me. Then again, I never thought that any of them would have.

I jump when a male voice nearby says, "Tommy."

I look up and scramble to my feet, backing away from Kerch. How did he find me? Why is he here? What does he want? He's probably the one behind all of this! He hated me and I've no doubt that he's the one that turned Zedd against me. "Stay away from me!"

He holds his hands up in a non-threatening manner, showing me his hands are empty. "Take it easy, young one. I'll not hurt you." The hell you won't.

"Right, then what do you want?"

Studying me critically for a minute, he responds with a question of his own. "Why are you hiding out here?"

Remembering how I woke up, I start to shake. "Like you don't know."

"Enlighten me."

"I had to get away from them - from him."

"Him? Him who? Zeddic?" At my sharp nod, he frowns slightly. "Why would you want to get away from him? I mean if you were anyone else in the universe yes, okay, I could understand that, but given how attached you seem to him I'm a tad lost in this instance. Not to mention I thought he was your mate?"

That's like a punch in the gut. Softly, I say, "I thought so too. Until he betrayed me."

Raising a brow at this, he suddenly looks rather interested. "Betrayed you how? I must admit my son lacks some morals, but I've never known him to be one to cheat on his mates before."

"He didn't cheat on me, he broke his promise."

"And?"

"And nothing! He gave me his word and he broke it."

"While aggravating, I'd hardly consider that a valid reason to flee from him." Looking thoughtful, he continues after a slight pause. "Also, while I don't know what promise you're talking about exactly, I do however have a rather good idea of what it might be and because of that I will ask you this, did it ever occur to you that he might have had a very good reason to break it?"

Wait a minute! Kerch siding with his son? What the hell is going on here? My eyes narrow. "Oh really? Like what?"

"Like trying to save your life." The matter of fact way he says that gives me pause. "I cannot begin to defend many of the choices that my son has made or things that he has done. I do, however, know his mother and she would not lie to me about something this serious. Do you remember becoming ill - falling unconscious in the dining room?"

I nod hesitantly. Kerch continues. "Zeddic put you back to bed but your fever continued to climb. Scorpina wasn't confident in her ability to keep you alive and your illness under control and so enlisted Mara to try and find a qualified healer to deal with you. Mara came to me as I have a much wider range of contacts. We found the only healer on the planet that is extremely familiar with Phaedosian half breeds. She'd not dealt with human half breeds before, but felt that with Scorpina's help that she could probably manage. When she arrived, she discovered that the situation was more serious than she'd thought and she wanted you moved to a hospital so that she would have anything she could possibly need to treat you."

Kerch takes a breath. "Zeddic tried to dissuade her, citing some promise to you. Essentially, she pointed out that it very well could be a matter of life or death. Zeddic realized that you couldn't forgive him if you died - and quite frankly - he probably wouldn't be able to forgive himself either even if the bond didn't take him too."

I don't know what to think. I don't know if he's telling me the truth or not - or even why he'd be talking to me at all since he doesn't like me. My doubt must show on my face because he sighs, sounding much like Zedd when he does. "My son, while he's acquired a good many of his traits from his mother and mine, did get something from me - his sense of responsibility. He's never made excuses for why he's done the things he's done or placed blame on someone else for them. He does have a sense of honor in spite of his privileged and almost spoiled upbringing. I assure you, Tommy, that if he did break his promise it was not done lightly."

"But-"

"As young as you are, with all that you've seen on your world and as a Ranger, you are still intelligent enough that I doubt very seriously that it never occurred to you that this might come to pass one day - that you might have to be hospitalized - or that Zeddic might. Would you have left him alone because of your fears?"

"I- I don't know. I'd like to believe that I'd have been okay since it wouldn't actually be me being admitted." It kind of disgusts me that I can't be sure that I could be strong enough for him if he needed me. I realize, too, that now that I've calmed down and am away from that place, I can think more clearly. Between that and Kerch's explanation, I find myself doubting that Zedd betrayed me after all. "There was really no way to be sure I'd be all right if I stayed at your house?"

"No, and again as much as I accuse him of babying you, I in truth agreed with his decision to bring you to the hospital. I saw you before they left the house to take you there, you looked and smelled very close to death. You wouldn't have survived more than another day or two without treatment."

"I can't go back to the hospital." Just the idea is making me shake again.

"What about to the hospital but not in it? Once there I can get Zeddic for you."

"Don't you mean the doctor?"

"No, I mean Zeddic as chances are he's destroying the place looking for you and I really don't feel like paying for any more property damage he causes." Good point.

"I can try." The elder Eltarian backs out of the alley and waits for me to join him. We walk side by side back the way I came. My thoughts are interrupted when he speaks again.

"By the way, apparently I owe you an apology." Startled, I look at him. "When you and I went to my office to talk and I offered you a seat on the floor, there was a purpose behind it. Not to insult or humiliate you, but to make certain that you weren't a pet or a slave. If you had been, you would have behaved certain ways. However, throughout your recitation, you showed absolutely no sign of being a pet, slave or force bonded. I've already taken Jax to task for his accusations. He shouldn't have spoken to Zeddic or you as he did, and he sure as hell should not have talked to his mother in the manner he did."

In my stunned silence, he goes on. "I've also made a point of talking to Scorpina and Goldar."

"I'm sure that went well."

"About as well as can be expected considering you are apparently viewed as a younger sibling to them." Yeah well Scorpina is like- wait, them?

"You mean Scorpina."

"No, I mean Scorpina and Goldar. The latter one being especially hostile towards any accusations that you are not well suited to be part of their little group. When I expressed concern over you weaker species as well as your history as a Ranger causing a danger to them when out doing less than legal activities he got quite aggressive and informed me that if I thought you posed a threat, I should keep saying such things and he'd show me how much of a greater threat he was in return. Though he did word it a bit differently." Rather stunned by this as I knew we were on better terms, but in no way thought he'd ever actually defend me or my place in their family, I realize a moment later that Zedd might not be the only one tearing the hospital and staff apart now looking for me, recalling that the two men have rather similar tempers and lack of patience.

"They've also made it very clear to me exactly how bad you were when Zeddic retrieved you and that, while he does baby you on occasion, it's not all that often since you've recovered. Goldar mentioned that you do still have severe nightmares from time to time and Scorpina admitted that there is also the occasional flashback from your traumatic experience." Jeez, could they make me sound like a worse mate for him or were they just going for pathetic?

Shaking my head and knowing they probably didn't mean to add to Kerch's horrible view of me, I heave a miserable sigh. "I told Zedd he could do better, he wouldn't listen though. Don't know, after today he might."

He stops short, looking almost angry. "Child, at no time have any of them suggested that you weren't good or good enough for him. In fact, quite the opposite. Even Mara has said that, having watched the two of you together, that you balance each other quite well. Not to mention somehow, as remiss as I am to admit it, you have managed to do what no one else could, which is calm him down enough that he actually thinks now before acting. Do not doubt your importance in Zeddic's life."

He starts walking again and I follow, only to stop short as we turn the corner and the hospital comes in sight. I start shaking again. "I can't." Backing away, I shake my head firmly. "I just can't."

"Very well then. Come on, Tommy. Come sit under this tree and I'll get Zeddic." I force myself to walk toward him, but in the end he has to help me the last several feet as what small shred of mistrust I have in him and Zedd has quickly been amplified to unmanageable levels at the sight of the building.

Letting him get me settled by the tree I immediately curl up tightly, shaking violently as I try to convince myself not to bolt once more at the thought of this all being some trick now. "Hurry, Kerch. Please hurry. I need him and if you don't get him soon I can't stay here, it just…I can't focus here."

I have no idea how long he's gone or if he even left yet as I keep my eyes on the ground, but I know that I'm slipping into my fear again and I'm doing my best to hang on.

"Well now. What do we have here?" The voice is unfamiliar and definitely not the one I need to hear right now. I look up at the speaker and have no idea who it is - nor the others with him, though I do know trouble when I see it and this is very likely it.

Kerch's voice cuts in, coldly. "More trouble than you know what to do with if my son sees you looking at his mate like that."

"Mate? Right." The mocking tone and snort making me bristle slightly in anger despite my still present panic over where I'm at, I'm about to tell them off when his tone suddenly changes to something much more familiar and Zedd-like. "Looks awful fearful for a mate. What's the matter doll, your keeper not been treating you nice?"

The smooth, coaxing tone taking some of the sting out of the words, it's all I can do to get out a snappish comeback. "Leave me alone."

The group snickering and talking quickly among themselves before the one male moves closer, I know exactly what he's trying to pull as he again keeps his tone smooth and almost pleasant. "Aw come on now, I don't bite, much. What's say you come on home with me and we'll get you all warmed up."

Looking aggravated, Kerch moves between us slightly, before shaking his head. "I'm warning you."

Now looking rather annoyed himself, the one male faces off with Kerch seeming more exasperated than anything else. "Oh come on, I doubt Jax would have a problem sharing his toy. He never has before, you know. Besides he still owes me one for stealing my client last month."

"Not Jax – Zeddic." A mutter passes through the small group that suddenly looks far less amused and cocky now. Kerch addresses me. "Tommy, I can't leave you alone to get Zeddic and you obviously can't come with me, so that only really leaves one option. Open the bond so he can find you."