TOMMY - TWO DAYS LATER

Zedd's hiding something from me, I can tell and it's making me nervous. In spite of our conversation two days ago, I'm still more than a little worried about the right - or rather wrong - person taking him away from me. The subject changes when I enter a room or everyone just falls silent so whatever it is, everyone knows about it. It would be bad enough for Zedd to betray me like that, but to have the others in on it too? I mean, I could see Dar - after all, he is Zedd's best friend, even if we have definitely gotten closer over the years. But to have Pina and Kira to follow suit? I'd never survive it.

We're supposed to leave tomorrow and Zedd and Mara Jane later. At least I hope so. Just about to again wonder if I'm being shipped off for more than just rest and relaxation, I'm pulled out of my concerns briefly as my son chooses this moment to kick the crap out of me. Groaning in pain, I tell him, "I know it's getting tight in there, son. Just hang on another - oh, god week and a half or two weeks so that Papa and Sissy can be there, okay?" I don't know how in all the hells I'm going to hold on for two more weeks, never mind the month or so that we're guessing it should actually be. "Of course if you do want to come a little early, buddy, no complaints on this end, honest."

I jump slightly when I hear a voice call out, "Hey, Tommy. Oh sorry - didn't mean to startle you."

"Hey, Kira. It's all right." She slips into a nearby chair, watching me fold laundry for a minute before picking up a shirt, which I instantly take back. "Don't even think about it."

Looking amused, she raises a curious brow. "Come on, I know I'm not the best at laundry, but I can manage to fold a few shirts you know."

"It's not your folding skills, or lack of, that is the problem. It's the fact that this one of the few chores that Zedd still allows me to do so I don't go completely stir crazy having to stay in the house all day."

"Nobody ever said that you had to stay in the house" she points out.

Sighing, I nod. "I know but as moody as I've been lately, I really don't need to lose control in public - never mind if it was power related." Yeah, 'cause wouldn't that just go well - losing my temper, summoning my staff and throwing power around just because someone looked at me funny…

"So what about the backyard?"

"Then the same neighbors that drool over my husband would probably mock me and then we're back to the temper loss when I accuse them of hitting on my mate."

"Well, why don't you and I go for a drive? Nobody will have to look at you funny, you won't have to talk to people, but you can get out of the damn house for a while." I consider her suggestion for a few minutes. Just as I'm about to talk myself out of going, she offers, "I'll buy you ice cream."

Damn it. "Deal."

Three hours later and I'm more relaxed than I have been in weeks. Suddenly, I recognize the area we're in. "Hey, we're not far from where the house is being built."

"Really? Do you think we could swing by and have a look?"

"I don't know." Recalling Zedd's insistance that I stay away from the site for my own piece of mind as well as safety and the safety of others I however would like to have a look at the progress that's been done, or very likely not done up to this point. "It's probably not done, but I guess so. You can't tell Zedd we did, though."

"Why not?"

"Turn right. Because after the incident when the foreman threatened me, Zedd all but forbade me to come over here, citing my and the baby's safety in case the workers were to gang up on me and I was alone. That was the closest he's come to outright giving me an order as he has in quite a while." Except sometimes when we're mating.

"I'm sure that went over well" she answers dryly, taking the left turn I'm pointing at.

"It almost started an all out war between us" I admit "until he pointed out that the idea of losing me and the baby terrified him beyond all reason. At that point, I had to cave. The house should be around the next curve."

"Well I won't say anything if you don't."

"Deal."

As the building site comes into view, I feel my happy mood tank. Oh my god there are so many cars here! At this rate, we'll be lucky if we can move in by the next school year! Wait a minute… Taking a closer look at the cars that are here, I realize that I recognize a good many of them. That's Rocky's truck, Jason's SUV, Zedd's Mustang, Connor's Camero… What's going on here? Kira parks and shuts off the car. "Let's go have a look, shall we?"

"Kira? What-" She just smiles at me and gets out. In a minute, she comes around the car and helps me out. We head for the house across the unfinished lawn. We knew the landscaping wasn't going to be done for a good month after the house. About halfway across the expanse, she suddenly gives a shrill whistle. In a minute, people are pouring out of the house, but none of them are part of the construction crew. All of them are our friends and family and they part for Zedd like the Red Sea parted for Moses as he comes to meet me with a huge smile on his face.

"Welcome home, love."

"Zedd, what?"

"The house is finished and ready. All we have to do is move the small things - dishes, clothes and so on."

"What? How in the hell-"

"Come now, love, you know I can be very persuasive when I'm properly motivated. And given how worried and stressed out you've been lately over all this, I was very, very motivated to get this done for you."

Wanting to thank him and tell him how thrilled I am he was so motivated I however can't seem to get the words out just yet as I'm actually, in truth, a little disappointed. Zedd and Mara Jane will get to live in the house for at least a week before they come join me and the others and I won't. Seeming to pick up on my rollercoaster of emotions however, Zedd is fast to continue. "However, Mara Jane and I talked about it and neither of us wants to live here without you. So - once you leave, she and I will, with the help of our friends, move our remaining possessions, set up the rooms and so forth. Once that's done, we're going to come and meet you at home. Then we can all come back here to our new home as a family."

I smile widely at him through the tears that are starting to fall. "I think that sounds just about perfect."

"Come on, Daddy! Come see inside!" Mara Jane grabs my hand and pulls me toward the house. I can't help but laugh at the little whirlwind - so much like her papa when excited.

Once inside it takes a minute for my eyes to adjust, but when they do, I look around eagerly, sighing happily as I see how well our plans for the décor worked out. I head into the kitchen next. I wondered what Zedd had done with the pictures that Mara Jane drew that used to be on the refrigerator! He'd said that he took them down to make room for new artwork, but I can see where they really went. Wait a minute - is that the sideboard from my old house? The one that used to belong to my great grandmother? I know that Zedd had moved it to the castle when I first officially moved in with him. Did Dar and Pina bring it back with them?

Softly, Zedd speaks. "It's not the original, love. That one is still at home. Lisa and Amy found an old fashioned master craftsman who specializes in recreating pieces from pictures. They explained that our main home is a very long way away and I wanted to surprise you with copies of certain pieces for our home here. He's been working on the commissioned pieces for the last six months getting them built and all the details right."

I look closer and he's right. It's perfect, down to every nick, scratch, scrape and divot. "It's perfect, kalleimat."

We tour the rest of the house, Mara Jane taking great delight in showing me her bedroom/playroom. There are several gift wrapped packages in one corner. "Papa says that those are 'welcome to the new house' presents and I can't open them until we come home to stay." By the shape of one of them, I can guess what it is, and she'll be delighted with the new dollhouse, for sure.

The nursery is next and I can't help but laugh so hard I can't breathe even as my husband shakes his head. "I knew I shouldn't have let them decorate alone."

The room is covered with all kinds of Power Ranger memorabilia - action figures, Zord toys, wallpaper border and so on. Each wall is painted a different color - red, green, white and black. The crib even has an obviously custom made Power Rangers mobile and sheets! I sink down in the rocking chair, still laughing. "But look, mate, they made sure you were included."

His eyes follow my gesture to find a packaged Lord Zedd action figure pinned to the wall. He growls and is about to yank it down when a new voice protests, "Hey! Be careful with that! That's the most expensive one in the whole room!" Justin steps through the door. "Believe it or not, that was the hardest one to find."

Justin, in his own way, is similar to Zedd in that he finds things for people. The major differences being that he doesn't work off planet, doesn't go after anything illegal, and deals mostly in collectables of all sorts. Jason speaks up. "Probably because most kids only wanted them at the time to destroy them or blow them up with fireworks."

"Nice" he mutters. "What the hell do you humans teach your children, anyway?"

"You might want to rethink that statement, mate" I caution him.

"Why?" The moment the question is out of his mouth, he knows why.

"Aren't you the one who encouraged, or rather helped, Mara Jane blow up that Red Ranger punching bag you bought her when she was two?"

Running over to look herself, Mara Jane squeals in delight. "Look Papa it's you." Making a 'threatening' face, she growls apparently trying to appear intimidating as she advances on her father. "Grrrr I'm going to eat you up!"

"I do not say that" Zedd grumbles before picking her up suddenly and flipping her over in his arms to hold her upside down.

Before he can defend himself any further however, Mara Jane, who has been studying the walls upside down, pipes up. "Hey! Aunt Pina isn't here in her costume. I don't see Uncle Dar as a kitty either. Why aren't they here? We need them! They need toys too!"

Jason and Justin completely lose it at the mention of Dar as a 'kitty' and suddenly, the doorway is filled with people wanting to know what's so funny. Aside Mara Jane of course who is clearly confused as to why her question is so funny.

"Don't laugh." Looking slightly offended now, she shakes her head. "Aunt Pina and Uncle Dar need toys too so our family will be all together."

I pull her down on my lap from Zedd's arms and hold her until the pair finally pulls themselves together enough that she can hear me over them. "They're not laughing at you, they're just being silly, and yes we need our whole family together, which is why I'm sure that Justin is still looking for them, honey."

"Right" Justin chokes out. "Still looking."

"For what?" Dar asks clearly lost on what the joke and problem is.

Zedd's barely controlling his own amusement when he answers his friend. "Apparently despite all of these blasted Power Ranger figures, and one of myself included, she's disappointed that there aren't figures of Pina in her costume or you as a - kitty."

Dar cringes at the laughter that breaks out once more. "There was a time when I was feared in that form."

"And you still are" Pina assures him, clearly trying not to laugh. "But because we had to make sure she wouldn't be afraid of us in our other forms, we didn't approach it the same way as we would if we were actually trying to terrify someone. Besides we don't want her to think of you as something to be feared, my love. Anyone else, by all means, but not her."

"True" Dar agrees though still looks a tad offended.

The laughter dies off as her statement sinks in. "What do you mean?" Rocky asks curiously.

"We showed her our monstrous forms a while back. We wanted to make sure that, if we ever had to transform to protect her or each other, that she wouldn't be afraid of us and knew that it was still us and we're trustworthy" Zedd explains.

Jason looks at him oddly. "Even you?"

"Even me" he confirms.

"Wait so you guys can still transform into your mons- uh, other forms?" Rocky questions looking torn between surprise and now worry.

"Trust me, it's a good thing, Rocko" I assure him seriously. "There's been a few times over the years that it's actually saved all of our lives."

"I don't doubt it" Conner agrees.

Jason crouches to my daughter's level. "So you've seen Dar as a kitty huh?"

"Yes, he's fuzzy and has big wings, but he won't take me flying. Aunt Pina says it's because he's too heavy now to fly, cuz he eats too much cake."

"What?" Looking to his mate in shock, Dar is clearly waiting for an explanation, even as Pina blushes and shrugs slightly.

"Well what was I supposed to tell her? Zedd would kill us if you tried to actually fly with her, besides you know as well as I do your wings in battle form are more for appearance sake than actual use."

Smirking at the two, Jason returns his focus to my daughter. "What do you think of Papa's other form?"

She looks at him haughtily and her answer is laced with pride. "Papa will scare all the bad guys away and keep us safe forever and ever!"

Zedd smirks at the surprised look on my bro's face. "It's all in how you present it, I guess."

I roll my eyes. "Don't start, Zedd. You were worried out of your mind about how she'd handle it."

"I never said that."

I shoot him a look. "You didn't have to." It's still very clear in my mind how worried and afraid he was. It was worth it, though, for him to see how strong our little girl already is, never mind getting a hint of how strong she'll become.

We finish the tour and I must say I can't believe how perfectly things have turned out. I turn to Zedd. "How did you get them to get it finished on time?"

"I told you, I can be very persuasive when properly motivated."

"You threatened them, didn't you?"

He looks amused. "Not as much or as badly as you'd think. In fact, I think you'd say that I was quite restrained and well behaved."

From behind us, comes a new voice. "You'd be surprised what the threat of some bad reviews and bad press can do to a fairly new company." I freeze, dreading seeing who's behind me. "It's okay, Tommy. We already know."

I turn slowly to find Amy and Lisa standing there, grinning hugely. Lisa picks up where her mate left off. "Over the years, we've learned a lot about Zedd - who he is, what he is and so forth. Remember about eight months or so ago when I called you about some information that Zedd wanted? You - weren't acting quite yourself, so later I called again and got him that time. When I told him what I was concerned about, he admitted that you weren't quite yourself and explained the whole situation."

Amy takes back over. "Anyway, we told Zedd exactly what to say so that the builder was under the impression that he'd only get bad press if the deadline wasn't met, but Zedd still had the freedom to bad mouth them either way."

Lisa nods. "Yeah, he still doesn't quite have the hang of dealing with humans yet."

I shake my head. "Ladies, thank you very much for helping him."