Red snarled again in rage, only to be choked tightly under David's forearm.
"Jason's off limits. He is still asleep," he managed to rasp. "We're not discussing him!"
The doctor again touched the tensed leg to bring Red's attention around.
"It's ok. We don't have to talk about Jason. But it's just the three of you?" he asked.
Red nodded, his dark eye almost black. His hair was damp with sweat now and stuck to his forehead; the grey and black shirt clung to his upper body as he panted. Every muscle was tight as a bow string as he bided his time until David loosened his hold.
The former warlord continued to restrain his Red firmly, enjoying the heightened scent from his pet's physical exertion and the feel of his body pressed against him again. He desperately wanted to run his hands over the sweat slick chest but knew that Red would come unglued.
"Jamie doesn't know about you still prancing around in there, does he?" he whispered instead.
Red grunted and pulled roughly at David's arm.
"He doesn't need to know. It would serve no purpose. His job is to continue on and live. To do the things I am unable to do," he hissed.
Dr. Waters nodded kindly.
"I think I understand, Red. Jamie's function is ensuring your survival in society and you serve essentially in a protective role. Over the two of them, correct?" he let the last sentence linger without pressing.
Red grinned and laughed.
"If that's how you want to put it. I haven't had to emerge until this motherfucker showed up again! But I'm always watching and waiting."
Mark spoke up next.
"So when Jamie 'wakes up', he won't remember any of this?" he worried.
Red shook his head.
"No."
Mark sank back on the flood, the skillet lowered. He felt relief that his friend would have no memory of this traumatic meeting. It felt a little unsettling to know that this 'Red' was watching just behind Jamie's eyes though.
"Jamie and Jason are 'asleep' according to you. You are the only one who knows about the others?" the doctor continued to question Red gently.
"As far as Jamie is concerned, yes."
Red growled a moment as he considered if he wanted to relent on any information concerning Jason.
"I don't know what Jason knows about us. We can access most of his memories and knowledge. Nothing after I came into existence," he finally conceded.
Dr. Waters nodded again, filling yet another page with notes.
"He hasn't woken up? You would know if he had though, right Red?" he ventured, bracing for the man to explode at being asked about this sensitive subject.
Something close to fear passed over Red's expression before it quickly disappeared.
"I've tried to wake him up, but I can't. I thought he would take over again after the Spectrum was destroyed. He just wouldn't respond. I would never be able to live like this. Not after being some bizarre palace pet. So, I had to stitch Jamie together from what I could access and my own limited experience. Someone else had to take over," he admitted, hating that David was privy to anything regarding the primary identity.
"When we morphed into the Fox Ranger, it felt different. Like the stone was accessing all of us and pulling out the best parts. But only while we were in Ranger form. It was like we were working together, almost integrated. After Jamie powered down, it was lost," he continued.
Red jerked again against David's hold.
"Now are we done here?" he asked. "Because I'm really feeling the urge to tear this fucker to shreds."
The doctor nodded and tried to sooth the angry man.
"Alright. I appreciate what you've shared with me, Red. I know you didn't have to talk to me. I see you also understand that we need David alive, so we need a truce to get through this. Can we do that? David, can you stop provoking Red?"
David sighed in a very put-upon way.
"I suppose. You know I'm just teasing with you, Red. I have missed you too, you know. Well the 'you' before the one that tried to kill me," he murmured softly. "But I want to ask you. What made you turn on your master after all that time?"
Red gave a deep, otherworldly laugh and grinned.
"I spent so much time thinking I loved you, you fucking prick. I forgot I was standing in for Jason, to protect him. But those other people reminded me what you had done. I found Jason's things that you stole from him and I remembered him. That I was once him."
Now he managed to twist enough to look up into David's face as he continued.
"You're nothing but a Goddamn liar! I watched you drug that Red Omega right in front of me. Like you did to Jason! You rubbed it in his face that he lost to you when you had pulled a fucking dirty trick!"
Exhaustion had set in for both David and Red at this point; each drenched in sweat and muscles trembling. They were at an impasse. Hazel eyes locked on the other man's dark one. It was silent a moment between the two combatants.
Then David dropped a hand to stroke Red's cheek tenderly.
"Despite outward appearance, I still care about you, even though you've grown to be a huge pain in my ass. The doctor is right. We need a truce, you and I. Or Jamie's whole new life is going to be destroyed," he murmured.
"I'm sorry I grabbed Jamie and made you reveal yourself, pet. It was a dick thing to do. But now its all out on the table. I'm going to let you up now, alright?"
Red stared intensely without comment as the grip on him eased; he scrambled quickly to his feet and backed away from the three men. Slowly, he moved into the kitchen, his head lowered.
"I'll agree to your truce. For now. Because Jamie needs you. But make no mistake, David, Drakkon, I will be watching you and if you step out of line, I can't guarantee my temper won't get the best of me," he warned as he settled back into a chair at the table. "No more fuckery!"
Then Red's head collapsed forward onto his chest as he took several deep breaths, his arms twitching slightly. He was so still that Dr. Waters jumped to his feet and felt for a pulse in the man's neck. The physician breathed a sigh of relief when he felt it thumping reassuringly.
At the warm touch, Jamie's head snapped up and he looked around, confused.
"Sorry, doc, I think I zoned out there for a minute," he said groggily as he rubbed his forehead and winced. "I think I'm getting another migraine by the way."
He then caught sight of Mark standing in the doorway to the living room, staring at him anxiously.
"Mark, when did you get here?"
Jamie looked down at himself and pulled his damp shirt away from his body as he sat up straighter in the chair.
"I just got here, Jamie," his friend replied, moving to replace the skillet on the counter.
The bewildered man couldn't understand why his two guests were staring at him. Why did Mark have a skillet? Why was his clothing soaking wet? And why was that asshole sprawled out on the living room floor?
Jamie rubbed his jaw, absently; it throbbed with pain and he felt like he had a crick in his neck.
"I'm sorry. I must have dozed off or something. Probably more tired than I realized," he tried to rationalize.
Frowning down at David, he groaned.
"Why the hell are you on the floor?"
Smirking, the tyrant shrugged mysteriously.
"I fell."
Looking pointedly at David's wheelchair still parked in the kitchen, Jamie crossed his arms.
"Then why is your chair in the kitchen? And why is your lip busted?"
David gave Jamie a look like he had two heads and twirled his finger in the air.
"I fucking cut my lip when I fell, darling. I refuse for either of those two to touch me. I can get myself into the bathroom thank you very much!" he said snidely.
He proceeded to lift himself with his still powerful upper body and thighs and ambulate himself towards the bathroom door.
"Seriously?" Jamie growled. "He can transfer his own ass to bed tonight."