Cataclysm (Tsukino Akume, Drama/Friendship)
And the trend continues:
I'm sick, I write. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing ... not sure. But there's snuggles.
Title/: Cataclysm
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Relationship/: Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, mentions of Cassie/Phantom
Rating/: K+
Warnings/: emotional trauma, mentally disturbed people, depression
Disclaimer/: If I owned the Power Rangers, this universe would exist. We would have known who the Phantom Ranger was - and it *would* have been a girl because I'm weird like that - and team snuggles would be mandatory every episode. As none of that is cannon, it's safe to assume that I don't.
Summary/: When Astronema was defeated, the Astro Rangers gave up more than their Powers. Reporters, fans, and long-lost relatives are coming out of the woodwork as the team struggles to adjust to it all. Bright Skies Universe.
Theme/: #84. News
Author's Notes/: Not sure if I like this chapter, but there's lots of team snuggles, so that makes it okay.
"Argh!" Cassie yelled, yanking the curtain closed over the window.
For a moment she stood still, trying to get her breathing under control as she struggled to understand what had just happened.
"Cassie?" Ashley was at her side in moments, wide awake and looking alarmed. "Cassie, what is it?"
The bedroom door burst open. "Are you girls all right?!" Kevin Hammond demanded.
Cassie blinked again, finally turning to stare at Ashley. "There was ... there was a man outside the window!" she sputtered, indignation dawning at last. "He had a camera and he - "
"A man with a camera?" Ashley repeated, frowning.
Kevin sighed quietly. "I was afraid of this," he muttered.
The noise caught their attention more than his words. "Dad?" Ashley asked warily, still squeezing Cassie's hands. "What's going on?"
The look Kevin gave her was full of sympathy, and it was frightening. "It can wait until after breakfast," he said finally. "Why don't you two go get - "
"No," Cassie interrupted, shaking her head. "You said it could wait last night. I want to know what's going on."
Kevin looked torn. "Girls - "
"Dad, please," Ashley said quietly. "We're not kids anymore. We deserve to know what's wrong."
There was a long pause, and at last Kevin nodded slowly. "You're right. You're not." He shook his head. "Come on out to the living room. Just ... stay away from the windows."
Cassie and Ashley exchanged a glance as he headed down the hall.
"Clothes first," Ashley said grimly, heading for the dresser.
Cassie smiled, but there was no amusement in it. One of the first things you learned about being a Power Ranger was to always be ready for anything. She didn't like the idea of that mentality spilling over into the rest of her life.
Ashley caught her hand again as they left the room, and she squeezed it back reflexively. Maybe Andros and Karone weren't the only ones who needed physical contact to make sure each other were still there, Cassie mused silently. The thought made her heart hurt.
Ashley stopped abruptly in front of her. "Dev? Tabby? What are you two doing home?"
Devon looked up from the TV, while Tabitha bounded out of her chair at the dining room table with a bright smile. "Ashley!" she squealed, tackling her older sister in a hug.
Ashley let go of Cassie's hand to hug her back, squeezing a little tighter than was strictly necessary. "Oh, it's good to see you," she murmured, tears sparkling in her eyes for a moment.
Cassie looked away, swallowing another lump in her throat.
Looking around the living room, something struck her suddenly. The curtains on all of the windows were closed. The entire house had been shut up tight enough that they actually needed the lights on, and now that she thought about it, Ashley had to use her key to get in through the backdoor last night.
The backdoor was never locked.
"Mom and Dad didn't want us going to school after what happened to Nikki," Devon explained, not bothering to move from his sprawl across the couch.
Ashley looked alarmed. "What happened to Nikki?" she repeated, turning to look for her father.
"Devon," Melanie scolded gently as she came out of the kitchen. "Stop scaring your sister." She looked at Ashley for a moment, and something in her gaze set Cassie's nerves on edge. "Why don't you girls sit down?" she said finally.
Ashley looked at Cassie. She swallowed and nodded once in agreement.
Ashley grabbed her hand again, pulling Cassie along to sit beside her on the couch as Devon moved to an arm chair. Ashley frowned at him, and Cassie squeezed her hand again. For a moment they exchanged another look before turning their complete attention on Melanie. "What's going on?" Cassie asked quietly. "And why doesn't anyone want us to know about it?"
Melanie sighed as she took a seat in the chair opposite Devon, Kevin coming to sit on the arm. He squeezed her shoulder in silent support. "We thought it'd be best to let you get a good night's rest before we told you," she explained. She paused, seeming to gather her thoughts, before looking at both of them seriously. "First of all, we want you to know how proud we are of you. All of you. When Astronema - " she cut herself off, shaking her head as tears shone in her eyes. "I've never been so terrified in my life," she admitted. Her eyes met Ashley's. "And I've never been more proud of you."
"Mom ... " Ashley whispered, her own eyes watering.
"We all are," Kevin spoke up, giving a slight smile. "And don't ever forget that." he added, leaning forward to squeeze their joined hands.
Cassie swallowed as her heart began to pound and she didn't know why. "So what happened?"
Melanie let out another slow sigh. "When the five of you transformed in front of everyone," she began slowly, and Cassie fought the urge to correct her wording, "There were almost a hundred witnesses. Several of them were reporters. And one man ... it turns out he had a camera."
She could feel the blood draining from her face. "What?" she whispered.
"By the time they had the news broadcasts up again, everyone in Angel Grove knew who the four of you were," Kevin said quietly. "And they're still trying to figure out who Zhane and Andros are."
"It was world-wide in less than an hour, thanks to the internet," Devon offered. He quieted at the look his father shot him.
Ashley swallowed hard, and her grip on Cassie's hand was painfully tight. "Then ... that man Cassie saw ... "
"There's been about thirty reporters camped on our front lawn all week," Kevin admitted.
There was a soft cry of dismay, and Ashley swayed.
Cassie wrapped an arm around her tightly. "Breathe, Ash," she murmured, rubbing her shoulder. She felt numb.
"N-Nikki?" Ashley managed finally.
Melanie looked worried, biting her lip. "She was ... approached by some reporters at school," she said softly. "She's fine - Campus Security got her back to her dorm all right - but she hasn't tried to go to class since. She called and warned us to keep Devon and Tabitha at home for now."
"She said she'd head home as soon as she can," Kevin added. "She wanted to see you."
Ashley closed her eyes, whimpering faintly. The next moment her eyes shot open again with a gasp of horror. "Oh, no. Carlos! T.J.!"
Cassie was already reaching for her communicator. "Guys, this is Cassie. Come in."
"This is Carlos," came the weary reply. "You guys heard?"
"There was someone outside the window this morning," Cassie told him, her fingers tightening slightly on her communicator as anger surged briefly.
"Are you girls all right?" he asked sharply.
"We're fine," Ashley promised him, leaning in so he could hear her. "What about you?"
There was a long, drawn-out sigh. "I'm okay," he said eventually.
Yeah, right, Cassie thought immediately, sharing a skeptical glance with Ashley.
Another beep signaled someone else joining in the call. "This is Zhane!" he piped up cheerfully. "Sorry about the delay. I was being unfairly teamed up against."
"Unfairly?" Karone repeated, sounding offended.
"What's wrong, Cassie?" Andros put in, clearly ignoring the other two.
Another beep. "What is it?" T.J. asked sharply, sounding irritated.
Cassie let out a slow sigh, looking at Ashley again. "Can you guys make it to my house?" Ashley asked after moment, biting her lip. "We need to talk."
"We'll be right down," Andros promised.
"On my way," Carlos agreed.
There was a pause. "As soon as I can get out of here," T.J. grumbled.
Cassie frowned uncertainly. "You all right, Teej?"
Another pause, and they heard him sigh. "Honestly? No. I'll be there as fast as I can."
She lowered her wrist, frowning deeper as she ended the call. Ashley met her gaze worriedly. "You think something happened?"
"I guess well see," she murmured, reaching out automatically to catch Ashley's hand again. The return grip left her fingers numb.
"We'll let you kids have some privacy," Keith promised, giving Melanie a hand out of her chair as he stared at Devon and Tabitha.
"But we were here first ... " Devon complained. He silenced as his mother shot him another look.
Tabitha moved just enough in Ashley's lap to wrap one arm around her sister, while the other came up around Cassie. "Thank you for saving us," she told them both solemnly as she pulled away. "I never got to say it before."
Cassie blinked back at the younger girl, trying to think of something to say in response. She couldn't say 'you're welcome'. And she couldn't explain that protecting Earth was just part of what they did as Rangers, because she didn't want to cheapen Tabitha's thanks. But what *could* she say?
Ashley reached up to tuck some hair behind her little sister's ear. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she told Tabitha softly.
Tabitha's answering smile lit up the room as she scrambled to her feet. "I'm really proud to be your sister, Ashley," she said earnestly.
Ashley's eyes seemed a little too bright for a moment. "And I'm proud to be *your* sister," she returned, poking Tabitha gently on the nose.
Cassie looked away, closing her eyes and clenching her free hand.
The sound of teleportation caught her attention, and she looked up again as black sparkles descended into the living room. She quickly pulled her hand free before Ashley yanked her arm out of the socket in her lunge for Carlos. She had him in a hug before he'd even fully formed, her arms thrown around his neck and squeezing tightly. Carlos looked startled, even as his arms went around her just as tight. His eyes found Cassie's instantly, and he frowned. "You girls all right?" he asked again.
Cassie tried to smile. "'Bout as much as you'd expect," she told him as red, silver, and white sparkles appeared beside him.
In the thirty seconds it took Andros to look around the room, his eyes narrowed in suspicion even as he turned to greet Ashley with a hug. "What happened?"
"We're celebrities," Cassie informed him, shrugging with a pained smile.
Zhane frowned, looking puzzled. " ... And that's a bad thing?"
"No one's ever known who Earth's Rangers were," Carlos answered him, reaching out to rub Ashley's arm absently as she stepped back from Andros. "It's always been a secret. And now ... " He trailed off with a quiet sigh.
"There was a man with a camera outside our bedroom window this morning," Cassie explained quietly, even as she knew Zhane probably wouldn't understand. He'd never understood their reasoning for not wanting people to know who they were to begin with. "He took a picture of me in my pjs."
Surprisingly, that seemed to get to Zhane as none of their other explanations had before. He came to sit beside her on the couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders with a look of concern. "You okay?"
She shrugged, leaning against him. "Honestly?"
"Dumb question, huh?" he asked ruefully, and she smiled a little.
"I'm sorry."
She looked up at Karone's quiet admission just in time to see Ashley shake her head vehemently. "Karone, it's not your fault," she insisted.
"I'm the one who demanded you reveal yourselves," Karone reminded them quietly.
"And I'm the one who suggested we actually do it," Zhane pointed out.
"And the rest of us agreed," Ashley added. She smiled gently, reaching out to squeeze Karone's hands with a look of understanding. "It's no one's fault."
"Except the bad guys'," Carlos put in, grinning faintly.
A burst of blue sparkles announced T.J.'s arrival, and Ashley turned to greet him with a hug. She paused before she managed it, frowning. "T.J.? What happened?" she asked anxiously.
T.J. sighed, looking weary. "My mom called at five this morning. I just got off the phone after you guys called."
Ashley bit her lip, moving in to hug him tightly. "Are you all right?"
He sighed again, closing his eyes briefly as he hugged her back. "Tired," he admitted, fighting a yawn. "Worn out, I guess. She's pretty mad."
"Why would she be mad?" Andros spoke up, frowning.
T.J. shrugged, trying to smile. "Well, I spent about a year hiding the fact that I was putting my life in danger from my family. Then there's the fact that my baseball career's been on the back burner. Oh, and she obviously can't trust Jake to keep an eye on me if he can't tell I'm a superhero, so she wants me to come home," he added, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I don't even know what the rest of my family thinks yet. She's been lecturing me for hours."
"I'm sorry, T.J.," Karone told him, looking sad. "This is all happening because of me."
He cracked an eye open to glare at her. "Oh, no. You don't get to do the guilt trip thing," he warned her darkly. "I've spent the last ten months dealing with Andros' issues. I am *not* accepting any more."
Ashley burst into giggles, clapping her hands over her mouth guiltily as Karone looked startled and Andros glared at her half-heartedly. "I'm sorry!" she gasped, trying to keep in her laughter. "I'm sorry! I know it's not funny. It's just - "
Carlos snickered quietly.
Cassie fought a grin, and then laughed as Zhane elbowed her gently in the ribs. "It *is* funny," he reminded them, shooting Cassie a grin of his own.
And then they were all laughing, because it wasn't funny at all, but they couldn't seem to stop. They laughed until Ashley started to cry, and then Andros was hugging her close, trying to soothe her. Carlos ran a hand over his hair in agitation, and T.J. leaned against a wall looking ready to collapse.
Cassie blinked back tears of her own, leaning into Zhane and burying her face against his neck. Everything was falling apart around them, and she didn't have the slightest idea of what to do. Everything they'd tried so hard to protect was in shambles.
Zhane's hand came up to stroke her hair as Ashley's quiet sobs echoed in the background. "It's gonna be okay, Cassie," he murmured in her ear. "We'll make it okay."
She wanted to believe him. She just wasn't sure if she could. She wasn't sure if anything could ever be okay again.
I'm sick, I write. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing ... not sure. But there's snuggles.
Title/: Cataclysm
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Relationship/: Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, mentions of Cassie/Phantom
Rating/: K+
Warnings/: emotional trauma, mentally disturbed people, depression
Disclaimer/: If I owned the Power Rangers, this universe would exist. We would have known who the Phantom Ranger was - and it *would* have been a girl because I'm weird like that - and team snuggles would be mandatory every episode. As none of that is cannon, it's safe to assume that I don't.
Summary/: When Astronema was defeated, the Astro Rangers gave up more than their Powers. Reporters, fans, and long-lost relatives are coming out of the woodwork as the team struggles to adjust to it all. Bright Skies Universe.
Theme/: #84. News
Author's Notes/: Not sure if I like this chapter, but there's lots of team snuggles, so that makes it okay.
"Argh!" Cassie yelled, yanking the curtain closed over the window.
For a moment she stood still, trying to get her breathing under control as she struggled to understand what had just happened.
"Cassie?" Ashley was at her side in moments, wide awake and looking alarmed. "Cassie, what is it?"
The bedroom door burst open. "Are you girls all right?!" Kevin Hammond demanded.
Cassie blinked again, finally turning to stare at Ashley. "There was ... there was a man outside the window!" she sputtered, indignation dawning at last. "He had a camera and he - "
"A man with a camera?" Ashley repeated, frowning.
Kevin sighed quietly. "I was afraid of this," he muttered.
The noise caught their attention more than his words. "Dad?" Ashley asked warily, still squeezing Cassie's hands. "What's going on?"
The look Kevin gave her was full of sympathy, and it was frightening. "It can wait until after breakfast," he said finally. "Why don't you two go get - "
"No," Cassie interrupted, shaking her head. "You said it could wait last night. I want to know what's going on."
Kevin looked torn. "Girls - "
"Dad, please," Ashley said quietly. "We're not kids anymore. We deserve to know what's wrong."
There was a long pause, and at last Kevin nodded slowly. "You're right. You're not." He shook his head. "Come on out to the living room. Just ... stay away from the windows."
Cassie and Ashley exchanged a glance as he headed down the hall.
"Clothes first," Ashley said grimly, heading for the dresser.
Cassie smiled, but there was no amusement in it. One of the first things you learned about being a Power Ranger was to always be ready for anything. She didn't like the idea of that mentality spilling over into the rest of her life.
Ashley caught her hand again as they left the room, and she squeezed it back reflexively. Maybe Andros and Karone weren't the only ones who needed physical contact to make sure each other were still there, Cassie mused silently. The thought made her heart hurt.
Ashley stopped abruptly in front of her. "Dev? Tabby? What are you two doing home?"
Devon looked up from the TV, while Tabitha bounded out of her chair at the dining room table with a bright smile. "Ashley!" she squealed, tackling her older sister in a hug.
Ashley let go of Cassie's hand to hug her back, squeezing a little tighter than was strictly necessary. "Oh, it's good to see you," she murmured, tears sparkling in her eyes for a moment.
Cassie looked away, swallowing another lump in her throat.
Looking around the living room, something struck her suddenly. The curtains on all of the windows were closed. The entire house had been shut up tight enough that they actually needed the lights on, and now that she thought about it, Ashley had to use her key to get in through the backdoor last night.
The backdoor was never locked.
"Mom and Dad didn't want us going to school after what happened to Nikki," Devon explained, not bothering to move from his sprawl across the couch.
Ashley looked alarmed. "What happened to Nikki?" she repeated, turning to look for her father.
"Devon," Melanie scolded gently as she came out of the kitchen. "Stop scaring your sister." She looked at Ashley for a moment, and something in her gaze set Cassie's nerves on edge. "Why don't you girls sit down?" she said finally.
Ashley looked at Cassie. She swallowed and nodded once in agreement.
Ashley grabbed her hand again, pulling Cassie along to sit beside her on the couch as Devon moved to an arm chair. Ashley frowned at him, and Cassie squeezed her hand again. For a moment they exchanged another look before turning their complete attention on Melanie. "What's going on?" Cassie asked quietly. "And why doesn't anyone want us to know about it?"
Melanie sighed as she took a seat in the chair opposite Devon, Kevin coming to sit on the arm. He squeezed her shoulder in silent support. "We thought it'd be best to let you get a good night's rest before we told you," she explained. She paused, seeming to gather her thoughts, before looking at both of them seriously. "First of all, we want you to know how proud we are of you. All of you. When Astronema - " she cut herself off, shaking her head as tears shone in her eyes. "I've never been so terrified in my life," she admitted. Her eyes met Ashley's. "And I've never been more proud of you."
"Mom ... " Ashley whispered, her own eyes watering.
"We all are," Kevin spoke up, giving a slight smile. "And don't ever forget that." he added, leaning forward to squeeze their joined hands.
Cassie swallowed as her heart began to pound and she didn't know why. "So what happened?"
Melanie let out another slow sigh. "When the five of you transformed in front of everyone," she began slowly, and Cassie fought the urge to correct her wording, "There were almost a hundred witnesses. Several of them were reporters. And one man ... it turns out he had a camera."
She could feel the blood draining from her face. "What?" she whispered.
"By the time they had the news broadcasts up again, everyone in Angel Grove knew who the four of you were," Kevin said quietly. "And they're still trying to figure out who Zhane and Andros are."
"It was world-wide in less than an hour, thanks to the internet," Devon offered. He quieted at the look his father shot him.
Ashley swallowed hard, and her grip on Cassie's hand was painfully tight. "Then ... that man Cassie saw ... "
"There's been about thirty reporters camped on our front lawn all week," Kevin admitted.
There was a soft cry of dismay, and Ashley swayed.
Cassie wrapped an arm around her tightly. "Breathe, Ash," she murmured, rubbing her shoulder. She felt numb.
"N-Nikki?" Ashley managed finally.
Melanie looked worried, biting her lip. "She was ... approached by some reporters at school," she said softly. "She's fine - Campus Security got her back to her dorm all right - but she hasn't tried to go to class since. She called and warned us to keep Devon and Tabitha at home for now."
"She said she'd head home as soon as she can," Kevin added. "She wanted to see you."
Ashley closed her eyes, whimpering faintly. The next moment her eyes shot open again with a gasp of horror. "Oh, no. Carlos! T.J.!"
Cassie was already reaching for her communicator. "Guys, this is Cassie. Come in."
"This is Carlos," came the weary reply. "You guys heard?"
"There was someone outside the window this morning," Cassie told him, her fingers tightening slightly on her communicator as anger surged briefly.
"Are you girls all right?" he asked sharply.
"We're fine," Ashley promised him, leaning in so he could hear her. "What about you?"
There was a long, drawn-out sigh. "I'm okay," he said eventually.
Yeah, right, Cassie thought immediately, sharing a skeptical glance with Ashley.
Another beep signaled someone else joining in the call. "This is Zhane!" he piped up cheerfully. "Sorry about the delay. I was being unfairly teamed up against."
"Unfairly?" Karone repeated, sounding offended.
"What's wrong, Cassie?" Andros put in, clearly ignoring the other two.
Another beep. "What is it?" T.J. asked sharply, sounding irritated.
Cassie let out a slow sigh, looking at Ashley again. "Can you guys make it to my house?" Ashley asked after moment, biting her lip. "We need to talk."
"We'll be right down," Andros promised.
"On my way," Carlos agreed.
There was a pause. "As soon as I can get out of here," T.J. grumbled.
Cassie frowned uncertainly. "You all right, Teej?"
Another pause, and they heard him sigh. "Honestly? No. I'll be there as fast as I can."
She lowered her wrist, frowning deeper as she ended the call. Ashley met her gaze worriedly. "You think something happened?"
"I guess well see," she murmured, reaching out automatically to catch Ashley's hand again. The return grip left her fingers numb.
"We'll let you kids have some privacy," Keith promised, giving Melanie a hand out of her chair as he stared at Devon and Tabitha.
"But we were here first ... " Devon complained. He silenced as his mother shot him another look.
Tabitha moved just enough in Ashley's lap to wrap one arm around her sister, while the other came up around Cassie. "Thank you for saving us," she told them both solemnly as she pulled away. "I never got to say it before."
Cassie blinked back at the younger girl, trying to think of something to say in response. She couldn't say 'you're welcome'. And she couldn't explain that protecting Earth was just part of what they did as Rangers, because she didn't want to cheapen Tabitha's thanks. But what *could* she say?
Ashley reached up to tuck some hair behind her little sister's ear. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she told Tabitha softly.
Tabitha's answering smile lit up the room as she scrambled to her feet. "I'm really proud to be your sister, Ashley," she said earnestly.
Ashley's eyes seemed a little too bright for a moment. "And I'm proud to be *your* sister," she returned, poking Tabitha gently on the nose.
Cassie looked away, closing her eyes and clenching her free hand.
The sound of teleportation caught her attention, and she looked up again as black sparkles descended into the living room. She quickly pulled her hand free before Ashley yanked her arm out of the socket in her lunge for Carlos. She had him in a hug before he'd even fully formed, her arms thrown around his neck and squeezing tightly. Carlos looked startled, even as his arms went around her just as tight. His eyes found Cassie's instantly, and he frowned. "You girls all right?" he asked again.
Cassie tried to smile. "'Bout as much as you'd expect," she told him as red, silver, and white sparkles appeared beside him.
In the thirty seconds it took Andros to look around the room, his eyes narrowed in suspicion even as he turned to greet Ashley with a hug. "What happened?"
"We're celebrities," Cassie informed him, shrugging with a pained smile.
Zhane frowned, looking puzzled. " ... And that's a bad thing?"
"No one's ever known who Earth's Rangers were," Carlos answered him, reaching out to rub Ashley's arm absently as she stepped back from Andros. "It's always been a secret. And now ... " He trailed off with a quiet sigh.
"There was a man with a camera outside our bedroom window this morning," Cassie explained quietly, even as she knew Zhane probably wouldn't understand. He'd never understood their reasoning for not wanting people to know who they were to begin with. "He took a picture of me in my pjs."
Surprisingly, that seemed to get to Zhane as none of their other explanations had before. He came to sit beside her on the couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders with a look of concern. "You okay?"
She shrugged, leaning against him. "Honestly?"
"Dumb question, huh?" he asked ruefully, and she smiled a little.
"I'm sorry."
She looked up at Karone's quiet admission just in time to see Ashley shake her head vehemently. "Karone, it's not your fault," she insisted.
"I'm the one who demanded you reveal yourselves," Karone reminded them quietly.
"And I'm the one who suggested we actually do it," Zhane pointed out.
"And the rest of us agreed," Ashley added. She smiled gently, reaching out to squeeze Karone's hands with a look of understanding. "It's no one's fault."
"Except the bad guys'," Carlos put in, grinning faintly.
A burst of blue sparkles announced T.J.'s arrival, and Ashley turned to greet him with a hug. She paused before she managed it, frowning. "T.J.? What happened?" she asked anxiously.
T.J. sighed, looking weary. "My mom called at five this morning. I just got off the phone after you guys called."
Ashley bit her lip, moving in to hug him tightly. "Are you all right?"
He sighed again, closing his eyes briefly as he hugged her back. "Tired," he admitted, fighting a yawn. "Worn out, I guess. She's pretty mad."
"Why would she be mad?" Andros spoke up, frowning.
T.J. shrugged, trying to smile. "Well, I spent about a year hiding the fact that I was putting my life in danger from my family. Then there's the fact that my baseball career's been on the back burner. Oh, and she obviously can't trust Jake to keep an eye on me if he can't tell I'm a superhero, so she wants me to come home," he added, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I don't even know what the rest of my family thinks yet. She's been lecturing me for hours."
"I'm sorry, T.J.," Karone told him, looking sad. "This is all happening because of me."
He cracked an eye open to glare at her. "Oh, no. You don't get to do the guilt trip thing," he warned her darkly. "I've spent the last ten months dealing with Andros' issues. I am *not* accepting any more."
Ashley burst into giggles, clapping her hands over her mouth guiltily as Karone looked startled and Andros glared at her half-heartedly. "I'm sorry!" she gasped, trying to keep in her laughter. "I'm sorry! I know it's not funny. It's just - "
Carlos snickered quietly.
Cassie fought a grin, and then laughed as Zhane elbowed her gently in the ribs. "It *is* funny," he reminded them, shooting Cassie a grin of his own.
And then they were all laughing, because it wasn't funny at all, but they couldn't seem to stop. They laughed until Ashley started to cry, and then Andros was hugging her close, trying to soothe her. Carlos ran a hand over his hair in agitation, and T.J. leaned against a wall looking ready to collapse.
Cassie blinked back tears of her own, leaning into Zhane and burying her face against his neck. Everything was falling apart around them, and she didn't have the slightest idea of what to do. Everything they'd tried so hard to protect was in shambles.
Zhane's hand came up to stroke her hair as Ashley's quiet sobs echoed in the background. "It's gonna be okay, Cassie," he murmured in her ear. "We'll make it okay."
She wanted to believe him. She just wasn't sure if she could. She wasn't sure if anything could ever be okay again.