Fractured Fates (S.P.D./inSpace Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt 18 ~ rock)
This is one of FF's longest and most fun to write chapters, namely because it involves Zhane and Andros in a bar. Getting into a fight.
Because they *so* would.
As for *my* Zhane, Congratulations! This is your graduation present, complete with humor and tons of angst. Enjoy. ^_~
Title: Fractured Fates
Author: Tsukino Akume
Relationship: Zhane/Sky Tate, Jack Landors/Syd Drew
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, because I probably wouldn't have done this to it even if I did. This is all purplestripe66's fault.
Warning: Character with depression/health issues
Summary: When Andros put Zhane into cryogenic stasis, he didn't wake up until he was completely healed - twenty-four years later. Zhane finds a new team, and S.P.D. tries to deal with the aftermath.
List of 22: 18 ~ rock
Author's Notes: For some reason, I can totally see Andros and Zhane getting into bar fights together. Which was supposed to be the focus of this chapter, but then Zhane got introspective. -Glares at ZhaneMuse- Love to BlackCrimsonLight for the idea that Kerovians wouldn't be welcome in most bars.
Dedicated to phantom_blue. Congratulations, honey. You made it. ^_^
Zhane sneezed.
Syd's head snapped up from the magazine she was reading to glare at him. "Are you *sure* you don't have a cold?" she demanded.
He tried to look innocent as he reached for some tissues. "Who, me? Why would I have a cold?"
"Maybe the fact that you came in at almost midnight soaking wet two days ago?" Jack offered dryly. "You still need to wash those towels, by the way."
"I will," he promised. He looked at Syd. "And I'm fine. Really. I just - " He sneezed three times.
"Need some cold medicine?" Z finished dryly.
He gave her an affronted look as he sniffled. "I'm not sick. The - "
"The Legendary Silver Ranger doesn't *get* sick," a voice finished.
Zhane's eyes went wide and he spun in his seat to stare at the doorway to the rec lounge. "Andros?!"
His old friend leaned against the wall with a relaxed smile. "Zhane," he greeted.
Zhane bounded to his feet, his face lighting up as he moved to grab the older man in a tight hug. They held on for several minutes, Andros releasing him at last with another brief squeeze. "What are you *doing* here?" Zhane demanded, but he couldn't stop grinning.
"What, am I not allowed to visit my best friend anymore?" Andros returned with a smile.
"Of course you are. I'd be insulted if you didn't," he dismissed, as if it had been his idea all along. "But what are you doing here *today*? And why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"I didn't want to ruin the surprise." Andros paused, stepping back to study him. "You look good," he remarked. But there was something in his eyes that only Zhane could read; something that said he knew there was more Zhane wasn't saying.
"I *always* look good," he retorted, looking back at B Squad. He wasn't ready to answer what Andros was asking. "Have you met the guys?" he went on. "That's Jack, Z, Syd - "
"Bridge, and Sky," Andros interrupted, looking amused. "Yes, we've met. How are you both?"
Bridge waved cheerfully. "Hi, Uncle Andros! I'm fine. Well, fine as in we're still alive. Tired, and I think Sky has some sort of infection but he won't admit it. Which is kind of funny, 'cause Syd thinks Zhane has a cold - "
"We're fine, Uncle Andros," Sky cut in, rolling his eyes at Bridge. "Thanks for asking."
Zhane blinked, looking back and forth between his friends. "You all know each other?"
"I know their parents," Andros explained.
Bridge nodded. "I've known Uncle Andros since I was a kid."
"Oh." Zhane forced a smile, trying to keep from fidgeting. His best friend was friends with his friends' *parents*. This wasn't awkward at *all* ...
"So!" Andros said abruptly, turning to him with a forced smile of his own. "Do you think Cruger might be willing to give you some time off any time soon? I was thinking we could go do something."
He blinked, looking at Andros warily. "Your kind of something, or my kind of something?"
Andros rolled his eyes. "My kind. The last thing we need is to get you expelled. Again."
"Hey, I was never expelled!"
"Suspended, then. It's the same thing."
"Is not!" he shot back hotly.
"Is too."
"Is not!"
"Is - "
"You know what? I'll cover you with Cruger, Zhane," Jack cut in. His hands settled on each of their shoulders, pushing them toward the door, and Zhane blinked at him, wondering when he'd learn to move that fast. "You two go have fun. Enjoy. Try and check in every once in awhile, just so we know you're alive and Sky doesn't try to organize a search party or something."
"Sky?" Andros repeated blankly.
Zhane saluted. "Aye, aye, Captain. Thanks."
The door closed behind them, and Andros turned to raise his eyebrows at Zhane. "How is it that no matter where we go, you always get us thrown out?"
"Hey, you're not exactly innocent yourself there," he retorted. "Don't make me your scapegoat."
"But it's so much easier that way."
He glared.
After a moment, Andros cleared his throat. "So. You still have the MegaWinger, right?"
"Of course," he humphed. Then he paused, looking away. "Thanks, by the way. She's beautiful."
Andros smiled, but it wasn't as bright as it had been earlier. "I thought you'd like her." He shook his head. "I was thinking we could go to this place I found just outside the Sol System. They take morphers, and it's Kerovian-Friendly."
Zhane paused. He turned slowly to look at Andros. "You know a bar that accepts morphers, *and* it's Kerovian-Friendly?" he repeated slowly.
He was dragging Andros down the hall before his friend could even answer. "What are we waiting for? She's this way."
****
Zhane set down his glass with a satisfied belch. "Much better," he sighed blissfully. "Excuse me," he added loudly. The four people still sitting in the bar - excluding the bartender and waitress- could probably care less, but he felt he should say it anyway.
Andros watched him with an expression that said he still wasn't sure if he was going to pretend not to know him yet. "Needed that?" he asked mildly.
"You have no idea," Zhane muttered.
Andros shrugged lightly, but his eyes darkened a little. "I still watch the news reports and check in with my contacts at S.P.D., so I know a little."
He looked up, surprised. "You do?"
"They don't give me as much information as they used to now that I'm not active, but I get enough to know you were on suicide watch last month." Andros paused to stare at him. "Zhane ... why didn't you call me?"
"Oh, the suicide thing?" He rolled his eyes. "That was a completely misunderstanding, and then Cruger just decided to be a jerk about it. See, there was a problem with my morpher, and I was trying to recharge it, but I guess the guys got the wrong idea, and - "
"Zhane," Andros cut in sharply. "Why didn't you call me?" he repeated softly, sounding hurt.
Zhane let out a long sigh, reaching up to trace the condensation on the empty glass with a finger. "I saw the video you made." Andros was watching him closely, but he couldn't bring himself to look up at him. "You gave up on me, Andros." His voice cracked as he said it, and he swallowed, trying to get himself back under control. "I mean, I can't blame you. Almost fifty years ... it's a miracle I woke up at all. Sometimes ... even I'm not sure why I did." He shrugged a little. "It makes sense that you moved on. I mean, I would have wanted you to. I did. Do. It's just ... " Another shrug, and he stared at the table miserably. Why had this seemed like a good idea again?
"You never watched the whole thing, did you?"
He glanced up hesitantly. "Huh?"
It was subtle, but there was annoyance in Andros' eyes now. "You never watched the whole video," he said again. He shook his head, not bothering to wait for a response. "It had my contact information. I always kept it updated, just in case." He sighed as Zhane stared at him. "When I first made it ... yeah. I was starting to lose hope. But I couldn't just give up, because I ... I could still sense you. So I held on to that. I made sure that no matter what, you would always be able to find me." He hesitated, shrugging slightly. "In a few more years, I was planning to put Marinda's information, so you could go to her even if I was gone." He looked up, and their eyes caught. "You will *always* have a place with me, Zhane," he said firmly, his voice soft. "We'll vow to fight as a team forever."
Zhane's eyes burned, and he blinked hard as a tear escaped. "We'll vow to fight as a team forever," he echoed quietly.
Andros reached out to bump the side of his wrist against Zhane's. "So talk to me," he said gently.
Zhane let out a shaky laugh, reaching up to run a hand over his hair. "What do you want me to say?"
Andros waved for the waitress, and another glass was placed in front of each of them. "Start from the beginning," Andros suggested. "We've got plenty of time."
So he did. He told him about waking up from cryosleep and panicking. He told him that he'd joined S.P.D. because he thought Andros didn't need him anymore, and he had no where else to go. He told him about the drain on his morpher, and laughed with him about B Squad thinking he was trying to kill himself. He talked about B Squad, and how no one ever took him seriously - not even Bridge, who was the most likely to listen. He talked about how Cruger drove him nuts, but they were learning to respect each other, and how he and Kat couldn't seem to trust each other with his equipment. For Andros, and Andros alone, he admitted that he felt lost, because he didn't exactly fit S.P.D. and B Squad, but he'd become too attached to his friends to leave them.
He admitted that most of the time, he wondered why he'd lived - and wished that he hadn't.
His throat hurt by the time he was done, and he took a long drink, watching Andros warily. It was hard to say if the long speech had been a product of just the alcohol, or the opportunity. He didn't *think* Andros had done any 'nudging' to get him to talk, but it wouldn't have been the first time if he had.
Andros leaned back in his seat, playing with the handle of his glass. "You don't have to stay with S.P.D.," he said finally.
The silent offer made Zhane smile a little. "I know."
That made Andros look up. "You care about them that much?" he asked curiously.
Zhane shrugged casually. "They're my team," he said lightly.
Andros' eyes narrowed. "And?"
"And what?" he returned, taking a long swallow of his drink.
It floated away from him, Andros snagging it out of mid-air to scowl at him. "What else, Zhane?" he demanded.
He sighed, because there was no way this wouldn't be awkward. "And ... I kindofpromisedSky," he muttered at the table.
Silence.
"You *what*?!"
He flinched. "I - "
"Zhane! You - How could you?!" Andros ran a hand over his ponytail. "Do you realize what I'll have to do to you if something happens?" he hissed.
Zhane frowned. "Why do *you* have to do something?" he asked suspiciously. "Rangers or not, Sky's father wasn't your teammate."
"But he was my friend," Andros reminded him irritably. "And he was a Red Ranger. When Wes died ... we all promised to look after Sky. Eric raised him, but the rest of us keep an eye out for him, too."
The image of a small army of Red Rangers chasing him across the galaxy flitted through Zhane's mind. He winced, pinching his nose. "That's so not funny," he muttered.
"I'm not joking," Andros retorted. He paused, frowning. "What sort of promise was it?"
Zhane winced again. "He promised not to leave me behind, and I promised to always come back to him."
Andros groaned. "He doesn't know, does he?"
"No," he mumbled. "I didn't ... I wasn't sure if he'd want it if he knew, and I knew that wasn't what he was really asking for."
"But you knew," Andros sighed. He gave him a look that was both exasperated and sympathetic. "Zhane ... "
"I know I'm an idiot, okay?" he snapped. "I get it. You don't have to rub it in."
His glass shattered in front of him, and Andros jumped back. "Zhane - " he began worriedly.
"Who did that?!" someone shouted.
They both looked up slowly.
Not a single glass in the bar was intact. Including, Zhane realized with a distant horror, the one belonging to the crowd in the corner. In his frustration, he'd shattered them all.
There was a reason most bars didn't allow Kerovians after all.
He swallowed hard. "Sorry about that!" he called with a guilty smile. "Accidents happen, right?"
"Damn telekinetics," one of them growled, glaring in their direction.
"Hey!" Andros said sharply. "He *said* he was sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to replace my drink, now is it?" another one snapped.
Zhane slid out of his seat, raising his hands slowly. "Look buddy, I'd be happy to replace it for you, but I don't have any money on me right now. Can't you just take an IOU?"
He saw Andros give him an odd look out of the corner of his eye. What could he say? He'd heard Jack use the Earthian phrase the other day. He *thought* it was appropriate ...
Judging by the angry bellow from the third guy, apparently not.
He and Andros exchanged glances. "Just like old times, huh?" he quipped.
"You mean you getting us into fights with the locals?" Andros snorted. "Yeah, sounds about right."
"Ah, lighten up, old timer. You can use the exercise," he teased.
He was expecting the chair that came flying at his head, and stepped swiftly to the side just as Andros demanded "'Old timer'? *Excuse* me?!"
He was *not*, however, expecting the bouncer that bumped into him as he moved to avoid the chair. He looked up slowly at the very *large* creature, and smiled nervously, swallowing hard. "Hi?" he offered weakly.
The low growl sent him scrambling back. This could *not* be good.
****
"How many does this make it?" Zhane wondered as he retrieved the emergency kit from the back of the MegaWinger.
"Twenty-six," Andros supplied, still holding Zhane's T-shirt to his temple. "Ash is going to kill you, by the way. Just so you know."
Zhane pulled out the ice pack, cracking it open to activate it. He took T-shirt from him to wrap it around the pack and handed it back. "There's no way it's that high," he argued. "And she'll have to get in line. Sky will take me out before anyone else so much as blinks."
"They kicked us out of Vaelin 6 three times, under different aliases. And the second time at Fortenth you only got in because they thought you were a girl."
He grinned at the memory. "Oh, yeah ... I still say you would have made a cute girl yourself."
Andros snorted, then winced and pressed the ice back tighter against his head. "No, thanks. You can do all the cross-dressing - you're good at that."
He went to stick his tongue out at him and made a face as the split in his lip decided to remind him why that was a bad idea. "Seriously. Twenty-six bars? I didn't even know we went out to drink that often."
"We don't," Andros answered, taking the disinfectant from him and going to work on his split knuckles. " At least twelve of those were border placed."
He frowned. "Oh. Do they still count then?"
"You got us kicked out of a place of business. So yes, it counts."
"Hey, you were right there beside me."
"Always."
Zhane flushed slightly at the blunt answer, ducking his head a little. "If you're still trying to make me feel guilty about earlier, it's working," he muttered.
Andros smiled, but didn't look up. "So how are you going to explain this to your teammates?"
He opened his mouth to respond and stopped.
The silence finally got Andros' attention, and he glanced at Zhane with a frown. "What is it?"
Zhane stared blankly at the wall in front of him. "I was going to say that my teammate already knows," he said slowly, "Because you were right there with me."
Andros' face softened. "No one said you have to have one team, Zhane," he reminded him softly. "Every Ranger has a team, and every Ranger has a place on that team. Yours is just a little more complicated than most." He paused, grinning faintly. "But that tends to happen with you."
Zhane shook his head. "I know," he murmured, and even he could tell how distant his voice had become. "My team is you, and B Squad."
"Zhane?" Andros sat up straighter, reaching over his bandaged hand to grab his wrist. "Zhane, what is it?" he asked sharply.
"My team," he whispered. The moment he said it, his thoughts reached for them, and the color drained from his face. He could see them in the back of his mind, crying out in pain. Falling one by one, and he wasn't there to protect them. "Andros - "
"I'm on it," Andros promised, squeezing his wrist. "Finish cleaning up - you don't need any injuries right now," he warned as he headed to the pilot's seat.
Zhane stared down at his hands, one bandaged and one not. "Why didn't I notice?" he asked softly, his chest tightening. "Why didn't I know something was wrong? How could I not ... "
Why hadn't S.P.D. called him?
Because they *so* would.
As for *my* Zhane, Congratulations! This is your graduation present, complete with humor and tons of angst. Enjoy. ^_~
Title: Fractured Fates
Author: Tsukino Akume
Relationship: Zhane/Sky Tate, Jack Landors/Syd Drew
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, because I probably wouldn't have done this to it even if I did. This is all purplestripe66's fault.
Warning: Character with depression/health issues
Summary: When Andros put Zhane into cryogenic stasis, he didn't wake up until he was completely healed - twenty-four years later. Zhane finds a new team, and S.P.D. tries to deal with the aftermath.
List of 22: 18 ~ rock
Author's Notes: For some reason, I can totally see Andros and Zhane getting into bar fights together. Which was supposed to be the focus of this chapter, but then Zhane got introspective. -Glares at ZhaneMuse- Love to BlackCrimsonLight for the idea that Kerovians wouldn't be welcome in most bars.
Dedicated to phantom_blue. Congratulations, honey. You made it. ^_^
Zhane sneezed.
Syd's head snapped up from the magazine she was reading to glare at him. "Are you *sure* you don't have a cold?" she demanded.
He tried to look innocent as he reached for some tissues. "Who, me? Why would I have a cold?"
"Maybe the fact that you came in at almost midnight soaking wet two days ago?" Jack offered dryly. "You still need to wash those towels, by the way."
"I will," he promised. He looked at Syd. "And I'm fine. Really. I just - " He sneezed three times.
"Need some cold medicine?" Z finished dryly.
He gave her an affronted look as he sniffled. "I'm not sick. The - "
"The Legendary Silver Ranger doesn't *get* sick," a voice finished.
Zhane's eyes went wide and he spun in his seat to stare at the doorway to the rec lounge. "Andros?!"
His old friend leaned against the wall with a relaxed smile. "Zhane," he greeted.
Zhane bounded to his feet, his face lighting up as he moved to grab the older man in a tight hug. They held on for several minutes, Andros releasing him at last with another brief squeeze. "What are you *doing* here?" Zhane demanded, but he couldn't stop grinning.
"What, am I not allowed to visit my best friend anymore?" Andros returned with a smile.
"Of course you are. I'd be insulted if you didn't," he dismissed, as if it had been his idea all along. "But what are you doing here *today*? And why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"I didn't want to ruin the surprise." Andros paused, stepping back to study him. "You look good," he remarked. But there was something in his eyes that only Zhane could read; something that said he knew there was more Zhane wasn't saying.
"I *always* look good," he retorted, looking back at B Squad. He wasn't ready to answer what Andros was asking. "Have you met the guys?" he went on. "That's Jack, Z, Syd - "
"Bridge, and Sky," Andros interrupted, looking amused. "Yes, we've met. How are you both?"
Bridge waved cheerfully. "Hi, Uncle Andros! I'm fine. Well, fine as in we're still alive. Tired, and I think Sky has some sort of infection but he won't admit it. Which is kind of funny, 'cause Syd thinks Zhane has a cold - "
"We're fine, Uncle Andros," Sky cut in, rolling his eyes at Bridge. "Thanks for asking."
Zhane blinked, looking back and forth between his friends. "You all know each other?"
"I know their parents," Andros explained.
Bridge nodded. "I've known Uncle Andros since I was a kid."
"Oh." Zhane forced a smile, trying to keep from fidgeting. His best friend was friends with his friends' *parents*. This wasn't awkward at *all* ...
"So!" Andros said abruptly, turning to him with a forced smile of his own. "Do you think Cruger might be willing to give you some time off any time soon? I was thinking we could go do something."
He blinked, looking at Andros warily. "Your kind of something, or my kind of something?"
Andros rolled his eyes. "My kind. The last thing we need is to get you expelled. Again."
"Hey, I was never expelled!"
"Suspended, then. It's the same thing."
"Is not!" he shot back hotly.
"Is too."
"Is not!"
"Is - "
"You know what? I'll cover you with Cruger, Zhane," Jack cut in. His hands settled on each of their shoulders, pushing them toward the door, and Zhane blinked at him, wondering when he'd learn to move that fast. "You two go have fun. Enjoy. Try and check in every once in awhile, just so we know you're alive and Sky doesn't try to organize a search party or something."
"Sky?" Andros repeated blankly.
Zhane saluted. "Aye, aye, Captain. Thanks."
The door closed behind them, and Andros turned to raise his eyebrows at Zhane. "How is it that no matter where we go, you always get us thrown out?"
"Hey, you're not exactly innocent yourself there," he retorted. "Don't make me your scapegoat."
"But it's so much easier that way."
He glared.
After a moment, Andros cleared his throat. "So. You still have the MegaWinger, right?"
"Of course," he humphed. Then he paused, looking away. "Thanks, by the way. She's beautiful."
Andros smiled, but it wasn't as bright as it had been earlier. "I thought you'd like her." He shook his head. "I was thinking we could go to this place I found just outside the Sol System. They take morphers, and it's Kerovian-Friendly."
Zhane paused. He turned slowly to look at Andros. "You know a bar that accepts morphers, *and* it's Kerovian-Friendly?" he repeated slowly.
He was dragging Andros down the hall before his friend could even answer. "What are we waiting for? She's this way."
****
Zhane set down his glass with a satisfied belch. "Much better," he sighed blissfully. "Excuse me," he added loudly. The four people still sitting in the bar - excluding the bartender and waitress- could probably care less, but he felt he should say it anyway.
Andros watched him with an expression that said he still wasn't sure if he was going to pretend not to know him yet. "Needed that?" he asked mildly.
"You have no idea," Zhane muttered.
Andros shrugged lightly, but his eyes darkened a little. "I still watch the news reports and check in with my contacts at S.P.D., so I know a little."
He looked up, surprised. "You do?"
"They don't give me as much information as they used to now that I'm not active, but I get enough to know you were on suicide watch last month." Andros paused to stare at him. "Zhane ... why didn't you call me?"
"Oh, the suicide thing?" He rolled his eyes. "That was a completely misunderstanding, and then Cruger just decided to be a jerk about it. See, there was a problem with my morpher, and I was trying to recharge it, but I guess the guys got the wrong idea, and - "
"Zhane," Andros cut in sharply. "Why didn't you call me?" he repeated softly, sounding hurt.
Zhane let out a long sigh, reaching up to trace the condensation on the empty glass with a finger. "I saw the video you made." Andros was watching him closely, but he couldn't bring himself to look up at him. "You gave up on me, Andros." His voice cracked as he said it, and he swallowed, trying to get himself back under control. "I mean, I can't blame you. Almost fifty years ... it's a miracle I woke up at all. Sometimes ... even I'm not sure why I did." He shrugged a little. "It makes sense that you moved on. I mean, I would have wanted you to. I did. Do. It's just ... " Another shrug, and he stared at the table miserably. Why had this seemed like a good idea again?
"You never watched the whole thing, did you?"
He glanced up hesitantly. "Huh?"
It was subtle, but there was annoyance in Andros' eyes now. "You never watched the whole video," he said again. He shook his head, not bothering to wait for a response. "It had my contact information. I always kept it updated, just in case." He sighed as Zhane stared at him. "When I first made it ... yeah. I was starting to lose hope. But I couldn't just give up, because I ... I could still sense you. So I held on to that. I made sure that no matter what, you would always be able to find me." He hesitated, shrugging slightly. "In a few more years, I was planning to put Marinda's information, so you could go to her even if I was gone." He looked up, and their eyes caught. "You will *always* have a place with me, Zhane," he said firmly, his voice soft. "We'll vow to fight as a team forever."
Zhane's eyes burned, and he blinked hard as a tear escaped. "We'll vow to fight as a team forever," he echoed quietly.
Andros reached out to bump the side of his wrist against Zhane's. "So talk to me," he said gently.
Zhane let out a shaky laugh, reaching up to run a hand over his hair. "What do you want me to say?"
Andros waved for the waitress, and another glass was placed in front of each of them. "Start from the beginning," Andros suggested. "We've got plenty of time."
So he did. He told him about waking up from cryosleep and panicking. He told him that he'd joined S.P.D. because he thought Andros didn't need him anymore, and he had no where else to go. He told him about the drain on his morpher, and laughed with him about B Squad thinking he was trying to kill himself. He talked about B Squad, and how no one ever took him seriously - not even Bridge, who was the most likely to listen. He talked about how Cruger drove him nuts, but they were learning to respect each other, and how he and Kat couldn't seem to trust each other with his equipment. For Andros, and Andros alone, he admitted that he felt lost, because he didn't exactly fit S.P.D. and B Squad, but he'd become too attached to his friends to leave them.
He admitted that most of the time, he wondered why he'd lived - and wished that he hadn't.
His throat hurt by the time he was done, and he took a long drink, watching Andros warily. It was hard to say if the long speech had been a product of just the alcohol, or the opportunity. He didn't *think* Andros had done any 'nudging' to get him to talk, but it wouldn't have been the first time if he had.
Andros leaned back in his seat, playing with the handle of his glass. "You don't have to stay with S.P.D.," he said finally.
The silent offer made Zhane smile a little. "I know."
That made Andros look up. "You care about them that much?" he asked curiously.
Zhane shrugged casually. "They're my team," he said lightly.
Andros' eyes narrowed. "And?"
"And what?" he returned, taking a long swallow of his drink.
It floated away from him, Andros snagging it out of mid-air to scowl at him. "What else, Zhane?" he demanded.
He sighed, because there was no way this wouldn't be awkward. "And ... I kindofpromisedSky," he muttered at the table.
Silence.
"You *what*?!"
He flinched. "I - "
"Zhane! You - How could you?!" Andros ran a hand over his ponytail. "Do you realize what I'll have to do to you if something happens?" he hissed.
Zhane frowned. "Why do *you* have to do something?" he asked suspiciously. "Rangers or not, Sky's father wasn't your teammate."
"But he was my friend," Andros reminded him irritably. "And he was a Red Ranger. When Wes died ... we all promised to look after Sky. Eric raised him, but the rest of us keep an eye out for him, too."
The image of a small army of Red Rangers chasing him across the galaxy flitted through Zhane's mind. He winced, pinching his nose. "That's so not funny," he muttered.
"I'm not joking," Andros retorted. He paused, frowning. "What sort of promise was it?"
Zhane winced again. "He promised not to leave me behind, and I promised to always come back to him."
Andros groaned. "He doesn't know, does he?"
"No," he mumbled. "I didn't ... I wasn't sure if he'd want it if he knew, and I knew that wasn't what he was really asking for."
"But you knew," Andros sighed. He gave him a look that was both exasperated and sympathetic. "Zhane ... "
"I know I'm an idiot, okay?" he snapped. "I get it. You don't have to rub it in."
His glass shattered in front of him, and Andros jumped back. "Zhane - " he began worriedly.
"Who did that?!" someone shouted.
They both looked up slowly.
Not a single glass in the bar was intact. Including, Zhane realized with a distant horror, the one belonging to the crowd in the corner. In his frustration, he'd shattered them all.
There was a reason most bars didn't allow Kerovians after all.
He swallowed hard. "Sorry about that!" he called with a guilty smile. "Accidents happen, right?"
"Damn telekinetics," one of them growled, glaring in their direction.
"Hey!" Andros said sharply. "He *said* he was sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to replace my drink, now is it?" another one snapped.
Zhane slid out of his seat, raising his hands slowly. "Look buddy, I'd be happy to replace it for you, but I don't have any money on me right now. Can't you just take an IOU?"
He saw Andros give him an odd look out of the corner of his eye. What could he say? He'd heard Jack use the Earthian phrase the other day. He *thought* it was appropriate ...
Judging by the angry bellow from the third guy, apparently not.
He and Andros exchanged glances. "Just like old times, huh?" he quipped.
"You mean you getting us into fights with the locals?" Andros snorted. "Yeah, sounds about right."
"Ah, lighten up, old timer. You can use the exercise," he teased.
He was expecting the chair that came flying at his head, and stepped swiftly to the side just as Andros demanded "'Old timer'? *Excuse* me?!"
He was *not*, however, expecting the bouncer that bumped into him as he moved to avoid the chair. He looked up slowly at the very *large* creature, and smiled nervously, swallowing hard. "Hi?" he offered weakly.
The low growl sent him scrambling back. This could *not* be good.
****
"How many does this make it?" Zhane wondered as he retrieved the emergency kit from the back of the MegaWinger.
"Twenty-six," Andros supplied, still holding Zhane's T-shirt to his temple. "Ash is going to kill you, by the way. Just so you know."
Zhane pulled out the ice pack, cracking it open to activate it. He took T-shirt from him to wrap it around the pack and handed it back. "There's no way it's that high," he argued. "And she'll have to get in line. Sky will take me out before anyone else so much as blinks."
"They kicked us out of Vaelin 6 three times, under different aliases. And the second time at Fortenth you only got in because they thought you were a girl."
He grinned at the memory. "Oh, yeah ... I still say you would have made a cute girl yourself."
Andros snorted, then winced and pressed the ice back tighter against his head. "No, thanks. You can do all the cross-dressing - you're good at that."
He went to stick his tongue out at him and made a face as the split in his lip decided to remind him why that was a bad idea. "Seriously. Twenty-six bars? I didn't even know we went out to drink that often."
"We don't," Andros answered, taking the disinfectant from him and going to work on his split knuckles. " At least twelve of those were border placed."
He frowned. "Oh. Do they still count then?"
"You got us kicked out of a place of business. So yes, it counts."
"Hey, you were right there beside me."
"Always."
Zhane flushed slightly at the blunt answer, ducking his head a little. "If you're still trying to make me feel guilty about earlier, it's working," he muttered.
Andros smiled, but didn't look up. "So how are you going to explain this to your teammates?"
He opened his mouth to respond and stopped.
The silence finally got Andros' attention, and he glanced at Zhane with a frown. "What is it?"
Zhane stared blankly at the wall in front of him. "I was going to say that my teammate already knows," he said slowly, "Because you were right there with me."
Andros' face softened. "No one said you have to have one team, Zhane," he reminded him softly. "Every Ranger has a team, and every Ranger has a place on that team. Yours is just a little more complicated than most." He paused, grinning faintly. "But that tends to happen with you."
Zhane shook his head. "I know," he murmured, and even he could tell how distant his voice had become. "My team is you, and B Squad."
"Zhane?" Andros sat up straighter, reaching over his bandaged hand to grab his wrist. "Zhane, what is it?" he asked sharply.
"My team," he whispered. The moment he said it, his thoughts reached for them, and the color drained from his face. He could see them in the back of his mind, crying out in pain. Falling one by one, and he wasn't there to protect them. "Andros - "
"I'm on it," Andros promised, squeezing his wrist. "Finish cleaning up - you don't need any injuries right now," he warned as he headed to the pilot's seat.
Zhane stared down at his hands, one bandaged and one not. "Why didn't I notice?" he asked softly, his chest tightening. "Why didn't I know something was wrong? How could I not ... "
Why hadn't S.P.D. called him?