"So, how's it going, Ty?"

"Oh, you know." Ty dodged, retaliating with a kick that almost made it under Zhane's guard then spinning out of the way before Zhane could catch him off balance. "Eat. Sleep. Beat up on my teammates. The usual."

"Have to work harder than that to beat up on me," Zhane retorted. He launched his own attack, only to be countered with more force than he had expected. Before he knew what was happening, he found himself flat on his back with Ty grinning down at him.

"How much harder?" Ty asked innocently. Holding out his hand, he reached down to help Zhane up. "Because this is definitely one of your off days. Kill, by the way."

Zhane let himself be hauled to his feet, sneaking a glance across the mats at the others. Andros was sparring with Ashley, and the two of them were going all out. There was no way they were paying any attention to him. Astrea, on the other hand, was sitting this round out, and she was giving him an amused look that said she had seen the whole thing.

"So," Ty remarked. He had followed Zhane's gaze, and the expression on his face made the question mean more than just the words. "How's it going with you?"

Zhane shrugged, wishing it wasn't so obvious. "Fine. Hey," he added, as though it had just occurred to him. "Want to go out tonight?"

Ty just smiled. "That bad, huh?"

He sucked in a breath when he shifted his full weight to his right leg, dismayed to feel a twinge as the muscles tensed. It wouldn't last, not with adrenaline circulating through his system and the Power pushing his body's ability to heal past all normal limits. But it was a rare thing that he got hurt sparring with one of his own teammates.

Ty had seen the abortive gesture and was watching him carefully. "Want to take a break?" he offered. He was careful not to look sympathetic, but the question annoyed Zhane anyway.

"No," he grumbled, bending the knee that had been struck experimentally. "I'm fine."

Ty mirrored his guard when Zhane brought it up again, and he tried to focus. He wasn't in the mood to spar this morning, and unfortunately it was a condition that fed on itself. The less he enjoyed it, the worse he did, and the worse he did the less he enjoyed it.

Ty feinted to the left, and Zhane almost growled at him. Only when he had to force himself to tease his partner did he realize how bad his mood actually was. Teasing was easy, effortless, even when his thoughts were light years away. But this morning he had to work hard to keep his voice light.

"Can't blame me for trying," Ty shot back, a smile on his face. "I never know what's going to work on you."

"No one likes to be taken for granted," Zhane muttered. He made himself grin when he heard his irritation leaking through, and he lunged forward without much of a plan other than to distract Ty.

Somewhat to his surprise, Ty not only fell back but stayed on the defensive, blocking one blow after another without making any move to turn the tables. That was a bad sign, but all he could do was try to keep Ty too busy to implement whatever plan he had. If only his anger made him more effective in a fight rather than less, the way Andros' did.

Then Ty was gone, just not where he should have been, and he hesitated for a split second. That was long enough for him to feel a gentle pressure on his neck, hear Ty's voice pronounce the word "Kill" again, and for frustration to completely overwhelm him. He whirled--

And found himself face to face with Andros.

"Time to switch," Andros said calmly. "Ashley's going to work with you on synching, Ty. Kerone attacks, you and Ash defend."

"Sure." Ty shot a covert look at Zhane, silently asking if he was okay, and Andros saw it. He glared, but Ty waited until Zhane mustered a small smile and a nod of thanks before moving off to join the girls.

Andros did him the courtesy of preparing his guard, which Zhane knew he didn't have to do. Then he caught Zhane's eye and nodded once. "Bring it on," he said simply.

Zhane swung at him without hesitation, aiming for his head and following up before he even felt Andros' wrist block the blow. He forced his way closer, getting in under Andros' guard with no fear and less finesse as he forced the Red Ranger back. He actually landed a couple of punches before Andros spun out of the way, ducking past to put some distance between himself and Zhane--and the edge of the mats.

He knew, distantly, that the fact Andros was watching for the mats meant something. But he was too caught up to care. Going after Andros again, his technique was terrible and he knew it. He expected to be thrown back at any minute, shoved away and set up for a counterattack, or at the very least, hit hard enough to make him regret his lack of defensive strategy.

Retaliation never came. Andros was catching his thrusts, deflecting every punch he threw and pulling a few of his own. Zhane felt more than one blow land a lot more softly than it should have. He didn't even bother to kick, and that fact by itself slowly started to penetrate Zhane's undiluted aggression.

Andros wasn't sparring with him. Andros was letting him vent.

Zhane let his fists fall abruptly, knowing with aggravating certainty that he was perfectly safe in doing so. Panting, he tried to muster a glare for Andros, who--as he had expected--was simply standing there, watching him. "I really hate you sometimes," he muttered. "You know that?"

"Yeah," Andros said quietly. His expression didn't change. "I know."

There was a yelp from the other side of the mats, and he heard Astrea laugh. "He's just not as flexible as you are," she was saying, presumably to Ashley.

Zhane glanced over in time to see Ty get to his feet, rubbing his shoulder. "You think?" he demanded, looking more rueful than annoyed.

"Ready?" Andros asked, drawing his attention once more.

Catching his eye, Zhane didn't bother to lie. "No," he said frankly. It didn't matter what the question referred to: ready to spar, ready to talk, ready to do anything at all... "Not even close."

Andros nodded once. He made no other movement, and Zhane closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tried to regain some kind of focus. He knew how to spar with Andros. He'd been doing it for years. Andros had taught him to fight, had gotten him through those first terrifying battles, and he knew beyond any doubt that he had nothing to fear from his friend.

He was in serious trouble here. He didn't know why, but he was losing what little indifference he had left. He couldn't turn his feelings on and off anymore, couldn't bury them where they wouldn't hurt anyone, couldn't keep the world out of his head when it insisted on coming in.

But he could spar with Andros. He knew how to do that. No matter how clueless Andros was about other things, he could read a fight like the keywords were highlighted in fluorescent marker. He had known when Zhane was about to lose it with Ty; he had stepped in and let Zhane throw all that confusion at him instead. He knew exactly how far to push, and how hard.

Zhane opened his eyes, letting out a long breath as he nodded slowly. "Okay," he said carefully. "Let's go."

Andros came at him with a controlled speed that was utterly familiar. That was enough to trigger Zhane's reflexes, and he responded to the first blow without thinking. That was exactly what he needed in a fight--to not think, to simply react, as though the movements came from his fists and his feet instead of his brain.

He recognized one of Andros' warm-up patterns suddenly, and he gave Andros a wry look as he stepped easily out of the way. *Making it easy for me?* he inquired, throwing the required counter for the next punch almost before it came.

Andros actually smiled at him, and he missed the step that would have taken him out of reach of a blatantly telegraphed kick. The kick landed gently nonetheless, glancing off his ribs with impressive control. Pulling it at the last moment put Andros off balance, and Zhane shamelessly took advantage of it.

Andros was on the defensive for the first time since they'd started, but he didn't take any more than Zhane expected him to. The intensity didn't ebb as Andros pushed in, fell back, tested him, and turned his attacks without effort. It was a comforting intensity, though, and he found himself getting lost in their old dance.

Andros was testing him; that went without saying. Only on Zhane's best days was it reciprocal, and this was not one of those days. But Andros knew how to keep it on a level that forced him to concentrate without constantly disrupting the flow. Ty fought to win. Andros sparred.

He wasn't sure how much time passed before he realized he was finally enjoying himself. He still wasn't in the mood to spar... but sparring with Andros? There was something hypnotic about it. It lifted him out of himself, which he couldn't help but be grateful for right now.

When Andros lifted his head to find Zhane ready to counter an attack he hadn't launched yet, the appreciation in his gaze cut through every defense the way his punches wouldn't. Fortunately, Andros chose that moment to relax slightly and rock back on his heels, acknowledging Zhane's readiness with a grin. "Way ahead of me," he admitted, gasping a little as he forced air into his lungs.

"Yeah," Zhane agreed, letting his guard drop with weary relief. His own breathing was harsher than Andros', and he leaned back to stretch out the cramp in his side. "As always!"

There was scattered clapping, and he looked around in surprise. Ashley and Astrea were smiling, and Ty grinned when Zhane caught his eye. No one said anyhing, but Andros waved at them absently. Whether he was trying to quiet them or just acknowledge the applause, it was hard to say--but knowing Andros, it was probably the former.

"Right, okay," he said, straightening a little as he turned to face all of them. "I don't know about you, but I'm done. Any comments?"

"It's about time?" Ty suggested.

Ashley clapped her hand over her mouth in an unsubtle attempt to stifle a giggle, but Andros just shrugged it off. "Good," he said, as though he hadn't heard. "Don't forget we're hunting this afternoon. See you then."

"Showers!" Ashley exclaimed gleefully, catching Astrea's eye before taking off for the stairs. Astrea laughed, but she was right behind her.

Zhane saw Ty shoot a look in Andros' direction, but he was determined not to get drawn into that particular drama. "Sounds good to me," he remarked to no one in particular as his breathing starting to even out. He was careful not to look at either of them as he made his own way toward the stairs. Usually he waited, letting Andros and Ty fight it out between themselves, but today he just didn't care. He was taking his shower, and he was taking it now.

He could hear Astrea and Ashley on the other side of their makeshift shower room, but the place had been partitioned at the girls' insistence. He could only guess from the shrieks and laughter that they were enjoying their own form of stress relief. Since neither of them found much comfort in physical combat, they tended to compensate afterwards.

Ashley was good at sparring, but to her it was an exercise, something to be done right or not at all. Kerone was deadly on the mats, but to her it was just that: a matter of life and death. She didn't practice her technique--she practiced killing. She was not a fun sparring partner.

Zhane let his head fall back, closing his eyes and letting the water wash over him. His body felt better: pleasantly tired, less tense and a lot less... restless. He no longer felt like kicking doors just because they were there, or even running, which had never been one of his favorite activities but recently had become an ideal way of putting distance between himself and the other Rangers.

What hadn't changed much was his state of mind. He wasn't going to explode just because Ty beat him at something he should be better at, but he wasn't going to go congratulate him on it either. He wasn't going to thank Andros for getting in the way, or for taking the "I hate you" comment without so much as blinking. And he definitely wasn't going to think about how gorgeous Andros looked on the mats, with his hair pulled back and his shirt clinging to--

His fingers clenched into a fist against the wall, and he swallowed hard as the water cascaded over him. Restless. Right. That was the word. He cursed silently, shoving himself away from the wall. He hated Andros for not feeling this. He hated being the only one to ache, to wake up panting in the middle of the night from "nightmares" that he supposedly told DECA about to keep Andros from worrying.

He turned the water off and reached for his towel, scrubbing at his skin hard enough that it gave his body something else to think about for a few seconds. His heart froze at the sound of the door. He must have looked awful when he lifted his head, because Ty stopped just inside the shower room and stared at him. Then, abruptly, he seemed to realize the door was still open and he took another step forward to let it close.

Looking Zhane up and down, he mouthed, Are you all right?

He felt his mouth quirk, but there was no humor in it. Mindful of the girls on the other side of the room, he shook his head wordlessly. When Ty moved toward him, however, he stepped back with another shake of his head. It's okay, he mouthed, trying for a closer approximation of a smile. Don't worry.

Settling his towel around his waist, he grabbed his clothes and headed for the door. Ty caught his elbow as he passed, and he stopped reluctantly. Talking wasn't going to solve this, and he'd rather any conversation they had not be public anyway.

Somewhat to his surprise, Ty just squeezed his arm reassuringly. "We still on for tonight?" he asked, his tone casual.

"Yeah," Zhane managed, nodding once. "Take you out to dinner?"

"Sounds great," Ty said, with a genuine smile. He squeezed Zhane's arm once more before letting go.

He escaped back to his room without bumping into Andros, but there his luck ran out. He was pulling on a clean pair of trousers when the knock came, and he looked up at the ceiling in silent appeal. When the knock came again, though, he sighed and lowered his gaze to the door. "Come in," he called, trying not to sound resigned.

"Hey," Andros said, sticking his head inside. He glanced around the room before catching Zhane's eye, and he took his friend's half-dressed state in stride.

Of course he did. Because otherwise he would be human, Zhane thought, annoyed. He tried not to let it show on his face as he echoed Andros' greeting. "What's up?"

Andros shrugged, venturing into the room the rest of the way. He was still wearing his workout clothes, probably waiting until Ty was done with his shower before taking one himself. Sometimes they acted almost normal around each other. Other times they had a complicated system of avoidance that made no sense for anyone, let alone two adult Rangers. Zhane tried to ignore it as much as possible.

"Just wanted to talk to you," Andros said at last. He was gazing at the sleeping bags crumpled together in the corner--or maybe at the picture propped up beside them by Zhane's flashlight. "You were pretty upset with Ty earlier."

"I wasn't upset with him," Zhane blurted out. Since when did Andros go around pretending to be the team's counselor? "He got in a couple of lucky hits, that's all."

"Only because you weren't paying attention," Andros answered, still staring at the picture. "You were totally distracted this morning."

"Well, we can't all be you," Zhane snapped. "Sometimes the rest of us just have a bad day, all right?"

"Are you having a bad day?" Andros met his gaze at last. He didn't seem at all taken aback; if anything, the sharp words made him seem more determined. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

The obvious answer bubbled up from inside, and it took so much concentration to keep himself from saying it that he had none leftover to come up with a more innocuous reply. Andros frowned slightly at his silence, searching his expression as though he could read the words in his eyes. "Zhane?"

Zhane swallowed, but he managed to hold Andros' gaze. "No," he lied, keeping his tone as calm as he could. "It doesn't have anything to do with you."

Andros stared steadily back at him. "Don't lie to me, Zhane."

He blinked, startled, and Andros' frown deepened. "What happened to telling each other the truth 'whenever it matters'? It matters now." Almost as an afterthought, Andros added, "And this isn't a present-giving holiday, so start talking."

Zhane tried to smile, but Andros wasn't backing down. He was waiting, and somewhere along the line he had gotten a clue. Not a big one, apparently, but enough to know when something was up. It didn't get any less convenient than a friend with a little knowledge and a lot of persistence.

"I can't," he said at last. "It's not... the timing is bad, okay?"

"No," Andros countered. "It's not okay. I don't care about the timing; I care about you. What's going on? Did I do something wrong? Did Ash? Between the laser tag and dinner and that holoshow last night, I thought we were doing a little better."

Zhane stopped breathing, just for a moment. "No," he managed at last. "We were. We are. The holoshow was fun."

Andros' eyes narrowed, and Zhane swore silently. Andros was onto him now. He could practically see the tracks being reviewed in Andros' mind: the drive to Cayeron, the visit with Zhane's grandparents, and the trip down to the beach where the show was being performed. The lights and the way they made it impossible to see anything but the show itself, the blankets and the way they had huddled together to keep warm, Andros' hand in his while Ashley dozed off...

He could see Andros going over the evening again, and he was clearly drawing a blank. Zhane almost sighed in relief. Whatever sense had gotten Andros this far was failing him now, and he might yet convince his friend that there was nothing to worry about.

"The ride home," Andros said suddenly.

Zhane's eyes widened. He couldn't think of a single response.

"That's it, isn't it," Andros said, studying his expression. "Look, I'm sorry; I was so tired and I just wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to be so..."

"Flirty?" Zhane interrupted. Now the words came, almost tripping over each other in their haste to be free. "Well, you were. You were all over me, and apologizing for it now really doesn't help things!"

That made Andros draw back, an alarmed look on his face. "You... I didn't mean--"

"Don't tell me you didn't mean it!" Zhane burst out. "Don't you know that's the last thing I need to hear right now? I can't stop thinking about you, Andros! Do you know how much I slept last night? Not at all! Of course I was distracted this morning! I'm dead tired and I can't relax for anything!"

Andros opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He just stood there, staring at Zhane as though he was speaking a completely different language. And maybe he was: the language of wanting, of desire. It wasn't one that Andros spoke often.

"I--I did mean it," Andros said at last, treading carefully into the silence. "I just... I didn't realize..."

Zhane folded his arms across his chest, refusing to help. If Andros got to be comfortably ignorant and naive, the least he could do was struggle for words like the rest of them. Some people should be so lucky.

"I didn't realize it would... bother you like that?" He sounded distressingly uncertain, and he was frowning again. "I guess I wanted... I don't know what I wanted, but--I liked--"

"I liked it too," Zhane muttered, his resolve to let Andros flounder fading fast. If only he didn't look so damn pathetic when he was trying that hard.

"You did?" Andros looked torn between relief and confusion.

Zhane sighed, taking pity on him. "Of course I did. What part of 'I'm madly in love with you' don't you get? If it's the part where having you practically in my lap turns me on, well, news flash! It does!"

Andros finally looked away, but he didn't open his mouth until he caught Zhane's eye again. "I don't know what to say," he said quietly, frankly.

Zhane drew in a deep breath, letting his arms fall as he shrugged. "Doesn't matter," he said, turning away. He grabbed his shirt and yanked it roughly down over his head. "Wouldn't have told you if you hadn't asked," he added, running a hand through his hair.

"You didn't tell me even when I did ask," Andros murmured. "It does matter, Zhane. Why do you do this to yourself? Is it to protect me?"

Startled, he twisted around to face Andros. "What?"

"Why do you--" Andros gestured impatiently. "I don't know, hide everything you're feeling?"

Zhane gaped at him for a moment. "You think I hide what I'm feeling?" he repeated finally. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or just roll his eyes. "Coming from you, how does that even work?"

Andros did look a little embarrassed, but he persisted. "You're not like me. You don't do that--or you didn't. What, is it contagious or something?"

He managed to make that last sound almost humorous, but the fact that he could miss something so obvious made it less funny. Zhane just looked at him, wondering. How long had it taken Ashley to realize she had to spell out every detail if she ever wanted to have a meaningful conversation with Andros?

"What?" Andros asked, when the quiet started to stretch. "What are you thinking?"

He let out his breath in a rush, not even aware that he'd been holding it until now. "Andros, the entire planet knows how I feel about you. I don't hide what I'm feeling. I'm not like you. And I don't know how to make it any more obvious than saying I wish it had been something a lot more fun than a cold shower keeping me up last night!"

"You want to sleep with me," Andros said bluntly.

When Zhane just looked at him, Andros shrugged at the floor. "Well, if you wanted to make it more obvious," he muttered self-consciously. "Just trying to help."

"No..." He was fighting a losing battle with a smile, but Andros didn't look upset about it. "Look, that's not it. Not really. I just... It's really hard to--"

Andros caught his eye again without lifting his head, and Zhane sighed at the expression on his face. "I can't touch you. I see you every day, and I can't touch you! You're right there, Andros! What am I supposed to do when you come on to me like you did last night? Pretend it didn't happen? Spar with you like I care when all I can think about is kissing you?

"I hate this," he added, before Andros could say anything. "I'm sorry; I know I said it was cool and you could have all the time you wanted to think things out. But everyone is thinking around here and it's driving me crazy!"

"Maybe..." Andros hesitated, but he was frowning pensively. "Maybe I'm not thinking, really. Maybe I'm just... making excuses."

He looked at Zhane expectantly. When there was no reply--what was he supposed to say?--Andros continued, "I already know I want you. I've always known that." A small smile played across his lips, and Zhane could only stare. Andros had said that without a single stammer, and it was a little bit... disconcerting.

"I don't want to lose Ashley," Andros added, as though he was listing the facts for himself. "Maybe I'm waiting because I think that if anything happens between us, she'll leave. But if that's true--it's not going to change, is it?"

Andros frowned again, glancing at the door. "I can't... stop caring about Ashley," he said at last. "If it bothers her to see us together, it's going to bother me. It's going to hurt," he admitted, more softly. "But--"

He looked back at Zhane, and his eyes held the same odd certainty that had been in his voice. "I won't ask us to wait because of that," he said quietly. "When I told you to kiss me in front of the others, I meant it. You're my boyfriend, Zhane."

The corners of his mouth quirked upward, and Andros added, "Start acting like it."

There were a dozen things he should say. There were twice as many things he should ask, questions any responsible person would ask when their best friend made a declaration like that. And he really ought to feel more guilty about putting Ashley out of the picture, even for a moment.

But Ashley had had a monopoly on Andros' attention for longer than he cared to remember, and there was only one thing he really wanted to do right now. The three steps he had to take seemed much longer. Andros' eyes, still focused on his, seemed darker. His mouth felt--

Zhane stopped thinking.

He didn't know how long he would have stood there, lost in something he was convinced wouldn't last, if they hadn't in fact been interrupted. Andros wasn't one to cling, but he was doing an awfully good impression of it, and Zhane kept waiting for him to realize it and push him away in embarrassment. Or for him to protest something--either the heat or the closeness, the intensity of the kiss or the fact that his hands were wandering uncontrollably--but he didn't.

Instead, it was a knock on the door that finally made him let Andros go. "Yeah?" he called, torn between guilt and impatience. Like he hadn't been moody enough lately; he really needed to be rude when he was feeling good, too... but damn, Andros was just standing there! Kissing him!

"It's me," Ty's voice answered. "I'm going to make some lunch. You want?"

He opened his mouth to say no, but Andros wasn't glaring daggers--yet--and he really did need to apologize to Ty. He'd been short even before their aggravating time on the mats, and Ty was probably the last person on the team that deserved it. But...

Andros tipped his head to the side, indicating the door. The message was clear, yet still he hesitated. Andros looked like... well, like someone buoyed by adrenaline and post-workout endorphins. His face was flushed, his hair was still damp with sweat, and he couldn't look more inviting if he tried. Was it smarter to stay--or run?

"Sure," Zhane said, loud enough that it could be heard from the hallway. So he took the easy way out one more time. Who was counting? He didn't really want to be around when Andros realized what he'd done, anyway. "I'll be down in a minute."

Andros waited a moment after Ty's muted agreement, probably so he wouldn't give away his presence until the other Ranger was out of earshot. Zhane suppressed a sigh, all too aware of the contradiction. Andros might be able to say "I love you" behind closed doors, but he was a long way from meaning what he said about acknowledging a relationship in front of the others.

"Ash is going to the library tonight," Andros said quietly. His gaze was fixed on Zhane's shoulder, and he was playing with the silver fabric of his shirt without seeming to notice what he was doing. "I think she wants to look up some Council stuff."

Now he lifted his eyes, but he didn't look any less self-conscious. "Want to go with her? We could... help, or something."

"Or annoy her until she agrees to do something more fun?" Zhane suggested, unable to contain a smirk. The way Andros' sly expression immediately agreed with his made him grin. "Sure."

Then he winced, shaking his head. "No," he corrected. "I can't. I told Ty I'd take him out tonight."

Andros' smirk faded, but he shrugged as though it didn't matter. "That's fine. Have a good time."

"Is it?" Zhane asked, studying him carefully. "Because if it's not fine, I'd rather know now."

"It's fine," Andros repeated. "Really. I have plenty of zord work I need to do."

Surprised by the implication that Andros wasn't going if he didn't, Zhane frowned. "You can still go," he pointed out. "You're better at annoying Ash than I am anyway."

Andros grimaced at him, but the amusement in his eyes softened the expression somewhat. "Thanks," he said wryly. "Now I'll definitely go."

"You should," Zhane said, more seriously. "We do things together. You and Ash should too."

"You and I work together," Andros protested. "And we do... friend things."

"Well, studying Council records at the library sounds like a pretty hot date," Zhane agreed straight-faced. "Should I start with the jealousy now or wait until you describe it for me later?"

A reluctant smile tugged at Andros' lips. "Okay," he admitted. "I'll go." Then a scowl chased the rueful amusement off his face and he added, "But just because you're not worried doesn't mean I don't want to hear about your date afterward. You're not going to the library."

He really tried not to grin, but as much as he protested Andros' suspicion of Ty there was something more than a little flattering about it. "When have I ever not told you?" he asked rhetorically.

When Andros narrowed his eyes, he amended hastily, "Okay, forget I said that. I promise, all right?"

Andros sighed, looking away at last. "You don't have to promise," he muttered unconvincingly.

"I want to." He touched Andros' chin with one finger and turned his face back toward him. "I love you, remember?"

Andros allowed another kiss, and Zhane hoped that would be the end of it. It didn't take him long to realize that was an overly optimistic wish, but Andros was being unusually accommodating today. They had, after all, gotten through two typically harrowing conversations with a minimum of shouting: kissing in public and dating other people. Was it so much to ask that the verbal tiptoeing end there?

Apparently it was. Or maybe Ashley just didn't know that he'd already filled his quota for the day. Either way, she caught up with him right after lunch and pulled him aside, giving him a nervous look that made him want to bang his head against the wall. Not that he thought it would help anything... he just wanted to do it on general principle.

"Andros says you're okay with us going out tonight," she said, searching his expression with her eyes. "Is that true?"

Zhane folded his arms, leaning back against the stairs with a smile. "Hey, Ash," he answered, as calmly as he could. "I'm great, thanks. How's it going with you?"

She looked away, a sheepish smile echoing his own. "Things are good," she said neutrally. Catching his eye again, she asked, "Are you okay? Kerone said you took a pretty bad fall on the mats this morning."

"I'm glad she's spreading that around," he said dryly. "That does a lot for my image."

"Like Kerone kicking our butts did anything for our image!" Ashley retorted. "You probably weren't watching, but I don't think me and Ty lasted longer than two minutes at a time against her."

"Astrea kicks everyone's butt," Zhane reminded her. "Andros is the only one that can take her when she really gets going."

"Well, she didn't have to try that hard this morning." Her lips twitched at the memory, but she shook her head. "I think we're going to have to do more group sparring."

"Yeah," Zhane said ruefully. "How about Andros against the rest of us?"

"Kerone against the rest of us," Ashley countered. "Bet Andros couldn't take her with the rest of us slowing him down."

"Slowing him down?" Zhane exclaimed. "Is that what we do? Cause Ty might not have that synching thing down yet, but Andros and I could take Astrea any day."

"Could not," Ashley countered. "And I'm going to tell her you said so!"

"Bring it on," Zhane agreed. "Tomorrow morning!"

Ashley giggled. "You sound just like Andros," she accused.

He frowned at her good-naturedly. "Thanks a lot!"

She smirked back at him. "I knew you wouldn't take that as a compliment."

He shook his head, amused. "What do you want, again?"

She sobered just as he remembered, and he wished he hadn't reminded her. "Me and Andros," she prompted, obviously not believing he had forgotten. "Tonight? Are you sure it's okay?"

"I already told Andros it was," he said impatiently. "It's fine. It's good, actually. You guys never go out alone anymore."

She hesitated, then pointed out, "Neither do you. Not since the tour, anyway."

"We never used to," he said with a shrug. "You did."

"Things aren't like they used to be," she said softly. "I just don't want you to think I'm trying to make them that way again. Andros didn't offer to come alone; he asked if I'd mind if you both tagged along. It was only after he talked to you that he said that you had plans but didn't mind if he went anyway."

"And you didn't believe him?" he asked, deadpan.

Ashley opened her mouth to reply, then narrowed her eyes at him in amusement. "No, I didn't. And you wouldn't have either."

He let his grin show. "Not for a second," he admitted. "I love him, but he can't read people for anything."

"So?" she persisted, smiling a little at that. "I won't let him come if you'd rather..."

She trailed off, and he studied her curiously. "What about you?" he wondered aloud. "Would you care if it was me and Andros going out tonight? Is it a date, or is it just another trip to the library?"

She bit her lip, considering that. "It... could be a date," she conceded at last. "I mean, it is a trip to the library, but if Andros comes..."

When she paused again, he filled in the rest of the sentence for her. "He'd better do something to make up for driving you crazy all night long?"

A giggle escaped before she could stop it, and she nodded emphatically. "That's exactly it! He's no help, so if he's going to look over my shoulder all evening I'd better get something out of it."

Then her grin faded a little as she considered his expression. "Unless--you don't want it to be a date, of course."

He tried not to sigh. Banging his head against the wall, here. "Ash," he said, as gently as he could. "I want you to go out with Andros. I like seeing you and Andros together. You do something for him that... well, that no one else does. Not even me. You make him--lighter, less focused. Softer, maybe.

"I don't know exactly what it is," he said quickly, when she raised an eyebrow at him. "But he needs it.

"Did Andros tell you what my 'other plans' are?" he asked, changing tactics when she didn't look convinced. "I'm taking Ty out to dinner. On a date," he elaborated, in case it wasn't clear. "With someone else. I promise you, I don't have any issues with you and Andros going out alone."

She looked at him for a long moment, and he couldn't read anything from her silent gaze. Finally she shook her head and confessed, "I don't understand, Zhane; I really don't. But if you say it's okay, then I believe you."

"I guess that's a 'no', huh?" He tried not to look disappointed, especially since she probably didn't know what he was talking about.

"To what?" she wanted to know.

"To me and Andros going out alone," he explained. "You didn't say whether it would bother you, if it was the other way around."

She hesitated, and he thought she knew what she was thinking. At least he did until she murmured, "I wasn't asleep last night, you know."

He tried not to let anything show in his expression. "What do you mean?"

"On the ride home from Cayeron?" She looked steadily back at him, daring him to feign ignorance. "I wasn't sleeping. You guys... I thought you were--cute."

"Cute?" Zhane repeated carefully. He wasn't sure how far he could tease her about this, but he had to do something about the awkwardness. "I hope you didn't say that to Andros. 'Cute' isn't usually what a guy is going for when he's making out."

"Cute is all he's getting," she said with a small smile that said she appreciated his effort. "At least for now."

"For now?" He didn't want to push, but the way she winced meant that he had overdone the hopeful look. "Sorry. No pressure."

"No," she said with a sigh. "You have to pressure us, Zhane. Andros told me what you said this morning, and you're right. We're just sort of... stuck, you know? Scared to do anything that we can't take back. You're the only one who isn't, and you're too nice to push us around."

"Think so?" he said, with an involuntary smirk.

"Yes," she said firmly. "Andros is right; we are hiding behind the 'thinking' excuse. I've already figured out everything I can on my own, and Andros thinks too much anyway. We have to just do this and see what happens."

"I'm in," Zhane agreed, trying not to sound too eager. Was he on a roll today or what? He should try not sleeping more often. Apparently people responded better to him when he was tired and irritable.

"All right," Ashley said, smiling again. "Good. I'm going to get something to eat before we take the cats out."

He nodded, and she practically skipped past him. At least bad moods weren't contagious. His seemed to have had the opposite effect, actually. It must have sucked all the bad vibes out of everyone else and tossed them out a door somewhere.

"Zhane?"

He looked around in surprise, and there was Ty. He looked entirely too casual, and little warning bells went off in Zhane's mind. "Hey," he said, straightening. "I'm coming back for the dishes, honest."

"It's not that," Ty said, relaxing a little. "I just heard that Andros was going out with Ash tonight, and--"

"You 'heard' that?" Zhane demanded. "From who?"

"Well, from you, actually." Ty gave him a sheepish grin. "This isn't the most private spot in the hangar, you know. I could hear you two clear across the way."

Zhane rolled his eyes, but in the back of his mind he had known they weren't exactly keeping their voices down. "No secrets around here anyway," he said, shrugging. "What's up?"

"Well, I was just thinking that if you wanted to--"

"I changed my mind," Zhane interrupted. "I don't want to know what you're going to say. Especially if it involves us not going out." He cocked his head at Ty expectantly, and the corner of Ty's mouth quirked in acknowledgement.

"Don't want to hear it," Zhane repeated. "We're going, and they're going, and I hate to think what kind of trouble Astrea is going to get into all by herself."

"Worse," Ty suggested straight-faced, "with DECA's help."

They shared commiserating looks, and finally, that was the end of it. The pre-dating game was over, by virtue of the fact that there was simply no one else to discuss it with. Or so he thought.

The clouds that had rolled in overnight seemed to have taken up residence at the bottom of the mountains. They weren't raining, blowing about, or doing much of anything except keeping the temperature down around its nighttime high. It was a grey day with little to recommend it weatherwise, but the cats didn't care.

No matter how much the Power compensated for his energy level, Zhane was still feeling the effects of a sleepless night in the middle of two overlong days. They all gathered outside the hangar at the beginning of the hunt, but he didn't bother trying to keep up once the cats took off. Instead he made his way slowly up the nearest ridge, improving his vantage point with a minimum of exertion, and settled down to watch.

He had been paying more attention to the zords as he climbed than the Rangers, so he didn't realize they were two short until a flash of violet lightened the gloomy afternoon air. He glanced over his shoulder, smiling in welcome as Astrea considered the view before them. She just looked, making no effort to join him, and eventually he turned his gaze back to the hills as well.

It was possible she was here to offer her opinion on tonight's activities, but somehow he doubted it. That wasn't her style. Which was too bad, really, since she probably had the most objective perspective on the team. He might have to ask.

Several minutes had passed in silence before she inquired, "Are you really going to name him Zip?"

He had to smile. "Yeah, I think so. He looks like a 'Zip'."

There was another quiet moment, and then Astrea remarked, "I can't wait to see Andros, in the middle of a battle, suddenly have to ask where Zip and Zhane are."

"Hey, are you mocking our names?" Zhane watched his zord overtake hers on the side of the next ridge, and he decided, "Zip's going to tell your zord that you were making fun of him. See how well she listens to you after that."

"What makes you think she'll believe Zip over me?" Astrea's voice was closer now, but he hadn't heard her move.

"Cause Zip has a name," Zhane said, shifting a little to make room for her as she sat down next to him. "That means I like him better than you like yours."

"My zord has a name," she told him with calm dignity. "I'm going to call her 'Magic'."

He considered that for a moment. "That's going to be so confusing," he said at last. "I mean, think about it. 'Kerone says Magic is the answer.' 'Magic made Kerone do it.' Kerone and Magic are outside, taking potshots at the city.'"

She giggled. "Now you're mocking our names," she pointed out. "Magic's not going to like that."

"Zip can handle her," he said confidently.

She let that one go, but he caught her shooting a sidelong glance at him. When he gave her a questioning look, she just smiled. "I like it better when you call me 'Astrea'," she remarked, staring out at the hills again.

"Me too," he admitted. "But I wouldn't be the one telling on you and Magic, would I. Just trying to accurately represent our teammates."

She smiled again, and he could feel himself relaxing. He could say anything he wanted to Astrea and she would take it at face value. He could say nothing at all, and she would take it at face value. He didn't have to explain himself around her. Suddenly that seemed like the best thing that had happened to him all day.

"Ashley says you think Andros and I both inherited our telepathy," she remarked out of the blue.

He was caught without anything to say. She had never admitted that her telepathy could have been inherited, let alone acknowledged that Andros had it too. Now an idea that had been quietly wandering around the back of his brain for some time had been thrust out into the open, and he had nothing to back it up with.

He settled for a nod, waiting to see if she would go anywhere with it on her own.

"Interesting," she said noncommittally.

He smiled to himself. "You're easy, you know that?"

She paused, and her voice was amused when she replied. "It's not something I hear a lot, no."

He thought about it for a moment, then offered, "Maybe it's because you're so sure of who you are. You don't... doubt yourself."

"Only every day," she answered. Her tone was still light, gentle. "I have no idea who I am, Zhane. I've been so many different people... I'm not sure I'll ever come to terms with my past, let alone my present."

"But see, you just said it," he insisted. "You'll come to terms with it. Maybe you don't know exactly who you are, but you don't depend on anyone else to tell you. You look for your identity in yourself, not in other people."

"I guess I've had too many people try to tell me who I am," she said softly. "And most of them lied. I have to believe in myself, now, or I'll never figure out what's true and what isn't."

He considered that for a moment, but it only seemed to confirm what he was trying to say. "That must be what makes you so... peaceful. You don't expect anything from other people. You just let them be whoever they are, because it doesn't effect who you are one way or the other."

She sounded thoughtful when she finally responded. "You're the second person to call me peaceful this winter. Saryn said it too, while you were all stuck in JT's dimension. I think it's kind of funny."

He watched Magic bowl Andros' zord out of the way with no regard for pack hierarchy. "Saryn, huh?"

"Mmm." It was a sound of agreement, but nothing more. She wasn't going to elaborate unless he asked, and he supposed it was none of his business.

"I don't think it's just me," she said after a while. "I think it's you, too. You accept me. You don't expect me to be anything, either... Ty doesn't think I'm peaceful."

"That's because Ty has something to prove," he said absently. "He needs you to react to him, to reassure him that he's good enough to be a Ranger."

She only nodded, possibly in agreement. If she wasn't, it didn't really matter. They didn't have to agree because, unlike Ty, he knew what Astrea thought of him. It was easier to sit and watch the hunt than it was to have a conversation, and she seemed perfectly content to do the same.

When she leaned against him he put his arm around her automatically, and when she laid her head on his shoulder it was the most natural thing to rest his head against hers. Magic and Zip continued to frolic with the others, following the hunt over the nearest ridge and disappearing briefly from view.

The rest of the team seemed very far away from here. The separation was a brief but welcome respite. It was enough to just be for a while, without thinking. And there wasn't any better company for that than Astrea.