Someday

By: Harlequinranger

Summery: Astronema reflects on what will some day come to pass…

Astronema sat in her room, staring out into space, toying with a lock of hair, and casting quiet glances at the slightly crumpled photo she held in her gloved hand, then back out at the starry sky. Her reflection stared back at her with the same melancholy expression on her face, for a few seconds. Then the expression changed to a disgusted one. Look at you, mourning over a ranger. A silver ranger, no less. Why would he ever want you, princess of evil?

Shut up. Astronema retorted. She was in mood to have an argument with the slightly more evil side of her personality.

No I wont! Her evil altra-ego had obviously been saving this all up for some time and had decided this was the moment to vent her anger. Now listen to me, you numbskulled, love struck teenager! This is a ranger we’re talking about! A lousy, no good, good doing ranger! And you actually got concerned about him today! One more hesitation to have him or one of his friends destroyed, like that, and you’ll be caught! You are week and inefficient when you’re in this sort of mood! Now snap out of it or I’ll… I’ll…

You’ll what? Astronema mentally demanded of her scowling reflection, Tell dark spectre on me? Might I remind you that you are me, and I am you, you can’t do anything without me to help you. You won’t tell Dark Spectre because he’ll destroy me, and if he destroys me he’ll destroy you.

Her reflection’s scowl deepened. Then, with a dark growl, she said, Maybe I can’t tell, but the knowledge I have is right here, inside my head, and if I know then you know, and that’s enough to make you as miserable as anything.

Oh, go away!

You can’t get rid of me that easily. You love that ranger. You’re in love, and I’m not going to let you forget your pathetic weakness!

I am not in love!

Oh yes you are. I know. I’m am you, remember, and if that’s not love I can feel inside your heart I’d like to know what is.

I don’t love Zhane!

Then why did your heart beat so fast when he helped you pick up your books and he nearly recognised you? Why did you feel so happy when you realised he was carrying a picture of you in his pocket? Why did you get so angry when was late? You were worried! Admit it, you were worried! That was why you got so angry!

I was angry because he was late, and no one is late for a date with me!

Now you’re sounding like the old you!

Oh no you don’t! I’m not going to be goaded out of caring about Zhane! I like the feeling he gives me!

Oh, so you admit it?!

Yes! I admit it! If only to spite you! Rather you died than my silver ranger!

Your silver ranger? That’s ridiculous! What does he see in you, evil princess? He, the silver ranger, and you, princess of the darkness? Don’t make me laugh!

Oh be quiet! Astronema ordered, getting up, You’ll see. Zhane does care about me. And we’ll find our way back to each other, one way or another. Then you really will die. I’m heart sick of this killing. I’m heart sick of you. Zhane and I will always be together in our hearts. Now leave me alone!

Impudent child! Shouted her reflection. You’re evil!

No! You’re evil! Astronema snapped back. I don’t need you any more! I have people to care about!

You cannot deny what you are. Was the calm, cold reply.

Astronema picked her tone and words carefully, to achieve the maximum annoyance from her evil reflection. I know. Which is why I don’t need you any more. I’m being what I am. Human. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some day dreaming to do.

And she turned her back on her reflection and strode away. Her reflection glared at her departing back then disappeared to brood in a dark corner of Astronema’s subconscious.

It’s kinda funny,

Tomorrow is yesterday,

It feels so good,

We’ll slide on a rainbow,

Catching a moonbeam or two,

Don’t tell me I’m a dreamer,

Because I don’t wanna know,

So let me take you there…

I know,

We’re gonna get there someday,

Don’t you know?

We’re gonna get there someday.

Karone lay down on her bed, tugging at a strand of soft blond hair. It felt strange, being her natural self again.

I’m still here, you know.

Shut up.

Karone ignored that particular part of her mind. She felt even less joined to it since the time they had had their last major argument, by the window in Dark Spectre’s ship. How ironic. She had longed and longed to be on board the rangers ship then, so she could get to Zhane. Now she was, and Zhane had long since departed. Left on a planet to help his friends from KO-35. Home.

Home was the Astro mega-ship. Home was KO-35. Until very recently, home had been the ship where she had been raised by Ecliptor. Home is where the heart is. That was something Andros had said their parents had told him. If home was where the heart was, if her home was where her heart was, then her home was on that planet, with Zhane, helping those people to evacuate. How strange her home should be on a planet she had never seen.

Do you still think about me, Zhane? She wondered, turning over to face the wall and staring at it as if it held the answer to her questions. Do you think about me like I think about you? I wish you were here. I’m sure you could tell me about everything here. Andros does his best, but I have a feeling he doesn’t understand half of it himself… and the rangers from earth are just so confusing. I know you’re out there, somewhere… Maybe we’ll meet again. Somehow. By some strange twist of fate. I think we will. I have a feeling we’re destined to meet again. Like it’s written in the stars. Andros says we are each born under a star. That our star guides us. Maybe if I follow my star, it will lead me back to you. If only I could find the right one…

I’ll tell you something,

Life is a mystery,

It’ll be so good,

Sail in a teacup,

Drift on a milky white sea, oh,

Don’t go telling me I’m a dreamer,

Because I don’t wanna know,

So let me take you there,

I know,

We’re gonna get there someday,

Oh yeah,

Don’t you know?

We’re gonna get there someday.

Karone stared up, into the black ceiling. So now I’m the pink ranger. What next?

What indeed? You’ll be reading to sick children after this! That you, that I, should be a ranger! Oh, I think I’m going to be sick!

Can’t you take a hint? GO AWAY!

You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me, y’know. You wouldn’t be anything without me!

And I’m just soooo grateful. Really.

Sarcasm will get you no where.

Will you give it a wrest? Once and for all! I’m a ranger! I’m good! I don’t care what you tell me!

Huh! We’ll see about that!

What’s that supposed to mean?

You’ll see. Besides, where’s this Zhane got to, eh? Thought you two would be off catching moonbeams by now.

The voice trailed off into spiteful, mocking laughter.

Oh, don’t be so cruel. Zhane will come back to me. I know it. I feel it. We’ll find each other. One day. Someday.

You’re making me feel ill.

I hope so.

And with that, she cut off the conversation, with the evil little voice going off to hide in its dark corner again. Karone suddenly had a thought. Maya had told her earlier, that, since this was her room, she could make it her home. Well, it would never really be her home. Because her home was still with her heart. And her heart was with Zhane, who was Fate knew where. But she could try to make it like her home.

She swung herself off her bed, and, upside down, began to root around beneath it. She found what she was looking for quickly. A cardboard shoe box with ‘special stuff’ written in block capitals across the top. She’d created this herself, when she had acquired too many little keep sakes to carry round with her as she had done in her days as Astronema. Well, leaving a picture of Zhane, (her only keep sake at the time) lying around on Dark Spectre’s ship, was not exactly wise. So she had had to carry it with her. Now she didn’t have to do that.

Sitting up on her bed, she balanced the box on her knees, and gently lifted off the lid. Sorting through its contents with delicate fingers, she found a small bundle of photo’s, tied together with string, at the bottom. Taking these out, she replaced the lid on the box and put it back under her bed out of harms way. Whilst putting her box back, she also retrieved a role of sticking tape, from where she had put it in case she ever found the need for it. Well, it had looked useful when she had seen it in the kitchen draw. Besides, there was another role in there already.

Being careful not to damage her precious photo’s, Karone preceded to tape them to the wall beside her bed. There was a picture of her and her brother and their parents, that Andros had given her, from so long ago she couldn’t remember it. She was tiny. There was a picture of Andros and Zhane as seven year olds, in a park. Then was her favourite. One that showed Andros and Zhane again, probably on the same day, sitting on a pick-nick rug. But she was there too. She couldn’t have been more than four. But she had managed to sprawl herself, cat like, right across the two boys laps. Her legs were wresting on Andros’s knees, and she was watching him perform a puppet show for her, with a couple of toys. But her head and shoulders were being supported by Zhane, who was wresting his head on top of hers, and seemed to be supplying some sort of narration to the story line. It was an incredibly sweet little scene. She taped these up next to the more modern ones of herself and the wrest of the Astro-rangers. The one where Cassie and Ashley were trying to explain to her what smores where, and why exactly she would want to eat one. The one of her hugging Alpha. The one of Andros and Zhane, doing their best friend’s hand shake. The one of Carlos and TJ playing one on one basket ball in a corridor, frantically being dissuaded by Alpha. The one of them all, eating the evening meal. And finally the one she had had all this time, of just Zhane. Still a little crumpled, but she had kept it in good condition after screwing it up the first time.

Finished, Karone stepped off the bed to admire her work.

There, a little more like home now.

Everyone,

Has their crazy world,

And everyone,

They just want to stay,

But you’re the one,

You’re the only one,

I want to share,

I’ll share it with you,

Because I know, we’re gonna get there someday.

Karone wrapped her arms round herself to quell the fizzing in her stomach. It didn’t work.

"Nervous?"

She jumped and looked round, to see Maya, smiling at her.

"Me?" Karone asked, "No! No, I’m not nervous. Terrified, maybe. But nervous? No. I don’t do nervous."

Maya laughed. "Calm down. It’s just a Christmas party."
"Yeah, but everyone will be there!" Karone cried. "Everyone!"

"Everyone meaning…" Maya waved a hand forward in a prompting motion.

"Meaning… meaning…"

"Zhane?" The knew voice was Kendrix, breezing into the girls bed room and putting Karone out of her misery.

"Exactly." Karone sighed. "After all this time…"
"Hey, it’s not as if you killed him or anything." Maya tried to comfort her friend.

"No," Karone gave her a rhy smile, "I just shot him with my wrath staff and left him standing up to his waist in pond water."

"Ah." Maya nodded.

Kendrix patted her on the shoulder, "If he’s as nice as you say he is, a little knock from a wrath staff won’t put him off."

"I’m just worried." Karone sighed, chewing her little finger nail, "It’s been nearly two years. What if he’s… what if…"
"He’s found someone else?" Kendrix asked, sympathetically.

Karone nodded, mutely. Gently, Kendrix put her arm round her shoulders, "Take it from one who knows. If he doesn’t come back to you when he sees you now, then he isn’t worth it, and if he does, then you’ve spent two years single for a good reason."

Karone smiled. "Thanks." It was well know that Kendrix had had her own experience in that field. Coming back from the dead to find Leo dating Ginger had been a very nasty slap in the face for her. But it had taken only two weeks for Leo to realise to whom his heart belonged, and come back to her. Ginger was only too happy to step aside. The relationship had never been as serious to her as it had been to Leo. Now they were engaged and Karone herself was going to be a bridesmaid. (Maya was made of honour, Mike was best man, Daemon and Kai were both Pages and the Astro ranger boys were ushers, the girls the other two bridesmaids. Not to mention the Lightspeed rescue team who had all been invited up from earth for the occasion.) She was looking forward to choosing a dress.

"Now come on." Maya tied a piece of pink tinsel into Karone’s hair and smiled, "Time to go meet everyone!"

Each of the girls had a piece of tinsel in their hair, to match their ranger colour. Hers had dash’s of purple in it, and was paler than Kendrix’s, which was a deep sunset pink. Maya’s was a bright gold, plain and simple, as it was the closest the shop had to yellow.

Outside the room was already crowded. There were three sets of rangers out there. Kendrix took Karone by the arm and steered her over to a pair of young women, one was fair with bright blue eyes and a sweet, ready smile. The other one had dark brown, frizzy hair and eyes that were amazingly pale blue, and a mischievous grin.

"Karone," Kendrix introduced them, "This is Dana and Kelsey, the pink and yellow Lightspeed rescue rangers. Dana, Kelsey, this is Karone. She filled in for me while I was…"
"Missing?" Maya suggested.

"Something like that." Kendrix agreed.

"Nice to meet you, Karone." Dana smiled.

Karone smiled back. "You too." It wasn’t hard to tell which was which colour. Kelsey was dressed from head to foot in yellow, Dana in varying shades of pink. A very typical set of female rangers. But then again, so was she. Pink, pink, pink.

"I’m one of the other bridesmaids." Karone added.

"Oh!" Kelsey cried, over enthusiastically. Karone could tell she was the hyperactive type. "It’ll be so cool! You know, this is only the second ranger wedding ever?"

"How did you find that out?" Karone was curious.

Dana smiled again. "We have friends who are… linked to history. They gave us a brief little run down of the past, present and future records of all the power rangers. Apparently Kendrix and Leo are the second ranger wedding to happen, but there are gonna be a lot more. The third will be right after wont Leo and Kendrix’s, the forth will be a year or so later."

"What if it’s…" Kelsey trailed off, and she and Dana exchanged a glance. They both looked back at Karone, then at each other.

"No…" Breathed Dana, apparently getting some sort of reading from Kelsey.

Kelsey nodded. "It has to be! I remember exactly. Two thousand and four the forth ranger couple to get married were-"

"Shhh!" Dana hushed her. "You remember what Jen told us! It’s classified! We can’t go telling people their own future! We might accidentally stop it from happening!"

"Oh yeah." Kelsey stopped, then looked at the very bemused set of female Lost Galaxy rangers. "Ignore us."
Dana agreed. "Forget it."
"But…" Kelsey looked past Karone then back at her, with a grin, "You know this guy, Zhane? I would recommend getting your hands on him."
Karone’s mouth dropped open.

Maya and Kendrix both began to giggle as they realised what the pair of Lightspeed rangers meant.

"Hey, don’t shoot the messengers." Kelsey held up her hands. Karone began to laugh too. This was too much.

"She’s… been… single for… two years… because of this guy!" Maya spluttered, laughing.

"Oh cool!" Kelsey cried, jumping up and down.

"It’s meant to be!" Added Dana, "That’s so romantic!"
"Oh, and you would know all about that, wouldn’t you, huh, huh, huh?" Kelsey asked, elbowing Dana. Apparently she was referring to something they both knew about because the pink ranger blushed.

"So," Kendrix smiled, innocently, "how’s Carter, Dana?"
Dana went scarlet.

"Red Lightspeed rescue ranger and Dana’s biggest crush since high school days." Maya supplied into Karone’s ear.

Karone nodded. "I’m gonna get some more plastic cups." She told her friend, seeing the dwindling supply on the table.

"Sure." Maya smiled, "hurry back."
"Will do." And Karone hastened away.

Outside, in the cool corridor, she went to the appropriate cupboard, collected a stack of cups, turned away, and, eager to get back to her friends, and the light and warmth of a room filled with rangers, set off at a swift run, back the way she had come.

Not looking where she was going, she crashed headlong into someone coming in the opposite direction, knocking her off her feet and sending plastic cups spinning in all directions.

"Oh, jeez, sorry!"

And she came looked up to find herself staring into the same blue eyes that had haunted her dreams for the past two years.

"Zhane…" She breathed.

He stopped short, on his knees beside her, obviously too embarrassed by his clumsiness to get a proper look at her, but the sound of his name, spoken with such strange wonder, made him look up.

"I…" He trailed, and realised who he was looking at. "Karone!"

"Sense of deja-vous, huh?" She asked, scratching her ear to disguise how shy she felt. This wasn’t exactly how she had pictured being reunited with the love of her life.

Zhane blinked, and took another look at her. "It was you." He said, softly, "Outside the cinema that afternoon. I always wondered."

She gave him a small smile. "Yeah."

"Well," Zhane stood up, and reached down to help her up, "I mean, look at you…" He did so, appraising the women who had been Astronema, "You’re so different yet… very much the same. I… don’t know what to say."

"You don’t have to say anything," she told him, "Although you could help me pick all these up." She gestured to the plastic cups around them.

"Oh, right, yeah." Zhane smiled, and went down on hands and knees to gather them. Karone followed, stacking them up into two neat piles. Zhane paused to scrutinise her, studying her face as she worked. Karone looked up. "What?"
He shook his head, smiling. "Nothing." He handed her the last of the plastic cups. "You’re still as pretty, you know."
She froze, and peeped over at him from behind a stack of cups. He was watching her for her reaction, smiling that winning smile of his. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome." He hauled her onto her feet again, then picked up the first stack of cups. She took the second and they walked back together, in silence. As they reached the door, Karone paused, and broke the lull. "You’re just like I remember too." She put her head on one side, looking him up and down, "Except… not so…"

"Wet?" Zhane suggested, with a grin.

Karone smiled back, laughing. "Yeah." She covered her mouth to smother the giggles. "Sorry about that."
"What, shooting me?" Zhane asked. She nodded. Zhane just grinned. "Aw, that’s okay. I just hope you aren’t so… temperamental now."
"I’m not," She replied, then added as an after thought, "At least, not so much."

For a second he held her look, to see who would crack first. Karone eventually felt a smile itching at the corners of her mouth first, and they both laughed.

"Come on," She took his hand and pulled him inside, still on the verge of laughing.

When they re-entered, Karone found it hard to ignore the six pairs of female ranger eyes that watched her and Zhane as they began unload their stacks of plastic cups. But she was distracted when Zhane tapped her on the back, and asked her to dance.

An invitation gladly accepted, Karone allowed herself to be led away and folded gently into the silver rangers arms. They were joined by Kendrix, who had got hold of Leo, and Dana, whom Carter had, after much shoving forward from his fellow rangers, asked to dance, and a few other extra guests who had already been there. Ashley and Andros were already there.

Wresting her chin Zhane’s shoulder, only Karone was witness to Maya with a sheet of cardboard and a magic marker, which she had produced from goodness knew where, writing out something on the cardboard in block capitals. When she was finished, she turned the board round and showed it to her friend.

It read, quite simply: Awwww.

I know,

We’re gonna get there someday,

Someday,

Don’t you know?

We’re gonna get there someday,

Someday.

Zhane smiled at his fiancée, that day, two years later, and held out a sprig of mistletoe.

"Remember this stuff?" He enquired.

Karone laughed. "How could I forget?"

"Useful, isn’t it?" Zhane handed her the stem as a screeching two and half year old motored past them

"Tark!" Leo shot after the little boy in exasperation. "Where on earth does he get the energy?"

"Might I point out that we’re not on earth?" Kendrix replied, scooping up the hyperactive toddler and kissing him, as she came back through the door, followed by Maya.

"Iggle iggle!" Agreed baby Tarquin.

Karone smiled at the little scene and snuggled up next to Zhane, shutting her eyes drowsily.

"Where’s that mistletoe?" Ashley asked, from where she was rummaging through a box of decorations.

Karone yawned, and waved it at the yellow astro-ranger. "Over here." She handed it over.

"Good job we don’t need that stuff any more." Zhane observed, kissing her cheek affectionately.

"Yeah."

"Honey," Andros entered, carrying a squirming bundle of six month of baby, "would you please take her off me? She wants her mom."

"Oh Annie." Ashley sighed and lifted her daughter out of her husband’s arms. "Keep decorating." She added to Andros.

Andros saluted. "Yes ma’am!"

"Zhane," Karone opened her eyes.

"Yeah?" He looked back at her.

"Hand me a mince pie…" She begged.

"Lazy bones." Zhane laughed but obliged.

"There’s plenty more." Cassie informed them, coming out of the kitchen, carrying a tray full of hot mince pies.

TJ grabbed one as he went shooting past. "Thanks!"
"Last minuet Christmas shopping." Carlos told a bewildered Cassie. "He never remembers."
"Iggle iggle!" Karone looked down to see little Tarquin trying to pull himself onto her lap. She smiled fondly and lifted the toddler up.

"Good Tark." She murmured.

"Good Tark." He repeated, cheerfully.

"I swear he’s the spitting image of his mother," Zhane said. "With a little bit of Leo thrown in for luck, of course."
"If we have kids," Karone said, as Tark squirmed away and ran to the next easy attention giver, "I’m not calling them anything beginning with Z or K. Or anything beginning with a C that sounds like a K. Ashley, Andros and Annie is quite enough of a family alliteration."

"Fine by me." Zhane agreed.

"And nothing as fancy sounding as Tarquin, either." Karone decided.

"Alpha six the second?" Zhane suggested, remembering the loyal little robot who had kept them company for so many years.

Karone groaned and began to laugh. Taking the opportunity Zhane began to tickle her ribs, making her squeal with laughter. "Stop it!"

"Alpha six the second!" Zhane proclaimed.

"I am not calling… our child… Alpha six… the second!" Gasped Karone, helpless with laughter.

"Oh, gee, thanks Karone." Grumbled the robot, as it went patrolling past them.

"No… offence…" Karone cried, between giggles.

Zhane eventually had mercy on his fiancée and let her go. She had gone limp, so that he had to pull her back up. Within seconds she had curled herself into a cat like ball on his lap, nuzzling up against him. "Why not just call our child Sam? Samantha if it’s a girl." She had reverted to her previous sleepy tone.

Zhane, content to let her have her way, nodded, stroking her hair. "Fine by me."

Content, Karone wrapped her arms round Zhane’s neck and let him plant a gentle kiss on his cheek.

So, what do you think now, oh evil reflection.

Oh go away. I’m sick of you and your goodness.

You know, I think you’re getting smaller by the second. One of these days, there wont be anything of you left.

I’ll be here for a while, so there!

I wonder whether Zhane knows about you? He knows most things about me…

He knows what you were doing last night.

I’d be worried if he didn’t.

Oh you really are sick.

You know, I think you’re becoming almost civil.

In you’re dreams.

Yes, always. Didn’t I always say we would find each other?

Oh and I’m so happy for you. Really.

Sarcasm will get you no where.

Ha!

And the little evil voice, who really was getting smaller by the second, crept back to its ever shrinking corner. Karone smiled and looked up at Zhane.

"We did it."

He frowned. "Did what?"

She simply smiled. "We got to someday." Zhane lifted an eyebrow. She shook her head. "Never mind. It doesn’t matter any more."

"Okay."
"And Zhane?"

"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."

I know,

We’re gonna get there someday,

Don’t you know,

You know we’ve got there,

Someday…