AN: I'm sure I'll come back to Mirror (the Zyon stories) at some point, but for now I'm moving on. I hope you enjoy. Also, Gynna ahead, you've been warned.

Zen

Friends

timeframe: Beyond A Doubt

“Summer,” Scott sighed, “do something.”

“Me?” Summer demanded. “Why me?”

“Because you’re the nicest,” Flynn said, stirring cake batter quickly. Baking had always calmed him and he’d started working on the new recipe almost the minute Dillon and Tenaya left. For that same reason Summer had started practicing pool, Scott had begun reorganizing his tool chest, and the twins had started playing chess in the corner.

“Gemma’s nicer than I am,” Summer hissed.

“But she has a habit off saying something … off, at just the wrong moment. Sorry, lass,” Flynn added over his shoulder.

Gemma shrugged but gave him a smile, which he returned quickly before Gem noticed. When Flynn looked back at the others Summer gave him a “just do something already” look, which he pointedly ignored.

“You’ll be best at it,” Scott said, returning the focus to Summer.

“Best at what?” K echoed, entering the room.

“Telling Ziggy that Dillon will be all right so he’ll stop pacing,” Gem said, his eyes never leaving the chess board.

K looked from the Rangers to Ziggy, who was pacing before the Garage door and muttering to himself.

“Ranger Green!” K called and Ziggy’s head immediately snapped up.

“Yeah, Doc? Have you heard anything?”

“No, but I would like to remind you that Dillon’s chances of returning alive are greatly increased with Tenaya by his side -- and even if they weren’t, you pacing and driving your fellow rangers to distraction will help no one.”

Ziggy looked helplessly to the other rangers.

“She said, knock it off!” Gemma explained.

“Oh, sorry,” Ziggy said, slouching sadly.

Summer bit back a groan. “Ziggy, they’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry.”

“But, that’s just it!” Ziggy said, crossing the Garage quickly so he could talk to the others. “I’m not worried they’ll make it back -- I mean, I am -- but that’s not my problem.”

“Then what is?” Scott asked.

“I have a crush on Tenaya,” Ziggy said in one quick breath.

The twins let out gleeful laughs and Flynn narrowly avoided dropping the mixing bowl into the cake pan.

“Seriously?” Scott asked.

“Since when?” Summer added.

Ziggy shrugged. “Since she saved my life.”

Flynn groaned.

“And now that I know she’s Dillon’s sister, I don’t know what to do! I mean, before I tried to put it out of my mind because, really, a relationship with a robot is never kosher. But now I know she’s not a robot, but she’s also totally off-limits!”

“Why?” Gem asked curiously.

“You can’t date your best friend’s sister!” Ziggy cried.

Flynn and Scott nodded solemnly.

“It’s an unwritten rule of friendship,” Flynn said.

An odd look passed over Gem’s face and he looked Flynn over carefully.

“But,” K said, “many successful couples throughout history have met because one partner was the friend of the other’s sibling.”

“Name one,” Scott said.

K blinked and stood silent for a moment. “Julie and Drew Carpenter.”

“You made those names up,” Scott said.

“Believe what you want,” K said and left the room.

“Ziggy,” Summer said kindly, “if you really like Tenaya, talk to Dillon about it first. That way, no matter what happens, he’ll have had first say.”

“You really think that’ll work?” Ziggy asked. “He won’t hate me forever if I ask him about it first?”

Scott let out a laugh but Summer gave him a wilting glare. She was pretty sure Flynn deserved the same, but he’d been putting his cake in the oven and she couldn’t be sure what she heard.

“Yes,” she said, “I’m sure it’ll work.”

Before Ziggy could ask her anything else the alarm went off and they all raced into K’s lab.