The Guardian

         Jason tried it and found the horse began to walk straight and he didn’t fall off “Now you’ve got it!” Rachel exclaimed as she spurred her horse faster. “Hey!” Jason yelled as she took off He spurred his horse only to have it rear up on him and nearly throw him. The horse dropped back down and took off quickly for her and caught up in no time.
         “Told you, you wouldn’t fall,” Rachel laughed when he caught up.
         “Could of warned me about that back there!” Jason gulped after the horse slowed down. His heart was pounding in his throat.
         “You’re doing great, hun,” Rachel laughed. “By the time we go back to the house, you will have mastered riding a horse.”
         “Not if Smoke here has anything to say about it,” Jason replied as Smoke turned its head for a moment to look back at his rider.
         Rachel just laughed to herself as she led on through the wooded trail.
         “This place is beautiful,” Jason commented as he looked around. “Is this all your parent’s land?”
         “Yep,” Rachel said as she glanced back at him. “All this and nearly twenty more miles out.”
         “Wow!” Jason exclaimed and wondered how much money her parents actually had.
         “My father is a chemist and my mother is a psychologist,” Rachel explained. “Both have really big paychecks.”
         “What does your father have against you?” Jason asked. “Why can’t he let you be you?”
         “First off,” Rachel started sadly, “He wanted a boy, and I was a girl. Next, he wanted me to be a chemist like him. I’m studding to be a biologist and physicist.”
         “Nothing wrong with those fields,” Jason replied with a smile.
         “To him it is a big disgrace,” Rachel said as she looked down in front of her horse.
         “If your dad thought it was such a big disgrace, would you think he would still float your tuition bills?” Jason asked.
         “He wants to keep my mother happy,” Rachel answered.
         “No,” Jason said softly, “You are his daughter. Even if you have been a disappointment in many areas, you will always be his daughter. He will always support you, and love you.”
         “You always can find a way to make me smile, Jason,” Rachel said softly with a slight smile. “You should be a psychologist like my mom. She says the same stuff, but somehow it seems so right from you.”
         “A parents advice usually doesn’t mean anything to a child,” Jason replied and continued, “But a friend’s advice is the world.”
         Rachel just broadened her smile as she looked ahead on the trail and lead on. They finally reached a fork in the path and Rachel brought them to a stop. “Which way?” Jason asked as he brought his horse alongside hers.
         “I was about to ask the same thing,” Rachel replied with a broad grin, “Long or short?”
         “Long,” Jason replied with a smile.
         Slowly, the dual rode down the path, surrounded by trees and plants and the sounds of birds singing.
         “I hate to ruin a good thing,” Rachel started slowly, “But how are we going to destroy this nightmare?”
         “My energy blasts hurt it, and so did your flames,” Jason answered in thought than continued, “Maybe if we concentrated our powers together, we can defeat it as a team.”
         “But where will it surface this time?” Rachel asked solemnly.
         “When it gets dark, we will know,” Jason replied. “I just hope not at your house again. We aren’t there to protect your parents.”
         “Well, they are going out before it gets dark. So they won’t be home after dark until late,” Rachel replied.
         “Good,” Jason replied. “Let’s hope our power together is enough.”
         “Let’s hope so,” Rachel added as she reached out and took Jason’s hand in hers.
         “Um, just thought of something,” Jason said as he looked at her.
         “What?” Rachel asked as she smiled softly back at him.
         “Um, if you flame up, without your suit,” Jason said as he looked off into the
forest. “Um, you’ll be a little exposed.”
         “Nah!” Rachel laughed and tugged on his arm.
Jason looked back at her to see she was in her suit. “Huh?”
         “I use my telepathic abilities to cloak what I am wearing under my clothes sometimes,” Rachel replied then added, “But yes, I did take a nice, naked shower while you were sleeping.”
         “Ah,” Jason replied as they rode on.
         “So tell me about yourself,” Rachel said as they rode on.
         “What would you like to know?” Jason asked as he looked to his companion.
         “Well, what do you like to do?” Rachel asked.
         “Hmm,” Jason said as he thought, “I like being with you.”
         “Besides that silly!” Rachel said smiling as she rolled her eyes back and pulled her hand away from him.
         “Um,” Jason said and thought again, “I like playing on computers and surfing the Internet.”
         “O.K., anything else?”
         “Sure, I love going to action movies. Really like going to musicals and plays. Do you like musicals and plays?”
         “Don’t tell my dad, but yes, love them!” Rachel replied.
         “Why don’t tell your dad?” Jason asked.
         “Because he would be dragging me to everyone that showed in New York!” Rachel replied.
         “What’s wrong with that? Might be good for you both to do some things together,” Jason replied.
         “Maybe it might,” Rachel said slowly then continued, “But we are talking about you, remember!”
         “Oh yea,” Jason laughed.
         “So tell me more about you. The things you like, um, things you do, things you don’t like too,” Rachel said.
         “Well, let’s see. I like playing the piano if I can get a chance to do so. I love to cuddle,” Jason began.
         “Oh you do now,” Rachel commented with a mischievous smile.
         “Yes, I do,” Jason replied as his face turned a deep crimson, “Um, I like fishing. Love to go out into nature to explore. Kinda like this,” Jason said.
         “Tell me what you don’t like,” Rachel said.
         “Hmm,” Jason thought, “What I don’t like. Nightmares that run ramped is a good one.”
         “O.K.,” Rachel said as she looked sidelong at him, “Something besides that.”
         “Um, I don’t like people always telling me what to do,” Jason said.
         “Oh, a control freak,” Rachel said as they rode on.
         “No, not really,” Jason replied.
         “Good, cause I hate people trying to control me,” Rachel replied.
         “I hate being late,” Jason continued, “Um, also hate people being rude and impolite. Tell me about yourself”
         “Hmmm,” Rachel said in thought then smiled, “What would you like to know?”
         “Well, what can I ask you?” Jason asked with a mischievous grin.
         “Anything you want,” Rachel replied smiling as she watched a hawk fly over head.
         “Ever have sex before?” Jason asked with a smug grin.
         “Huh?” Rachel exclaimed stunned as she stopped her horse suddenly.
         “Well you said I could ask anything,” Jason commented with a chuckle as he brought his horse to a stop.
         “Um, well, I didn’t expect that one,” Rachel replied as she started her horse forward.
         “I’ll admit, that was an unfair question for someone who isn’t reading my mind for a change,” Jason replied with his smug grin still on his face.
         “No,” Rachel replied with a mischievous smirk, “Not a fair question at all. And to answer your question, I haven’t found anyone worth my time. Not to mention would even consider marring.”
         “One of those marry before relationship kinda girls, huh?” Jason asked with a big grin on his face.
         “You might say that,” Rachel replied with a grin and asked, “How about you?”
         “Um haven’t found the right girl yet, I guess,” Jason said quickly and change the topic, “What do you like doing?”
         “Picking on poor defenseless boys who ask too many personal questions,” Replied with a mischievous grin.
         “To-shay,” Jason replied, “I think I can figure out the rest of the answers from here too.”
         Rachel just grinned as she lead down the trail.
         “What all can your powers do?” Jason asked after a few minutes of silence.
         “Well,” Rachel began as she steered her horse around a hole. “I can throw fire bolts and can use my hands like flame throwers. My mind can read the thoughts of people and also absorb some of the emotions and pain they have. Um, I can also help block out memories and sometimes, I’ve found, block the access of part of their mind from them. In other words take away certain mental abilities like telepathy. But it takes a lot of concentration not to mention time. I can also take a lot of bashing around before it starts to affect me. Bullets usually vaporize before they hit me so they usually have no effect on me.”
         “Wow,” Jason said in awe. “And I thought I was doing pretty good with this suit of mine.”
Rachel grinned at him. “You’re doing fine. I’m sure there are a few surprises we don’t know about in it yet.”
         “Something tells me more than a few,” Jason replied as he looked at the control panel. “Um, think we could work at finding out what some of it can do?”
         “Sounds like it might be fun,” Rachel replied. “Anything else you might want to do while we are alone?”
         “Um, ah, donno,” Jason shyly said as he looked off ahead of them.
         “You’re so cute, Jason,” Rachel commented as she continued leading.
         “How much further until we get to where we are going?” Jason asked trying to change the subject.
         “Um, another two maybe three hours,” Rachel answered. “So tell me, how many girls have you kissed before?”
         “Ah, I plead the fifth,” Jason replied.
         “That many, or that few?” Rachel teased.
         “That few, now O.K.?” Jason replied sulkily.
         “I’m sorry,” Rachel said after a few moments of silence.
         “Hey, don’t worry about it,” Jason replied as he moved his horse alongside hers. “Let’s just enjoy the ride there.”
         “I’m game for that,” Rachel replied and spurred her horse on faster.
         “That wasn’t what I meant!” Jason yelled exasperated after her and spurred his horse to catch up.
         After about two and a half hours of that, plus Jason being knocked off his horse several times, they finally made it to the river and a beautiful clearing.
         “Wow,” was all Jason could muster at the wondrous sight.
         “Isn’t it just great?” Rachel asked as she dismounted her horse.
         “Like I said, wow,” Jason replied as he dismounted. In actuality, fell off.
         “Grace is definitely not your middle name, is it,” Rachel laughed as she unstrapped the picnic basket and carried it effortlessly to a nice grassy spot near the river before coming back and tying the horses to a tree.
         Jason got his hand slapped as he went to open the basket.
         “Not before I say so!” Rachel scolded.
         “Gee, whatever,” Jason replied as he got up and walked over to the river.
         The river was more of a large creek. Its waters ran clear and fast over a bed of small rocks. An occasional fish could be seen fighting the current than darting off in another direction. It looked fairly deep. Like about shoulder deep.
         “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Rachel said as she came up from behind and hugged him. “What’s wrong?”
         “It’s nothing, Rach,” Jason said as he pulled away and sat down on the soft grass.
         “Did I say or do something wrong?” Rachel asked as she sat down next to him, realizing something was troubling him very much.
         “It’s nothing with you, Rach, it’s me. Just wrestling past ghosts and trying to make peace with them,” Jason replied as he laid down on his back and looked up at the sky. He watched the clouds drift by and change shapes. “I use to do this when I was a kid.”
         “Lay back and look at the clouds?” Rachel asked as she did the same.
         “Yea,” Jason replied as he watched a shape like an old man smoking a cigar formed and disappeared. Than a house. Than a boat chased by a dragon. “Kinda boring, isn’t it.”
         “No, it’s not. You’re not,” Rachel said as she rolled to her side and gently caressed the side of his face with the back of her fingers. “What’s really bothering you, Jason?”
         “Past relationships gone bad,” Jason answered as he rolled his head far enough to kiss her hand softly. “I’ve had longer relationships fail with more hurt than anything. I long to have one, but I’m afraid of the hurt that will come. I’m afraid of being betrayed again by someone I’d give my life for.”
         “I know with all relationships, hurt is always involved,” Rachel said as she rolled onto her back again and put her hands under her head. “I’ve had my shares of hurts. And betrays too. Let’s see what really happens with this relationship before we make any calls or judgments. You’re too nice a guy to hurt and I don’t want to do that to you.”
         “You’re a very beautiful woman, Rach. Thanks,” Jason said as he put his hands under his head. “And I don’t mean just physically.”
         “Thanks,” Rachel replied, her face turning a bit deeper crimson. “God, I blush too easily.”
         “I kinda like it,” Jason replied with a soft smile. “I could never tell when I made my ex-wife feel good or upset her. Other than getting slugged or slapped.”
“My God, Your married?!” Rachel exclaimed as she quickly sat up.
“No. Was,” Jason replied softly. “She was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. I fell instantly in love with her and did anything to make her happy. I gave her all that she wanted. Diamonds. Emeralds. Rubies. Gold. Pearls. Even gave her a wedding ring with my heart and soul unconditionally attached to it.”
         “What happened?” Rachel asked softly as she slowly laid back down on her side. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
         “I’m not really sure,” Jason replied, tears welling up in his eyes. “I guess I just wasn’t enough man to keep her happy. Either that or having just one man wasn’t enough to keep her satisfied.”
         “I’m so sorry, Jason,” Rachel said softly watching the tear roll down his face. “I don’t see how any woman could do that to a man. Especially her husband.”
         “Well, I’m still fighting the pain of her leaving and moving in with one of her boyfriend while I visited her mom and dad,” Jason said as he wiped the tear away. “Five and a half years of trying to make something out of repeated lies and betrayals.”
         “Let’s change the subject,” Rachel whispered as she kissed him softly on his forehead.
“OK,” he sniffed as he wiped his eyes. He put his hands back under his head and breathed deeply as he looked up at the sky.
         “Um, would you like to see a movie with me tonight?” Rachel asked softly after a few minutes.
         “Sure,” Jason replied softly as he watched the clouds drift by. “I’d like that a lot.”
         Rachel smiled softly but still felt like dirt. She could hear the pain lingering in his voice.          “Hey, why don’t we try to learn some new things about your suit.”
         “I guess while it’s early we should,” Jason said as he stood up.
         Rachel stood up behind him. “Um, wonder if it’s water proof.”
         “Hey!” Jason yelled as she gave him a hard push into the river. He barely energized the suit before he hit the water. He was amazed. It worked perfectly under the water, in fact, his feet had become elongated like a diver’s flipper foot. The fingers of his gloves were webbed from the second knuckle in. And his vision was perfect, like he was above water. He stuck his head above the water and looked at Rachel who was laughing before ducking under the water and swimming upstream. He could make out the distorted image of Rachel trying to run along the edge of the river to keep up with him, but was quickly falling behind. He finally turned around and swam quickly back. When he saw he was close to her, he sprang out tackled her.
         “Aaaggg!” Rachel screamed as she broke away from him. “You’re freezing cold and wet!”
         “No, I’m perfectly warm and dry!” Jason laughed as he stood up and crossed his arms.
         “How did you move so quickly?” Rachel asked as she wiped her wet face off in her shirt, which she found was equally wet and thus was frustrated.
         “My boots changed into what looked like a divers flipper and my hands were webbed from about here,” Jason said as he showed her his hand and demonstrated.
         “Way cool!” Rachel said and thought. “I wonder about fire.”
         “Um, lets skip that one for now,” Jason replied. “Let’s stick with something not detrimental to my health for now.”
         “O.K.,” Rachel replied as her hand burst into flames and then winked out. “Are you sure? I’ll be real gentle with you.”
         “Um,” Jason said as he crossed his arms, “I’m sure you could, but I still don’t want to find out unless I have to, O.K.?”
         “O.K.,” Rachel said sweetly as she walked over to him. “So. What next oh mighty superhero?”
         “I’m not a superhero, Rachel,” Jason sighed. “I’m not from this area so I have no idea about your credentials.”
         “I’m not one nor do I want to be one,” Rachel sighed. “As I mentioned before, the costume is to protect my clothes and others around me. As you always notice and try to not show, I’m very uncomfortable to touch. Not to mention, if I hold onto paper too long, it ignites.”
         “That could be funny,” Jason said with a chuckle. “In the right situation that is.”
         “Yea,” Rachel said as she turned away and looked off over the river.
         “I’m sorry, I upset you,” Jason said as he turned around and changed back to normal. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck softly.
         “Oh, please,” Rachel moaned softly. “Don’t do that to me!” She pulled herself gently away.
         “Now I know the only thing I need to about you!” Jason said with a mischievous grin.
         “Oh yea?” Rachel replied smiling and her hand flared up.
Jason’s suit automatically energized and protected him from the fire as he staggered back from surprise.
         “Thought it would be fire proof too,” Rachel replied smugly.
         “At least you could have warned me!” Jason exclaimed and pushed her towards the water.
         “No!” Rachel screamed and grabbed onto his arm and then embraced him tightly.          “Please, that water is too cold and would hurt me!”
         “I’m sorry, I forgot about that,” Jason apologized. “Mind turning off the flames of passion in your hands before you ware me out?”
“Flames of passion, huh?” Rachel chuckled softly as her fire flickered out. “I don’t know what it is about you that I find so attractive. No offense, you’re not like drop dead gorgeous nor do you have Mr. Perfect personality.”
         Jason de-energized his suit and kissed her uncomfortably hot lips softly.
         “I know my touch is uncomfortable to you. Why do you still kiss me?” Rachel asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.
         “I don’t know,” Jason replied and kissed her head softly. Even her hair was uncomfortable to touch. “There’s just something about you I can’t seem to resist. Kinda like my ex-wife was. Though it was my biggest mistake I ever made, I would have done
it again for her if I had the chance to do it over. I just hope my feelings for you are real and not just an infatuation.”
         “So do I,” Rachel whispered as she hugged him tighter and enjoyed his return embrace before repeating softly, “So do I.”
         Jason’s eyes were attracted to a darting shadow across the river. He looked up to catch a glimpse of an eagle flying over head.
         “I wonder if your suit will let you fly,” Rachel said with a dreamy sound to it as she watched the eagle fly past them. She stepped back with a large grin as she took her jeans and jean shirt off and flared up. “Common, try it!”
         “Um, I guess,” Jason replied as he energized the suit. He watched Rachel jump into the air.
         “It’s easy, common!” Rachel giggled as she circled him
         “Um, Rach,” Jason said as he watched her. “You’re forgetting one thing.”
         “What’s that?” Rachel asked as she stopped and hovered in front of him.
         “You know how to start, I don’t,” Jason replied. “Not to mention a few years of practice.”
         “I’m sorry,” Rachel said as she landed, “I forgot about that. Um, where to begin.”
         “Well, how do you get up into the air?” Jason asked.
         “Like this,” Rachel said as she bent her legs slightly and jumped into the air than hovered.
         “Hmm,” Jason thought for a second. “Everything has been an instinct like it was an extension of me. Now, if I could fly and say had wings...”
         Wings suddenly unfolded from the small backpack he wore on his back. They were just a little longer than his arms could extend and about as wide at the base as his back was long then tapering down to about two thirds it width being flat at the back and slanted from the front.          The ends of the wings had a kind of curve to them.
         “Way cool!” Rachel exclaimed as she landed in front of him.
         “Now, part two,” Jason said as he duplicated Rachel’s leap into the air. To his amazement, he stayed in the air, hovering like she did.
         Rachel covered her mouth with her hands and slowly rose to his height. “This is so wild!”
         “Um,” Jason began and suddenly dropped to the ground with a thud. “Uuph!”
         “You O.K.?” Rachel asked as she landed quickly next to him.
         “Yea,” Jason said as he got back to his feet. “Believe it or not, the drop only felt like jumped into the air and landed wrong.”
         “Really?” Rachel asked as she looked back into the air to try and judge how far he actually dropped. “I’d say that was at least thirty or forty feet!”
         “Yea, let’s try it again without thinking about walking,” Jason mumbled and stood back up. Again his wings unfolded and he jumped into the air. This time he slowly sailed higher and then began to slowly fly forward.
         “I’m glad I no longer need to carry you!” Rachel exclaimed as she flew next to him.
         “I’m just glad I’m still airborne,” Jason laughed and rolled completely over. “This is kinda fun! I wonder how fast I can go.”
         “Jason, no!” Rachel yelled as he took off quickly. She quickly shot off to catch him. “Damn it! Jason! Wait!”
         Jason glanced back to see Rachel wasn’t able to keep up so he turned around and slowed his speed down.
         “If I went any faster, I’d have put out my flame” Rachel exclaimed as she caught up with him.
         “Sorry, didn’t realize you had limitations on your speed,” Jason commented to her.
         “That’s O.K., but we shouldn’t go far from my horses,” Rachel replied as they headed back. “At least you have a way back home now.”
         “Yea,” Jason said kinda distant, “Glad it’s a weekend too.”
         “Why’s that?” Rachel asked as they neared their picnic spot.
         “No one will miss me,” Jason said as he landed, this time on his feet. “Hmrnm. I’ve gotta come up with some sort of theatrical entrance!”
         “Why?” Rachel laughed, “So you can scare everyone?”
         “At least the bad guys as I drop in on them from above!” Jason laughed back.
         “Well, I’m getting hungry and I’m sure you are too,” Rachel said as she headed up to the picnic basket.
         “I wonder how my bio-energy level is,” Jason said as he walked toward the basket too.
         “Bio-energy near maximum levels,” a female voice said as a curving bar gauge appeared up the left side of his view area.
         “What the heck?” Jason said and stopped. “Rach, did you just say something?”
         “No, why? What’s wrong?” Rachel asked as she sat the basket back down and quickly came over to where he stopped.
         “Ah, I think this suit has an onboard computer system,” Jason said as he looked at the see through gauge. “It said something about bio-energy being near maximum levels and a fuel gauge just appeared on the left side of my vision.
         “Now that’s way cool,” Rachel said as she took his hand and led him back to the basket.          “It’s nearly one thirty and I haven’t had breakfast. I’m starving!”
         “Yea, I’m a bit hungry too,” Jason said as he sat down and tried to figure out how it the gauge came up. “Computer. Energy level off,”
         The gauge suddenly vanished from his sight.
         “Bio-energy gauge off,” the female voice said.
         “Cool! Bio-energy gauge on,” Jason said and was followed by the gauge and the female voice confirming his command.
         “Take it you figured it out?” Rachel asked as she sat two thermoses down next to the basket before pulling out a blanket and spreading it out.
         “Yea, I did,” Jason said as his suit flashed and was gone. “Computer.” “Computer here,” the female voice replied audible from his arm control band.
         “Hugh?” Rachel said as she stared at his arm control pad.
         “Computer, define your capabilities,” Jason instructed.
         “Command undefined, please repeat request,” the computer responded.
         “At least I know how to access this thing,” Jason said as he helped the stunned Rachel sit up the picnic. “Now if I can figure out the commands.”
         “Mom, I could kiss you!” Rachel exclaimed as she pulled a bottle of champagne out of the basket. “She thinks of everything!”
         “That she does,” Jason said as he checked out the thermoses to find both contained that foul liquid. “I pray I won’t need to use these.”
         “If morn packed them,” Rachel said nervously, “You will.”
         “I take it she can somewhat see the future?” Jason asked as he sat them back down.
         “Not really. Just that she has hunches that are always right,” Rachel replied with a distant tone in her voice.
         “What else did she pack?” Jason asked as he kissed her forehead.
         “Let’s see,” Rachel said softly with a smile, “Salad, turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes and gravy, silverware, plastic Champaign glasses. She definitely knows the way I ride. Um, cookies. Cool, they’re chocolate chip too!”
         “Gee, must be a favorite,” Jason laughed as Rachel rolled her eyes at him. He watched her pull the rest of the basket out. “Gee, looks like more than we need.”
         “Not for two meals,” Rachel commented and put some of the turkey sandwiches back.
         “True,” Jason agreed.
         They ate their fill and enjoyed some of the Champaign with quite conversation about absolutely nothing. Yet, they both could feel the bond that was between them and knew, nothing would ever break them apart.
         “Well, it’s nearly five so let’s either pack up and go home or try to figure out more of your suit,” Rachel suggested as she finished packing all but the blanket back into the basket.
         Jason suddenly noticed there was a watch strapped to one of the handles for her to read.
         “What’s it going to be?” Rachel asked as she stood up.
         “I still think I should throw you in the river!” Jason laughed as he stood up and walked toward her.
         “No Jason. Don’t!” Rachel voice loudly as she stood and backed up away from him and the river. “I’m warning you!”
         “About what?” Jason asked as his form suddenly shifted to his bio-armor as he started calling it.
         “About this!” Rachel exclaimed as she blasted him in the chest with a fire bolt before jumping into the air.
         “Aaarrrgggg!” Jason yelled as he flew backwards and tumbled into the river. Instantly he leaped out of the river and into the air, following her quickly while holding his soar stomach.          “You’ll pay for that, Fire Storm!”
         “Gotta’ catch me first, Guardian” Rachel mocked.
         Jason caught up to her and tackled her in mid flight, knocking the air out of her. Both tumbled for a moment before Rachel broke his grip and shot off again.
         “Nice try, babe!” Rachel yelled and threw a few blasts at him.
         “Shields!” Jason yelled without thinking as a fire bold shot straight at him.
         “Bio-shields deployed,” the computer replied and the fire bolt dissipated harmlessly on the shield.
         “Shields to auto-engage,” Jason said and the computer confirmed his command. “Had enough?” Rachel asked.
         “Computer, can energy blasts be configured to stun?” Jason asked. “Affirmative,” the computer replied and added, “Intensity is determined by neural request. Setting desire is automatic.”
         “Way cool,” Jason mumbled as he fired a couple blasts at Fire Storm. “Hey,” Rachel suddenly yelled as she dodged the shots. “I was only playing!” “Oh yea?” Jason yelled back as he fired a couple shots with one scoring. Rachel gasped as she dropped from the sky.
         “Talking about sweeping you off your feet,” Jason commented as he caught her and flew back the picnic site. His form shifted back to normal just as her eyes opened.
         “You jerk!” Rachel yelled at him as she slapped him.
         “What is this? Sure, fire at the guy in the funny suit. But whoa if he fires back?” Jason said as he rubbed his soar face. “Those fire bolts of yours do hurt you know!”
         “Yea, but your energy blasts could have killed me!” Rachel yelled as she stood shakily up.
         “Hey, easy,” Jason said as he caught her from falling. “Sit down and rest a minute. I had it on the lowest stun sitting I could sit.”
         “It’s not like my fire bolts seriously hurt you,” Rachel continued sulking. Jason lifted up his shirt to show the bruise forming over most of his stomach
from where the fire bolt caught him with his shield down. “I may have learned to deploy some form of shield, but you hit me before I learned that one.”
         “Oh Jason, I’m so sorry!” Rachel exclaimed as she covered her mouth with her hands. “I didn’t mean to really hurt you.”
         “I’ll live,” Jason groaned as he laid onto his back. “After a couple pain killers.”
         “I’m really sorry,” Rachel said as she leaned over him and kissed his lips softly.
         “Now if you keep this up, I’ll be forced to believe you,” Jason said as he wrapped his arms around her body, ignoring the heat it put off.
         “Oh yea?” Rachel giggled as she kissed him deeply again.
         “time, what happened to the we hardly know each other yet thing, huh?” Jason asked as he broke away from her tantalizing kiss.
         “Mom told me to keep you if I could,” Rachel replied as she sat on his stomach. “So I decided to do it if I could.”
         “Um, is that do it as in keep me? Or is it do it as in,” Jason began asking but was cut off by another kiss.
         “Jason, you are so shy and nervous around that subject that I doubt I be able to take you to bed for a while even if we were married!” Rachel giggled and kissed him deeply.
         “Just promise me you won’t burn me,” Jason whispered as she softly kissed down to his neck and ear.
         “Only if you promise not to burn me,” Rachel whispered back as she kissed his ear softly.
         “Shouldn’t we be testing this suit still?” Jason asked as he kissed her neck softly.
         “Business before pleasure, huh?” Rachel asked as she kissed his lips softly and sat up.
         Jason held her hands for a moment before she stood up and checked on the horses. He  stood up and his form instantly changed back to the suit.
         “Now what?” Rachel asked as she came back from the horses.
         Jason leaped into the air and darted off.
         “Hey!” Rachel called and jumped into the air and raced after him.
         “Bio-shields deployed,” the computer reported as a couple fire bolts flew by him.
         “Playing ruff?” Jason asked as she got closer.
         “The best way to have it!” Rachel laughed as she threw a couple more blasts at him.
         Jason shot a few stun blasts at her, just missing her as she dodged out of the way.
         “What time is it?” Rachel asked as she finally caught up to him.
         “Computer, display time,” Jason said and a small clock appeared in his display. “Going on six. Clock off”
         “We should be heading back to the house,” Rachel said as she came to a hover. “It’ll be dark by the time we get there.”
         “Let’s get going than,” Jason replied as he turned around and headed back to the picnic site.
         They reached the horses about quarter after six, finished packing up and headed back about six thirty. They joked for about an hour and a half, until it got dark.
         A sinister laughed spooked the horses and nearly knocked Jason from his.
         “It’s here,” Jason said and continued, “Can the horses find their own way home?”
         “Yes,” Rachel replied nervously as she dismounted and slapped her horse on the side then watched it gallop down the trail.
         Jason did the same.
         The laugh returned, closer this time. Jason energized his armor and Rachel flared up.
         “So you think you are ready for me this time,” a sinister voice gloated from all sides.
         “Where is it?” Rachel asked nervously as she hovered next to Jason.
         “Not sure,” Jason answered back as he slowly spun around, “I think all around us. It’s growing.”
         “Yes, feeding on the fears you give me!” the nightmare gloated as it slapped Jason into a tree, shattering it.
         “Bio-shields holding,” the computer reported as he stood up.
         “We have to get out of the woods,” Jason said quickly as he got to his feet with Rachel’s help.
         “I’m game for that!” Rachel replied and darted into the open sky. Jason right behind her.          “Where’s the light coming from?”
         Jason quickly looked around and found the source. His vision instantly zoomed in on it. “My God! It’s your house! It’s burning!”
         “Apple core, never more!” the sinister voice laughed as the two shot off towards the house.
         “No!” Rachel cried as she reached the house and darted inside.
         “Fire Storm!” Jason cried and as he landed just in front of the house and ran up the burning porch and kicked the front door in. “Fire Storm! Where are you?”
         “We have to make sure no one is here!” Rachel called from somewhere in the house. “The car is still here!”
         “Damn!” Jason swore as began to look into all the rooms.
         “The house is collapsing!” Rachel cried.
         “Tell me something I don’t know!” Jason yelled back as he punched a burning beam falling on him in two.
         “Bio-shields active,” the computer suddenly droned just before another fell in his back.
Jason swore again as he shook the beam off. “Fire Storm! We have to get out of here!”
         “Not until I’m sure!” Rachel called back.
         “This house is going to collapse any second! We have to leave!” Jason yelled as he saw Rachel fly down the steps.
         “No!” Rachel yelled as he grabbed her hand.
         “We have to get out!” Jason yelled over the sound of the fire.
         “Not yet!” Rachel yelled.
         “Forgive me!” Jason yelled as he shot her in the stomach with a stun blast and threw her over his shoulders. The porch and the front of the house collapsed just as he cleared them, knocking him to the ground and Rachel sprawling across the grass. He immediately picked her up and carried her a safe distance away where he saw the fire trucks rapidly approaching.
         “Mom, Dad,” Rachel cried softly as her eyes opened slowly to see the last of the house collapse. Tears flowed down her cheeks and Jason held her tight.
         “What happened?” A fireman asked as the other fireman began to quickly unload hoses to put the fire out.
         “We think two people may have been trapped in the house,” Jason said as he cradled the crying Rachel in his arms. “We were unable to completely search the house before it collapsed.
         “We’ll do what we can,” the fireman said softly as he put his hand on Jason’s shoulder.
         “Fire Storm!” a woman’s voice called out and Rachel looked up.
         “Michelle,” Rachel said without letting go of Jason.
         “Thank God your parents were out with mine tonight,” Michelle said as she stood next to Rachel and Jason.
         “Are you sure?” Rachel sobbed and wiped her eyes.
         “Quite, they left an hour ago in my parents car,” Michelle said. “They were going to the Big Apple to see a musical or something.”
         “Oh my God!” Jason exclaimed in realization.
         “What?” Rachel asked.
         “Remember the nightmare’s last statement?” Jason asked quickly.
         “No, what was it?” Rachel asked as she slowly broke his embrace.
          “Apple core, never more!” Jason said. “It’s heading to New York!”
          “Mom and Dad!” Rachel exclaimed.
         “Hold on you two, what’s going on?” Michelle asked as she crossed her arms.
         “Sorry, Michelle, no time if we are to get to New York before it does,” Jason said and turned to Rachel. “Get the two canisters for me and meet me on our rooftop. You know where.”
         “Where are you going?” Rachel asked grabbing his arm.
         “I’m much faster than you. I have to get to New York and warn them before it gets there,” Jason answered as he broke her grip. “Who knows, maybe get a call for help out. I doubt we can defeat it alone.”
         “Guardian,” Rachel called and he looked back to her. “Be careful, love.”
         “I’ll try,” Jason said as he jumped into the air and shot off towards New York. He flew as fast as he could. The trail of destruction was obvious as he followed it. Houses and buildings burned. Vehicles destroyed. Then he saw it; huge, black, and ominous. He flew straight at it and fire several shots and scoring direct hits.
         “Fool!” the nightmare thundered as he flew past.
         “You will not reach New York!” Jason yelled back at it as he fired several shots at it.
         “You cannot stop me, insect!” the nightmare thundered as he struck him with a black tentacle that sent him tumbling to the ground and into a house.
Jason shook off the impact and jumped back into the sky and continued his attack. He fired several more blasts before calling up an energy level showing he had already used a third of his energy in fighting the creature.
         “You cannot win!” the nightmare taunted as it pressed forward. The lights of New York were visible on the horizon.
         “Maybe not, but I can sure slow you down until some who can gets here!” Jason gloated.
         “Fool!” the nightmare thundered again and grabbed him with its tentacles.
         “Energizing bio-armor!” the computer stated and the nightmare hollered in pain as it released him.
         “You will not reach the city before day break!” Jason shouted as he blasted the nightmare several times as he flew past it.
         “And you can’t stop me from reaching it!” it yelled back.
         Several energy blasts suddenly struck it from the ground.
         Jason looked down to see the military had now moved in on the creature.
         “Pathetic insects!” the nightmare laughed as it squashed the attack before it could fully begin.
         “Leave them alone!” Jason yelled as he blasted the creature with more energy blasts.
         The nightmare laughed as it slapped him to the side.
         Jason shrugged it off as he circled around. “Computer, I need something more powerful!”
         “Arming photo rockets,” the computer responded and a small rocket launcher popped out of his left forearm.
         Jason closed back in on his target and launched several energy blasts accompanied by several rockets.
         The night sky was lit by blinding flashes of light as bright as the sun. The nightmare screamed in agony as the second and third rockets hit.
         “You will not stop me!” the nightmare bellowed as it swatted at Jason who rolled out of its way and pressed his attack. The nightmare screamed in pain as two more rockets struck it.
         Jason circled the nightmare as he fired more energy blasts into it.
         “This isn’t over, Guardian!” the nightmare vowed as it disappeared.
         Jason could hear the cheers from the ground as he hovered for a moment before continuing on to New York. His energy gauge showed he had already used three fourths of his total bio-energy. “Computer, lower shields.”
         “Shields now off,” the computer reported.
         Several minutes passed before he entered the city limits and continued towards the area he believed the building was. Jason was thankful when he spotted Fire Storm already waiting for him on the roof.
         “What took you?” Rachel asked concerned as he landed.
         “I had to slow the thing down,” Jason said as he took one of the thermoses and opened it.
         “You attacked it?” Rachel yelled. “It could have killed you!”
         “I hurt it, Fire Storm,” Jason said as he glanced around before sitting down. “I hurt it pretty good too! I found I have another, more powerful weapon.”
         “I don’t care what you found!” Rachel continued as she knelt down next to him and watched him change back to his normal self. “I could have lost you!”
         “Whoa,” Jason exclaimed dizzily as he leaned back into the air-conditioning unit he sat against.
         “You all right?” Rachel asked as she held his shoulder.
         “I will be,” Jason said softly as he took several swallows of the foul liquid Miss. Drake made. He could immediately feel his strength coming back.
         “Now that you are here, what do we do?” Rachel asked as she sat down next to him.
         “Not sure,” Jason answered as he took a deep swallow. “Talk to the mayor I guess.”
         An explosion that shook the city brought both Rachel and Jason to their feet. In the distance they could both see a huge black form moving into the edge of the city.
         “My God! It’s here!” Rachel exclaimed as Jason gulped down the last of the liquid and tossed the thermos to the side.
         “Then let’s take it out!” Jason said dryly as his form shifted to the Guardian.
         “No! We need help!” Rachel protested.
         “Than you find the help, I’ll go and protect the people,” Jason replied as he leaped into the sky and accelerated towards the nightmare.
         “If that thing doesn’t kill you, I will!” Rachel yelled after him then followed.
         “Hey ugly!” Jason yelled as he fired several energy blasts into it and flew by.
         “You just won’t give up!” the nightmare bellowed as it swatted the Guardian through the front of a building.
         Jason shook it off and jumped back into the air to see blasts of fire striking the nightmare from behind. He fired several rocket blasts into the creature followed by several energy blasts.
         “I will crush you both!” the nightmare bellowed as it grabbed Fire Storm and threw her.
         “Pick on someone your own size!” Jason yelled as he raked it with energy blasts and rocket hits.
         “You cannot defeat me!” the nightmare laughed as it slammed the Guardian through another building. “I am eternal!”
         “Jason!” Rachel screamed as she saw the building collapse on him.
         The rubble exploded and the Guardian flew out and into the sky before circling back and attacking the nightmare again.
         “Warning! Bio-shields weakening,” the computer suddenly chimed.
         “Then I will send you to an eternal Hell!” Jason yelled as he blasted several more rockets into the nightmare!
         “Warning! Bio-Energy levels low,” the computer suddenly droned.
         “Computer, end warning and increase energy blast to continuous,” Jason said.
         “Continuous fire not recommended,” the computer responded as Fire Storm was swatted through a window of a building.
         “Damn the recommendations! Set it to continuous fire!” Jason bellowed as he landed and fired at the nightmare. A continuous stream of white energy streamed from his right arm and into the nightmare. He added several rocket shots to his assault.
         “No!” the nightmare bellowed as its size began to diminish. “I cannot be defeated!”
         The Guardian rolled out of the way of its attack and continued to press its attack. The nightmare began to flicker and fade.
         “Jason! Stop!” Rachel cried as she climbed out of the buildings window and into the air. “You’re using too much energy! You’re fading!”
         “It stops here, “Jason yelled as he pressed his attack. “It will not destroy this world, not while I still stand! Not while I live!”
         The nightmare swatted him into the side of a building as it howled in pain.
         Jason continued his attack collapsing to one knee as he held his fading right arm up with his left.
         “Warning! Bio-energy nearing exhaustion!” the computer chimed.
         “No!” the nightmare howled as it dissipated along with its voice.
         “Warning! Bio-energy exhausted,” the computer reported and fell silent… along with the sounds of the city.
         “Jason!” Rachel screamed as she ran to his collapsed body, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Jason!”
         The Guardian rolled onto his back and looked up to see the distorted image of Fire Star kneeling over his fading body.
         “Remember I love you,” Jason’s ghostly voice echoed.
         “I will,” Rachel cried then pleaded, “Why didn’t you stop! No one needed a hero.”
         “No. They needed a guardian,” Jason’s ghostly voice said as it began to fade with his form. He reached a ghostly hand up and touched the side of her face. “I think I finally understand it all so clearly now.”
         “Understand what?” Rachel sobbed as she held his hand against her face.
         “The old man told me that, had to defeat the nightmare to wake up,” Jason replied, his form becoming more translucent. “Who knows, maybe just this a dream.”
         “Promise me,” Rachel cried, tears continuing to rolling down her face as his form became near nonexistent and his arm went limp. “Promise to find me if it is!”
         “Promise,” his voice echoed like a whisper as it and his form faded.

 
         Jason woke with a start and looked around. He was home. In his apartment and it was seven in the morning according to his clock.
         “Just dream?” he mumbled as he sat up and rubbed his head. A glint of metal on his wrist caught his attention and he rolled his sweat shirt sleeve up to see the control pad from his dream. Jason sat stunned and frightened at the realization that his dream was real. Rachel’s last words echoed in his mind. The promise she wept for him to keep. “This can’t be real! I have to be still dreaming!”
         “Life itself is but a dream with its boundary set only by the limited mind,” an old voice said from the far side of the room.
         Jason quickly turned the light on as he turned to see an old man standing next to the window smoking a cigar.
         “In your haste to leave my shop, you forgot this,” the old man said and tossed an old book to Jason. “But remember, with this gift comes sacrifice and responsibility; not to mention the choice to pay me for it... or not.”
         “You lost me back in the shop old man,” Jason said as he looked down at the book on his bed. It was old indeed, it was leather bound and gold lettering was inscribed on the cover in a strange script like language. “What is this price I must pay old man?”
         “You are already paying for it,” the old man said as he turned and began to walk towards the window, his form fading. “Just remember your name,” his voice echoed, “The name you chose to use, live by it.”
         Jason picked up the book and looked to where the old man vanished then back to the book cover. The letters glowed a moment as they slowly shifted to spell out “Guardian”.



May not include after this in this episode…


“This is getting weirder by the minute,” he said sitting the book down and getting up.
         He walked to his kitchen and made himself a cup a coffee. After a few big swallows he sat down at the kitchen table and opened the book. As he skimmed through it, he found it was in a strange language. However, diagrams every now and then showed him several different aspects to his suit he didn’t know. One diagram showed that sunlight made him stronger. Another showed that darkness made him weaker. He had weapons in his backpack he never even dreamed about. One showed a sword being drawn from the left side and another showed tools coming out of it to help someone injured. Not to mention his rocket launcher on his wrist fired more than photo rockets. It fired some sort of energy net as well other rockets and some sort of wavy lined explosion.
He gulped a little more of his drink and decided to head out to New York and keep his promise. Jason wondered if Rachel would know him or if he would have to introduce himself to her all over again. In either case, he thought, he made a promise and had to keep it.


Please leave feedback and rate.  This is one of my older stories so I'm more looking to see if others would like to see it continue and if they liked it than how to make this story better.  Originally there were 11 completed episodes. All have been lost over time except episode 1 and the beginning of episode 2. If enough people want more, I will continue and re-write the episodes that were lost. Starting with Episode 2, A Shadow in the Night.