Disclaimer: Please see Defenders 2: Secrets and Lies, for Disclaimer. Only new characters that aren't in the second one are Andros's parents (Andrea and Luke), and Antiqua.
Author's note: If you haven't noticed in this series I have changed some things around. I hope you have liked the unexpected because I have another one in this one. So enjoy the story.
Suggested reading: Defenders & Defenders 2: Secrets and Lies are a must read. The Defender stories follow each other exactly. So it would be a good idea to read the first two first.
Time frame: Right after Defenders 2: Secrets and Lies.

Defenders 3: Dreams
by Dana

The Defenders re-materialized on the Talorn and rushed to where Jason and Tommy were. Seeing Tommy was still unconscious, Dallas asked, "Jason how's he doing?"

"I don't know. Any of you experts at first aid?" Jason asked.

Roland stepped forward with a small machine and slowly started scanning Tommy. "He seems to have absorbed a lot of energy that's what could be keeping him unconscious. He has lacerations on his chest, and his knee is injured. I hate to say this but Tommy most likely needs a doctor to look at his knee."

"Where's Andros?" Jason asked after noticing that Andros wasn't there.

Before any of them could answer him they heard soft moaning. Tommy opened his eyes slowly and looked up and saw nervous eyes looking down at him. He tried sitting up but he felt someone holding him down. He started struggling until he heard a familiar voice next to him.

"Relax Tommy it's Jason. Just lay still."

"Jason?" Tommy asked.

"Tommy how are you feeling?" Alexis asked.

"Like I was ran over by a semi. How did I get here?"

"Tommy what's the last thing you remember?" Zhane asked.

"Andros and I were taken out of our cell and taken to different places. I was thrown into a room, and Goldar and Rito started kicking me. One of them hit me in the knee and I fell to the ground. Then Lord Zedd raised his staff and that's all I remember."

Roland who had been checking the scans a little closer looked up. "How does your knee feel?"

Tommy moved his leg and grimaced. "Not too great. I don't know what it was that they used but it certainly did the job."

"Jason you want to take him to the hospital and have his knee checked out? Tell them if they ask that he was in a car accident or something. I don't know if that will explain the lacerations but it might work." Zhane suggested.

"Sure." Jason grabbed hold of Tommy's shoulder and teleported down to an alley next to the hospital. "That wasn't a good idea. Tommy do you think you can hobble to the Emergency entrance?"

Tommy nodded, and with a great deal of effort he leaned his weight against Jason and made a slow journey to the entrance. When they got inside Jason helped Tommy sit down then went over to the nurse at the desk.

"Excuse me. My friend was in a car accident." Jason said trying to get her attention.

Nurse Frank looked over at who he was pointing at and handed him a piece of paper. "Fill this out as much as you can for him." She turned around and signaled for an orderly to bring a wheelchair over there. "What's his name?" She asked.

"Tommy Oliver." Jason watched them wheel Tommy down the hall to x-ray. After he was finished filling out the forms, Jason sat patiently waiting for someone to give him any news. He looked over at the entrance and saw four people walking his way he almost didn't recognize them in their regular clothes.

"Any word yet?" Dallas asked.

"No not yet." Jason said quietly.

Twenty minutes later Tommy came out on crutches. "Hey guys."

"So what's the verdict on the knee?" Jason asked.

"My knee isn't too bad. Doctor said I should stay off it for a week or two." Tommy looked down the hall and saw, David Truhart, Rocky DeSantos, Adam Park, and Catherine Hilliard hurrying his way. "You guys better go."

"I'll call you later Tommy." Jason said and then he and the rest of The Defenders hurried out the door.

"Tommy! Are you okay?" Kat asked him.

"Yeah. Just got hit in the knee. I'll be fine." In a lower voice he asked, "How did you guys find out I was here?"

"The Defenders contacted Zordon and said that you were taken to the hospital. Then Zordon contacted us and we got here as fast as we could." David informed him. "So do you need a ride?"

"Yeah I do. Let's go."

~*~

Zhane sat in his quarters contemplating what had happened in the span of over a week. He could hear Dallas's radio in the room next door. It was on some Earth rock station. He didn't know who it was that was singing the song but it really hit home.

It will be
Whatever it is your looking for
It will be
Whatever it is you need
It will be better
Even though I know you're not sure
Remember the rain even comes down in Shangri-La
Look up as if it soaks into your skin
And remember who you are and...

Come on home
When the road that you've been walking gets to long
Don't be scared
In case the grass you thought was greener isn't there
You can come on home

If you find the sun don't shine through every window
If you find a moonlit night still makes you blue
If you find out why you feel the way you do
Glance over your shoulder boy you know I'll be there
I've found in the past you know, sometimes life isn't fair so...

Come on home
When the road that you've been walking gets too long
Don't be scared
In case the grass you thought was green wasn't there
You can come on home...
When life isn't fair
Don't go there
You can come on home...

Zhane rolled over on his bed and remembered when they first met Andros.

Zhane and Dallas had been walking down a street on KO-35 when they met Andros. He was running as fast as he could and ran right into Zhane and Dallas. He looked behind him as if to see if someone was behind him.

"Hey kid are you all right?" Zhane asked.

He nodded, and was about to continue running but Dallas stopped him. "Hold on where's the fire?"

"I'm sorry for running into you, but I'm in a hurry." He said glancing back once again.

"What are you running from?" Zhane asked. "I can see you're nervous about something."

Just then a rock drone fired at them. Zhane pushed Andros to the ground and looked at the drone. "Stay right there!" Zhane ordered.

Zhane got up and started fighting the drones along with Dallas. Andros got up and helped them. Zhane stopped a second and watched Andros's fighting skills. 'Wow.'

When they finished with the Drones, Dallas turned to Andros. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Andros." He replied.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Dallas asked. He shook his head no. "Come with us then. I'm Dallas and that's Zhane."

"Um Dallas are you sure about this one?" Zhane asked. Dallas flashed him a look and he shut up. He knew not to mess with Dallas when she was determined about something, even if he was the leader.

"Are you sure it will be all right?" Andros asked.

"Yep come on."

Zhane opened his eyes as he remembered how he and Dallas argued over this matter for a couple of days. Back then he didn't think having a thirteen-year-old on the ship was a good idea. Now he was having trouble with not having a fifteen-year-old on the ship.

~*~

On the moon fortress Andros was getting a better look at the place. He had spent a lot of time in the dungeon and now he was free to roam as he pleased. He still doubted the decision he made. Andros approached the entranceway to the throne room and looked in and saw a flash of light. He stood back in the shadows and waited to see who it was. He was shocked to see who it was.

A man and woman appeared in the throne room and looked around for anyone in there and saw Petra standing there glaring at them.

"Who do you think you are coming here?" Petra asked.

"I think you know us better then you let on. Mrs. Dante." The man said.

"Excuse me but I am not Mrs. Dante. Now if you don't leave I will call for the drones." Petra said; angered by the way the man spoke to her.

"Where's Andros?" The woman asked looking around.

"I don't think that's any of your business. Now tell me who you are." Petra said.

"We are Andros's parents." The man said.

"I don't think so. Do you have legal documents saying you are. Don't even answer that we both know the answer is no. He's my son not yours!" Petra yelled.

Just then Jet walked into the room and eyed the two people in the throne room. "I suggest you leave or I will call the drone's."

"Fine. Come on Andrea they're right there is nothing we can do." They disappeared.

Andros walked into the room and looked at Petra and Jet wearily.

"What was that all about?" Andros asked.

"So you heard them? Andros don't worry about those two they won't be back." She changed the subject quickly. "So did you get a good look around the fortress?" Andros nodded and before he could say more Rita and Zedd walked into the room looking happy.

"Good news on the Lightning Ranger. He won't be fighting for a week or two. He's on crutches or something." Rita said gleefully.

Petra and Jet became excited about this, but Andros just stood there quietly. 'At least he's not here.' He thought.

~*~

Tommy went upstairs to his room exhausted. He had spent a lot of the day listening to his parents and all their questions. It was a good thing that they had taken his brother, Corey, along with them to Los Angeles. It wasn't the fact that Tommy had been missing for a couple of days that had his parents in an uproar. It was the sight of Tommy on crutches with scratches and cuts all over him. His parents had demanded answers. Though they had known Tommy was a Zeo Ranger he couldn't tell them he was a Defender.

After leaning his crutches against the dresser in his room, Tommy got into bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.

Tommy stood in an area he had never seen before. He saw a teenage boy walking in a hurry down the road. The next thing he saw was a woman come out of nowhere and tells something to the teenager. The girl looked around quickly then handed him something. The girl vanished it seemed.

The teenager was running as fast as he could and ran right into Zhane and Dallas. He looked over his shoulder as if to see if someone was behind him.

"Hey kid are you all right?" Zhane asked.

He nodded, and was about to continue running but Dallas stopped him. "Hold on where's the fire?"

"I'm sorry for running into you, but I'm in a hurry." He said glancing back once again.

"What are you running from?" Zhane asked. "I can see you're nervous about something."

Just then a rock drone fired at them. Zhane pushed Andros to the ground and looked at the drone. "Stay right there!" Zhane ordered.

Zhane got up and started fighting the drones along with Dallas. Andros got up and helped them. Zhane stopped a second and watched Andros's fighting skills. 'Wow.'

When they finished with the Drones, Dallas turned to Andros. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Andros." He replied.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Dallas asked. He shook his head no. "Come with us then. I'm Dallas and that's Zhane."

"Um Dallas are you sure about this one?" Zhane asked. Dallas flashed him a look and he shut up. He knew not to mess with Dallas when she was determined about something, even if he was the leader.

"Are you sure it will be all right?" Andros asked.

"Yep come on." Before he teleported up he held up a piece of paper and a small object. He examined it and put it into his bag.

Tommy sat up and looked at his alarm clock. It was six AM. He hoped the others were awake because they had to explain this one.

Tommy grabbed his crutches and got dressed. He contacted the others quietly with his communicator, and then teleported up to the Talorn Ship.

"Tommy what's going on?" Zhane asked yawning after everyone had settled down and took a seat.

"I just had the strangest dream. Dallas, Zhane and Andros were in it. You were all a little bit younger but not that much younger. First Andros met this woman, and the woman gave him something. Then he started running and ran into Dallas and Zhane. You started fighting the drones and then the three of you left for the Talorn Ship. After that I woke up."

Dallas and Zhane looked at each other then looked back at Tommy. "Tommy that sounds almost like the first time we met Andros. Did Andros tell you this?" Zhane asked.

"All Andros told me about his past is that he ran from home. He never really said how he met you guys. I thought it was all so strange."

"Do you know what she gave him?" Alexis inquired.

"No I didn't get a very good look at it." Tommy answered.

"Hold on. How do we know this isn't just a plain dream?" Jason asked.

"Jason this isn't the first time something like this has happened. We think there is some telepathic connection with the powers. Just like how we can talk to each other through telepathy when we are morphed. None of us can really explain it. It's mind boggling." Roland said.

Jason looked at his watch and said, "Well we better be going so we're not late for school. Not that it's anything new for Tommy."

"Thanks a lot Jase!"

"Don't mention it bro." With that, they both teleported back to earth leaving the other Defenders laughing.

~*~

On the moon Andros was also having a dream of sorts.

Andros was in a very dark place. He couldn't see anything until he saw a woman appear in front of him. She was the woman who stopped him on KO-35 the day he met the defenders. "Andros what did you do with the coin I gave you?" Her whispery voice asked him.

"I left it on the Talorn ship." He replied.

"I told you two years ago it was the key to your past. But since you don't have it I have someone here that will tell you about it."

She disappears and a man takes her place. He's rather tall and transparent. He looks down at the defender and smiles. "Hello Andros. I am here representing your father Cordon. He came to me when Petra was pregnant with you. He was worried about your well being. He knew that Petra was working with Jet behind his back and knew that you were going to be in danger. You could have been raised as a Cyvien, which would have been a disaster to everyone. I suggested to him to find a place for you and place you there. Which he did. Though I know he hated doing it. I know you are mad at Andrea and Luke but it was for your safety."

"If you're not my father then who are you? And how do you know my father?" Andros asked curiously.

"You defenders know of me. I didn't tell the rangers I knew who you are because I know of the code you follow. Andros my name is Zordon. Cordon has been a friend of mine for longer then I can tell you. In this dream world I can appear as a projection. It's the only place I am not in my time tube."

"I have another question. Who is that woman that was just here and why does that coin connect me with my past?" Andros asked.

"That is Antiqua. Who she is isn't of importance right now. Let's just say she's good friends with Cordon." Zordon said with a smile then continued. "The coin was something your father had and anyone could have easily identified it. If you had shown it to Petra she would have known what it was right away."

"Zordon what do I do now?" Andros asked the being.

"That is up to you Andros. You have to make the decision on where you want to go or if you want to stay. As far as I can tell the Cyviens aren't keeping you against your will. They said make your choice and you still can. Your friends all miss you terribly." Zordon informed him.

"As I them." Andros murmured to himself.

Andros woke up and looked around his quarters. He got dressed and went for a walk. When he left his quarters he ran into Petra.

"I'm sorry Andros I was just going to see if you were still sleeping." Petra said to him. She quickly quieted when she saw the look in Andros's eyes.

"Mother I have to talk to you about something." He told her struggling on the words.

"Sure Andros why don't we go back to your quarters." She said.

When they got into his quarters he spoke. "Mother are you aware of the dream world?" He asked her.

"I've heard of it." Petra knew a lot about that world and knew what she was going to hear wasn't going to be good.

"I apparently went there last night. I was informed of some things from my past from an interesting source."

"Oh really and what was that?"

"I know why I was placed with the Spindlers. Zordon told me."

"Z..Z..Zordon?" She asked.

"Yes Zordon. Why didn't you tell me that you were working with Jet even back then." Andros asked.

"It never came up? Look I didn't tell you because I wanted you back. You don't know how much it hurt when your father took you away from me."

"I want to go back to Earth." Andros said bluntly.

"Earth? Now? But why?" She asked dumbfounded.

"Because this isn't my place to live. It's yours. Mine is with my friends." He said angrily.

"Fine." Petra teleported Andros back to Earth. After he disappeared she burst into tears. "I'll get you for this Zordon I swear!" She yelled.

~*~

When Andros appeared on Earth he stood there looking around. He noticed he was right next to the high school that Tommy said he was going to. He hurried down to the office as quick as he could.

"Can I help you?" The secretary behind the desk asked him.

"I need to see Tommy Oliver right now it's an emergency." Andros told her.

"Hold on while I contact him have a seat right there OK?" She said while pointing to a chair in the corner.

Andros sat down and listened to her say into a microphone. "Would Tommy Oliver please come to the Office right away?" She turned back to Andros. "He'll be here soon."

A few minutes later Tommy hobbled into the attendance office and looked at the secretary expectantly.

"This young man behind you said he needed to see you right away." She said pointing behind Tommy.

Tommy turned around and almost fainted when he saw who was sitting in the chair. "Andros!" He exclaimed.

"Let's go into the hall OK?" Andros asked.

When they got into the hall Tommy did his best to hug Andros. "When did you get here?"

"I decided being on the moon wasn't for me. So when I got back down to Earth I saw that I was standing outside of this school and came in looking for you."

"Let's get up to the Talorn Ship. Everyone has been so worried about you." He used his communicator and Andros grabbed his shoulder and they both teleported.

When they re-materialized Tommy saw no one was around.

"They might be eating." Andros suggested.

"Good thinking. Where is the eating area?" Tommy asked.

"Right down the hall." Andros said leading the way. When he got outside of the door he stood there looking. The other defenders weren't paying attention. "I'm kind of nervous."

"About what?" Tommy asked. "Do you want me to go in first?" Andros nodded. Tommy pulled the door open. Andros leaned against the wall.

Dallas turned around and saw Tommy hobbling into the room. "Um Tommy shouldn't you be in school?" she asked.

"I was until someone came looking for me." Tommy said with a smile. The others looked confused. "Hold on." Tommy turned around and sort of pulled Andros into the room.

When the other Defenders saw who it was they jumped up and ran to him and gave him a hug.

"Andros! When did you get back?" Zhane asked excitedly.

"A few minutes ago. Since our communicators were broken, I had to find some other way of getting up here. I found myself right outside of Cornwall High School."

"I'm glad you did." Alexis said giving him another hug.

"Um guys I do need to get back to the school. I'll be up later OK?" Tommy said and teleported away.

The others talked excitedly and we're so happy to be a full group again.

~*~

"Petra!" Rita yelled.

"Yes Rita?" Petra asked after coming into the throne room.

"I saw that Andros left. Why?" She asked.

"It was his choice." She shrugged.

"Have you lost your mind Petra?" King Mondo asked appearing.

"No I haven't. Don't ask me to explain myself because you have no right." She said angrily. "I'll tell you this much. I want them all destroyed right away!" She told all of them. "Especially Zordon."

"So you do have a plan." Rita said.

"I always do. And it's a good one." Petra said with an evil smile.

End

I will tell you all this much I had trouble deciding on a name for this part. First it was going to be Defenders 3: Hope, then I changed it to Defenders 3: Dreams, then I changed it to Defenders 3: Bad Dreams, then I changed it back to Defenders 3: Dreams. I hope you all enjoyed this story. Email me at Willow@grrtech.com and let me know what you thought! Compliments and creative criticism is accepted and loved.