Hello diligent readers over the years, I appreciate the fact that I still get a new review from time to time, and many, many requests to continue this story.

I'm not the twenty-six-year-old I once was. I'll be thirty-six this year. I can't believe I started this story NINE years ago. So much has changed, my theatre hobby became the full-fledged passion it was always supposed to be, and I'm currently a year away from graduating with my bachelor's degree in Acting/Directing. My husband and I are now legally and officially married, and in February 2018, I lost my mom, the only parent I had left since my dad died when I was just a boy. She died the day before his birthday, and I honestly believe that they're together now, regardless of what it means in this plane of existence.

I know that this is random information in my life that nobody really needs to know or cares about. But to be honest, it's relevant. I started reading fanfiction again to try and just allow my mind to escape from the stresses of my day to day, and I realized that it was long since time to finish this story, update it and revamp it with knowledge and perspectives that only age, and experience can bring. I think this story can be better, and complete. I'm editing what's already been done, pruning, and rewriting parts that I feel could be better and currently working on my next installment. Where I had originally wanted to take this story no longer makes sense to me, and i'm creating a new ending.

Give this a read if you like, see if you can spot the changes, I should have another update in a week or so. Cheers :)

Sixteen-year-old Mitchell Davidson sat in a stiff-backed chair in the small courtroom, almost empty save for the court staff, and his uncle at the next bench…Mitchell sat lost in deep thought about the direction his life had taken him in.

The sound of Judge Matthews' voice jarred the young man out of his reverie as his head quickly snapped up to listen.

"It is this court's decision to honor the petition of Mr. Mitchell Davidson in seeking Legal Emancipation from his Uncle, Mr. Jack Fellows. Furthermore, after a thorough investigation, Mr. Fellows, you are hereby sentenced to 15 years in prison for the abuse and the unimaginable living conditions for your own nephew. Mr. Davidson, I request that I speak with you privately in my chambers after everyone is dismissed".

Mitchell hardly dared to believe his ears, the sight of his uncle with his fierce gaze in his direction did nothing to dampen the feeling of joy he was experiencing, as the court ordered lawyer shook his hand and walked away, Mitchell followed through the doors of the court that Judge Matthews' had disappeared behind…

"You wanted to speak with me in private Your Honor?" he asked with a slight note of trepidation in his voice…

Judge Matthews' turned around and looked at the handsome yet slightly haggard young man standing before him, Tall for his age, Matthews placed him roughly around 6 foot 3, roughly around 165 pounds, deep brown hair cut into a short spiky style offered a large contrast to the boys startlingly bright blue eyes, his body muscular from forced labor over the years but very trim…The only thing that worried Matthews was the boy's obviously looking underweight… The boy needed a hamburger, or maybe about three or four…Chuckling to himself he nodded at the young man and spoke in a warm tone.

"Yes Mitchell, I have a few things that I believe need to be said to you before you leave…You have shown exemplary courage in pursuing these endeavors, not something I would expect to see from a young man of only sixteen years of age. Not only in dealing with the court proceedings, but to seemingly survive well under the conditions you were forced to endure, it is with deep regret that it was not brought to our attention sooner, but I promise you this, your uncle will never be allowed near you again…"

Mitchell looked up, and with a small half-smile assured the Judge that he had no ill feelings towards anyone at this point, at least not in the judicial system of California, as for his uncle, the bastard could rot in jail…now his only concern was "Now what do I do?"

"I appreciate that Your Honor, but I guess somehow I knew that this day would come…I'm just not sure what to do next."

Judge Matthews looked at the boy and thought carefully about what he wanted to say to the young man. "I spoke with the attorney that handled Roland and Suzanne's affairs when they were killed and have some information that might interest you. Because you are no longer required to have a guardian, your parents, if something should've happened to them, left you very well protected, not knowing of course that your mother's brother would turn out to be what he is. They have left you with sufficient funds to pursue the rest of your education, including college, and have also taken great lengths so that their home would always be available to you should you need it….ten years later, young man, those steps taken in 1985 are still available to you, should you need them…"

With these words, the judge noted that Mitchell's eyes widened considerably, and noticed that the boy had, for a brief moment, looked like a deer in headlights. Fading as quickly as it had come, Mitchell's gaze hardened, and his answer was so quiet that the Judge almost missed it…

"I guess I know what to do next Your Honor, I'm going home…. back to Angel Grove"

Mitchell could hardly believe what he had done; a week's calm reflection hadn't done much to assuage his own conscience. He'd fought back, for his freedom, for his rights as a human being, and still…felt some sort of remorse for the fact that he'd betrayed the only family he'd had left. Quickly pushing that last thought into the deep recesses of his mind, he stepped off the Greyhound that had brought him back to his birthplace, the place of his parents' death, and the life that he could've had, if they hadn't died. He wasn't sure where to go first. He wasn't going to the cemetery, he wasn't ready yet, and honestly believed he never would be…hardening his heart, he started walking, without really any idea as to where he was going, or his destination. He'd only been six years old when he'd left this place and didn't have a lot of memories to go on…

Walking down a side street he glanced to his left and saw that he was staring at the walls of Angel Grove Elementary School. Putting his fingers through the chain link fence of the playground, he closed his eyes and listened to the echoes of children playing a little more than a decade gone by…

"YOU"RE IT!" First grader Jason Lee Scott screamed at Zachary Taylor. Neither one of them had been in Angel Grove that long, but both of them had found that they got along well. As the boys chased each other around the playground they came very close to running over a small child as he sat alone reading.

Little Billy Cranston had only just moved to Angel Grove himself and very nervously stared at the boys as they got close…He had a look in his eyes that plainly expressed that he wanted to be left alone. This painfully shy, extremely intelligent child clearly had no desire to be mowed down by other children as he sat absorbed in his new science-fiction novel.

"Hey! You're that smart kid, right?" said Zack as they approached.

"Yeah! You're in my class, why do you sit at the back? I thought only the bad kids sat back there!" demanded Jason forcefully, but not unkindly.

"Err...Hello" said Billy nervously, seemingly unsure what they two larger boys had planned for him. "Affirmative, my designated seating assignment was placed near the rear of the classroom, my family and I just acquired our domicile within the past few weeks. My behavior notwithstanding has been nothing less than exemplary since my arrival here at Angel Grove Elementary" Billy stated nervously, trying to keep his hands from shaking.

Both Jason and Zack looked quickly at each other and then back at Billy before a unanimous "Huh?" Escaped from their mouths-"He means yes he sits in the back, he and his family just moved here, and he's been a very good boy since he's started school" interrupted a pretty Asian girl with black medium length hair and dark eyes, who-while walking by-happened to overhear the exchange between the three boys.

"Ohhhhhhh…." Said the boys with smiles on their faces understanding what the girl had explained to them, turning back to the boy with the thick lensed, black-framed glasses Jason said.

"You must be really smart, I've only heard people talk like that on TV" With a warm smile, Jason formally put his hand out to the child with the book in his hands. "I'm Jason Lee Scott, and this is Zachary Taylor, and her name is Trini Kwan. Welcome to Angel Grove!"

Reluctantly, and with a hesitant look in his eyes, Billy stood, grasped hands with Jason and said, "I'm Billy Cranston, pleased to meet you three". Jason, Zach and Trini smiled as another girl, dressed in pink flounced over to where they stood.

"Hey! It looks like you guys were having a party and I didn't want to be left out! What's going on? Can I play too?"

Jason chuckled and looked at her, "Oh Billy, this is Kimberly Hart; she's in our class too" Billy looked at the pretty girl and shyly stated, "Hello Kimberly, it's nice to meet you."

Kimberly smiled and stuck out her hand. "Call me Kim, all my friends do!" Before Billy could open his mouth to reply, another child walked by humming softly to himself… "Mitchell Davidson!" Kimberly yelled, "You're not gonna get away just yet! We need one more for tag! Come play with us!"

His song interrupted; Mitchell had stared nervously at the group of 5 assembled before him and was pleasantly surprised to have been invited in as well. He was smart enough to know that most of the kids in his class thought it was weird how he always seemed to be humming or drumming his fingers in a rhythm on his desk, but it just always seemed RIGHT to him. After various re-introductions, the kids stood around not sure what to do next. Kim seemed to have a light in her doe-brown eyes, and she looked mischievously at Billy. "Oh…By the way…" Kim said..."YOU'RE IT!" as she playfully tagged Billy in the arm and ran away laughing, Billy stared at her apprehensively for a moment, not sure what to do next, and after some gentle prodding from the others of "Get her Billy!" Billy ran after her as the group followed…

As the memory began to fade as quickly as it had come, Mitchell was nothing less than surprised. The day they'd asked him to play too, his first friends in school, how they had all met, he'd already known Kimberly and seen Billy a few times, Mitchell was just as shy as Billy was, and since they all lived on the same street. Mitchell kept to himself mostly…His parents wanted him to have friends, but considering his parents were both accomplished musicians and composers working on music for a movie production company in Los Angeles, he'd noticed that they seemed to have some kind of musical hope for him as well. Throughout his home were various musical instruments, guitars, a piano in the living room, and others scattered throughout the house, especially in the basement studio his parents had. His parents had expressly forbidden him to touch the expensive musical and recording equipment down there, but his parents encouraged him to sing whenever he wanted as long as it wasn't in class, or other places where he would be disruptive. Mitchell was finding that he absolutely loved music, and when his father would sit down at the piano, and his mother would sing, he couldn't help himself joining in.

Shaking his head like a dog trying to remove water from its ears, his jaw tightened, and impatiently wiping a sudden wetness in his eyes. It wasn't more than a few weeks later that his world had been torn asunder. Mitchell started heading to the place he once called home. He wasn't sure what to expect, but it was starting to get dark, and the rumors he'd heard were that Angel Grove as of late, was not a safe place to be out on the streets after the sun went down...

Jingling the keys in his pocket that the attorney had given him, along with the address on a slip of paper, Mitchell, his nerves seemingly growing (He may as well have been wearing lead shoes), started walking down the street he hadn't seen in over 10 years.

Looking at the slip of paper and glancing up at the street sign on the corner, Mitchell realized that he was on the street he should've grown up on. With increasing trepidation, he walked down Spruce Street until reaching his destination. Stopping briefly in front of 1340, he shuddered at the memory that came to the forefront of his mind, suddenly and unexpected.

Waving goodbye to Billy and Kimberly as they walked up the street to their own homes, six-year-old Mitchell ran up the front walk to his home. He was so excited to tell his mom and dad that he joined the elementary school's choir. None of his other friends seemed to be interested in joining, but Mitchell had found himself thrilled at the prospect that it would make his parents so proud. So, bent on sharing the news, he hadn't even seen the police car in the driveway... As he entered the living room expecting to see his parents bent over the new composition they had been working on, he instead saw a police officer and his Uncle Jack waiting expectantly in the living room. "Son…" his Uncle stated…"We have something we need to talk about..."

Mitchell didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to his newfound friends as his parent's funeral was planned, and his Uncle took Mitchell into his care and moved him to Los Angeles to live with him. It wasn't until a few weeks after moving in with his Uncle that Jack had started to change into a totally different person than what he had always known.

Putting his key into the lock on the front door, Mitchell glanced surreptitiously around the other houses, the modest two story home that was now his seemed to be in immaculate shape, and someone had obviously been taking care of the place all these years, a faint curiosity arose in him, wondering who would've cared enough to make sure that the home was kept up while nobody was living there. Mitchell turned the key and let himself inside.

His breath caught in his throat as he looked around, feeling like he'd stepped back in time, everything in the house was exactly as it had been left. Like the outside of his home, everything inside was just as clean and just as immaculate. "Whoever was taking care of the place had amazing dedication" Mitchell thought to himself. Lightly running his hand over the banister of the stairs to the second floor, Mitchell began to think that coming back was a horrible idea… "Nothing has changed…it all looks the same…how am I supposed to live here without driving myself insane with faded memories and what if's?" Further curiosity got the better of the young man as he stopped resisting the urge to go exploring, completely unaware that a young man and woman dressed solidly in blue and pink respectively, had seen him through the picture window as Mitchell crossed the living room...

Outside of Mitchell's house, Kimberly Hart nudged Billy Cranston and directed his gaze to the door Mitchell had just entered. "Billy, it looks like they finally found someone to move in there!" exclaimed a now sixteen-year-old Kimberly Hart. "But it's strange, that guy doesn't look any older than we do! I wonder where his parents are, I didn't see anyone else."

"I'm inclined to agree Kim" said Billy. "Perhaps we should knock and introduce ourselves?"

As Kim opened her mouth to reply, she saw the young man standing at the window staring at them for a moment before abruptly shutting the curtains.

"I guess that answers that question, Billy" said Kimberly with a surprised expression on her face "Whoever he is, he must not be in the mood for company…"

"It appears you're correct, Kim." Billy noted with a slightly put off air…but at that moment both of their wristwatches beeped the same six-tone sound, and after a brief moment where they appeared to be speaking into them, they disappeared in flashes of blue and pink light.

Seconds later Kim and Billy reappeared in Angel Grove Park where a battle had already begun. Taking a quick visual sweep of the area, Kim and Billy joined their teammates and closest friends since first grade, Jason, Zack, Trini, along with their newest teammate and Kim's boyfriend Tommy Oliver, in attacking the gray, chattering humanoid forms known as putties. As Tommy punched the last one in the Z emblem on his chest, the putties disappeared. The attack left the six teenagers slightly winded but feeling satisfied, nonetheless. After all, they were the Power Rangers! Figuring they didn't have long before Lord Zedd and Rita sent down a new monster, Kim and Billy waved their friends over for a quick discussion of what had just happened on their street.

Kim and Billy shared their speculation about the mysterious kid who seemed to want nothing to do with them, and as they spoke, Trini, Zack and Jason's eyebrows creeped higher and higher on their foreheads. Tommy was the only exception and incredulously asked "What gives guys?"

Jason was the one to reply, speaking slowly at first and picking up speed as pieces started coming together in his mind. "Back when we were kids, before you moved here Tommy, the five of us" - and at this Jason had waved his hand in Billy, Kim, Trini, and Zack's direction- "had met in first grade. The day we met we became instant friends, it didn't make sense to others, but we just fit. There was also one more person we met that day that disappeared suddenly a month later. His name was Mitchell Davidson, rumors had gone around about what happened, but my Dad told me that his parents had disappeared under suspicious circumstances and that Mitchell went to go live with his uncle in L.A." "We became pretty close, almost as close as the six of us are now. A few days before he left, we all had a camp out in Billy's backyard and decided that we would stay friends, no matter what."

"Wow" said Tommy. "That sounds horrible. I thought my childhood was rough…"

"It's all good Tommy!" said Zack with a smile as he clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder, and seeming to know exactly what Tommy was thinking, the expression on Tommy's face had said it all. "We'll figure it out, and nobody is here to take your place, you're one of us too! We all know that!"

The group nodded their heads vehemently in agreement

"But what I don't understand" stated Trini, "Is that who this new guy is…I mean, could it be him? Has he come back? If it IS him, would he still remember us? What about his Uncle? Who's taking care of him?"

"I don't know Tri…" said Kim, "We don't even know if it's him or not, I guess we'll just see if he comes to school on Monday. He definitely looked to be our age..."

Before anyone else could say another word, an ugly looking beast covered in spines appeared in front of them.

"COME ON RANGERS! I AM SCORPINATOR! I WILL DESTROY YOU!" the monster shouted.

"Oh, come on!" yelled Zack, "You lame-brain monsters can't be more creative?" chuckling to themselves, and taking a glance around to make sure nobody was watching, the teenagers broke apart, hand behind each of their backs and yelled unanimously…"IT'S MORPHIN TIME!"

The teens morphed into their respective costumes and teleported toward the battle.

Meanwhile…

Mitchell was stretched out on the couch watching the news that the Power Rangers had once again saved the city of Angel Grove from another of Zedd and Rita's attacks. He had been worrying about the next day when he would pick up classes at Angel Grove High. He could barely remember what school had been like when he was six and knew that the pressure would be infinitely higher now that he was in high school. His Uncle had kept him in the house day and night, teaching him what he needed to know to not appear dumb and arouse suspicion.

After some exploration of the TV cabinet in the living room, Mitchell found a few videos tucked away next to the VCR. Picking one at random, he looked at the title written in ink on the label. "Forever Young 6-3-79"

Remembering that one of his parents always seemed to have a video camera in their hands; and that the date on the label was his birthday, Mitchell popped the tape into the VCR, curiously watching as it began to play…

A blonde petite woman that Mitchell immediately recognized with a jolt as his mother lay in a hospital bed, cradling her newborn son. With tears in her eyes she held the small bundle in her arms and said "We've waited so long for you. Welcome to the world Mitchell Benjamin Davidson, we love you so much." With a shaky hand the camera was placed on a nearby dresser as she beckoned the man holding it to the bed. As the dark-haired man placed his arms around his wife, Mitchell realized that his father's eyes were exactly the same shade of ice-blue as his own. "Are you ready Susie?" he asked and tickled the baby under his chin.

"This is for you sweetheart" Suzanne said, "We made this as a gift for you, because you're the gift we've been waiting for…Our little star." Suzanne smiled at her husband and nodded. Looking down at her son, she began to hum softly. Roland smiled and continued to hum as Suzanne opened her mouth to sing softly…

Hello to you… it's nice to see your smile…

Time is standing still…

Our love… shines true and bright… it always will…

Our wishing star… has guided all you do… Our empty hearts you fill…

We still feel… forever young,

Looking back…we're just the same…

As we were when we began…

This love will keep protecting us…

Reach for us and we'll take your hand…

When we're apart…just close your eyes, and you'll see us waiting there…

You can always count on us…We will always care….

Our special friend… inside our hearts you'll stay.

You'll be with us until…the sun…shines through the night… it never will...

Our little star… you'll never fade away…

The hands of time are still… and we'll be forever...young

The tape ended as Roland got off the bed and shut off the camera. Mitchell had frozen on the couch as wave after wave of joy and sadness washed over him. It was real, his parents had loved him. It wasn't a dream; he hadn't always lived the nightmare that was his own uncle. With tears streaming down his face, Mitchell realized something else that only made him cry harder. With a fierce rush he remembered his parents singing that song to him many, many times over the years. Whenever he had felt sad about something, or couldn't sleep, his parents were always right there singing that to him. It had always made him feel better. He also realized that he still hummed it to himself, and always had. Glancing down at his hands, he noticed briefly they seemed to be glowing with a strange orange light. Before his mind could even come close to registering what he was seeing, the glow vanished.

His day had been a whirlwind of emotion and he was truly exhausted. Finally succumbing to the strain, Mitchell closed his eyes…feeling like he was running the race of his life, trying to catch time in his hands, chasing his childhood in his mind…

He was fifteen…his uncle's leather belt drawing copious amounts of blood across his bare back as he was tied to the beam in the living room because he had let a door slam…

His thirteenth birthday…his uncle's poker buddies had come over that night. Drunk and high they passed Mitchell around like some sort of sick sexual chew-toy…

Nine years old… laying in a pool of his own blood on the cold cement floor after being thrown down the basement steps…

Eight years old…awoken in the middle of the night by the smell of chewing tobacco and beer in his face as his uncle crawled into bed next him and began touching him under the covers…

Mitchell could see himself in his mind's eye, hurtling down a dark corridor in his mind to meet the walls to his six-year-old self, He was chasing it, hungry for it, needing to break through as if his life depended on it. He was drowning, he needed air, that wall led to freedom. He finally smashed through the barriers of his memory.

His six-birthday party…his parents singing joyfully behind him to a cake full of candles…and his uncle who swept him in a fierce hug with a gaily wrapped present of a new toy for him…When did his Uncle change? Why? With a tormented groan, Mitchell flipped onto his side and curled into a ball, and when he awoke the next morning, he found the arm of the couch wet to the touch...

The next morning…

Parked outside his best friend's house, Jason Lee Scott jumped out of his jeep, a birthday present from his parents for his sixteenth birthday six months earlier. Walking into the garage a wide assortment of gizmos and gadgets greeted his eyes. Chuckling to himself he saw his best friend Billy Cranston hunched over his latest invention.

"You ready to go?" Jason asked with a light dancing in his midnight black eyes knowing that Billy, lost in his work, hadn't been paying attention to the clock.

Startled, Billy dropped his screwdriver and looked at his watch. "Jason! Kindly don't sneak up on me like that! It appears I've lost track of time again. Let me procure my books and we'll depart."

Jason laughed; he was far too used to this routine to be upset. Planning for this he had arrived fifteen minutes earlier than necessary.

"Your dad already gone?" Jason asked, less than impressed that Edmund Cranston didn't seem to pay that much attention to his own son. Ever since his wife and Billy's mom passed away years ago in that car accident, Edmund had been very distant in regard to Billy. Billy knew better, it was just their way. The Cranston Way he had described it to Jason once, with pure affection in his voice.

"Yes Jason, he left some time ago for the office" Billy stated.

"Are you ready? We still have to go pick up Kim" Jason said, glancing at his watch...even as Jason finished saying those words, a girl dressed head to toe in pink came into the garage with a smile plastered on her face.

"No need guys! I'm here, figured when I saw your Jeep parked outside that Billy had zoned out again!" Kimberly Hart said, her doe-brown eyes sparkling with the laughter that echoed out of her mouth. "Tommy is going to meet us at school, Like, I swear, that boyfriend of mine runs later than anyone I know, even later than you Billy." Kim stated, a smile playing on her lips as she kidded him. "We'd better get going though, we really don't want to be late! Zack and Trini are meeting us at our usual spot."

"Billy, are you all right?" Jason had caught Billy staring at him with an odd look on his face.

"Yes Jason. I'm fine" said Billy, "I apologize, I seem to have...as Kim so eloquently put it zoned out for a moment" putting his two fingers from each hand in the air as if to emphasize the term.

"Okay bro... Let's get going." Said Jason shrugging as he turned and walked out of the garage, not seeing the raised eyebrows that Kim had as she glanced at Billy. Noticing her expression, Billy gave a non-committal jerk of the head to her and proceeded to walk out the door. Stumbling on his shoe-laces and his face slightly reddened. Kim followed him out muttering something that sounded strangely like "boys..."

As they drove to school, Mitchell was already there, seated in Principal Kaplan's office going over his new schedule.

"Now Mitchell-" Principal Kaplan started…

"Um…Sir?" Mitchell interrupted. "I'd truly appreciate nobody else being aware of my current situation, obviously because I had to show you that I'm legally emancipated and why…I'm not ready to share that, nor do I believe it's anyone else's business. I just want to be treated like everyone else."

Mitchell was very aware of a flash that came across Kaplan's eyes as Mitchell spoke. He saw pity, just for a moment, before the Principal's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I understand…" stated Principal Kaplan abruptly. "However, I don't know how things were done where you lived, but in my school, you don't interrupt me, or any other administrator, while they are speaking to you."

"Yes Sir." said Mitchell, "I meant no offense, it won't happen again."

"Fine. You are excused. Now go, being tardy is unacceptable here…By the way young man…Welcome back."

"Thank you, Sir." Mitchell said as he stood to leave Principal Kaplan's office.

Mitchell walked down the main hallway feeling like a caged animal. Unsure of what to expect and feeling more terrified than he had in a long time he made his way as confidently as he could to his locker, not noticing he had started humming again. He barely noticed the six teenagers dressed in different colors on the opposite wall chatting amongst themselves as they stood in front of their own lockers.

As Mitchell walked by, Kimberly looked up at the sound of the soft humming, looking as if she was on the verge of remembering something; she tapped Tommy on the shoulder and said. "There, that's him. See him? The one with the dark brown hair and those icy-blue eyes?"

"He looks like my main-brain whenever Bulk and Skull come by!" Teased Zack cheerily to Billy as the latter looked over his latest science report.

"Nice Zack." Said Billy with a chuckle, "But I highly doubt that my nerves at those times are half as bad as what that guy looks like he's experiencing"

"Oh great" said Jason, "Here comes the welcoming committee…."

Spinning the dial and opening the compartment, Mitchell stashed his new books and extra supplies into his noticing however, the two boys that were coming up behind him. One large one that was almost as wide as he was tall and the smaller skinnier one with greasy hair chewing noisily on a piece of gum.

Bulk tapped his buddy Skull on the shoulder and pointed at the new guy at his locker before heading over. When they got close enough, Bulk reached out and grabbed the back of Mitchell's neck. In the days that followed, nobody would ever have guessed what would've happened next.

Immediately feeling the rough grip on his neck, every single hair on Mitchell's body stood on end and reacting purely on instinct, Mitchell reached up and grabbed Bulk's hand, spun around, and twisted Bulk's arm behind his back. Mitchell pushed forward roughly, and Bulk's head slammed into the locker. A faint crunch was heard as Bulk's nose twisted to the side and blood began to flow freely. Bulk howled in pain.

Mitchell snarled venomously as he held Bulk in place, "I don't know who the HELL you think you're dealing with, but you have NO right to sneak up on me and grab me like that. If you and your grease-ball friend know what's good for you, you'll walk away now before I really show you what I'm capable of!"

As Bulk and Skull ran off and the six teenagers stood with their jaws on the floor, Mitchell began to shake violently. Eyes wide and full of horror, he gaped at his hands with a look that plainly said, "What the HELL have I done?!", Mitchell quickly grabbed his backpack off the floor and tore down the hall as fast as he could before anyone could say anything.

Mitchell ran into the still empty classroom of his first period class and collapsed into a desk near the back. Wrapping his arms around himself as if to block out the world, he felt himself losing control again. Glancing up once to make sure he was still alone; he buried his head in his arms and started to sob. The hand that had so roughly grabbed the back of his neck had sparked one hell of a severe flashback for him. Mitchell had reacted instinctively. He couldn't fight his uncle off back then, but he'd be damned if he'd let it happen again.

The rangers followed closely after Mitchell shut the door.

"Look at him…" Said Trini sadly, peering through the glass of the classroom door. The six friends had followed him as he went into the classroom. "There is definitely no way that he could be a bad guy judging by the state he's in right now. Do you think we should go in and try to talk to him?" Her almond shaped dark eyes looked imploringly at Kim; Kim was always the one that made friends the easiest.

Before Kim had a chance to speak, Jason said "I don't know Trini, based on what we just saw that guy looks extremely dangerous"

"I agree" said Tommy, "If he ever tried to attack you like that Beautiful, I'd probably murder him myself" draping his arm over Kim's shoulders protectively.

Billy nodded slightly, speaking quietly. "In retrospect, it appears that he is feeling great suffering and extreme remorse about his inappropriate course of action in his altercation with Bulk and Skull"

Without missing a beat everyone turned their heads to Trini-

"He said that he appears to be feeling bad about what he did and knows he overreacted" said Trini with a small smile. In was expected at this point in their friendships that when Billy spoke in his dictionary-worthy vernacular that it could be counted on for Trini to translate.

Billy continued, "There's only few reasons I know of that could cause a reaction like that" Billy's face became thoughtful and though his friends had an idea what he was referring to, only Jason knew for sure what could cause his best friend to look the way he did.

Jason had always felt that it was his responsibility to watch over Billy. Jason had a protective streak for all his friends, but none had ignited it in him the way Billy had. Billy and his mother had been in a car accident when they were in third grade. Billy had escaped with minor injury but was forced to watch his mother bleed to death as rescuers tried to get to them still trapped in the vehicle.

Billy had stayed with Jason and his family for a week as the funeral was planned and Billy's own father tried to deal with his own loss. Billy was a wreck and the night before the funeral, and quiet, shy, introverted Billy…finally lost it late that night. Jason had held the smaller boy in his arms as he cried and swore that he would do everything in his power to prevent anything from hurting his friend again, that nothing could come between him and his little bro.

Jason continued to watch Billy as he saw the memories flash briefly across his eyes before Billy blinked and looked up, after Jason gave him an encouraging smile, Billy nodded and looked to Kim who had begun to speak. "Even so, the poor guy looks like he could really use a friend…" but before she could open the door the bell rang signaling the 5-minute warning for students to get to class. "I guess we'll talk to him later" she said as their teacher Ms. Applebee moved by her, opened the classroom door and signaled for everyone to take their seats.

When the door opened, Mitchell took a deep breath to calm himself, trying to steady his breathing and appear as nothing out of the ordinary had happened. After Ms., Applebee took roll call she said to the class.

"We have a new student with us! Would you care to stand and introduce yourself young man?"

As every head turned to face him, Mitchell cautiously stood and said "Umm…My name is Mitchell Davidson, I'm sixteen years old, and just moved here from Los Angeles." He noticed that Kim's eyebrows arched suspiciously the second he had said his name, and he wondered to himself if she had actually remembered him after all this time. I'm such an idiot…Mitchell thought to himself, I hadn't counted on anyone actually remembering me…Sitting back down he focused on Ms. Applebee instead giving her his undivided attention and refusing to look at Kim or any of her friends.

The rest of the school day passed without incident and when the bell rang signaling the end of the day, Mitchell, reading Kim's face, tore out of the classroom before she or anyone else could stop him. Deciding that he wasn't ready to go home yet, he wandered the halls after collecting his books. He watched as the last of the students filed out to head to Ernie's for one of his famous smoothies, or just go home.

Mitchell, still being severely shaken up at what had happened that morning, walked restlessly, debating on what he was going to do next. The next thing he knew, he found himself in the music department and in an empty practice room, spotting a lone guitar, he picked it up and started plucking at the strings, not really having any idea what he was doing. He closed his eyes and felt a rush and an understanding he didn't think was there. As if directed by the Gods themselves, the random plucking changed, tones and chords flowed from the bell of the guitar and became a song.

Meanwhile,

"I can't find him anywhere; do you think he went home?" Tommy stated nervously to Jason as they combed the halls

"I don't know Bro, but we need to find him and get to the bottom of this, he obviously doesn't want anyone near him." Jason looked up as Billy joined the two of them.

Billy glanced around a bit and nervously stated, "It seems he has disappeared from the building; I find this most distressing."

One by one the six teens reassembled in the hall, quietly discussing where their old friend had disappeared to. They were getting ready to leave when Kim cocked her head to the side and said,

"Do you hear that? It sounds like someone's messing with a guitar!" without further preamble, she turned and started heading down toward the music department. Shrugging their shoulders, her friends followed her until she put an arm up to stop them. "There he is, but what's he doing?"

Mitchell was unaware that his old friends were standing outside the door listening, as his strumming took on a rhythm of its own, he opened his mouth and started to sing softly in a rich tenor sound.

Don't know much about your life, don't know much about your world but…Don't wanna be alone tonight, on this planet they call earth…

You don't know about my past and, I don't have a future figured out, and maybe this is going too fast, and maybe it's not meant to last…

But what do you say to taking chances, what do you say to jumping off the edge, never knowing if there's solid ground below or hand to hold, or hell to pay…what do you say…?

As the song started to grow Kim drew an audible gasp at the voice that came out of their old friend. The tone quality and the pure, raw emotion coming from inside the practice room… "He's like, amazing" whispered Kim softly, reaching for Tommy's hand and taking it in her own.

It didn't take long for the six of them to crowd as close to the door as they could.

As Billy edged in closer, he accidentally brushed Jason's right hand. Billy's face turned a deep red and jerked his hand back as if he had been burned. Jason glanced at Billy for a split second but didn't seem to notice that anyone had touched him, he was too engrossed in the song coming from the tiny practice room.

I just want to start again, maybe you can show me how to try, maybe you could take me in, somewhere underneath your skin?

What do you say to taking chances, what do you say to jumping off the edge, never knowing if there's solid ground below, or a hand to hold, or hell to pay…What do you say?

As the song continued to build in intensity, Mitchell stood and opened his eyes. The six teenagers outside backed away quickly from the door, not wanting to interrupt the song. Or to alert him to their presence.

Continuing to play as if nothing else existed Mitchell, seemingly unaware of the six teenagers standing outside, he continued to sing. As the song reached its conclusion, the voice coming from inside him rose higher and higher as he repeated the chorus in a truly beautiful sound.

"Come on guys...I think it would be really rude for him to catch us out here listening to him" whispered Tommy briefly. Previous experience in his life had led him to believe that when someone was expressing themselves, that they generally wanted to be left alone. "Let's get out of here, we'll figure something out."

At Tommy's statement the teens broke apart and moved away from the practice room and tried to figure out what to do about their old friend.

A few weeks later…

With the gang at Ernie's Juice Bar, Kim watched as Jason and Tommy began a sparring match, Zack was fruitlessly pursuing a girl he'd been in love with since third grade, a girl named Angela who constantly rejected his advances.

Trini had said that she had to get home, her Uncle Howard was in town again and she wanted to spend some time with him. This left Kim and Billy sitting at a table sipping on a couple of Ernie's famous smoothies and contemplating the mysterious behavior of the new guy in school, one they were sure was the friend that had mysteriously disappeared over ten years previously.

"I don't understand, does he really think that we wouldn't recognize him?" Kim stated, taking a sip of her smoothie.

"I honestly don't know Kim." Said Billy frowning. "None of this makes sense, every time one of us has tried to initiate a conversation with him, he evades it and makes an excuse to place more distance between himself and us as possible. There has to be a way to get through to him. If anything, he seems very afraid of letting anyone near him, not just us."

Kim agreed, it seemed that Mitchell had done everything possible to keep his distance from any of his fellow students. She had noticed that Bulk and Skull even left him alone, Bulk, possibly to avoid another broken nose. Mitchell constantly had his head down in classes, answering questions Ms. Applebee asked, but she noticed he arrived at school just before first period and disappeared shortly after last period.

"We do, however, know one thing." Said Billy, snapping Kim out of her thoughts with a look of concentration etched on his face. "He is a musician. Maybe that is his outlet for his loneliness. What I find to be an immense conundrum is why we feel the need to reach out to him so badly. We attend this school with 900 other students, why him?"

"So, I'm not the only one who feels that way?" asked Kim with a mixed look of concern and relief. "I've felt it too. It's like when we were kids that day on the playground...The six of us started spending time together, and it was almost a kind of click feeling, then he was gone...Then Tommy, that click was there then, but it still didn't feel complete."

A moment later, lost in thought Kim's face lit up.

"You look as if you have devised a plan Kim" said Billy noticing her expression.

Kim replied with a smirk "Well? He's really into music and has a great singing voice, right?" whenever she had that grin, something good was definitely running through her mind. "I may not be able to match him with singing and stuff...But maybe that's how we can get through to him!"

"Oh no. Kim has an idea again...Are we hitting the mall later?" Said Tommy coming up behind them chuckling with a towel over his shoulder after his match with Jason.

"She's your girlfriend bro, you take her shopping." Said Jason smirking.

Glancing at them briefly, Kim whipped her hair over her shoulder in an eerily exact mall-rat gesture.

"Very funny guys. It just so happens I have an idea how to get Mitchell to at least talk to us for 10 seconds without bailing"

All smiling ceased as Jason and Tommy joined them at the table.

"What's the plan?" Jason asked. "I can't help but feel that he needs us as much as we need him, I can't explain it...but it's there"

"I feel it too bro." Said Tommy. "I know he was gone long before I came into the picture, but it just feels like something we need to follow."

"Okay, here's the plan." Said Kim. "We know he's really into music, singing, whatever." "I can play the guitar and I even sing a little bit. It's not my passion like gymnastics is, but it's something I do when I'm bored or don't have practice. Maybe I can find him when he's practicing somewhere and join him?"

"It definitely seems like it's our best option." said Billy looking up from his textbook. "One of us should come with you, just in case you startle him, and he loses control again"

"I'm coming with." Said Tommy with a dark look on his face. "I don't want anyone to even TRY to hurt you Beautiful."

"Always my white knight, huh handsome?" Said Kimberly smiling. "All right. Let's go find him!"

As Kim and Tommy left the table, Jason looked over at his "little bro" and noticed he had a distant look in his eyes. This had seemed to be the constant lately, and Jason knew something was up with his best buddy.

"Hey Billy, what's going on with you lately? You seem distracted. Something on your mind?" Jason clapped his hand on Billy's shoulder and saw something flash briefly in his friend's blue-green eyes that he hadn't really noticed before. If Jason didn't know any better, it seemed that Billy looked almost fearful at Jason's expression of physical contact.

"Yes Jason. I assure you that I am fine, I've just had a multitude of things going through my mind lately. I apologize for my inadequate attention to current events..."

Jason opened his mouth to speak and paused briefly before removing his hand from Billy's shoulder. "It's okay buddy, I'm just worried about you lately. Let's go take a walk?"

"If you insist...," said Billy with a non-committal jerk of his head towards the door.

"I do, let's bolt." said Jason, hoisting his bag over his shoulder. Both boys left the juice bar and walked through the parking lot. As they maneuvered around parked cars, he chanced a glance at Billy and noticed he still had a faraway look in his eyes.

Jason grew more and more worried, usually Billy's lexicon became harder and harder to understand the more upset he was, Billy's silence and terse replies made Jason more unnerved.

"So, what's been going through your head lately Billy? It's not like you to be this distracted. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were avoiding talking to me. Especially after my breakup with Ana, the last thing I want is my best friend avoiding me too. Have I done something wrong, Billy?"

Billy briefly turned his head to look at Jason and back just as quickly.

"To be honest Jason, I do not believe that there is anything to discuss, I've been busy with school and Ranger duties. What else could there be?"

At Billy's words, Jason shook his head and couldn't help but recognized the frustrated tone that emerged. "BILLY, You and I go back to elementary school, I can tell when you're lying, and I can tell you are now, the question is WHY? What have I done that you feel the need to put distance between us and then lie to me about it?"

Billy looked up and Jason, stunned by the expression on his gentle friend's face, took two hasty steps backward. If Jason didn't know any better, he would've sworn that he caught a glimpse of a wolfish glare on his friend's face...Jason thought that maybe he had gone too far in pushing Billy to open up. Before Jason could say anything though, Billy, who was red in the face, had begun speaking softly...without realizing it, the teens had already reached the park.

"Perhaps I am more afraid of what my emotions could do to those that I care about Jason...That maybe I am more afraid of the consequences of letting my heart speak for my mind instead of the other way around." Billy refused to meet Jason's eyes as he spoke. Fearful that he already had said too much, Billy turned away completely and started walking in the opposite direction away from Jason.

Jason stood still with his jaw open and watched his best friend walk away from him. As he stood there, thinking of what Billy had just said to him, he felt something awaken in the back of his mind. He was overwhelmed with a sadness he couldn't explain, as if he'd lost his best friend, that each physical step was putting more and more emotional damage between them. Suddenly, all the pieces seemed to fall into place. The way he would catch Billy watching him when he thought he wasn't looking; the pained look in his eyes when Jason would talk about dating Ana; the need to avoid Jason now. Billy's feelings for him had crossed over from best friends to something far more intense, far more dangerous. With a wave of emotion so strong that Jason was momentarily breathless, Jason tore off running to catch up to Billy, who was already twenty-five yards or so ahead.

"Billy! Wait! Please?!" Jason yelled as he started closing the distance. Jason felt a small glimmer of hope as he saw that Billy had consented to pause and had turned to look at him. Jason was not prepared however to see the look of fear plainly etched on his face.

"JASON! BEHIND YOU!" Billy yelled.

As Jason threw a glance over his shoulder, he saw something that made his heart drop into his stomach. Before he could react, a blow to the back of his neck caused him to fall to the ground. Before he lost consciousness the last thing, he saw was Billy holding his morpher out in front of him and a yell of "TRICERATOPS!" and a brief flash of blue light...

As the battle began in the park, Kim and Tommy were on the hunt for Mitchell after watching him leave the Youth Center.

"Do you see him anywhere Tommy?" Kimberly asked as they walked across the parking lot of the Youth Center.

"I think that's him over there, about fifty yards up. In that orange t-shirt and blue jeans."

"We should make sure he doesn't see us..." Kimberly muttered softly.

"I don't know Kim; I almost feel like we're stalking him...This doesn't feel okay to me..."

"Me either, to tell you the truth, but I can't explain it, I just have to talk to him, I want to know why he's avoiding us, and why he won't let us in! I know we were only friends for a few weeks, and maybe it sounds stupid, but it's like he is SUPPOSED to be here!"

Mitchell, carrying a notepad and absent mindedly jotting notes down as he walked across the grass, had a feeling he was being followed. Closing his eyes briefly, he stopped in his tracks and turned around to find Kim and her boyfriend staring at him about fifty yards behind him. Letting the air out between his teeth in an exasperated sigh, he started walking towards the pair and thought to himself "May as well get this over with, they obviously aren't going to leave me alone". Marching right up to the couple, he looked at them with mild annoyance and spoke softly.

"Look, is there a reason you're following me? I haven't done anything to either of you, so I'd appreciate if you just left me alone." Turning on his heel, Mitchell had begun walking away.

Kim called after him, "Mitchell! Wait! Just give me five minutes to explain. Please? We just want to talk!"

Tommy sucked in his breath sharply as he saw Mitchell's shoulders tense up, but when Mitchell turned around to face them Tommy was stunned to see tears in Mitchell's eyes. Taking a deep breath, Mitchell opened his mouth, speaking as though something were lodged in his throat.

"I never meant to just disappear...I didn't have a choice...My parents were dead...My uncle...I missed you guys too...of course I remembered..." at his last words, Mitchell's jaw clenched and tightened, he swallowed and knuckled away the tears in his eyes. Cautiously, Kim stepped forward and put her arms out to him. Mitchell raised his hands in front of him and took a step back from her. He spoke to them in a rough voice.

"Please, don't touch me. I don't like being touched...It's not that I don't appreciate the gesture...I just can't-"

"I'm sorry." Said Kim softly, "I didn't mean to upset you, I just wanted to get you talking, we had a lot of fun when we were kids, and then you were gone, and even though we were so young, it hurt that you left without saying goodbye. We cared about you, and now you're back, you might not owe the rest of the world an explanation, but Jason, Trini, Zack, Billy and I were your friends, we should get at least that...and hopefully you'll get to know my boyfriend too." Kimberly put her arm around Tommy's waist and grinned up at him expectantly.

Sensing that things were calming down, Tommy waved briefly and put his arm around Kim's shoulders. Without warning, a sudden beeping escaped from the devices on their wrists...

Tommy clamped his hand down over his communicator and looked at Kim pointedly as she looked at him in kind. Both of them, failing to notice Mitchell's left eyebrow arch in curiosity and surprise.

Kim was the one that spoke, said in a slightly panicked voice said, "Uhm...Mitchell, we need to go, but could we hang out later at Ernie's and talk? "I really think we should get everyone together first..."

Slightly confused, Mitchell nodded and said, "I'll talk to you guys later, I think I need to be alone right now." putting on his headphones he headed off towards the park.

As Mitchell walked away, Tommy looked around quickly, and raised his wrist to his mouth.

"What is it Zordon? Kimberly and I read you."

A booming voice replied,

"TOMMY, BILLY AND JASON WERE AT THE PARK WHEN GOLDAR AND THE PUTTIES ATTACKED. JASON WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND IS INTROUBLE. BILLY IS FIGHTING HIM ALONE. ZACK AND TRINI ARE ON THEIR WAY, BUT THEY NEED YOU BOTH AS WELL, GOLDAR HAS SOME KIND OF ENERGY FIELD UP, AND IT' IS PREVENTING ALPHA FROM TELEPORTING JASON OUT OF THERE. HURRY RANGERS, AND MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU."

"We're on our way Zordon!" said Tommy "Ready Kim?"

"Let's do this!" replied Kimberly.

Reaching behind their backs to grab their morphers, Tommy yelled "IT'S MORPHIN TIME!"

"TIGERZORD!"

"PTERODACTYL!"

Morphed into their uniforms, the two disappeared in flashes of white and pink light.