Author Note/Disclaimer: This is one of five ficlets I wrote this past week for a personal challenge in which I asked my friends list(s) on Livejournal and Dreamwidth for prompts. This one is my reply to celiloquy's request. Saban owns the Power Rangers.

Better With You
by Starlit Purple

Karone was walking hand-in-hand with Zhane, through one of the old parks on KO-35. It wasn't the same one from her memories, but it looked similar enough that it'd made her think of old times.

They were nearing the end of their stroll. She could see the picnic the girls had set up, and it looked like most of them were there already.

They'd all decided to come back to help the colony resettle. It wasn't because of all the media, that had actually died down quite a bit since they'd been back. It was more for Andros than anything. No matter how happy and how complete he was with all of them, he had to know that KO-35 would be okay. Going back wasn't even a question when they'd found out the colony was having a rougher time rebuilding and turning their world back into a functioning home again. Andros would go, so they all went back with him to help.

"I'm so glad you're good again," Zhane told her, squeezing her hand gently, just as they caught up with the others.

She glanced sideways at him. They hadn't said much on their walk, hadn't really needed to, so his sudden randomness amused her.

"Me too," she agreed. "...Any particular reason?"

"What, I can't be happy you're not evil anymore just because?"

She cocked her head at him. "Since it's you? No. Besides, being evil wasn't all bad. What were you thinking about?" she asked, elbowing him in the side.

He was looking at her with raised eyebrows now. "What about being evil was good?" He asked instead, completely serious now.

By now, the rest of the Rangers could hear their conversation and were all waiting to hear her reply.

She swallowed and shook her head. "It's not like that, Zhane. You have to understand, my whole world, everything I believed in was twisted into making me think I was doing the right thing. You don't know how terrible I felt-how terrible I still feel-when I realized that I was trying to get rid of the only family I had left."

She brushed at a tear before it could fall as she looked at her brother.

"But...before that..." She shrugged uncomfortably, and tried to hide a fond smile. She knew they wouldn't be happy with this. "Things were different. I was at the top. Second in command under the greatest leader I knew. Everyone listened to me. And...it was kind of fun," she admitted somewhat regrettably

She was silent after that. Not looking at any of them. She didn't expect them to take that very well at all, but she wasn't going to lie to them. She was done with the lying.

The last thing she expected was a chuckle from Zhane.

"You just liked having all that magic to throw around."

Now she did look at him, mild surprise in her gaze.

"What? I saw the smirk on your face when you blasted me cause you thought I stood you up. You totally enjoyed that."

She looked away from him once more, blushing. "Well...maybe a little bit." She looked back up at him. "But I wasn't trying to hurt you, just..." she shrugged, "scare you a bit."

"I know," he smiled. "If you'd wanted to hurt me, you would have." He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead. "But I'm glad you didn't."

She smiled faintly and chanced a look at the others, but none of them looked upset at all. In fact, they'd mostly gone back to setting the food out for their lunch. Everyone but Andros, who was still looking at her thoughtfully.

"What about now?"

She smiled. "Now...I have you. I have my family back again. I don't need underlings or power."

"I'm glad to hear that," he replied with a honest grin, passing a bowl of fruit to Ashley.

Zhane tugged on her arm as he sat down on the blanket. "Come on, lets eat."

Karone poked Zhane's side once they were alone later. "You never did tell me what you were thinking about."

"Hmm?"

"When you told me you were happy I was good again."

"Oh." He smiled. "I was thinking about this. Being able to be with you earnestly."

"You mean not sneaking around to be with the Princess of Evil behind your friends' back?"

Zhane laughed outright. "Yeah, that too. I'm just glad that I can be with you now."

She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "Me too."