Disclaimer: Saban's and Disney's, not mine.

Notes: Takes place early in the early, mild spoilers for 'Something to Fight For'. Oh, and the title was gacked from the Mirai Sentai Timeranger Song Collection CD, which when you think about it, is somewhat appropriate. Anyways, enjoy! Or not.

After the battle, they headed back to what was left of the Time Ship to see if there was anything salvageable among the debris. Nobody said anything as they worked. If it weren't for the sound of waves and the occasional creak of metal, it would have been dead quiet. It was in that almost quiet that Katie realized, even as she easily lifted a sheet of metal over her head, that she was taking what had happened to them a lot better that she should be.

The worst criminal in their lifetime had escaped under their watch. Alex was dead, and every time she looked Jen in the face she knew her friend would never stop feeling the pain. They were all alone in this century, and the longer they stayed here it was harder to ignore the fact that they might never return home... and they might never see their families again.

They were all perfectly valid reasons to break down completely, but she hadn't. Maybe because it was too much to process all at once, or her Time Force training refused to let her give up, or she was just tougher than she thought she was... but she was starting to think it was because she was too busy thinking about that young man who looked like Alex, sounded like Alex, but had made it painfully obvious that that was were their similarities ended.

Lucas was right. He was a good fighter, making up for his inexperience with raw power and quick thinking. Given a little time, he might have become as good a fighter as Alex was, maybe even better. Too bad Jen had made it clear she wasn't going to let that happen. Part of Katie agreed with her, though. Yes, he possessed potentional, but the fact that he treated everything like a game canceled that out.

But if she could've had the chance to talk to him, explain things to him... but Jen had made her decision. It wasn't as if she could just---

"I'm going to go after him."

Katie had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Trip standing next to her, so it took a moment for what he was suggesting to register. Once it did, she immediately dragged him behind one of the larger pieces of wreckage so they could have something resembling privacy. "Are you crazy! Jen'll kill you!"

Trip smiled weakly. "I know. But Jen's wrong about him. I can feel it." He took a breath. "He's starting to realize just how important this is. And he's feeling guilty about treating this like a game, and... he wants another chance to prove himself, but doesn't think he deserves one."

"And you think if you can convince him to come here, he can convince Jen to give him a second chance? Is that it?" Trip nodded.

"I don't know---"

He looked at her sadly. "Please understand."

Even if she wanted to, there was no use arguing with Trip once he made up his mind. "Okay, fine. Go. I'll cover for you, Jen won't even notice you're gone."

His face lit up. "I knew I could count on you!" He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before creeping back towards the city, and despite all the insanity around them, Katie had to grin. Only Trip would wave good-bye before sneaking behind Jen's back to recruit a new Ranger.

Her smile fading, Katie glanced in their leader's direction. Jen was still working, but every now and then her gaze would fall on the tiny silver ring on her finger. If she knew what they were up to...

Somehow, she doubted Trip would be able to win Jen over with a peck on the cheek like he had with her.