The Return

Chapter Three-Friend of the Family

By: Angellwings

"Tammi, I am begging you not to do this," Michelle said for the millionth time, "Please the life of a seventeen year old girl depends on it."

"If it was as innocent as you make it sound then why did run from us?" Tammi asked as she rang the doorbell of the Oliver's house. She'd had to contact the Commander and get special permission to take Michelle back home to Reefside, which was 45 minute away from New Tech City.

"Because no one would have believed me, especially not the egomaniac in the blue or that power mad freak in the red. The cutie in the green would have believed me though, I could feel it." Michelle said as she tossed a wink in Bridge's direction.

"Then why didn't you explain it to him then? With that gift of yours you have no excuse." Tammi said as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Excuse me what . . . what gift?" Bridge asked curiously.

"Empathy, Michelle has the gift of empathy. Sort of like you except she can't read auras just yet." Tammi explained

"Yes I can" She said defiantly

"You can?" Tammi asked as she raised an eyebrow in Michelle's direction

"Well, I kinda can. I mean it's not perfectly clear, but I can see like big smears of color."

"This is all good and well, but can we get on with it please?" Sky asked impatiently.

"What do you have to get back and reread the handbook one last time before you go to bed?" Z asked sarcastically.

"Hey, don't be like that, Sky might actually have a life outside of S.P.D.," Syd said with a straight face before she burst our laughing.

"Yeah, right." Z said as she too starting laughing. Suddenly the door swung open to reveal a very handsome guy with dark red hair.

"Michael!" Tammi squealed as she jumped up and hugged him.

"Tammi! But you're supposed to be . .."

"I know, I know, but I'm not. I'm still here."

Michael spun her around a few times before planting her feet back on the front stoop. "I can't believe it; I never thought I'd see you again! Mom and Dad are gonna flip!"

"Speaking of . . ." Tammi said as she cleared her throat "We've been sent by S.P.D. to speak with Tom Oliver in reference to his daughter's actions."

"Still got the gig at S.P.D., I see, Is this your new squad? Crugar give you your leader position back?" Michael asked as he ushered the rangers inside.

"No," Michelle said with a grin, "She's on the receiving end of the orders this time. You should have heard her and Power Mad over there arguing in the jeep. I Think it's the worst head ache I've ever had. Well except for when everyone thought she was dead that is."

"You know what really scares me about this situation? You're enjoying my suffering." Tammi said with a shocked stare.

"Hey, don't start with me; you're the one about to get me shipped off to the academy." Michelle said as she plopped down on the couch with a huff.

"Good, it will straighten you out." Tammi said pulled Michelle back up on her feet.

"What? And make me boring and uptight like you? I don't think so." Michelle said shaking her head. Michael laughed and went to go fetch his father.

"I am not uptight." Tammi said defensively.

"Whatever, you won't even get a Scar Mark to match the rest of us ranger kids."

Until now the rest of her team as a whole had been silently observing her exchanges with the Oliver children. They had never seen her relax and pick like this before, especially not with them. Well, on occasion she would joke around with Bridge, but no one could help but pick with him. The minute that Scar Mark was mentioned they saw her tense up. Sky had never forgotten the marks he had seen on the day she arrived, and he noticed as well that she kept her upper arms and back covered at all times.

"I'm not a big fan of paying someone to mutilate my skin." She said as she swallowed hoarsely. Jack gave Z a questioning glance and leaned to her ear.

"Are those tears that I see in her eyes?" Jack whispered.

"Looks like it to me." Z responded.

"Tammi!" They heard someone shout. "I can't believe it! Why look at you, you're all grown up. I remember your first Karate Lesson at Jason's Dojo, you were a natural." Mr. Oliver said as he hugged her.

"Thanks, Dr. O, but I'm afraid I'm here on business. You're daughter was apprehended in the park today (after resisting arrest) for attempting to break into a car."

"Attempting to what?" Dr. Oliver stated in a signature parental tone, "This doesn't have to do with that new invention of yours does it?"

"Oh come on dad! I had to test it out! Mom says, 'no invention can truly be useful until it's tested'. So, I had to. I swear I wasn't breaking into a stranger's car. It was Uncle Zack's car. He let me install one last week, and told me I could try it out." She frantically explained.

"What invention is this exactly?" Tammi asked as she looked back and forth between Tom, Michael, and Michelle.

"It's a car alarm. I told mom, you can call her at Lightspeed and ask if you want."

Since the formation of S.P.D. Operation Lightspeed Rescue had been turned into the planet's underwater defense program. It was now led by Captain Ryan Mitchell and Admiral Chad Lee, and Mrs. Haley Oliver was their technology expert and advisor along with Mrs. Angela Rawlings. It was safe to say that Michelle had picked up her technology skills from her mother and her fighting style from her father.

"Oh man, little sister you've done it now." Michael said as he shook his head.

"Shut up Mike! What do you know!" Michelle said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Michelle Tanya Oliver, I think it's about time we found something useful for you to do with those talents of yours." Tom Oliver said sternly.

"But Daddy! I am doing something useful!" she protested.

"Something useful that is with in the law." He replied.

"But I had permission!"

"And did anyone believe you had permission? Do you think these officers would have let you go because you said you had permission?" He asked as he began to get annoyed.

"No, Sir." She said dejectedly.

"I warned you about this last time, and now you are joining S.P.D., that's final." He stated as she began to protest, "No 'and', 'if's, or 'but's about it."

"You can't do this! Mom won't let you!" Michelle screamed as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

Michael shook his head; his little sister was never going to learn.

"Still the passionate little brat I used to baby sit, I see." Tammi whispered to Michael. He laughed and nodded vigorously.

"Sorry about that, Michelle's always been a little headstrong. I think she gets it from her mother." Tommy told them.

"Yeah right, Dr. O" Tammi said with a laugh.

"What? You think she gets it from me?" He asked in a shocked tone.

"I think she gets it from both of you. In the stories my father used to tell me you seemed quite headstrong." She said with a grin.

"Well, maybe you need to hear those stories from my point of view." He said with a laugh and a wink. "Please won't you all have a seat? It's been a long time since my rangering days, and I wouldn't mind hearing some of your stories."

The six of them sat down in various places. Jack sat in the large, leather arm chair by the fireplace while Syd, Tammi, Bridge, and Sky sat on the couch. Z settled herself on the floor in front of the fireplace.

"Michael, why don't you get the rangers some coffee. I'm sure they are in need of some kind of refreshment." Tommy said with a smile.

"Whoa, Dad you're scaring me." Michael said as he got up.

"Why's that?" Tommy asked with a furrowed brow.

"You just had a major Uncle Billy moment; I mean come on, 'refreshment'?"

"Just go get the coffee, smart ass" Tommy said as he shook his head.

"Yes sir, father sir." Michael said with a salute. Tammi chuckled at them. She had really missed this. They were practically her family, and she felt a warmth in this room that she thought she had lost forever.

"That punk that you've been seeing all night is my oldest son Michael. He teaches history at the local high school." Dr. Oliver said with a small smile. "And you all already know Michelle. My youngest, James, Is a sophomore in high school."

"No way! James is a sophomore! I can not believe it! The last time I saw him he was just beginning to realize Cooties don't exist." Tammi exclaimed.

"Yes well, here's another shocker for you. Do you remember Jason and Kim's youngest? Vanessa?"

"Yes, what about her?" She asked curiously.

"Well, she and James are a couple now."

"Nuh uh! They couldn't stand each other when they were little. He was always putting gum in her hair, and she was always pelting him with water balloons. They're a couple?" She asked with wide eyes, but suddenly sadness flashed across her features, "I've missed a lot haven't I?"

"Not really, other than the littlest of you kids growing up nothings changed. You know Michael still has feelings for you." Tommy said with a wink.

"Dr. O . . ."

"I know, I know, just informing you the offer is still on the table." Tommy said with a grin. "Well, better introduce me to your team mates don't you think?"

"Oh yeah, sorry Dr. O. The guy in the red is Jack, sitting beside me in pink is Sydney, the guy to my right is Bridge, the disgruntled one in the blue is Sky, and the only one of us sitting on the floor is Z." She said as they each waved.

"So, you were a power ranger?" Jack asked in awe.

"Dr. O is the best known leader out of all the rangers; he's lead more teams than any of them too." Tammi said with a proud smile.

"Well, I wouldn't saybest known. You're father made quite a name for himself too, you know." Tommy told her with a smile.

"So you were a red ranger, then?" Sky asked.

"I was quite a few colors actually." Tommy said.

"Yeah, Dad used to joke that you were trying to get the entire rainbow under your belt." Tammi told him jestingly.

"Yeah I get that a lot, but I started out as green, then white, then red, and then black."

"So which color was your favorite?" Syd asked with an intrigued gaze.

"Hmm, I think it would have to be green."

At that moment Bridge's head snapped up, and a huge smile spread across his face. "Why is that sir? If you don't mind me asking."

"I guess it's because I was second in command and didn't have the responsibility of the team on my shoulders. I had it slightly easier than Jason."

Michael walked back in the room with a tray of coffee cups and set the on the coffee table, but just as the rangers were reaching for them their morphers chimed. Jack answered.

"Jack here, what's going on?"

"Landors! Where are all of you! I sent you to drop off the girl and address Dr. Oliver, that's all. You were to go straight there and back! So why haven't you returned!", as Crugar continued on with his lecture Tommy made a motion for Jack to hand him his morpher.

"Crugar! This is Tom Oliver; it's nice to talk to you again. Listen, sorry for keeping your rangers, but they were answering some very important questions for me. I hope you won't be too hard on them on account of me." Tommy exaggerated. Tammi exchanged aknowing smile with Michael as Tommy calmed Crugar down and handed the morpher back to Jack.

"I guess that's our cue to leave." Jack said as he stood up from his comfy chair. The other rangers followed in suit. Tammi was the last one to stand from her spot.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?" Tommy said as he gave her hug.

"I won't, I promise." She told him with a smile and a wave.

"Tammi . . . umm I was thinking," Michael said as he walked her to the door, "Would it be okay if I paid you a visit at S.P.D.? Maybe we could hang out one weekend or something?"

"Sure, that'd be fun. Just call me before you come so I can alert security, do you have a pen?" She asked him, and he nodded as he pulled a pen out from behind his ear. She grabbed the pen and began writing on his palm, "That's my apartment number at the base, and that's the number for the front office just in case I'm not in my room. See you later, Mike."

She gave him a quick hug, and loaded into the jeep with Syd and Z.

"Bye Tammi." He said with a wave as they drove off.

A/N: I know not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but it was fun to write. And hey! Something's better than nothing right? Thanks go out to my two faithful reviewers!

P.S. - Ages of characters:

Tammi: 21

Sky: 21

Jack: 20

Syd: 19

Z: 18

Bridge: 18

Michael: 23

Michelle: 17

Tommy: 48

P.S.S.- I am in no way involved in P.R., blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda, . . . we all know how it goes.