She was still there, tucked safely against him, completely oblivious to the world. He kissed her on the forehead and went on with his daily routine, thoughts still very much in bed with the girl resting peacefully there. After showering he dressed next to her, amused that she was still completely unconscious. He kissed her again, this time getting her to stir.

"I'll see you tonight." He tried not to laugh as he said the words and left for work. She slept for another hour, and woke with a frown at the empty bed, vaguely remembering him leaving. Mind clouded with sleep, she stumbled to the kitchen and poured some coffee, thankful he'd made it so strong. The phone rang; nearly startling her and she stared at it. Technically she lived here now, but if it was Grace, or his mother, she had no idea what to say. Setting down her mug she lifted the receiver.

"Hello?"

"I was wondering if you were awake." Eric sounded amused through the phone.

"No thanks to you." Rachael grinned, hopping up on the counter with the phone glued to her ear. "Though the consistent availability of coffee is why I stay."

"Is that it? I was wondering."

"But that does bring up a point; does Grace know I live here?"

"Does it matter?"

"When the phone rang I was scared it was her, or your mother." Rachael admitted.

"They don't call; they know I work, so I call them." Eric didn't seem bothered by it at all. "And it isn't like your Dad knows."

"Your mother isn't my boss." Rachael pointed out. "Whatever, I don't want to argue right now." She wiped her eyes as she yawned. "I'm going to start working now; I'll talk to you later."

"Sure." Eric agreed. "See you tonight."

"Later." Rachael hung up with a sigh and glanced to the old traveler sitting next to the computer. Running a hand through her hair, she woke the computer up from its sleep mode and began to input the information from the traveler. The files loaded slowly, giving her enough time to shower and come back with a towel wrapped around her hair and her coffee to finish what she was doing. She hummed until it was time to read the files, and settled into a position to read them rapidly.

They started harmless, small tasks Irene had completed, documented and filed away, small details of her life, including the two years of maternity leave she was granted in the middle of her service. Seeing her and Wes' names amongst the bad guys was amusing, but the years after they were born her duties slowed down, almost halting. Soon she got into the gritty stuff, suspicion for someone close to her, which she didn't name for the first part of the files. Rachael kept reading, not noticing when Bronwyn opened a file sharing connection and started reading the files, probably an hour behind her.

I'm not sure what's going on, but I have an awful feeling about him. I feel as though I should know who he is, but I can't be sure. It's as if I've met him, or someone very much like him, before. Then again, I could just be thinking about someone Alan's worked with before, or one of my children's friend's parents. I feel like I'm being irrationally paranoid, but I can't shake it. I'll need to keep a close eye on him.

Rachael tried to keep herself from shaking as she read the last entry, which was dated three days before her death.

I need to get this information to Time Force as fast as possible, I was right, he's a mutant escaped from the future. I knew he was a part of the Vakor Family Mafia. I should've recognized the tattoo on his wrist faster; I can't believe I missed it. I feel ill, but Time Force should check in by tomorrow and then they can arrest him. Batuir Vakor is masquerading in our time as an Irishman by the name of Killian O'Reilly.

Rachael stopped reading and stood up so fast the chair fell underneath her and crashed to the floor. She'd known Killian her whole life; the man had come to her mother's funeral. Bastard. Furious, she ran to the bedroom and dressed as fast as she could, blinded with rage she had no idea what she was putting on, and ran the half mile to the bar. Taking a few deep breaths she tried to cleanse the emotion from her face before she stepped into the empty building.

"Hey." Brennan greeted her with a suave smile. "What brings you in here so early, meeting the boyfriend for a noon drink?"

"Not today." Rachael smiled and sat at the bar.

"Come to see me?" He leaned on the bar in front of her, putting his face inches from hers.

"In your dreams." Rachael tried to keep her tone teasing, but her heart was beating erratically.

"Trust me, I do dream about you." Brennan's voice changed from flirtatious to scary. She tried to lean back, but he pinned her wrist on the counter. "Don't bother." He snarled as fear worked into her eyes. "Father warned me you'd be coming soon." He leapt over the bar and tackled her on the floor. Rachael struggled, but his strength was not human, unable to protest as he tied her hands. "You won't be needing these." He took her traveler and morpher, and dropped them on the bar.

"You son of a bitch." Rachael struggled against his grasp, but he easily overpowered her and carried her through the corner door and down a set of dark, damp stairs. He dumped her in a chair and tied her to it, leaving her completely unable to move. "You plan on just leaving me here?" She snapped. Brennan leaned forward and put his face inches from hers.

"Of course not, love." He grinned and touched her cheek, smiling when she tried to writhe away. "When my father comes back he'll decide what happens to you." He grabbed her face and directed her eyes to his. "I've watched you since you were a teenager." He murmured, moving closer. "I can't resist." He touched his lips to hers gently, smiling and pushing harder when she tried to back away and close her lips. Rachael pulled her leg back and kicked as hard as she could. Brennan swore and released her, backing up limping. "You bitch." He slapped her across the face, but her eyes glittered a satisfied green. "Fine, rot down here." He nursed his shin for a moment before sprinting up the stairs and slamming the door shut with a definite click.

Eric practically broke every law getting home, speeding the whole way. After the day he'd had, he needed Rachael. Not just physically, though that was nice, he needed her calming presence, he needed her. God he loved her. The thought put his foot closer to the floor. He may not be ready to tell her that he loved her, but he still needed to be with her. Stopping a bomb, battling with Serpicon, it was all ridiculous, and stressful, and he needed her. Pleased to see her car in his driveway, he went in and searched the entire house top to bottom for her, but found nothing. Frowning, he looked at the computer and pressed a button to see if it was on. Several things popped up, including Bronwyn.

"Eric, where is she? I can't reach her morpher or traveler." Panic filled the blonde's voice and face.

"I don't know, she's not here but her car is. What happened?" Eric sat down to get a better view, despite feeling like he wanted to punch a wall.

"Her mother's files had a name in it, she read it and left, I didn't know until she was gone. Eric she's gone after whoever killed her mother. He's there, in 2001. I knew the fugitive's name, but I don't recognize the alias." Bronwyn pulled up the file. "It's a, Killian O'Reilly?"

"Shit." Eric stood and went for the door, leaving Bronwyn still confused. Petrified, she closed her com to that computer and went for the rangers who were relaxing together after their long day.

"Guys!" Bronwyn shouted to get their attention and Jen was there in a second.

"Bronwyn…"

"No time, Rachael figured out who killed your mother." Her eyes moved to Wes as he joined Jen with the other rangers. "Eric's gone after her, but neither of them told me who it is, and if you don't tell me I will kill you myself." She threatened. "Batuir Vakor has been in your time since a few years before Irene was killed." Bronwyn ignored Jen's wince. "He's been using the name Killian O'Reilly."

"Killian?" Wes looked startled. "He owns a bar on Creswell Street, my father owns the building, gave him a loan to get him started." Anger started to rise in his face. "He was at her funeral."

"I can't reach Rachael's morpher or traveler and Eric just isn't answering, probably because he's going after him with a vengeance." Bronwyn rubbed her eyes. "Go help him, or we'll lose them both. The Vakor family is known for their mafia hits, they're dangerous, you have to find her." The rangers ran from the room and to the bar, making it as Eric came out, anger radiating from him.

"I can't find her." He snapped. Jen pulled out her morpher and tried to lock on Rachael's, very unsuccessful.

"Let me try." Tripp used his, tweaking it either way before he locked onto a signal and celebrated quietly. "Got it, this way." He started walking toward the weak signal, breaking into a run as it started to wear out. Wes and Eric sprinted ahead of the others for the garbage bin, throwing open the lid as Jen started to vault inside, stopping at the edge, reaching in and pulling out the morpher, and after a short dig, the traveler.

"Shit." Wes swore and kicked it in frustration. "Where did you look in the bar?"

"The main room, the kitchen, but I couldn't get to the upstairs or the closet in the main bar." Eric frowned. "Got anything to break down doors?" He looked to Jen and the other rangers from the future.

"I can take a door." Katie grinned and started back for the bar, all six of them following her inside. Eric showed her the locked door to the upstairs apartment and Katie easily pulled it from the wall, pulling the hinge completely from the door frame. Eric was surprised at exactly how strong Katie was, but banished the thought as he went up the stairs, followed by the other rangers to cover more ground faster. The apartment had two levels to it, the good stuff was upstairs in a corner bedroom.

"He's been watching us." Tripp looked at the monitors and the multiple tapes labeled carefully. There were dozens, one for each battle they'd been in, and some from their free lance work at odd jobs.

"Creepy." Katie shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. Lucas read through the titles as Trip tried to start the old computer, a version from 2001 he wasn't familiar with, Jen, Eric and Wes kept looking through the rest of the apartment, frustrated to come up empty and return to the room with the other three.

"He's got everything." Trip winced. "Full profiles on all of us, even Bronwyn." He looked to Lucas who frowned and crossed his arms angrily.

"Did you say there was a closet downstairs?" Wes turned to Eric who nodded. "Wouldn't hurt to look there." The two went down, closely followed by Katie who ripped that door off as easily as the first, revealing not a closet, but a set of stairs.

"Rachael!" Wes shouted down the dark stairs, unable to find a light. They waited for a second, silent as they waited for any sign of her.

"Wes!" Rachael's voice came from the bottom, and Eric was down in a second, Wes at his heels. Katie searched for a light along the wall as Jen came down, Lucas and Trip working on confiscating the information up the stairs. But when the light came on, they stopped dead.

"I wouldn't move any closer." Killian had Rachael out of the chair and in front of him, one hand held up in the air in front of her as he had a gun pressed to her temple, the other pinned behind her back. "She's not wearing a vest this time."

"What do you want?" Wes snarled angrily.

"Revenge of course." Killian smiled with an insane glint in his eye. "My father put me here with my son to revenge our family name. The Vakor's will rise again, believe me. But when I saw your lovely sister here," Rachael winced as he squeezed her hand, "I knew Time Force was coming after me. I have to finish this cleanly." He pulled Rachael back so that she could see him. "I'll be kind."

"Like hell." Rachael swore and took advantage of his absent gun position to twist out of his grasp and hit the floor as Eric and Wes rushed forward to try and take Killian down. Rachael scrambled to the other side while the two morphed, grasping onto Jen to pull herself up. Enraged, Killian screamed at the top of his lungs and tore though his outer skin, revealing his original mutant form. "Come on." Rachael went for the door, all too willing to let Wes and Eric take care of Killian, who was bursting from the basement.

"Rachael." Katie helped Jen get her out the door, Tripp and Lucas flying down the stairs to join them. Killian was outside now, Eric and Wes had followed him through the hole. "Are you alright?" Katie asked the girl who was now standing on her own.

"Yes." Rachael's answer was curt, fury in her green eyes.

"Hey love." Brennan's voice made her turn. "Shall we finish what we started?"

"Love to." Rachael promised. Jen pressed her morpher back in her hand, the nod of thanks the only communication Rachael managed. She placed it on her wrist and silently morphed while Brennan tore from his disguise and attacked. The four remaining rangers divided to help both fights, ending up with the four boys against Killian, and the three girls versus Brennan.

Rachael was focused, deadly focused on getting Brennan, or Hinal as he was now referring to himself, down to where they could freeze him. She targeted weak spots expertly, but the fury prevented her from predicting all of his moves. That's where Jen and Katie caught him up and prevented him from harming her any more than absolutely necessary.

Eric tried to hold himself back from ripping Killian to shreds while he prevented Wes from overreacting as well. The two were furious, that was plain to see, but they held back as they held onto the knowledge that Rachael was ok, and battling Brennan with Jen and Katie. Then the bastard grew.

It took them a half hour to retain Killian and Brennan, using all the zords Time Force could send them, including Eric's Q-rex. As the battle finished it was getting dark, Jen and Wes making sure they had both of the mutants contained in the cryro containment tubes while Eric sprinted to where Rachael sat against the wall.

"Rachael." He pulled her into his arms without a second thought to whoever was watching them. She was limp in his arms and silently leaned against him, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck. "Are you ok?" He murmured and she shook her head in his grasp, eyes pressed to his chest, not speaking. The other rangers came over, feeling as if they were intruding, Jen holding onto both canisters as Wes stepped forward and touched his sister's shoulder. Rachael turned from Eric and launched into Wes' arms, giving him a glimpse of her tear streaked face.

Wes buried his own face in the gap between his arm and Rachael's head, holding onto her with all he had left. They held each other tightly, crying quietly for what seemed like forever. Rachael barely felt Wes lead her to the clocktower, and was very confused when she woke up tucked into a blanket on the couch. It was dark, and quiet, and she was alone. Shaking, she went to get off the couch and find someone, anyone, thankfully her quest was short lived.

"What are you doing?" Eric's voice was rough with sleep as he reached up from where he sat on the floor. Rachael silently slid to the floor and curled herself against him where he'd sat up. He put his arms around her. "You passed out before we could get you back here." He murmured, pressing his lips against her temple. "I was worried."

"Sorry." Rachael mumbled. "Thanks for staying."

"Wes tried to make me leave." Eric grinned at the thought. There was no way in hell he was leaving Rachael after what had happened to her that day. Wes had thrown up his hands in defeat, and Eric planted himself next to the couch they'd put Rachael on, falling asleep in the early morning hours.

"I see how successful he was." Rachael laughed weakly, her temple resting at Eric's throat. "It was overwhelming." Her voice turned to a whisper. "It was like losing my mother all over again." His arms tightened around her and she closed her eyes. It was nice to feel safe again; it was nice to feel loved. Her eyes opened as she felt her heart stumble, then fall. It wasn't a prolific moment. It wasn't a sudden realization. She knew she was falling in love with Eric, but now she'd fallen, and there was no hope of getting back up. But she didn't want to.

"You should sleep more." Eric murmured, kissing her temple again. Silently, Rachael grabbed the blankets from the couch and spread them over the two of them. "Wes…"

"Can deal with it." Rachael said softly as she pushed him down. Resigned, Eric put his arms around her, not even trying to sleep until her breathing evened out.

Jen woke at her usual time and dressed quickly, hoping to get down and start coffee before Rachael woke up. The girl liked coffee, she knew that much. But Wes was sitting at the picnic table with a mug in front of him; eyes blurry with sleep, hair messed up, not looking at the couch behind him. Jen froze when she saw Rachael wasn't on the couch but was on the floor, wrapped in the arms of a certain Quantum Ranger. "Are you ok?" She said with Wes and asked as he made a noncommittal movement. "You can tell me." Jen encouraged him, reaching out to touch his arm. Wes looked up.

"They're in love aren't they?" His voice sounded dead.

"Looks like it." Jen glanced at the couple on the floor, wrapped in blankets.

"Just my luck." Wes sighed. "My sister has to go and fall in love with Eric."

"Could be worse." Jen removed her hand and placed it in her lap. Wes didn't speak, he couldn't. Was Jen saying what he thought she was saying?

"Morning." Katie came over and sat next to Jen before seeing Eric and Rachael. "Oh wow." A grin spread on her face. "You ok?" She looked to Wes who took a sip from his coffee.

"I don't want to think about it right now." He muttered darkly. "She's my little sister."

"Man up." Lucas suggested as he came in, putting his jacket on.

"Take your own advice." Wes replied quietly, venom in his voice. Lucas stared for a moment before turning away, adjusting his collar almost angrily.

Smelling the coffee, Rachael cracked her eyes open and smiled at Eric's completely unconscious face. She leaned forward and caught sight of her brother and the others at the table, smiling at Tripp when he saw her. After glancing at Eric again, she put the blanket around him and stood, seating herself next to her brother.

"Morning sunshine." He greeted her, grinning as she stole his coffee and drained what was left of it.

"Morning butthead." She returned, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"You two are wonderful siblings." Katie laughed.

"We try." Rachael smiled. "You guys have food or are we going to the diner?" She turned her head to Wes who shrugged. "We can put it on Dad." She grinned as Wes laughed, nodding. "I'll get Eric." She moved for the sleeping Quantum ranger while the others stood up and got ready. "Eric." She leaned over him and kissed his nose. He grunted and opened his eyes. "It's about six thirty, we're going to get some food at the diner and then you're allowed to go to work." She ordered him.

"Yes, ma'am." He muttered and leaned up to kiss her. Breakfast with all seven of them was rowdy, laughter from all of them lightening the overall mood. With the promise to sleep, Rachael left with Eric, but not before Wes pulled her aside.

"You're living with him aren't you?" He asked as he had his arms around her.

"What are you going to do about it?" Rachael looked up at him with her glittering green eyes.

"Beat his ass if he ever hurts you." Wes promised. "If he so much as looks at you funny I'll strangle him."

"I love you Wes." Rachael laughed and released him. "I'll see you later." Eric drove the SUV, Rachael was unsure how it had gotten there but that didn't matter. Inside they went to the bedroom and both changed, Eric into his work clothes, Rachael into sweatpants and his shirt she'd worn the night before. Eric cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her gently. "I wish you could stay." Rachael whispered.

"Me too." Eric frowned. "I'll come by at lunch, bring some food."

"Ok, if I'm asleep you can wake me." Rachael nodded and yawned, sliding under the covers of their bed. Eric pulled an extra blanket from the closet and laid it over her, kissing her forehead before leaving. Not that he could really focus at work. That wasn't really an option when the girl he loved was sleeping off an emotional trauma and he couldn't' be there for her because he had to work for her father. Somehow he managed to make it to noon, telling Lisa he'd be back in an hour if anyone needed him and picked up a pair of subs from a nearby deli. Rachael was curled up on the sofa, having wrapped herself in a blanket like a cocoon.

"How do you feel?" He asked, sitting down on the end of it.

"A lot better." She admitted with a nod. "Thanks."

"No problem." Eric leaned in to kiss her, getting tackled for his trouble. She assaulted him for a few minutes before looking at him thoughtfully.

"I'm hungry." She rolled off of him and went for the kitchen, finding and opening the subs. Bemused, Eric followed her and took his sub from her and they ate. "That was good, I haven't eaten there before." She commented after she finished, throwing away the wrappers and eyeing the painting supplies still left in the house.

"What are you going to do this afternoon?" Eric asked her and she shrugged.

"Call Bronwyn, maybe paint, or clean. I feel restless." She moved to him and sat in his lap. "Or I could stalk to you to work like a crazy girlfriend."

"I like you non-crazy thanks." Eric grinned. "You're the most uncomplicated girl I've ever known."

"Thanks." Rachael kissed his forehead with a throaty laugh. "I try." Eric held her, face squinted in a frown.

"I wish I could stay here with you." He murmured.

"Me too, but one of us has to earn the bacon." Rachael teased him softly. "Speaking of, I should start looking for a real job now that my mission is done."

"What are you going to do?"

"Well my degree is in French Education. I'd take high school, middle school, or even ESL classes." So comfortable leaning against him, she seemed to mold to the curves in his body. "Or I could just buck it and work for the Silver Guardians." She grinned as he laughed.

"Not a chance."

"Really? I can't even sleep with the Captain to get in?"

"No way." Eric laughed and shook his head. "I'm a firm believer in separating work and private lives." He leaned up, their lips inches apart.

"If you insist." She murmured a breath away from him. "I guess we don't get to make out in the supply closet or have a quickie in your office." His groan told her the imagery worked, and another sign was when he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, lips locked passionately. The bed wasn't made, and they were soon wrapped in the sheets.

"Guess I'll have to find you in other places." Eric grinned as she breathed rapidly under him, laughing at his teasing.

"I think I'll provoke you more often." She kissed him and ran her hands on his bare chest. "You're going to be late if you don't leave now." The reminder was aggravating, but she was right. He slid to the end of the bed and started to dress, getting momentarily distracted when she kissed his shoulders.

"You're making this harder."

"Well then." Rachael stopped and leaned back on the pillows. "I'll see you tonight." She promised as he left without another word. Blissfully happy, she rolled over and dozed for a while, just grateful to be where she was. Sure Eric's house was tiny compared to the house she'd grown up in, but it was bigger than her apartment in Boston. Boston. Rachael got up and put on her painting clothes before picking up Eric's phone and dialing.

"Hello?"

"Hey Roomie."

"Some roommate you are, I haven't seen you in two weeks." Britney's voice came through with an air of annoyance. "Meet a guy?"

"Maybe." Rachael laughed. "His name is Eric."

"Eric. Nice. Slovakian." Britney was a language expert, which made the two good roommates as they would speak entirely in French to one another. "You're moving home then?"

"Yep. Mind packing up my things?"

"Not at all, getting rid of your sorry ass means my boyfriend can move in. But I'll miss the French." Britney laughed. "You're paying for this right?"

"Yeah, I'll send you the money princess." Rachael rolled her eyes. They said their good-byes and she hung up. Permanence. A quick call to Bronwyn got her a lecture from the blonde, angry she'd been left out of the loop for a while, but was willing to forgive Rachael as she looked tired.

"And something's going down with the rangers." Bronwyn looked behind her. "Alex is being tight lipped and I don't like it." She muttered.

"Well I can't imagine it's anything too terrible." Rachael frowned, but as soon as she'd spoken the house shook. "Oh no." She ran from the house and stood in the front yard, staring up that dozens of time portals opening in the sky. People were pouring from their houses to look at the unnatural phenomenon, cars stopping in the middle of the street to watch them slowly rotate. Rachael sprinted back in the house and explained what was happening to Bronwyn before running back out, leaving her car as safe as it could be in Eric's driveway. Listening to the rangers on her morpher, she heard Eric staunchly trying to defend the city with Q-Rex while the Trixyrium crystals were affecting the time portals in the sky. It was a catch-22 situation, Eric was right; they needed to protect the city, despite how Frax and the Q-Rex were causing the disruptions.

Rachael made it downtown after a few minutes and watched Eric use Q-Rex to battle, the other five rangers strangely absent. She anxiously watched the battle proceed, unable to help him even if she morphed and ran into battle herself. Finally, she caught sight of Wes and ran down to meet him as Eric was soundly punished by Frax, buried under a pile of rubble.

"Eric!" She screamed as Wes did, the two siblings sprinted for him as he pulled himself free, injured. Cyclobots surrounded him and he got up and fought more, joined by both Collins'. Wes took the bulk of the fighting while Rachael helped Eric to his feet, making sure he was ok. Wes helped her hold him up and the three made their way to a safe place, Rachael staying with Eric as Wes inspected the area. Eric kept calling into the Silver Guardians, but nothing would go through, all communication channels destroyed.

"You alright?" Wes asked.

"I'm fine, go back to your friends, and you go back home where it's safe." He tried to direct Rachael but she glared at him, not moving from his side.

"They're gone." Wes looked odd as he spoke. "Back to the year 3000. From now on it's just you and me."

"Like hell." Rachael snapped.

"No, Eric's right, you need to go back where it's safe, go find Dad, he'll keep you safe." Wes ordered his sister.

"If you can stay here, I can." Rachael crossed her arms as Eric stood.

"So your friends abandoned you." Rachael barely recognized Eric as he spoke, the words he said were strange, very negative and got Wes angry. She sat back and listened to the men speak about their friendship. Eric began talking, and she was floored. He felt so strongly about their differences in social status and wealth that he and Wes couldn't be friends, what made him stay with her? Wes was speaking back now, about their destinies and their ranger connection. They stayed a while longer, no one speaking or moving, making a run for the clocktower as soon as they could, Rachael and Wes again supporting Eric.

Silent, Rachael went for the stairs and sat on them, watching as Eric and Wes continued their battle of stubbornness, Eric wanting nothing more than to get out of there and fight more despite his injuries. From feeling so in sync with him that morning and moving to now when she barely knew the man was confusing to say the least. He looked at her and tried to talk to her, but she looked away, not ready. Hurt, he turned to speak to Wes about the Polaroids he was holding of his four friends.

"Your friends, how do you know they're ok?"

"I don't." Wes shook his head sadly. The shattering of glass of all sides interrupted them, pinning both men in the middle of the fray, Rachael on the outside, unnoticed by the dozens of creatures. She stood up and backed away from it, trying to find an escape route, but only managing to run directly into who she didn't want to see.

"Nadira." Rachael greeted her with a half smile. "Nice to see you here, really."

"I don't recognize you." Nadira tilted her head. "But Daddy says we need you." A wrinkle appeared on her brow as she spoke.

"You don't sound convinced."

"That doesn't matter." Nadira breathed and her nails elongated rapidly. Rachael tried to duck and dodge away from the pink haired fiend, but she was still tired from the previous day, and fell to her knees. She tried to get up to strike at Nadira, but cyclobots intercepted her, one flinging its weapon at her stomach, debilitating her with the blow to the ribs. She vaguely felt her morpher be removed from her wrist as she fought the pain in her chest and breathed as deep as she could.

She screamed, alerting both men to her plight as she was whisked from the tower. Nadira landed on the bottom and held her arms near Ransik as the clocktower blew up before her eyes. "No." Rachael whispered, terrified of what was happening to her brother, and the man she cared so deeply for. Ransik growled as Wes and Eric barely escaped. Infuriated he lashed out at the nearest target, and Rachael happened to be there, getting the full brunt of his backhand. Ransik's attack hit her squarely on the face and she fell, as if she was falling forever, unaware when exactly she'd lost consciousness.

The next thing she heard was her name. Her name repeated over and over by the most terrified voice she'd ever heard. She wanted to open her eyes and see who it was, but she couldn't. "Please Rachael." Now she felt rocking, and the voice was familiar. "I know you heard what I said; I never thought that about you. I don't know why you're different, but you are." That phrase pinpointed it. Eric. Desperate to open her eyes and see him again, she struggled, but it wouldn't work. His voice faded in and out, more repeating of her name and calling out to her to wake up. Unable to hold on she slipped and fell into the blackness, its cushioning embrace the most uncomfortable feeling she'd ever felt. Time began to blur together uncomfortably, with no sense of time she didn't know when she was awake and when she was sleeping, or what time it was. Or who was with her.