Trust, Nighlok Kevin had told her. He said that if he was going to rely on her to help him recover, he needed to be able to trust her.

And he said he couldn't trust her unless she trusted him. So Mia woke up that morning in the same position she had fallen asleep in, (not that she had really slept). Her arms were bound and pulled high over her head, suspended by a tree branch above. Her feet were also bound tightly and there was a blindfold over her eyes. She felt helpless, but Nighlok Kevin told her that was good. If she felt helpless and allowed him to take care of her, he would know she trusted him completely. Mia fought back a bit, insisting he didn't need to do this, but he had his way.

"Wake up," she felt a light slap across the face. Why did he always pick the face, she had to wondered. Then he opened her mouth and stuffed something into it. It was warm. It was food. He was feeding her breakfast.

"I've thought about your suggestion," he told her as she chewed, "convincing the others I need help. What if I like who I am now?"

She swallowed, "You're not you…"

"And if I like that? If I'm happy with whatever this… head injury turned me into? Are you happy with that? We are getting married. Marriage is about loving someone, for better or for worse. In sickness and in health. Do you still love me, or do you love me because you think you can get me back to who I was before?"

Mia hesitated with her answer, unsure what the right thing to say was. She pulled a little against the ropes, "You're hurting me."

He grabbed her face, "Do you still love me?"

"Do you still love me?" maybe if she turned the question around, she could go home.

"How I feel about you makes no difference anymore. If this relationship is going to continue, you will need to commit yourself to me."

"You wear the pants?"

"Of course I'm wearing pants!"

"I mean, you're in charge. If I do what you say… you'll be happy?"

"Yes," Kevin answered. Mia looked in his direction, but couldn't see anything because of the blindfold.

"There's just one problem, if I don't come home, the others will come look for me. I'm supposed to be back by now, with or without you."

Suddenly her arms dropped in front of her, and then the ropes around her wrists fell away. Same with her feet. Kevin grabbed her neck and pushed her forward.

"Tell them you aren't coming back."

"You'll have to come with me. Show them we'll be happy together, that way they'll know to leave us alone. Then I'll leave with you. I promise."

"Do I…"

"Me leaving will hurt them," Mia hated to toot her own horn, even if it was to help her friends; "They've relied on me for a lot. I've got to let them know I won't be there for them anymore. That I've chosen you over them."

"Then let's go," Kevin pushed her along.

-Samurai-

"Emily, you have a special visitor," the door to Emily's room opened as Terran wobbled in, with Serena right behind him. She was coming into the room to get him ready for the day, and she hoped having him around would cheer Emily up just a little.

Emily buried herself under the blankets and didn't say a word. Serena sighed. She hadn't spoken since Mike had been ripped from her arms. She was worried Emily had fallen back into a silence.

Serena lifted Terran onto the bed and then started to look for clothes for both her son and her sister, "There's work to be done. Maybe that'll take your mind off Mike for a bit. You know he wouldn't want you slipping away from us. He would be the first to tell you to stay strong."

Serena looked to the bed and saw Emily hadn't moved. Terran was trying to figure out if the hard lump of blankets was actually his aunt.

"Emily, c'mon," Serena dropped some clothes on the bed and pulled the blankets away. Exposing Emily. For Terran, it was like a magic trick and he looked up at his mother to see if she would do it again.

Serena did do another trick. Emily jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. Serena had made her disappear.

"Emily…" Serena sighed. She lifted Terran off the bed and then called for James to come and get him changed. When her fiancé arrived in the room, Serena went to look for Emily. She found her with Mike. She lay in the bed with him and had wrapped herself up in his arms. Serena couldn't imagine it was comfortable. Mike's body was cold now. Emily was whispering something to him. Serena couldn't quite catch what she was saying. Great, she thought, she talks to the dead.

Serena approached the bed and put her hand on her sister's shoulder, "Come with me, Emily."

Emily shook her head and buried her face in Mike's chest.

"Serena!" Jayden called from downstairs and it sounded urgent. Expecting Mia to come home any minute, Serena hoped it was time to end Kevin's Nighlok once and for all. She gave her sister a kiss on the cheek and against her better judgement she left her in Mike's arms. She bolted down the stairs and saw everything falling into place. Kevin, Mike, and Emily were all upstairs. Even James was hidden away on the second floor with Terran. The only people ready to face the Nighlok were the ones strong enough to do so.

Nighlok Kevin shoved Mia forward, "Tell them."

Serena stood beside Jayden and whispered in his ear, "I don't want him running away. He dies or we die."

Jayden nodded and pulled out his Samuraizer behind his back. He traced several of the protective symbols and sent them to surround the farm. Kevin, the Nighlok, couldn't cross them. There would be no running away. It was do or die.

For everyone.

Mia, seeing the protective symbols were activated, knew it was safe to defy Kevin. She shook her head and went to stand with her friends. Serena pulled her in protectively.

"We know what you're up to, Nighlok," Antonio said, "You're not messing with us anymore."

"A trap?" the Nighlok looked to Mia angrily, "You led me right into a trap. I controlled you!"

Serena pulled Mia behind her and stormed over to Kevin. She shoved him into the wall, "Say that again about my sister. I dare you."

"I control…" Kevin head was slammed back into the wall. Serena then lifted her knee, hitting him between the legs. As he collapsed from the pain she looked over her shoulder at Mia.

"Now he's got a head…" Serena's legs were suddenly taken out from under her and she hit the ground hard. She was forced to take a minute to catch her breath while the Nighlok went to another Samurai and attacked. He grabbed Jayden by the arm, but the red Ranger fought back. While Nighlok Kevin was distracted with Jayden, Antonio attacked him from behind.

-Samurai-

Upstairs, as Emily lay with Mike, she could hear there was something going on downstairs. There were grunts and cries from her friends, and things were being smashed and knocked over. Emily hugged Mike a little closer, hoping he could hide her away from all the chaos going on.

Mike didn't do anything. He wouldn't do anything, he was dead. She sat up and looked down at him. At the very least, he looked peaceful.

The door opened as James walked in with Terran. James didn't want to leave Emily alone while there was a fight going on downstairs. He wasn't sure what exactly was happening, but he knew that if she was seen, Nighlok Kevin would know Mia had lied to him. Then again, if there was a fight going on, Nighlok Kevin had already assumed that. Still, James wouldn't leave Emily by herself.

"It never goes away," he told her, "but it'll get easier."

Emily didn't say anything. She just continued to stare at Mike, hoping this was all just a lie and he would come back to her.

There was a knock on the door. She didn't hear it but James did. It was Kevin, and he had a confused look on his face.

"What's going on?"

At the sound of his voice, Emily's head snapped up. Kevin, he was responsible for everything. He had beaten her, surely he had been the one to tie Mike up and kill him. In fact, she didn't doubt that fact at all. With poisonous eyes she looked at him. Kevin saw her glaring daggers his way and held his hands up.

"I know what you're thinking, Emily. I'm sorry."

Emily jumped off the bed and lunged for Kevin. James was quick to grab her and hold her back.

"Nighlok! Kevin was a Nighlok! He hurt Mike, not our Kevin!"

"Octoroo kidnapped me," Kevin explained and showed Emily all the bandages and scars, "I would never hurt you, Mia, or Mike. Please, Emily…"

Emily struggled and pulled. It was hard for James to hold onto her, especially with Terran in his arms as well. He looked over to Kevin. He was going to have to let her go.

"Run downstairs. Mia brought the Nighlok home."

"What?"

"RUN!" James cried and let go of Emily. Seeing nothing but rage in her eyes, Kevin knew it was best to listen to James and he took off running, Emily hot on his trail. Kevin ran as fast as he could down the stairs, nearly tripping several times, but he reached the bottom and ran right into the crowd of Samurai and right past his Nighlok look-a-like. Emily made it down the stairs only a few seconds after he did and saw him running to her friends – specifically to Mia. Then she laid eyes on what seemed to be impossible – but she knew it was true. There was a second Kevin. Instantly she knew this was the Kevin who hurt her, who hurt Mia, and who killed Mike. She shifted her target to Nighlok Kevin. She wanted to kill him.

"Emily!" Serena tried to stop her, terrified Emily was in no condition to fight, but before she could do anything, Emily was already locked in a battle with him, and her rage gave her the upper hand. Nighlok Kevin, as many times as he hit her, couldn't hurt her.

"I will end you," he cried as he staggered back, clutching his ribs after Emily kicked him. Emily didn't give him much time between attacks and was already lunging for him again. He had to move quickly, he knew he did. As she came towards him he held out his arm, catching her by the neck and then he lifted her up. Emily couldn't breathe. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull her weight up and she kicked her legs out, hoping to hit Kevin and he would let her go. Without lowering her to the ground, he pulled her in closer, "Find the boyfriend, yet? He's not in the mountains, I promise you that."

"Put her down, Nighlok," Serena growled and Nighlok Kevin saw he was surrounded. The Samurai stood around him, all ready to attack if he didn't heed Serena's warning. James had come down and was standing on the last steps. He too looked ready to kill.

Even Terran, the little baby, looked to Nighlok Kevin angrily as his aunt fought to breathe.

Emily's vision started to blur, but she had one last chance to win this fight. She let go of his arm with one hand and reached into her back pocket and wrapped her hand tightly around her Samuraizer. As she pulled it out, her Spin Sword took its place in her hand. With all the strength she had left, knowing she had nothing to lose, she swung her sword, aiming for the Nighlok's neck.

But she wasn't strong enough to leave more than a little nick in his skin, and she was losing more and more strength every second. Her friends were coming in around her to help defeat the Nighlok, but they didn't kill him. Before her vision went black, Emily saw Mike push her sword through the Nighlok's neck, cutting it right off his shoulders. With the Nighlok gone, his hold around her neck loosened and she dropped to the floor.

"Symbol Power! Flames!" Jayden shouted. He wanted to be sure the Nighlok was gone. Cutting his head off wasn't enough. His body, everything, needed to be destroyed. Flames engulfed the monster and as they died away, Kevin disappeared.

"That's… awkward," Kevin muttered and looked to Jayden. The red Ranger tucked his Samuraizer away.

"Sorry for… killing you."

"Had to be done," Kevin shrugged his shoulders and looked to the burn marks on the floor. Mia wrapped her arms around him and nestled into him. He could tell she was upset. Everyone seemed upset.

Serena dropped beside her sister and pulled her into her arms. Emily's vision was coming back to her. She hugged Serena tightly but she was looking around for Mike. She had seen him. He had saved her. He had been right there in front of her.

"Mike?" she coughed out and pulled away from Serena, hoping to get a better look around the house. Mike was nowhere to be seen. She rushed upstairs and into his room. His body was exactly as she had left it.

"I guess," Antonio whispered as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, "sometimes defeating the Nighlok doesn't bring everything back to normal."

Downstairs, Kevin leaned over and kissed Mia, "I'm so sorry…"

"It wasn't you," she shook her head, "It's okay."

Kevin shifted slightly and to his horror he saw Mia flinch. He couldn't believe it. Well, he could, but he couldn't. She was saying one thing, and he knew she wanted to mean it, but it was obvious the opposite was true. He backed away from her, tears in his eyes. If he had only been stronger. If he had only gotten home sooner …

"Who will you blame for their suffering?"

"You," Kevin growled. "You're doing this. That Nighlok is your creation, following your orders…"

"I'm just doing what you're telling me to do," Octoroo shrugged, "If you told me the secret to the Sealing Symbol, I could end this now. I would call off my Nighlok and let your friends live in peace while I worked on my plan. You refuse to help me, and you know that your refusal is only causing them pain. You are hurting them."

"It's my fault," he whispered, "I could have done something. I… I let it happen."

"Kevin, no," Mia shook her head, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I love you. I trust you…"

"You… you can't," Kevin turned around and tried to run away from the house. Mia caught him by the arm and pulled him back in. He raised his hand, only trying to pull himself free but Mia flinched again. She saw the horror on his face after she flinched and tried to pull him in a little closer.

"Kevin, I…"

"Let me go."

"I don't want to," Mia shook her head. She finally got him close enough to throw her arms around his neck and hold him tight. She wouldn't let him go.

"Please stay, Kevin," Jayden begged him, "You won't help anyone by leaving."

Kevin held his hands away from Mia. He was terrified to touch her. His hands, though they belonged to a Nighlok, had hurt her. He would never let his hands hurt her in any way again.

"I just… I need a minute," Kevin said, hoping she would let go. She didn't, but Jayden came around and pulled her away from him. Then he gestured to the stairs.

"You can take it in mine and Antonio's room," he said, "Just please don't leave the house."

Kevin nodded and looked to Mia's eyes. He could see she didn't want him to go.

"I'll stay. Just… give me a minute."

With that he went up the stairs and everyone heard the door close.