Disclaimer: I do not own any characters related to Power Rangers they are owned by Saban/Disney et. al

I do however own all things Tanzetti and reserve the right to reuse them as I please.

*****

Marcy took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. She'd been standing outside the door to Billy's garage lab for ten minutes trying to think of the best way to approach him. She hadn't meant to hurt him, but she couldn't bear the thought of making him like her. Not having powers may have hurt him, but from her point of view bonding would be a curse compared to a life without power, she just hoped she could make him understand why.

The overhead lights were off, but she knew he was there. She could hear the soft clicking of computer keys at the workbench. He didn't look up, or stop working as she approached him.

"Billy?" He didn't move, or acknowledge her presence so she reached out to touch him arm and he pulled away.

"I know what he showed you. I wish I could take it away."

"It's not just that," Billy said. He leaned his palms against the workbench and looked down. "You think I don't know those images were a lie? It's…it's everything! You! I don't even know who you are. I thought…"

"Billy." She reached out again and he turned away.

"You destroyed an entire planet!"

"That's what's bothering you?"

His back tensed as he took a deep breath, the way he did when he needed to be calm. "That and other things."

"Tell me." Marcy took another step closer when Billy turned around quickly. His eyes were red from the stress, but he looked straight into hers with no abandon.

"What did you see when I touched you?"

Marcy shook her head. "That doesn't matter."

"Was I dead?"

"No."

"Was I with him, with Baylin?"

"Billy please!"

He took a step forward and Marcy automatically took one back. "Zordon said Baylin wanted to use the bonding to control you," he said so coolly Marcy shivered. "What if you bonded to someone else? Would that stop him?"

"I don't know," Marcy said.

"What would happen?" Billy asked.

Marcy hesitated. If she told him now he'd want to go through with it, he'd offer himself up to protect her and possibly die with her. "There's a chance that the right candidate could take the Tanzetti power by proxy. Then there would be two warriors to face Baylin, more power to fight him."

Billy took another step and Marcy had to lock her knees to keep from stepping away. "But I can't take that power," he said. "I'm not the right candidate."

Marcy opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. The lie was there, so simple. No, Billy, you're not. She couldn't say it. After several tries all she managed to say was, "It's not that simple."

"Of course it's that simple," Billy said, his voice rising.

"No," Marcy said. "Bonding is permanent. It's an old magic, more powerful than anything I've ever seen in the universe. There's no undoing it. You're still young, you have choices and options. Bonding with me now will change all of that."

"But you'll die," Billy said. "You'd rather die than be with me?"

"I'd rather die than take away your future. I can't do that to you. There's no guarantee it would even work. I don't have time to train you, to teach you what you need to know to use you're power. We could bond and he could still kill us. Do you really want to take that risk?"

He stepped forward then and grabbed her by the arms. She was shoved against the bench, assaulted by the sudden wave of emotion flowing between them. She felt every ounce of anger he held for her, every bit of resentment and pain. She also felt something else, just below that, his love, his passion for her. The fear and passion he'd felt when he knew she was in trouble. The love that drove him to rescue her without thinking about the consequences for himself.

It was all too clear what his answer was, but it wasn't enough to change hers.

His eyes were blazing as she read all of this from him. Then he let go of her abruptly and stormed from the room. She made it to the other side of the garage just as he slammed the door shut. She pounded uselessly, calling his name, but he didn't come back. He wouldn't now.

"Billy!" she screamed. "You have to understand."

Then she took a deep breath and said the only thing she could think of that might change his mind.

"It was the white rose," she said. "The one you brought me to apologize. It's how I knew you were in trouble. I knocked it off the counter and broke the vase and when I went to pick it up I saw a flash of you being attacked by cogs and the Rangers showing up too late. I've never had anything like that happen before. I've never been able to see anyone before without touching them. I didn't know what it meant then, and I still don't, but something is different between us. Something about you makes it different."

There was no response from the other side of the door. "Please Billy," she begged. "I don't want to spend my last night on earth alone."

Still no response. Marcy stood there for what felt like an eternity waiting. Billy didn't come back, she didn't know if he could even hear her. Finally, she couldn't cry anymore and the sunlight was disappearing through the thin garage windows and she knew it was hopeless.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the unopened door, then teleported away.

*****

Tommy landed on the rocky ground of the cliff where Marcy had told the Rangers to come. The others surrounded him landing at the same time. Marcy was already on the cliff waiting. The deep purple light of pre-dawn. She turned to face them when as they approached.

"You brought it?" she asked.

Rocky stepped forward holding a large case. He set it on the ground between Tommy and Marcy and Tommy knelt down and opened it. Inside the multi-colored Zeo crystal glowed softly in the dim light.

"I'll need a conduit," she said. "Something to draw the power from."

Tommy stood up. "That would be me."

Marcy smiled. "Actually your morpher should suffice."

Tommy nodded, grateful he wouldn't have to be part of the process. He took off his Zeo morpher and handed it to Marcy.

"Zordon will monitor everything from the Command Center," he said.

He saw Marcy nod, looking down at the gold metal cuffs in her hands. He watched her fingers trace the round edges softly. "He's not coming, is he?"

Tommy felt something clench in his chest. "He's not answering our calls, phone or communicator. I…no, I don't think he's coming."

He heard a sound that reminded him of sniffle and Marcy looked up toward the horizon. "We should get started."

She walked to the top of the mound, Tommy following her with the Zeo crystal. He set it on the ground where she indicated. "I'll call the Tanzetti power first, then the Zeo power. You won't be able to morph once I activate the power."

"I understand," Tommy said.

"You should go back to the Command Center."

Tommy shifted a little but stood his ground. "We'll wait here."

Marcy turned to him, a loose strand of hair blew into her face and she pushed it aside. "If Baylin or the shadow warriors come I won't be able to protect you."

"Just get started," Tommy said. "I'll take care of the rest."

Marcy nodded. Tommy knew she didn't want to put the others in danger, but he wasn't about to leave her, powers or not. She turned to the horizon, her back to all of them and spread her arms wide. She had a piece of his Zeo morpher in each hand and he couldn't help feeling a little vulnerable. If Baylin did attack the only choice would be to teleport back to the Command Center. He supposed it would be wiser to do that now, but it didn't feel right leaving Marcy here alone. He found himself wishing Billy had answered his call this morning, he'd feel a lot more secure knowing his best friend was standing with his finger on the teleport button, just in case.

Just as the sun rose he felt a strange twinge in his stomach. A vibration rose though his feet, subtle at first, but slowly increasing as the light of day came over the mountains. A soft sound in the same rhythm as the vibration came to him, and reminded him of singing. He couldn't make out words, or even a specific voice, it was more an instinct that made his mind interpret it as musical.

He listened to the sound, enveloped by it. The pink and orange light of sunrise was washing over everything and he felt oddly at peace. He looked around and saw the others standing still, eyes on the horizon and knew they were entranced the same way.

Then the light changed, flashing up from the ground and the next thing Tommy knew he was facing a black sky, a sharp pain in the back of his head. There was screaming and banging all around him and he thought for a second he was floating. Then his body caught up with his mind and he realized he was on the ground, flat on his back. He rolled over, feeling the stability when he could see the ground beneath him.

He stood and turned just in time to see a shadow warrior flying towards him. He ducked the warrior flew over him, rolling through the sand several feet away. He heard someone call his name and saw Marcy running down the mound. He ran towards her but blue lightening crashed down between them and he fell back.

"Tommy, catch!"

He saw her throw the Zeo morphers at him and got to his feet in time to catch them.

"Morph," she said. "Morph now. Go!"

He opened his mouth to object but then he saw something past her shoulder. King Mondo himself, grown to gigantic proportions was wading through the desert and coming straight for them.

He looked over his shoulder and saw the other Rangers battling shadow warriors. He quickly slipped his morphers around his wrist and called the Zeo power.