Gia did her best to console her friend. Emma had vented everything she needed to, and Gia was happy to be there for her. She recognized the value of Emma getting this all out of her system, but it was still hard because now that everything was out in the open, neither of the girls knew how to deal with it.

The yellow ranger pulled her friend in closer and gave her a loving squeeze. "I know that things are looking really bleak, but don't give up hope. We're all here to help you. I know that any of us would do anything for you, so whatever you need, let one of us know. This whole time, we've all wanted to support you and we will do anything in our power to help. Everything is so hard because you're doing it alone. We're here for you, Emma. I'm here for you."

Emma sighed. "The reason I ran after Vrak like that yesterday was because I got emotional. When he tracked down my morpher to the hospital, he saw that I was with Gavin, and wanted to find out who he was. He hacked into the hospital database and found out about Gavin's medical condition. Vrak knows that Gavin has survived years with a cancer that usually kills everyone who has it, and he has become fascinated on why that is. He wants to take Gavin away to experiment on him, hoping that he can find what makes Gavin different. If he can identify that, he's hoping he can use it in some way to make himself stronger, or reverse-engineer it into something that can kill the rest of the human population."

Gia's face clouded over with disgust and rage. "Emma, that's horrible..."

"I didn't want to tell you guys because I thought you'd bench me since I was too emotionally invested. Clearly, Vrak got in my head and I could have been killed because of my own recklessness. I know it doesn't mean much, but I really do promise I won't charge in like that again. I'll even tell the others about it the next time I see them, and whatever they decide is best for the team, I'll abide by. It's just hard for me to keep control when I know what kind of danger Gavin is in. And I worry that I'm not good enough, or even strong enough, to protect him. What's stopping Vrak from marching into my house anytime and taking my brother away from me?"

"Emma, I promise you, as long as I am still living and breathing, I won't let that creep touch a single hair on Gavin's head. I'm sure the other rangers feel the same. He's become like a little brother to all of us, and we care about both of you. Don't shoulder the burden of protecting him all by yourself. Whenever you're not around, we'll make sure there's a ranger with him at all times. We'll keep him safe."

Emma's voice was reduced to a hoarse whisper. "I just don't know what I'll do if I lose him."

Gia tried to rub soothing circles into her back. "You're not going to."

The girls continued to sit together for another half hour, staring at the water without saying a word. Finally, Gia broke the silence.

"Em, I know it doesn't feel like it, but you're doing enough. More than enough. I don't want you to ever feel like you've failed your parents, Gavin, or any of us. Your father is a fucking asshole, and that's why he was abusive. That was not your fault. And I think in her own twisted way, your mother does love you. She should have fought harder for you at every corner, I absolutely fault her for not trying harder, and she should have been the one protecting both you and Gavin. Not you protecting both of them. But she's doing all she can to make sure you guys are okay now. Maybe she's a little late, but she's trying her best to take care of you guys with the given circumstances.

And don't you ever feel like you've failed us, or that you're not pulling your own weight. I can say with certainty that none of us feel like you've ever let us down. If anything, we would be completely lost without you. Don't think I haven't noticed the way you protect me in battle. Or the others, for that matter. You'll take a blast if it means one of us doesn't have to get hurt. You are the most loyal and selfless person this planet has ever seen, and I really love you for that. I sometimes get frustrated because you never prioritize your own health or safety, putting all of us before you, but that's only because it scares me.

I'm terrified thinking about the possibility that you will get hurt in an effort to protect me. That idea haunts me constantly, and that's why I get upset. But I know that you won't ever stop looking after us because you care so much, and I am grateful to know I have someone so strong and passionate watching my back. I don't know what I've done to deserve having you in my life, but I couldn't imagine being without you. You're not just my best friend... You're my sister, and you've made me into a better person. I'll say it as many times as I need to in order to get it into your head, but you are enough."

Emma opened her mouth, but Gia cut her off. "I'm not finished yet. It breaks my heart to hear that you're giving up on your hope and your passions. Maybe you don't know who you are, but I still do. You're the same Emma I've always known. My caring, selfless, and kind best friend who does everything in her power to protect the people she loves. You're buried under all your responsibilites, but you're still the same person you've always been. Gavin's tumor is slowly shrinking, and when he gets it surgically removed, he will live cancer free. You have to believe that is going to happen, because without hope, what else is there? What other reason is there to keep going?

And when you can stop worrying about putting food on the table, or paying for treatments, a huge weight is going to be lifted from your shoulders. You're going to start loving all the things you used to love, because passion as strong as yours doesn't go away. You just need to keep fighting. You've given up everything in your life to take care of Gavin, and it will all have been worth it once you see him smile for the first time, without a tumor in his brain. But you need to make it to see that day. Okay?"

Emma nodded slowly. "You really mean all that?"

Gia gave her the most sincere look she could muster. "Of course I do. With every inch of my heart."

Emma continued to look out at the water as she scooted closer to her best friend. Gia's look of sincerity transformed into one of sadness, witnessing the way her friend was suffering.

"Maybe you really should call your mom. I give credit to the effort she's putting in overseas to send money, but you guys need a real mom here. You've basically gone your whole life without a mother taking care of you, and I now know how hard that really is. Everything about what she's loaded onto you is extremely unfair, and you shouldn't have to feel this way. Like you're not doing enough. Because you really are. You've put your entire life aside to take care of him, just like she asked, and it's hurt you so much that I doubt you'll be able to fully heal from it.

You keep talking about how you need to keep pushing because Gavin deserves a normal life, but so do you. Up until now, you've struggled more than anyone I've ever known, and you've had your entire childhood taken away from you. Emma, you said it yourself. You're not even an adult yet, and you're basically raising your little brother on your own. Your mom just expected you to be able to do all that by yourself, and asked you to put aside an opportunity for a happy and normal life because she couldn't make ends meet. She knows what you went through at the hands of your father, and it was wrong of her to ask you to take on all of this the second he got out of your life. She needs to get her ass over here and help you now."

The pink ranger shrugged. "I don't see what good that's going to do. Unless my mom can find a job here that pays more than what she's earning in Paris, nothing is going to change. In fact, it could even become harder. The only reason I'm able to do things so freely, especially with ranger duties, is because I don't have parents scrutinizing my every move. I know that maybe having her here could help at least emotionally if not financially, but I don't even want her to come until Vrak and the Warstar are gone. Plus, if she comes, that's another person who I'm going to have to protect, and I don't want any more of my family members to be put in danger because of me."

Gia muttered a string of expletives under her breath. "I swear on my life I am going to kill Gosei. I hate that he chose you for this, knowing everything else that was going on in your life. Having these kinds of responsibilities and an abusive father was bad enough, and he thought it would help to pile on the fate of the world too? I will-"

"Gia, it's okay. You're right about one thing. Once we defeat the Warstar and Gavin finally gets better, things in my life will return to normal. And my mom will be able to come back and live with us. Maybe with the extra money not having to pay for treatments, I'll be able to go to college too. I don't know. But I'd like to find out."

Gia smiled. "So, wait... does this mean you're okay? You have hope for the future?"

The pink ranger shook her head. "No. But maybe someday, I'll get there. Thanks for talking to me about all this. I genuinely don't know where I'd be without you."

Her friend pulled her off the bench, and both girls started heading for their bikes. "Nowhere, obviously. You'd be totally screwed."

Emma tried to shove her lightly, but Gia took off and reached the bikes first.

"Can't get mad at me if you can't catch me!"