*************************Campsite***********************

"That's really awesome Tommy." Kat smiled, she knew she shouldn't be paying so much attention to Tommy but it just came so naturally. Something about Tommy enthralled her and she loved any time when it was just the two of them talking. She found him so easy to talk to and she wanted him without really understanding why.

She had been attracted to him since she first laid eyes on him on the falcon zord. Even when she knew nothing about him but now the more she was getting to know him. The more she was falling in love.

"It was nothing Kat." Tommy said, he loved talking about his karate accomplishments.

Bulk watched the scene and frowned over his hand of cards. Was Tommy really so clueless? Katherine was not being subtle at all with her flirting. Or maybe Tommy was disloyal and a player? He was definitely basking in the attention and he seemed to forget all about Kimberly when he and Katherine talked. It was so dark now yet the white ranger seemed to have no concern about where Billy or Kimberly was. Bulk wondered if the others had noticed. This 'friendship' was gonna cause problems in the group unless Tommy nipped it in the bud.

And Bulk knew where his loyalty stood, with Kimberly. She had protected him and Skull from that first moment in the bedroom. Even when Zedd had his claws on her she had lied to protect them. He put down his cards. 'I fold." He said to Justin and Skull before getting up from where they were playing.

"Hey loser!" Bulk suddenly shouted when he was just a few feet to the white ranger. The tone of voice was more starting than his actual words. "Ain't it about time you went looking for your girlfriend?" he emphasized the word, while looking at Katherine.

She blushed an had to look away from the accusing gaze of the wooden toy. Right, Kimberly. Tommy's girlfriend... what had she been thinking? She was making a fool of herself. Practically throwing herself at Tommy.

Tommy blinked, snapping out of whatever trance Katherine always seemed to put him in. "Oh crap." He said looking at the sky about him. It was late, dark and cold. How could he have just forgotten about Kimberly? What was wrong with him? He was being a pretty terrible boyfriend. He deserved to be called a loser. "Guys!" he shouted to the other rangers. "The others should have been back hours ago."

"Do you think they got lost?" Aisha asked. "Maybe they went out too far and got turned around."

"I don't know but we should... Whoa!" Tommy shouted, ducking on instinct as a bolt of red laser fire shot overhead. Striking the rock wall behind the camp site sending small stones tumbling down. "We're under attack!" Tommy instantly powered up along with the rest of his team.

"I don't see anyone!" Rocky yelled from behind cover. The rangers waited but it had gone quiet.

"I don't get it." Justin said. "Shouldn't there be bad guys or something?"

The desert was silent save for the sounds of the wind rolling the sand.

***************** Cliff top***********************

Kimberly cried out as something hot passed just above her ankle. Before she had a chance to react, a shadow was upon her. She panicked, moving her hand to strike this foe but her blow was easily blocked. "Kim it's me!" Adam was on his knees beside her. "I'm sorry Kim. There was a scorpion on you." Adam explained, while pulling off her shoe and sock. She was singed slightly but the burn was not serious. "I had to get it off before it stung you. I'm sorry."

Kimberly tried not to shiver. She remembered how dangerous Billy said the desert scorpions were. And snakes and spiders and not to drink cactus juice and a bunch of other things that didn't matter right now. "That's twice you've saved me Adam. Thank you."

"It's no problem. What are friends for?" He gave her a smiled as his hood disappeared. "Speaking of, what are you doing up here all alone?" Adam worried, Kimberly looked so very sad. He hadn't seen her this sad since Billy went bad and the fight in the bedroom a week or so ago.

"I have some bad news..."

********************Camp site******************************

"Still nothing?" Aisha said. It had been over 15 minutes of the rangers just waiting in cover for another attack. "This is giving me the heebie jeebies."

"I say we charge up the path. Take the fight to them." Rocky offered.

"But it might be a trap." Katherine replied.

Tommy frowned trying to think of what to do. What would Jason do?

"Has anyone seen Adam?" Justin's voice broke through Tommy's thoughts.

Tommy put his hand to the side of his head. "Tommy to Adam. Did you just fire your blaster?"

"Yeah Tommy, I did. Sorry I should have called in as soon as Kim was safe. I'll explain when we get back. We're coming back down the cliff path now. It's really dark... so please don't shoot us." Adam couldn't help but add that last part.

"It's was Adam." Tommy said, demorphing. The others followed there leader's action.

"Why did Adam fire his blaster?" Justin asked.

Tommy shook his head. "Don't know but he said he would explain."

There was a shuffling sound as Adam came into the light of the fire. Kimberly was leaning on him for support.

"Kim!" Tommy was at her side in an instant even as Adam helped her sit on a pillow by the fire. He noticed the missing shoe and sock... and the laser burn on her ankle. "Beautiful, are you okay?" he touched the burn and Kimberly hissed a little in pain. Guilt burned Tommy's heart. Kimberley had been hurt, the one person he wanted to protect more than anything in the universe, the one girl he would lay down his life to save without a second thought, and she had been hurt right near camp. Because he had been too preoccupied with... Kather...with everything.

"It looks worse than it is." Kim said.

"Tommy move over. Let me get a it wrapped." Aisha said, gently nudging the leader with her hip. Her hands full of the first aid kit. "I'll get some burn gel on it Kim and get it bandaged. It will feel better soon."

Kimberly gave Aisha a smile as she started to doctor her up. While she did so Tommy put a hand on Adam's shoulder and led them a few steps away to talk. "You shot at Kim?" It was half question, half conclusion.

Adam didn't care for the look in Tommy's eyes. It reminded him of the look Billy had, right before attacking him and declaring Kimberly belonged to Billy and only Billy. "I shot the scorpion about to bury its poison stinger into her leg, yes."

He could tell Adam was telling the truth. Tommy immediately let go of Adam's shoulder and sighed, rubbing at his face. That's twice Adam had saved Kimberly's life. Twice that he, her boyfriend, a power ranger, had failed to do anything to protect her. "Sorry Adam."

"It's fine." Adam replied. He had no choice for it to be anything but fine. They were a team now but... "You know I would never hurt her, right?"

Tommy dropped his voice. "Adam I... what happened when you were Kim's slave? I don't doubt her..." Tommy tried for a word. "Innocence... but I wasn't up there and I have to know. Did you and she...?" Tommy let the question hang in the air.

Adam frowned, his voice stern. "No."

"Right I just... I needed to know. Kim's seems so distant and I just... I want everything to be okay again."

Adam felt anger bubble into his words. "Its been a week! Give Kimberly a break! She went through some awful, horrible things and what I saw Zedd do was only the tip of how she and Billy were submitting to survive. It was terrible. That whole castle was a living nightmare." Adam absentmindedly reach for his neck, as if he could feel the collar that was no longer there. "If you want to know what happened, ask her. But you've got to trust us. If we say nothing happened, nothing happened. We're friends Tommy. That's all." And Adam would never force himself on a friend, or any girl for that matter, even if the collar had killed him. He never would have done... that to Kimberly.

Tommy next words were so sincere that the anger in Adam melted away. "You're right. I won't bring it up again. I trust Kimberly and I trust you Adam. I'm sorry."

Adam gave him a smile. "Its cool man, and I trust you too."

Tommy was about to speak when a shout of "BILLY!" brought his attention back to the fire. Billy had returned, looking rather tired but he smiled at them. "I'm sorry for my absence, but it was necessary. Oh, Kim, you're hurt?"

Kim waved off Billy's worry. "Just a little burn. I'll be fine."

"Billy where have you been?" Rocky asked. "We were getting worried."

"And where's Alpha and Ninjor?" Justin added.

Billy smiled a bit. "They are at the command chamber, with Zordon."

"You found it?" Katherine wondered.

"No more sleeping outside?" Adam asked.

Billy still smiled. "Well the command chamber really isn't up for habitation yet but we can make it work until Alpha and I construct some bed rooms. It will be much warmer, though I am unsure if metal floors would be preferable for sleeping over sand."

"Anything better than sand." Rocky said, he had sand in places he didn't even want to think about.

It was Kimberly who noticed Billy's hands were full with something shiny. "Billy, what are you holding?"

Still smiling he laid the items out on a rock by the fire. They glinted in the light like golden stars.

"Watches?" Justin asked.

"Communicators! Awesome Billy!" Tommy praised, patting his friend on the back.

Rocky had already instinctively reached for the red one. "Wait so we can use these to talk to each other?"

"And so much more then that. Zordon can let us know when there's trouble and we can active teleportation from them too." Tommy was already clipping the white one to his wrist.

Kimberly gave a quick count, eight communicators and eight of them. "You made eight of these in five hours?"

Billy picked up the darker pink one and brought it to her. "Yes, it was a quick process having already made them before. What took longest was waiting for the enamel colors to dry." As he spoke Billy clipped the watch to her wrist carefully. It was a perfect fit. "I got this color by mixing your original pink with a drop of Jason's red. I thought you might like to know that."

Kimberly nodded, happy to have a tiny part of Jason with her. After Billy, Jason had been in her life the longest. Then Trini and Zack had come right around the same time. She still missed them.

There was only one communicator left when Billy turned around, a dark blue one. He put it on without hesitation and saw the questioning look on Kimberly's face. The others were trying out the watches, distracted by the new toys, as Billy turned Kim spoke. "Why that dark blue?"

Billy put his opposite hand over his watch. "A touch of black to remember what I did." His soul still felt stained with evil. He would have to tell them sooner then later.

"Oh Billy..." Kim reached for his hand to comfort him but he pulled away. A smile was back on his lips as he addressed the others. A smile Kim knew was fake.

"If everyone's ready I suggest we teleport to the command chamber. Zordon is waiting."