Jason's face was white as a ghost. He was shocked, surprised, and confused. He just stood there staring at his rescuer. The rescuer laughed, finding Jason's reactions amusing. "You okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost…"

Jason blinked his eyes a few times, as if to make sure this really was happening; that this wasn't just a dream. When he finally realized this was no dream, but for real, everything else didn't seem to matter. "I don't believe it. Is it really you, Tommy?" asked Jason.

"You better believe it….And yeah it's me….well sort of..." answered Tommy referring to his faded ghostly form.

For a long moment, the two old friends just stared at each other in silence. It seemed so long ago since they had seen each other, but it hadn't even been a full year. But it felt like it had been, in fact it felt longer.

"I've missed you…….Everyone has…….especially Kim..." said Jason softly, his face sad and depressed.

Tommy gave a faint smile. "I know. I miss you guys too, but I'm around. I visit from time to time. You, the others, Kim and the boys……I want to thank you for being there for them. I know it hasn't been easy on Kim having to raise them without me…"

Jason's look then became alert. Did Tommy know he had feelings for Kim that went beyond friendship? "Look, about that, Tommy……if you saw……"

Tommy stopped him before Jason could finish what he was going to say. "Jason, it's alright….."

Jason wasn't sure if he heard things right. Did Tommy just say 'it's alright'? He looked at Tommy, confused. "W-What?"

"I said it's alright. I'm okay with it, really. I couldn't think of anyone better than you who could really be there for Kim, every second of the day…."

Jason gave a faint smile, not sure whether he should be happy or sad about this. For so long he had been telling himself that it would be an act of betrayal. And now Tommy was basically giving him his blessing to be with Kim.

"I don't know what to say…..You know neither of us are ready for that kind of thing….." answered Jason.

"I know," Tommy looked Jason directly in the eyes, gripping Jason's shoulder. "But when you both are ready, I'll be okay with it…..I promise I won't come and haunt you guys..." chuckled Tommy.

Jason gave a faint smile, as if part of him had been hoping Tommy would be angry or upset with the thought. Tommy knew it would take a lot more than what he had been saying to get through to Jason.

"Jason, it's not an act of betrayal, not to me. And please don't feel you have to push others away, because you're afraid you may be replacing me….."

Jason was about to answer, until Tommy raised his hand. "Let me finish. I know that you will never take our friendship for granted. I know you'll never forget about me, because we share something that can never be replaced. We may not be blood brothers, but you are like a brother to me Jase….."

Jason was doing all he could to hold back his tears. "Pretty good brother's…." smiled Jason.

"The best." Tommy then glanced up to the sky. The sun was shining brightly; it was a clear blue sky. "They're calling me back…" Tommy looked at Jason once more.

A big part of Jason wished he could make Tommy stay forever, but he knew he couldn't. It was beyond his power. "Do you have time for one more hug?"

"I think I can manage that…"

"…I've never hugged a ghost before..."

Tommy laughed lightly. "That makes two of us….."

The two old friends hugged and patted each other on the back. Both of them seemed to be struck with the memory of the last time they had said goodbye to each other. Slowly the two pulled away. Jason stepped back a foot letting Tommy know he was ready.

"Take care Jase, and tell Kim and the boys that I love them…."

"I will. Goodbye Tommy…." said Jason softly.

Jason watched as Tommy's figure faded away until he could no longer see him. Although it looked as though he was alone, Jason knew he wasn't.

"Anything Billy?" asked Andros as he hunched his shoulder. It had been a little over an hour since Billy had teleported them back onto the ship. Ever since then they had been trying to lock on to their missing comrades Jason, Wes, and Jen.

Billy pushed a few controls and buttons and stared at the screen. All they could see were green lines and one large red dot, the red dot being them. Billy looked over his shoulder. "No, nothing, either they're too far out of range or……Let's just hope they're out of range…." sighed Billy.

The ship fell into a deep silence suddenly all the injuries they had received during the battle didn't matter. The unknown whereabouts of their friends was all too much to handle. They didn't know if they were alive, hurt, dying, or dead. Andros turned around and found the others looking at him. Everyone had a bandage or two around some wound, but the only thing he was seeing were the depressed and concerned faces. They had won the war, but it may have come at a cost. Andros bit his lip; this was the part he hated about being a leader. Do you give up and go home, or do you keep going until you find what you're looking for? He knew very well that none of them wanted to leave, no matter how bad off they might look. But Andros also knew they would have to go back home soon; some of their injuries needed medical attention. And although he knew most of them would fight it off, they needed to get it taken care of soon.

Andros' eyes locked onto Eric's determined face. There was no way Eric would be leaving, not without Wes and Jen. He knew Eric would put up a heck of a fight if they left now, even if he had a large cut on his head, blood dripping through the bandage. And then there was Ashley to be concerned about, the ship's power wouldn't be able to keep her alive for much longer; she needed real medical attention if she was to live. But there were three other lives to be concerned about. Sacrifice the one for the many. Of course the one sacrifice was his wife. Andros put his head down, sighing; he didn't know what to do. Either way someone would die. The problem was he didn't have the heart to choose.

"I'm picking up something….." announced Billy.

Was there a chance? Everyone gave him looks of hope…Billy pushed a few buttons and then on the viewing screen they saw the Phantom Ranger. Any spark of hope they had seemed to fade away. It wasn't that they didn't care about the Phantom Ranger; they were just hoping to find their friends. Everyone stared at the screen for a long moment. Nothing was happening.

"Billy. Why isn't he talking?" asked Rocky.

Billy pushed a few buttons and waited. "It's a message…..but that's impossible…."

"Nothing is impossible…remember that, rangers…" The rangers and Billy listened very closely to the Phantom Ranger's message. "As long as you always believe in yourself you will be able to do great things. Even if you have to give up certain things, things you thought you could never live without...."

Andros knew who that message was meant for. He sighed heavily. He then felt someone grip his shoulder; he turned his head and found Zhane, his best friend, someone he knew he could always count on.

"….I want you to know that Zordon would be very proud of all of you, even those of you who never knew him. You have fulfilled his prophesy, a job well done, rangers. The CellBorgs are no more, so with that being said, I bid you farewell, rangers, and may the power always protect you....." The message turned off and the screen went blank.

Not much was said, just a few comments here and there. It was mainly Billy, Andros and Zhane who wanted to know what had happened to the Phantom Ranger. As far as they knew the Phantom Ranger could not survive without the ruby, or so it had been said. The three drew away from the others and talked among themselves.

"Were you able to pick up anything else on him?" asked Zhane.

Billy shook his head. "No. Nothing. I couldn't even get evidence that his ship had been there, it's as if it disappeared in thin air, like it was never there…"

"Like a ghost? But he's not a ghost…he's as real as you and me. Isn't he? Andros?"

Andros had a blank look on his face, as if he hadn't been listening to what the two had been talking about. Zhane waved his hand in front of Andros's face.

"Hello, Earth to Andros. You in there?"

Andros shook his head and then glanced at Zhane and Billy. "You okay, bud?" asked Zhane.

"I'm fine…I was just thinking..."

"About?" asked Billy.

"Well, call me crazy, but what if the Phantom Ranger really is a ghost?"

"WHAT!" both Billy and Zhane answered.

"Andros, you sure you're okay, maybe you hit your head a little harder then we thought……" laughed Zhane.

Andros just shook his head. "I'm fine, but it would explain how he's able to come and go whenever he pleases, and leaves without a trace….." Andros pointed out.

"Yeah, but…"

"But then again not much is known about the Phantom Ranger….." added Billy. And that's how it was left. None of them would probably ever see the Phantom Ranger again; for all they knew this could have been his last stand. Is he a ghost or isn't he, that would be something they would always wonder. It would explain some things if he was a ghost, and maybe it was better they didn't know. Have it be a mystery, because - just maybe the Phantom Ranger would one day ride again.

Wes, Steelix and Jen all lay on their faces, covered in debris and sand. The building they had once been in had burnt to the ground, and was still smoking. Wes's hand was dragging though the sand pulling closer to his body. Slowly he lifted his head up, he felt dazed and confused. He was outside. How had he gotten outside? The last thing he remembered was being in the burning building with Jen. And then he noticed it was light out. How had that happened? He didn't know. Wes tried to push himself up, but his right arm hurt too much to push his body up. His body dropped down hitting the sand.

Wes took a deep breath and turned his head, finding Steelix and Jen only a few feet away from him. "Jen?...Steelix…." He couldn't tell if they were alive or dead. He himself wasn't sure if he was even alive. Wes faintly searched the area around him, but saw no one around; he slowly then felt tiredness and blackness coming back to him. "No…can't sleep…have to…." He continued to fight it for several more moments, but it was becoming all too much for him to handle. Wes then looked up once more to the distance and saw a figure heading right at him. Wes tried and tried to keep his eyes open, but he no longer had the strength to do so. Soon the blackness came back to him. Wes's head dropped back into the sand.

"Wes….." Jason ran to his side, dropping to the ground. He quickly felt for a pulse. He waited several wrenching moments until he felt Wes's pulse. "It's faint, but you're still in there…." Jason then saw Steelix and Jen not too far from Wes, only a few feet or so. They both looked in bad shape; Steelix looked the worst.

"Ja….son…" Wes moaned. Jason turned his attention back.

"Wes, can you hear me?" asked Jason.

Wes's look was blank; he appeared to be pretty out of it. Jason saw him open and close his mouth but no words came out, only soft moans, and then Wes's eyes closed shut once again.

"Just hang in there, buddy…." Jason then raised his wrist up to his mouth getting ready to contact the others, but that's when he noticed his communicator was missing. "Dang! I must have lost it during the fight…." He sighed. There was no way he could be able to get them all back, carrying one of them a long distance on his own would be hard enough, let alone three. Then it hit Jason, Wes's and Jen's morphers were connected with Eric's. Jason reached down on Wes's wrist where the morpher was and unstrapped it. "Hope this works..."

He pressed down on the communication button. "Eric, do you read…" There was a long pause that seemed to last forever until Jason got a response.

"Wes? Is that you?"

"No. It's me, Jason….but Wes is with me, the same for Jen and Steelix……"

"Are they okay? Can I……."

"Eric, look, I don't know what their conditions are, but it doesn't look good. You and the others need to get over here as soon as you can…."

By the sound of Jason's voice Eric knew it was serious. "I…I understand. What's your location?"

"It's the area where the building had been spotted….."

"Okay. Will get there as fast as we can. And Jason….."

"I won't let anything happen……"

"Thanks. Quantum ranger out……"

Jason then put Wes's morpher back around Wes's wrist. "Help's on the way….." said Jason softly.