disclaimer: I don't own the power rangers. Also I don't own Zeri and Saryn, I read their name on Starhawk's website and thought they were cute.

timeline: Nine years after 'Better Late Than Never'.

A/N: I don't know the exact timeline, so I'm making up my own.

summary: Something has it's eyes set on ranger children. Every ranger is scared of losing his or her family, especially Andros.

the-power-of-love; Hope this is soon enough.

Dark-Kimberly-Hart; Well, here's more.

Jeanka; Want to know what the problem is? Read and find out, it's here.

Lucy; I got chapters in line waiting to be published.

k; I will continue alright, I love to write.

Protecting The Next Generation

Chapter 2

Ashley heard the front door open. Soon her four children walked into the kitchen.

"Mommy!" Brian cried and ran into her arms.

Ashley picked up the young boy.

"Hey, mom." The others greeted.

"Hey kids, how was your day?"

"Boring." Armin answered.

"I could have staid in bed and I wouldn't have missed a thing." Paige yawned.

"I've had more fun." Wyatt smiled and handed his mother a note.

"Fun!" Brain exclaimed.

"Any homework?" Ashley asked.

"No, finished it already." Armin and Paige answered at the same time.

"I'll be in my room doing it." Wyatt said with a sad face.

"And what are you going to do?" Ashley asked her twin.

"Play with Brian." Armin smiled and pulled his telekinesis-ball out of his pocket.

Brain grinned and tried to escape his mother's arms. Ashley smiled and put the boy down.

"Have fun, you three." She called after them as they ran outside again.

Once they disappeared Ashley looked at the note Wyatt had given her. As usual it said Wyatt and Nathan had been trying to create havoc in the class. Laughing she put the note aside.

Wyatt was very much like his father in character and if you put him near Nathan, the two reminded people of Andros and Zhane when they were younger. Wyatt had, just like Paige, Andros' hair and her eyes. His hair was cut in the same way the first blue ranger, Billy, had cut his hair. (She had met him a few times when she visited Carlos on Aquintar.) In his left ear he wore one earring.

Paige was a sweet girl. She could be the bubbly child Ashley had been herself, but she could also be as serious as Andros. Her hair reached her shoulders and most of the time was pulled into a ponytail. Both her ears were pierced and she had a whole collection of earrings. Every time a ranger visited they brought a new pair for her.

Armin was more like his father than his twin sister. He was serious, but knew how to life and when in company with the right people, he was as mischievous as Wyatt. The right people were mostly his siblings, his cousins, Hayden and Ty'lee, Cassie's and Saryn's son, but Ashley was sure the other rangers children would be too once they were a little older. His hair was cut shortest of all. (A/N: Think PRZ Jason.) Armin wore, just like Andros, two earrings in his left ear.

Brian had been, just like his oldest brother and sister, a surprise baby. After Wyatt, Andros and Ashley hadn't really expected her to get pregnant again, but he had been a welcome distraction. When Ashley found out about Brain, Andros had been very busy with trait-talks and whatever more. Ashley's pregnancy had been a perfect excuse for Andros to spend more time at home. The only big thing he had done since they found out was fight the remains of the Machine Empire with ten other red rangers, since he had been monitoring them for a long time and had promised Tommy to help. Brain was also the only one to have both Andros' hair and eyes, but the rest of his features were Ashley's.

All of her children were special in Ashley's eyes; Armin being the only one with her hair colour, Paige being the only girl, Wyatt being the only one of her children who was left handed like her and Brian being the saviour of her marriage to Andros. She wouldn't deny the fact that Andros being away from home so much had affected their marriage. Slowly they had been growing apart and if that had continued much longer, she feared they would have divorced. She wouldn't have left KO-35 though. It was her home and always will be, but she was glad the marriage had survived and Andros was still at her side.

The front door opened again.

"Ashley?" Karone's voice yelled.

"In here." Ashley called back.

Karone and Zhane came walking in.

"You got a note too?" Ashley smiled.

"Sometimes I wonder why he even bothers." Karone smiled back.

"Want something to drink?" Ashley asked.

"If it isn't to much trouble." Karone replied.

"That would be great, Ash."

"Thee?"

"Sure."

"Why not."

Ashley quickly made three cups of thee and the three of them went to sit in the living-room. Through the window they could see Brian running between Armin and Paige, who were telekinetically throwing Armin's telekinesis ball between them.

"So what did your note say?" Ashley asked, once they were seated.

"Nathan and Wyatt tried to create havoc." Zhane grinned.

"But nobody really dares to do anything about it, because of us." Karone said.

"And they don't seem to get that they do it because they're bored." Ashley sighed. "But they always do their homework at home."

"Both Zeri and Nathan are doing their homework right now. They do that most of the time when they get home." Karone frowned.

"Same for Wyatt, but Armin and Paige seem to have finished their homework at school most of the time."

"They have a nice teacher. That could be the reason they work so hard." Zhane grinned.

"Zhane." Karone warned and hit him on his arm.

"Ouch, that hurts you know."

"Don't be such a baby." Karone laughed.

Zhane opened his mouth to reply, but was cut of by cries from outside. The three turned to the window and found the three children had moved out of their sight. It didn't take long for the three to return into view and continue their game.

"What was that all about?" Zhane asked.

Just as Zhane had said those words, the front door opened for a third time and only seconds later Andros entered the room, looking dead on his feet.

"Hey honey, how was your meeting with Taikwa?" Ashley asked as Andros dropped down next to her.

"Bad." Andros grumbled.

Ashley offered him her thee. He took it and sipped it gratefully.

"Thanks."

"Why was it bad?" Karone asked her brother.

"It seems we've got trouble." Andros sighed.

"What do you mean?" Zhane asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.

"It means everyone possessing a morpher has to report at Eltar for a debriefing about a possible threat." Andros replied.

"Is it bad?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah, it seems that whatever it is, is after the children of rangers meaning our kids are in danger." It was obvious Andros was not comfortable with it at all.

Ashley's eyes immediately wandered to her playing children outside.

"Wouldn't it be better if we called them into the house?" She asked nervously.

"They'll be inside soon." Andros replied. "It looks like it's about to rain any minute now."

Andros hadn't said the words or small raindrops hit the window.

"Want to stay here for dinner?" Ashley asked her friends.

"Well..." Karone stared, but noticed her brother's pleading look. "Alright, but only if you let me help with the food."

"Naturally."

It started to rain harder and the front door opened again. Armin, Paige, Brian, Zeri and Nathan entered.

"You called, dad?" Zeri asked.

"Yeah, we'll be eating over here tonight." Zhane answered. "Finished your homework, yet?"

"Yes." Zeri answered.

Nathan just held up a data-patch.

"I don't get it." he sighed.

"Maybe you should pay some more attention when you're at school, then you'd get it." Karone said.

"Go upstairs, maybe Wyatt does understand and you two could make it together." Ashley smiled.

"Thanks, aunt Ash." Nathan smiled and ran upstairs to his cousin's room.

"Want to help me and Karone with dinner, Paige?" Ashley said, turning to her daughter.

"Sure." Paige replied.

"Can I help too?" Zeri asked.

"Of course you can." Ashley smiled. "The more the merrier."

The four walked into the kitchen. Armin noticed by his father's posture, that he wanted to talk to his uncle, without being overheard.

"I'll go play with Brian in his room. I'll be able to keep an eye on Wyatt and Nathan at the same time."

"You do that." Andros smiled weakly.

Armin picked up his little brother and left the room. As soon as the door closed Zhane turned to his friend.

"It's worse than you let on, isn't it?" Zhane whispered, well aware that any normal conversation could be heard in the kitchen.

"I didn't want to worry Ashley and Karone, especially not with three children alone outside and two home alone." Andros sighed. "I don't know what to do, Zhane. I can't lose them."

"We're going to that debriefing, right?"

"We have to and that worries me. Ashley holds a morpher too, she'll probably flip is she finds out how bad it really is."

"What about Karone, she was a ranger too, remember?"

"Yeah, but she 'returned' the morpher to Kendrix, so she'll probably won't get in and even if she could get in, I think she would rather keep an eye on the children."

"We'll get through this, Andros. I promise you. Let's just not think about it for now and enjoy tonight. How many times do we have dinner with our families together anyway?"

"Not enough."

A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review. I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I was on holiday in France with my family. I wanted to update this chapter before I left, but Fanfiction wasn't cooperating.