Title: Family Ties

Part Twenty-One: Its Harder Then It Seems

Author: Kryptonite

Disclaimer: I own Danni, Elizabeth, Mrs. Kelly, Andrew, Kevin, Officer (Jared) O'Brien and Bobby. I think that's currently everybody.

Spoilers: Very, very, very few.

Summary: Tori, Blake (slight), Danni, Cam, Sensei, Shane, Elizabeth, Marah, Zurgane, Kevin, Hunter & Dustin (implied), Kapri (mentioned). Elizabeth gets a surprise and then the Rangers find out some disturbing information.

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Danni stretched, making her back crack as she sat up in the bed. Suddenly she was pulled back down to the mattress as Cam sleepily blinked up at her.

" It's not even five yet." He mumbled. When it looked like Danni was going to wriggle her way away from him, Cam rolled over, putting more of his weight on her body. " Go back to sleep."

Danni smiled and obliged her soon-to-be husband.

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" Kapri?" Marah questioned, knocking on the door to the bathroom in the apartment that she and Kapri shared with Zurgane. When there was no answer Marah rattled the doorknob and finding it locked.

" Zurgane?" Marah called over her shoulder, getting the man's attention from the room over.

" What's wrong?" The three hadn't been in their normal forms for so long. Marah could barely remember what Zurgane looked like as an alien.

" Kapri's been in the bathroom for an hour now. You know how she's been lately. I'm scared she'd do something stupid." Zurgane nodded and motioned for Marah to step back.

Zurgane took a running charge at the door, slamming into with his shoulder and breaking it open. Marah looked in past the doorframe, more frightened but what she didn't see than what she did see.

" The window's not nearly big enough. Where'd she go?" Zurgane questioned the girl, turning to look back at her. Marah just shrugged.

" We have to tell them."

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" Sensei?" Elizabeth's voice was heard from down the hall. While it had been odd at first to have a rodent sensei, Elizabeth had gotten used to it just as soon as Cam managed to break the spell on his father.

" Yes Elizabeth?" Sensei turned to see the eleven-year-old come into the room.

" Have you seen Dad?" A little bit after Shane and Elizabeth had moved into Ninja Ops Shane had become the seven-year-olds' father. Four years later and they still hadn't found her real family.

" He's still at work. Though I am supposed to take you to Aunt Tori's house."

Elizabeth's eyes lit up at that thought, wanting to see Kevin. The boy may have been six years older than her but that didn't stop the crush from settling on one of her friends.

" When are we going?"

Sensei smiled fondly at the girls' enthusiasm. " As soon as you are ready to go." Elizabeth bolted for her room, changing into normal clothes and pulling tennis shoes on.

" Ready!" She shouted, running as fast as lightening past Sensei. Kanoi just shook his head and followed at a more sedate pace. " Are you coming or not?" Elizabeth called as she raced back down the stairs.

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" Happy birthday!" Elizabeth walked straight into the surprise party. Streamers were everywhere in Tori and Blake's little house, presents were piled on the table and cake was being held by Tori. Shane was standing next to Tori, a smile on his face.

Elizabeth grinned and did a running leap at Shane, causing him to stumble and nearly fall backwards. " Thank you." She whispered before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Elizabeth let go and scrunched her eyes up tight before blowing out the candles on the cake.

" Presents!" She and Kevin made a dash for the present tables trying to decide which ones to open up first. All of Elizabeth's school friends and the two of Kevin's friends gathered around the table as Elizabeth opened her birthday presents.

" Guess cake comes next." Tori commented, happily setting the iced creation down on the little table in the hallway.

" Tori this is amazing, I can't thank you enough for doing this." Tori just smiled, Blake coming to wrap his arms around her waist.

" Not like we could do this at Ninja ops."

" Still. Thank you." Tori didn't have time to respond as a knock sounded at the door.

" I'll get it." Danni commented, walking the two steps to the doorway. " Marah." Danni said in surprise. The alien woman nodded, stepping inside the doorway, followed by Zurgane.

" What are you doing here?" Despite having lived in Blue Bay Harbor for four years, interaction between the Rangers and the Aliens had been minimal.

" Kapri's missing. Given her continuing… dislike," Danni snorted at the comment, closing the door behind Zurgane. " Of the Rangers we figured it would be a good idea to tell you."

" What do you mean missing?" Shane questioned, sparing a glance for the partygoers opening gifts.

" She…" Marah trailed off not sure how to put it.

" Kapri's been in a slump lately. Stopped going to her job, got fired, stayed at home all day. Today she went into the bathroom and didn't come out. When we got the door open she wasn't in the bathroom. The window was open and even if it was, it's too small for her to fit in."

The Rangers looked around at each other, not sure what they were supposed to do about this.

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Doyles-always- Bad news as in Shane's parents. Anyway, I finally updated… took me way too long.

CamFan- Sorry 'bout that. Yeah that probably is why I have no reviewers.

You know what's twisted? I was trying to make this the last chapter and I just couldn't. I tried so hard. Anyway, for those of you who didn't quite get it, this is four years in the future from the last chapter. I basically just jumped started you into the future.

Character Updates (In Chapter):

Danni and Cam are engaged.

Tori and Blake are married.

Elizabeth and Shane still live at Ninja Ops.

Elizabeth is twelve now.

Sensei is no longer in rodent form.

Bye all, have a good life.