Backwaters

Part Seven: Shots of Blood

By: Kryptonite

Disclaimer: takes a deep breath I do not own Power Rangers. If I did I would not have to worry about money ever again.

Spoilers: Only slight if any at all. I won't have a whole lot of reminiscing so this shouldn't be a real concern.

Summary: AU. Kimberly's back after two years in Florida and five in hiding in her old house. She has a younger sister and everything past MMPR is void. It never happened. The Rangers aren't needed anymore and they all have their own lives. The following pairings will be present this whole thing: Jason/Kimberly, Tommy/Kat, Billy/Trini, Adam/OC, Rocky/Aisha and possibly Zack/OC, but I'm not sure if he'll show up.

A/N: Inspiration! Ideas! My muse back from Russia! Yay! I've probably lost all of my readers but who knows, maybe one or two of you guys are still hanging around. If you are, even if you aren't, I'm sorry. I say that a lot but I mean it. I just didn't know where I wanted this to go. Anyway, we meet Bryan's dad. Enjoy. (P.S. QUICKEDIT SUCKS!)

Riley walked into an empty house. A note had been left on the counter for her from Kimberly and Jason. She smiled slightly before setting to cleaning the house again. Riley clutched at the counter for a minute as a wave of dizziness passed over her.

Shaking her head slightly she went into the living room and pulled the vacuum out of the closet. The house was sparkling from top to bottom when Riley went to lay down in her room hours later.

" Riley?" Kim asked, pushing open the front door. Jason and Adam followed her in.

" Kim!" A voice called from down the street. The three turned to see Bryan come running down the sidewalk, terror clearly written on his face. Kim held the door wide open before slamming it shut behind the boy.

" Are you okay?" A nasty bruise was starting to form on Bryan's face. He nodded, taking large gulps of air to try and quite his breathing. Just as he was starting to get his lungs under control, someone started pounding on the door.

Adam ushered the boy into the kitchen to give him some water just as Riley came pelting down the stairs. She opened the door just wide enough for the knocker to see her but not be able to pass.

" Can I help you?" Jason stood off to the side, clearly visible to the angry man.

" I want my son." He snarled out, spittle coming from between his lips. Riley blinked a couple of times, wiping away a few spots of water that had rained on her face.

" You can have him when you stop beating him. Until then, Jason help." Riley spoke quickly, moving to close the door on the bigger gentleman. Jason jumped to help, shoving with all his strength to close the door. Riley slung all three locks home as he continued to pound on the door.

" Go lock the windows and back door, would ya? Kim?" Riley asked, looking for her sister. Kim was already calling the police.

" No, this is not a prank call. He's going to break down our door. If you will not do anything about the abuse he's raining on his child than do something about the abuse he's giving our house!" Kim screamed suddenly as a rock sailed the window. Glass crashed to the floor and over Kim's body.

" Kim!" Riley screamed, pulling her sister from the wall and into Jason's arms. Riley went to the closet and grabbed the shotgun her father hid there. Cocking the gun she went to the front door. " Get in the kitchen Jason. Now." More rocks were thrown through the window as the phone lay on the floor. Glass covered the carpet, some of the pieces lodging in Riley's skin.

" What are you-"

" NOW!" She screamed. Opening the front door she leveled the shotgun at Bryan's father. " Mr. Walters I'm asking you to leave my property. Now."

" Make me." He yelled back. Another chunk of stone was thrown at Riley. She ducked and it bounced off the doorframe. She shot the grass right next to Mr. Walters' feet.

Cocking the gun she again leveled it at his head. " Next time I won't miss on purpose."

Indecision was written clearly on his face but it wasn't until the sirens were heard in the distance that he left, Riley following him with the gun as he backed his pickup out of the driveway and down the street. Shaking Riley lowered the gun and slumped against the doorframe.

" You okay?" Adam asked quietly, coming to help her into the house. The front door was left wide open but the officer still knocked politely, looking to where Riley was sitting on the steps to the second floor, shotgun still in hand.

" Miss Hart?"

" Yeah?" Riley asked getting her shakes under control and returning to her usual tough persona.

" We received a call from your residence."

" No duh." Riley muttered. " My sister placed a call because Mr. Walters was trying to break down our door. Then he started throwing large rocks through our living room windows, which if you look to your right you can see the evidence of. At this point I opened the door and told him to leave. I fired one warning shot into the ground near his feet and said that if he didn't leave my next shot wouldn't miss."

" Do you have a permit for the weapon."

" Yes ma'am." Riley looked as Kimberly came in from the kitchen holding the permit they had renewed when they returned home. " Right here." The officer took the slip of paper, looking over it and then taking a critical look at the gun.

" You can see exactly where I shot the gun and, unless it disappeared, the bullet will still be in the ground. You'll also note that only one bullet is missing from the weapon. I want to file charges for property damage." Riley spoke while handing the gun to the other officer.

" We'll have to get Mr. Walters side of the story but…" The woman faded off as she looked at the damage to the living room windows.

" BRYAN!" Riley cried causing those nearest her to flinch. Bryan came slinking slowly out of the kitchen, trying to keep his face hidden. " I also want to file assault charges." Riley moved Bryan's head to show the growing bruise. It was an ugly yellow/purple color and was simply getting worse.

" Of course. I take it your Bryan?" The woman asked, looking down at the boy. He nodded slightly scared. " I'm gonna have to ask you to come down to the station for a little while, okay?" She looked at the four adults silently asking who was going to come with them, Jason and Kim volunteered.

Riley waited until the police cruiser had left before moving to pick up the broken glass.

" Riley-" Adam noticed how badly Riley was shaking as she bent to clean up the mess.

" Can you go get the plastic wrap and duck tape please? I wanna get the windows boarded up before bugs decide to take up residence in my house." Riley spoke quickly, throwing the sharp bits of glass into the trashcan. Adam nodded moving into the kitchen to grab what Riley had asked for.

" Like this?" He asked, placing the plastic wrap over the windows and taping down all for sides.

" Yeah. Ow!" Riley cried sucking on a finger.

" You okay?" Adam asked, crouching near Riley, avoiding the glass still littered on the floor.

" Yeah. I just need to pick up the really big pieces and then I can vacuum the rest of it up." Riley started mumbling to herself, continuing to suck on her finger.

" You aren't clotting." Riley didn't look at Adam.

" No I'm not." Adam watched as she continued to pick up the glass pieces.

" Why?"

" My body doesn't produce enough something other so it takes longer for cuts and such to clot." Riley muttered still ignoring Adam as she continued to pick up the see-through shards.

" Does Kimberly know?"