Kiana awoke from a dream world with a jolt her mind groggy. Her vision light and still unfocused as her head spun at her quick movement. A groan escaped her lips. She felt her hand touch a cool metal. Her hand jerked to shield her eyes as she adjusted to the light while she could hear someone yell:

"Dim the lights!" Suddenly the blaring lights were mere sunset lit. Her eyes started to adjust rapidly, though she was still confused. She had not a clue as to where she was . . . she was even borderline confused about whom she was and why she was wherever this place seemed to be.

Kiana was laying on top of a doctor's table in the SPD Medic room. At her slow movement she felt ice hands touch her left and right wrists. A tearing sound revealed someone, a helper, unstrapping velcro and pulling her wrists down to cuff them. Followed by yet another dedicated person holding her ankles so that they could be cuffed also. She gritted her teeth at the person holding her broken wrist. It hadn't been wrapped yet, fully.

"Watch out for her wrist." The person's voice was most obviously a male's. More importantly it didn't sound menacing or cruel; like sky's, but caring and gentle. The person who'd spoken came to the side of the chair with materials. She could sense him near her, his telepathy hitting her on high definition. The male gently took a hold of her wrist while someone else near her spoke soothingly. After a minute, her wrist prepped they laid it gently down and strapped it lightly in. Taking great care until they could get her a cast.

Her mind started working the kinks out of its system and she started to fully come-to. The person had a green aura as she saw through lightly shut eyes. It had reminded her of the man from yesterday. But she was unsure.

As soon as her strength returned, she started to lightly test the bonds, but she was held firmly. She stilled, at the touch of someone resting a hand over her forehead.

"She's warm . . . better check her temperature." An authority's voice broke the silence.

"Let me go!" She spoke hardly above a whisper. " Jack - " A thermometer was jammed into her mouth the moment she opened it. As Kiana formed those words, it was before she realized the content. Jack was not and probably could not help her even if he wanted to. Though that did not stop her from praying that he would. Her vision finally cleared and she saw people dressed in the SPD uniforms.

"Oh no," she groaned, "this can't be happening."

It was her worse nightmare come true and there was nothing she could do about it. A beeping sound came from the thing in her mouth and someone's hand plucked it out.

"It reads 102.5"

"I could have told you that. Well not exactly since I am not a thermometer but I meant that-"

This time she tilted her head and immediately recognized the Green SPD Ranger; Bridge. He smiled at her reassuringly but inside he was full of worry. She hadn't looked good when she was brought in and now she was before them in an even worse condition. Bridge grabbed a chair and sat by her side while they continued to test her.

"Why? You reading her like a book?" Bridge was cut off by SPD's royalty; Syd. Syd had come back from her shopping trip early and found Bridge running in the direction of the infirmary. At first she was alarmed, sure it was one of her partners in distress, but relaxed when she was told what happened.

" Like I said sorta...and like Sky said she's empathic...but you and the others weren't there but you know cuz like i am telepathic, we just kinda get each other."

Bridge rested his gaze from Syd back to Kiana. He wanted to ask questions but was not sure if now would be a good time for him to start drilling her. Especially when it had taken them hours to get her out of her state of comatose.

Kat Manx studied the looks of Syd, Kiana and Bridge. Carefully she recorded the temperature reading in a chart. Her mind strayed to the yelling and arguing just outside the door. Every other minute she'd see the door open only to see it slammed shut again. Kat knew Jack had a right to be furious but she also considered Sky's point of view relevant. In short she wasn't going to take sides. The only side she would assume in would be that for now Kiana's medical condition was one of her top priorities.

Kiana stirred. The noise felt amplified and entirely unbearable.

"Too loud." Came the soft, hushed voice. Her ears ached with the arguing and her mind spun with the empathic feelings of hatred and unsuppressed rage.

Bridge's hand shot out and grabbed a cloth, dipped it in a water bowl and patted it on her forehead.

"Shhh...relax..."

Amusingly, among them she actually felt safe.

Jack and Sky were just about ready to start a fist fight. Jack's temper was no longer calm and Sky's cool, steadiness was thrown off when he found out who was in the infirmary.

"I can't believe this! You're choosing her over us." Sky's hands clenched together. He kept trying to count to ten and relax but it wasn't working.

"No. I am saving an innocent against your cruelty!" Jack fought back by shoving Sky. Sky shoved back and in moments the duel had begun. Each desperate to win, for the sake that they were both right. Luckily Z was bringing back up once she saw the fight start to smolder.

flashback

Jack had her in his arms back in the processing room and Z opened the door to let him out. Only seconds later as they shut the door and Kiana's limp hands rested around Jack's neck were they found out; by a ticked off Sky.

Sky had stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the picture before him. He forced himself to take action. Starting by storming over and demanding that Jack put her back where she was.

Jack had obviously refused and Z was backed into a corner.

"Way, to go, bro." she said to Jack. "Sky we were just making sure she wasn't at risk."

Z knew the handbook by heart but she also knew Sky. He was a total by the booker and that made life so much more difficult. Z called upon her fast reading of it to try to find a loophole otherwise the consequences would be unbearable.

Bridge had seen the whole start of the argument and persuaded Jack to give him the girl. Promising that she would be taken care of . Bridge refused to listen to Sky's orders even though it grieved him. He had always trusted Sky so this was a change he was not sure would end well. Bridge needed Sky's trust but Bridge also knew to follow his heart. So he took her to the one person he could have thought of Kat Manx.

present time

Z's back was against the wall and she quickly shook her head.

"You, betrayed us Z, you're just as faulty as Jack. Hand over your mo-"

Sky's voiced died down slowly. He set his jaw firmly and remained alert as two visitors bounded the corner. Both disheveled and alarmed. The male's face gave an innocent expression.

"Captain Lei...I didn'...you...good evening Sir." Sky finally croaked. His hand that had been outreached to Z and Jack was now withdrawn as he gave a salute to the Captain.

Lei's eyes burned with intensity as he settled back to observe the situation before running neck deep into it.

Sky explained exactly what had happened. From when they first tried to incarcerate Kiana to Jack arguing and finally to the scene that Sky had walked upon; Jack 'rescuing' someone from their prison. Lei carefully took in all of the information. So sure taht Kiana was the same girl he had loved as a sister so very long ago. Meira was offhandedly impressed by the actions of such young individuals. Them being at least half a decade younger than her and Lei.

"What's your name?" She asked Z who was surprised and starting to build defense.

"Z."

"Why don't you and I take Sky here...that is your name right?" After a quick nod from Sky she resumed, " take him to Cruger and we can settle this without unnecessary actions.

Z, gave in and slowly followed Meira and a highly disgruntled Sky back down the hall from whence she had come.

Lei stood there for a few minutes watching Jack fidget under his cold stare. Suddenly the act was gone and all empathy returned. Giving Jack a smile he asked,

"Could you-can I see Kiana? Please it's a-um-matter of importance."

Jack became cautious but knew he had no other choice at the moment than to allow this officer to see her. He sighed and slowly opened the door. All eyes were on them. Syd and Bridge held expressions of misconception but Kat knew. She knew why Lei had returned and why he was drawn to this room. She ushered the staff, including Bridge and Syd out of the room. Leaving only Jack and Lei. Before Kat left she placed a hand briefly on Lei's shoulder. A silent question and answer game played with their eyes.

Kiana opened her eyes in surprise at the feeling she felt. She knew at once who it was!

"Lei!" She gasped, "I thought I would never see you again."