Heya, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. Have finally got my USB working on my grandad's computer so I can update! Thank you so much for all your brilliant reviews! Hope you like this chapter. This one has swearing, just thought I'd give you the heads up! Enjoy and please tell me what you think!


Fights and a Decision

Conner stood up unsteadily and, on his second attempt, managed to morph – he fell over the first time.

He arrived to where the fight was taking place to find the others already morphed and engaged in battle.

"Conner, glad you could make it," Ethan said, "Now get your ass over here and help."

Moving a little unsteadily, Conner joined in the fight.

"Are you ok?" Kira asked as he was thrown to the floor for the fifth time.

He got up, swaying. "I'll be ok, just a little dizzy," he lied.

Once all the tryrannodrones had been destroyed, it was time to take on the monster that had been keeping a low profile.

Dr. O was trying to form a co-ordinated attack, but Conner wasn't listening. He rushed straight in to give a few feeble blows before being sent head over heels to the floor. It was Kira's quick thinking that saved his life. She pushed the monster back with her ptera-scream, giving Conner a chance to roll out of the way.

He jumped up without looking and ran into Ethan and Trent, causing them all to fall in a tangled heap. Again it was only Kira's quick thinking that saved them. As the three of them picked themselves up, Kira and Dr. O tackled the monster. Trent and Ethan soon joined in the fight, but a wave of nausea passed over Conner and his head spun sickly. He sat down quickly and watched through blurry eyes the unfolding fight. The monster had the upper hand; that was clear.

"Conner get your ass over here," Ethan yelled over his shoulder at the red ranger. "Now is not the time to be sitting down."

With a groan Conner got up and reluctantly joined back into the fight.

"Ok, let's put our weapons together and blast this thing into oblivion," Kira yelled, getting annoyed with their lack of impact on the monster.

The others agreed and soon their weapons had been put together and were ready to fire. Conner pulled the trigger and a bolt of energy hit the monster full on. It exploded in a shower of sparks and miraculously did not grow. Mezagog had obviously had enough for one day.

They demorphed and made their way back to Dino Lab. Once there, Dr. O turned on the drunken jock. "Conner what the hell were you playing at out there?"

It was all Conner could do to keep upright. "I… uh." He couldn't form the words.

Hayley gave him a sharp look, "Have you been drinking Conner?"

He tried to shake his head but ended up swaying unsteadily. " 'm not really drunk," he muttered.

"How much?" Dr. O demanded. Kira, Ethan and Trent just stared at their teammate. In all the time they had known Conner, they had never seen him drunk. It wasn't like him.

Conner squinted at Dr. O, "Not sure, mebbe a… bottle."

"A bottle? Of what?"

"Vodka, I think."

"You think?" Dr. O's voice was rising as he got angry. "Conner, you're a power ranger. You risked the whole team today. Why?"

Conner shrugged, "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Anyway," he began to grin, "We kicked that monster's butt so what's the problem?"

"The problem? The problem is that you could have been seriously hurt or even killed. The problem is that you could have caused one of us, your teammates to be killed. And the problem is that you don't seem to realise how serious your actions are." Dr. O was yelling now. "I thought you'd grown up since the start of term, but obviously I was mistaken. You really are a stupid, selfish jock aren't you?"

"Well at least I'm not a sad old teacher who hasn't got any further in his life since he was at school," Conner yelled back. "I mean, how old are you now? And what have you actually done with your life? Fuck all, that's what. How dare you speak to me like that when you are no better?"

The others were shocked; they'd never heard Conner swear before, not even on the soccer pitch.

"Conner, that's enough," Ethan said, stepping in front of him. From the looks of anger on the two men's faces, one of them was going to get hurt very soon. And the betting was that it wasn't going to be Dr. O.

"I have done a lot more with my life than you are ever going to." Dr. O said, strangely calm. "I was wrong about you, Conner. I thought you could be a good leader and a better ranger, but clearly I was mistaken. You are not up to leading this team and you have abused your position of responsibility. You are irresponsible, immature and not fit to be a ranger. Now hand over your morpher."

"What?" Conner gasped and took a step back.

"You heard me. You are no longer fit to be a ranger, so you will no longer be a ranger. Hand over your morpher."

Conner glanced at the other rangers. They all avoided his eyes; he wasn't going to get any help from them. "Fine," he said quietly, holding back the lump in his throat. He pulled off his morpher, gave it one last look before pushing it into Dr. O's waiting hands. "I'm through with you, with all of you," he whispered, trying to keep the break out of his voice. Conner turned and walked out of Dino Lab without looking back. He left behind him an uneasy silence.

He got home and went straight to the kitchen cupboard, wiping away the tears that he couldn't hold back.

"Conner is that you?" his dad asked, walking into the kitchen. Conner hid the bottle behind his back, but his dad had already seen it. "What's the matter?" David asked, dragging his eyes away from the concealed alcohol to Conner's tear-stained face.

"Nothing." Conner said, making for the door.

"Come on son, something's up."

"I said nothing, just leave me alone. I don't want to hear anything you or mum has to say anymore. I hate you both so just leave me alone." With those words he ran up to his room and slammed his door shut.