"Hurry up slow poke!" Carl cried.

"Ugh! What is the hurry? What are you going to show me anyway?"

"You'll see it!"

"You know, I'm supposed to be doing homework right now," Tammie grumbled. But in truth, Tammie just wanted some time alone to sort out her thoughts.

"Trust me, you'll like this better," Carl said, as he stopped to wait for Tammie. "Okay, close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it woman!" Carl cried, in playfully. "And no peeking."

Tammie closed her eyes. She felt Carl grab her shoulders and begin to lead her. She felt herself step into the grass and then get turned around.

"Don't open your eyes yet," he told her. "When I tap you on the shoulder, then you can open your eyes."

Tammie only had to wait a few seconds before Carl tapped her shoulder again.

Tammie opened her eyes.

"Okay," she said, beginning to turn around. "What's your big-"

Tammie turned around and found Damon standing in front of her.

"Surprise," he said, smiling. He bent down and gave her a kiss before bringing her into his arms. Tammie returned the hug. "I thought that I might cheer you up."

He took her hand and led her over to the lake, where a picnic was set up. Tammie looked at the familiar setting.

"This is where your dad first kissed your mom," Damon said. His girlfriend gave him a surprised but questioning look. "I got Jason to show me it. I told him that I wanted to give you a surprise."

The two made their way over and began their picnic. After eating, Tammie sat on the blanket, gazing over the calm lake. Damon lay back, just watching her. She had a far away look on her face. Although he tried, he couldn't read her expression.

He sat up and moved next to her. He nudged her playfully and gave her a smile when she looked at him. Tammie returned the smile, but it was a sad one.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Tammie…" Damon began, making her sigh.

"I guess I'm just…I don't know." Tammie turned to Damon. "My parents were Rangers."

Damon just looked back at Tammie, not knowing if she was upset, angry, or what. Earlier that afternoon, the three Rangers were teleported to Alex's lab. Alex had finally figured out the background of Tammie's Ranger Powers.

FLASHBACK

"The power of a Ranger comes from the planet of Eltar," Alex explained. "People who showed great courage and fighting spirit were given with the powers. Once the power is infused within a being, it can never disappear. It is always there."

"So what does that have to do with Tammie and her powers?" asked Carl.

"I am getting there. Roughly twenty years ago, five teenagers were given the power from Eltar. They were the original and first Power Rangers of earth." Alex paused and looked for a reaction from Tammie. Tammie still had a look of confusion on her face.

"There are two ways that you can receive your powers. You can be given them, like the original Rangers. Or, you can have it passed on to you."

Tammie's blank expression turned into one of shock. "Passed on? Like…passed on?"

"Genes," Alex said. "Your parents were Rangers."

END FLASHBACK

"Wh-what's wrong with that?" asked Damon.

"I-I don't know. Everything? Nothing?" Tammie brought her knees to her chest and hugged them. "I really don't know. I guess that news was just really hard for me to grasp."

Damon put his arm around Tammie and she rested her head on his shoulder. The two were silent.

"I guess that helps to explain why he and his friends always show up when the bad guys come," Tammie finally said. "I guess Rangering isn't that bad especially since they all turned out alright and alive, right?"

She felt Damon nod his head.

"Do you think that I can tell my dad the truth now?"

"No, remember what Alex said? We have to keep it a secret, until the time is right."

"Do you regret becoming a Ranger?"

"Well," Damon began. "I don't know if I really had a choice in the first place. I mean, the fact that I 'm a prince of another planet was already a shock for me. The whole Ranger thing just came with it I guess."

Damon pulled away from Tammie and lifted her chin so that he was able to look into her eyes.

"Do you regret it?" Tammie looked away and shrugged. She looked back at Damon. "Sometimes."

Damon looked surprised and hurt.

"I mean, it isn't exactly an easy thing to do," she explained. "I'm just scared. I don't know if I can really do this."

"Tammie, we've been all been doing good so far," Damon reassured her, holding her again. "And both of your parents had Ranger Powers, so I think you're capable of doing this."

"What if…something happens?"

"You said it yourself, your dad and your uncles and aunts turned out alright and alive."

Tammie sighed and hugged Damon tighter.

"Don't you ever get scared that something will happen to you?" she asked him. "Or…to us?"

Damon rested his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes. "All the time," he replied softly. "But that's what motivates me to fight even when I'm tired or getting pretty beat up."

Tammie's heart increased its pace and her stomach became filled with butterflies. Hearing what Damon said just filled her up with love. It made her want to tell him "I love you," but she kept quiet.

Damon kept his eyes closed. He never felt like this for a girl before. Being a Ranger and fighting along side Tammie probably strengthened his feelings for her. He always made sure that she didn't get too hurt while fighting along side the monsters. "I think I love her," he thought. He opened his eyes and looked out towards the lake.

"But hey," he continued. "Your parents made it right? They made it through high school while being Rangers and they managed to be together and get married and start a family."

"You're right," Tammie said. "I'm just really shocked hearing about my parents' being Rangers."

The two stayed and talked a bit more before heading home.

…………………………………………..

"Hi, sweetie," Tommy called as Tammie entered the living room. "Where'd you go?"

The usual veteran Ranger gang was in the living room; minus Trini, Zack, and Kat, who all returned to Europe since their vacation was up. Tammie saw that they had the news on again. "Hmm, I guess they've been trying to keep track of us," she thought.

"Oh, just to the park," she said as she entered the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a can of soda. She plopped down on the armchair.

"Did you like the surprise?" Jason asked with a grin.

"Yeah, it was nice," Tammie responded simply.

"What's wrong girl?" asked Aisha. "You two get in a fight?"

"No." The adults looked at her with different expressions. Aisha had a look of doubt on her face. Tommy looked at his daughter with concern, while Jason had a look of curiosity on his face. Rocky, Adam, and Billy tried to seem oblivious to what was happening.

"What happened?" Jason asked. Tammie took a good, long look at the group of adults before her. After hearing that they used to be Rangers, she couldn't picture them being normal anymore. She remembered every vivid detail of their Ranger costumes. Alex managed to find old clippings of the Power Rangers. He also picked up images from the Morphing Grid.

"Tammie?" asked Adam.

"Huh?" She snapped out of her thoughts.

"What happened?" Jason repeated.

Tammie suddenly felt rage surge through her. Rage mixed with betrayal.

"Nothing," she said coldly as she stood up and stomped up to her room. The puzzled grown ups exchanged confused looks.

…………………………………………

For the next few days, Tammie seemed to be in a cloud of bad mood. She did all she can so that she wouldn't have to see her dad more than she needed. Damon became concerned and tried to talk to her.

"Baby, are you still mad about your parents?" he asked her one day at the Juice Bar.

"What do you think?" she snapped. Damon was taken back, but continued to talk to her. Adam and Ernie looked up from the counter.

"Why are you so mad?" Damon saw that Adam and Ernie were watching. He led Tammie further away to the other side of the room.

Tammie glared at her boyfriend. "Why?" she cried. "Why? Are you asking me why I am mad? Are you seriously asking why I am mad at my dad, who kept this big secret from me?"

Damon placed his hands on her shoulders. "Tammie, calm down. You know that they had to keep their identities a secret."

"So? They're not Rangers anymore," Tammie said. "He could've told me. Why didn't he tell me?"

"I don't know, but you need to stop ignoring your dad and your uncles and aunts. They're getting worried about you."

Tammie took a deep breath. "Damon, I'm not mad. I'm just upset, I feel betrayed. Here I am, feeling guilty for always lying to my dad about where I go, when he's the one who's been keeping a bigger secret."

"I told you, they needed to keep it a secret," Damon sighed, getting frustrated.

"It's not just that! Ugh, Damon you don't get it!" she cried, throwing her hands up.

"Then why don't you tell me what's really wrong so then I'll be able to 'get it'?" he replied, trying not to raise his voice. He knew that he was still being watched by her girlfriend's dad's friends. He glanced back at the bar and saw that Jason, Rocky, and Aisha had joined in watching them. "Great," he thought. "Keep your cool, Damon."

Damon had a temper, and he knew it, however he was always able to control it around Tammie. But lately, her attitude was getting to him. She never felt like going out and she seemed to take her frustrations out on the simulation room or on the monsters. She was always giving him one word answers and the thing that frustrated him the most was that she wasn't opening up to him.

"No," Tammie replied.

"How am I supposed know what's going through your head Tammie?" he asked, his voice raising. Tammie winced, but his outburst seemed to add to her anger and frustrations.

"Maybe I don't want you to know what's going through my head!" she cried, raising her voice as well. Damon was glad that there weren't many customers at the Juice Bar, only a few students who were trying to drown out their argument. Their only audience was the ex Rangers who sat at the bar, watching them.

"Why not?" he asked, sounding hurt.

"Because…" Tammie didn't know what to say. "You don't need to know everything, Damon."

"Tammie," he pleaded. "Just tell me what's really bothering you. Why can't you open up to me?"

"I don't know," she told him. That was a lie. Tammie did know. Growing up, Tammie learned to keep her feelings to herself. She bottled every emotion, often putting others feelings before hers. But now, under all her stress, her bottle of emotion was beginning to shatter.

"Damon, I just need time to myself, right now okay? I need time to think this whole Ranger thing over," she told him.

Damon lifted her chin up and kissed her on the lips. "Tammie, I'm not going to leave you alone. I'll always be here for you."

Tammie nodded. "I know, but I don't need you right now Damon." Tammie instantly regretted saying that. She saw the same pained expression that her dad had when she told him the same thing. Except Damon's eyes also showed anger.

"I-"Tammie began, but Damon cut her off.

"Fine," he told her, his eyes flashing with anger. "Tell me when I'm needed, princess." He gave a fake bow before spinning around and storming out of the Juice Bar. Tammie covered her face with her hands. The image of Damon's anger filled eyes still fresh in her mind. He was mad, but his words held the tone of pain as well.

"Tammie!" cried Aisha. Tammie dropped her hands and saw Aisha making her way towards her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said, walking towards the bar. Aisha followed her. Tammie began to gather her things. "I'm just tired."

"Are you sure?"

"I said I'm fine!" she snapped.

"Tammie Ann Oliver!" her dad's voice boomed. Tommy, who had just entered the Juice Bar, caught Tammie's outburst. "You apologize right now!"

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"What's gotten into you? You haven't been yourself these past few days."

"Glad for you to notice," she muttered.

Tommy's eyes flashed with anger. His daughter's attitude was getting ridiculous.

"It's okay Tommy," Aisha said before he could scold his daughter some more. "I think she's having a bad day. She just got in a fight with Damon."

Tommy turned back to his daughter. "Is that the reason why you're snapping at everyone?"

Tammie closed her eyes in frustration. She tried to keep her cool, but something snapped. "No! Do you want to know the reason why I'm like this?"

Everyone, especially Tommy, seemed surprised at what she said. "It's because of you! You have been lying to me for all of these years! You've been keeping everything a secret!"

"What are you talking about?" Tommy asked. Tammie realized what she had just said. "Is this about your mother?"

"Yeah!" Tammie quickly said. "You're hiding something. I don't believe that she died in a car crash. You're keeping something."

Jason looked at his best friend. He had never seen Tommy look so angry and scared at the same time.

"Tammie," Jason said. "Your father has been telling the truth. Your mother did die in a car crash."

Her other uncles and aunt all nodded their head in agreement.

Tammie looked at her uncle. "You're such a liar, too!"

"Tammie Ann Oliver!" Tommy yelled again. Tammie rolled her eyes and pushed past her dad. She ran out of the Juice Bar and out into the cold, rainy night. She ran until her legs grew tired. She let her legs do all the running and she saw that it led her to the park. She sat on the park bench as the rain poured down harder on her.

Tammie didn't want to go home. She didn't want to see her dad. A few minutes ago she was furious with her dad, now she was just ashamed at her behavior. A flash of lightning made her look up into the sky. She never was a big fan of thunderstorms. She got up and began to walk in the opposite direction of her house. She began to jog and then run as the rain began to pour harder and harder. A few minutes later, an out of breath Tammie reached her boyfriend's front door. She hesitated, then finally found her courage to ring the doorbell.

………………………………………………………..

Damon was laying down on his bed, replaying the argument he had with Tammie. He listened to the rain hit his window. He picked up his cell phone, debating whether or not to call her. "No, I need to see her. I need to be with her," he thought. "Maybe I should just teleport?"

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the doorbell. He sighed but remained on his bed. He didn't feel like answering the door. He just felt like straightening things out with Tammie and holding her. Damon looked down at his cell phone, finally deciding that talking to her in person was better than talking to her on the phone.

AN: Sorry, I haven't updated in a while. This chapter didn't end up like I wanted. I never thought of having Damon and Tammie fight, but I decided it would be more interesting. I shall try to post up the next chapter ASAP.