The Cyber Café was silent. Well, not completely silent. It was packed with people, but there wasn't the usual noise. There was no Ethan cheering at himself for beating Level 75 of the new video game, there was no Kira up on stage singing, no Kelly chit-chatting with Trent while he argued with her to stay still while he tried to draw her, no Alex making sarcastic comments about everyone who walked in the door and no Connor to get yelled at for playing soccer inside of the café! This was certainly a first.
Hayley filled an empty class with diet coke. Ever since the team had come together one of them was always in the café, unless they were fighting of coarse. And even then usually Alex would be there to help out. "Today I'm on my own I guess.." Hayley said to herself before smiling as she gave off the drink and made change of the customer's five. She leaned on the counter, laughing to herself as Trent walked inside. "And the moment is gone." She added with a fond smile as the rest followed in after him. They were more like wolves than anything else, the whole lot of them – always traveling in a pack. The rangers were at least, it was a surprise to see Alex with them seeing as Alex was usually with his own set of friends.
More often then not Alex was in the cyber café with his friend, Emily. The same Emily whom Connor had attempted to date just a while ago. Hayley was a little disapproving of her nephew's choice in friends. She had heard enough about Emily to know that she was more experienced then Hayley wished for a young girl to be, a young girl who was a year older then Alex. But still, Alex was slowly beginning to accept his parent's death and if Emily was helping that in anyway then Hayley was all for them being friends. It broke Hayley's heart at night when she's hear him crying in his room, when he thought she couldn't hear him. Though those nights were slowly disappearing and Alex seemed to be perking up a bit as time went on.
"Aunt Hayley." Alex's voice broke through Hayley's daydreams. She shook her head and gave him a smile. It was then that she noticed the woman beside her nephew. No…no it can't be… Hayley thought to herself, straightening up slightly.
"Who's your friend, Alex?" She asked slowly, nodding towards the adult standing among the teens.
"Umm..." Alex bit his lip, looking up at Kim – unsure of what to say or how to say it.
"Hayley," Connor began, stepping forward and saving Alex. "This is Kimberley Hart, Kimberley Hart this is Hayley." He said, glancing to Kim before looking back to Hayley. "Kim wants to open a school type thing-a-ma-bob in Reefside. Thanks to the letter written and sent in by your nephew." At this point Trent let out a few forced coughs.
Kelly glared playfully at the white ranger. "Ignore him; he's a bit of an ass. Oops, did I say that? I mean he's allergic to freshly cut grass." She said with a smirk. "It closes up his throat, makes him cough." She explained, crossing her arms over her chest, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "A good hit to the back of the head usually clears it up."
Trent reached over and ruffled her hair. "Ignore, Kelly, she's been in the chem lab too long – I think the fumes are messing with her brain."
Kelly opened her mouth to retort yet Alex covered her mouth with his hand, knowing that the two could go back and forth for hours if given the chance. It always started out cute, the way they'd tease each other – but after a while to everyone else but Trent and Kelly, it got annoying. "She gets it, you guys, you're both idiots – now please just shut up and spare us all." Alex said with a small smirk. Kelly and Trent 'huffed' in unison and rolled their eyes.
Hayley forced a laugh at the two before looking back to Kimberley. "Kimberley Hart..." She said softly, giving the group of teens quick glance that let them know they'd certainly be talking later. "Pleasure to meet you." She forced a bright smile and held out her hand.
Kimberley smiled, buying Hayley's act and shaking the other woman's hand. "Your nephew is truly inspirational, Hayley – I'm sure that you're very proud of him."
"Oh I am." Hayley threw on another fake smile – though this time Kimberley caught on.
Kim looked between Alex and Hayley slowly. What's with her? Kim thought to herself. Alex and his friends were wonderful to me – how on Earth can Alex be related to her?
"Hey Kim!" Kira said brightly, figuring that the two women should be separated before anything happens. "Wanna see the big screen TV they have in here? It's great – almost life-like!"
"With like three thousand channels!" Kelly added. They each took one of Kim's hands and began to drag her off to see the TV. Once they were out of ear shot Alex turned on Hayley.
"What the hell is your problem?" He snapped coldly. He had never spoken to his aunt like that before, but he didn't care. What Hayley had done was beyond rude and at the moment every little thing could make or break their plans of getting Dr O and Kim together – he wasn't going to let is own aunt ruin that.
"W-what?" Hayley faked an innocent look, though couldn't hide the surprise at being spoken to in such a way by her own nephew.
"You heard me!" Alex retorted, not backing down.
Hayley's eyes narrowed. "Alexander Nicholas Roberts…" She began in a threatening tone.
Alex had a bit of a smug smirk on his angry face when he next spoke. "Just following in your example, Senorita Bitchita." He responded, pretty much just saying that if she was going to be such a bitch (or bitchita as he put it) then he'd be one too.
Hayley couldn't describe the anger coursing through her veins at that moment. "Don't you have a guest to get back to?" She asked spitefully, giving him a pointed look.
"Oh that's nice, very grown up, Aunt Hayley." Alex was sarcastic as ever in his speech, though he turned and headed off towards Kim and the other girls.
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"Hey Tommy…?" Jason began questionably, slowly walking around the empty dojo.
"Yeah, Jase?" Tommy replied. He was sitting Indian style on the ground, rummaging through a box of God-knows-what.
"Tommy, do you…" Jason stopped and looked thoughtful before shaking his head. "Nah, never mind."
"What?" Tommy looked interested.
"It's not important." Jason leaned against a white painted wall.
"Yes it is, other wise you wouldn't have brought it up. What is it?" Tommy never accepted those sorts of answers. He always wanted his friends to be open with him about everything, no matter what.
"Well…" Jason slowly started. "I was just wondering...if you like…ever just...think about...um...you know….falling in love, starting a family…" He looked over to his friend.
"Random." Tommy commented lightly.
"Are you avoiding the question?"
"No."
"Then answer it."
Tommy sighed. "Honestly? You honestly want to know?"
"I didn't ask you to only get you to lie to me. I want the truth."
Tommy sighed, leaning back against the wall behind him. "I think about it every day, Jason…I can't not think about it…." A look came over his face that Jason couldn't remember ever seeing before. A look of hope, of sadness, of passion, of so many emotions mixed together that Jason couldn't believe it was possible to see that many emotions on one face.
"If I had one goal in life..." Tommy continued. "It's always been to be happy...to have a wife and kids at my side. I love being a ranger, I do, and it makes me feel like have this great purpose in life. But a part of me is still incomplete…A part of me is still missing…" He sighed as he rose to his feet. He didn't continue for a moment, simply began to pace around. "I want a wife, I want two point three kids, I want a house with a white fence and a dog…I want it all!" He covered his face in his hands and crouched down.
"Why aren't you looking for it then?" Jason asked. He didn't move towards his friend, he understood that Tommy needed his space.
"It's…complicated…" Tommy whispered softly, sighing quietly.
"Like you're too busy saving the world to have a personal life complicated?" Jason asked with a raised brow.
Tommy nodded sadly, lying down on the floor, legs and arms spread out like he was making a snow angel in the carpet. "It's just hard looking for love when there's that threat of being killed every single day…I hate putting people in danger and I hate lying! If I'm with someone I feel that need to be honest with them, but you remember Zordon's rule as well as I do..."
"Don't tell anyone," Jason recited, with a slight eye roll. They both always knew it was for the best, but it was hard sometimes. "I remember that all too well…" He paused a moment to think on something. "Hey, Tommy, how did Hayley find out about all of this?"
Tommy thought back before answering. "It was when Kat and I broke up…We were talking and got into one of our famous fights…I was yelling into the phone, saying that one of the only reasons we got together was because we were both Power Rangers and Hayley walked in and heard everything. It was kinda hard to deny it after she heard me say it. So I just explained everything to her…"
Jason nodded. "Must have been nice to share the secret…"
Tommy nodded. "Yeah, it is nice…Hayley's great, she understands and it's so nice to just talk to her...But I keep getting this weird feeling..."
"What sort of weird feeling?" Jason asked curiously.
Tommy had never voiced this thought before, but this was Jason, he could trust Jason. So, at the risk of sounding like a teenager, he said, "I think she likes me…"
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"Hayley/.." Ethan began softly. "What…happened? Why did you act like that?" He asked his mentor.
"It's just a bad idea, I told you kids that already." Hayley crossed his arms over his chest.
"You don't have to act like such a bitch about it though!" Connor snapped, not holding anything back.
"She broke Tommy's heart!" Hayley retorted angrily.
Trent sighed in an almost dramatic fashion. "You don't even know her, Hayley-"
"Oh what's to know? I know enough!" Hayley's eyes narrowed.
Connor glared at her. "It was years ago, Hayley – things have changed for both of them. I really don't know what's wrong with you, but you really need to get your attitude in check!" And with that Connor turned on his heal and left, Ethan following right behind and Trent soon after – leaving Hayley to her thoughts.
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"Devin!" Cassidy called out, desperately banging on her best friend's door. She knew he was in there and she knew that he was avoiding her. He was her best friend though and she hated to think of him being upset with her, she just had to get him to talk to her. "Devin, please open the door! I know you're mad at me, but we need to talk!"
A few minutes later of begging for him to open the door her wish was granted.
"You wanna talk?" Devin's voice was deeper than usual, with traces of anger almost as though he had carved the anger into his speech with a knife.
Cassidy nodded quickly. In that moment she was a bit afraid of Devin. She had never seen him like this before and it both frightened and worried her.
"Go on." He leaned against the door frame, eyes flashing.
Cassidy took in a deep breath, trying to be strong and forcing herself not to cry, not right then in front of him. "Why are you mad?" She asked softly.
Devin let out a soft sigh, straightening his position and lowering his eyes for a moment. He looked a bit more like the old Devin now, though when he looked up there was still anger in his eyes. "I'm not mad at you." He clarified his tone softer now that he had seen how upset she really was. They were best friends, after all, no matter how hard she tried to hide it he still saw it.
Cassidy nodded slowly. "Then what's wrong…?"
"Do you really want to know?" He knew she'd nod, but he had to ask anyway. He ran his fingers through his hair and for a moment looked uncomfortable, awkward almost – though then he was straight backed once more, confident once again. "I'm jealous." He was being honest, she could tell by the look in his eyes.
"Jealous of what?" She didn't understand. Why would he be jealous?
"Of Ethan." He had wanted to pause before he spoke, though it came out quicker than he had meant for it to come. He supposed it was just a habitual reaction. He never lied to her, so he never really needed to pause before a response.
Cassidy's expression flicked to confused as he spoke, then to surprise and back to confusion. "Wait..." She began softly. "Do you mean…that you…." She trailed off; she couldn't finish the sentence, even if he had wanted to.
"I do." This time there was a pause before he spoke, yet his words still remained as true as ever. "Since fifth grade..." He added suddenly, seeing her mouth opening and predicting the question.
"Oh Devin…" Cassidy began softly.
Devin frowned, looking at her in an almost desperate way. "Cass…I just…I..." he sighed before going off. "I want to kiss you whenever I feel like it, I want to hold you as long as I want to, I want more than those simple little friendly hugs…I want to be with you all the time and not as a best friend…When I heard about you and Ethan… It broke my heart, Cass…" His expression faded away into an emotionless look, as though he had cried too many tears and spent too much time sad to even feel that way any more. Yet his eyes were still hurt, his eyes betrayed his mask.
"I'm sorry..." She didn't know what else to say. What else could she say? She was sorry, sorry for hurting him. But she cared about him as a friend and she cared about Ethan as more. She couldn't change the way her heart felt.
"It's not your fault…it would never have worked anyway…" Devin whispered, again his eyes were averted to the ground.
"Why not?" Cassidy tried to stop herself from asking, but it slipped out. She wanted to know, but she was afraid the question may just bring more pain.
Devin looked up at her once again, his eyes locking with hers. The intensity of his eyes almost terrified her, she wanted so badly to look away – but found herself frozen. "Because..." He began finally, after what felt like forever. "It couldn't have." When she moved forward to give him a hug he stepped back. "Not this time, Cass…Please, just don't make it hurt more..." His eyes looked almost pleading as he looked over at her. "Don't make it hurt more..." With those last words he shut the door, leaving Cassidy alone and staring at his closed door once again.
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"I'm really sorry about that, Kim – I don't know what got into her." Alex truly did look sorry and Kim gave him a small smile.
"Don't worry about it, Alex, not your fault." She laid a hand on his shoulder, eyes sparkling gently.
Alex sighed. "I know but still…"
"But still what?" Kim asked.
It was silent for a bit, aside from the soft founds of their shoes and the shoes of Kira, Connor, Ethan, Trent and Kelly – hitting the wood of the floor of the Reefside pier.
"I'm just so..." Alex began before freezing as out of nowhere about twenty-five Tyrannodrones appeared before them. "Scared." He finished quietly. His soft spoken word was like a bomb on the silent pier and once it was hear everyone, save for him and his small group, went running off. The five power rangers and the one ex-power ranger, stood ready to fight and Alex was a mixture of being too afraid to move and too stubborn to leave his friends.
It was the Tyrannodrones who went first, rushing and charging at the rangers. "Go!" Connor shouted almost automatically, sending the group forward, save for Alex.
Connor kicked a Tyrannodrone in the abdomen and sent it to the floor before turning and looking over at Kim as she tried to fight off a group of Tyrannodrones as well. "Go Kim! Get Alex and go!" He shouted. She was a former ranger, he knew that. But at the moment he and his friends were the rangers, it was their job to protect and at that moment Kim and Alex were the ones he was focused on protecting – seeing as everyone else was gone from the pier.
"Are you crazy!" Kim shouted back, pulling a few fast moves and tripping up two Tyrannnodrones. "There is no way in hell I'm leaving four teenagers here to fight these things!"
"Kim!" Kira called in exasperation, letting out a slight grunt as she was grabbed from behind. "We can handle this!" As if to prove her point she gave the one who had grabbed her, a sharp kick in the groin, sending the attacker to the ground.
"HELP!"
The cry caused all of the rangers (both current and former) to spin around on the spot.
"Alex!" Kelly shouted upon seeing her younger friend attempting to fight off the Tyrannodrones, yet getting no where. She tried to move forward, yet had one too many problems of her own to take care of.
"Hold on, Al!" Trent responded, inching closer bit by bit as much as he could while still fighting off his own little squad.
The ranger's attention shifted from Alex to their own attackers as they tried to fight them off to get to the helpless boy. Though it wasn't long before Kira was heard shouting Alex's name once more. This time when the rangers looked there was no Alex standing and trying to fight, he was instead laying knocked out on the ground, cuts and newly forming bruises covering his body and blood staining his clothes.
"Get him to the hospital! I've got it here!" Kim ordered over to Connor.
"No you don't!" The red ranger retorted. "You don't know what you're dealing with!"
"Oh right and you do." Kim's tone was sarcastic and instantly Connor opened his mouth to respond – yet was interrupted.
"Connor," Hayley's voice came in over his morpher. "Show her how you can help – please…Please just get Alex to the hospital..." Her voice was begging, pleading. She had lost her sister and brother-in-law, she wouldn't lose their nephew.
At the back of Connor's mind he realized that he had once again accidentally left the morpher on and he reminded himself that he really should stop doing that. But in that moment his forgetfulness concerning his morpher was the least of his worries. He looked around to make sure that all rangers had heard Hayley's orders and he nodded. "Dino Thunder, Power Up!" Kim looked over as she heard all of the current rangers shout the words in unison. She felt ready to faint as she suddenly saw the five new power rangers, though she barely had time to register any thoughts when Ethan spoke to her. "Get Alex to the hospital, we'll explain later, I promise!" He called from behind his mask. All Kim could do was nod and rush over to Alex.
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Does God hate me? What did I ever do…what did I ever do wrong? Devin couldn't stop himself from asking the questions. He collapsed back onto his bed and looked at the papers spread over his covers. His mom had told him to read them over. 'To better understand', she had said. He understood alright and he thought it might just be better if he died right then and there. He didn't want to kill himself, oh no. It just seemed easier. He sigh as he sat up, pulling a paper over to him. He took a deep breath before reading aloud, "Living with Hodgkin's disease(1)."
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"Tommy! Jase!"
At the sound of Hayley's frightened voice both men quickly looked down at Tommy's morpher. "Hayley? What is it? What's wrong?" Tommy replied quickly.
"It's the rangers," Hayley's voiced seemed to be shaking slightly. Jason and Tommy exchanged a nervous glance as she continued. "They're being attacked at the pier. Alex was hurt – they had to send him to the hospital."
Tommy's face paled, as did Jason's. "How did it happen?" He was going to ask 'is he ok?', but then reasoned that if Alex was going to the hospital then no, he was not 'okay'.
"The rangers, Alex, and a friend were waking down the pier and they were attacked. Alex was knocked out – their friend took him to the hospital."
Tommy nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "He'll be alright, Hayley."
"I hope so..." She whispered, suddenly feeling horrible about the fight she had with her nephew earlier.
"I'm gonna go check on the rangers, Hayley I'm sending Jason over to take over the lab while you go to the hospital." The black ranger informed her.
"No."
Jason was already half-way out the door when he heard Hayley's voice again. "Why not?"
"I can handle things here, it'll keep me busy. Jason, could you go to the hospital to see him?"
"You sure-" Jason began.
"Yes! Now go! Both of you!" Hayley practically shouted.
"We're already gone..." Tommy whispered before he and his friend took off.
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"Excuse me," Jason carefully slipped past an old woman in a wheelchair before rushing over to the front desk of the Reefside Hospital. "Hi, I'm looking for an Alexander Roberts."
The young red-head behind the desk nodded and typed a few things into the computer infront of her. "Do you have any more information about Mr. Roberts, sir?"
Jason nodded. "A bit...He was attacked a little while ago and a woman named Kimberley Hart brought him in...That's all I know."
After a few seconds the receptionist nodded. "I found him." She said, looking up from her computer. "He's in room…" Her green eyes darted down to the computer just to double check her information. "209…" She filled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "Just show that to anyone who gives you trouble."
"Thanks." Jason took the pass from the younger woman. "Do you know how he's doing, by any chance?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't have that kind of information and even if I did, I'm in no position to disclose it to you." The answer was so rehearsed it was almost sickening. "It says that he's in the care of a Miss. Hayley Burton…Now I could give that kind of information to her, but I really do doubt that you, sir, are Miss Hayley Burton."
Jason forced a small smile. "You've caught me…I cannot live the lie of pretending to be Miss Hayley Burton any longer..." He folded the pass in his hands absent-mindedly. "Thank you for your help though."
The receptionist gave him a smile before going back to work and Jason then turned and walked into the elevator. "I hate waiting." He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest after pushing a button that read next to it 'Rooms 200-250'.
It was a few levels higher up than the main floor and Jason tried to wait patiently as the slow elevator rose. Finally, one floor away from his destination, the door opened. He began to straighten up, having been sitting in the corner with a pout on his face – very much like a child, when he heard his name.
"Jase." A soft voice whispered.
Jason looked up and almost fainted. "Kim."
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1-Hodgkin's disease is a highly curable form of cancer that attacks the lymph nodes.
AN: Ok, Hope you like. Read, Review…and remember to review. You guys rock my socks. Hope you like where I am going with this…Tell me you're thoughts about it. I could really use some feedback.
BN: I hope you guys liked this chapter as well. Both me and the author have been working hard to bring this story to you and we truly do appreciate the reviews we receive. So thank you to :
KatSuyA – Thank you for that almost-sorta-not flame - It was our first and we loved it! So glad you like the story, Jill-friend hug
"Ace"– Thank you, we'll have to go back and fix that for poor Miss Kart…Yes you will get a cookie on Monday (or half of one anyway)…
Slshadowfox – Good eye there. Though you're right, the first thing on Kim's mind with meeting these kids would not be 'Hmm...I wonder if these are the power rangers'. At the moment she's still a little too caught up in her school idea and the fact that the power rangers are back again and in that town. Put yourself in Kim's place, you would never guess that they are rangers. In her mind, they have nothing to do with each other. And I do that all the time (Talk with talking) with my friends, and I'm not a ranger, just close to my friends.
CamFan4Ever – Thank you -
And
Ghostwriter – ….I will try not to slam you….Kim and Tommy forever! In this story (as I'm sure you've noticed) Kat is dead. (I don't think that she's bad person, I only "killer" her off for effect. Kat is a great person, I personally think, that she isn't made for Tommy, but still a great person.) Thank you for the review, glad that you found our story again
For reviewing the last chapter.