Summary: As the fight continues, the rangers try to keep their lives as normal as possible while learning about their full powers.

Jenny: For once you're the first to review and not Rosa. mouth drops open You certainly made the scrolly bar shrink. Anyway, how can I smell you're online when you normally aren't at that time during the week? Glad you're happy the chapter was dedicated to you.

Arwennicole: Well, here's more of the story. This time it's Jenny who made me write even though I should be working on school things.

Phantom Rogue: Well, it's going here and no we're not even, since I dedicated the chapter to you in return, but who's counting:P

Ghostwriter: I like school too, when I have the right classes.

Mz. Daydream: Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last. Please to write, your story is great!

As The Battle Rages

Chapter 8

The sound of the doorbell rang through the house. Ray's head shot up and looked at his parents.

"I'll get it." He told them brightly.

Carefully he lifted Ciana from his lap and held her tightly as he got up from his spot on the floor. He put his baby sister into her playpen before running to the door, hearing his parents chuckle at the way he slipped through the corners.

He opened the door and smiled when he saw Dakota standing there.

"Hey Kota." Ray greeted his cousin, smiling brightly.

Dakota laughed at the boy and shook his head a little.

"Hey squirt, want to train? I've got that transokinesis thingy under control, but Gwyn says I need to practise in battle and since Kayla is too fascinated with Chaitlin's training…" He asked, trailing off, shrugging with a laugh.

"Yeah, sure." Ray replied, his face lighting up even more.

He was the youngest of the team, if it would still be together, and he often felt left out a little. Everyone knew each other and Aurora was pulled in with their cousins so easily and he just felt like a complete stranger.

"Let's just tell your parents I'm kidnapping you, okay?" Dakota winked.

Ray laughed and motioned Dakota to come in for a minute.

"Hey Uncle Andros, Aunt Ashley. Is it okay if I kidnap Ray for a while?" Dakota greeted his aunt and uncle.

"What are you going to do to him?" Andros asked suspiciously, having seen Zhane's genes and personality shining through his offspring – whether the fact that Zhane spent much time carefully coaching his son just how to be a self-confident, platinum pretty boy was part of that, she didn't know.

"Oh, nothing much, just train a little." Dakota replied, looking over to the playpen when Ciana let out a wail. "Hey kiddo. You better keep Gwyn's promise of shocking my dad with that electricity of yours." He joked.

Andros grinned and shook his head at his nephew.

"Sure, just don't bring him back all black and blue or else." Andros mock threatened.

Dakota put his hand on his chest and made a shocked face.

"Me? Hurt Ray? You've got to be crazy." He grinned.

"I don't have to be." Andros replied playfully. "Your dad's crazy enough for all of us."

Dakota laughed and nodded.

"Come on, Ray. I'll teleport us."

Two hours later

Both boys were covered in sweat. Dakota had soon found using his powers was one thing, using them in battle was another, especially against Ray. The boy was small and young, but with a strength to rival his sister's.

Dakota panted after Ray's fist just passed right through him.

"You are good." He gasped, sidestepping another punch.

Ray grinned, directing a tornado kick to Dakota's head.

"That's what you get if you have to train with someone who's got six years on you." Ray replied.

When his feet hit the ground, he felt Dakota's foot connect to his back, knowing he made a mistake with landing the way he did. As he hit the ground his world turned black for a moment.

"Ray?" He heard Dakota's voice from somewhere far away after he made no motion of getting up and laughing it off. "If this is meant to be a joke, it isn't funny."

Ray could hear the silent fear creeping into Dakota's voice. Both knew Andros had only been joking, but if he got hurt, Andros was not going to be happy.

Light seemed to flow back into his world, but it surprised Ray. How could he see light while his eyes were closed? When he opened his eyes he found he was no longer in the NASADA base, lying on the sparing mats, all sweaty and worn out. In fact, he wasn't lying down anymore.

He was facing a window and he gasped when he recognized the view. He had seen if before when he looked out of the window of the room Aurora had been in after her accident. He was in Angel Grove Memorial, but a totally different wing.

Fear gripped his heart and he quickly spun around.

His eyes widened at the sight in front of his eyes. Sitting there were his parents, but so much younger… and so much happier. His mother sat in the hospital bed, a bunch of fluffy pillows supporting her back. His father was sitting next to her. Both were smiling brightly at the baby in his mother's arm, nursing with a content look on her face.

"What shall we name her?" Andros asked quietly.

"Aurora?" Ashley suggested softly. "She's the dawn to a new life for us."

"Aurora Aileana Hammond?" Andros suggested.

"Aileana?" Ashley asked surprised.

"It's Karovan." Andros admitted. "Means light."

"Aurora Aileana Hammond it is." Ashley smiled.

Ray's mouth fell open. His mother and Aurora had often told him about the time before him, but to actually see them, his parents, together and so happy. A tear ran down his cheek, wishing fervently that happiness would not be torn away from them like he knew would happen – and the light in his mom's eyes not die a little more with every year his dad had been gone.

"Ray?" A quiet voice asked.

Ray's eyes shot open and he looked straight in Dakota's eyes.

"Are you alright?" Dakota asked worriedly. "You scared me there, bro."

"I-I…"

A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review.