Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban

While Eva had been meeting Dayton, becoming a Ranger and fighting Frissons, Jeanie had woken up enough for her parents to take her home. Family by family, they had all left until only Tori's family was left. Calum was already tucked in bed and dead to the world. "Well…it was more eventual than most," Tori said as Blake warmed up the engine in their family car.

"Which part?" Dustin joked. "When Declan came home or our kids were attacked by freaky orange things."

"Both." She smiled at her life long best friend. "I'd still love to know what those things that attacked them were."

"Well," he looked at were Ris and David were quietly talking, then stepped closer to her and lowered his voice. "You don't think it could have been Lothor, do you? I mean, he is gone, isn't he?"

"When Trent was there, he said he was something that looked a lot like Lothor. And he's sure it got blown up along with the rest of Mesgog's lab. So I don't think it could have been him."

"Good. For a minute there, I was scared…"

"Yeah." Tori gave him a sisterly hug. "I know."

"Tori," Blake appeared. "Come on. Mary-Ann's already in the car, dozing off."

"All right." She gave Dustin a peck on the cheek. Blake grabbed his hand and they shared a quick hug.

"Thanks man. See you later."

"Yeah." Dustin nodded, sliding an arm around Marah's shoulders as he watched them climb in the car, with David. Ris stood beside her mum, and they all watched them leave. "Come on," Dustin turned his head to brush his lips across Marah's brow. "Let's get inside."

"I don't think so."

Faster than the human eye could see, something whipped out of nowhere, flinging Marah to the floor and Dustin against the side of the house. Ris let out a purely girlish scream at the sight of her heavily pregnant mum on the ground. The blur came to a stop directly in front of her. "Hello Phoenix Rider." The voice belonged to man that would have been drop dead gorgeous if not for his too thin face and the fang like teeth that filled his mouth. In horror, Ris stumbled back, before her training took over. She took her ready stance, glaring at him. "Step away from my mum."

"Is this your mother?" He studied her with interest. "A pretty little thing, isn't she?"

"Don't. Touch. Her."

He turned his gaze to hers and took a step forward. Ris took a reactive one back. "My, my. Aren't you protective?"

Without further warning, he flung himself at her. Only her training saved her from being punched on the jaw. Her legs sliding apart until she was doing a split, the fist punched the air above her head. Her own fist punched out, grazing his side as he moved nimbly to one side. She flipped to her feet, watching him warily. Then, just as she felt air swish behind her, she heard a voice call out; "Ris, look out!"

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw an explosion like the ones she'd created when she'd blown those orange freaks to hell before. Her opponent's eyes narrowed. "You!" he snarled, and stepped forward.

"Hello again." A blue clothed figure stepped in front of her and Ris stared at the girl – cause it was a girl's figure – in disbelief.

"A Power Ranger?" She whispered.

"Quick." A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side of her house. "Take this."

She barely had time to register the fact that it was an unbelievably handsome man speaking to her when a bracelet was shoved into her hands. Without thinking, she put it on her wrist before looking down at it; a simple silver band with yellow lining. "Now say 'Phoenix Rider, Ranger Form'."

As always, Ris acted on instinct, and swung her arm until it was bent across her chest. The bracelet disappeared in a glow of light, to be replaced by what looked like a watch with a phoenix's head in place of the watch face. It had a gleaming yellow eye. "Phoenix Rider, Ranger Form!" As soon as she spoke the words, and pressed the eyes, Ris's body was engulfed in a brilliant yellow light.

When it dissipated, she was wearing a yellow costume, much like the one the blue Power Ranger had on, except she had a phoenix head on her chest, and her helmet was a bit leaner, the visor a bit slimmer. "Go! The Griffin Rider cannot fight Pleance alone."

She nodded, not knowing why she trusted him, only knowing that she did, and ran round the corner of the house. There, she found the blue Ranger – hadn't that guy called her the Griffin Rider or something like that? – locked in a losing battle with the dude with fangs for teeth.

He'd gotten a blade from somewhere and was now sweeping it towards her. She jumped back with a muffled oath. And, Ris was dazed to notice, her parents were just where he'd left them out cold. Good thing they didn't have to see this then, she thought grimly, before hitting out with a roundhouse kick.

It caught him in the chest, forcing him to stumble back. The two Rangers stood back to back, glaring at him, fists at the ready. He snarled and attacked again. They rolled apart as his blade came swishing down the gap. Ris dropped, kicked his legs out from under him, but then had to dodge the fall of his sword. The blue Ranger cursed as she was nearly cut in the leg and kicked him in the side.

He rolled up and onto his feet. Then Ris heard someone call to them; "summon your weapons! They reside in the gems on your gloves!"

Ris looked down at her gloves and, sure enough, there sparkled a gem that looked like it had stitched into the cloth. "Phoenix's Daggers!"

A flash of yellow light, and Ris found herself holding two elegant, slightly overlong daggers, with yellow hilts, the heads of which were in the shape of a phoenix's head. She turned her head to look at her companion; she held a bow with blue tipped edges, and looked like part of it had been cut away in the middle. That semi-circle was edged with blue as well.

Ris hefted the daggers, understanding she'd be the one who'd have to go one on one with the guy while the other Ranger attempted to hit him with arrows. As if he, too, recognized it, he rushed the blue ranger. Ris was there in a flash, lifting her hands so her daggers clashed with his sword. The three blades met with enough force to send the opponents flying. Ris noted that he'd landed dangerously close to her mum.

Before she could do anything about it, three arrows – no, more like blue lights – shot past her, and hit him with deadly accuracy. Tiny blasts appeared over his torso but he didn't fall. Panting, he glared at them and at the man Ris sensed to be behind them. "We will finish this later," he muttered, and, just like that, disappeared.

"Why does he get the last word?" The blue ranger complained, turning to the man who'd given Ris her morpher.

"Possibly because he can disappear when he so wishes – and you can't. To regain your civilian forms, you simply say 'Power Down'," he added.

Ris, standing with her fists – still clutching her daggers – at her side, immediately repeated the words. The uniform shattered about her, taking the daggers with it. The blue Ranger followed her example, revealing herself to be

"Eva!" Ris could hardly believe it. The girl gave her a smile.

"I can hardly believe it myself." Then her gaze zeroed in on the two prone figures behind Ris. "Are your parents all right?"

Ris turned on her heel and dashed to them, just as Dustin began to groan. He sat up a bit straighter, and lifted his hand to his brow. "Dad!"

He opened his eyes, and blinked at his only daughter. "Ris. Did you see…?"

"No," she lied, knowing she had to. She doubted he would appreciate the fact that she'd just become a Power Ranger – seeing as it was the most dangerous job on earth. "I was knocked out, same as you. When I came too, Eva was here. You remember her, right?"

"Right." Dustin nodded to her, then his eyes widened when he spotted his wife. "Marah!"

They went to her, Dustin cradling her head in his lap. "Mar. Mar, come on, open your eyes."

As if his gently persistent calling had done it, she opened her eyes, and looked up into his chocolate brown ones. "Dustin." She grinned weakly at him, as he and Ris helped her to sit up. "What happened?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe Eva can tell us." He looked up at her but she held out her hands, catching Ris's subtle shake of the head. For once, the young girl looked very serious.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Brooks, but I don't know. I was just heading back to apologize for my outburst, when I saw you guys. I woke Ris up, she woke you up and you know what happens next."

"Okay." He seemed to accept it at face value as he helped his wife to stand, supporting with a shoulder. "Hey, baby. Do you think you can make it to the car?"

"The car?" Her brow wrinkled. "What for?"

"To get you to hospital of course! I should call Tori and ask her if Calum and Ris can stay the night," he added.

"Dustin," she held up a hand. "Don't worry. I fine. I just hit my head. And my water hasn't broken or anything."

"Are you sure?" He put his hand on her distended belly and looked at her with imploring eyes.

"I'm sure," she patted his hand and gave him a comforting smile. "Eva, do you want to stay the night? It's late, and I'm sure your parents would rather have you stay over than go traipsing alone through town."

Eva looked taken aback by the suggestion. "Uh. Sure. Okay."

"All right," with an airy voice and acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, Marah entered the house. "There's a phone in the living room you can use. And I'm sure Ris has some clothes you can fit. Go find them Ris, and change as well," she added, almost as an afterthought.

Eva looked at Ris, who just smiled and shook her head, then jogged up the stairs, Shaking her head as well, Eva headed into the living room to make the call as Dustin closed the door. None of them had noticed when Dayton had disappeared.