Title: Through the Motions
Author: LiLAqUaMaRiE
Fandom: Power Rangers
Season: Lost Galaxy
Pairings/Characters: Rangers from both PRiS and PRLG.
Rating: PG-13/K+
Warnings: Drama, tragedy.
Word Count: 1,447
Summary: This starts right after the 31st episode of PRLG, - The Power of Pink - in where Kendrix Morgan, the Pink Galaxy Ranger died in order to save a friend and fellow ranger, Cassie, the Pink Astro Ranger from death.
Note: I finally have chapter two done, beta-ed and posted! Go me! Sorry, lol, if it seemed like I TOOK forever in writing this. Hopefully I can find time to work on chapter three soon.

Keys:

Italics - for someone's thoughts

Boldness – for flash backs/memories

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No I don't mind keeping this bottled inside me
You came along and tore this wall down around me
Looks like you found me… now I know why
I felt like shit when I woke up this morning
- Woke Up This Morning by Nickelback

Chapter 2 – Spinning Thoughts, Bound Hands

Cassie opened her eyes slowly before staring upwards at the ceiling above her. Where was she? She sat up from where she was as she glanced down at her lower torso, looking around herself. She was on a bed? She blinked, confused. 'This doesn't look like my room.' She wondered where she was and why she was there.

One thing she did know was that for some odd reason or another, her body ached from head to toe as she tried to move off the bed. 'What the hell?' She lifted a hand to rub her aching head, as she tried to remember what had happened to cause her to be in such a state.

'Why does my body hurt?' She couldn't help but wonder. 'Hell, why can't I remember any–' she stopped from finishing her thought as her gaze fell upon a picture frame that was on a nearby table. Her body froze as her eyes were locked upon that frame. It was a few minutes before she stood, ignoring the pain within her as she took small deliberate steps toward the table across from the bed she was on earlier.

Reaching the table, she stared down at the picture frame. She stretched out a hand to grasp it; at first as her hand was inches away from touching it she retracted her hand a bit – feeling suddenly afraid. She blinked as she closed her eyes and reached once more for the frame, finally grabbing it within her clutches. She lifted it up; bringing it toward her face as she slowly opened her eyes – fearful of what's to come.

It was a normal picture, one where six people stood standing next to each other, huddled together – each of them with an arm around the other. They were all smiling, laughing; it was a happy picture, a moment of pure joy frozen for times to come – a memory of the past.

Small tears fell from her eyes. Cassie couldn't help but keep her eyes on a certain person in the picture; a blonde haired woman in pink, beautiful in her own way, smiling cheerfully at the camera that was taking the picture. A sob wanted to break through her throat, Cassie had to bite down hard on her lip to stop from sobbing out.

Memories of things that have passed formed within her mind; she was recalling the events from before. All the memories she wished to never remember, rushed to her in sudden flashes – one after the other nonstop. A name stood out within her mind – Kendrix.

The picture frame fell out of her hand, falling aimlessly down toward the floor below – crashing as it did. Cassie took slow steps backwards as a trembling hand slowly went to her face. Her lips were quivering as she tried to close her mind to the horrible images that plagued her. Tears swept down her almond colored eyes; the door to the room she was in opened.

She was so lost in her world, she didn't notice who entered. 'Kendrix…Kendrix is dead?' She backed herself up against a wall; she fell to her knees as she slid down the wall with her hands covering her mouth as she tried to hold back the sobs that were threatening to come out. 'She killed her.' She was so lost within herself to not notice the shouts in the room, not notice the hands on her shoulders, shaking her. 'I killed Kendrix!' She started to tremble as someone pulled her into an embrace, rocking her gently.

'She died…because of me.' A sob broke through. 'Because of me; I'm a murder.' She shook her head before roughly pushing away from the one holding her.

"Cassie!"

She turned her face toward the sound; she really wasn't seeing anything but her pain.

"Cassie, can you hear me?"

She just wanted to close her eyes and will herself to death; she deserved it for what she's done.

"Cassie! Cassie, please talk to me, are you alright?"

Her eyes finally focused on the person talking to her, it was a female. She was wearing yellow – she knew her.

"Cassie, sweetie, please say something! You're starting to scare me here!"

"A-Ashley?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but the Yellow Astro Ranger was able to catch it.

"Cassie! Oh thank god!" Ashley voice let out a sigh of relief, "You were scaring me there…" Ashley Hammond glanced down at to her best friend – her sister who was in so much pain. "Sweetie, don't do this. Don't close yourself to the pain."

Cassie's lips quivered again; the tears never ceased. Ashley continued as she crawled closer to the trembling body before her. "You don't have to handle this by yourself sweetie." She hugged the pink ranger close to her, "I'm here for you." Ashley ran her hand through the pink ranger's long raven hair, stroking it – trying to soothe the wounded young girl. "The others are here for you too hon." She leaned her chin on top of the other girl's head, "You're not alone."

Cassie wanted to scream, wanted to run away – wanted to die. She buried herself deeper within the other woman's arms, seeking the closure the yellow ranger brought her for the moment. "But…but it hurts…" she managed to whisper out in a pained voice.

Ashley herself had tears that fell fromher eyes. "I know baby, I know." She rocked the girl in her arms, "It'll get better one day."

Silence reigned between them for a long while before Cassie's sobs ceased for the moment. Cassie tilted her face upward to look up at Ashley. "The others hate me don't they?"

Ashley blinked taken back at the sudden question. "What?" She shook her head forcefully, "No. No, of course not! Why would you say such a thing?"

Cassie swallowed trying to pull away from the other girl's embrace, "Do you even have to ask?"

Ashley held onto Cassie, pulling her back towards her, lifting her hand to touch the other girl's face, to make her look at her. "What are you trying to say Cas?"

Cassie glanced up at the wall behind Ashley. "Don't you get it?" She just continued to stare at the wall. "I killed her, Ashley. I killed her."

Ashley's eyes widened, "What? No! God no!"

Cassie pulled away, this time being able to break free from the other girls grasp as she was taken back by her sudden revelation. She slowly stood, standing on her two trembling legs, leaning a hand onto the wall next to her for support. "If it wasn't for me…if it wasn't for me…" She couldn't finish her comment.

Ashley stood herself. Glaring at Cassie she shook her head. "Don't you dare say it was your fault, you hear me? Hell, don't even think it was your fault."

Cassie gave a harsh laugh as she returned the glare, her pain turning into anger. "No? No? You're telling me not to think that?"

"Damn it Cas!" Ashley shook her head quickly, "This is so not your fault – in no way is it." She threw her hands up exasperatedly, "If you want to blame someone, fine! Blame someone! But blame Psycho Pink – not yourself. She's the one to blame, not you!"

"But if it wasn't for me –"

Ashley stormed up to Cassie, standing in front of her best friend with a grim look. "Say it, Cassie. She's dead. She's dead and isn't coming back and it wasn't your fault."

"But…"

"No." Ashley placed her hands on top of Cassie's shoulders, shaking them a bit. "You were the one going after the sword. You weren't the one who was slashing people with it. You weren't the one who wanted to use the sword for evil purposes. You hear me, this wasn't your fault."

Cassie stared at the ground below before quietly asking a question. "She's not coming back….is she?"

Ashley sighed softly, as her sad eyes took in the defeated form of her best friend. She squeezed Cassie's shoulder gently, before responding. "No, sweetie, she's not."

Silence reigned once more in the room.

Ashley squeezed Cassie's shoulder once more, "Come on hon. The others are worried sick over you. Want to go out of this room and see them? If you're not ready, you don't have to."

Cassie glanced up tiredly at her best friend.

Ashley gave her a sad smile, "Really. If you're not ready I can tell them all to leave you alone for now."

Cassie tried to give her a small smile before shaking her head slowly. "No. I – I want to see them."

Ashley smiled at her once more, "Okay sweetie, whatever you want."

TBC.