********************* Juice Bar*****************************

"Really Ernie, we can't thank you enough." Kimberly said as the owner of the juice bar was packing the last box of food to go. "Everything was so good. The others are going to be so excited."

"Indeed. That was the best breakfast I remember ever having." Billy added.

"Don't worry about it kids and listen, just come here when you need supplies okay? You saw where I have things hidden. I trust you to only take what the eight of your need." Ernie replied, he hated to admit it but Kimberly and Billy both looked half starved and when he saw Tommy without his hood on, he only looked marginally better.

Kimberly and Billy glanced at each other. "Are you sure Ernie? That's at least one meal a day. We can go to the soup kitchen."

Ernie shook his head and lowered his voice. "I figure you and the others might want to stay out of the public eye for right now. I can't be the only person whose good at recognizing voices."

Billy bit his lip. "That is true. If the world knew that the power rangers were just normal teenagers. It would be catastrophically bad."

"How bad?" Kim asked out of curiosity.

"World War 3 bad. If people figured out who we are, we would be in constant danger of being kidnapped and ransomed or controlled. Present company excluded from that concern." Billy added looking at Ernie. He may be in super good shape now but Billy honestly never feared the juice bar owner. Being on the moon had not changed Ernie kind heart.

Ernie smiled. "So just come get what you need, when you need and you better be getting at least enough for meals twice a day. We can't have the original pink ranger collapsing from hunger or any of the others either. Rita and Zedd are not the only evil forces out there. I fear the earth is gonna need the rangers again sooner than later."

"We will. Thank you Ernie." Kimberly made a mental promise to do what she could to protect the Juice bar community center should it ever be in danger. Good people like Ernie were so hard to find these days.

"Kim we better get going." Billy said looking at the people who were starting to filter in. Most we reading over the missing persons board, but there was also a job board and other notices posted.

"Right, if you don't mind Ernie. We'll leave out the back." Kim said gathering a few to go boxes in her arms. She turned to go and almost dropped the boxes as someone shouted her name.

"Kimberly Hart!"

She barely had time to react before a pair of loving arms encircled her. "Oh Kimberly! Sweet heart! I'm so glad to see you."

Kimberly blinked at the woman holding her. "Mrs. Kwan?"

"Hello Mrs. Kwan." Billy greeted. Unsure if he should be trying to pry Trini's mother off of Kimberly.

The middle aged woman was crying. "Billy! Oh Billy! You're alive too! I never thought I would see any of Trini's friends again." She let go of Kim and suddenly Billy felt himself captured in the same motherly embrace. "Were you on the moon? Have you seen Trini? Was she with you?"

Mrs. Kwan had let go of Billy and was now looking between the two teens. Kimberly's eye's dropped to the floor. "Trini... she was with us but..."

"She didn't make it." Billy offered, taking that burden from Kimberly.

Mrs. Kwan let out a single sob before steeling her face. "I need to know. Did either of you see what happened? How she died?"

Kimberly nodded. "It was a monster... we were out hiking and...were attacked. We tried to help her Mrs. Kwan. I promise we did! There were just so many putties and Zack..." Kimberly clamped her lips closed with a plop.

"What about Zack?" Mrs. Kwan pushed.

Kimberly shook her head. She couldn't talk about them anymore. She just couldn't.

Billy put his arm around the girl in pink drawing her close. "Zack was killed, as was Jason. Kimberly, Tommy and I were taken to the moon and enslaved there."

"Oh, oh you poor things! You poor, poor things!" It was no secret what happened to those on the moon. Kimberly was very pretty and Billy was handsome in his own way. She doubted they had been in the mines, possibly the kitchens but more than likely the harem. "Where are you staying now? At the orphanage? And what are you doing with all those food boxes?" She asked worried.

It was Ernie who answered. "They're making a food delivery for me. They've been a big help around here."

Mrs. Kwan nodded, content with that answer. "But what about your parents? Your father Billy? And your mother Kimberly?"

Billy looked away. "I haven't seen my father since the night before the attack."

"My mom was in France, she might be okay but I don't know since there's no communications overseas happening yet." Kimberly answered.

"Then its settled. You both are coming to live with me. Trini would never forgive me if I let her two best friends stay in that orphanage."

"That's kind of you Mrs. Kwan but we're okay, really." Kimberly said.

"Nonsense. Two sixteen year olds need a stable and safe environment. You must be so very tired and worn down from the trauma you endured on the moon."

Billy stood a bit straighter. His eyes taking on that edge of leadership. "Mrs. Kwan. We are staying with friends. I promise we are safe and care for."

Clearly the mother didn't believe him as she opened her mouth to argue, Ernie interrupted. "That foods getting cold. Go make that delivery for me will ya?"

"Right Ernie." Kim said, clutching her boxes and practically sprinting out the back door, Billy right behind her. As soon as it was clear they teleported back to the command chamber.

Mrs. Kwan watched them go. "That food could have waited." She chastised Ernie. "I didn't even learn who they are staying with. Do you know?"

Ernie was drying a glass with a dish rag. "Nope, not a clue. Would you care for a smoothie?"

******************* Command Chamber**********************

"That was the coolest thing ever! Did you see my chain claws Adam? Weren't they the best! My wolf zord is the coolest!" Justin chattered brightly, practically bouncing down the hallway. They had just finished the very first session in the practice chamber, which was like a glorified VR chamber, and Justin was having the best time.

Tommy smirked a bit, while none of the other teens were gushing so intently, it was clear everyone was excited with there Zords.

"I don't know Justin. Did you see how fast my crane is?" Katherine asked. "Like the wind."

"Or how strong my bear is?"Aisha gleamed. "I can't wait to practice more."

Adam put his arm around her shoulders. "How about some food first?"

"Yes! Food!" Justin shouted as they made it back into the central chamber. Zordon was in his tube. Alpha and Billy were talking by the console and Kim has just setting out the last plate. "Hey guys! Good session?"

"It was awesome!" Justin shouted picking up a slice of bacon.

Tommy gazed at the buffet. "Beautiful, where did you get all this food?"

It was Zordon who answered. "It seems Ernie is being quite generous. Especially since he knows the truth." Zordon faced Tommy and the leader couldn't help but flinch a bit.

"I'm sorry Zordon. Ernie guessed and I did try to deny it."

"It is alright Tommy. I should have been aware that as rangers there was always a chance someone would figure out your voice patterns."

"And Ernie proven himself to be a good ally. Not only here on earth but on the moon as well." Rocky said before adding. "I suggest you get something to eat Tommy. Justin seems to be snagging all the bacon." he teased the little ranger a bit.

"Totally am not." Justin replied, but put back several slice he had taken.

Tommy moved over to Kimberly. "Did you eat yet?"

She nodded, "Ernie insisted we have some food before we brought the rest back. Also he said we can come help ourselves to his supplies so long as we don't take too much."

"Wow, that's really cool of him."

She nodded in agreement. Choosing for now not to mention there meeting with Mrs. Kwan. That would only upset Tommy more and he already had so much to deal with. Kimberly couldn't help but worry for him.

When most of the food was done Billy decided now was the time to talk about a few things. "Guys. There is something I need to talk to you about."

"What's wrong Billy?" Katherine asked seeing the sadness in his blue eyes.

"It's about what happened to me and Kimberly, before Adam and Justin was with us, before Bulk and Skull too. It probably happened the same day we were taken."

Bulk said nothing but appreciated being remembered.

Aisha put her hands over Justin's ears. "Is this explanation PG?"

Billy nodded and Aisha let the boy go, ignoring his slight grumbles of displeasure and assertions that he wasn't a little kid.

"Kimberly and I are not fully human anymore. Zedd changed our DNA. I'm not sure how he did that. I am still working on it but Kimberly and I are basically immortal. We will only age a day for every year that passes."

"Whoa, so like you can't die?" Justin asked.

Billy gave him a slight smile. "No, we absolutely can die. If we get shot or stabbed or poisoned or drown or suffocate or..."

"BILLY!" Kim shouted. His list was making her queasy.

"Right sorry. My point is, old age won't kill us. In 50 years we'll look just as we do now, in 100 years still the same, in 200 years and so on."

"That's awful." Aisha said. She couldn't imagine being stuck as an awkward teenager forever. Not treated like a kid, but not a grown up either.

Billy nodded. "I'll do my best to find a cure but without knowing exactly what Zedd did. It will be a slow process."

Tommy hated to admit it but Zordon had told him this was a possibility. He probably shouldn't have thrown the trash dumpster back into space but then again Zedd wouldn't have told them anything. "If anyone can find a cure Billy. You can."

"Its more complicated then that." Billy said, walking a few steps away from the others. "I've been monitoring myself. The power lord Zedd gave me to control Serpentera. It hasn't left my body." Billy looked at his hands and for the first time the others could see they were shaking.

"You're in some kind of withdrawal." Rocky said. He had seen drug withdrawals with similar effects on the body. All too unpleasant memories.

Billy nodded, "I don't know how long I can last. I'm not strong. Eventually the darkness is going to be too much. I will steal your zord Tommy, I will return to the moon and serpentera. That makes me a danger to the team. I've already spoke to Zordon. After I finish helping get the team settled here. He's going to teleport me to a secure undisclosed location that only he and Alpha know. I'll be able to keep working on a cure for Kim, but I won't be able to leave."

"You're going to imprison yourself?" Katherine asked. "That sounds terrible."

Billy's head dropped. "It's for the best."

"No! Billy you can't mean that!" Kimberly moved to go to her friend but he held up a hand, warning her to stay away.

"I do Kim. There's too much at stake."

"Billy, man, there's got to be another way. You can't be locked up forever." Rocky couldn't imagine how horrible being locked in what sounded like solitary confinement would be. Even as a slave on the moon he still had Aisha and Adam for company.

Billy turned his back to them but continued to speak. "There is another way but I'm not sure what will happen. Tommy, Kim, do you really want me to stay?"

"Of course we do!" Tommy said with no hesitation.

"Billy, we can't do this without you. So please..." Kimberly begged, her voice close to tears.

"They're right! We're a team Billy." Adam added.

"And we're friends." Aisha said, as Katherine and Justin agreed.

Billy still had his back to them but he smiled from the kind words and spoke quietly to himself. "This is deserved punishment for my weakness to the dark."

"What did he say?" Aisha asked.

Billy spoke louder. "I said, I'll stay but under my terms and this is my term." As he spoke his turned back to face them, something silver in his hands. He moved quickly before anyone could react.

"No wait!" Adam was the first to call out a warning but it was too late. Billy snapped the slave collar around his neck. It magically glowed, locking tight, as the words fire bird's slave shining brightly for a moment before fading back into the collar.

"Billy... what have you done?" Kimberly cried.

"This is my term. As you are still the Fire bird, I figured the collar would still work. I am glad my hypothesis was correct." He walked over to Kimberly. "Now command me."

Kimberly shook her head and took a step back away from Billy. "No, I couldn't."

"It's easy Kim." Billy said softly. "Just command me not to go evil. I would rather die then betray the team again."

She hesitated.

"Please Kim?" Billy begged. "Please."

"Why did you put this burden on me? You know how careful I had to be to make sure I never said anything that was a command to Adam. I can't say anything like 'I want' or 'would you', without feeling bad. I couldn't even ask for a glass of water or for him to hand me something without feeling guilty."

"Please Kim... for my sanity and soul... please."

Kimberly sighed. "Billy I command that you never do anything that will hurt any of the rangers or anyone we care for. Happy now?"

The collar glowed and Billy nodded. "Yes mistress."

"Oh No! No no no no! You may have heard Adam say that to me but that was only a ruse for up there. Second command, you're to call me Kim or Kimberly like you've always done for our whole friendship. None of this mistress or my lady or anything like that, okay?"

The collar glowed again and Billy smiled. "Yes Kim."

Kimberly sighed. "I think I need to go lay down." She felt so overwhelmed, the color draining from her face. She was pale as a ghost and wobbled slightly on weak knees.

"I've got you Kim." Tommy said, and before the original pink ranger could react Tommy had picked her up into his arms.

She smiled a bit. "I can walk you know."

Tommy smiled back. "I know but how often do I get to carry a beautiful girl?"

Kimberly laughed. "You're such a charmer Oliver."

Tommy laid her in the bedding and grabbed a blanket placing it over her. "You know it. Get some sleep Kim. I'll be nearby if you need anything."

"Thanks Tommy." Kimberly mumble softly, sleep already pulling at her mind.