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

Katherine sat down in one of the bean bag chairs they had managed to scavenge, in the small lounge area set off to the side from the blue training mats. For a long time she just looked at the other rangers. They all seemed as distracted as she was, with there own thoughts.

Aisha had taken the round cushion next to Katherine but they didn't say a word to each other. She could see the girl in yellow gently running her hand over the soft fabric. That cushion had been one of the many things Ninjor had given them to help the rangers get started. They needed so much to survive.

After all, they were only human.

At least they had Ninjor back and Kimberly too. Thankfully Alpha 5 had some medical knowledge, otherwise they would be in real trouble. Its not like they could take Ninjor to a hospital.

And Kim... Katherine sighed, sometimes she found that she enjoyed being around Kim, could even see them eventually being best friends but Kimberly was also her rival for Tommy's love. Billy had been right, this love triangle would break, and soon. She could feel it.

And when it shattered, Billy wouldn't be here to pick up the pieces, no one would.

Rocky was leaning against the far wall, but close enough he could address the others if needed.

Justin was very quiet and oddly still, sitting on the floor mats close to Aisha's side, but almost hiding in the corner. The kid seemed really scared. Adam was sitting next to him. God, Adam was such a good friend. Loyal, kind, thoughtful. Always going out of his way for others. He had such a gentle heart. He was always there for anyone on the team. Unlike Tommy, who was suppose to be the leader uniting them all... They had lost the key part sometime during the fight but more then that they had lost Billy. Possibly forever to evil forces.

Maybe that was why Zordon had ordered them all away, accept for Tommy, on there return. The floating head had been more angry then she had ever seen. Or maybe just deeply disappointed? The emotions on a floating head were hard to read. Katherine felt like she and the rangers were naughty school children waiting to be punished. She wondered if Zordon would somehow take there powers away and find new rangers. She wouldn't blame him one bit.

And as much as she loved Tommy, even she couldn't deny his failings lately. She defended him of course, arguing back that they were a new team and there were growing pains for anyone going from a lone wolf to a pack leader but...

"So what do we do now?" It was Justin who spoke so very softly, as if afraid of being over heard. Katherine found herself looking to Rocky for a reply.

Rocky lifted his head up and found all eyes in the room on him. Desperate, scared eyes, seeking hope and answers. He couldn't lie to them. "I've never lied to you, any of you. Not on the moon, not after we got our powers and not here on earth." Rocky gave each ranger a quick glance. "So I won't start lying now. I don't know what to do, if there is even anything we can do. But I don't want anyone to be afraid. If we are too afraid, we won't be able to fight Divatox or this King Mondo or even Ivan Ooze if he comes. So we've got to have hope and courage."

"You forgot Rita and Zedd." Adam tossed in. His voice more bitter then he intended it to be. Adam rubbed at his face. He was just so weary and confused. Sometimes he wasn't sure if he felt like laughing or crying.

Rocky simply nodded. "The odds are not good I know but we have survived worse. On the moon, I don't pretend to know everything each of us went through but, I know each of us are strong. Mentally, emotionally and physically. We are rangers for a reason. We just have to watch each others backs, keep training and believe we will be enough when the time comes."

"... I'm tired..." Justin spoke after a long moment with a yawn. "... I haven't been sleeping well." he admitted shyly.

Adam pulled the kid into a half hug but looked at Rocky. "I don't think any of us have been sleeping well recently. I know I haven't slept well since we found out Kat, was really Scorpina, in disguise."

Aisha bit her lip for a moment before speaking up. "Same, I think about that a lot. I mean she was here for five days and she could have just gone into our rooms one by one and killed us while we slept. I feel like I have to be on guard whenever I sleep alone now. I got more rest on the moon bunking up together."

"I wonder why she didn't kill us? She had so much opportunity. It had to be more then having us do the work of finding the key part. Right?" Katherine wondered.

"I think it was because of Billy." Justin stated matter of factually.

"What do you mean Justin?" Adam asked.

Justin focused on the floor. "I mean I don't know for sure but Billy. The more he changed the less he seemed to sleep. I know he would wander the halls and check on Kim at random times all night long. I ran into him a few nights when I woke with nightmares from the moon. He would bring me warm milk and we'd talk for a bit. I remember seeing Kat... er...Scorpina... once but when she saw me and Billy, well more Billy glaring at her, she walked away."

Aisha nodded. "It's possible Billy knew or felt something was wrong." After all she had felt the same thing. About Katherine not being herself.

Adam was the first to notice Rocky's wry smile. "Rocky?"

"So what I'm hearing from my teammates is that we need to have a slumber party." Rocky's eyes twinkled.

Aisha rolled her eyes. "A party? You can't be serious. With Billy out there as a monster and the villains doing who knows what?"

Rocky let her criticism roll off him like water over sand. He knew Aisha was much kinder and more worried then she was trying to let on. "I don't mean a real party. But as second in command I see no reason we can't all crash in the same room until we get fully recharged. I'll bring it up with Tommy later when he joins us. And if he doesn't join us before bed time then I, as red ranger, declare that is what we will be doing tonight."

Rocky watched as the team nodded in agreement. "For now Adam and I can see if Alpha needs any help with Ninjor or Kimberly. Kat you, Aisha and Justin can see about running a scan for Billy. Try looking for his morphing grid energy signature."

"But... I don't know if I know how to do that..." Kat admitted reluctantly.

"Katherine I've seen Billy training you. I know you can work these computers, better than I or any of us really can."

Katherine nodded at the compliment, "I'll do my best."

Rocky smiled. "Thanks Kat."

*********************** Cliffs outside the Command Chamber******************

Tommy let the out air and dust blow into his face yet he didn't feel it. All he felt was the rain on his face, rain that seemed to continue to drip down his cheeks but without getting his hair wet.

Zordon had been right about everything. Tommy had deserved the scolding he had received. The key had been in the white rangers care. He could easily have teleported it back to the command chamber but no, he had dropped it into the sand so he could face off with his doppelganger.

They had lost the key, but more then that. They had lost Billy and even the joy of getting Kimberly back was paled by those two details. "For if Ooze is reborn, nowhere in the universe will be safe." Zordon's words replayed in his mind.

And just for a moment Tommy wanted to run, take Kimberly and his falcon zord and just go to the stars. Just run and never look back. He could make a new life anywhere so long as he had the girl he loved by his side to protect.

But which girl was that...?

Tommy shook his head. He couldn't do that. Running away. That was something he would have done when he was under Rita's spell but not now. He was a ranger, damn it! Tommy kicked at a stone sending it clattering down the cliff to the ground several feet below. For once he felt so helpless.

He hated feeling helpless.

He hated it...

****************************** Juice bar*****************************

Ernie sat in his back office frowning at the letter in his hand. Sealed shut and addressed to someone he knew very well, in a very feminine hand writing. Why did this have to happen? Why now? The rangers had enough on there plate but this... what was he to do with this information? A knock at the door drew him from his thoughts.

"You asked to see us?" Bulk said standing at the door. Skull right behind him, both obviously worried they had done something wrong.

"Bulk, Skull come on in and shut the door." The duo did so. "Sit if you like." Ernie offered.

Skull took a seat but Bulk remained on his feet. "I'm good."

"Are we in trouble?" Skull asked quickly. "Cuz if its about those supplies gone missing I swear we didn't do it."

"No, you guys are not in trouble." Ernie sighed sadly, trying to find the right words before speaking again. "Mrs. Kwan was found dead yesterday. She hadn't shown up to her job in two days. She... committed suicide. She left a note to that regard and... this letter addressed to Kimberly." Ernie pushed the letter across his desk.

Bulk glanced away from it. "So why tell us? It's not like we hang out or anything. Haven't seen Kimberly in a couple days. Right Skull?"

The skinny boy in the chair simply nodded.

Bulk was lying and Ernie could tell."I think you should know, that I know more, then you think I know." Ernie replied, locking eyes with Bulk for a long moment.

"Huh?" Skull asked, confused.

But Bulk understood Ernie's meaning. "How much do you know?"

"Enough, though probably not as much as either of you considering your 'watches'."

Skull covered his teleporter with his hand. "Bulk?" he asked, worry dancing in his voice.

Bulk opened his mouth, denial on his lips, but Ernie cut him off. "I won't ask questions, the less I know the better and safer it is for all of us. I was debating not finding a way to get this to Kim but it didn't seem right to just throw it in the trash. So you can make sure she gets it, alright?"

Bulk took the letter, folded it and put it in his pocket. "Yeah, she'll get it."

"Thanks guys." Ernie smiled.

**************************** Medical lab*******************************

Kimberly hurt... and she didn't hurt. She actually felt fine accept for the pricking small pain in her arm. Was she dreaming? No, she reasoned, her mind was awake but... slowly Kimberly opened her eyes and took in the sterile room around her. She was in medical. She must have passed out. This thought caused the former pink ranger to huff slightly out loud in annoyance.

"Kim?" a voice called gently to her right.

Turning her head slightly Kimberly couldn't stop the smile that naturally found its way to her lips. There was Adam, sitting on a chair next to her bed, reading a book that he set down at her stirring. "Adam, hi."

He chuckled slightly. 'Hi Kim. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, except for the IV in my arm." She moved her afflicted arm slightly. "What happened? I mean I take it we were rescued? Is Ninjor...?"

Adam gestured to the other side of the room. Behind a white curtain Kimberly could make out the shadow outline of the ninja master. "He'll be alright. It was touch and go for a bit but Alpha got him stable."

"Not Billy?"

The look on Adam's face confirmed what she feared. "So that wasn't a dream. I really hoped it had been."

"No," Adam replied. "Not a dream. Billy a monster now. A creature called a Nightmare and... Zedd's back."

Kimberly leaned back onto her pillow and closed her eyes. "Great, just flipping great."

Adam smirked slightly. "I think that's the closest I've heard you come to using cuss words."

Kimberly laughed a bit, but it was a dry sort of sound. "So what happened to me? I thought this necklace was suppose to keep me stable."

Adam smiled, "Yeah but it turns out being stable doesn't mean living without food and water. You were dangerously dehydrated Kim."

"Ugh, Quagmire should have mentioned that. I felt totally perfect, until I collapsed." She sighed, "So what else happened? I missed the end of the fight."

Adam filled her in on everything he could. Kimberly simply nodding along, taking in the information. Adam finished talking and for awhile they just sat in silence before Kimberly spoke. "What are you reading?"

"Don't laugh. I'm reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin."

If Kimberly found his book choice amusing she didn't say anything. "Never got around to that one. Though it was on my English literature class assignment list. Feel like reading out loud for a bit Adam? I'd like to listen to the story."

"Want me to start at the beginning?"

"No, it fine. From wherever you are in the book is fine."

Adam smiled and flipped back to the first page of the first chapter. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife..."

And Kimberly fell back to sleep listening to the peaceful sound of Adam's voice.