Author's Notes- Right then, so it's over, I hope everyone's enjoyed it. I couldn't think of a separate birthday fic for Rach, so I did the last chapter as a birthday party, I think it rounds out the story well. Everyone wish Rach a happy birthday now…even though it was technically yesterday.

Summary – Tommy's 29th birthday rolls around. (that's right we're time jumping)

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Wish Granted

Jason

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(1 year later, CyberSpace)

Opening the jeep door and unbuckling my still blindfolded partner from his seat, I check the black bandana once more to make certain he can't see. It wouldn't do to let him spoil the surprise when we're only two minutes from actually giving it to him. "Ready?"

"Can I take the blindfold off now?"

Pushing his hand away from the fabric for what has to be the fifth time in the past five minutes, I swear he's worse than the kids. "No you'll spoil the surprise."

"I don't like surprises." Yes, well no Ranger past or present likes surprises. However Hayley, the kids, and myself have worked far too hard on this to let it be spoiled by a little paranoia.

"You've made that perfectly clear during the ride here."

"And yet you're still surprising me."

"That I am." Taking hold of his arm and helping him out of the jeep, I can see the difference in his sureness now that his latest set of powers are gone. Normally I wouldn't have to help him, blindfolded or not, he could and would hop out of the thing on his own, but now his hold on my arm is tight, not even trusting my own grip on his. "Okay now just hold onto me. Good boy."

Giving a snort, but nevertheless doing as I asked, his response is dry, "Hardly a boy."

Rolling my eyes, I bite back a comment relating to his last birthday, not wanting to make him further on edge about this ending in a trap. "Oh you're right; you're old and decrepit now. Here let me find you a walker right quick."

"So funny. Just wait until your birthday next month."

"Mhm. No peeking now." Reaching the front doors of the café and knocking three times, as Conner had insisted that be the signal for our arrival, I barely hold back a laugh. This really is a bit funny when you think about it. I don't think I put this much work into keeping my Ranger identity a secret, but a surprise party, forget it it's a covert operation.

Cocking his head to the side, I can practically see his thoughts racing at this. "We have to knock? Who do we know in Reefside that requires we knock? Hayley doesn't make us knock. Neither does Mercer. And really who else besides them do we know that would ever invite us to their house?"

Scowling and pushing him inside as Hayley opens the door, I am never going to try and surprise him again. "Stop trying to spoil your surprise."

Holding onto my arm as we enter the café, he tilts his head and frowns suspiciously as I'm sure he can hear the soft scampering of the guests to get into their desired places. "If you give me a heart attack on my birthday you're sleeping in the garage for a week." The garage huh. He hasn't threatened me with that since I broke the blender last month.

"You've gotten cranky in your old age."

"Again, so funny."

"Ready?" Well here goes nothing. Quickly untying and removing the blindfold, I join in on the round of 'surprise!' grinning as he jumps a good few inches and begins to take a defensive stance.

Taking a minute to recover, he finally releases my arm and relaxes looking pleasantly surprised at the decorations and guests. "Oh my god. This is amazing."

Tucking the bandana into my back pocket, I have to say it really is pretty impressive. Especially the good two hundred balloons decorating the ceiling. "You like it then?"

"I love it."

"We're glad to hear it." Moving to us, Hayley gives him a friendly kiss before handing him a drink. "Happy birthday, Tommy. I honestly had my doubts about you making it another year, but I'll be damned if you didn't prove me wrong." I think around that last battle we all had our doubts. I'm just glad they all made it through alive and relatively unscathed.

"You weren't the only one." Nodding in agreement he smiles before turning to the kids as they move forward. I knew it was a good idea to get them involved them. Even if they can only really stay for the afternoon before having to head back to their obligations. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you three supposed to be in college, and you supposed to be touring?"

Grinning over his own cup of punch, Conner shakes his head. "You didn't really think we'd miss your birthday for something as trivial as classes-"

"or an East Coast tour." Kira adds in, already tuning her guitar in preparation for some party music.

"Now did you?" Ethan finishes happily.

"I guess not."

As the two ladies in pink move over from the bar, both still giggling about whatever they'd been discussing, Kim is the first to reach her former boyfriend, mimicking Hayley's kiss before Kat does the same. "Happy birthday Tom. It's nice to see you've actually gotten older this year instead of the other way around."

Smiling, Kat shakes her head. "I don't know, I thought he was adorable last year. Especially in those Power Ranger pajamas."

Both girls laughing as this gets an embarrassed blush from him, I'm about to interject when Tommy beats me to it. "Yeah, yeah, I have the pictures. I'm well aware of what evil things you all did to me."

"Well look on the bright side," Wrapping my arm around his waist, I pull him closer. "If it hadn't happened I wouldn't have had a reason to stay in Reefside for those two weeks and gotten to be a part of your life here, and then we might not be together like this."

As a soft smile graces his face, I'm rewarded for my optimistic view with a kiss. "Well then I guess it was definitely worth the pictures, being pushed around by third graders, and having to go to bed at eight o'clock every night." I'd say so.

"Okay guys, everyone gather round." As the lights are suddenly dimmed by Hayley, Trent emerges from the back, cake complete with Power Ranger figures and twenty nine lit candles now in his hands.

Moving to help her boyfriend, Kira aids in laying the large cake on one of the many tables they've set up before gesturing us all in closer. "In light of your child-self telling us we can't sing 'Happy Birthday' to save our lives, we're going to skip the song this year."

Chuckling, Tommy gives the girl in yellow what can only be interrupted as a grateful nod. "Thank you."

Rolling my eyes at their breaking birthday tradition, I nevertheless let it go as deep down I know Kira and Tommy's younger self are right. For whatever reason, no matter who you are, a crowd of people just cannot sing that song in sync and on key. "Okay, so since there's no song make a wish and blow out the candles before the whole place goes up in a blaze."

"Wait." Holding his hand out between Tommy's mouth and the cake, Conner shakes his head. "Should we really be blowing out candles? I mean remember what happened last time."

Nodding in agreement, Kira continues, "Plus even before that you had the Green Candle you talked about on your video journal. So really you and candles, it just doesn't seem like a good combination now that I think about it."

Heaving a sigh at their concerns, I better do something before they set the cake and then the place on fire. "Oh come on guys you don't honestly think something bad will happen again. I bought these candles at Wal-Mart."

"Speaking as a professional businessman, I must say that of all the corporations I've studied in my time, Wal-Mart does have a rather dark and evil history." Thank you Anton.

Shaking his head, Tommy finally seems to come to a decision. Taking a deep breath the candles are blown out and aside a large amount of smoke, nothing seems to have happened, much to everyone's relief. "There see, just candles."

"But you didn't make a wish first." Helping Hayley remove the candles and cut the cake, Kira frowns at the thought of Tommy missing the traditional wish making.

"It's okay; I already got what I wanted." Lacing his fingers in mine, he offers up a rather charming smile that I doubt the others catch in their race for cake.

Despite knowing the answer, I can't help but ask, "What's that?"

"A family."

The End