A/N There is one reference to PROO but its not too spoilery.

Conner sat on the couch with a bag of chips, listening to Kim and Tommy soft voices as they floated in from the kitchen. He reached for the remote and switched on the TV to drown them out. He had heard enough of Tommy complaining about in the last few weeks to last him a lifetime. No, make that two lifetimes. He was actually starting to feel kind of bad for making so much trouble for his teacher. After all, he had given him a dry, safe place to crash while his parents were out of town, as well as food and a warm place to sleep. And what had Conner done in return to show his gratitude? Zilch! He had caused trouble and given Tommy a black eye. Granted the black eye wasn't entirely his fault, but that wasn't the way Tommy would tell it if anyone asked him about what was now being dubbed 'the elevator incident'.

He sighed and took a sip of his orange soda. It wasn't long after he began channel surfing that he heard the back door open and Tommy's car crank up. As he watched his teacher creep down the driveway and disappear out of sight through the front window, he heard Kimberly mutter something about 'told him he was going to be late!'

Giving up on the TV, he threw the remote onto the coffee table in disgust.

"What's wrong Conner," asked Kim from behind the couch.

"What's wrong?" He repeated, as if the answer to her question should have been obvious. "500 channels and nothing to watch, that's what's wrong."

He slumped onto the couch and crossed his arms across his chest like a pouting child. "I'll be so glad when this stupid cast comes off and I can get back onto the soccer field. I'm so bored sitting inside all the time!"

Kim studied the red ranger with a frown as she sat in the chair beside the couch. "Yeah, I know how it feels to be trapped inside for weeks in end. No sunshine, no exercise, and no fresh air can make a person go mad."

Conner arched an eyebrow. "And you would know this how," he asked, suddenly curious.

Kim shrugged, "I broke my leg during a training session after the Pan Global Games. It ruined my chance at going to the Olympics and my career as a gymnast," she gestured to the house around her with a happy smile on her face, "but I'm not complaining."

Conner retuned her smile, "no, because in the end you got what you really wanted right?"

The former pink ranger nodded smugly. "Yeah, I got everything I ever wanted."

"He's a good guy," said Conner meekly. "I wish I wasn't such a burden and a pain." The words came tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them and once they were out in the open where he couldn't take them back, Conner hung his reddening face and stared at his hands.

Shocked, Kim wasn't sure what to say. "Conner, I…"

"No," he said, "cutting her off. "It's true."

Kim silently stared at the boy, trying to understand why he was suddenly so melancholy. She reached out and tipped his face upwards so that she could read his expression. "Conner?"

He refused to meet her questioning gaze, choosing instead to stare at a point in space far beyond her left ear. "I'm sorry Kim, I wish I knew how to make things right with Dr. O, but I don't."

"Well, you can start by apologizing and working on the things we talked about after supper last night."

Conner shook his head and managed a weak smile.

"Good," said Kimberly, satisfied that she had made a progress with the thickskulled jock. "Now, I believe you where going to tell my how Tommy acquired that lovely black eye…"

381. Always make sure that there are soft places around for a certain pink ranger to land in case she decided sot faint…again. (Kim!)

382. Don't tease the Lightspeed Rangers about their costumes looking like peppermint candy, they are just as strong as you and will take you apart...

383. Rookies, you'll always be called rookies until there's a new Ranger team. That's just how it is. Accept it!

384. If a friend is injured while doing a karate stunt (Rocky!), CHECK UNDER THE BED BEFORE TALKING ABOUT RANGER THINGS! You never know who's hiding under there... (Justin!)

385. You are not allowed to take advantage of you red ranger status. (Jack, the other rangers are still after you for the mud incident.)

386. If a person named Kat asks you for a drink, she does not mean a saucer of milk. (Both Tommy and Boom suffered for that little joke).

387. Do not mention the 'T' word around Bridge. He tends to go a little crazy when the word toast enters the conversation.

388. Whenever one of your team mates is missing, all you have to do is mention that it's not like they're gonna suddenly fall out of the sky--it worked lots of times for Ethan!

389. If you absolutely must get the rangers together for a reunion, do it on the down low. You're just asking for trouble otherwise...

390. No one wants inside your stupid circle! (Trent still cringes when the other Dino rangers mention the fight when SPD came back in time in the wormhole…or he would if he had been allowed to remember it…)

391. Never tell the love sick fan-girls that the person their looking for is evil, you will get hurt. (Shane!)

392. The wars between teams need to stop! (Conner almost got squashed by Xander in Minotaur form last time.)

393. Do not hold grudges against what a ranger says when he/she is evil. (It's not really their fault after all.)

394. When one of your fellow team mates is drunk…….make sure you don't get caught doing something stupid to them. (Jason learned the hard way that revenge wasn't so sweet after that incident with shaving cream, vodka, and a razor.)

395. When a friend is showing you that she understands…don't pull away from her... (Carlos!)

396. Men…never ever underestimate the power of a female ranger. They have a female ranger code that will cause you suffering. Trust me….you'll end up in pain…lots and lots and lots of pain. (And if you think that the others are coming to rescue you…we're not. We'll stand by and laugh hysterically at the men who were dumb enough to challenge that code.)

397. You are not Indiana Jones, Mack! (This falls under the same category as Chip trying to be superman. Just, no.)

398. Stop brooding, Eric! (It makes us all look bad and Taylor is starting to get pissed!)

399. Stop complaining about what color you are. (Seriously Sky, you're blue, get over it already. Same goes for you, Vida.)

400. Time Travel is only for the professionals, not the amateurs…. (Sorry Wes, but rules are rules.)

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Kim tried to suppress a grin as Conner finished telling his story.

"So that's it," she said at last, "that's why Tommy hates elevators now?"

Conner shook his head; the clouds that had blackened his day earlier were completely gone as he gleefully told Kim how Dr. O had cursed like a sailor after being slammed in the face by a rouge crutch as Conner tried in vain to keep his balance on the wet hospital floor. Some mischievous kid had thought it was a good idea to steal the 'warning wet floor' sign and put it on a carpeted area. The problem was that crutches and water didn't make very good friends. He had slipped and fallen flat on his ass while Tommy tried to catch him, only to end up getting hit in the face with his crutch and falling himself. He skidded to a halt, halfway in an elevator and bumped his head on the metal door. Conner had tried not to laugh as Tommy let lose a string of curses, but he had failed miserably. Then, to add insult to injury, a little old lady walked out of the elevator and soundly berated "sonny" for his use of inappropriate language.

Tommy had blamed the whole thing on Conner, right down to the floor being wet. The ironic thing about it was that, this time, Conner had absolutely nothing to do with it…

"So then we came home. It was stony silence all the way. I think that he was plotting my demise…."

Kim laughed, "Tommy would never commit murder Conner."

Conner glared at her, not convinced. "Don't be so sure Kim. Behind that charming façade, he's really evil."

Kim chocked on her drink and motioned for him to shut up, but Conner, as usual, wasn't paying attention.

"I mean he's really evil…." He stopped when he noticed Kim suddenly looking at the floor as if it was the most fascinating thing. "What?"

"Conner, "said a cold voice from behind him. "I'd like to see you in the garage, alone."

Conner knew without looking that Tommy was wearing a scowl. He also knew that the garage was the last place he wanted to go with Tommy right then…it had sharp objects and a car…

"Now!"

He had started to protest but the note of finality in Tommy's voice resigned Conner to his fate. "Goodbye Kim," he said as he hobbled towards the door. "It was nice knowing you."

Suggestions and constructive critisim are loved, as always:)

And for the reviewer who asked, the Time Force portion of the story will return soon.