Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Power Rangers, only the O/C and some setting locations. Events may not be factual to that of the television series.

Storm

"But we're on the same side, Magna Defender." Emma's voice softens.

"I am not." He firmly replied.

The Magna Defender his chest tightened and fled from Emma's presence! The voice in his head grew louder with every step and breath he took, but it wasn't Emma who caused so much turmoil..

"Stop it!" Magna Defender cupped his hands around his head and dropped to his knees.

"She's right! WE, the rangers and US, we're on the same side!" The voice belonged to the man The Magna Defender saved to serve his own greed in avenging Zika.

"You don't know anything, Mike!" Magna Defender roared.

"I know more than you think." Mike Corbett, brother of Leo and the original Galaxy ranger, was now a prisoner in his own body. He now existed only in the Magna Defender's tempestuous mind. "Release me!" He begged. Not a day went by when Mike didn't implore for his freedom.

The Magna Defender sighed feeling guilt for putting Mike through the chaos. He had not always been a cold warrior, in fact he was a guardian of the Lights of Orion and part of the council in the Power Kingdom. When his homeworld was destroyed along with his son, everything changed. The Magna Defender became a shell of someone he once was and his heart became dark, filled with resentment and hatred. He vowed to never stop fighting until he avenged Zika and his home planet; however he too fell victim to chaos and was trapped in a crevasse on the planet Mirinoi. Mike falling into the same crevasse three millenniums later was an opportunity he wasn't going to ignore and took his chances! The Magna Defender's spirit now possessed Mike's human body and was able to escape the crevasse.

"I cannot do that." The Magna Defender sighed, feeling shameful. Pushing Mike away he continued with his mission.

As the days progressed so did the rangers' mission to find the lights of Orion. Emma found herself feeling conflicted between trusting her new set of teammates or keeping her heart safe from attachments. On the battlefield she was a fierce warrior and threat to the Scorpius's army and Trakeena. Both were princesses, one of good and the other of evil, little do they know the connection they shared. Emma had also become a threat to the Magna Defender as her loyalty was to the rangers and whenever he would attack she would retaliate without hesitation. Emma as a ranger was strong, but as an ordinary citizen she felt weak and alone. Whenever she had availability rather than spend time with the rangers, who considered her a friend, she went out to the cliff and sat to watch the sunset. Emma would sit in silence, cry sometimes, as she mourned her beloved Max. The Magna Defender felt inclined to secretly look after the Princess despite their differences.

Emma could sense his energy whenever he was nearby but didn't call him out, somehow just knowing he was around felt comforting. Hearing him accidentally brush some leaves she turned her head in his direction then moved back to watch the sun ready to set soon.

"How long have you been standing there?" Coyly she asked.

"Not long." A lie he knew she was aware of. Moving closer he inspected the photograph Emma was cupping in her hands. At a distance he couldn't see it, but could hear her soft whimpers.

"Ask her what's the matter?" Mike's voice echoed in the Magna Defender's mind. He could sense her loneliness even if he couldn't see her. "ASK her." He persisted.

Magna Defender balled his fists and sighed deeply before clearing his throat. Damn you Mike!

"Who's that?" He nodded at the picture.

"Why do you care?" Emma snapped, wiping her tears.

"Because I know how you feel." Magna Defender observed her.

"You'd have to be in my shoes to know exactly how I feel." She replied.

"Tell her about Zika." Mike's voice chimed in. "Do it."

"When Scorpius killed my son, he killed a part of me too." The Magna Defender felt his chest tighten once again.

"And now you want revenge, for what? It won't bring him back." Emma hit her emotional breaking point. "Nothing will bring him back! Nothing!" She sobbed deeply, not for Zika but for Max. "I couldn't protect him! He died because of me! It's my fault!" Emma wept.

Without needing Mike to tell him to comfort her, Magna Defender placed his hand on Emma's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. It was as if he were looking at his own reflection in her.

"Your highness, whatever happened to Max is not your fault." Magna Defender's voice softened to a more empathetic tone.

"Don't call me that. I am not a princess…I don't want to be one." Emma cried. "I don't deserve to be one."

"You can't hide from who you are." Magna Defender felt odd expressing sympathy.

"...I don't know who I am, Magna Defender." Emma lowered her voice, a reality she struggled to figure out. "I am so alone." Feeling the gentle warrior squeeze her arm once more, she placed her hand over his and held it tightly as she broke down.

"She is not." Mike spoke to the Magna Defender.

"You are not, your highness." Magna Defender replied before slipping into the darkness as the sun had set.

Emma gave herself time to recover before teleporting back to the ship, she was surprised neither Alpa nor the rangers were berating her transponder for not coming back before it got dark out. Taking a deep breath she entered through the doors but everything was silent, had they not come back yet?

"Alpha?" Emma called out. "Where is everyone?"

"Emma!" Maya and Kendrix suddenly appear from the kitchen.

"Come, we've made dinner!" Maya cheerfully hooked her arm around Emma's.

"Any guesses on what we've prepared for dinner?" Kendrix grinned.

"Tacos?" Emma was bewildered, what was she walking into? A prank?

"Hmm, tacos are good!" Maya smirked at Kendrix, nodding her head three times to signal for her friend to open the door to the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Emma eyed the ladies suspiciously, her fight or flight was activated.

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMMALEE!" The rangers chorused. The joint kitchen and dining room had been decorated with birthday party favors, balloons and gifts. The guys were donning birthday hats and Leo lit the purple birthday candles on the cake.

Emma's eyes filled with tears. With so much going on and having not celebrated her birthday since she left earth, Emma had forgotten that today was her nineteenth birthday!

"Guys I-..." Emma smiled, wiping at her eyes. "Thank you."

The rangers sang the happy birthday song before Emma closed her eyes to make a wish and blew out the candles.

"You really shouldn't have gone through all the trouble. I didn't even remember that today was my birthday." Emma let out a chuckle.

"You are our friend and we care about you!" Maya beamed.

"Friend?" Emma looked around at all the decorations and the gifts.

"Yes, friend." Leo smiled. "Permission to hug?" He was very observant and gauged that Emma didn't like to be touched a whole lot.

"Permission granted." After thinking about it she let Leo embrace her, soon the rest of her friends chimed in and were granted hugs of their own.

"Alright let's party!" And by that Damon meant it was time to eat because he was starving!

Emma genuinely laughed for the first time in a long time before taking a seat and joining her friends for dinner. After dinner Emmalee opened her gifts, she received many stuffed animals and birthday cards including from her father who had them sent over. Later that before Leo headed to his room Emma made his way to him.

"Leo." She walked up to him. "Uhm…thank you, again."

"Absolutely!" He smiled when suddenly Emma's arms hugged him. Sensing she probably needed that hug more than him, he hugged her tighter. "We-I'm here for you, Em." He softly whispered, soothing the young princess.

Perhaps she wasn't alone after all and it was okay to be afraid to love and be loved again, but not shut herself down completely...