Disclaimer: still don't own it…

Sorry I haven't updated in almost a month, but I've had huge amounts of schoolwork, not to mention my EMT class has now started…

The next few chapters will be a short 3-4 chapter mini series in which the Rangers will find a new meaning to the phrase "expect the unexpected".

Recap: There's a new Henchman now and he has Jen in his clutches. Can she escape death once again? Who is this mysterious figure following Jen?

Enjoy and please leave a review if you haven't yet.

The Awakening: Phantoms in the Fog

"This better be good, Broodwing," the Emperor snickered. He impatiently tapped his fingers on his arm stool waiting the news Broodwing had to offer.

"My Emperor, I assure you, this friend if mine is well worth his cost, and a master at robotics. He has helped with most of the robots I have so… graciously provided you with. Surely he can re-build the one found at Casper's Fault," the bat said smoothly. "Not to mention, my Emperor, he can easily destroy the Rangers."

Grumm wasn't impressed. "That's what you told me about those two mutant friends of yours from the future, and look how well they handled it."

"Steelix and Conwing were two mere mishaps. They underestimated the Time Force Rangers and SPD. I guarantee this one will not fail nor will he be captured. He will destroy the Rangers and bring back the most powerful robot of all time. Give him a chance, my Master. You will be very pleased."

Grumm pondered for a moment and sighed. He placed his head on his hand. "I will give him twenty-four hours, Broodwing. If he does not impress me, you both shall meet similar fates," he growled. "Understood?"

Broodwing bowed humbly. "Yes, Emperor Grumm." The bat smiled as he turned to a monitor and brought up at picture of Butler Square. "As I understand, he is causing havoc as we speak."

"You," the monster smiled, "Will be the first to die."

Jen gritted her teeth as she stood up, despite the pain developing in her leg. "Not if I can help it," she said as she raised her fist and hesitated for a moment. The last time she morphed it almost killed her. But Jen wouldn't go down without a fight, even if it killed her. "Time For," her morpher glowed pink, "Time Force!"

A flash of pink and she stood before the monster in full Ranger attire. The monster, however, didn't move. "Captain," it spoke, "Good to finally meet you in person. Broodwing has told me all about you. Your skills are legendary," he said as a sword materialized into his hand, "Let's see how well you use them."

Jen's Chrono saber appeared in her hand as well. "Bring it."

They stood there for a moment trying to read the other's expression. The creature moved first as it went in to strike Jen. She ducked as she rolled and their weapons hit with a heavy clank. Jen then turned and kicked him in the stomach but the monster was quick to recover. He struck at her again and again, Jen blocked him. Jen, however, didn't escape his blade so easily as before. She cried out in pain as his sword tore across her chest and a burst of sparks erupted the front of her Ranger attire.

"A bit rusty, are we Captain?" he mocked.

She rolled back but didn't stay down for long. She swept his feet out from under him and jumped up. "I'm just getting started."

He chuckled. "In that case, I'll end this now." A sudden burst of energy flew from his palm engulfing Jen whole. She fell back as her suit went crazy. A surge of power flew through her as she powered- down instantly. Bloody scrapes and bruises covered her body as she clutched her arm in pain.

"This is the end of the line, Captain." The monster chuckled as he raised his sword, but his glory was short-lived. A figure cloaked in black tackled him, it's face hidden. The figure said nothing as it fought curiously with the creature.

Once on the ground again, the monster rose to his feet. "We will meet again, Captain," he panted. In a flash of gray the figure disappeared.

Jen sat on the ground for a brief moment to catch her breathe. She kept her eyes on this mysterious figure whose face she could not see. She slowly stood up and walked over. "Thank you," she stated. "Who are you?"

That's when the figure darted off into a think fog that fell across the park, with Jen on its heels. "Wait!" she called after it. But the figure refused to wait as it darted into an even thicker patch and disappeared. Jen followed it as she stopped and sighed. She held her breathe for a moment as she heard steps from behind. She turned around and suddenly fell to the ground as her face was smashed by the creature's fist. Blood dripped from a cut in her cheek as the same figure in black fiercely tackled him again.

She lay there on the ground and slowly felt sleep come over her. Her vision went blurry as she closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was the figure's hidden face leaning over her as it uttered her name coldly. Jen tried to speak but found this task difficult. Out of time and reasons she closed her eyes and gave her body to the darkness.

"Jennifer… wake up." A voice cooed. "Jennifer, come back to me."

She shook her head and blinked. His icy blue eyes smiled down at her as she looked around her surroundings. She was back in Silver Hills, back when Steelix and Conwing were attacking. She heard their cries as a voice spoke out to her again. "Jennifer…"

Jen turned around to see his face and she gasped. "Wes?" she asked. He nodded.

"Jen, we haven't much time. Listen to me," he said firmly, "Everything you know will soon cease to exist if you let Grumm succeed with his plan."

She looked at him in astonishment. "Cease to exist? What do you mean?"

He sighed. "If you let Grumm revive Doomtron, the time line will change. There will be nothing left of this city, it'll be a rotting cesspool of nothing. Everything that has happened in time will change."

Jen looked at Wes for a moment and pondered. He said the time line would change… would it be possible… "Wait, if the time line changes," she paused and looked at him. "You would be alive, Wes?"

He did not respond. "We have no time left, Jen. You must stop Grumm and his new henchman. The future is depending on you."

He started to fade away as Jen turned around to see Steelix laughing crazy and pulling the pin on the vest full of C4 he has strapped to him. It exploded taking everything with it.

"No!" she said as she jumped up and panted. He grabbed her shoulder and leg as he gritted her teeth.

"Relax, Captain," came a voice. Jen turned her head to see Kat standing in front of a monitor as it recorded her heartbeat. "You've been under some stress with your heart, I advise you just relax."

Jen sighed as she lay back and closed her eyes and sighed. "I can feel it." She placed a hand over her heart and felt it beat rapidly.

"You were lucky that morphing didn't kill you, Jen." Trip said from beside her. Jen turned her head and smiled at the green-haired Ranger.

"Yea, what made you even think of morphing, anyway?" the voice belonged to the SPD Yellow Ranger, also seated behind her. "The last time you were here, it almost took your life."

"She's stubborn, of course she'll morph." There was a new voice in the room, one she clearly recognized.

"Come on, Eric," she chuckled as the Quantum Ranger stepped into the room. "You would have done the same thing, admit it."

Eric smiled as he walked into the room with Jack besides him. "You're right, I would have." He bent down and kissed her cheek as a sigh of hello. "The difference between you and me is that I wouldn't have ended up in a hospital bed."

"She's lucky she's even conscious at this point," Kat interrupted their banter. "Captain, if you would have stayed morphed for much longer you may have had another heart attack."

"If you don't mind me asking, Captain," Jack's voice entered the conversation. "What were you doing in a fog like that?"

Jen hesitated for a moment. "A person, a man, he saved me from that monster. After tackling it, he ran into the fog. I was determined to discover who he was but the monster immerged again the person got him away. Then I passed out."

The door opened yet again as Alex walked in, a worried look was planted on his face. He slowly walked into the room and sighed. "Jen?" he asked.

"It's alright, Alex. I'm okay." She whispered.

"That's our cue to leave, then." Eric said as he pushed the Rangers out of the room while nodding at Alex. "Keep it quiet you two, ya hear me?"

Jen laughed while Alex rolled his eyes. "Bye Eric," she chuckled. Kat also left behind him with a smile on her face.

Once the door closed, Alex turned his eyes back to where Jen lay. She has some bandages on her face, and a large one that was across where the monster slashed her cheek. He sighed and looked at the floor, his emotions bottled up in his throat as he tried to speak, but found it difficult. "Jen, I…"

She took his hand in hers. "It's okay, Alex. Really. Mr. Manx says I'll be fine. I just need to rest."

He smiled as he bent down and kissed her lightly on her lips, a kiss that made her heart skip a beat. He sighed he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes for a moment, savoring that kiss.

Jen looked at him, surprised by his kiss. Out of all the years she's knows him, Alex was never the one to make a move like that. "What was that for?" she asked curiously.

His words were soft and low. "I thought I lost you again."

'Again? What does he mean again?' She asked herself, but ignored his last word. "Me too." She thought for a moment, her mind was playing with the idea of telling Alex about her dream. "I… I had a dream, like the one I told you about with Wes when I was in the church." Alex said nothing as Jen continued to talk. "But this one wasn't all happy. I was back at Butler Square where Steelix and Conwing were at, Wes's last day alive. He said something to me."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Something about how we need to stop Grumm before he finds and reactivates Doomtron, something about how if we don't the time line will change. Alex, if we can't stop Doomtron, do you think the time line would change?" He shrugged. "But if the time line were to change, do you think," she bit her lip. "Do you think Wes would be alive?"

He didn't respond right away, but focused his eyes on the floor yet again. How could he tell her? There would be no way she would understand what happening… "I don't know Jen, I don't know." He lied to her.

There was something in his voice that made her second guess his answer, but she put it behind her. For now, she needed to rest.

Alex watched as her eyes slowly closed and she fell into a peaceful sleep. He sighed and rubbed his thumb over her hand. "I wish I could tell you, Jen. I want to, so much." He let a tear slip down his face. "But you wouldn't understand how this has happened, not to mention Sky… I don't know how he'd deal with it."

He watched her for a moment, taking in all of her features, almost like he'd never see her again. With another kiss on her forehead he left without another word.

Inside the lobby Sky sat nervously in waiting for a word on his mother. "I knew I'd find out here," Syd smiled as she sat down next to him and kissed his cheek. "Any word yet?"

Sky shook his head. "Nothing, not a thing." Syd took his head and put it on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sky. I'm sure she'll be fine."

The Blue Ranger stood up and sighed again. He walked over to the window and pressed his forehead against the cold glass. "I don't want to loose her. First Dad, now her," Syd heard him sniff. "I don't know what I would do if both of them were gone."

Syd placed her arms lovingly around him. "She'll pull through, Sky. I just know it." He turned around in her arms and placed his head on her shoulder and took in a deep breath. "I guess all Rangers can be blue sometimes, huh Sky?"

He laughed into her neck as he picked his head up and kissed her. "I guess so." He stood there for a moment with her in his arms and simply shut out the world. "I…" he paused. "I love you, Syd."

Syd smiled and looked at him. She wiped the tears away from his eyes and kissed his nose playfully. "I love you too, Sky."

Sky kissed her again as she chuckled and turned around. "Sky look, it's Major Drake."

Sky watched as Alex immerged from the room, tears in his eyes. "Sir," he said as he stepped towards Alex. The Ex-Red Ranger stopped and looked at him. "Sir, I was wondering, how is my mother?"

Alex sniffed heavily. "She's asleep now, but she'll be fine. Just a close call, that's all."

The Blue Ranger nodded. "That's good to know," he watched curiously at Alex's emotions. "Sir, is anything wrong?"

"No, no, nothing's wrong," he made a quick recovery. "I was just worried about losing her again." He paused. "I love her very much. Take care of her, Son." With that, Alex left quickly leaving Sky alone and questions quickly brewed in his mind…

Chapter 9 coming soon…

Please review, for those of you who haven't in a while… I want to see how you like it!