Disclaimer: Power Rangers isn't mine, never was never will be….

*****

"It's around here somewhere," Tommy said, stepping along the rocky pathways. Billy followed, watching the edge of the rocks where they walked to keep from tripping.

Billy had never been to this part of the beach before. Tommy had called him last night and asked if he wanted to go swimming in the coves just outside town. He said he'd been there a few times with his family. They'd left the car in the small parking lot near the public beach area and started hiking up the nearby cliffs.

"Here it is!" Tommy said as they climbed over an outcropping. He held out a hand and pulled Billy onto the rock ledge. It was beautiful. The ledge dropped straight down about twenty feet into the water. It was low tide so the water was smooth as it lapped gently against the well-worn rocks as they curved in, forming a small cove that would be nearly invisible from the sides.

Tommy dropped the large lunch cooler he brought on the ground and spread his towel next to it. Billy did the same while Tommy stripped off his shirt and sandals. "Come on," he said and raced for the ledge. Billy made it to the edge of the drop just in time to see Tommy hit the water in a beautiful splash. By the time the Green Ranger broke the surface Billy had managed to work his way down the drop-of using the well worn stones as steps. There was a small ledge just a few feet above the water and Tommy met him there.

"Why didn't you jump?" he asked.

"It's too high," Billy said. "I can never jump from there."

Tommy reached out a hand. "Well, help me out then."

Billy grabbed his hand and tried to pull Tommy out. He saw the glimmer in Tommy's eyes a second too late and the next thing he knew he was tumbling forward into the water. When he surfaced again he could hear Tommy laughing. He responded by smacking his arm across the water and splashing Tommy in the face.

Tommy shook as the water hit him, and then it was on. The next half-hour was little more than an all out war to see who could splash and dunk who under water the most. Finally both of them ended up leaning against the rock ledge panting and laughing.

After he'd caught his breath Tommy pulled himself onto the ledge and helped Billy up. Billy followed him up the natural cut "stairs" until they reached the sunlight of the cliff.

Tommy laid back on his towel and closed his eyes. Billy lay down next to him, propping his head on one arm, and for several seconds just stared at him. His skin was smooth and tan from the sun and there were water droplets still on his eyelashes.

"You're not going to fall asleep on me, are you?" Billy teased.

The corners of Tommy's mouth twitched. "I don't sleep well anymore," he said in a dark tone. "Not since Rita's palace."

"I'm sorry," Billy said, immediately overcome with guilt. "I didn't know."

Tommy's shoulder's moved in a halfhearted shrug. "I still have nightmares. I thought they would go away when I became a Ranger, started doing some good, you know. But they didn't."

Billy nodded. He wasn't sure what to say. Tommy hadn't talked about what happened with Rita after he got back. As far as he knew he hadn't opened up to anyone and Zordon had told them all to give him time. He never thought he'd be the one Tommy finally opened up to, but in that moment he was grateful that he was.

"It was like, walking in a fog," Tommy continued. "At first, I didn't think about it being right or wrong, I was just serving my mistress. I don't think I even knew what I was doing." He paused and took a ragged breath but Billy stayed silent and let him continue at his own pace. "I never questioned her, not once. But then, I saw you, and you said my name, and it was like, I don't know, like a veil lifted. Nothing changed at first, I still wanted to serve my mistress, but, I wanted-no I needed-to do it a different way."

Billy swallowed unconsciously and felt a lump in his throat at the words. He knew Tommy had clung to their relationship to survive, but he had no idea that it had been his guiding force out of Rita's grip from the beginning.

"She controlled everything, but I controlled that one thing, who I was with, and somehow, that gave me enough power to fight her," Tommy said. "It wasn't until the end, until she took even that small bit of control away from me that I realized what I'd been doing, and how much I wanted out.

"When I saw your face, after I stabbed Jason. I knew I'd lost everything. It was over. When you came into the cell the next day to rescue me I was hoping you were Goldar coming to finally kill me."

Tommy's eyes were closed tight and Billy couldn't stand lying there doing nothing. He reached out and touched Tommy's hand in comfort, but the Green Ranger pulled away. He sat up suddenly and pulled his knees to his chest burying his face in his hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just-I needed you to know."

Billy sat up and touched Tommy's shoulder. The other boy flinched but didn't pull away. "It's okay," Billy whispered. Slowly he wrapped his arm around Tommy's broad shoulder. "I'm right here," he whispered into his ear. "I'm right here."

He felt Tommy's weight shift, leaning into him just a little and Billy held him tighter. He understood now. He'd never been anyone's rock before. It was always him leaning on the others, on Jason for training or Trini encouragement. But now it was Tommy leaning on him for something, for the most unlikely thing of all, strength.

After a few minutes Tommy sat up straight and Billy released him. He saw Tommy wipe at his eyes to be sure there were no tears on his face. Tommy hit his feet suddenly and held out his hand.

"Come with me," he said.

Billy took Tommy's hand and got to his feet. Still holding hands they walked to the edge of the cliff.

"Jump with me," Tommy said.

"I told you I can't jump from this high," Billy responded.

"You'll be fine," Tommy said. "I'm right here. We'll jump together."

Billy took a look at the water below. He'd seen Tommy jump before, but the drop still looked to be miles long. He looked up at Tommy again to protest, but when he saw the eagerness in the Green Ranger's eyes, he just couldn't say no.

He nodded and gripped Tommy's hand tighter. "On three. One…two…three…"

Billy held Tommy's hand tight in his the whole freefall, not letting go until the force of hitting the water strained his wrist to the point he couldn't take it anymore. The shock of hitting the water at that speed took several moments to recover from, but finally he felt himself break the surface. He gasped for breath, rubbing the water out of his eyes as he tried to look around for Tommy. He heard the boy's laughter to his left and found him treading water a few feet away.

In seconds Tommy closed the distance between them and Billy felt a hand slide around his waist. He could feel the other boys powerful legs moving under the water, keeping them afloat. Tommy was smiling, his hair slicked back by the water, small drops glittering on his long eyelashes.

"That wasn't so bad," he said.

"It was fun," Billy replied.

Tommy's smile widened and Billy felt himself being pulled closer. He wrapped an arm around Tommy's shoulder, trying to keep level in the water. His head bent down and Billy closed his eyes, waiting to accept the kiss.

A flash of light exploded over their heads and the water trembled, pulling them apart. A familiar laughter rang over the cove, echoing over the rock walls.

"Goldar!" Tommy shouted. Billy's eyes followed the walls of the cove up to see the gold warrior standing at the top of the cliff they'd just jumped from. A small army of putties surrounded him.

Immediately Tommy swam for the rock ledge. Billy followed and they climbed the rock face to the cliff. The putties attacked immediately, and they were separated trying to fend them off. Fire flew through the air, and Billy rolled away towards where they'd spread the towels. He heard Tommy's cries as he fought away the putties. Billy moved towards the towels, taking on the putties that were tearing their picnic lunch apart. Unfortunately, he was too slow and in seconds they had him down.

The next thing he knew he was in the air, putties gripping him on all sides. He struggled against their grip but it was no use, there were too many. He couldn't see where they were going, but the movement was getting faster. Then suddenly their grip was gone, but he was still in the air. Billy barely registered the fact that he was falling when he hit the water hard. The sting of the unexpected impact paralyzed him. His body involuntarily tried to breathe and he choked on the water as he struggled to find the surface.

Finally, his head broke free and he met the air coughing and sputtering. He'd barely caught his breath when he heard Goldar's low growl echo over the rocks.

The evil henchman was standing at the edge of the cliff. A few feet away stood Tommy, surrounded by putties that were restraining him with every ounce of strength they had. Billy screamed Tommy's name without thinking, but there was nothing he could do. Even if he could make it back up the cliff he couldn't fight off that many putties on his own. His communicator was up in the backpack he'd brought with them. He was completely helpless.

Goldar laughed as Tommy struggled in vain to get away.

"Say goodbye to the Green Ranger!"

Then he, the putties, and Tommy disappeared in a blaze of golden fire.

*****

Muahahaha! Evil cliffhangers strike again!! I look forward to your reviews.