A/N: August 28th, and a few more old characters are introduced.

Thank you to PurpleRanger47 and riverkirby for your reviews. Mell, the story is going to have many similarities to the rp, as you have probably noticed, however there are going to be many differences. I suspect the reason you ask is about Laci who will not be showing up in this story.

Disclaimer: Wee, I remembered two chapters in a row. Okay, so anyway. I don't own Power Rangers, I do own Audrey and Mallory and Alana though.

Chapter 5: Depression

Evans Home, Angel Grove, CA

Audrey woke up the next morning after a fitful sleep. She couldn't believe her gymnastics career was officially over. She just knew she couldn't go back though. She pulled her dolphin closer to her chest as she remembered her slip. Fresh tears streaming down her face. How was she going to do this? Before last night, gymnastics was all she could think about and now she was left with no dreams, no future.

This was one of those times Audrey was very thankful for her grades. She could get into college easily and maybe go to law school. It was a profession she had come to resent because of her parents, but it was better than nothing and right now, Audrey Evans, star gymnast, was looking at nothing.

She got out of her bed and began her routine stretches. Even without gymnastics, she couldn't function without her stretches. She slowly seperated her legs into the splits then reached for her feet with the opposite hands, one at a time. She remained in each position a while to make the stretch effective, then she went into her other stretches.

Once finished with her stretches, Audrey got dressed, choosing a pink top and white shorts. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, choosing a pink scrunchie. She always wore her hair in a ponytail when she was depressed. In Orlando her friends would have noticed and taken her shopping later. Her parents wouldn't notice and since no one here, save for Kim has ever seen her depressed, no one would notice. She intended to not see Kim.

She picked up her books and stuffed them into her bag, then began making her way downstairs. She set her bag on the couch and walked into the kitchen. Wow, the Evans family is eating breakfast together. She thought in shock as she viewed the image before her. Robert Evans was sitting, already dressed in his suit at the head of the table reading his newspaper. Alyssa Evans was cooking breakfast. "Hey mom, hey dad." She said as she took a seat at the table.

"Hey sweetheart." Her mother said, smiling at the newest addition to the room.

"How are you this morning, princess?" Her father asked her.

"I'm fine." She said simply. Her tone spoke volumes, not surprising, though, her parents didn't notice.

"That's good, sweetie." Her mother said as she finished putting their breakfast on plates and set one in front of her.

"Yeah." She muttered, picking at her food.

"So," Robert said, folding his newspaper up and setting it on the table, "your mother and I would like to take you to dinner tomorrow night."

"That sounds great, dad." She said, trying to muster as much enthusiasm as she could. She did like the idea of having a family dinner out for her birthday, but she also didn't expect it to happen.

Robert and Alyssa smiled at their daughter. She was one day away from seventeen years old and a very pretty young lady. They never really understood why she only dated once, or why they broke up. They never really asked Audrey either.

"What do you have planned today, honey?" Alyssa asked.

Audrey shrugged. "School, gymnastics and homework?" She said. "It's not like I have any friends to hang out with."

"You should get out and meet people." Robert suggested.

If I wanted to, maybe. Audrey thought sarcastically. "Yeah, I should, I just haven't had time.

"What about the girls in your gymnastics class?" Alyssa asked her.

Audrey shrugged, she was used to her other gymnastics classmates being jealous of her for taking up most of Kimberly's attention. These girls weren't there yet, but had she continued, they would have been. The truth was, she didn't want to see anyone having to do with gymnastics. It was too painful to think about. "They're really nice." Audrey said. "But as dedicated as we are to our art, I'm not sure if they have much time either."

Robert shook his head. "You're a teenager, you need to live."

Audrey shrugged. "I live well enough." She said simply. If her father was just noticing for the first time that Audrey had been cutting herself off from everything since she was ten to pursue gymnastics training, it was about seven years too late. However, Audrey seriously doubted he noticed a thing. She finished and excused herself from the table. "I'll see you tonight, I guess." She said as she picked up her bag and headed out of the house. No point in even asking to use a car, she began walking to school.

Youth Center

Trini Kwan walked into the youth center. She had just arrived in town earlier that day and was eager to see if she could find a familiar face or two. There was one of her old friends she always sort of had a little crush on, she definitely wouldn't mind seeing him again, though she was sure he had moved on. That was, of course, if he even ever shared the feelings she had.

She glanced around the room and took a seat at her old groups 'usual' table.

Someone placed their hands over her eyes. She screamed, not expecting it. They were masculine hands and she felt an electricity from the touch. She would know those hands anywhere, even years later. "Billy!" She said, jumping up and turning to face him.

Billy stood, now in front of her, completely shocked. "How did you...?" He asked.

"I just took a guess." She said, hugging him tight. "How have you been?" She asked, sitting back down.

Billy sat down next to her. "I've been good." He said. I've missed you. He thought to himself. It was something he thought often, but he could never say. He may have gained a little confidence in the past several years, but never enough to profess his feelings for his old friend.

Trini smiled, she found it odd how she had just been thinking about him and he showed up. She nodded. I've been pretty good, myself."

They exchanged stories of where they had been, both stealing meaningful glances, however, neither knowing the other's true feelings.

"So are you still Trini Kwan? Billy asked, emphasizing the last name.

Trini nodded. "Never found the right one, I guess."

"I know the feeling." Billy said. "I've never married."

He's still single? Trini thought, satisfied. A silence surrounded the both of them.

After what seemed forever a voice behind them spoke. "Wow, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife."

"Jason Lee Scott!" Trini said, embarrassed. Billy chose to remain quiet, but they were both quite red.

Jason smiled, seeing his job was done. He pulled Trini into a hug, then placed a hand firmly on Billy's shoulder.

Jason took a seat at the table, catching up with the other two, both of which had just gotten into town pretty recently. Jason, having been around for a while, still hadn't actually seen anyone. "Sources tell me both Tommy and Kimberly are in town." He said. "I don't believe they have seen one another though."

Trini raised her eyebrows at the mention of Tommy and Kimberly together in the same statement. She had heard about the breakup. "Who are your sources?" Trini asked him.

"A teenager who just moved here, herself. I just met her the other day and somehow we got on the subject of the long seperated couple." Jason explained.

"That's an odd topic to get into with someone who just moved to town." Billy spoke up.

Trini nodded. "How did it come up?"

"Kimberly has been her gymnastics instructer for years. She met Tommy and I'm not sure how, but they got on the subject of Kimberly. She hasn't talked about any of us."

Trini's eyes widened. "Why not?"

Jason shrugged. "I have no clue. She asked me why Tommy was upset when she had said she hadn't heard of him. I told her to ask Kim. I don't know if she did or not though."

Billy shook his head. He didn't understand why Kimberly would neglect to mention her friends. "So is anyone else here?" Billy asked.

Jason shook his head. "Not that I've seen, but as I said, I hadn't seen Kim or Tommy either."

Billy counted off. "So that means we're missing Zack, Aisha, Adam, Rocky, Kat, Tanya and Justin."

Trini didn't know the last three. "Who are they?" Trini asked, referring to the ones she was unfamiliar with.

"Kat was Kim's replacement on the team." Billy explained. "And after the letter, she was also Kim's replacement in Tommy's life."

"Ouch." Trini said, her loyalty would always stay with Kim, no matter how uncharacteristic of Kim it was to leave Tommy for someone else. "Does Kim know?"

Jason nodded. "We came back to go scuba diving a few years later, and it was pretty obvious Tommy and Kat were an item.

"Tanya was Aisha's replacement." Billy continued. "When Aisha decided to stay in Africa after her Zeo quest, she sent Tanya back in her place. Justin was Rocky's replacement on the team after he hurt his back."

Trini shook her head, wondering how Billy could keep up with all that. She knew enough to know who the original team was and who replaced who when she Jason and Zack left, but beyond that, she was hopeless.

"Well, I heard Aisha and Adam got married." Jason said. "Justin's probably in college somewhere now."

Billy nodded. He had kept up with the other former blue ranger quite a bit. "Zack, Rocky, Kat and Tanya are the missing ones now."

"I haven't heard from any of them." Trini said.

"Neither have I." Jason added.

"Kat was here a few months ago."

"Ernie!" The three exclaimed.

"Where did she go?" Billy asked.

"Back to Australia, from what I hear. It was about the time Kimberly came back to town."

"Bitterness got the better of them?" Jason asked.

Ernie shrugged. "Just what I've noticed, I never saw them together, so I can't really say."

Billy went back to keeping count. "Zack, Rocky and Tanya."

Ernie shook his head. "I haven't heard from any of them. I'll keep an eye out though."

The friends nodded their appreciation. "Well, I should go unpack." Trini said, finally.

"I need to get back to the dojo." Jason said, standing up.

Billy wasn't quite ready to see Trini go.

"Billy, I wanted to ask you something, mind coming with me?" Jason asked, glancing toward Trini to let him know it couldn't be said around her.

"Sure." Billy nodded, wondering what Jason needed.

Parker Sister's Home, Orlando, FL

"Any luck on the apartment search?" Alana asked her sister as she walked into the house after school.

Mallory nodded. "I found one that we can move into in three weeks if we get it."

"If we get it?" Alana asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's down to us and another renter."

Alana sighed and fell back onto the couch. She wanted to get out to California so badly. She missed Audrey and hated Karissa more and more by the day.

Mallory watched her sister. "What's up?" She asked, walking over to the couch to join Alana.

"I just want to get away from here." Alana said, not wanting to mention the screaming match she and Karissa got into at practice.

"Because of Audrey?" Mallory asked.

Alana nodded. "And Karissa, who has got to be the worst captain ever."

Mallory raised her eyebrows. "Worse than "Danielle?"

Alana shrugged. "If not worse than her, just as bad as her. She's completely screwed up the team this year."

Mallory hugged her sister. "It doesn't matter, in a few weeks we'll be gone. I have a good feeling about this apartment."

Alana hugged back and smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah."

Jason's Dojo, Angel Grove, CA

"Ask her out." Jason said, sitting in his office, looking over a few papers.

"Are you kidding me?" Billy asked as though Jason suggested him jumping off a cliff.

"No, man." Jason said. "I'm not."

Billy shook his head. He couldn't fathom the idea of asking Trini Kwan out.

"It's obvious you still have feelings for one another." Jason said. "I've never seen either of you blush that much."

Billy's cheeks turned a little pink again, remembering Jason's comment.

"It was also true. The attraction was thick back there."

"I just don't know if I could ask her out. I mean, we were such good friends."

"So ask her out alone as friends, catch up and see where it leads from there." Jason said. "Just do something. Don't let her slip away again."

Billy shrugged. Maybe he could ask her as friends, but what if he couldn't? He was still so shy around her. "I guess I could." He said finally.

"You want me to talk to her?"

Billy shook her head. "I'll ask her."

Jason smiled. "Good."

Angel Grove High, Angel Grove, CA

Dr. Oliver just finished his lecture as the bell rang. "Your homework is on the board and it's due tomorrow. Have a good day, everyone."

Audrey quit doodling and wrote down her assignment, then packed her things in her back, bolting out of the room. Tears running down her face. The bad thing about ponytails was that they were ineffective for hiding tears. She went to her locker and got her things. Where would she go? Gymnastics wasn't an option. She had to go home. Her parents wouldn't be home anyway. As she thought more about how much she missed gymnastics, she closed her locker and leaned her back against it. This wasn't going to be easy. She slowly slid down to the floor, fresh hot tears falling.

Tommy watched Audrey leave his class in a hurry. That was two days she avoided eye contact. Something seemed really wrong with her this time though. He shrugged it off. He would extend the offer to talk next time he saw her. He walked over to his desk and picked up a couple of papers, then walked out of his classroom. As he walked down the hall, he noticed a blonde girl sitting on the floor by the lockers, crying. Audrey! He walked over to her and helped her up. "What's wrong, Audrey?"

She shook her head, wiping her tears. "It's nothing." She said softly.

Tommy looked at her, unconvinced. "It doesn't look like nothing. Would you like to talk?"

Audrey shrugged. "It's not like I have anything else to do."

They walked back to his classroom, together. "What's the problem?"

"I slipped on the beam last night while practicing. I don't think I could ever go back to it."

"Why not?" Tommy asked, not understanding why someone would give their dream up over a slip.

"Because champions don't fall." Audrey said firmly.

Tommy nodded, memories flooded him of another teenage girl, many years before who had fallen from the balance beam. This girls life was saved by the same girl who had sabotaged her. She was put in the hospital and she, too, had considered quitting. Tommy knew he couldn't tell Kimberly's story. If Audrey didn't know, it wasn't his place to tell. He did know she needed to talk to Kimberly about it though. "I can't make you keep at it, but I strongly encourage you to not give up on your dreams."

"My dreams are shattered."

This conversation was all too familiar. "Talk to Kimberly." He said firmly, his expression set.

A/N: Another chapter finished. I hope you guys like it. R/R please!