Author's Note:

I know, I know. It's been awhile. Well, I'm back. Before I go on, though, I just wanna inform y'all that this fic was nominated at the WAC awards site. The categories are: Best Portrayal of a Power Ranger, Best Long Form Chapter Story, Best Ranger Couple, Best Angst, Best Romance. Also, I was nominated for Best Author. If whomever nominated me is a reader/reviewer of this story... BIG, BIG thanks! The WAC link in my profile, so, please nominate your faves because there are so many deserving authors/stories on this site.

Anyway, I'm gonna try and make this story worthy of those nominations...

It was now a few weeks later- Saturday afternoon- and Katherine's mother'd come over for a visit. Rocky, however, was out running a few errands for Katherine and himself. Mrs. Hillard and her daughter were in the living room, playing with six-week-old Karina. Mrs. Hillard looked up and at her daughter. A warmth filled her.

"You've got the look, dear," she said.

Katherine looked at her mother in confusion. "What look?"

"The same look all loving mothers get when their child's in their presence. It's a look of complete contentment and indescribable happiness. I still and will always get that look and feeling when I see you," Mrs. Hillard said with a soft smile.

"Oh, Mom. That's really beautiful. And you're right. Karina makes me so happy. I really do feel like I'm floating. And, of course, there's her father," Katherine said, her face lighting up even more- if possible. "He is too incredible for words and everything's so much better than either of us thought it would be. Sometimes, I still pinch myself to see if all this love and happiness is real."

"Oh, Kat. I can't even tell you how good it makes me feel to see you like this," Mrs. Hillard said, then, looked down at her granddaughter- whom she was holding. "And, you, little lady, are just the most precious thing I've ever seen." The baby cooed in response and the two women laughed. Mrs. Hillard looked at her daughter again. "So, has that "lovely" neighbor of yours been any trouble lately?"

Katherine laughed. "Not really. She rolls her eyes and mutters every time she sees Rocky or me, but, she hasn't said much."

"Sleep is very important, but, the way you told me that woman carried on... I'm afraid she didn't get many hugs as a child," Mrs. Hillard said- causing her daughter to laugh.

"Actually, Rocky said something like that," Katherine said before smiling at her still cooing daughter. "I love you so much, angel."

"Where've you been lately?" Valerie asked after Stacy'd let her into her apartment about an hour later.

Stacy shrugged casually. "I've just been busy thinking of ways to carry out certain plans."

"And what would those plans be?" Valerie asked the younger woman as they both sat on the couch.

"Actually, it's only one plan: the 'getting your baby' plan," Stacy said smoothly. Valerie gave her look of confusion and Stacy went on. "Remember me telling you that I could solve your baby problem? I told you to leave everything to me?"

Valerie thought for a few moments. "Yeah, I remember. But, I didn't really take you seriously, Stace," she said with a laugh.

"Well, you probably should've 'cause I have the perfect kid for you and Rick," Stacy said, thinking of how she'd seen the happy couple out with their new baby just a couple days ago. They hadn't seen her, though. She'd made sure of that. "It's a baby girl and she's not even two months old yet. She even has blonde hair like you. You'll fall in love."

"Stacy, what are you talking about? What, you found someone who has a kid they don't want or something?" Valerie asked.

"Oh, they want her. But, you and Rick are the ones that deserve her. That's why I wanna get her for you. I've just been trying to come up with the best way to go about it. I came close these last couple weeks, but-" Stacy was saying.

"Whoa! Hold everything," Valerie said. Stacy looked at her now incredulous friend. "Stacy... are you sitting here next to me actually saying that you've been planning to... steal a baby?"

"If that's the word you wanna use. All I know is that you guys honestly do deserve this kid, Val. Rocky and Kat- those are the birth parents- can have other kids. I'm sure of it. Hell, they look healthy to me. But, the point is-" Stacy was saying.

"Have you lost your mind?" Valerie exclaimed, astonishment in her eyes. "Stacy, you can't just take someone's baby! And what makes you think Rick or I would've been okay with it? You- wait a second. Rocky and Kat. Why does that sound familiar?"

Stacy sighed. "Because it is. Rocky's the guy my sister went all nutty over and Kat's his wife. Now, as I was saying, the point is-"

"Your sister blackmailed one of her friends into practically killing her so she could accuse Rocky of attempted murder!" Valerie said, then, blinked as she realized what she'd just said. Wow. Saying it aloud like that had given her a chill. She looked at Stacy. "I can't believe you! Cait put them through that crap and now you wanna steal their kid? This is unreal!"

"You know what I can't believe, Val? Your reaction to this whole thing. I mean, I'm your friend and I'm trying to help you by giving you the child you deserve," Stacy said.

"What about what Rocky and Kat deserve? What about what that baby deserves? Huh?" Valerie said, anger surging through her now. "You're actually fine with taking her away from her parents and letting them suffer like that. I knew you were a little out there, Stacy- hell, I've always seen it as part of your charm in a way- but, this is psychotic!"

Stacy rolled her eyes in annoyance. "It's being helpful, Val. Why can't you be, I don't know, touched by how much I obviously care about you and Rick?"

"You're touched for being content with this and for thinking Rick and I would be," Valerie said harshly.

"I'm not crazy, Val. Geez. I know it sounds wild, but, if you'd at least try and see it the way I do, you'd understand. You guys have helped me out more times than I can count. I think this is a huge way to repay you," Stacy said.

"This wouldn't be helping anyone! You can't steal someone's baby. You just... you don't do things like that unless you're disturbed," Valerie said, still unable to wrap her mind around the absurdity and cruelty of the very idea. "You wanna "repay" Rick and me? Buy us a cake!"

"Very funny, Val," Stacy said dryly.

"I'm not joking," Valerie snapped. "Kidnapping isn't a favor, Stacy. It's not funny or cute in any form or fashion."

"Come on, Val. Stop being so dramatic and start being a little happy about how strong my love is for you guys," Stacy said.

"Why don't you start thinking about Rocky and Kat's love for their baby?" Valerie shot back.

"Again, I'm sure they can have more kids," Stacy said.

"You can't replace kids, Stacy. Just get this idea out of your head right now. Just because something makes sense in your brain doesn't mean it makes sense," Valerie said. She was just overwhelmed- by the whole idea and the fact that Stacy actually believed she should be praised for it.

Stacy took her friend's hand. "Val... I owe you and Rick so much. Why can't you see this as the amazing thing that it really is?"

The other woman snatched her hand away and stood. "I don't know what more to say except that it's scary that you thought this was a great plan."

"Val-" Stacy began.

"No. Just forget this insanity," Valerie said as she headed for the door.

It was now night time and Stacy was sitting on her couch, channel-surfing. She wasn't really paying attention to the colorful images on the television screen because her mind was on Valerie's reaction to her idea. 'I just can't believe she thinks this is crazy. How can she not see how perfect this is? Maybe she's just worried I'll get into legal trouble. If she is, she shouldn't be. I'm not my stupid sister. I can pull this off- if Val lets me!' she thought.

Maybe she could persuade Valerie. Just then, knocking sounded on her door and she cursed silently. 'I am so not in the mood for company right now,' she thought as she tossed the remote onto the couch. She stood, stalked up to the door, unlocked and opened it to find Rick there.

"Hi, Stacy," he said. His tone of voice was odd and his expression was hard to read.

"Rick," she said.

"Val told me about your plan," he said.

She snorted. "And you're here to tell me how insane I am, right?"

"Actually, I'm here to try and help you come up with a way to get the kid," he said, his voice now completely serious. "As you told Valerie, you do owe us... and I intend to collect."