Disclaimer: I think you get it by now.

Next Day

She groggily opened her eyes as the scent of something burning wafted into her nostrils. Rolling over, she planned to wave it off until the image of her irresponsible younger brother popped in her brain. Her eyes widened and she threw the ivory cotton covers back and ran down the hall, heading for the stairs. "Antonio!"

Reaching the kitchen she saw him with a fire extinguisher smothering the small fire with the chilling white froth. She sighed as he gave her a sheepish grin. "Hungry?"

She walked over and pushed him out of the way as she grabbed the pan and a nearby fork and began scraping the burned egg into the trashcan. She handed him the pan and gave him a direct stare. "Wash." Opening one of the many wooden cabinets she took out another pan, preparing to cook breakfast.

He did what he was told and smiled at her. "Hey, if I knew you'd do that I would have done it every morning."

She cast him an annoyed glare. "Tonio, don't start. Last night I only got three hours of sleep."

He shrugged. "What do you want me to do? Hey, it's not my fault you decided to move here and take up teaching. Dad, had an offer too you know."

She kept from yelling or rolling her eyes, keeping her attention on the sizzling egg. "I'm not a child anymore. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Dad- Your father need to realize that and yes, Antonio it is your fault. If you would have just listened and followed the rules, Dad and Marshall would have never sent you to me."

He looked down for a moment, ashamed. She sighed. "You're a handful, Tonio. You really are and what makes it worse is that you're almost legal and you still don't have a complete sense of what's right and what's wrong."

He shrugged it off, leaning against the counter. "I can't take back what I did and to tell you the truth I'm really not all that sorry. The guy was blackmailing me."

Kim groaned and hit her head with the back of her hand. "See, that's exactly what I mean. Just because he was doing something wrong, it's okay for you to do something wrong as well. What about turning the other cheek don't you get? Did you ever pay attention to dad?"

"Yeah, I did but just because I listened doesn't mean I agreed. Besides Kim, look at you, you turned out well-"

"Don't do that. Antonio you aren't me and you're not Marshall. You're your own person and you're practically a man. You shouldn't make excuses for your behavior."

"And I'm not. I'm just saying that I shouldn't be punished for trying to survive high school. The man was my principal and he fucked up my attendance."

A small smile began creeping its way to Kim's lips. "Hmm-hm. Hey get me that batch of pancake mix out the fridge."

He opened the large silver refrigerator in search of the batter, still talking. "Kim, you know how passionate I get when it comes to sports."

"Yeah, I do. Thanks," she said taking the small Tupperware bowl from him. "I still remember that time you cried because mom and I beat you and dad in that game of football."

"Kim! You promised you would never bring that up again." She shrugged, grinning wide. "Anyway that asshole always had it out against me just because I caught him kissing Ms. Longbottom."

"She's the librarian, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I told him I wouldn't tell. I just can't believe he had the nerve to try and mess with my transcript."

"Here," she said, handing him a hefty plate. He took it and immediately began eating off of it. "Don't I get a thank you or a "Thanks sis, you're the best."

He nodded and she crossed her arms expectant. "Thanks sis, you're the best!" he exclaimed in melodrama.

"You're a little ass-swiper," she said leaving the room. Heading back up the stairs towards her room, she heard, "Yeah, I hear it runs in the family!"

She shook her head entering her somewhat luxurious room. Once inside, she stared longingly at her huge bed with its high thread count Egyptian linen and its big, smooth satin silk covers. "Twenty minutes left till I actually have to be there. Fifteen minutes won't hurt," she said to herself, glancing at her alarm clock. She brushed the feeling aside and headed into her room's adjoining bathroom to take a shower.

He crashed down into his chair, taking a large sip of coffee. This was one of the rare days he showed up early. Real nice, Tommy. You thought you could 'bump' into her and start things over. He stretched, cracking and popping noises responding loudly to the action. "No, I just happened to wake up early so I could tantalize myself," he muttered, picking up a manila folder with that day's quizzes. "Because I love doing that."

His room's door opened and a pretty blonde with grey came through. "Uh, hi, I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Cause if I am, I can just come back later," she said kindly.

He looked up at her somewhat embarrassed and partly confused. "Uh… no!" He exclaimed a bit too vigorously, as seen by her jumpiness. "I was just uh, I was… Can I help you?"

She nodded, closing the door. "Yeah, I was wondering if I could get some of your coffee," she asked pointing to his steaming coffee pot on the room's back counter. "That is if you don't mind."

He shook his head lightly and stood up. "No, I don't mind at all. Go ahead and help yourself."

She giggled softly. "Thank you," she said hurrying over to the pot. "I was so scared to ask any of the other teachers. They seem to get a little protective, and you've been so nice to me since I've got here. So I figured I'd ask you."

He returned her beaming smile with a small but genuine one.

"It's just Principal Randall seems really annoyed when she sees that there are microwaves, fridges, or coffee pots in the room. And I don't yet have tenure so I normally buy coffee from Hayley's or do without. But last night was really long, I had to stay up and grade some make-up quizzes. I hate it when students miss the assigned quiz/ test days. It's just irritating."

He nodded, drinking some of his coffee. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Most times I don't even allow for make up days unless there's a doctor's notice."

She stared at him in awe. "Really? And they listen?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I figured it out during the third week into the second half of my first semester here. Since then, there have hardly been any absences in my classes."

"Wow, I wish someone had told me that earlier."

He chuckled lightly. "Don't we all."

She took a sip from her small styrofoam cup. Swallowing she took him in silently. Damn, he's so beautiful. And charming too. She opened her mouth to say something else but the bell rang.

He noticed her reluctant sigh. "Don't worry, if they tire you out, you can always look for little ways to get back at them. Like pop quizzes you make them grade, that way they suffer and you don't have to grade it later."

She laughed. "Wow, you are so helpful. Is it okay if I like come back around later and write this stuff down? I bet if you sold this stuff you'd be rich and wouldn't have to teach."

He shrugged. "I kind of like teaching but I wouldn't mind the rich part." He returned her cheerful smile.

"I should get going but thanks," she said heading towards the door. Suddenly she stopped and quickly turned around, somehow managing not to spill her newly refilled coffee cup. "Can I come by tomorrow for coffee as well?"

"Sure. Oh and you know Randall, it's all because of the need to have the teacher's lounge used more often."

She nodded. "But she won't chew your head off because you've been here longer. Thanks again." With that she left and his students came pouring in.

"No problem." He adjusted his glasses and smiled to himself, thinking on his first day in Reefside and Kira's comments from the day before. Yeah, today is going to be interesting, no doubt about that.

Kim rushed down the hallway to her classroom. Damn traffic! She half expected to see her students waiting fairly narked but she saw no one. Argh! It couldn't have been ten minutes yet. Stupid ten minute rule.

Opening the door she was surprised to see all her students seated in their seats, quietly.

"We thought we'd cut you some slack so we ignored the fact that you're some twenty minutes late," Cassidy happily announced.

Kim looked at her watch and then corrected her, "No, only eighteen. Sorry, is the traffic always this bad here."

They smiled and a good number of them shook their heads. "It's still tourist season. Ever since the power rangers came here it's been hectic. It won't wear down until mid-December."

Kim nodded, somewhat dazed. So I have to lose more sleep. I get it. "Wait a sec- power rangers? When was this?"

They all stared at her as if she were stupid.

"Excuse me?" Cassidy asked, the first to get over her shock.

"Well, the last I heard of the power rangers was that some were in Turtle Cove but never in Reefside. And then again I haven't been in the country for nearly two years." She groaned. "So exactly how much did I miss? Who was the bad guy? What team was it? When did they retire?"

Suspicion began to take a toll on a better half of the students, especially Kira Ford. Why is she so comfortable with the idea of rangers? Is that why she seems so familiar? Dr. O's tape! I have got to look at that tape again!

Joshua Tipenhower stared at her, a little too close for comfort, before speaking. "You talk of the rangers as if it's totally predictable for a new team to show up and then leave." He was defensive and she realized that maybe she shouldn't have said anything at all.

"Well, it makes sense that they would show up when there's trouble and take leave when that trouble is gone. Correct me if I'm wrong. There's like a new team every year- well, you get my drift."

"You're a power ranger hater!" Some girl in the back accused.

Kim shook her head, nearly able to keep in her laughter. "No, not at all. They're the good guys." Most times. "What's your name?"

"Dahlia Jameson."

Kim smiled. "Pretty name. Dahlia, I am not a power ranger hater. In fact give me the number of the white morphin' one and I'm good."

Conner sat up. "You had a crush on a power ranger?"

Crush? More like had. Kim nodded. "Yeah, I lived in Angel Grove when Rita Repulsa attacked. Almost every girl and woman had some sort of infatuation with the guy rangers. Mine, happened to be the white one. Now let's get back to introductions. Now, you there in the yellow. You look like a rock star."

"More like wannabe," Cassidy muttered to herself. Kim flashed her a 'behave' glare, catching what she said because of her proximity.

"My name's Kira. Kira Ford."

Kim waited, hoping to hear more. "Is that it? What about your hobbies? What do you like to do?"

"Sing," she said quickly and without hesitation.

Kim nodded in satisfaction. "When I was in high school, I sang a bit too. I played acoustic for a youth group at the youth center."

"Really?" Kira asked, now more alert than ever. "That's amazing. I play guitar too!" She abruptly shut up, feeling really stupid. When she got really excited she got all bubbly like a little girl. She could only imagine how stupid she had just made herself look.

Kim only smiled, quickly catching up the girl's uneasiness. For the last twenty minutes she learned all of their names and even touched on all the points of her syllabus with some rushing but nonetheless, she accomplished what she said she'd do. She had also succeeded in doing so with her second class as well. That made her feel good but she was still tired. Caffeine. I need caffeine or I'm going to crash.

The students in her second period class were all leaving to go to their third period class when she stopped one of them. "Hey Devon, do you by any chance know where a soda machine might be?"

"You mean pop?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure whatever. Is it located anywhere close to here?"

He opened his mouth and then closed it, smiling and nodding. He pointed at her and nodded again. "Dude… I know just the place. There's one outside nearby the tables by the lunchroom. -The lunch deck."

"Devon thanks and please don't call me dude. I'm a girl."

"Enshallah."

"What?"

"Whatever," he simply stated his eyes slightly widened at the fact she didn't already know this.

"Okay, whatever, now head to class. I don't need any teachers being angry with me for holding one of their students too long."

"Bye, Ms. Hart. See you tomorrow."

"Later." Now that soda machine. Just two more classes and I'm free.

He pointed to the board with his index finger. "S-curve. Anyone care to guess what it might be describing?"

Antonio raised his hand. "Antonio."

"It shows a population- that's boring. Um, okay, it's antelope and they've grown supernatural running speed that tires the cheetah out. So their populations continues to grow steadily until the cheetahs comeback with a few new superpowers of their own and provide a little negative feedback for them, reducing the growth of the antelope until they are at a stable or near carrying capacity of their environment."

Tommy nodded impressed. "Yeah, that's pretty good. Did they teach you that at your old school?"

"No, I learned it at the high school I went to before that in Florida."

Almost every guy in the class either hated him at that moment or wanted to be his new best friend while a number of the girls inwardly swooned.

"So do you think you did pretty good on the quiz?" Dr. Oliver asked.

Antonio scoffed and smiled. "You're still new at this aren't you? Man, I aced your quiz."

"You're that confident, huh?" Tommy asked, reading into this kid's cockiness as a sign of supposed intimidation. What's this kid trying to say?

Antonio shrugged. "I can recommend you to my old science teacher, Mrs. George. The woman was like eighty but she sure knew how to make a boy sweat. Once I got a seventy-nine on her test. It was the highest test score in the class. -I like you Dr. Oliver, you're a respectable man. You want your kids to pass. I like that."

Kira once intrigued by him earlier, watched him askance. She didn't quite like this new level of comfort Antonio was asserting.

"I'm glad you do. However you should know, that that was a quiz and we're hardly through the chapter."

Antonio grinned. "Dr. Oliver have you ever been to Florida?"

He nodded. "Once."

"Really? I took you for a native Floridian. My bad."

"Alright class, I'm going to quickly grade these quizzes and if you keep quiet I won't give you this assignment I have waiting up here." Of course he didn't actually have a spare assignment.

"Really, can I have one?" Antonio asked earnestly. "I like to get things out the way."

Tommy almost hesitated. "Sure, once I finish grading the papers."

"I don't think you actually have an extra assignment."

"Good for you. Let me get these graded and if I see that you're actually what you say you are, I'll give you the assignment. How's that?"

"Mild."

"What?"

"It's cool. I'm good."

"Okay…" He sat down at his desk and went through his spiffy system of grading papers. It should have been rather simple. It was one of his easiest quizzes. All he asked for was for them to fill in the blank and draw graphs andanswer simple one word response questions. Yet he got overachievers who wrote out essays and those who didn't read the directions which stretched his time. He finished just before the bell rang and who would have known: Antonio wasn't lying.

It was time for his break. His planning period had just started and he was free for the moment. Getting up he headed to go get his healthy, balanced, three-sided meal.

Walking down the corridor and outside onto the lush, green grass, he set his small worries aside. For instance he needed to head down to the lab. He hadn't been down there since after his retirement from his fourth color yet. He wanted to hang up his morpher officially and move on with his life. Besides hadn't he sacrificed enough?

He came upon the school's snack and soda machine. Sure there were three other snack machines but neither of them were so close or had the soda machine right next to them. He sighed at the young girl in front of him. "Miss, shouldn't you be in class?"

Her cola fell from her limp grasp and sure enough he caught it. He held it out for her and she ignored him, sticking her hand into her pocket to retrieve some more change.

"Excuse me, but why are you- oh… Nice to see you too Kimberly."

She remained quiet getting her new diet cola. "You live in Reefside," she simply stated trying to keep her anger in check.

"How long have you been out of the country?"

"Do you work here?"

His eyes lowered. His guilt was overwhelming. "Yeah, I- I work here."

"So that explains the rangers."

He looked into her eyes noticing how cold they were toward him amid her expressionless face. "I'm sorry."

She scoffed, opening her drink and taking a long swallow from it. "No you're not." A sadness entered her eyes before she shook it off, tilting her head to keep the wind from blowing her hair into her eyes. "I've seen them. Three boys and a girl? They make four and you make five, Tommy. I tried to tell myself- You know what, I don't want to talk about this. I- I need to go. Keep the drink." She brushed past him, heading toward the other direction.

He sighed and swept his hand through his gelled chocolate, spiked hair. Yeah, one interesting day alright.

Walking to her class, the tears leaked uncontrollably. This was something that was thrown at her that she didn't expect. Jason had tricked her- he'd lied to her. Did he plan on this? The one great job offer I get is in Reefside where my ex happens to be and it also happens to be where he works too. Isn't life just fucked up?

Entering her classroom, she jumped to find her brother there. "Antonio, what are you doing here? You should be in class."

He only stared back at her. He kept silent for a good five minutes before saying anything. "What happened?"

"Nothing of your concern," she replied, opening her snicker's bar and taking a bite out of it.

"Kim, I haven't seen you cry in years and now you expect me to just act as if nothing's wrong?"

"Yeah, Tonio because it's none of your business. You're not my father, it's time you and Marshall knew that. I don't need protecting, okay. Get off my back."

"It's that Oliver guy, isn't it?"

"What?" She was thrown off for a moment, surprised by her brother's question.

"He's the guy from Florida. Marshall said you knew a Tommy Oliver and that you dated him around the time you had a nervous breakdown. You nearly got disqualified from the competition for the inability to compete and the drugs they were going to make you take."

She wiped the remaining tears from her tear streaked face. "I didn't even think you remembered that."

"Kim I was nine and I was scared because I thought you were going to die. I didn't know what was happening. All I knew is that you were different and you haven't smiled the same ever since."

"I'm sorry I scared you Tonio. I was just really stressed. A lot of things were happening that I wasn't at all prepared to take."

"So you still haven't answered my question-"

"No. Dr. Oliver has nothing to do with my crying. I'm just adjusting that's all. I haven't had my daily dose of caffeine and I'm happy is all. To have my caffeine. I nearly thought I was going to die," she lied. She knew he knew otherwise despite her talent.

"Okay. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. It's just I can't help it. Dad and Marshall always scope out your boyfriends and it's passed onto me. It bothers me to see you cry."

She cooed. "Aw, you're so sweet."

He showed indifference. "I don't like it. I always think of mom and the divorce and I don't want you to have to suffer like she did. I mean, I love my parents both the same but I've seen her hurt and- I don't know. I see these guys Kim and I know how they are because I'm a guy and I just feel my sister should have the best guy. She shouldn't have to suffer like our mom did."

Kim smiled and hugged him. "Thanks, Ant. I understand but I need to do this alone. You're not going to always be there to help me weed out the losers from the assholes or the jerks from the Mr. Rights. I appreciate the thought, though."

"Yeah." He scratched quickly behind his ear and she could tell that the conversation had gotten too awkward for him. "I'm going to go. My lunch period is almost up. Later Kim."

"Catch ya on the flip side, bro," she called out behind him with a stuffed mouth.