Life has been crazy, but here I am with another update. Sorry it's on the shorter side.

I kind of changed around how I was mapping this fanfic, while getting an idea for a new one.

I'm trying to stay focus and, oh look! A butterfly

Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors. There is only so much the computer catches and I'm on day 7 of a headache so I don't fully process things when I read them over.

Anyway- hope you enjoy!

"How is she?" Billy asked as he, Kim and Jason entered the Medbay.

"I'm doing alright," Kat spoke for herself from the treatment table.

"Her energy is fluctuating back and forth," Tanya handed her scan to Billy, who looked it over. Tanya reached over and ran her finger to show the time lapse. "It seems like just as she starts to get energy back, it begins to deplete again."

"Is it once it reaches a specific point?" Jason asked.

Billy looked closely at the time lapse again. Kat's energy dropped twice. "It doesn't give an exact amount of energy," He noted. "So there's no way of monitoring it too closely."

"Could resting help?" Tommy asked, still at Kat's side.

"I don't see how it could hurt." Billy answered, putting down the scan.

Tommy turned back to Kat. "Come on," held his hands out to help her. "It'll probably be better for you to be back in your own bed."

Kat took his hands as he helped her down, then he wrapped an arm around her to hold onto her. "I got you," he promised.

She leaned comfortably against him. She glanced over at Billy. The genius shoved his hands into his pocket and looked down.

"Billy?" Kat looked at him concerned.

He glanced up at her and pursed his lips. "I'm sorry, Kat. You should never have gotten hurt. I should have done something. Been better…"

"Billy, it's alright," Kat said. "We knew Helena would fight dirty. That's why Rocky and I were there."

"It doesn't make me feel any better," Billy said, looking back down.

Tommy studied his friend and then felt Kat's weight press against him more.

"I'm going to get her home," He told the others. He started to walk out with Kat, but he locked eyes with both Kim and Jason and gestured his head towards Billy.

Both silently nodded.

Once Tommy and Kat left, Jason placed a hand on Billy's shoulder. "Why don't we go for a burger?" He asked, looking at Kim.

Kim took the cue, stepping up to join them.

Billy looked between the two and nodded.

-PR-

"Billy… you've hardly touched your food." Jason observed, as he looked to his own mostly eaten burger in comparison.

"I'm sorry Jason," Billy gave a small shrug. "I don't really seem to have an appetite."

"Billy, don't blame yourself," Kim repeated.

"It's hard not to," the genius picked up a fry, but just used it to push around the others. He dropped it back down and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't get this crystal fairly, and now I am fighting to keep it, from the family it 'belongs' to. And all it's doing is putting all of you in danger."

"But if you lose the crystal, Kim loses hers," Jason pointed out.

Billy looked over to his partner and thinned his lips.

And that's the reason I fight.

Kim tensed at this.

Before Jason could say anything encouraging, a strong wind shook the windows as lighting and thunder caused A the lights to flicker.

The three rangers stood up.

"I don't remember a storm being in the forecast today," Kim looked confused to the boys.

"Because it wasn't," Jason said.

"Come on," Billy glanced around at the other people in the room and then ran out with Kim and Jason.

Never thought I would think this, but please be Mondo, Billy thought.

Kim glanced at him as they ran out the door and into the parking lot.

There was a girl about their age, with brunette hair with purple streaks that was tied back. She wore an outfit that was of the same style as Clytemnestra and Helena's, but no armor, besides the wrist braces and a solid pectoral. This sister was not styled for war.

In her hand she held a chain. At the end of the chain was a pendulum stone that was pointed directly at Billy.

"Oh. There you are," she said, her voice soft and almost had a melody to it. She tilted her head at him. "I have been looking for you."

"Well, you found me," he said, but not with any challenge in his voice. This sister seemed different, she looked almost like a curious child, but he reminded himself of when he left his guard down with Helena.

She now was walking towards them, calmly.

"…And you are?" Kim asked.

The sister turned her attention to Kim and whispered to her pendulum. It pointed towards Kim and then moved up and down, like it was nodding. The girl then smiled.

"Well chosen Polla," the girl said with a fond smile. "You wear the crystal well."

Kim looked confused to Billy and Jason.

"Thank you…" she responded carefully.

"I'm Phoebe," the sister finally said. She directed herself back to Billy again, "and you are causing quite the stir."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know," she said with a shrug. Then she finally seemed to notice that they were tense, and ready to be in the defense. "Oh!" Phoebe almost gave a laugh. "I am so sorry. No… no I'm not here to try to take the crystal. I don't want it." She gestured to herself.

The three relaxed a bit.

"Then why are you here?" Jason asked.

Phoebe looked at him and then studied him for a moment. She leaned in closer to him, peering at his face.

Jason glanced at the other two, unsure of what to do.

"You look like Achilles," Phoebe seemed to settle on as she leaned back. "Same jaw line."

"Thanks..?"

Phoebe looked back to Billy. "I don't want the crystal for my own, but I do want to be sure you are right for it."

Billy hesitated.

Phoebe looked him up and down. "Oh… you don't know if you're right for it…"

Billy started to open his mouth and then closed it.

Phoebe reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling it to her palm up. She then held her pendulum over it, letting it sway. She studied it closely and nodded with a "hmmm…"

Billy felt something warm in this and looked at her, waiting for her to fill them in.

"Alright then," she said out loud, and the pendulum came up and pointed to her. She nodded to it as if it was sentient.

"Does it talk to her?" Kim whispered to Jason. He gave a shrug.

"You recently were trapped in your mind while an altered version of you walked free…" Phoebe raised her hand and seemed to play with the air around her.

Billy glanced at the other two.

""That's how I was given the Crystal."

"But while you were brought back to the surface, there is still a battle within," she then placed her hand on the top of his head.

I don't think she is playing with a full deck here, Kim warned, tensing as Phoebe touched Billy.

But she's not wrong, Billy thought back. And I can't explain it. Something about her makes me feel safe and…welcomed.

"So what do I do?" Billy asked.

Phoebe lowered her hand to his cheek and leaned a bit closer, giving him a look as if to say 'isn't it obvious?'

"You go back in."

-PR-

Tommy walked Kat to her room.

"When will your parents be home?" He asked her.

"Next week," she answered as she sat on the bed. "The conference ends on Sunday, they were traveling back on Monday."

Tommy thinned his lips. "I don't like the idea of leaving you by yourself," he told her.

"I'll just be resting. Tanya will probably be home in a bit."

"I'd still rather stay. To be sure."

Kat glanced over at the chair to her vanity. Tommy followed her gaze and grabbed it, pulling it closer to her.

Kat tried to read the look on his face, "Tommy… What is it?"

In response the red ranger rubbed a hand over his face.

"I feel lost," he said to her. "I know the best thing I can do right now is be a leader and make sure the team is prepared for whenever we get an attack from Mondo," he thought for a moment. "Or Zedd."

"And you are doing a great job." She placed her hand comfortingly on his.

"But I can't help but feel frustrated when it comes to Billy. If I had been a better leader.. a better friend, he wouldn't have been targeted to be captured… there wouldn't have been any doubt for Rita to play her mind games with. He wouldn't have gotten the Midnight Crystal and have to deal with these tests." He sighed and leaned back, but not so far that he would lose grip on Kat's hand. "I can see him beating himself up over it. Over Rocky's moment with Helena, and now you…"

Kat squeezed his hand. "You are a wonderful friend. One that Billy knows he can rely on. He can't blame himself for the challenges. He didn't ask for the crystal, but at the same time- it is wonderful for him and Kim to be a part of the team again."

"He does blame himself though. You should have seen his face when Tanya told him your diagnosis. He's… struggling. And I-" Tommy licked at his dry lips as he tried to find better words, "I don't know how to help him. If I even can. He has done so much for me…now I feel like I'm failing him."

"Tommy, stop," Kat said sternly. "What Billy needs right now is not Tommy the white knight, or Tommy the leader. He needs Tommy, the supportive friend. And that is what you have been. Let him know that you are there whenever he may need you."

He looked down at her hand and then at her, giving her a small smile as he nodded.

"Just with everything going on, I guess we all can't help but to second guess."

"The important thing is that no one is blaming Billy," Kat noted.

Tommy recoiled at that thought. "How could anyone blame him?"

"Exactly," she said with a shrug.

She started to close her eyes for a moment, feeling a wave of exhaustion.

"Kat," Tommy jumped up as she started to slump forward and he caught her before she could fold in on herself. He cradled her back into a lying position.

She opened her eyes, slowly, looking up at him.

After Kim had sent the "dear John" letter, Kat and Tommy got closer. He always gave her energy.

"There you go again," she said softly. "The white knight."

He looked down at her, studying her face. Her deep blue eyes, her soft skin and pink lips.

He leaned his face towards hers.

And he gave her energy.

-PR-

Phoebe held up her pendulum in front of Billy's face. He glanced at it and found himself not being able to look away from it.

The stone was a dark purple with flecks of lighter purple and gold, which seemed to move within it.

He studied it closer, feeling as if he was falling into it.

Jason and Kim stepped up next to him.

"Billy?" Jason tried to pull his attention to him. But Billy was in a trance.

"Let him go," Kim told Phoebe. But it wasn't a threat, or a demand. More of a plea.

"Let him do this," Phoebe replied, her own voice almost a plea. "This is what he is asking for. He won't be able to face my sisters if he is still fighting himself. I don't believe my sisters deserve this crystal. But in order to have the best chance, the holder of the crystal must know that he does. You will still be able to be with him," she tapped her temple.

Kim and Jason looked at each other.

Phoebe turned her attention back to Billy.

"He is waiting for you…" she told him. "Go find him."

Billy's eyes closed with a small sigh and he went limp, Jason jumping forward to catch him and ease him to the ground.

"Take him to safety," Phoebe told them. "I will find you when he wakes."

And with that she was gone.

"Let's get him back to the Power Chamber," Jason told Kim.

Kim nodded.

She had to prepare herself to go back in as well.

Welp, back the mental rabbit hole we go!

And yeah- I leaned into the Tommy/Kat pairing (but not 100% that it will stick, we'll see how the story progresses).

I do like the balance that there is. Tommy and Kim are both more fiery "up and at-em" personalities and Billy and Kat are the more calm and calculating. We'll see. I can always switch it up later on…

Hope you liked it and I will try to have the new chapter up in a handful of days.