Disclaimer: I do not own power rangers though sometimes I wish I do

The Big Question

DANA'S POV

Looking over at Mia's sleeping body I sighed as I tried to figure out who could do such a horrible thing to such a sweet little girl. Turning back to my paperwork I heard Mia whimper in her sleep a bit. Getting up to check on her I saw that she had begun to cry in her sleep. Sitting down next to her I felt my heart break into tiny pieces as I wiped away some of her tears. As I touched her cheek she started to whisper over and over 'daddy please don't hurt me' until she woke up and started crying harder and harder and all I could do was just sit there and try to comfort her as she cried.

CARTER'S POV

"Capt. Mitchell are you sure?"

"Yes Carter I am. From what you told me it seems you and Mia have a bond of trust already so I don't see why not, and if what you told me is true than I have no doubt that Mia was abused by someone close to her."

"Well then I should probably discuss this with Dana and see what she thinks. Thank you sir."

"Good now come on I want to meet this little girl who has seemed to steal yours and my daughters' hearts" Capt. Mitchell said as he got up and headed towards the door I got up and followed him all the way down to the infirmary. Entering the first thing I saw was Dana holding a crying Mia trying to comfort and sooth her as much as possible.

DANA'S POV

Holding Mia close I sat there hoping Carter would show up soon only to look up and see him standing there next to my father looking worried.

"She had a nightmare" I answered to their unasked question

Hearing me talking Mia looked up towards Carter and reached out to him as much as she could with the cast on her arm. Walking forward Carter gently picked her up out of my arms and cradled her to him like a father comforting a young child. Getting up I walked over to my father as we watched Carter calm Mia down and soon she was asleep again and laying on the bed as Carter left her side and came over to us. Standing there watching her for a minute Carter was the first to speak.

"Dana your father seems to think we should adopt Mia as our own. You and I both know that her injuries are no accident. And why else would she be on the side of the road if she wasn't abused and abandoned."

"She was abused before she woke up she was whimpering in her sleep over and over again saying 'daddy please don't hurt me' and then she woke up and started crying." turning to my Father I asked "Are you sure I mean what about the monster attacks and everything?"

"I have never been more sure of anything else than I am of the fact that Mia belongs here with us, she has already changed your lives so much already."

"I agree with you father and I want nothing more than to raise Mia but what if she doesn't want to stay with us?"

"We will let her decide when she wakes up whether she wants to stay or go. But for now I should go contact the lawyer. Whether she stays or goes I will do everything in my power to not let her go back to her father."

"Thank you sir." Carter said speaking up.

"Very well now I'm sure you should probably fill the other rangers in on what has happened." my dad said as he left the room to go get in contact with his lawyer friend

"I'll go do that. You should probably stay with Mia, Carter I think she trusts you a bit more."

"If you're sure Dana" he said as he wrapped his arms around me in a hug as I rested my head against his chest and sighed we stayed like that for a few minutes until we heard Mia stir in her sleep.

"I should probably go find they others and explain before they find us." I said as I pulled away from Carter moving towards the doors Mia finally woke up completely calling out Carter's name in her childish voice when she saw him. Laughing he went to go take care of her while I walked out the door towards the common room where the others should be or so I hoped.

I walked through the automatic doors silently thanking whoever when I saw Chad and Joel arguing over something and Kelsey tuning them out with her music but laughing at their hand movements and what not.

"Hey Dana what's wrong?" Kelsey asked pulling her headphones off when she saw me come in. The boys stopped their arguing or whatever you want to call it and looked over as I sat down.

"Yeah you look upset about something." Chad said.

"Well umm before I start you have to promise not to interrupt me. Got it?" I said looking directly at Joel as I said this and so did Chad and Kelsey.

"Why you all looking at me?" he complained.

Rolling my eyes I took a deep breath and started "This morning Carter went on a run but well while he was out he found a little girl abandoned on the side of the road he brought her back here and we have figured out that she was abused by her father no clue about her mother or anything just yet but she has a broken arm in two places luckily they were clean breaks so they should heal fast."

"What's going to happen to her?" Kelsey was the first to speak after a couple minutes of silence.

"I don't know but my dad thinks Carter and I should try to adopt her but that is being left to her to decide. We don't want to force her into anything."

"Are you sure about that I mean with Vypra and Olympius attacking isn't it going to be too dangerous for her around here?" Joel asked with confusion written across his face.

"Well I don't know why father suggested it but my guess is he figures she already feels comfortable with Carter and I and that we can protect her easily enough which I'm sure we could handle."

"Well then looks like there is a good chance we will have a new face running around down here then." Chad said smiling as he leaned back into his chair.

"Yeah I guess there is." I said smiling at the thought of Mia joining us. Getting up I said my goodbyes to go see Carter and check up and see how Mia is doing.

CARTER'S POV

Chatting aimlessly with a three year old can be a very interesting thing with the amount of stuff their minds can make up, all I can think about though is what will her reaction be to the big question. Hearing the door slide open I looked up to see Dana smiling at us and making her way over silently asking if I had asked Mia yet. Shaking my head I motioned for her to join us on the bed where Mia was telling me an elaborate story of a pink sparkly unicorn named Rainbow and a big green dragon named Puff who become friends. As she sat down she seemed to take an interest in the story Mia was telling so we sat like that for maybe another five minutes holding hands and listening to the story of Rainbow and Puff.

MIA'S POV

"And so as Rainbow used her magic powers to trap the bad guys she gave Puff enough time to break free of the ropes binding him and together they left the dark cave to start their life together as friends forever. The end."

"What a wonderful story Mia I'm glad Rainbow and Puff got to live happily ever after as friends forever." Carter said smiling happily at me.

"Yeah... and I want that to be us friends forever!"

"Well um... I guess that just makes this a bit easier then." Dana said as she looked back and forth between Carter and I

"Makes what easier Dana?"

"Well we were wondering Mia would you like to stay here with us and become our daughter?" Carter asked hesitantly

"You would be my mommy and daddy?"

"In a way yes but we would never try to take the place in your heart of your actual mommy and daddy." I say gently putting my and on top of hers that was resting on the blanket. She sat there for a minute thinking before she did something Carter nor I ever imagined or even thought would happen and definitely would not forget.

In one swift movement she had wrapped her small arms around both of us as best she could and said "I love you mommy and daddy." We sat like that for a few minutes before "mommy why you crying?" Mia said as she reached up with her good hand and tried to wipe away a few tears I didn't know I had shed.

"They're tears of happiness because you have made me so very happy Mia." I said as I wrapped her up in a hug not ever wanting to let go and soon felt Carter join the embrace. We sat like that for a few minutes before Mia yawned and started to fall asleep so we lay her down and sat by her side me holding her good hand and Carter gently stroking her hair out of her face.