Interlude
Aftermath : Billy
One year ago…
Billy never saw it coming and he prided himself on always being prepared. He was planning to bring back one friend, instead in the process he ended up losing his best friend.
Despite having access to time travel, he could not go back and save her, because apparently, the universe has decided her death was a fixed point in the timestream.
Trini had so much more to give to the world and had so much to live for.
He showed up for the funeral despite the guilt weighing him down. The others had told him it wasn't his fault but if he was the one, whose actions drew Rita into the Command Centre… It was his attack that disfigured Rita's face, enraging her to the point of casting a fatal spell… an attack meant for him, not for Trini.
He was the one who should have died, not Trini.
Never Trini.
Trini was the strongest and resilient person he knew, from her tough childhood immigrating from Vietnam to losing her husband to a unbeatable disease and raising her daughter on her own. It wasn't fair!
He sighed as he slumped into his chair and looked at the small box on the corner of his table. He opened it, revealing a diamond ring, the diamond being one he received as a gift for helping the people of Andresia resettle and rehabilitate their planet.
He and Trini had started dating almost a year ago, finally acting on the feelings they had both felt for each other since their childhood and every moment he spent with her had been nothing short of perfection.
He was planning to ask her to marry him. None of his previous relationships had lasted long but Trini brought out the best in him, cloaked him in a blanket of love and unconditional support. And now, he felt so empty, so exposed without her.
This was all so wrong!
He sighed, closing it, and placing it on one of the drawers underneath the table.
He had never loved anyone like he had Trini. She was his soulmate.
Without her, he felt like a bird whose wings had been clipped.
No, this cannot go on. He couldn't lose himself to grief, when there was work to be done.
Minh needed him.
The rangers needed him.
He had no time to feel the endless pain that threatened to overwhelm him. It was like a floodgate, the moment he opened it, even considered breaking down, the gates would open and he would drown… be useless and worthless.
Trini died for him and he needed to honour her sacrifice.
He needed to protect what she loved and avenge her.
But who was he kidding? He couldn't be a parent. He could not afford to lose Minh too.
He had already lost enough. Whoever he loved ended up succumbing to a cruel fate.
His mom when he was a kid.
His dad in one of the Machine Empire's attacks.
Cestria in Dark Specter and Divatox's invasion on Aquitar.
And now, Trini.
He knew scientifically, they were all separate incidents but he couldn't … wouldn't take the chance that the same fate might befall Minh.
Of course, he would look after Minh, but he would do so from a distance.
He couldn't be her guardian, not after being the one responsible for her mother's death.
He was sure one of the other rangers would gladly agree to be her guardian, most probably Kim or Zack since they were godparents.
Meanwhile, he would everything in his power to mobilize all resources at their disposal and bring Rita to justice.