Disclaimer: I do not own any characters related to Power Rangers they are owned by Saban/Disney et. al

I do however own all things Tanzetti and reserve the right to reuse them as I please.

The team had just declared a toast to Marcy for her victory at the match when Billy saw them. They stumbled through the diner door, laughing and talking, as if it were purely by accident. Tommy even made a grand gesture of jumping and doing a double take when he looked over, but his look of confusion and surprise was too forced, and the reaction of the others to over-convincing. They weren't here by coincidence.

"I don't believe it," Billy said out loud.

Marcy shot him a confused look, the followed his gaze and the sharp breath she took in told him she understood. They were tucked together in the center of a corner booth, friends and teammates of Marcy's on either side.

"Your friends," she said evenly.

"Some friends," Billy muttered back. They were pilling around a table on the other end of the diner, pretending to ignore him, pretending they'd just come in for dinner after a fun-filled night and had no intention of disturbing him.

"It could be a coincidence," Marcy said.

Billy shook his head. "No," he said. "They found out somehow."

He felt Marcy's hand go over his, a gesture of support and comfort, but he couldn't take his eyes off his friends. They were quiet now, sitting around the table, talking at intervals as they studied the menu. Every once in awhile one of them would risk a glance in his direction, which he firmly pretended not to notice.

But he couldn't let it go. He couldn't sit here all night with them right there, seeing his every move. It wasn't fair. How could they have done this? They were his friends, he'd known them forever. He'd saved their lives countless times and they'd saved his even more, and yet, the one time he just wanted to explore a life outside their little clan, outside the world of Tengas and monsters and evil bent on world domination, here they were, following him like a curse.

"What do you want to do?" Marcy asked.

Billy felt himself sigh. There wasn't much he could do, and no matter what he did he knew he would eventually end with him forgiving them. He would have to, for the sake of the team, but for now he didn't want to think of that. Now, he was angry, and he wanted to be angry.

"I'll be right back," he said and excused himself from the booth.

They didn't turn when he approached, but Tommy looked up, feigned surprise in his eyes.

"Hey, Billy!" he said with a smile that just made it more tempting to slap him.

"Are you guys following me?" he demanded.

He was looking at Tommy, but the others immediately stiffened at the question.

"No, man, of course not. We just got out of the movies."

"Yeah, the movies," Rocky said, but his voice was dull.

Billy crossed his arms in front of him. Were they actually going to try and lie to him? What kind of friends did he have? "Really?" he said. "What movie?"

A chorus of ramblings went around the table as each person said something different. Billy just stood there, one eyebrow cocked as he gazed at each one of his so-called friends. Finally Tommy sighed in defeat.

"Fine," he admitted. "Bulk and Skull said you were at the boxing match and we were worried and we came down here to see you. They said you were fighting."

"And since when do you listen to Bulk and Skull?"

Kimberly reached out to touch Billy on the arm, but he took a step back so she couldn't reach. "I can't believe you guys did this. You don't trust me at all. Just because I'm a…your friend," he bit on the words Power Ranger but the statement was clear anyhow, "I'm not allowed to have friends of my own."

Tommy got to his feet then, the guilt on his face apparent. "No, Billy, it's not like that."

"Of course it is," he said his voice echoing through the small diner. He steadied himself so he wouldn't shout again but kept his voice firm all the same. "It's always been like that, just the six of us, never anyone else."

"Billy…"

But he was already done, overcome with anger and he knew if he kept going he'd just shout at Tommy again. So instead he turned and charged from the diner.

Tommy just sat in silence when Billy left. This had been a mistake. He never intended to lose Billy's trust. He'd convinced himself he was helping, keeping an eye out for his friend and fellow Ranger. But Billy was right, they'd violated his trust by spying on him.

"I'll go talk to him," Kimberly said.

"No, I'll go," Tommy said. "This is my fault." I'm the leader, he thought. It was my responsibility and my decision. I screwed it up, I have to fix it.

He stood up and Kim stood up with him. "I'm going with you."

Her tone was hard and he knew better than to argue with her. In a lot of ways she had more right than he did to take the lead on this. She'd know Billy longer than any of them. They'd lived on the same street for all their lives. Not to mention they were both experienced Power Rangers long before he took the powers himself. Either one of them could have stepped up and objected when he took position as leader when Jason left. But just because they didn't wasn't any reason for him to disregard their seniority.

So instead of objecting Tommy simply gestured for the door and followed Kimberly out. When they came out on the sidewalk there was no one there, but Tommy had watched through the window and seen Billy turn to the left before disappearing to he started walking that way and Kimberly followed. To the side of the diner was a small alleyway and when they reached it they heard voices and Tommy saw Billy leaning against the wall, and Marcy standing in front of him, one hand pushing against the wall by Billy's head. He hadn't even noticed her leave the diner.

"It's up to you, Billy," she was saying softly. "You can go back in there and talk to your friends, or I can take you home."

"Billy?"

It was Kimberly that spoke, her voice was soft, but the suddenness of it made both of them jump. Marcy stepped back as Kimberly approached, clearly sending the message, I'm not going to get in the middle of this.

"Billy," Kim said again. "I'm so sorry about all this. It was totally inappropriate and…we should have trusted that you wouldn't be friends with people that…that… I'm sorry."

"Yeah, man," Tommy said stepping forward. "We've all been friends so long we forgot that sometimes we need to spend time outside the group."

"We're really sorry," Kim said again. She took another step forward, putting herself only inches from Billy. He was staring at the wall opposite him in the alley. "Please, Billy, will you forgive us?"

Billy dropped his head and took in a deep breath. "Yeah, all right."

Overjoyed, Kimberly threw her arms around Billy's neck. "Oh, thank you, thank you. I knew you couldn't stay mad at us."

Billy looked over Kim's shoulder to Tommy. There was a hard look in his eyes, a warning look that said don't let this happen again. "No, I guess I can't," he said. Tommy nodded, message received.

When Kim stepped back from Billy he introduced her to Marcy. She shook Kim's hand with a smile and said hello to Tommy as well. Then they all went back into the restaurant together. The rest of the gang was waiting at their table, and they stood up when they saw the two couples crossing to meet them. Tommy stepped back while Billy went around the table with introductions. Then Marcy stepped up and invited them to move to a table closer to her friends.

Once the tables were arranged and some shuffling done, it was actually a good time. Marcy was funny and smart and tried very hard to follow everyone who was talking, especially when it was one of Billy's friends.

When the waitress came over she greeted Marcy by name and asked about the boxing match.

"Took her in four rounds," Marcy said. "You're looking at the future state champ."

The waitress smiled. "That's great," she said. "You'll be wanting the boxer's special then?"

"Absolutely," Marcy said. "I've been craving those strawberries all day."

"What's the Boxer's Special?" Rocky asked.

"Three pancakes with strawberries and ice cream," the waitress answered.

"Are you kidding?" Rocky said. "Can I get one of those too?"

Despite being half the size of Rocky, Marcy not only finished her pancakes first she also ate half of Billy's fries, stealing them off his plate one at a time and dipping them in the ice cream before eating them.

Most of the others, especially Kimberly, were interested in Marcy. Peppering her and her friends with questions about anything and everything they could think of that would make interesting conversation. Kim even invited Marcy to come shopping with her and Aisha after school one day, which Marcy hesitantly accepted, more to be polite than anything.

But Tommy kept his eye on Billy the whole time. Billy didn't say much, only offering comments and supplements to whatever story was being told at the moment. But Tommy noticed a difference that he wasn't sure the others picked up on. He watched Marcy almost constantly. There was a connection between them that was almost palpable. Every little smile, every offhand comment had a meaning that was known only to them. And it was in the little ways she would touch him, running a finger across his temple to brush a stray hair out of the way, or the way her hand would brush his when she was talking. And the way he would purposely look away when she stole food off his plate or made some joke meant to tease him.

And then Tommy realized: Billy was happy. Strange as this new woman was, he'd found some connection with her that was beyond understanding. On the surface she seemed completely opposite him. From the first moment he'd met Marcy, that day at his garage, he'd wondered what it was that Billy saw in her, and what she saw in him. She was smarter than average for sure, but nowhere near Billy standards. She didn't have a penchant for computers or science the way he did, although he gathered from their conversations about the Rad Bug that car mechanics was a middle ground where her skills threatened to surpass his.

Well, maybe that's enough, Tommy thought to himself. Lord knew he and Kim weren't perfectly aligned on everything. But he didn't like to think that they were quite this opposite. Still, if Billy was happy, that was what was important. If it ended badly, well, then he and the other Rangers would be there, like always.

"How long have you been kickboxing?" Tommy asked at a lull in the conversation.

"Oh, about four or five years now," Marcy said. "This is my second year to go to state. What type of martial arts do you do?"

"I know at least ten styles," he answered. "I mostly teach Judo right now."

"I was a black belt in Judo and Ishun Ru," she said. "I studied in L.A."

"You lived in L.A.?" That comment came from Rocky, who was still mulling over his Boxer's Special.

"Is that where you grew up?" Tommy asked.

A strange smile came over Marcy's face. "More or less."

Something about her eyes said it was less, but he didn't press the issue at the moment.

"You should work out with us at the Youth Center sometime," he said. "Show us some of your moves."

Marcy shook her head. "It's been years since I've practiced. I'd most likely take your head off."

Tommy leaned back in his chair and smiled. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Yeah," Rocky said through a mouthful of strawberries. "We can take you."

She looked over at Rocky and then back to Tommy. "I think it would take both of you."