The night felt fresh and light. The trees surrounding the Shiba house indicated it was windy and the stars of the sky were joining the moon sparkling.

Jayden, though, was focused in his thoughts. The red rangers was cracking his knuckles and muttering words. His presence on the bench only kept one rangers' attention.
Antonio walked by his side and pat his shoulder. Jayden gave a jump surprised by the gold ranger and gave him a look.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" Antonio said as he sat next to Jayden "We're waiting for you to eat"

"I'm not hungry" Jayden shook his head "You can go"

"But Mia's mother made an awesome recipe with fish. I don't know why Mia is so bad at cooking but her mother…"

"Antonio, really. I don't want to eat"

Antonio glared at his friend. Jayden was usually quiet and calm but he wasn't that quiet and calm.

So he knew immediately something was bad with his friend and wanted to help in all he could.
Jayden had been distanced from the others since days ago but he guessed it was just a phase and soon Jayden would be the same, but as days passed he had been changing. His humor wasn't the same and his energy either.

The rangers had already figured out that maybe Lauren and Jayden got into a fight (a typical siblings' fight) and they were just angry. But Antonio wasn't satisfied with it because Jayden didn't look angry with Lauren, nor she to him. So the gold ranger came up with something more than just a fight.

He looked up to the sky and then nudged Jayden "You know…whatever is going on with you, you can tell me, right?"

Jayden looked curiously to Antonio and frowned "I'm fine Antonio"

"I'm not saying you're not"

"Then stop it"

"I'm not doing anything. I'm just offering my help to my best friend and…"

"I'm fine Antonio" Jayden said "Go inside, I'll be there in a minute"

"The same you said to Mr. Watanabe ten minutes ago" Antonio sighed "Listen, Jayden; I only want to help you. I have any clue what you have but I'm pretty sure something is bothering you…and Lauren"

"Nothing is going on with me, ok? Whatever Ji or Lauren told you is a lie. I…"

"They didn't say anything…"

"Then… I'm perfect"

The red ranger stood up and walked away as he rubbed his face. Antonio immediately followed him as both rangers stopped in the middle of the fighting field.

"See how I am right, Jayden? …C'mon hermano, you can tell me everything."

Jayden shook his head and growled. He didn't want to say anything, knowing it would e a wasting time for those who would listen. He never liked bothering other people with his problems and rather to solve them by himself. But this time was different as he wanted to talk with someone but the pride didn't let him.

Antonio was there to help him, Jayden had already talked to Lauren and he didn't doubt the others would be there for him without hesitation. But he was so used to do his things by himself that it was hard to break the shield.

So he just growled and looked to Antonio "I'm fine Antonio, just let's inside to eat"

"Come on Jayden. I'll help you"

"It's something stupid. Nothing to worry about, okay?"

Antonio shook his head "Then if it wasn't important, why are you putting so interest in it? uh?"

"You won't stop, will you?"

Antonio shook his head. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Jayden. "I'm scrappy Shiba"

The red ranger rolled his eyes "Ok"

He and Antonio returned to bench and Jayden took in a deep sigh. "It's just…all this, Antonio. This is driving me crazy"

"You mean the plan? It's going to work Jayden. You, Lauren and Kev made…"

"Not only that" Jayden gestured "But all this. I mean once all this is mess is finally figure out…what are we gonna do?"

"Oh well…" Antonio scratched the back of his neck. It was a question he had stopped asking since weeks ago. "I think once all this finish we will return to our lives"

"Exactly. You're going to return to your own lives. Mia and Kevin will start their relationship, Emily and Mike will start focusing more in their baby and you're probably get another ticket to take a trip… but what about us? Lauren and I. We're trying to solve something that only will bring us loneliness. Actually, I'm doing this whole plan because of you. Cause your my friends and I care about you. But I don't see any benefit for myself"

"You know you can change that right?" Antonio said "You don't see any forward because you don't want to or maybe because you're just scared"

"I'm not scared" Jayden answered "You all have your lives complete and I can't neither start one. You all laughed and smiled and I can't. I don't see other way to have fun more than sticks and traces"

"Because you don't want, Jayden you…"

"It's because my father never thought in us!"

By now Jayden noticed his voice was higher and deeper. He didn't know how he could say that be he had talked. Antonio heard him perfectly as to pretend he hadn't said anything. The gold ranger just stayed there as he saw Jayden trying to calm himself down. His friend had kept all this anger maybe his entire life and never said any word about it but was for sure he couldn't retained any more.

"Jayden is this about you father? You…blamed him?" Antonio asked hesitation.

"No" Jayden gasped "I don't. But…forget what I say please. I don't want to talk about it"

"So then, how are you going to get better? C'mon Jayden, don't hide. I'll listen"

"But what you want to hear? That…I feel like mirthless because I don't have something to look forward for? Cause my sister is as confused as I am and we don't have no one to turn? Or because I've thought about my dead father. Whichever the option …I feel like trapped Antonio. I don't see any way out of here. "

"You may not see Jayden. But that doesn't mean you're out of options. You need to look forward and stopped looking what you lived. You won't a have a better tomorrow if you don't stop thinking about yesterday"

Jayden turned to see Antonio and chuckled "You sounded like a poet"

"At least, do I make a point?"

"Yes. But stop it, seriously dude"

Antonio shrugged his shoulder "I'll do it, if you stop being silly. You're not alone buddy and if you have any doubt of that…then go inside and you'll find the entire Army"

Jayden laughed and looked over his shoulder. Mia was standing just behind them with her worried face. Jayden didn't know how long she had been there but assured her everything was fine. Mia shook her head and placed her hand on Jayden's shoulder.

"We're here for you, Jayden. No matter what, we're still being a team"

Jayden nodded and got up. He now knew everything had to get better and if it didn't he had a team looking out for him. He had thought maybe his friends had forgotten about him but he was wrong. They were still there. By his side and was sure they would always be.

Maybe it was a little talk he needed because when he walked in the kitchen and Mrs. Watanabe gave him some pie, he understood what his friends wanted to tell him.

No matter what far or near they were, a friendship isn't stop by it but because the disposition of own.

"Jayden…" Emily snapped her fingers "You're really deep in your head, aren't you?"

"Me? No… I…"

"Here you go your pie. Eat it before I do it"