The house was… not under attack anymore.

It had been a few days since Nighlok Kevin had been discovered and destroyed. The Samurai were still hurting from the damage he had left behind, but they were pushing through as much as they could.

Serena, James, Jayden, Ji, and Antonio were working on the farm, using the crops, the animals, and all the others chores as a distraction during the day. It was a lot of work, but it was better than sitting inside and sulking about the way life was turning out.

Kevin and Mia spent most of their days indoors. Kevin was still very hesitant around Mia, but both of them were trying their best to come together. Kevin still had Octoroo's seal on his chest, certain he would die without it, so he spent most of his days on the couch, letting his body recover as much as it could. Mia was by his side constantly, treating his wounds, changing his bandages, and giving him everything and anything he needed.

And in the rare moments she took too long, or made a mistake, or forgot she had something to do, Kevin never raised his hand to hit her. He never even thought about it. He was lucky to have her, he was lucky to be loved by her. He would never, ever make her think it was the other way around. Whenever she wasn't helping him recover, she would sit with him and wrap herself up in his arms. She would flinch occasionally when he moved, but she was getting better. She knew he never hurt her. She knew he never would.

She also knew that if he did, if something in his head snapped and he ever laid a hand on her, she had a team to fall back on. Serena, especially, had stepped up for her, and both Mia and Kevin were grateful for that.

Upstairs, Emily was the only one not bouncing back as quickly. Mike's body had been taken away and his ashes were brought back to her. She spent all her time upstairs, clutching his urn to her chest and begging for him to come back. She had seen him, she knew she had.

She spoke only to him, or about him. She had tried to convince the others Mike had been the one to kill Kevin, that he had stood right there with them, but no one believed her. Serena had even gone as far as saying Emily had been hallucinating from the lack of oxygen. She must have seen what she wanted to see.

They didn't believe her and Emily didn't believe them. She stayed locked in her room, away from them. Unless she wanted to talk about how Mike was still alive, how he was waiting for everyone to help, she wouldn't say a word to anyone. Terran hadn't even heard his aunt's voice since before Mike had died, no matter how hard he tried to play with her.

Outside, Serena was with the boys and they were spending time with the horses. Working together, the chores had been finished quickly, and they had a chance to play around a bit on the farm and with the animals. Serena had brought out a bag of carrots and apples and was showing the boys how to feed a horse. Though they had all been trained to ride one as Samurai, they had never been asked to care for one, or feed one before.

"Hold it tight," Serena said to Antonio, but as the horse brought his lips close to Antonio's hands, the gold Ranger freaked out and dropped the carrot.

"Are you sure he won't bite me?"

Serena rolled her eyes. She picked up the carrot, before the horse could steal it from the ground, and snapped it in half, making smaller pieces.

"Here," she put one piece in Antonio's palm and had him hold his hand out flat, "The horse's teeth won't even touch you. Just the lips. And it doesn't hurt, it tickles."

"Promise?" Antonio looked to Serena.

"Emily was feeding horses when she was two," Serena said, "Man up and let the horse eat. You're being mean."

Antonio held his hand out for the horse and closed his eyes. He felt something brush against his palm and then heard a loud crunch. He opened his eyes in horror, but his hand was still at the end of his arm. The carrot was gone.

"That did tickle," he smiled and took the other piece from Serena's hand, "I want to do it again."

"Make sure you spread it around," Serena told him, "I don't need you spoiling my horses."

"But this one's cute," Antonio gently stroked the horse between the eyes, "He's my new best friend. He deserves to be spoiled."

"And you said horses scared you," Serena gave Antonio a pat on the head, "Now your best friend is a horse."

"And that thing," Antonio pointed to the goat, who earlier wouldn't stop rubbing his head against Antonio's side.

"He's our oldest. Born days after Emily, actually," Serena furrowed her brow, "I thought he was dead."

"He's alive and kicking," Antonio assured her. Serena chuckled.

"Careful around him. He'll eat your scarf."

"Serena, the cow's looking at me funny," Jayden backed away from his horse when he noticed one of the cows had her eyes fixed on him. "What does she want?"

"I've never figured her out," Serena laughed, "But she's a cow, she's always got a funny look. She doesn't seem angry or frightened. Don't mind her."

"I'd love it if you pissed her off and she started to chase you," James threw a look Jayden's way and smirked, "Mighty red Ranger beaten down by a cow…"

"Would not be a funny headline in the newspaper," Jayden shook his head, "I'm good."

Serena chuckled and then turned her attention to Ji, who had been quiet for a long time. He was working hard trying to help his friends rebuild the Shiba House from a distance, as well as trying to come up with a way to reach Mike's family to let them know what had happened. His parents still weren't aware their son was dead. It was one of his responsibilities as mentor to contact them, but it was one he never wished he needed to do.

She walked over to him and put a hand on his back, "Are you okay?"

"Just thinking," he looked to the second story of the house. Serena put her head on his shoulder.

"Everything's going to be fine," she promised. "It's going to be hard, but we'll come back. Animals are very therapeutic. Even Terran's having fun."

Serena gestured to James and Terran, who were learning all about horses. Terran seemed to be more interested in the horse's mane than anything else though, and was trying to reach it and pull on it.

"We should get Emily to come outside."

Serena shook her head, "She won't talk to me, she won't listen to me. She just keeps talking to that stupid urn," she moved away from Ji and sighed, "If I didn't have a heart, I would take it from her when she fell asleep."

"Is she still talking about Mike not being dead?"

"She's hurting, Ji. She's hurting a lot. I don't know how to help her anymore. He's gone. If he wasn't dead before, he's dead now. She won't believe me. It's holding her back.

"Keep working on her," Ji wrapped his arm around Serena, "It's all you can do."

Serena nodded, but she felt like Ji was wrong. She felt like there was more she could do.

-Samurai-

Mia had fallen asleep between him and the back of the couch, leaving Kevin able to flip through the channels on the TV. There wasn't much on, but he didn't really want to watch TV anyways. He kept glancing down at Mia.

He wouldn't leave her, afraid he would hurt her by doing so, and the last thing he wanted was for her to hurt. But staying here with his friends, allowing them to look after him after what his Nighlok had done, it felt wrong.

It felt wrong letting Mia trust him again. She had been hurt.

"Stop it," he heard her whispered and saw she was awake again. She could see he was upset and she didn't like it. "Kevin…"

"He hurt you, Mia."

"He did," she nodded. "He hurt me a lot too… not as much anymore, I guess. It mostly hurt because I thought I was losing you."

She stretched and kissed his lips, "You did nothing wrong. You came as soon as you could. Just in time, if anything."

"I should have come sooner…"

"It wouldn't have made a difference."

"I could have stopped Emily from going to the mountainside," Kevin said, "I could have gotten Mike out of the closet before he died. I could have stopped the Nighlok from sleeping with you."

Hurt. Guilt. Shame. It all hit Mia at once. Her eyes flooded with tears as she recoiled away from Kevin like he had just smacked her again. Realizing what he had said, and how it had hurt her, he pulled her back in and hugged her close, "No, no, Mia, I didn't mean to bring it up. That's not your fault. I won't let what happened last time…"

"I should have known it wasn't you…"

"No," Kevin shook his head and kissed the top of hers, "No, Mia, you had no way of knowing. He tricked you. You're the victim here this time. I'm so sorry I didn't make it home in time to help you."

Mia pulled away from him and got off the couch. Kevin sat up as she walked away. He thought maybe she would come back, but she never did. He got up and followed her into the kitchen. She was sitting at the table with her head in her hands.

"That's twice," she whispered when she heard him coming over, "That's twice I cheat…"

"You never cheated," Kevin wrapped his arms around her, "You love me, I know you do. No matter what the Nighlok do, as long as you're in my arms when it's all over, I'll never consider it cheating. I still love you."

"I'm sorry, Kevin…"

"Please don't apologize," Kevin kissed her cheek, "We'll start at zero, if you want. We'll pretend nothing happened…"

"It did."

"No."

"It did!"

Kevin gave her a loving squeeze, "I'm sorry he hurt you, Mia. I love you, everything about you. I love you."

"Don't. Don't touch me. I'm dirty, I'm…"

"Beautiful," Kevin kissed her cheek again, "Just as beautiful as before. Maybe more."

Mia wrapped her arms around Kevin's neck, "I love you too."

"And I'm beautiful?" Kevin asked with a playful smirk.

Mia smiled and nodded her head, "You're very beautiful."

"Scars and all?" Kevin pulled away and looked her in the eyes, "You know, I walked all the way from wherever that portal dropped me to you. Though, I guess because you tackled me into the door, you did the last little part of that running."

"Scars and all," Mia nodded. "And you love me, scars and all?"

"You're perfect," Kevin whispered, "You'll never be scarred to me."

-Samurai-

Emily had fallen with Mike's urn clutched tightly to her chest. She didn't really want to do anything else except lay with him, but he was gone. This was the best she could get.

In her dreams, she felt his arms wrapped tightly around her. In her dreams, he was still alive. But she was pulled from those dreams, as her body decided it was tired of sleeping and wanted to be awake. Her brain fought back, preferring her dreams, but her body won this round. Emily opened her eyes and saw the only thing close to her was Mike's remains. She sat up and sighed as she looked at the urn sadly.

"Joke's over," she whispered. "Then Nighlok's gone."

Nothing happened. She hugged the urn a little closer to her chest.

"You're always saving me," she said, "Let me save you once. You can't die the first time the tables turn."

"You saved me a lot more than you think."

Emily froze up. She heard him. She had definitely heard him. The others would think she was crazy. They would tell her it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but she refused to believe them. She turned around, hearing the voice had come from behind her. There he was, standing with his arms open and that smile he reserved just for her. She jumped into his arms, expecting a warm, comfortable hug.

Instead it was cold. Cold and empty. Like hugging air. She slipped down onto her feet and looked up at him in horror. He was glowing. She saw it now. There was a faint green glow around him.

"Mike…"

He took her hand and started to pull her out of the room. He led her into the room where he had died and over to the closet, where she had rescued him from.

"You missed something," he told her and pointed to the pile of blankets that had covered him. Emily inspected them and found his Samuraizer. She handed it to him, but he shook his head, "I'm dead. I don't need it."

"You're right there," Emily touched him. It was cold and empty, but she did touch him. She had hugged him not a minute earlier.

"I made a last-ditch effort to try to stop this from happening," he pointed to the Samuraizer and Emily opened it. She could see the last symbol he had tried to draw. It was only half-complete.

"What was it?"

"A symbol I learned to try to keep you safe," Mike chuckled, "I never thought I would need it for myself. It was supposed to keep me alive, at least for a few more hours. I only got halfway through it so it didn't work. But I don't think it failed completely."

"Why?"

Mike gestured to himself, "Exhibit A."

"So I'll finish it, then. You'll be alive. You're not choking anymore. You'll be okay…"

"Em, that's not your Samuraizer. You can't finish it," Mike ripped the Samuraizer from her hand and tossed it aside, "I've been given a second chance."

"By who?"

"I don't know."

"What do you need to do?"

"I don't know."

"Can I help you?"

"I don't know."

"Will you come back?"

"I don't know."

Emily sniffed, "So, someone, you don't know who, is giving you a second chance to do something, you don't know what, to maybe, you're not sure, bring you back to life… maybe?"

"What?"

"I don't know, Mike!" she screamed and punched him in the chest, "Stop confusing me! Are you alive or are you dead?"

"I don't know, Em… OW!" she punched him again, "I know I can feel that! Stop it."

"No! Dead or alive!" Emily screamed and hit him again, "Choose one!"

"Emily…"

She pushed him away and turned to leave. Mike grabbed her arm.

"I want to be alive," he told her, "I want to come back to you. I just don't know how to do it."

"I want to wake up," Emily screamed and started to pinch herself. "This isn't funny anymore!"

"You're not asleep," Mike assured her. Emily ripped her arm away from him and pinched herself over and over, harder and harder.

"I want to wake up! Leave me alone!"

"Emily!" it was Mia's cry this time, as she and Kevin hurried upstairs after hearing her screams. Mike watched as Emily froze up and her cries were muted as their arms came around her.

Kevin looked at her as Mia hugged her, "Emily, you are awake. What's wrong?"

Emily didn't say anything. She was quiet. She was blank. Tears slipped down Mike's cheeks. He knew exactly what she was doing. She was shutting down. She wasn't going to talk to them. She wasn't going to ask for help.

"Emily, please say something to them," he begged her.

"Are you alive or dead?" she asked him.

Kevin looked confused, "Alive? Emily, I explained the seal to you. As long as it's on, I won't die."

Mike knew she was talking to him. She would only talk to him.

"I don't know, Emily. Both?"

"They can't see you, can they?" Emily asked and Mike shook his head. She started to sob, "Why me?"

"Who are you talking to, Emily," Mia looked to her worriedly. "Talk to us. What's wrong? What do you need?"

Mike touched Emily's arm, "I don't want to hurt you. I want to…"

"Leave me alone!" Emily screamed and ripped herself away from Mia and Kevin before storming back into her room and slamming the door. Mia and Kevin went after her, scared to leave her alone.

Mike dropped his head in his hands, "Help. I want to help," he picked up his Samuraizer, "What can I do to help?"

Before his eyes, his Samuraizer started to glow. He watched, fascinated, as it turned into an hourglass, with the sand dripping from the top to the bottom. He tried to flip it around, but the top and the bottom switched places, and the sand continued to drop. Time was running out.

"There's a week's worth of sand in there," he heard a voice say and looked down. His bear Zord was talking to him – in English.

"Pooh-Bear?"

"Don't call me that," the bear jumped up onto the bed, "The sand will take a week to fall. Prove to me you deserve another chance and I'll give you're your body back."

"Aside from being murdered and having my life ripped away from me unfairly?" Mike asked. He pointed to the wall. Emily's room was on the other side, "Look, Baloo, my fiancée's in that room in tears because I'm dead. I don't care if I deserve a second chance or not. She needs me. You can't do this to her!"

"Prove to me fate was wrong, and I'll gladly make her happy."

"How?" Mike asked and picked up the bear, "I'll do anything. Just tell me…"

The bear Zord folded up and fell right out of his hand. Mike kicked the square device and paced back and forth. He had a week. A week to figure out what his stupid bear wanted from him. How could be prove he deserved to be on Earth?