As Hayley and Kelly returned home that night, sneaking in so their parents weren't the wiser, Kelly had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. It didn't go unnoticed to Hayley, who gently took her by the arm before they could go to their separate rooms.
"Everything okay?" Hayley asked and Kelly shrugged her shoulders. "I thought you'd be more excited for Sarah."
"If this is the real deal," Kelly answered. "Until we know for sure, all I can think about is how devastated Sarah will be if her dad isn't her dad. If he's working for Oedius…"
"We'll cross that bridge if we get there," Hayley promised. "No sense in worrying about that just yet."
"But we know what Oedius can do," Kelly said. "I mean, she tried this once already with Aiden."
"That wasn't really Aiden, though."
"But we sure thought it was."
"Difference is, Brody hadn't seen Aiden since they were young. People change a lot as they get older. Sarah's dad's only been missing for a year. He couldn't have had a complete makeover."
"Or could he?"
"He looks like I remember; like all the pictures," Hayley said.
"He's got some scars but… you'd think someone who survived the biggest attack Summer Cove has ever seen might look a little… or a lot different. Scars, deformities…"
"Plastic surgeons are miracle workers. Have you met my aunt?"
"I just don't want to see Sarah lose her dad. Going through that pain twice is… you really don't bounce back from it."
Hayley gave her head a little nod. While she could imagine the pain of losing a parent, the reality was that she had never experienced it. Kelly, on the other hand, had it happen four times already! There was the literal deaths of both her parents, where Kelly had to grieve their loss, but there was also the time Kelly had to grieve the loss of her parents when they kicked her out of her family home. She wasn't speaking from paranoia. Her concerns were legitimate. Hayley pulled the green Ranger into a soft hug.
"She got through it once," Hayley promised. "I can't say that'll make it easier, but she will be able to get through it again. And this time, she'll have something she didn't have before."
Kelly looked to Hayley curiously. The white Ranger chuckled, "She'll have you. You'll be there. You'll know how she's feeling. Whether it turns out her dad is working for Oedius and pure evil, or just a decoy who never came home, Sarah's going to have you to turn to for comfort."
"I have gotten better with that," Kelly smiled.
"She is very lucky to have you," Hayley told her.
-Ninja-Steel-
It was perfect that Jenny and Sarah had snuck out for the night. While all Bill wanted to do was curl up in his own bed, finally, he knew he had work to do. Jenny and Sarah leaving the house gave him a chance to do the same, and if he was home before either of them returned, they would be none the wiser.
Madam Oedius didn't choose somewhere far to meet, but it still felt like a long walk. When Bill saw her waiting for him, he sighed.
"I don't think you grasp just how unwilling I am in all of this," he told her with a slight growl. Madam Oedius didn't seem bothered at all by his comment.
"As long as you understand this is the only way your daughter survives."
"I'll never hurt her," Bill stated. "Nothing you can do to me will change that."
"I know," Oedius smiled. "The other Rangers are all fair game. I'm sure even with our little arrangement, I can still get my hands on all seven of their Power Stars…"
"You can't hurt her either," Bill frowned.
"That wasn't part of the agreement," Oedius said. "I promised if you did everything I asked, she would survive. How much harm comes to her really depends on how hard she's willing to fight."
"I won't hurt her."
"Whatever helps you sleep tonight," Oedius smirked. Bill sighed, shook his head, then glanced over his shoulder. It was the middle of the night, so he doubted anyone would be passing by, but he had to be sure. If he blew his cover, his arrangement with Oedius would be over and there would be nothing he could do to keep his daughter, or any of her friends, safe.
"Sarah and Jenny seem skeptical about my return," he told her. "They're asking a lot of questions. They even snuck off tonight together, probably to talk to the others."
"A little doubt is healthy," Madam Oedius nodded. "I have done something like this before."
"So what makes you think it'll work this time?"
"I'm no fool," Oedius frowned. "I said I've done something like this before, not exactly like this. I took a plan that nearly worked and made a few tweaks to ensure it's success."
"I can earn their trust," Bill promised her. "I am who I claim to be, I've got that for me. And I never would hurt my daughter. As long as they can trust that, you should get what you want."
"Excellent," Oedius smiled. "Do what you need to do, Thompson, to earn their trust. Just make sure you are honest with me about your actions and your intentions and we won't have a problem."
"The deal stands," Bill assured her. Oedius gave a nod and then disappeared into the dark while Bill started to make his way back home. When he was sure he was out of sight and earshot of the monster, he let out a groan and kicked a bus bench in frustration. This wasn't the kind of man he wanted to be. He didn't like to make deals with the devil and he wasn't sure he had it in him to double-cross her.
But he had to try. He couldn't just sit back and do nothing as Oedius threatened his family.
He made his way back home, finding himself lucky that his wife and daughter had yet to return. Quietly, just in case they arrived right after him, he made his way back into his bed and tucked himself in. Before he could fall back to sleep, Jenny slipped into the room. As she climbed back into bed, Bill pretended to stir and wake up. He rolled over and looked to his wife with a smile.
"Everything okay?" he asked. She nodded her head.
"Yeah. Did I wake you?"
"I'm a bit of a light sleeper, now," he told her. "Easier to be tired than relive what happened, you know."
"Yeah," Jenny said.
"Goodnight," he leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too," she whispered back.