The night was long, as Hayley somewhat expected. The darkness and stillness of the night didn't allow for Hayley's mind to wander much, so she spent most of it mourning for her mother. She was glad that Calvin had stayed with her, as she had spent most of the time crying in his arms. A few times, she had gone to her father to check in, or he had come to her, and they spent some time together.

Kelly came home late, escorted by Rebecca. It had been a huge relief for Hayley and her father to see Kelly come home safe and sound. She apologized for worrying them, saying she had needed some time to process her feelings about what happened. Aaron was just happy to have her home and Hayley was relieved to see Oedius didn't strike twice.

In the morning, Sarah returned. Serena had dropped her off, as expected, then left. Serena had told the girls that she would meet with them later, when they had a chance to get out of the house. Jenny knew they would have to regroup with the other Rangers to discuss what happened, but Aaron, unaware of their Ranger responsibilities, would need an explanation.

"It might do them so good," Jenny suggested to Aaron at the breakfast table when Calvin first suggested they leave the house. "Getting back into the usual routine isn't an easy thing to do but it does help."

"I just think the family should stick together," Aaron said.

"Well, we have more funeral arrangements to make," Jenny reminded him.

"They should have a say in how that goes."

"Aaron, they're kids," Jenny reminded him. "They just lost their mother. They shouldn't have to plan her funeral too."

Aaron sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He still wasn't sure about letting the girls go. However, Jenny had brought up a good point about them still being kids. The responsibility of them planning their own mother's funeral shouldn't have to fall on them, not at this age. He also couldn't help but remember that Jenny had been through this once before. She had lost her own husband, Sarah's father, and while she had said it still hurt to know he was gone, Sarah had adjusted well to life after her father. Perhaps she knew what she was talking about.

"Alright, but I want you home before dark," Aaron said as he looked to Hayley and Kelly. "I know it doesn't make sense but…"

"We'll be home," Hayley promised her father with a kiss on the cheek. She then thanked Jenny for breakfast and left with the others. Aaron sighed again as he watched her go.

"It's lonely," he said to Jenny, who nodded her head.

"That's why I'm here," she said. "Calvin and the girls can take care of each other."

"Yeah…" Aaron said with a nervous nod of the head. "Yeah… I guess so."

"It will get easier," Jenny promised. "It doesn't feel like it right now, but it will."

-Ninja-Steel-

The car ride to the Romero home was quiet. Hayley didn't feel much like talking, Calvin didn't want to push it, and in the back seat, neither Kelly nor Sarah knew what to say. They knew they had to talk about what happened, they just couldn't find the right words.

"You… uh… you were out all night," Kelly asked. She hadn't been worried for her girlfriend. She had been told that Sarah was with Gia, first, then Serena, so she knew she was safe. However, Kelly didn't know what Sarah had been up to while she was out of town.

"I was."

"Is… uh… everything okay?"

"I don't know," Sarah answered and turned to Kelly. "Is it?"

"Between us it is," Kelly said, knowing that's what Sarah meant. "Your dad fooled us all."

"No one saw this coming," Calvin added from the front seat, then glanced to Hayley. "Right?"

Hayley nodded, "We made the choice to trust your dad together. This isn't on you, or any of us."

"I wanted to believe him," Sarah said.

"We all did," Kelly told her. "I wanted this to be the real deal. I mean, Mr. Romero came back and that wasn't a trick."

"To be fair, he did come out of the Prism," Calvin added. "You know, the big star that's been helping us for the past couple of years."

"Still, it's not like it's unheard of to have someone come back and help," Kelly told Sarah. "What your dad did… that's on him. I'm not mad at you."

"Neither am I," Hayley said. "I'm mad at Oedius, at your dad, and I know this isn't on you."

"Thanks," Sarah nodded and Kelly could see a little smile on her face. The pink Ranger looked to her friends. "And… I know it doesn't change things but… if it's any consolation, Dad… he's the enemy. I won't hold back. He has to pay for what he did to your mom. You can trust me."

"We do," Calvin said. "You always do the right thing in the end."

Sarah smiled again, hearing this. She had had her doubts the night before, which had been why Serena had taken her on a midnight trip. However, after talking to both Serena and her sister Emily, Sarah knew that even if she made mistakes, it was the intention and the determination to make things right that helped the team the most.

Humans were flawed by nature. They were bound to make mistakes. Even though she was a Ranger, Sarah was, first and foremost, human.

"I will. You can count on it."

They pulled into the Romero driveway and were greeted by Dane and the boys. Condolences were shared, as expected, and everyone felt they needed to ask Hayley and Kelly how they were doing, but soon, it was back to business. All eyes turned to Sarah. While no one could really expect her to have an answer, if there was one, she would be most likely to have it.

"He seemed just like his regular self," Sarah explained with a shrug. "I mean, some differences, I guess, but… he did survive the clone attack."

"And he was Madam Oedius' prisoner," Levi said. "I can vouch for how badly that can mess you up. I got off easy."

"Were there any signs?" Brody asked. He didn't want it to sound judgemental but if there was something Bill said or did that could have tipped the Rangers off, maybe it could explain what happened, or what he had been thinking, or even why he chose to betray them. However, there wasn't really a way to ask without it sounding like Sarah should have tried harder. Though she had strongly opposed Aiden's presence, when the chips fell, and she was proven right, she didn't hold it over Brody. He wanted to do the same for her.

"Definitely not for something like this," Sarah shook her head. "I mean, Oedius and Aiden are responsible for what happened to Jordan but… that's kind of how the whole thing played out. Oedius got my dad to kill someone."

"Technically, Oedius did the killing," Calvin said.

"But it was dad's choice who died," Sarah told him.

"Any idea why he would have chosen Anne?" Dane asked.

"He just said if he didn't choose someone, Oedius would go after me or mom."

"So, do you think there's any humanity left in him?" Mick asked, making his way over. He hadn't wanted to intrude as the Rangers were figuring this complicated matter out. He hadn't met Bill, nor did he know much of what happened beyond what was shared by the Rangers and on the news. Still, there was one question he needed to ask. "Do you think it's worth trying to save him?"

"Until we know more, we can't make any rash decisions," Brody said. "Madam Oedius is manipulative and unpredictable."

"I guess that's a good call," Preston agreed. "I mean, Sarah, you did say your dad was trying to save you, right?"

"Madam Oedius does have a way of making people do things they don't want to do," RedBot added. "She can even make you think you don't have a choice in the matter."

"For all we know, Mr. Thompson is in way over his head and needs help," Brody concluded as he turned to Mick. "We can't stick our necks out for him, but if there's a chance to help him, I say we take it. Right?"

Levi nodded in agreement with his brother and Preston also gave a nod. Mick, though he wanted to save Bill and keep a family together, didn't really care for the outcome either way. It wasn't his call to make. Still, seeing the three boys had already agreed to trying, he nodded his head as well.

"We should give people the benefit of the doubt," RedBot said. "I say we try to help."

"I can't say I'd ever be able to look at him again," Hayley sighed, "But it beats losing another Ranger parents… I guess."

"Whatever she wants." Calvin pointed to Hayley, backing up her acceptance.

Kelly, like Mick, didn't really have an opinion one way or the other. On the one hand, Bill was responsible for the death of the only true mother she had ever known. She would be happy to see him suffer for it. On the other hand, he was her girlfriend's father. She didn't want to see Sarah lose someone she loved so deeply.

"Sarah?" Serena asked, piping in now only because of Sarah's hesitation. She was here to help but needed to wait to see what the Rangers chose to do. This was their fight, and so it was their choice on how to move forward.

"I… I want to help him," Sarah said. "But… what's the cost? What are we giving up?"

"Hopefully, it's Oedius who loses something," Preston told her.

"I mean… as Rangers, what's the line?" Sarah asked. "There was no second chance for Drex when he started to work for Oedius."

"Because he was an asshole before her," Levi reminded her.

"But we didn't even consider helping him."

"Because he was an asshole first," Levi repeated. "Or, did you forget who Drex was?"

"We never showed my mother any second chances?"

"She tried to force you into prostitution twice," Preston said.

"So… why should we try saving my dad. What makes him different?"

"He's your dad," Kelly said.

"But we wouldn't even be considering this if it was just a stranger who was working for Oedius," Sarah pointed out.

"I'd like to think we would," Calvin stated.

"We have to do what's right," Sarah said. "We can't risk this planet because dad is… my dad."

"Sarah…"

"Drex and my mom… I mean, they were bad people but… they never killed anyone."

"Are you sure about that?" Preston asked. "Pretty sure Drex tried to kill us…"

"They tried but… they didn't succeed. And Drex, he may not have had a choice in working for Oedius, but he seemed to like it. Dad doesn't and… even reluctantly, he still managed to get someone killed without so much as putting a blip on our radar. Can we… excuse that?"

"That's why we need to know more," Brody said. "If we can talk to your dad…"

"I have! He's chosen Oedius. So long as she threatens to hurt me or mom if he doesn't do what she asks then he'll do whatever she wants."

"We can help him, Sarah," Kelly promised her. "I mean, look at everyone here. Between all of us, we're going to figure something out."

"And then what?" Sarah asked. "Dad doesn't work for Oedius anymore but… he still killed Mrs. Foster. He's still the reason she's dead."

"Oedius is," Hayley insisted. "I don't like the role your dad played in all of it, but I do understand that without Oedius, none of this would have ever happened."

"Dad made his choice," Sarah said. "I say, he's made his bed. Now he's got to lie in it."