Hello, Everyone! Thank you so much for all your amazing responses and reviews! It's really encouraging!

I am going to the Renaissance Festival this weekend, so I probably won't be able to post a chapter on Saturday. I'll either forget, because I'm still riding my geek high, or I won't have time because I stayed too long getting my geek high. ;P So, here's the next chapter early! I'm already into working on Chapter Six, so things should continue moving along for a while unless I hit a snag.

Also, this is not only a bit of a short chapter, but it's also the first chapter to take place during an episode! Enjoy!

Chapter Three

Flowered Friends

Alexa wasn't the easiest person to get to know. Despite her initial acceptance of their lunch invite, she seemed to be reluctant to get close to any of them. They did their best to include her, but with Rita attacking at least once a week, it had to look to her like they were avoiding her.

Tommy was especially frustrated about it. He wanted to know what was going on with this girl, and how to help her. But she continued to keep them at arm's length.

The only clue they got that she was starting to like them came when Billy found a picture in his locker. It was of all of them that first day at the Youth Center. Even he had been included, pictured off to the side doing his homework.

The six friends weren't sure how to handle Alexa's distance, but they were determined try harder as the Flower Power Peace Parade was announced. Kim was excited to enter a design for a float, so everyone pitched in to help. They invited Alexa, but she said that she had homework to do. So the Rangers gathered at the Youth Center to help Kim build the model of her float.

As usual, Rita decided to stick her ugly nose where it didn't belong. A group of Putties came down and smashed Kim's model. The pink Ranger was devastated. But Tommy had a plan to fix things. While the other Rangers took Kim out for lunch to make her feel better, he headed to Alexa's house to recruit her in his plan to fix Kim's float.

Tommy knocked on the door, which was opened by a man with short, brown hair, wearing glasses, jeans, and a button down shirt. "Yes? Who are you?"

"My name is Tommy, sir," he replied. "I'm a friend of Alexa's."

"What do you want?"

"I need to ask Alexa for her help."

The man frowned down at him, but stepped aside to let Tommy enter the house. "Alexa! You have a visitor."

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Alexa appeared not long after. "Tommy. What are you doing here?"

"I need your help. Kim's model got smashed and I'm trying to build a new one. You helped her draw the design, right?"

Alexa hesitated, glancing nervously at her father. "Yeah, uh… come on upstairs. I can get you the drawings if you want."

"That'd be great," Tommy replied, moving across the room to follow her up the stairs. "I could really use your help with building it too, if that's alright."

"I don't know if I can," she said as she led him up the stairs. "I have a lot that I'm working on."

"It's just for the afternoon!" he reminded her. "This really means a lot to Kim."

"Fine! I'll help you. But I have to be back this evening. I still have a lot of my own work to do."

Tommy nodded and followed her to the door of her room. "Stay here," she said. "Don't follow me in." Still wishing he knew what exactly was going on with her, Tommy took a step back from the door and let her slip through a crack without peeking into the room. She returned a short time later with a sketch pad. She flipped it open and handed it to him. "I'll meet you at the garage in a bit. I have a little bit to finish up here, but you might as well get started."

Tommy nodded and took the pad. He hesitated before going back down the stairs. "Alexa, if there's anything you need to talk about…"

"Everything's fine, Tommy," she said, her voice abrupt. "I'll see you at the garage."

Tommy nodded, reluctant to start something with his new friend. He went back downstairs, saying good bye to her father as he headed out the door. He went to Billy's garage, the place all the Rangers would go if they needed to build something. He was about half done fixing Kim's float when the call came from Zordon that the Rangers needed his help.

Alexa had yet to show up, so he left a note on the table letting her know that he'd be back as soon as possible and hurried off to help his friends.

After defeating the Spit Flower monster, Tommy hurried back to the garage. Alexa was already there, and had spent the time without him organizing the pieces that had yet to be returned to their proper places. "Hey!" Tommy greeted her as he entered. "Sorry I wasn't here, I had to step out for a sec. How long have you been here?"

"Not long," she replied quietly.

"Good. I'm glad you were able to come help. This will really mean a lot to Kim."

"Yeah, well I didn't do it for her," Alexa spoke so quietly, Tommy wasn't sure if she'd actually said what he thought she had. He decided to leave it alone for the moment, and the two of them got to work putting the remaining pieces together.

It didn't take long for them to finish the model float, and then they delivered it to the correct people just in time. About a week later, the parade was televised. Tommy managed to get Kim to the Youth Center to watch even though she really didn't want to. At Tommy's insistence, Alexa went as well, standing beside him as he and Kim sat with the others at the bar to watch the parade. Kim's float had actually won an award, and she was very happy to have seen it. "Tommy put it back together," Trini told her.

"I wasn't alone though!" Tommy said as Kim hugged him gratefully. "Alexa was a big help. I got the initial drawings from her, and she helped me put it back together!"

Kim stood and stepped around Tommy to give Alexa a big hug. "Thank you so much, Alexa! You're a real hero!"

Alexa smiled shyly. "I don't know about that."

"You really were!" Tommy insisted. "I wouldn't have been able to get it done so fast without your help!"

Alexa smiled a little wider. "Thanks. And, I think it's about time you all started calling me Alex."

Everyone smiled happily, and Zach patted her shoulder. "Alright then, Alex. Would you care for a smoothie? My treat!"

Alex nodded, smiling back. "I'd like that very much."