Hayley was sending more tweets from her phone about the Ribbon Tree, trying to concentrate as Calvin shuffled and shifted uncomfortably. He started groaning as he did so. Hayley just sighed.

"I swear to God Calvin..."

"I can't help it!" Calvin moaned, looking down at the workmen gathered around the tree. They had food and drink down there, and they were getting paid while they were waiting to get started so they were happy enough to sit and wait for further instructions from Mr Tien. For Hayley and Calvin though...there were a few other issues.

"Well Calvin, that is what'll happen when you pound for Fantas with your lunch." She told him. "I'm holding it in and you don't see me complaining."

"Maybe I could just..."

"You are NOT doing that here Calvin Maxwell!" She warned him. "The others should be back soon. You can find a bush or something when they get back!"

"Well they better get back soon." Calvin grumbled. Just then, they noticed a couple of people arriving from further down the park.

"There they are now!" Hayley told him.

"Thank God for that." Calvin answered as they both jumped down to meet Levi and Sarah who were just returning from canvassing the city with flyers. As they arrived, they looked a little disappointed though.

"Where is everybody?" Sarah asked.

"Nobody showed up?" Levi asked in response.

"Nope, no one except you." Hayley said, sounding disappointed. Calvin though was too busy already running off to relieve himself.

"How could that be? We put up a couple of hundred flyers!" Sarah protested. Even although she wasn't from Summer Cove and had only known about the landmark since that morning, she had been quick to understand the significance of it. It had been there since the town was founded, and had thousands of ribbons on it from all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons. It had literally over a century of people's dreams and accomplishments pinned to it. "How could no one care that Mr Tien wants to cut it down?"

"Guys!" Brody called out as he arrived, looking a little bruised and battered. He was exhausted from his long run. "I just ran into Ripcon."

"Ripcon? Are you OK?" Sarah asked him. He just nodded in response.

"I'll live." He answered. "But he sent a monster. We need to keep an eye out for it."

"Great, just what we need." Hayley muttered. "Remember when the bad guys stuck to the rules and only attacked on a Friday?"

"Hey Brody." Calvin said as he got back. "What happened? What'd I miss?"

"Ripcon, monster, the usual." Brody told him.

"I thought the bad guys only attacked on Friday." Calvin commented.

"Well not anymore apparently." Sarah complained, throwing up her hands. "Now if that monster shows up, we have to leave. Mr Tien will cut down this tree for sure if that happens!"

"Uh...did you guys put up flyers?" Preston asked as he arrived. He had walked all the way back to the park after his conversation with his dad. He knew that he would never give up on what he wanted, no matter who tried to talk him out of it. Preston had learned the futility of trying to convince his father of any point of view other than his own long ago. The only reason his dad still bought his supplies for his magic tricks was because it kept Preston out the way while he was trying to work, but he hadn't made any secret of the fact he thought it was nonsense and something he sincerely hoped Preston grew out of.

"Yeah, we did." Sarah told him. "Did you talk to your dad?"

"Yeah, I did." Preston said sadly. It was all he could think about now. He was almost glad that it seemed no one else had shown up. It would give him a bit more credibility in what he had to say next. He turned to them, looking completely morose. "Listen...clearly no one else cares about this. We're the only ones that do and...we can't stay here forever. Maybe we should just give up on this tree."

The others all looked shocked that Preston would suggest this. He was the one that had suggested their Ranger Ribbon in the first place, in a way; he was the one that started their crusade. Sarah looked to him sadly.

"Preston, that's your dad talking, not you." She said softly. He hated to see the way she looked at him. She was sympathetic, she was warm, she was supportive...it killed him to think that he was letting her down by giving up. In a lot of ways it would almost have been easier if she'd been angry with him. The disappointment was so much worse; it hit him right to his core.

"The thing is...maybe dad has a point." Preston said with a shrug. "I mean, people need jobs and places to stay right?"

"Preston, I drive past about a dozen for-sale signs on my way to school." Hayley told him. "If there's one thing Summer Cove doesn't need its more housing. Not high-priced flats most of the people in the city can afford anyway that's for sure."

"And there's plenty of work if people look for it." Calvin told him. "The classifieds are always full."

"I mean...it's just a tree...and it's just a park right?" Preston asked.

"Yeah, and if we say that about all the parks, sooner or later we won't have any left." Levi reminded him. "Not to mention his tree's been here a lot longer than any of us have. It kind of has a right to be here by now."

"Maybe." Preston mumbled as he sat on the ground. "But my dad's never going to listen to us. The only person he ever listened to was my mom."

"I can't believe he doesn't understand what makes this tree so special." Levi commented. It was only then that they became aware of a sound carrying on the breeze. It sounded like voices, a lot of voices, and they were becoming louder and coming closer. As they turned to see what it was, Calvin quietly slipped away. They all smiled as they saw a large group of people marching up the hill towards the tree. They were carrying signs and chanting.

"Save our Ribbon Tree, Save our Ribbon Tree!" They chanted over and over again as they arrived, starting to form up at the base of the tree.

"I can't believe it, it worked! People came!" Sarah gasped as she watched them form up. They could already see something changing among the workmen. When it was only a couple of kids protesting, it was just a simple case of waiting them out, but now with a significant presence, it would be a much longer and protracted process. They were hoping the kids would get tired or bored and leave on their own, but bolstered by the crowd, the siege was looking a lot more complicated.

"They care! They really do care!" Preston said with a smile, suddenly becoming encouraged once more. They were so overwhelmed by the response that none of them noticed Mr Tien had returned with his new interns, Victor and Monty.

"So, you found some other trouble makers! I don't care! This tree is still coming down!" Mr Tien declared. "All you're doing is delaying the inevitable! None of you care about what I do for this town, all the money I bring in, all the jobs I provide...You're just here for some new cause of the week. None of you cared when I put out the notices the work was starting!"

He stepped forward, looking at his son and taking a deep breath.

"I'm very disappointed in you Preston." He told him flatly. "You and your friends will have to learn your lesson the hard way. CUT IT DOWN!"

They looked to the crew, who all stood, looking more than a little unsure. Mr Tien was the one paying them, but with a whole bunch of protesters gathered around, they were suddenly more than a little concerned about the fact they were no longer just trying to scare off a bunch of kids. Mr Tien looked to the foreman.

"I said, CUT! IT! DOWN!"

"But boss...all these people..."

"If you have a problem doing what I pay you for, then fine!" He announced, snatching the chainsaw off him. "If you want something done, you have to do it yourself it seems!"

"NO!" Preston said, summoning up all the courage he had in himself. "Dad, you can't do this!"

"Preston, get out of the way!" Mr Tien warned him.

"No dad! I can't do that!" Preston said defiantly. "All of these people came here because it isn't just a part of this city; it's a part of them! You only have to look at all these ribbons to know that!"

"He's right." They heard someone else say. They all looked around as Al arrived.

"Dad?" She asked. He just nodded as he arrived.

"Mr Thompson, you more than any of them should realise that progress..."

"Destroying something that defines people like this is NOT progress!" Al told him. He looked around the people standing before them. "I haven't been in this city long, but it's been good to me and my family, and I'll admit that I didn't know about this tree until today, but looking at all these ribbons, each one a triumph or a landmark moment in someone's life, I know that this tree is as much a part of the heart that makes this city what it is as any one of you!"

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a ribbon.

"That's why I want to hang my own." He told them. "I am an alcoholic, and as of this year, I'll be three years sober!"

He went to Sarah, gently placing a hand on her face.

"I almost lost everything that mattered, but my family found it in their hearts to forgive me and stand by me for everything I put them through. It's because of them that I'm the man I am today, a man I can finally say I'm proud to be." Al told them. "And this city, this city accepted me as one of their own, and that makes you my family too!"

"Get out of my way, this is MY property!" Mr Tien stated. "I don't care about all of your sentimental nonsense! This is progress! You can't save every tree!"

"But maybe we should save THIS tree." Preston told him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked around, seeing Calvin standing next to him.

"I think there's someone here that would agree with that. Someone you will listen to." Calvin said as he returned to the team. He walked up to Mr Tien, holding out a ribbon. "I found this while I was sitting up there."

Mr Tien snatched the ribbon off Calvin petulantly, unconvinced that any sentimental tripe would convince him that the tree shouldn't become the worlds' largest pot pourri bowl. He dropped the chainsaw and weakened at the knees, needing to be caught by Victor as he almost fell to the ground. He held the ribbon in his hands, and tears started to form in his eyes as he read it.

"January Third 2001." He read aloud. "Marcus and Ellen Tien love their new son...Preston."

He stood in silence for a moment, staring at it. He looked up to Preston, his lip trembling.

"That's...that's you and mom." Preston said, surprised to see that. His dad had been so distant, so cold since Preston's mom had passed, he almost couldn't remember a time when he was anything other than cold, distant or angry. He could barely remember him being sentimental about anything.

"We...we came past here when we brought you home from the hospital." He said, struggling to hold in his tears from the memory. "I ruined my best suit, and I got so many splinters climbing up to put this there...I've...I've buried so much since we lost your mom...I should have listened to you!"

Preston grabbed his father in a tight hug, seeing that he was in dire need of it. He held Preston tightly as he sobbed.

"You've got so much of your mother in you! I've always admired that!" He sobbed into Preston's shoulder. "Thank you for making me see this...I love you son!"

"I love you too dad!" Preston replied as he held him. The crowd started to cheer and applaud as they witnessed this. Sarah grabbed her dad, hugging him tightly, a gesture he was only too happy to return. Mr Tien finally parted from his son, with a new conviction in his heart. He gripped his ribbon tightly in his hand and held it up high.

"I'm going to donate this land to the city on the condition that it be protected as a city park!" He announced. "As long as I have something to say about it, this tree is going to be here a long, long time! With EVERY LAST RIBBON!"

The whole crowd was elated to hear this, cheering loudly. Even the workmen seemed happy as they started to pack up their gear, realising that the job was now effectively done.

"You did it Preston!" Sarah squealed as she ran across, hugging him tightly. Al though could only look to Mr Tien as their children hugged. He made his way over, at which he took a deep breath. He looked to him as Mr Tien realised he was there, and his face suddenly went a lot colder.

"Mr Tien..."

"Save your breath." Mr Tien told him. "I expect loyalty from my employees."

"Mr Tien..."

"Don't bother coming in Monday." Mr Tien told him. "I'll have your things sent to you."

Al just watched him go to rejoin his son. He had foreseen something like this, in fact he had already made up his mind that he couldn't be the kind of person Mr Tien wanted him to be and had already made the decision to resign. The only difference this made, aside from salving Mr Tien's likely bruised ego, was that he was now entitled to a severance package. Al shook his head. The fact he no longer had a job was a problem, but between his savings and his severance, he at least had a few weeks before it would be a major issue. For now, he was just happy to see his daughter happy with her friends.

The moment was interrupted as power blasts were fired, causing people to scream and start running. Looking up, the Rangers could see Kudabots up nearby trees, taking pot shots into the crowd. Al started desperately looking around for Sarah, only to be hit with a blast, falling to the ground unconscious.

"DAD!" Sarah shrieked, before letting out a hellish yell and rushing straight for the Kudabot snipers, ploughing into them with a fury none of the others had ever seen in her.

"I guess we knew this was coming!" Calvin said as the Rangers rushed to the attack, fighting off the robots to allow people to escape. In the confusion, Mr Tien didn't know what to do. His own staff and security had already fled, and people were running in all directions.

He could see Preston and his friends fighting with these robots, taking them down while everyone else ran away. He looked to his son and could hardly believe what he was seeing. Preston had never been a fighter, not as far as he knew. He couldn't begin to think where Preston would even learn such things. He knew he didn't pay much attention to his son, and he was starting to wonder how much about him he didn't know.

He suddenly looked around as he saw Trapsaw coming.

"Aw, I set a trap nearby and nobody's falling into it!" Trapsaw lamented as he looked around the battleground. "I'll bet it's got something to do with this stupid tree! I guess I'll just have to cut it down!"

Mr Tien could see his son and his friends who had all fought so hard already to protect this tree still fighting now. He could see they were already busy and was suddenly overcome with a desire to help. He stood between Trapsaw and the Ribbon Tree.

"You better not touch this tree!" Mr Tien yelled at him. Trapsaw's blades started to whirl as he powered them up, advancing on the older man.

"You're willing to die for a tree? I can live with that." Trapsaw chuckled. "I guess I'll just have to cut you down too!"

"BACK OFF!" Preston screamed furiously, leaping in the way and kicking Trapsaw away from his dad. Mr Tien watched as his son stood defiantly, in defence of him while the others finished off their opponents and joined him.

"You're all so brave!" He gasped in awe as Trapsaw got up, but saw the odds had turned against them.

"Forget your stupid tree, I'm out of here!" Trapsaw declared as he ran away.

"You're not getting away that easy!" Brody answered as the Rangers started to run after him.

"PRESTON!" He called after his son.

"Dad, you can't help with this!" Preston told him.

"People are hurt here Mr Tien!" Sarah called back. "If you want to help, help them!"

Mr Tien didn't even know where to begin with that. He had no first aid training, and he was certainly no doctor, but seeing people hurt, he looked to the few workmen that were still around.

"You there! Empty the trucks!" Mr Tien called out to them; going to the first person he found lying on the ground, trying to pick him up. "Help me get these people onto them!"

"Mr Tien..."

"I'll pay you all whatever it takes! These people need a hospital!" He interrupted the foreman. "Help me with them!"

With that, anyone who was still around that was healthy enough to help started unloading all the tools and materials from the trucks, intending to use them as makeshift ambulances. One of the other workmen helped Mr Tien with the first victim, grabbing Al's legs and helping to lift him.