Hi!

SO sorry this took me longer than usual- I was in my finals week.

But we are continuing on.

I hope you like it!


Kim opened her eyes, feeling pretty rested. She was laying on the bed, on her side…

Didn't I start off laying against Billy?

At some point they must have shifted. She found herself on the same side that she started on, but with her head on her pillow, her forehead almost touching Billy's. He was now on his side facing her, somewhat curled up.

Her hand was on his, keeping the physical connection.

Kim took in a breath, catching the scent of sandalwood that must have been from Billy's shampoo.

Her eyes looked over his face. His face was peaceful. No sign of pain, stress or any indication that he may be dreaming. His breath was steady.

I wonder how long we have been sleeping?

She glanced out the window to see the sun was setting. Maybe an hour or so then?

She heard Billy take in a deep breath which brought her attention back to him.

His eyes were open, blinking through the dying light of the room.

"Sorry," she spoke softly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

His eyes rested on her and he shook his head.

"No… at least, I don't think so."

He propped himself up on his elbow to take in their surroundings.

"I think we slept for about an hour," she helped him fill in the blanks.

He looked down at her, caught for a moment by how her hair seemed to spill over the pillow, giving her almost a fairytale look in the sunsets glow.

He could simply just lean down and…

"What?" She asked, puzzled by his look. She raised a hand to her hair. "Is my hair a mess?"

"No," he said quickly. "I just…" he flushed.

Kim found herself blushing as well, not sure if it wasn't just her feeling how he was.

"Oh!" She sat up. "I think we are fully charged…"

He stayed propped on his elbow, now looking up at her. "I do feel like I got adequate rest."

"We should go let Phoebe and Rocky know we are awake," Kim skootched herself to the foot of the bed to get up, readjusting her shirt, which twisted on her, and pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

Billy rolled back, swinging his legs off the bed to stand and making his way towards the door.

Which opened before he could touch the knob.

"Oh!" Phoebe jumped slightly on the other side when she saw them. "I was just coming to check on you. The pizza is here, if you are hungry?"

"Yeah," Billy gave her a warm smile. "Pizza sounds good right now."

"I'm excited to know what pizza is," Phoebe said. "It smells very good."

"Right…" Kim realized. "We're just introducing you to all sorts of food, huh?"

Phoebe gave a smile and they all headed to the kitchen.

-PR-

"You're going to tire yourself out," Tanya scolded Adam, who was looking through energy sources that could have been tapped by Rita and Zedd.

"It's just," Adam sighed and thinned his lips. "When Billy was under the spell, he said that I was trying to push him out of the Power Chamber…"

"He was under the spell," Tanya pointed out his own words.

"A spell that used Billy's insecurities and fears to play off of," Adam pointed out. "Somewhere deep down he felt that I was trying to make him…" He searched for the right word. "Obsolete."

Tanya tugged at his arm to make him face her. "Adam, he knows you are trying to help. You're his best hope to help Alpha if he isn't here."

"I don't want to leave him hanging. I don't want him to stress that it has to be him. Especially now that he has all these targets on his back."

Tanya stepped into him, giving him a hug. Adam wrapped his arms around her.

"We can't protect all of our friends from everything," she said practically. "And you especially can't protect them if you aren't taking care of yourself."

Adam thought for a moment and then gave a small smile, nodding.

She was right.

Suddenly the communicator beeped.

Adam looked at Tanya and hit the received button.

"Adam and Tanya here."

"Hey, it's Billy. We have pizza at my house. Why don't you guys come over?"

"His ears must have been ringing," Tanya said with a smile. She gave a nod.

Adam smiled, "sounds great. We'll be right over."

-PR-

Kim walked over to Billy, who was separating more slices of pizza. She indicated to Phoebe and Rocky at the table, the Blue Zeo Ranger showing their new friend how to fold the pizza.

"I think we may have missed something while we were resting," she said conspiratorially.

He followed her gaze and smiled.

Ding dong.

"I'll get it," Kim said, heading over to the door with a skip.

Billy looked after her, remembering how she looked laying in the light of the sunset earlier. He shook his head back to focus as Kim re-entered with Adam and Tanya.

"We're here for the pizza," Tanya said demandingly, with a smile.

"Are the others coming?" Adam asked.

"Jason is with Emily and Tommy and Kat are on a date," Billy filled them in.

Kim nodded over to Phoebe and Rocky, "Speaking of date, how long till Rocky asks Phoebe on one?"

Tanya's eyes went wide as she looked over at the two at the table. She hushed her tone and leaned into Kim, "really?"

"They're really cute," Kim said back and the two girls giggled.

Billy and Adam looked at each other and laughed, both shaking their heads.

Girls.

"Billy," Adam started, "we've yet to find any extra power source Rita and Zedd may have. I'm sorry it's taking so long."

"Don't stress," Billy told him. "We'll figure it out. I appreciate you looking into it."

Suddenly there was a pounding at the door.

It was so loud, it caused everyone to jump and look in its direction.

"No chance one of the others decided to come over after all?" Rocky asked.

Billy looked around and walked towards the door.

He had just turned the handle and started to pull it open when Phoebe got a chill.

"Billy!" She cried out. "Wait!"

The door was barely open when it flew open the rest of the way with a powerful energy wave, sending Billy back and onto the floor.

Phoebe and Rocky rushed to help him up, as the figure in the doorway stepped inside.

She was dressed in Grecian warrior clothing, no chest plate, but she had armor at her shoulders, bracers, and a thick metal belt that protected her midsection. She had red hair that had a slight curl to it, which was finished off with the purple strands. It was kept out of her face by a thick headband, made of the same plated material as her armor. She held a staff in one hand.

"Timandra…" Phoebe gasped.

"Little sister," Timandra's voice was somewhat raspy in comparison to the other siblings. "Here we were, wondering where you could have hidden, and you have been here with the crystal." She tilted her head to try to understand the situation. "Are you seeing if you just have favor with anyone who holds our brother's crystal?"

Phoebe cowered behind Billy.

"She is my guest and under my protection here," Billy informed Timandra.

Timandra turned her attention to him.

"New guardian of the Midnight Crystal," she addressed him. "I will be taking it from you."

"You're not the first to tell me that," he said simply to her. "And you won't be the last."

Timandra smiled. The sight of her doing so was unsettling.

"Who do I take care of first?" She looked between him and Phoebe. Her shadow on the floor split into 4 and started to grow up into corporeal beings.

Billy glanced towards his partner.

Kim, get Phoebe out of here.

But what about you?

She needs our protection.

Kim grabbed Phoebe's hand and pulled her. "Rocky!" She called to him as she rushed with Phoebe to the back, sliding door, opening it and running into the backyard. He took the cue and followed after.

Two of the shadows chased after them. Before the other two shadows could follow, Tanya and Adam stepped up on either side of Billy, arms going up in defense.

Timandra looked at the other two and then landed on Billy.

"Shall we make this even?"

"Let's try not to break anything," Billy sighed as he mirrored his teammate's stance.

-PR-

Kim and Phoebe stopped at the fence in Billy's backyard, turning to face the shadow creatures that had followed them outside. Rocky was close on their tails, turning to stand in front of them, arms up.

Kim pulled Phoebe behind her and raised her own hands.

The shadow beings split, putting distance between each other.

"They are trying to separate us…" Rocky realized.

"Don't let them," Kim said.

She stepped up to go back to back with Rocky.

This caused the shadow creatures to approach them.

The Rangers swung at their opponents, the shadows blocking them. They then spun around each other to attack the opposite shadow. The two made a dance of it, linking arms to swing each other around to gain momentum. Rocky ducked so Kim could roll over his back for a kick, then they clasped hands so Rocky could swing her back for another kick into the other one.

But the shadows just kept getting back up.

-PR-

Back inside the house, Billy, Tanya and Adam found themselves in a similar position.

No matter how many times they knocked down their opponents, they kept getting back up.

Timandra turned her attention on Adam, who was helping Tanya push back the shadow that had knocked her down.

Timandra took out a small dagger that was strapped to her thigh. There was a glowing flash of green over the blade as she stepped forward and reached to slash at the green ranger.

"Adam!" Billy called out.

Adam felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the blade caught him. He hissed as he brought his hand to his shoulder.

The shadows disappeared.

Billy rushed between Adam and Timandra, allowing Tanya to run to the former's aid.

Timandra lashed out again, catching the side of Billy's neck.

More of a prick than a slice.

Billy brought his hand up and checked the damage, looking at the small drop of blood on his fingers.

Adam started to sway on his feet and dropped to his knees.

"Adam!" Tanya cried out, dropping down in front of him.

"I feel…" Adam slurred before slumping forward into her arms.

"Adam? Adam!" Tanya tried to shake him to stir him.

Billy glanced at them and turned on Timandra, advancing on her. "What did you do?" He demanded, fists clenched.

Timandra instinctively took a step back and observed him. She held up the dagger.

"It's poisoned," she said simply. "I will give you the antidote if you come with me."

She took the dagger and slashed at the air, the blade tearing into the fabric of their reality, creating some sort of portal.

"The antidote first," Billy insisted. "I will only go if he is safe."

"So noble," Timandra's lips curled into a smile. She held up a hand, a bottle appearing. She tossed it down at Tanya, who caught it in one hand before it could shatter. "You'll want to keep a little," she informed the yellow ranger, then indicated to Billy with a nod. "If he survives, he will need some."

She grabbed Billy by the wrist and pulled him into the portal, just as Rocky, Kim and Phoebe ran into the room.

"Billy!" Kim called, rushing towards the portal.

But it closed.

They stood in silence and looked at each other.

"Rocky, help me," Tanya indicated to Adam.

"Right," Rocky grabbed his friend and looked him over.

Adam was pale, his lips turning nearly white.

"Let's get him to the Power Chamber, we'll figure things out from there."

"Kim," Phoebe placed a hand on the Twilight Rangers arm. "Billy will be victorious."

Kim kept her eyes on where the portal was, but she nodded

They needed to take care of Adam.

Just come back to me, she thought before turning to teleport herself and Phoebe, along with the others, to the Power Chamber.


Hope you liked the chapter!

I have two weeks before the summer semester, so I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner.

As always, please follow, favorite and review? I like to know if people like what I write- it definitely gives me a little boost of motivation.