1998
Anxious screaming greeted Skull as he came into the Skullovitch after a long, hard day of Policing classes and he immediately saw little Silas Eugene, whom he had given the nickname of Spike because of the spiky hair he had been born with, screaming his head off in his playpen for someone to see to him.
Concerned as to where Kimberly was, as he knew that she didn't have classes later than him that day, Skull quickly picked Spike up out of the playpen, "Oh, buddy, you're soaking wet," he murmured in a gentle voice as he carried Spike into the small nursery that his parents had put together for Spike.
Skull's eyes widened in shock and horror when he saw that the nursery furniture had been overturned and several clothes were shredded and on the floor. He knew it hadn't been his parents, as they had taken a vacation before winter set in; it was predicted to be a long, cold winter that year. If it was Kimberly, he thought with worry, why had she destroyed the nursery and left Spike all alone?
Trembling with anxiety, Skull got a diaper and wipes from the diaper bag that was by the door and changed Spike on the couch before setting the little one in his highchair. He then got on the cordless phone, dialled the police, and while he waited, he got Spike a jar of baby food from the fridge.
"Um, hi, this is Eugene Skullovitch calling," Skull said as someone answered. "I came home from school to see my son unsupervised and screaming his head off while his nursery was in shambles."
Skull found himself nodding as he listened to the voice on the phone tell him to get himself and his son out of the house and to a safe area while police were sent to investigate, "I'll go over to Ernie's with my son, I think," he replied in a concerned voice. "I'll leave the house unlocked and take my keys."
The person on the other end responded in the affirmative and after Skull put the phone away, he quickly put the baby food, one of Spike's bibs, a bottle, and spoon in the diaper bag before gathering the terrified young Spike into his arms and leaving the house, grabbing Spike's stroller as he left.
Adam chuckled as he watched Rocky and Justin dig into special ice cream sundaes that Ernie had made them in celebration for both of them making the honor rolls in their classes. Rocky had taken several home-study classes and then had gone to Angel Grove University for a major in Recreation Management after finishing his treatment and regaining his strength through physiotherapy and nutritional supplements.
Malcolm was also at Angel Grove University and was taking a dual degree in Recreation Management and Business because he wanted to someday take over the Juice Bar when Ernie was ready to retire and teach martial arts classes as well as keep the Juice Bar running. He studied hard, but found the time to get together with Dr. Oliver, Ashley, TJ, Justin, Carlos, Cassie, Laura, Tanya, and Adam on the weekends.
Katherine also went to school in Angel Grove and was in the Education program with Laura, but she spent her weekends visiting Mark at his school with her parents and Tanya had also gone with her this time, "My appetite hasn't been this good since I went into remission," Rocky commented pleasantly with his mouth full. "This is so good."
"Easy there, Rocky," Laura said in an amused voice, smiling at her friend. "Ernie, may I have a burger?"
Ernie nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, "Doctor Oliver, do you want a sundae?" Justin asked eagerly, gazing over at Dr. Oliver, who was sitting at a nearby table reading a large book. "It's good."
"No, thank you, Justin," Dr. Oliver replied with a smile. "I think, perhaps, you should have dinner next."
Justin nodded and quickly finished off the sundae, "Okay," he replied cheerfully. "What can I have?"
"Normally, I'd insist you eat a balanced meal, but I'll let you get away with a burger for tonight since it is a special occasion," Dr. Oliver replied calmly. "I'm a little surprised that you didn't accept the offer."
Justin sighed, "I'd love to move up a grade, but I don't want to leave my friends," he replied in a worried voice, troubled that Mr. Caplan was pressuring him to move up a grade. "I told Mr. Caplan that."
"I know you did," Dr. Oliver replied gently, frowning as Ernie came out with a plate holding a heavily loaded burger and a small amount of salad. "I don't want him forcing you to do what he wants."
Ernie smiled as he set the plate down in front of Justin, "Can I get anyone else anything?" he asked in a pleasant voice, noticing that nobody else had eaten yet. "I'm sure all of you could use a good supper."
Chatter filled the Juice Bar as Adam, Laura, Malcolm, Ashley, Justin, Carlos, TJ, and Cassie each gave their dinner orders to Ernie. Dr. Oliver smiled and was about to return to his book when he saw Skull quietly come into the Juice Bar pushing Spike in the stroller while he carried the diaper bag. Dr. Oliver watched as Skull sat on a pile of athletic mats, took a jar of baby food, a bib, and spoon out, and silently started feeding Spike. Spike cooed and immediately prompted everyone to look at him and Skull.
"How are you doing tonight, Skull?" Adam asked pleasantly. "Are you taking Spike for a walk?"
Skull sighed, but didn't say anything, "Hey Eugene, where's Kim tonight?" Ashley asked softly.
"I don't know," Skull replied in a nervous voice, scared to say that his house had been trashed.
Before anyone could offer a reply, Detective Stone came into the Juice Bar with a younger uniformed officer in tow, "Mister Skullovitch, do you have a moment to talk in private?" Detective Stone asked.
"We'll look after Spike for you for a minute, Eugene," Laura offered gently, feeling as if Skull and Detective Stone had to discuss something important. "Ashley, do you wanna help me feed him?"
Ashley nodded, eager to help however she could, "Thank you," Skull replied as Laura and Ashley got up and walked over to the stroller. "Here's his food and he usually takes a bit of bottle after he eats."
"We'll be fine," Laura replied gently, taking the items before Skull and Detective Stone left.
Spike cooed as Ashley, "I wish I was old enough to babysit Spike," Ashley said in a soft voice as she watched Laura sit and feed Spike. "I think Eugene works too hard and should ask for help with Spike."
"Doesn't Kimberly watch little Spike when Skull's working?" TJ spoke up in a confused voice.
A heavy silence filled the room and TJ frowned, "What?" he asked in a confused voice. "What did I say?"
"Kimberly hasn't had hardly anything to do with Spike since he was born," Adam, who went to classes around the same time of day as Skull and often ate lunch with him, said softly. "When he's at school, his mother usually looks after Spike, but his parents are out of town for the weekend, so Kim was going…"
Malcolm's eyes widened as Skull came back into the Juice Bar looking rather shellshocked, "Thanks for looking after Spike for me," Skull stated softly. "I need to find him and I a safe place to sleep now."
"Why?" Ashley piped up in a concerned voice. "I thought you were living with your parents, Eugene?"
Skull sighed, "My parents' place was ransacked and the cops want to go over it, so I need to go to a hotel or something with Spike," he replied softly. "Detective Stone said it might take a couple of days…"
"A hotel at this hour?" Dr. Oliver spoke up in a concerned voice. "I don't think it's very safe out there."
Malcolm frowned, "I still live with my adoptive parents, Skull, so why don't you and Spike come over and be somewhere safe?" he suggested gently, worried that Skull would end up taking Spike to the shelter.
Before Skull could reply, Malcolm got up and hurried over to the phone that sat on the counter, determined to help a friend out, "I'm just really nervous about imposing on the Lee Scotts because everyone in the city knows what happened between Kimberly and I," Skull stuttered anxiously.
"She attacked you, didn't she?" Carlos asked in an unusually quiet voice. "Kimberly Hart?"
TJ"s eyes widened and Skull nodded, sinking down on the mat as he did, "My adoptive dad's going to swing by on his way home from work and pick us up and my adoptive mom will fix up Jason's room for you and Spike to stay in since she's still got Jason's old crib," Malcolm explained in a reassuring voice.
Skull nodded, "Thanks," he replied in a nervous voice. "I-I need to phone my parents about this…"
"That can wait til tomorrow," Laura spoke up firmly. "Let Ashley and I take care of Spike while you get some dinner. Ashley wants to help look after him anyway, so you should get yourself some dinner."
Swallowing hard, Skull nodded and silently walked over to the counter to wait for Ernie, "Ashley needs to be distracted from thinking about Andros," Carlos spoke up slyly. "She and him were dating."
"Andros?" Dr. Oliver asked in a confused voice, as Ashley hadn't mentioned anybody named Andros.
Laura gave Ashley a look as Ashley continued feeding Spike, "We met on Phaedos and Andros decided to stay in space to look for Zordon, but he didn't want me to stay because he didn't want me to leave my family behind," Ashley explained softly. "Astronema and Divatox tried numerous times to hurt us and Andros decided that I should go home and the rest of the Earth rangers should too. He said he'd…"
"Andros and Zhane just wanted us out of the way," Cassie hissed. "Even though we were trained by the Silver Knight and Dulcea, Andros and Zhane said that after our ship was damaged and we crashed…"
TJ shot Cassie a look and Cassie went quiet, "You crashed?" Dr. Oliver asked in a concerned voice.
"Andros let us use this ship of his to leave Phaedos and we tried to go after Zordon, but Divatox's ship damaged Andros's ship so badly that we were forced to make an emergency landing on the moon," TJ explained in a quiet voice. "Andros and Zhane used their powers to send us and Mark back here."
Dr. Oliver nodded, his eyes filled with compassion, "Andros says that he'll let us know how we can help when the time is right," Ashley said in a tired voice, smiling as Spike cooed. "He kissed me, Laura."
"You're 14 years old," Laura replied in a concerned voice as Ashley sat down beside the stroller and continued to feed Spike while looking very chilled. "Was it a consensual kiss or forced?"
Ashley sighed, "I let him do it, but it just chills me," she replied softly. "I feel like it was a goodbye."
Dr. Oliver sighed, noting that Ashley wouldn't look at him, "Ashley, you're so young and kissing is something you shouldn't be doing at such a young age, especially if you feel uncomfortable about it," he replied gently. "Just enjoy your youth and don't be in a hurry to try and be more of a grownup."
"You're not mad at me?" Ashley asked in a surprised voice as she looked up at Dr. Oliver.
Shaking his head, Dr. Oliver stood and walked over to Ashley, "No," he replied in a gentle voice as he sat down on the mats. "You're old enough to make personal decisions like that, but you need to remember that every choice has consequences and if you make choices that make you uncomfortable…"
"I understand, Doctor Oliver," Ashley replied softly. "I just wanted to see if I felt anything for him."
Dr. Oliver nodded just as Ernie and Skull came over to the tables with Ernie carrying a large tray filled with food-laden plates, "Food's up," Ernie announced as Skull returned to sitting with Spike.
Outskirts of Las Vegas
Exhausted from trying to deal with Spike since Skull had left that morning until she had finally left him napping in his playpen, Kimberly parked the car she had rented with money borrowed from the small safe in Skull's family den. She had taken enough so that she wouldn't have to rely on credit cards.
Ever since her encounter with the shadow in the mirror, Kimberly thought as she gazed up at the sky, she had found herself wishing for a world where she wasn't a wife to Skull or a mother to Spike and it was then that she came to a realization; she didn't have to stay a wife or a mother against her will.
Angry that she had allowed herself to become a wife to a man whom she viewed as a blue-collar slob and a mother to a child with a horrendous nickname, Kimberly had trashed the house, packed her things, and had left to go elsewhere. After she was settled elsewhere, she planned to divorce Skull.
"Kimberly!" Kimberly suddenly heard a dark voice say. "I am so pleased you made yourself available."
Before Kimberly could reply, the desert landscape and her car faded into a lush green jungle and she found herself sitting on a rock that was facing a cliff edge. The sky was dark and a figure in a dark robe was standing at the edge of the cliff with his back to her and the air was colder than ice.
"Ah, Kimberly, you listened to my voice and left everything," the voice said in a malicious tone.
Kimberly said nothing, but gasped as the figure turned around and revealed that he was holding Zordon in a portable time warp tube, "Zordon lured you here so he could say goodbye," the voice said softly.
Zordon tried to reply, but kept fading in and out and before Kimberly could reply, Andros and Zhane teleported in, but all Kimberly saw was a red Ranger and a blue Ranger. The figure chuckled softly.
"Ah, Prince Andros and his assistant, Zhane," the figure replied softly. "Come to save Zordon?"
Andros silently extracted a red laser sword from his belt and pointed it at the figure while Zhane pulled a small, blue blaster from his belt, "You will free Zordon and then you will die," Andros snapped.
The figure cackled, "You will not be able to kill me," he replied coldly. "For I am not a solid being."
"I will not be able to do it alone, but with the powers of others, I can," Andros proclaimed as he raised the sword in the air as if he were reaching for a faraway planet. "Evil will be defeated on this day."
Ernie's was quiet and Ernie had just taken the empty plates away, leaving Dr. Oliver, Laura, Adam, Ashley, Carlos, Justin, TJ, Malcolm, Rocky, and Cassie to talk until the place officially closed. Thomas had come and picked Skull and Spike up, asking Malcolm to be home by ten to help with Spike.
"Well, Ashley, Justin, Laura, Adam, and Rocky, I think it's about time that we head out," Dr. Oliver said in a pleasant voice, pleased to have had such a good dinner and visit with current and former students. "I know it's a weekend, but I wouldn't mind doing some yard work tomorrow with a little help."
Nodding, Ashley and Justin got up and gathered their things, but Rocky remained sitting, "Are you all right, Rocky?" Justin asked in a concerned voice, seeing that Rocky looked worried about something.
"Something's not right," Rocky replied, suddenly feeling very cold and if something was wrong.
Suddenly, Laura felt her insides turn to ice and she walked over to the window and saw dark clouds gathering overhead outside, "You're right," she replied softly. "Something is very, very wrong."
Without warning, Ernie's dissolved and the group found themselves standing behind Kimberly, Andros and Zhane as they stood there with their weapons raised towards the hooded figure, "Zordon!" Laura cried, immediately recognizing the being in the time warp tube. "Guys, Zordon's dying."
"Of course he's dying, you nosy little brat," the cloaked figure hissed. "He will revive Serpentera and Master Vile, whose spirits haunt the moon ever since Lord Zedd put those two things to rest!"
The cloaked figure set the portable time warp tube on the ground and began to back up as if he were going to shoot some magic at it, "Andros, you know what must be done in order to stop evil from taking over the universe," Zordon said in a somber voice as he continued to fade in and out from sight.
"Yes, I do," Andros replied, lowering his sword as he looked at the group. "Don't forget to live."
Ashley frowned as Andros aimed his sword at the time warp tube, "What are you doing?" she asked as she tried to go to him, only to be held back by Laura and Dr. Oliver. "Andros, put that away."
"I have to do this, Ashley," Andros replied in an ethereal voice. "Remember what you have learned."
Before Ashley could reply, Andros struck the time warp tube with his sword and a white beam shot out from where Zordon's head once had been. One by one, everyone fainted and the world faded to white.
New York City, New York
A chill shot through Jason as he walked down the street from his small apartment towards the subway stop where he would get the subway to school. He accidentally bumped a man as he was going down the stairs to the subway and he looked at the man to apologize. To his shock, it was Billy in a suit.
"I-I thought you were dead?" Jason stuttered in a shocked voice, noticing that Billy sported a cane.
Billy shook his head, "I was just very seriously injured, but I didn't know how to get a hold of you and tell you, Jason," he replied calmly, smiling at Jason's clothes. "Are you in training to be a paramedic?"
"Yeah," Jason replied in an anxious voice, giving Billy a smile. "I'm doing a Business major too."
Billy nodded and smiled, "I'm at NYU doing a double major in Administration and Education," he replied in a calm voice. "I actually don't have class today, though; I have to go meet a friend about something."
"Billy, I think Zordon is dead," Jason said in a concerned voice, suddenly realizing what he was feeling.
Billy was quiet for a moment and sighed, "I felt it too," he replied softly. "Should we have dinner later?"
"Yeah," Jason replied somberly, sensing that Billy was in a hurry. "I've got to get going to class."
Nodding, Billy walked off up the steps and Jason continued down the steps to catch the subway.
Angel Grove, California
Feeling as if he would never be warm again after seeing Andros kill Zordon and die along with the rest of the evil for doing so, Malcolm silently let himself into the house and found that his adoptive parents were in the kitchen with the highchair at one end of the table along with a couple of bottles.
"Eugene and Silas are both asleep," Helen explained gently. "Malcolm, honey, what's wrong?"
Malcolm sighed heavily as he gripped the chair, "Zordon's dead," he replied in a trembling voice.
"Zordon's that being in the tube we met a few years ago, right?" Helen asked in a gentle voice.
Malcolm nodded and started to cry softly, "Zordon told Andros to kill him so that all of the evil in the universe would be defeated and it actually happened. Andros died with the evil, though."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Malcolm," Thomas replied gently. "At least the evil is gone for now."
Malcolm frowned, "For now?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Do you think evil will return?"
"It's nature, Malcolm," Thomas replied gently. "Someday, evil will find a way to return."
Malcolm sighed and yawned, "I'm just so tired," he replied softly. "Is my room free?"
"I set the crib up in the living room and Eugene is on the couch," Helen replied gently.
Malcolm nodded and hugged both of his adoptive parents, "Good night," he said, a yawn in his voice as he wandered off out of the kitchen towards his room. He silently entered his room and sighed heavily as he collapsed on to his unmade bed.
Ashley sniffled and sighed as Laura put an arm around her and gazed at Adam, TJ, Carlos, Cassie, Rocky, and Justin, all of whom were gathered on the other couch, "I can't believe Zordon's gone and Andros died because Andros had to kill him," Ashley said tearfully. "I feel like I'll never be warm again."
"At least evil is gone," Adam spoke up softly. "The evil that destroyed our friends and a lot of families."
Rocky, who had been thinking about his family ever since Zordon and Andros had been killed, sighed heavily and curled into a ball, "Evil's not going to go away for good, but it's nice to have a break from it for a while," he commented softly. "It sucks that it had to come at such a high price like it did."
"Rocky, at least you had a family," TJ spoke up softly. "Carlos and I, we never knew our families."
Cassie looked at the floor and Laura looked at Cassie, "Did you ever know your family at all, Cassie?" Laura asked softly. "I was emancipated when I was 16 and Ashley came here a little while later."
"Actually, I never knew my family and I've been sort of a drifter since I was ten," Cassie replied in a soft voice, unaware that Dr. Oliver was standing at the doorway listening in. "I came to Angel Grove about last year and some cops made me go to the shelter since I was under 18 and didn't have family."
Dr. Oliver sighed patiently, "I've made a pot of hot chocolate if anyone wants some before everyone turns in for the night," he replied, deeply saddened that Zordon had been killed in the fight against evil by a young man whom Ashley obviously cared about very deeply. "It's getting a little bit late."
There was quiet talking and one by one, each of the group got up and followed Dr. Oliver into the kitchen, "Cassie, TJ, and Carlos, you three can stay the night since it's late to be walking back to the shelter," Dr. Oliver commented gently as he began ladling cocoa into Styrofram cups that he had on hand for guests. "Cassie, you can bunk with Ashley; TJ and Carlos, you can bunk with Justin."
Murmurs of agreement filled the kitchen and Dr. Oliver passed cups of hot chocolate out to everyone before he took one and sat at the head of the table, grateful that they had been together that evening and hoping that, wherever Katherine and Mark were that night, they could grieve for Zordon together.
New York City
"Missing?" Billy asked in a shocked voice as he sat down beside the hospital bed where Allan Mercer was confined with chest injuries and a broken leg. "When exactly did Anton go missing, Mister Mercer?"
While waiting for Allan to answer, Billy felt the shock of what had happened wash over him; he had come to the hospital expecting to do a rehabilitation session only to be told that the Mercers had been in a terrible attack by an unknown assailant. With little more information, Billy had been sent to Allan.
Allan Mercer sighed, "It was just a few hours ago when we were walking in Central Park with Anton's little son, Trent," he replied weakly. "You already know that Anton met a fellow medical student at MIT and they ended up having a baby before she ran off, so I don't need to tell you that tidbit again. That's why Anton transferred to NYU, however, so he could care for Trent."
Billy nodded, but didn't say anything, "Anyway, there was a power surge and suddenly, Anton disappeared and I was left injured with Trent crying for help," Allan explained softly. "Billy, I know it's a lot to ask, but I cannot take care of Trent until I'm well enough and that could take a while."
"I could take care of him," Billy replied gently. "Even though I'm in school, my father lives with me and can help with Trent when I'm busy with my studies. I promise that I'll take care of him for you, sir."
Allan nodded and handed Billy a folder of papers off his portable tray, "These are the temporary guardianship papers you need," he said gently. "Trent's with a nurse since he wasn't harmed at all."
Before Billy could reply, a nurse came in holding a little boy who was dressed in blue pajamas and clinging to a teddy bear, "Ah, this is Billy Cranston, the young man who will be Trent's guardian for the time being," Allan said, gazing at the nurse with a tired smile on his face. "I know you'll care for him."
Billy nodded as the nurse handed Trent to him, "Hey there, Trent," he said in a gentle voice. "I'm Billy."
Trent gave Billy a curious look and smiled briefly before he yawned and fell asleep, "It seems Trent has become quite attached to you, Billy," Allan said, prompting Billy to smile as he watched Trent sleep.
What seemed like hours later, Billy found himself walking down the street with Trent in a stroller that he had bought from a baby store after leaving the hospital. He had bought a great deal of other things and had ordered them delivered to the house after explaining the sudden addition to his caring father.
Anxious to be on time for dinner with Jason, Billy had decided to take Trent with him and explain the situation to Jason while they were catching up. As he neared the area where he could catch the bus to where he and Jason would meet for dinner, the sight of a girl lying in garbage bags made him stop.
"Are you okay?" Billy asked in a concerned voice, gasping as he leaned over and brushed the girl's unkempt face out of her hair so he could see how pale she was. "Oh my goodness, Kimberly?"
Kimberly groaned, but didn't move or speak, prompting him to pull out his cell-phone and call 9-1-1.
"Billy?" Kimberly suddenly asked softly, opening her eyes and seeing him with a kid in a stroller.
Billy nodded and keeping Trent close, he knelt down on the sidewalk, "Yes," he replied gently.
"Am I dead?" Kimberly asked weakly as she slowly sat up. "I felt Zordon die and I felt myself dying."
Shaking his head, Billy smiled, "I called for help," he replied gently. "You'll be taken care of."
"I want you to take care of me, Billy," Kimberly replied weakly, closing her eyes. "Please."
Swallowing hard, Billy cancelled the ambulance and instead placed a call to his father to come and collect them in the car and then he also placed a call to Jason with an apology for cancelling dinner.
"…It's fine, Billy," Jason said in a calm voice as he silently entered the apartment where he lived and sat down in the chair closest to the small television. "I can understand that you've had a busy day…"
Jason nodded as Billy explained about the situation with Trent and how he had just come across Kimberly in need of help, "What?" Jason asked in a concerned voice. "Did you want me to come over?"
A frown crossed Jason's face as Billy said that being exposed to too many people that reminded Kimberly of home and of Zordon would be too traumatic at this point, "I understand," Jason said into the phone, sighing as Billy interrupted, saying that he needed to go. "Call me soon. Take care, Billy."
The click on the other end caused Jason to sigh and he was about to put the phone down and make something to eat when the phone suddenly rang again. Confused, Jason silently pressed TALK.
Immediately, calmness washed over Jason as Laura's voice came on the line and said that she had just had a feeling that he could use a phone call, "It's nice to hear your voice," Jason replied gently. "I've really had a very rough day."
Even though it was very late, Laura didn't feel tired at all as she sat at Dr. Oliver's kitchen table, sipping a cup of reheated hot chocolate while she talked to Jason on the phone. Before Dr. Oliver had gone to bed, Laura had gotten the feeling that Jason had needed someone to talk to and had asked permission to phone Jason in New York, which Dr. Oliver had given on the condition that she not stay up too late.
The phone call was short, as Jason was hungry and Laura was tired, but Laura didn't go to bed after they had ended the call. She had gone outside with her cup, so deep in thought about what they had talked about and shocked by the fact that Kimberly had somehow ended up being found by Billy after Zordon's death that she didn't notice that Ashley had followed her, "Laura?" Ashley asked in a soft voice.
"Ashley, you should be in the house and asleep," Laura replied, gently patting the seat beside her.
Ashley silently sat down next to Laura, "I was just thinking about Andros and wondering if we would have turned out like Kimberly and Eugene if we had ended up getting married someday?" she asked in a soft voice. "I mean, Andros and I did talk about the future a little bit when we were on Phaedos…"
"Ashley, you're 14 and you shouldn't be in a hurry to think about the future," Laura replied gently, deeply worried about the hold Andros seemed to have on Ashley even though he was dead. "Besides, Kimberly and Eugene's problems are between them and shouldn't impact how you live your life."
Ashley nodded, "Zordon wouldn't want you to focus on what was lost in fighting and defeating the various evils that have tried to cause harm and neither do I," Laura continued softly. "If I or any of my friends focused on what was lost in fighting evil, none of us would be able to see what was preserved."
"Can we go inside now?" Ashley asked softly, absorbing what Laura had said. "I'm getting cold."
Nodding, Laura stood with Ashley and put an arm around her sister as they walked back into the house.
Billy sighed as he covered Kimberly up with a blanket after helping her wash and change from her smelly clothes into clean pajamas before settling her in a guest bedroom of the apartment he and his father now shared with Trent. Relieved that she would be all right, Billy left the room and smiled at seeing his father sitting on the couch, silently watching as Trent slept in his arms. Aaron silently looked up at him.
"What are your plans concerning Kimberly, son?" Aaron asked in a concerned voice. "Will she be okay?"
Billy nodded, "She says that after she rests, she wants to file for divorce from Skull and I'm going to support her however I can," he replied in a concerned voice. "I'm a little shocked that she got married and had a baby so quickly, but I want to talk to Skull and see if we can resolve this situation peacefully.
"I trust your judgment and I know you'll handle this situation responsibly, Billy," Aaron replied in a reassuring voice as Billy took Trent. "Did Kimberly happen to tell you why she left in such a way?"
Shaking his head, Billy gently carried Trent towards his new room, "Kimberly said she'll tell me more when she feels better, Dad," he replied softly. "For now, however, I'm just going to trust and help her. We've been friends forever and I will help my friend."
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