A hush falls over the cabin as Skye, the tiny Owl Zord, flutters off Antonio's shoulder and glides toward Tracy. The little bird hovers in front of her, tilting its head before gently rubbing its soft feathers against her cheek.

Tracy exhales shakily at the warmth that spreads from the touch—calm, soothing, and full of something ancient and powerful. Then Skye lifts higher, hovering just above her head.

A soft, radiant glow builds around the tiny Zord, and suddenly—icy blue feathers float down, swirling around Tracy in a mesmerizing spiral. The air hums with energy, sending little ripples through the room.

The team watches in silent awe.

From the corner of the room, Lauren Shiba watches too—silent, hesitant.

She stands there since the group arrived, watching, waiting, unsure how to step forward.

Her hands clench at her sides. She tells herself she's the leader of the Shiba Clan now and that she has faced worse than this. And yet—seeing her little brother in front of her after so many years makes her chest tighten.

How do you walk back into someone's life after so long?

Lauren stays in the shadows.

As the blue feathers touch Tracy's skin, they shift, turning deep violet and absorbing the venom tainting her body.

Christian takes a small step forward, his heart pounding. "It's pulling out the poison..."

Everyone watches in amazement as the last traces of Mimic's deadly toxin lift from Tracy's body, dissolving into a glowing purple mist before vanishing completely.

Her fevered skin cools, her breathing steadies, and the tension in her body relaxes as if a heavy weight has lifted.

A final feather lands softly on her chest. It glows briefly—then dims.

Silence.

Then—Tracy's eyes flutter open, clear and bright.

She blinks, then stretches her arms above her head with a groggy sigh. "...Okay, that feels weird."

Christian lets out a sigh of relief, then yanks her into a crushing hug.

"Alright, okay, hermano! I just got healed. Let's not break me again!" Tracy laughs, though she hugs him back just as tight.

The team finally relaxes. Jayden gives a small but satisfied nod, and Antonio fist-pumps the air.

Standing beside them, Fredrick smiles gently. "It's good to see you back, Angelita."

She grins at him. "It's good to be back."

Skye lets out a small, happy chirp before fluttering back to Antonio's shoulder.

Before the moment can fully settle, the front door creaks open.

The team turns as Benio steps inside, balancing a bag of groceries in one arm. Her eyes sweep over the group before she sighs dramatically.

"I swear, I leave for one hour and come back to a full house," she says with mock exasperation, setting the groceries down.

Then, as her gaze lands on Tracy, she raises an eyebrow. "And look at you—sitting up like you weren't knocking on death's door this morning."

Tracy shrugs, flashing a lopsided grin. "What can I say? I bounce back fast."

Benio shakes her head, a small smile tugging at her lips before she turns her attention to Jayden.

She pauses, her expression softening.

"You've grown," she says quietly.

Jayden blinks, caught off guard. He knows her face and her voice, but not in the way he should. There are flashes of memory—warm hands fixing his collar before training, the scent of tea in the morning, a voice telling him to be strong.

But it's all distant, blurred.

Benio steps closer. "I know you don't remember much of me," she says gently. "It's been a long time."

Jayden swallows, his hands clenching at his sides. "You... left with Lauren."

Benio nods, guilt flickering in her eyes. "To train her. To prepare her for what was coming." She exhales softly, glancing between her children. "I thought I was doing what was best... but I missed so much."

Jayden doesn't know what to say to that.

He's spent so many years trying not to think about the mother who wasn't there—to push it aside, to tell himself it didn't matter. But standing in front of her now, hearing the regret in her voice, the weight of those years crashes into him all at once.

Benio hesitates. "I don't expect you to—"

Jayden takes a slow breath. "I remember... pieces." He looks at her. "I want to remember more."

Benio's breath catches.

Lauren shifts in the corner. "Jayden..."

His gaze moves to his sister. Unlike Benio, his memories of Lauren are clearer. Training beside her, sparring together, laughter in between lessons. Then... that day. The day they were separated.

Lauren steps forward, hesitant. "I should've come back sooner."

Jayden meets her eyes. He doesn't know how to answer that. He doesn't even know what he feels right now.

But instead of pulling away, he nods.

Lauren exhales, the tension in her shoulders easing—just a little.

Tracy, still sitting on the bed, raises an eyebrow at Christian. "So... do we let them have this moment, or do we act like we're not witnessing a dramatic family reunion?"

Christian nudges her. "Shhh."

Antonio, ever the icebreaker, claps his hands together. "Sooo! Now that the big family emotions are happening, should we eat? Or are we jumping straight into more life-threatening danger?"

Lauren lets out a small laugh—nervous but genuine. "Actually... I do have something important to discuss."

Jayden nods, already serious again. "This is about the Nighlok, isn't it?"

Lauren's expression hardens. "Yes. The attacks are getting worse. And what happened to Tracy proves it." She glances at Skye. "We need every advantage we can get—including allies like Skye."

Christian frowns. "You mean... we don't get to rest?"

Jayden shakes his head. "Not yet."

Lauren looks at Tracy. "How are you feeling?"

Tracy rolls her shoulders. "Honestly? Like I could punch a Mooger through a wall."

Kevin smirks. "Sounds about right."

Lauren's expression tightens slightly. "Good. Because we'll need all of you for what's coming next."

The weight of her words settles over the team.

Later that evening, the group sits outside Benio's cabin, gathered around the fire as the cool night breeze rustles through the trees. The meal is simple, but after their battles, it tastes better than anything.

Laughter and conversation flow naturally, but Tracy sits quietly, eating as she listens.

Then, breaking the calm, she glances at Lauren.

"Lauren," she says, "since you've mastered the Sealing Symbol, wouldn't that mean you and your mom could return to the Shiba House? So the three of you can get a chance to be a family again?"

The question hangs in the air.

Jayden freezes, his chopsticks pausing midair.

Benio sets down her tea, looking between her two children, while Lauren shifts slightly and avoids their gazes.

"It's... not that simple," Lauren admits.

Tracy raises an eyebrow. "Why not? The reason you and Benio left in the first place was to train. Now that it's done, what's stopping you?"

Lauren exhales, looking over at Jayden, who hasn't said anything.

Jayden finally looks up, his voice even but quiet. "The clan was always meant to be hers."

Lauren's eyes soften. "That's not what I meant, Jayden."

Benio studies them both before speaking gently. "Returning to the Shiba House doesn't mean erasing what happened. It just means you get to choose what happens next."

Lauren swallows, her expression unreadable.

Jayden nods slowly. "Maybe... that doesn't mean things have to return to how they were supposed to be. Maybe we'll figure out where we go from here."

Lauren's tension eases just slightly.

Christian, completely focused on his food, finally speaks. "So, just to clarify, is this a yes or a no to the whole 'family reunion' thing?"

Tracy snorts. "Let them have their moment, Christian."

Ashley smirks. "Besides, we all know the real mystery here—why is Tracy so talkative around Antonio but barely around us?"

Mike blinks. "Oh yeah, I noticed that too! She acts normal around him but barely says anything to the rest of us."

Christian smirks. "Because Antonio doesn't give her a choice."

Mike frowns. "Huh?"

Ashley chuckles. "Antonio doesn't wait for people to open up. He pulls them in like they've always belonged. Tracy doesn't have to put up walls with him because he never gives her the space to build them."

Mike thinks about that for a second, then huffs. "Still seems unfair. She barely talks to us."

Ashley's smirk turns mischievous. "Plus, Mike, you forget—Tracy has a massive crush on Antonio, which also has something to do with her being super talkative around him."

Mike chokes on his drink. "Wait. WHAT?!"

Under the tree, Tracy's head snaps up.

"Hey, Ash-tree, I heard that!" she huffs, her voice sharp with panic.

Ashley grins. "Oh? I'm just stating facts."

Tracy scowls, but her cheeks are already frosting over, a clear giveaway of her flustered state.

"I do not have a crush," she snaps. "Antonio just has the kind of personality that's impossible to be quiet around!"

Mike, grinning now, leans back. "Sooo… if Antonio were, I dunno, less annoying, you wouldn't talk to him as much?"

Tracy glares. "That is not what I said."

Ashley grins even wider. "Wow, look at that ice on your face. You're not even trying to hide it."

Tracy scrubs her sleeve against her cheeks, trying to will away the frost.

Mike bursts out laughing. "Oh man, this is the best thing I've learned all week."

Christian shakes his head, amused. "Leave her alone, guys."

Ashley snickers. "Fine, fine. But Tracy, I'm just saying… if you ever want to make a move, I fully support you."

Tracy groans, burying her face in her hands. "I hate all of you."

Mike grins. "You love us."

"That's highly debatable," Tracy mutters.

The group erupts into laughter, the fire crackling beside them as the tension of the past few days melts away—at least for now.

But Tracy's had enough.

She huffs in frustration, stands up, and marches toward the cabin, still rubbing at her frosted-over cheeks.

"Okay, I'm done with all of you," she mutters, disappearing inside.

Mike, still grinning, leans back on his hands. "That was amazing."

Ashley smirks. "Right? I should've brought it up sooner."

Before anyone can add to the conversation, Benio strolls up, arms crossed, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

She's been listening from the doorway.

"You know," she says casually, glancing toward the cabin, "your father acted the same way around your mom before they started dating."

The group freezes.

Christian nearly chokes on his drink. "Wait, what?!"

Mike's eyes go wide. "Oh, this just keeps getting better."

Inside the cabin, Tracy hears everything.

She groans loudly, pressing her forehead against the wall. "Thanks, Benio. I didn't ask for my parents' love story right now."

Benio chuckles. "Just saying, history has a way of repeating itself."

Tracy spins around, pointing accusingly toward the doorway. "That is NOT happening."

Benio shrugs. "If you say so."

Outside, Ashley grins. "So, when's the wedding?"

Tracy slams the door shut.

The entire group bursts into laughter.

Mike leans toward Christian. "Best. Night. Ever."

Christian shakes his head, but he's smiling.

Benio smirks knowingly, sipping her tea as she watches the scene unfold.

History may have a way of repeating itself.