Sooooo, there wasn't that much of a response to the last chapter. I know it's a mirky subject, but I hope guys are still with me.

Anyway, this is a Trent centric chapter that I felt needed to happen to explain his backstory. At the time I wrote this, I'd looked online and didn't find much of a backstory on him, so I created my own. Then, after I took one more look on wikipedia, I found out there was actually a backstory. However, I'm feeling a little lazy, so I decided to keep going with what I had.

Anyway, this story, along with getting a different title got upgraded to M for mature. That being said, I am going to keep the trigger alert for language and sensitive content, at least for this chapter.

I think that should do it, so read on and see me at the bottom.

The Manor

In the Dojo

Trent sat on the floor of the dojo in what was supposed to be a relaxed pose. His shoulders were tense and the expression on his face was that of a brooding man lost in memories…

He could feel himself moving…the flashing red and blue lights were very blurry…he could vaguely hear the voice of the paramedic talking about him.

Patient is a male, 17 year old Hispanic male with suspected alcohol poisoning and possible concussion. He was unresponsive when we arrived but we've managed to stabilize him and are now in route to Reef side Memorial hospital. ETA 10 minutes.

Fuckin hell! He felt like shit and the euphoria he'd felt after downing that bottle of Bourbon was gone, now he just wanted to pass out. But that stupid fucking medic had jabbed him with that stupid fucking needle and wasn't letting him sleep.

"Son, can you hear me?"

His vision was blurry, but he could tell that his father was still with him.

"Hey Trent, are you okay?"

Trent looked up to see Connor and Ethan in the doorway. They'd slipped off their sandals and now sat across from him.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"I could feel your tension from my house." Connor said. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Yeah, we're teammates power or no powers." Ethan added. "No matter what it is, we can handle this as a team."

"There's nothing to handle, really. Something came up with Katsume and I don't know how to deal with it."

"What happened?"

"At some point, before we knew about him, Katsume was drugged and…raped by some women. We don't know who they are or how long ago it happened. Rocky called me yesterday to let me know. They'll be back by tomorrow night and I have no idea how to respond to this. I signed up to help Katsume out, but this is something I didn't plan for. I had no idea what shape he's in and I'm lost. This isn't something I can just throw money at and make it better."

"Woah, that's pretty heavy." Conner said commented in a quiet voice.

"I'm not going to abandon him, but I'm lost. I was ready to be a benefactor and do the whole 'pay it forward thing' but this seems more like something a parent should be doing."

"Well, that's kind of what you are right now." Ethan said. "He's a good kid in a gnarly situation, He may act like a tough teenager and that was us not long ago, but deep inside, he'll need support and he'll look to you now."

"Got any idea on how to go about that? I'm not exactly parent material."

"But you are a power ranger." Conner pointed out. "And now you're facing a monster that can't be fought with our powers or dino zords." He paused. "I know that this isn't the same situation as Kira, but I have a feeling that he might react like Kira did. He needs to know that you are there for him to talk to, but whatever you do, don't force him to talk about it. That's going to make him lash out at you for sure."

Trent nodded.

"Be a firm guardian and guide him he when he needs it, but don't force him into anything." Ethan added. "You know that we're here for you."

Trent nodded. "Thanks guys, I needed that."

Connor nodded and then got up from where he sat. "Good, now how about we spar. It'll help with any pent-up energy.

By the time they were back in the manor, Trent was exhausted and ravenously hungry. Tanya and Adam had taken advantage of kid's road trip and had taken off by themselves.

So, in their absence, Kira and Melanie had taken over the kitchen affairs. That meant more grilling done by the guys and the girls had made some fries as well as slicing up tomatoes, onions and lettuce.

The kitchen smelled wonderful and Trent's mouth watered as he came through the back doors.

Needless to say, he ate ravenously and there were no leftovers afterwards. When he'd had his fill, he was suddenly really sleepily and with hardly any urging, he went up to the adult's floor and found an open room and promptly fell asleep.

The next morning, he got up feeling a little better. His dreams of late had been filled with the painful memories he couldn't seem to shake. Not surprisingly they'd all featured Sophie and the week following their breakup. That had been more less than a month now and the emotional scars were starting to heal. After all the heavy sparring, and they'd really forced him to use all his skills, he'd slept really well.

After taking a shower and getting dressed, he left the manor and headed out to get some coffee at the local Starbucks. They were making a killing off him these days.

It was just about 10 am when he got to the park. According to Dr. O, these parks had undergone quite the improvement since the 90's. A few more water features and a fenced in Koi Pond had been added along with a covered resting area for the hot summer months. This was where Trent sat down to drink his coffee and Burger King breakfast.

He enjoyed the quiet fall morning and took in all the natural beauty surrounding him. It had always helped him calm his mind and find his balance. As if sensing she was nearby, he looked up and to his surprise he saw Gabriella jogging along the path. Unlike last time he'd seen her, she was wearing a white and black jogging suit complete with hoodie and faded tennis shoes. His eyes slid down her well toned body as she slowed to a walk in front of him.

Hot damn she was a gorgeous woman.

"If you're going to undress me with your eyes, then the least you could do is buy me breakfast first, Mr. Fernandez."

Trent grinned at her. "Name the time and place. The sky's the limit."

She laughed as she took a deep breath. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I'm clearing my head and indulging my caffeine obsession while Katsume is off with his friends on a road trip. Last I heard, they were at Universal Studios."

"It must be overwhelming to be going from a bachelor to caring for an underage foster kid."

Trent nodded in agreement before taking another sip from his coffee cup." It's more like going from being a college student to being a foster parent and worrying about their wellbeing. Though I'm sure it's even more challenging to be a parent with an autistic child. I can't imagine what that's like."

"It's not an easy gig, but I love my son more than anything. He's a lot smarter than people think."

"So, where is he this morning?"

"With his father over in Stone Canyon. I believe they decided to have a dude weekend, which in my son's case should include a trip to the aquarium."

On hearing this, Trent smiled. "That sounds amazing. I was planning to take a trip there myself to get some inspiration."

At her surprised look, he chuckled. "My friends are expecting a baby, they asked me to paint a mural for the nursery; I'm supposed to recreate the ocean for them.

"So, you're an artist too. That's pretty fitting."

Trent nodded. "Yeah, that's where I was before coming here to Angel Grove. I just graduated Art School; That's what first got my attention when I heard that Katsume needed help."

At that, Gabriella sat down next to him. "I was wondering about that. His file didn't shed that much light on his background. All I got were his transcripts, police record, and a note about his attempted suicide."

Trent fought to keep his composure at the memory of the showdown at the hospital; his eyes flashed momentarily. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the pretty councilor who was giving him a concerned look.

"I'm okay. It's just that what happened at the hospital was petty intense and nasty…more for him than for me."

"Is he still suicidal?" she asked him in a concerned voice. "I need to know if he's a danger to himself."

Trent looked up at her sharply. "No, I don't think he is. I don't know what was in that note, but after the showdown I had with his parole officer I strongly think that his attempted suicide had more to do with his desperation to get away from LA than from any kind of depression."

She put her hand on his arm and he took notice about how comforting it felt.

"Will you tell me more?" she asked him. "We'll keep it off the record."

Trent took a sip of his coffee and took another deep breath. Expelling it he continued.

"I had just gotten to Angel Grove…to the manor my mentor and his friends own. Bryce Kensington is the father to one my friends. As far as I understand, he's a philanthropist working with a group of independent detectives and lawyers to help free the falsely imprisoned. I'm not sure how Katsume's file showed up, because I wasn't there for it, but I heard the tale end of the discussion. Bryce was already in LA visiting his daughter and son in law- my friends. Ashton and his group had already filed the paper work and all they needed was someone to go and bring Katsume back. They needed someone who had the time and money to make the trip and I had both."

Trent looked up to see that he had her full attention.

"I thought this was just me doing my part and paying it forward, but when I got the call that he'd attempted suicide I pulled my team in and got to the hospital as soon as I could and it was just in time to see that asshole probation officer going after him. I still don't have the full story about why that officer was on his case, but he had that pediatrics wing in an uproar.

He said some pretty nasty things, all of which I got on the hidden recorder. My team and I got into a showdown with that pig and he's threatened to kick our asses if he ever sees us in Los Angeles again. We were sure to get Katsume out of there as soon as the ER doctor could sign the release papers."

Trent looked up at Gabrielle again. "Long story short, I'm now his guardian and benefactor all rolled into one; I don't think he'll be making repeat attempts to off himself. In the weeks that he's been here, he's been nothing but a care free happy teenager. He's got a solid support group and he'll never have to worry about being left alone to deal with anything like that ever again. The only thing he'll have to deal with now is keeping his grades up and dealing with bullies left over from last year."

Gabrielle nodded grimly. "I'm hoping there won't be much drama other than the usual stuff. Sadly, even with all the new teachers starting this year, there still might be trouble. There's no such thing as a perfect school."

After they'd parted ways, Trent had lots to reflect on. Not the least of it being how attracted he felt to the lovely councilor. He couldn't deny that she was absolutely gorgeous and had a bold fearless aura about her that he couldn't stop thinking about, but he also knew that this wasn't the right time for him to make a move.

His heart was still in shreds and she was such a sweet lady. It would be unthinkable to use her as a rebound relationship. Not to mention that there was a young boy in the midst of it and he didn't want the child to get hurt. She had enough to deal with and so did he. As much as he would love to start a romantic relationship with Ms. Anderson, now was not a good time.

And so, he reinforced the walls he built around his heart.

The Manor

The next evening

Trent looked up with a smile as the front door opened. He was currently sitting at the table with Conner and Kira as the tired but happy teens trooped in with their luggage behind them.

"So, should we bring out the cart for all the prizes?" Conner asked.

"You might just have to." Rocky answered with a grin. "They played their hearts out."

Trent looked towards the door again as Katsume walked in with a happy grin on his face. However, the grin vanished when he saw his benefactor in the doorway. In an instant, Trent saw the question in his eyes.

"No, we don't have to discuss anything tonight. Go ahead and finish the night with your friends. This conversation can wait till tomorrow."

He looked relieved as he nodded and took his stuff up to his room.

Conner saw the whole thing and when the teens were gone, he walked over to Trent. "Dude, are you sure that's a good idea? Isn't it better to get the whole thing over with?"

Trent grimaced. "Yeah, it is. But all wounds, especially ones of the mind and heart take their own time to heal. It's not something that can be hurried along. Besides, I have a feeling that the time to purge the infection will come sooner rather than later. For now, let him have his fun."

Later that night, about 2 AM

Katsume laid awake in his bed. He'd fallen asleep around ten when the others did, but that didn't last very long. The dreams had been plaguing him every night since his run in with the bitches at the park…and that is what he called them. While he was well aware of what they'd done to him, he refused to use the R word. It was just too humiliating to see himself in a position that he'd only seen with girls on those police dramas.

Finally, resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be getting any more sleep for the night, he got up, put his robe and slippers on, and walked down the stairs and to the back door. He stopped short seeing Trent on the back steps; he was once again drinking coffee.

Opening the door, he slipped outside and joined Trent on the stairs. "Were you waiting on me?"

Trent looked over him with a small smile. "No. But I had a feeling that you might have trouble sleeping. I've always been a Night Owl, and I was keeping Ethan company while he fed his daughter."

"So what, do you have some kind of ranger power that tells you when someone can't sleep?"

Trent chuckled at him. "Not exactly. Our dino gems are drained…at least until recently. But we still have some of our extra powers, if I wanted to use my powers, I would only be able to blend into my surroundings."

"So then how did you know I'd be up?"

"Because I've been in a similar situation, though I wasn't raped by anyone."

Katsume flinched at the word and Trent noticed, though he didn't react. "It's more commonplace than you think and nothing to be ashamed of. Most men won't report it out of embarrassment, but it doesn't change the fact that it happened. Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault."

Could you stop using that word?" Katsume asked pleadingly. "Its…wrong."

Trent gave him a compassionate look. "Okay, we don't have to use that word. But since we're both out here and wide awake, we should talk about it. I think you'll sleep better once we expose this ugliness.

"Can we go somewhere else to do this? Somewhere away from the house?"

Trent nodded and got up. "The garden is completely enclosed. It will do."

During the summer, the garden had been extended and this little garden area had the newest improvement. Two sturdy benches had been added along with a small metal table. This is where Trent led them to. It was the farthest corner of the garden and it was the most private place he could think of.

Both men sat down on their own benches and spent a moment or two in quiet. Finally Trent broke the silence.

"This isn't going to be comfortable for either of us, but I won't dance around any of this. I know that you expect me to say that I know how you feel, and while I understand what emotional pain and suffering feel like, I know that what you went through is a whole different thing than what I did. The only reason I'm willing to bare my soul to you is to show you that in this respect, we're on the same level."

He paused and looked up at his charge who was giving him an unreadable look.

He took a deep breath and began.

"When I was young, I lost my mother and step sister when my sire killed them while I was in school. My adopted father…Aton Mercer came to get me and told me the horrible news. Within two months, I legally became his son. I also was aware that my little sister was a product of the love affair between Anton and my mother.

By the time I bonded with the white dino gem, we were two peas in a pod. Though he did go off for a while on that blasted island. I never wanted for anything and a skeleton crew was hired to look after the house and to make sure I did my homework and ate good food."

"When I bonded with the white dino gem, I had no idea that it was evil. It corrupted me and I became an evil villain and tried to kill off the other rangers. Eventually the evil gem was destroyed, though I was able to keep my powers. I was allowed to fight on their team and they trusted me to a point, but I betrayed them by not revealing what I knew about my father's alter ego."

My problem was that I loved my father and I couldn't bare the thought of betraying him. But on the other hand, I was a power ranger and my team trusted me. It was all too much for me to handle, and when the truth came out, I felt guilty for everything. I just wanted it to end and I wanted to numb everything I was feeling.

"So, naturally, I did something stupid and became an alcoholic at 17 years old. When my dad was gone for the weekend, I took out the 6 pack of beer he kept in the fridge and began to drink them until I felt that pleasant buzz. Sadly, within a few hours the buzz went away and I started to look for something stronger that would last longer. That turned out to be the bottle of high priced bourbon that my father kept in the cabinet of his office. I drank that baby all in one run and before I knew it, I'd fallen to the floor black out drunk and with a concussion.

That's where my dad found me when he came home. I was unresponsive and barely breathing. The EMT's were able to wake up and stabilize me to a point before they rushed me away in an ambulance. When I regained consciousness, I had an IV in my arm and a furious dad in my room along with a pissed off mentor. They both read me the riot act and made me swear to never pick up a bottle until I was of legal age. I could have very well died from alcohol poisoning and we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"Like I said before, I'm not proud of this, but I do understand how it feels to just want to escape. That's why when I was told what happened to you, I wanted to get everything out in the open between us before you made some kind of stupid mistake like I did."

Katsume looked up at him sharply. "Like committing suicide, maybe?"

Trent nodded. "Yes, but I don't hold that against you. You were desperate to escape that pig-headed probation officer and I'm sure that death was the only way you could think of to end your suffering. However, I want you to know that suicide is not the answer. If you find yourself in a situation like that again, come talk to me first. I don't care how crazy the situation is, I've seen a lot of crazy things as a ranger, I doubt that anything out there that would surprise me."

"Why does that sound like one of those famous last words?" kastume asked with a wry grin.

Trent shrugged. "Because it probably is. We live in a universe where crazy monsters that look like they were created by a kindergarteners can grow to the size of a skyscraper. Not to mention that I used to run around in spandex that left nothing to the imagination. Believe me, I learned fast that I needed to wear compression shorts all the time, just in case we were called into action."

At this Katsume grinned and shook his head. "That's crazy."

Trent nodded and then sobered up. "So, it's your turn. It's just the two of us so you can speak your mind; I won't judge you."

Katsume sighed and then looked up at his mentor again. "The truth is that until those bitches came up to me at the park, I thought it was all just a nightmare. Finding out that those were real memories freaked me out. All I remember is being groggy and really out of it. Some chick was on top of me and I was tied down, she was enjoying herself if those were moans I was hearing, I know that it's not that unusual to cash in your v-card in high school, but I didn't want it to happen that way. It's embarrassing and I'm angry about it, but I didn't want those bitches to ruin the fun we were having."

Trent nodded. "Would sparring help you get out your anger?"

Katsume looked up at him. "Now?"

The next day

"You guys really slept in. It's almost noon." Rocky said as Trent walked into the kitchen. "Katsume missed his workout session this morning."

Trent looked over at the teenager who was busy digging into his lunch. "Yeah, do I need to sign a tardy slip? We had a heart to heart last night and then we sparred in the dojo till he'd gotten all his anger out. He's gonna be sore for a day or two, but he should be fine by Monday."

"So, are you going to be taking him back to the townhouse?"

Trent nodded. "Yes, but there's no rush. The furniture came in while you guys were gone; other than the basic pieces, I left his half of the townhouse bare. We're going to Sears to get whatever he wants for his bathroom and bedroom. I know he'll want to go to school with the others, so I'll have him back here Sunday night."

Rocky nodded. "Good deal. A moment later he clapped his hands together. "So we have plenty of sandwich stuff, what can I make you?"

So, there you have it. Trent has his backstory and we are now ready to get to the hero portion of this story.

Next up, the kids have their first day at school.

Please leave me a review, they really help me know if I should keep this fic going or not.