I promised Friday, and it's Friday! Just want to say thank you to everyone who's been reading since the beginning, who just found it and started reading, and to everyone in between.

Trent's mouth fell open as he grabbed Kira, and pulled her in tight to his chest. She turned her head and buried it in his shoulder, crying. To their right, Adam and Tanya mirrored their positions, supporting one another. Tanya looked away, but Adam couldn't peel his eyes off what he was seeing, his expression showing that he was horrified, a few tears spilling over his eyes. To Trent and Kira's left, Aisha screamed and tried to dart forward, but Rocky grabbed her around the waist, keeping her back from the flames that had engulfed the space that was littered with debris. She tried to fight him off, desperately trying to reach her best friend, tears running down her face. Rocky dug his heels into the ground, and even allowed some of the power of his half morphed state to keep her locked in his arms. Billy hit his knees, muttering something unintelligible on Rocky and Aisha's left. To Adam's right, Ethan stood, pale and slightly green, running his hands over his face as if he couldn't process what was happening. And to Ethan's right, Connor was on his hands and knees, pounding his fists against the sand.

"She was the monster!" he stated, anguish in his voice. "This is my fault," he added, squeezing his eyes shut and wrapping his arms around himself, trying to stop the shaking of his body as he processed what had just happened. He'd used his full power, the strongest mode he had to destroy a monster, and that monster had turned out to be Kimberly. He suddenly powered down completely, Ethan, Kira, and Trent following suit. Trent held Kira in one arm as the three of them walked over to Connor. He placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to give him what comfort he could.

"You didn't know. We didn't know," Trent told him, his voice quiet. Behind them they could hear Aisha's sobbing.

"I hate him!" Connor shouted, tilting his head up to the air. "I hate him!" he roared a second time. No one had to ask who he was yelling at. But Connor's voice seemed to snap Tommy out of his trance.

He'd been on his knees in the sand, stroking the hair out of Kimberly's face, running his hands over the bruises and burns that covered it, rocking her back and forth. She bled from several different places. One of her legs was bent in a strange direction. Most of her body was covered in bruises and burns that it was nearly impossible to tell the actual color of her skin. "Billy!" he called quietly at first, his voice shaking. When he realized that he hadn't quite been audible, he raised his volume, glancing over his shoulder. "Billy!" he shouted louder, still holding her body and rocking her back and forth. "Billy! Damn it!" he yelled a third time.

The third shout was enough to snap Billy out of his stupor, and the former blue ranger struggled to his feet, running to Tommy's side. Ethan noticed he hadn't grabbed his pack from earlier and raced back to get it. Billy's tear filled eyes met Tommy's as he dropped back into the sand.

"Is she alive?" Tommy asked Billy, desperation in his voice.

"I don't" Billy started, looking away from Tommy and down at Kimberly, his mind moving too slowly for him. He started to hyperventilate slightly. "I don't know," he stated. "I don't have the scanner," he stated.

"Right here Billy," Ethan told him, having moved faster than he thought he could to bring the pack to his older counterpart. Billy gave him a grim nod of thanks, and dug through the pack, pulling out a bio scanner.

"Lay her flat," Billy told Tommy, whipping his eyes on his arm to clear his vision of tears. Tommy did as he said, not taking his eyes off her as the ocean wind blew through her hair. He realized he was holding his breath as Billy ran the scanner over her body. Everyone was silent and tense for a few moments; the only sounds were the crashing of waves and the mechanized noises of the bio scanner. "I don't know how, but she's alive," Billy finally breathed out, relief evident in his face. Connor's sigh of relief was audible as he collapsed back onto his hands and knees. Rocky, Adam, and Trent each pulled Aisha, Tanya, and Kira into them tighter. Tommy let a few tears drip down his face as he pointed his head up to the sky and whispered a quiet thank you. He wouldn't admit to anyone, but he was praying that if Zordon had anything to do with their lives since his sacrifice that he would have protected Kimberly. "We should get her back as fast as possible."

"Haley," Ethan spoke into his wrist. He was maintaining as much calm as he possibly could while his mentor and leader seemed to be unable to function fully, not that he blamed either of them.

"Already on it Ethan," Haley spoke. "You'll have an invisiportal opening in about thirty seconds."

"Thanks," Ethan replied, dropping his wrist.

"Dr. O," Trent spoke up. "You and Billy take her back through the portal. We'll take the bikes back," he spoke and Tommy looked at him for a moment, and nodded. Trent noticed his eyes were hollow. "She'll be ok," he stated, even though he wasn't sure if it was true. Tommy nodded again, and scooped Kimberly into his arms, being as gentle as he could. Billy stood up beside him as the portal Haley had called up swirled into activity. Tommy looked at his friends who nodded to him, and walked into the portal, Billy following behind.

"Come on," Rocky stated, supporting Aisha at his side, as the portal closed behind Billy. "I want to put as much distance between us and this beach," he stated.

"Agreed," Adam said and the two zeo rangers led the group back to the raptor cycles and dino AtVs that they'd left behind. Adam and Rocky each climbed onto one of the ATVs, allowing Tanya and Aisha to climb on behind them. Trent took the front position on Kira's bike, while she climbed on behind him. Connor and Ethan mounted their own bikes, and Rocky took the lead, as the eight rangers rode back to the command post in silence, all praying as hard as they could that Kimberly would be alright.

Hours had passed back at Tommy's house, and it was now nearing noon. Billy had run several more scans on Kimberly who lay in a semi-inclined position on the stretcher, and had determined that there was nothing the hospital would do for her that he couldn't do there. If they brought her to the hospital, they'd have to find a way to explain what had happened to her. Miraculously, she had no internal bleeding and appeared to need no surgery. Billy had put an oxygen mask on her to help her breath, and hooked her up to an EEG and an EKG. He added a pulse oximeter to her finger tip. With Haley's help, he'd taken an x-ray of her leg and reset the bone, before casting it. A few more x-rays showed that she suffered a few minor fractures on her ribs. He and Haley had sutured her deepest gashes and cleaned up her skin, washing away the dried blood and soot from the explosions. Billy had applied burn ointment and bandaged the worst parts of her body, which happened to be her arms. She had particularly bad burn on her cheek, which he cleaned, ointmented, and bandaged using medical tape to hold the gaze in place. Lastly, she had a mild concussion. Billy wasn't surprised by its existence, but rather by the fact that it wasn't worse. Everyone had watched while Billy and Haley worked, all afraid to say anything, and really not knowing what to say. Billy had warned Tommy who had stayed at her side the entire time that he didn't know if the evil had been removed from her mind. He'd wanted to enclose her in a force field, but Tommy had refused. He was confident that she would be back to normal. His gut told him so. No one wanted to argue with him, as Billy addressed the small shoulder wound he had. No one asked where he'd gotten it. It had been Haley's idea finally, to encourage everyone to head upstairs and leave Tommy alone to sit with her. That had been slightly more than three hours before, and those upstairs were becoming as worried about Tommy as they were about Kimberly.

Having enough of his teammate's silence, especially since he felt responsible, Connor had excused himself, and gone back down the stairs to find Tommy sitting beside Kimberly's bed, much as he had on Wednesday, running his fingers across the back of her hand. He didn't shift at all when Connor approached, his mind entirely locked on Kimberly.

"Dr. O?" Connor asked softly, and Tommy jumped slightly, not realizing he wasn't alone. He exhaled sharply, catching his breath, and turned, letting his eyes fall on Connor.

"Connor," he stated, shaking his head slightly. "You scared me."

"Sorry," Connor muttered, walking up to stand beside him, looking over at Kimberly. She looked extremely fragile. Like one touch would cause her to disintegrate into dust. "How is she?"

"She's stable," Tommy told him, looking back at Kimberly. Connor set his mouth into a grim line and nodded, listening to the machines Billy had set up beeping around her. He couldn't understand most of what they indicated, but he could tell that her heart beat, and the rise and fall of her chest were stable and rhythmic. That had to be a good sign.

"Listen Dr. O," Connor started, turning his head to look directly at his science teacher.

"It's not your fault, Connor," Tommy interrupted him. The look on Connor's face said that he didn't believe him. Tommy sighed and pushed himself off the stool, leading Connor over to the leather couches. He sat down, and gave Connor a pointed look that told him to sit beside him. "Connor, you can't beat yourself up for this."

"Why not? The Battlizer was my idea; if I'd known, I could have found another way."

"But that's the point, isn't it?" Tommy told him. "You didn't know. You had no idea the monster that was attacking you was Kimberly," he explained, looking over at her. "What you did know was that your team and your friends were in danger."

"I guess," Connor stated, leaning forward on his knees, clutching his head in his hands.

"No you guess," Tommy told him, shaking his head. "You did right," he added. "Sometimes being the leader means making the tough decision. I don't blame you, and neither will she."

"You don't know that," Connor retorted.

"Yeah," Tommy told him, simply. "I do. She'll never blame you. Me, maybe. You never."

"Why you?" Connor asked.

"That spell we were under," Tommy began. "We don't forget anything we did or said while under it."

"Yeah," Connor nodded. "Adam said that."

"Adam?" Tommy asked frowning.

"Long story," Connor retorted with a slight snort of laughter. If he didn't laugh, he realized he'd be traumatized by it forever. "You were saying?"

Tommy opened his mouth to retort, trying to figure out what Connor had meant about Adam, but he decided that could be something they discussed later. He had a feeling Adam might want to be present when it was explained. "Um… yeah," Tommy continued, trying to figure out exactly where he'd left off. "Anyway, like I said. I remember everything that happened. She will too. I'm the one who turned her. I'm the one who gave her to Mesogog to play with. I'm the one who let Mesogog transform her into that creature. If anyone is to blame," Tommy told him, "it's me. Not even Kira and Trent knew Kimberly was the monster, but I watched Mesogog do it. I made no move to stop him, even when she called for me."

"Trent said Elsa had you guys under some kind of control?" Connor asked after a long pause and Tommy nodded, leaning forward as well and looking down at his shoes.

"Conditioned fear response," Tommy stated. "As long as we were wearing those stones Elsa could hurt us, badly. It felt like a million needles being plunged into our brains."

"Harsh," Connor stated simply and Tommy laughed slightly. "You're ok now thought right?"

"I don't know," Tommy told him honestly. "It was conditioned into us," he added. "I don't know that we won't be flinching every time we see her. Especially if she's got the baton she used to inflict the pain with her." Connor nodded understanding and they both lapsed into silence for a few moments. "I owe you my thanks," Tommy stated after a bit.

"No you don't," Connor replied, but Tommy shook his head.

"I do," Tommy stated. "You kept the team together while it was falling apart. You protected everyone from us. And you helped turn us back to normal. Thanks doesn't seem nearly enough," Tommy told him. Connor just shook his head and sighed.

"Billy think she'll wake up soon?" Connor asked him. Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "You gonna come upstairs?"

"I don't want her to be alone," Tommy replied, and Connor nodded. "You going back up?"

"I should," Connor replied. "I promised Katie I'd be right back," he added. "Just came down to make sure you were doing alright."

"Is everyone upstairs ok?" Tommy asked, realizing he'd been neglecting the rest of his teams. Connor nodded.

"They're shaken up, and worried, but they're hanging in there."

"You're doing great as a leader," Tommy laughed. "Let them know I'm ok, will you?"

"No problem Dr. O," Connor told him, as they both stood up. "Thanks for the pep talk. We'll call it even."

"Yeah, right," Tommy laughed at him, watching as Connor went back up the stairs, he pulled his stool back up beside Kimberly, and took her hand back in his. He used his other hand and brushed her hair off her forehead. "Now," he told her, "Don't you dare go and make me into a liar. He didn't mean for any of this to happen, so you'd better forgive him," he told her, feeling his tears start up again, as the scene of Connor's Battlizer cannons played out in his head again. "Come on beautiful," he continued to speak to her, "wake up for me. I'll never ask you for anything else ever again," he told her. "I'm so sorry for this. It's all my fault. Every bit of it, start to finish," he added, tears still running down his face. Nothing changed. Her EKG and EEG remained steady. Her breathing remained even. Aside from her steady rise and fall of her chest, her body remained motionless. Tommy watched it for a while, letting his mind lose focus on the machines so that he could listen to her heart beat. When he had been terrified that it was no longer going, he realized it was one of the most amazing sounds he'd ever heard. They stayed like that for nearly another hour; both motionless but for different reasons; Tommy crying quietly, knowing his friends would leave him alone now that Connor had told them he was alright.

"Kim," he started again when he could no longer keep silent. "Please wake up," he told her. "I don't know what you want from me," he told her, although a large traitorous portion of himself knew that was a lie. "I know you're mad at me. I know you want nothing to do with me. I want nothing to do with me. This is all my fault," Tommy told her, shaking his head and gripping her hand tighter. He remembered everything that had happened while under Mesogog's control. He remembered the ending of their fight and he finally felt what he couldn't because of the stone. He sobbed slightly, before pushing himself off his stool slightly so that he was standing, leaning over Kim, her hand still clutched in his. He moved her oxygen mask so he could see her clearly and studied her face with his eyes for a moment, before closing his eyes and bending towards her, placing his lips squarely across her, kissing her as deeply as he dared so as not to hurt her. He pulled back, and looked at her, hoping for some slightly movement or acknowledgement of what he'd just done. He sank into the chair, replacing her mask, not finding any sign that she was waking up. "Beautiful," he stated. "Please wakeup," he repeated. "I can't live without you," he told her. "I… I love you," he stated, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned forward, placing his head against her torso, his body shaking a bit as he cried.

"Took you long enough to tell me," Kimberly's weak voice reached his ears after a few silent moments. Tommy's head snapped up in response to stare at her face, his eyes gazing into hers. His mouth opened and closed like a fish, again. She laughed at him weakly behind the oxygen mask on her face. "Hey," she muttered, reaching the hand he didn't have imprisoned up to take the mask off, letting a small smile grace her lips.

"You're awake," Tommy finally found the words, unable to keep the relief from his voice or his eyes. He lost the fight to keep an enormous grin off his lips. Kimberly sighed and nodded slightly. "That's what it took to get you to wake up?"

"The kiss didn't hurt either," she told him with a bit of a laugh. Tommy blushed bright red. "You really should do that more often."

"I-" Tommy started to say, not really finding words, or processing what she was telling him. "What?"

"You really are an idiot," she laughed at him, groaning and arching her back as her body shaking caused her injuries to hurt.

"Easy," Tommy told her, running his fingers over her hand. "It's a miracle you're even alive."

"I remember," Kimberly stated simply.

"You do?" Tommy asked her, not sure. Kimberly nodded slowly groaning a bit as the pain in her body eased, and she sank back down on the stretcher. "Connor didn't" Tommy began to explain, but Kimberly shook her head.

"Of course he meant to," Kimberly told him. "I'm glad he did. I was trying to kill them. I knew exactly who they were, even if they didn't know me, and I was trying to kill them. He had to stop me," Kimberly stated, and Tommy sighed. He had been right. Kimberly would never hold what happened against Connor.

"I'm sorry," Tommy stated, dropping his head and releasing her hand. He no longer felt that it was acceptable for him to touch her.

"For what?" She asked him, disbelief in her voice. She frowned at him and then sighed, reading his expression. "Tommy, you were under a spell. I've forgiven you before for what you did under an evil spell, what would make this time any different?" she asked him.

"You nearly died," Tommy told her. "I saw the explosions."

"And the last time you nearly destroyed everything important to me," Kimberly argued with him. "But I forgave you then, and I forgive you now. There is nothing you could have done." Tommy stared at her for a few moments, trying to process what she was telling him. Finally, he gave up trying to argue with her and shook his head, letting a smile fall across his lips. Kimberly smiled in return. "So what's the damage?" she asked him.

"Billy can explain it better," Tommy told her, "but broken leg, a few fractured ribs, a very mild concussion, and more cuts, bruises, scrapes, and burns than you can count."

"Could have been worse," Kimberly replied with a shrug, looking over her own body. "Guess I'm not going back to work anytime soon," she added in, and Tommy laughed at her slightly. That was a major understatement. But part of his laugh was relief. If she wasn't planning to go back to work, than she might not have anything else she needed to leave immediately for. "How's your shoulder?"

"Billy disinfected it," he said with a shrug, indicating the wound she'd inflicted. "And stitched it up," he added.

"That's good," she added. They lapsed into silence for a few moments, Kimberly taking inventory of what she could see of herself, while Tommy sat on his stool, bracing his upper body with his elbows on the side of the stretcher, his hands folded together. "Tommy," Kimberly finally asked, "Did you mean what you said? You know, after you kissed me?"

Tommy blinked a few times, looking at her in the face. He felt like he was facing a giant monster without his megazord. Why would she ask him that? Well, he knew why, but he didn't want her to. He exhaled slowly and gulped before he nodded. "Yeah," he stated slowly, "I did."

"Good." Kimberly replied, and then paused, casting her eyes away from him and onto her lap. She folding her hands and examined her fingers, twisting them around each other, nervously. After a few moments, she looked up at him and met his eyes. "I love you too," she told him, a tiny smile breaking out on her lips.

Tommy could not believe the words that had just come out of her mouth. They were absolutely the four most amazing words he had ever heard in his entire life, but his brain was not processing their meaning. "You did not just say that," he replied, blinking. Kimberly laughed at him.

"Yes I did," she told him. "Tommy," she laughed, "I have been in love with you since I was fifteen years old. We lost a lot of time in between, but I still love you," she laughed at him. With every word, Tommy's smile was growing wider. He'd retaken her hand, his eyes searching hers. "Now, will you just kiss me?" she asked him, "gently!" she reminded him, when he dove straight in to do as she requested. He laughed at himself, feeling giddy for the first time in a very long time, and let his lips brush against hers, being gentle so as not to cause her any pain at all, but holding the sides of her face between his palms.

It was a while before they broke apart to the sound of someone saying "Ahem". They never did find out who it was, as when Tommy looked back over his shoulder, he saw every single individual who had been upstairs, including Katie and Luke. "Hey guys," Tommy laughed, running his hand over the back of his head and blushing slightly. "How long have you been there?"

Rocky, who carried Katie, Adam, Aisha, and Billy's faces changed from astonishment to massive grins, the two men shaking their heads and trying not to laugh at the situation. Tanya, holding Luke, wore a grin and was nodding her head as if in agreement with what had just happened. Haley sighed, a slight amused look on her face. If Tommy was happy, she could live with it. And the four teenagers wore looks of confusion, Connors mingled with a bit of disgust.

"Long enough to see our science teacher playing tonsil hockey," Connor retorted, shuddering at the thought. It was bad enough he had to see it. Now he'd reminded himself that it had happened.

"Shut up, Connor," Kira told him, giving him a glare. Connor stepped backwards from her slightly, not forgetting she'd recently been under the spell of evil.

"I take it all is how it's supposed to be between you two?" Rocky asked walking closer, Katie's arms wrapped around his neck until he reached the bed. She then reached out to Tommy, opening and closing her small hands in a 'give me' motion. Tommy let go of Kim's hand and took the small girl from Rocky, sitting himself on the edge of the stretcher, and propping Katie on his lamp, her back nestled against his chest. He nodded in response to his friend's question.

"It's about time," Adam laughed at them.

"Shut up," Tommy told him, a grin on his face.

"Bad word Uncky Ranger," Katie scolded him, turning her head so she could see him and scrunching up her face, she wagged her tiny finger at him.

"But Kira said it first," Tommy argued with the toddler. Katie didn't change her expression, and Tommy just sighed. "Sorry Katie," he apologized to the girl, who nodded and nestled back against him. Everyone laughed at him, including Kimberly. "How'd you all know to come down here anyway?" Tommy asked them, his eyes falling on Haley, and then searching the room for some hidden surveillance cameras.

"Oh right," Haley retorted, realizing what he was doing. "Cause we're that desperate to spy on you."

"You might not be," Tommy told her, "but them," he stated, indicated the four individuals besides Kimberly and himself who had made up his second ranger team, "I wouldn't put it past."

"I'm hurt," Aisha told him, bringing her hand to her chest in mock injury.

"But it is true," Kimberly laughed slightly, and Aisha beamed at her and nodded.

"Of course it is," she replied, "but I swear, it's a lot more innocent than that."

"Oh really," Tommy stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Katie wanted to see her 'Uncky Ranger'," Trent explained, "so Kira came was going to come down and switch with you for a few minutes to get her to stop crying. She heard you two talking and we figured that meant Kim was awake," Trent told him with a grin. "We," he stated, indicating his three other teammates, "did not expect a PG-13 scene."

"I'm pretty sure that was only PG rated," Tanya laughed, and Tommy blushed red. "Now, if you don't mind," she stated, directly at Tommy, walking towards him, and handing him Luke before he could protest, so that Tommy now had a small child in each of his hands and was frantically trying to figure out how to balance them. "There are other people who would like to say hello to Kimberly," she finished, shooing him out of the way. Tommy moved, but stared at her as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. He watched as he was pushed further and further from Kim's stretcher as each of the other rangers went up to hug her and make sure she was ok. Realizing it would be a while before he was allowed back in, he retreated to the sofas, where Haley had perched herself on the arm rest of the sofa. She offered her hands out to take Luke, and Tommy happily obliged, falling into the seat next to her with Katie babbling happily on his lap.

"You sure about this?" Haley asked Tommy after a few moments watching the group of rangers. She caught the look in his eyes every time he caught of glimpse of Kimberly between everyone moving around her. At one point, no one was between their lines of sight and both caught each other's eyes and smiled. Haley realized she'd never seen him smile that purely and genuinely before.

"One hundred percent," Tommy replied to her, when his line of vision was cut off again. He turned to look at his best friend. "You going to be ok with it?"

"If you're happy," Haley told him simply, "who am I to stand in the way," she laughed.

"I'm glad," Tommy told her. "Thanks for sticking by me. I'm surprised she forgave me for everything so easily."

"She might have," Haley told him, with a sly grin. "But you're going to be punished for being a colossal jack," she paused glancing at Katie, "butt to the kids," she told him.

"It was all the rock's fault," Tommy protested.

"Sure," Haley laughed at him. "Blame the inanimate object."

"But Haley," he pouted. Haley just shook her head and laughed at him more.

Tommy had called out of work sick the next day and no one had argued with him, except the four teenagers who'd wanted to skip class as well. The adults had all put their feet down, insisting that the dino thunder teens go to school. The compromise was that no one would leave Reefside until the teenagers were out of school for the day and had the opportunity to say goodbye. Over the course of the day, everyone had filled everyone else in on the things that had happened that they didn't know. Adam had come clean to Tommy about their experiments with the rocks, and going evil so that Billy could find the cure. Tommy was less than thrilled to hear about it, but after Aisha confirmed that she'd left him with some lasting black and blues, he let it go. Billy explained that despite not destroying the rock that had turned Kim, Connor's battlizer had purified every part of her, which also explained why she hadn't been killed by the process. Tommy and Kim had filled them in on the fact that Kim had removed the rock from skin contact when no one else could, and remained under the influence of evil without it. Billy had shrugged, and said her contact with Maligore years before could be responsible, but he couldn't be sure without tests. Tommy and Haley had then explained everything from the island exploding, Tommy being encased in Amber, stuck in morph, trapped invisible, and finally landing in a coma and fighting his past ranger powers to get out. Kimberly had called the hotel and explained that she had a slight accident and would be sending a friend to check out for her. After she and Haley talked, coming to an agreement and forgiving one another for things said and done, Haley had happily obliged and checked out for Kimberly, who had decided she would stay with Tommy until her leg had healed. They'd figure out what to do after that. Aisha, Rocky, Tanya, and Adam checked out with Haley, and then had returned to Tommy's house for the rest of the afternoon until the kids got there. They had lives and jobs that they needed to get back to. Billy had contacted Cestro on Friday, so the transport had already left to come get him, and was scheduled to leave whenever he was ready that afternoon. Rocky had already offered to drop him off about a mile from landing site. So by four o'clock that afternoon, everyone was gathered in front of Tommy's house.

"Do you really have to go?" Kira whined slightly as she bounced Katie on her hip and Rocky loaded Billy's duffle bag into the trunk of his van. He shut it and walked over to where everyone was standing. Haley stood on the front porch, leaning against a support column. Tommy stood beside her on the other side of the column, while Kim sat on the bench a couple feet behind him. Kira, Connor, Ethan, and Trent stood in the gravel drive way across from Billy, Aisha, Tanya, and Adam. Luke was already in his car seat, sound asleep in the car.

"It's not like it's goodbye forever," Adam laughed at her. "We're only seven hours away this time," he told her, "not nine years."

"We know, but," Connor began to protest.

"Remember what I told you last time?" Aisha asked him, stepping up and kissing the teenager on the cheek. "We'll see you soon," she told him.

"We've already begun to discuss another reunion. One with hopefully less psychotic ranger stuff to deal with," Rocky told them, moving to shake hands with the teenagers. Each of the rangers who were departing made their rounds, hugging or shaking hands with the four teenagers, Haley, and Kimberly.

"You had better come home and visit more often," Kimberly told Billy, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I will," he assured her. "I'm thinking it might be time for a permanent relocation anyway," he added.

"What about Cestria?" Kimberly asked. They communicated, but neither had really ever asked the other about their personal lives. Billy shrugged.

"Long story," he told her.

"I expect an email," she commanded, kissing his cheek. Billy smiled and nodded.

"I'll be checking in on you soon. I want to make sure you're healing right and there's no lasting side effects."

"Aye Aye captain," she laughed, giving him a mock salute.

Tommy had stepped off the porch and taken Katie from Kira, and carried her over to her seat in the van. He crawled inside, and placed the toddler in her car seat, strapping her in. "Now, you be good for your mommy," Tommy told her, tickling her sides. Katie giggled in response. "But you can do whatever you want to do your daddy, ok?"

"K Uncky Ranger!" Katie replied in a sing song voice. Tommy laughed.

"Bye Katie, I love you," he told her, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. Katie giggled.

"Wuv ooo too Uncky Ranger," she replied as he smiled and drifted back out the side door.

"I hope you weren't corrupting my daughter," Rocky told him, opening his arms for a hug from Tommy. Tommy laughed and closed the hug, both men patting the other on the back.

"Who me? Never," Tommy retorted.

"Uh huh," Rocky laughed. "Take care of her," he told him.

"I will," Tommy replied and Rocky nodded. "Have a safe trip home."

"See you soon," Rocky replied, walking around the car and climbing into the driver's seat.

"It was great to see you Tommy," Tanya told him, as she came up next to him and hugged him tight around the middle. Tommy hugged her back, resting his chin on her head.

"You too Tanya," he told her. "Keep me up to date on the wedding planning? I don't want to miss it."

"You got it," Tanya laughed, releasing him and climbing into the middle seats of the van.

"I'm glad my kids get to have you in their lives," Aisha told him, as it was her turn to say goodbye next. Tommy just smiled in response. "And I'm glad you're back in our lives. I will kill you if you ever try to pull away again."

"I know," Tommy laughed, letting her kiss his cheek. He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. "See you soon," he told her, and she nodded, climbing into the very back.

"Be ready for another sparring round next time I see you," Adam stated as both of them grabbed each other's hands and gave one another a one armed hug.

"I'll be ready next time. I won't make it so easy for you."

"You wish," Adam laughed. "You and Kim going to be ok?"

"More than ok, I think," Tommy stated, nodding. "Tanya forgive you for the stunt you pulled?"

"Surprisingly, yes," he laughed.

"You forgive yourself?"

"Working on it," Adam replied and Tommy nodded. "How about you?"

"Working on it," Tommy mirrored and Adam nodded his understanding.

"And Connor?" he asked.

"I think he's working on it too," Tommy laughed and Adam grinned back in response.

"I meant what I said about the texting once a week," Adam told Tommy.

"It'll be more often than that," Tommy confirmed with a nod.

"Good," Adam told him, and the two hugged once more before Adam climbed into the passenger seat.

"You have a safe trip," Tommy told Billy as the two oldest friends hugged one another. "I expect a video call the moment you land on Aquitar."

"Can I at least get to my home first?" Billy asked him, and Tommy sighed.

"I suppose that's acceptable," he laughed, and Billy joined in. "Thanks for coming," he told his friend. "I heard what you told Kim."

"Yeah," Billy stated, with a nod. "I'll be back soon. I promise. Just have to handle some things and figure out the logistics."

"Haley and I will help in any way that we can," Tommy told him. "Now go," he stated. "Or the transport will leave without you."

"Wouldn't want that, would we?" Billy laughed, but he did as Tommy said, climbing in beside Tanya and shutting the side door. Tommy stepped back towards the teenagers and everyone waved as Rocky put the van in drive and pulled out of the drive way. The dino thunder team watched until the van was out of sight before Tommy turned around, sighing and began to walk back to the house, the teenagers on his heels.

"So when's the next reunion Dr. O?" Connor asked immediately. Tommy laughed, not surprised by his line of questioning.

"We were talking about July, but I'm pushing for September."

"But in September, we might all be away at college," Ethan protested, his face falling slightly.

"Exactly my point," Tommy laughed. When he saw the death glare looks the four teenagers wore, he just laughed harder.

"You're cruel," Kimberly told him, as he helped her to her feet, supporting her as he handed her the crutches he'd picked up at the store for her to use. He leaned down to kiss her lightly, and then pulled away.

"I know," he replied, turning back to look at the four teenagers who were still glaring at him in the drive way. "Oh come on, you know I was joking," he told them. "Either come in the house, or get home and get started on your homework. I know I gave you some," he laughed at them. All four shook their heads, laughing slightly and ran into the house ahead of him and Kimberly. Haley looked at Tommy, shook her head, and laughed as well, before following the teenagers inside. "So, you ready for some peace and quiet?" he asked Kim at his side.

"It gets quiet around here?" Kimberly asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah," Tommy stated, rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe you recuperating here isn't the best idea in the world. Maybe you should go home."

"Don't even think about it Dr. Oliver," Kimberly told him. "I'm not leaving you ever again."

"I was hoping you'd say that," he replied, with a grin, kissing her again before they both went inside his house.

That wraps up the story you guys. I really hope you all enjoyed – Even if you've never reviewed before and have just been silently reading.

I'd love to hear any final thoughts and words, and I'd love to reach 300 Reviews. Thanks so much for the support over the last two months or so. It's been so much fun writing this.

I've already begun the process of the sequel, but it's not writing itself as easily, so I'm not sure when I'll post it. I was hoping this weekend, but I'll have to see how the writing goes. I've come to the realization that I suck at titles and summaries. I may even go back and edit the title and summary of this fic (not sure yet about that). So I won't give you a title or summary of the sequel, but to tide you over until I feel like I've got a good bit into it, here are a few dialogue excerpts from Chapter 1:

1. "She just doesn't want you to be late to your own reunion," she laughed at him.

"How would that even be remotely possible? Everyone's meeting here at the house," he retorted putting the photograph back down on his desk.

"For most people," she explained, "it wouldn't be. You're not most people."

2. "Wishful thinking, huh guys?" Connor asked the group, and all four of them nodded as Ethan folded his hand held game away.

"Maybe not entirely," Ethan stated. "I definitely don't miss sore muscles or bruises I can't explain."

"Or having to run off and come up with random explanations," Trent put it.

"Or fiery explosions and being thrown thru the air," Kira added, with a grin.

3. "Damn it! Connor!" she heard Tommy's voice in the background.

"What? It wasn't me this time!" Connor's voice replied, though it was apparent the teenage boy was struggling to produce words through his laughter.

4. "Who are you? Where am I?" he asked, scrambling out of the chair, and backing away from the four teenagers who all exchanged looks with one another.

"Shit," Connor stated simply.