Jake was fortunate enough to catch up to Gia halfway down her dangerous ride on the mountain. He tackled her off her board, causing both of them to hit the ground hard, but it was better than her getting hurt. The board continued to roll down and then off a ledge a little ways off because Gia had strayed from the path just like she had done when she had broken her arm.

"Are you an idiot?" he shouted as he pushed himself off of her and stood up. He brushed off the dirt, "Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"Jake…"

"No! No!" Jake shook his head and grabbed her arm. He pulled her up and away, "You're going home."

"Let me…"

"No!"

"Jake, please, stop it!" Gia shouted and she tried to pry his hand from her arm. He wouldn't let go as he dragged her off, thankful she had nothing more than a few scrapes from her dangerous stunt.

-Megaforce-

Emma felt the water rising as the tide came in. When it reached her waist she felt enough was enough. Looking out to the ocean gave her a lot of time to think. Many thoughts had come to mind. Some were dark, but some were a little more hopeful.

She felt pain. She felt anger. She felt guilt. But as she looked out at the ocean, she knew she was supposed to keep going. Mr. Moran was gone. He had protected his family for over seventeen years. He had protected her from the day she was born. He had welcome her into his life, and the life of his family. The least she could do was repay him. His family was back at home and she should take care of them. Gia was suffering. Mrs. Moran was suffering. She had to help them. She had to protect them.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Moran," Emma whispered out to the sea, "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I promise, I'm not going to let you down."

She ran back through the woods until she found her bike. Then she headed towards the city.

-Megaforce-

Gia whimpered as Jake pulled her off the bus and started to walk her down the sidewalk. The bus stop wasn't far from her home, so there wasn't much further to go. Jake felt fortunate for that. He hated having to force Gia to do anything. He hated that his grip on her was so tight. He hated that he was taking her somewhere against her will. He wasn't trying to hurt her, but he felt like he was controlling her. It was a feeling that didn't sit well with him, and he couldn't imagine how people like Cliff could enjoy it.

He got to her house and opened the door. It was still unlocked so he assumed someone was home. He dragged her into the kitchen. Mrs. Moran and Dr. Oliver were still at the table, having a talk with a magazine in front of them. They were looking into buying new furniture for the house, after the Sanzu Water destroyed the main floor of their home, and their furniture.

"She's hurting, Mrs. Moran," Jake explained as he sat Gia down in a chair. He knew he wasn't saying anything that Mrs. Moran didn't already know but he felt she needed to hear it again. "I found her at the mountains. She almost did something stupid."

He wouldn't say what she had done. He figured she was suffering enough, and Mrs. Moran already had too much on her plate.

"The mountains, Gia?" Mrs. Moran pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sweetheart…"

"I don't care, mom," Gia scoffed. She crossed her arms over her chest. Mrs. Moran got up and walked over. She knelt before her daughter.

"I do, Gia. I care about you. I care if you get hurt. I don't want to see anything happen to you. I know you're upset. I know you're probably scared…"

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared, Gia. I don't know what I'm going to do without your father. I'm so scared. Why can't we…?"

Gia turned her head away. Mrs. Moran held her hand.

"Gia, look at me, please."

"He's dead!"

"I know."

"I killed him!"

"No," Mrs. Moran shook her head. "No, Gia, I don't want you believing that for a moment."

"Maybe I should go," Dr. Oliver said as he got up from his seat. He knew all about the Rangers, and figured Gia's father passing away so soon after clones attacked was more than just a coincidence. However, he didn't want to accidentally hear something he shouldn't, or be around in case Gia said something she didn't mean. This was a personal, family moment, and he didn't feel comfortable staying. He looked to Jake, "I'll take you home."

Jake nodded his head then knelt beside Gia. She showed no emotion to him but he took her in his arms.

"It's going to be okay, Gia. I don't know how or when, but we'll get through this. Just stay with your mother, alright?"

Gia didn't answer. Jake didn't expect her to. Her walls were up. She was angry with him. She was angry with the world. He let out a sigh and turned away from her to follow Dr. Oliver out.

Mrs. Moran kept a tight hold on her daughter's hands, "Gia, you can't keep this up. Let me help you."

"Dad's dead. I don't see how anything could help. Let me go."

"We can't get through this if you… Gia, please, this isn't what he would want…"

"He's dead!" Gia screamed. "And I'll bet you anything his final thoughts weren't I hope my family is okay. He was probably wondering what the hell his daughter was doing plunging a knife into his chest!"

"Gia…"

"I killed him!"

"Your clone, Gia. She killed him. We knew about the clones, he probably figured it wasn't you. He must have been so worried about you…"

"Bullshit!"

"Gia…"

"That's a lie and you know it!"

"No, Gia. No it's not…" Mrs. Moran held her daughter in her arms, "Oh, Gia. Gia, you have no idea how it feels."

"Mom, I…"

"Your clone fooled me too," Mrs. Moran said. "How else do you think she, Emma, and Noah got into the house? I thought she was you. I was so glad to see you were okay that I didn't think."

Gia started to sob into her mother's shoulder hearing this. Mrs. Moran rubbed small circles on her back.

"It's okay, Gia. It's okay, because as soon as she threatened me I knew she wasn't you. I didn't… Not a second passed where I wondered why you were doing this to me. I figured it out the moment the clone turned and the first thought to pass through my head was whether or not you were still okay. Your dad and I, we had that in common. We don't care what happens to us, as long as you're okay."

Mrs. Moran gently squeezed her daughter, "That's why this Ranger things hurts us so much. Every time you're in battle. Every time you get called for a mission, or you're not home, or you're not by our side, we're worried. It takes us both hours to fall asleep because we're scared something could happen to you."

Mrs. Moran pulled away from Gia and held her face gently, "I am truly devastated over the loss of your father. He's the only man I have ever loved. I don't know what I'm going to do anymore, Gia. But… but…"

Mrs. Moran looked down as more tears came to her eyes, "If it had to be one of the two of you..."

"Mom…"

"Gia, you have a part of your father inside of you. No matter what happens to him, he's always there. I see him in you. You have his smile, his charm, his protective attitude. You have his strength, his generosity. You are your father's daughter. He lives through you. But if it had been you instead of him… through you, I still have your father, but he and I could have a million babies, and there would be no way we could ever get you back."

Mrs. Moran hugged her daughter again, "I know I can't speak for him. I know there's no certainty to these words, but I'm sure we shared the same belief because he loved you more than anything. I know, if it had been me, and it almost was, my only concern would be your well-being. If it had been me your clone killed, my final thought would have been you. My final wish would have been that you were safe. It's got to be the same for him, Gia."

"But you don't know."

"He didn't know," Mrs. Moran said. "He died unsure of where his daughter was, or what had happened to her. Even if he didn't know it was the clone, he knew something must have happened. He died with so much worry for you in his heart."

Gia sniffed and looked away from her mother, "That doesn't help."

"You are okay, Gia. It's too late for him to know, but his wish came true. You're here at home with me. You're safe."

"But you don't know that was his final wish."

"I knew my husband!" Mrs. Moran raised her voice to try and get her words to sink into her daughter's head. "All we want, as your parents, is for you to be okay. For you to be happy, healthy, safe, and loved. Maybe it wasn't your father's last thought, we're never going to know what that was for sure, but I'm damn right about it being his final wish!"

"Mom…"

"And you, running around on the mountains, disobeying me, paying no mind to you safety, and bringing yourself down when everyone is trying to help you is doing nothing to honor that wish or his memory. Your father would be so disappointed in this behaviour if he were here right now, Gia. This is not what he would want to see from you."

Gia looked up at her mother. Her eyes watered. She shook her head and tried to run from the room. Her mother caught her arm and pulled her in for another warm hug.

"I'm sorry, Gia. I didn't mean to shout."

"Mom…"

"I'm still here, sweetheart. I can help you."

"I miss him."

"Me too," Mrs. Moran nodded her head, "So what do you say we miss him together? He's not here anymore. He can't be here anymore, but we can't… this can't tear us apart. I've lost my husband; I can't lose my daughter too."

Gia wrapped her arms around her mother and buried her face in her shoulder. Mrs. Moran stood there with her daughter in her arms. She didn't know what to do, or how to help. She would have to play the future by ear and by herself, which scared her immensely, but she knew she had to be there for her daughter.

In the middle of their hug, the door opened. Emma came home. She was sweating, she looked tired, and her face was red and puffy from having cried. Mrs. Moran never let go of Gia, but she reached one arm out and invited Emma into the hug.

"I know it doesn't feel right," she whispered to the girls, "but we are still a family. It's going to take some time, still, but we need to start acting like one. It's what your father would want."

Emma nodded her head. She pulled away from the family hug and reached into her bag. She pulled out another bag, which looked like she had gotten take-out.

"I picked up dinner," she said. "I figured no one would feel up to cooking."

Emma then looked up at Mrs. Moran, "And… I called my mother."

"Emma…"

"Not for me," Emma said. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I called her for you."

"For me?"

"She was your best friend, right? And you need someone," Emma whispered. "She's in Oklahoma, but she's taking the first plane back. She'll be here tomorrow morning to help out."

"Sweetheart, you don't have to…"

"You shouldn't be alone," Emma shook her head. Then she turned to Gia, "Also, I called Serena."

"You did?" Gia asked.

"She always knows how to make you feel better."

"So do you."

"I figured the extra hand could help. She'll be here tomorrow morning too."

"What about you?" Mrs. Moran asked. Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll be okay. You two need someone more than I do."

Mr. Moran sighed. She looked into the bag of take-out food, "You know, there's more than enough in here for an extra plate. Why don't you call Jordan over?"

"But, I…"

"Emma, don't argue with me," Mrs. Moran said. "You're hurting, I can tell. Go call Jordan. I'll set the table. We'll eat this meal…"

"As a family?" Gia helped her mother get it out. Mrs. Moran nodded her head and smiled.