Legacy Of Power: At World's End
Part 4 – Training
Chapter 18 – Aftermath
Written By Pink-Green-White-4ever
Story Ideas By: Pink-Green-White-4ever and Marcus

Last Revised: July 3, 2010
Summary: The Rangers pick up the pieces of the ruined Oliver-Hart wedding
Genre: Action, Adventure, Romance
Rating: T for now

AN: It's been over a year since I updated, and for that, I am incredibly sorry. Unfortunately, a lot has happened this last year, both good and bad, and now that I'm out of school, being an adult with a job and making ends meat has seriously cut into my writing. You'll be happy to know, I finished chapter 21, its 49 pages long... and I'll leave it at that. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's short but given what happened in chapter 17, you'll understand why.

AN2: please come and visit the message board that I am a admin and mod at with Shawn30, Angel, Enigmaforum, Liz and Rapunzl – www . valhallaboard forum / index . php (without the spaces). We have multiple fandoms, discussions, artwork, and other fun stuff!

"Life isn't meant to be all sunshine and roses. It isn't meant to go the way you want it. There are some things that you just can't change, and life, along with the way that things happen, can't be changed." – Unknown

"Love makes us all a little weaker, but in the end we all turn out a little stronger." - Unknown -

4:00 P.M.
Saturday
March 17, 2007
Reefside, CA

Maya looked around at the destroyed wedding area and felt her heart break. It was hard to believe only an hour before they'd been in the middle of Tommy and Kimberly's wedding. Now they were two friends short and several more had injuries, including her boyfriend. She was still in shock over him morphing into Magna Defender when she had thought he had no powers.

"So let me get this straight, your morpher just suddenly appeared after we left?" Leo grilled his older brother.

Mike sighed and rolled his eyes. "I had a dream the night you guys left," he explained again. "The original Magna Defender came to me. He said that even though I'd selflessly given up my powers, Magna Defender was needed again."

"Why didn't you call and tell us?" Kendrix asked.

"Because I was told that the time to reveal it would come, but that I wasn't allowed to tell you right away."

Maya turned then, her eyes catching his. She watched him wince, knowing he understood how betrayed and upset she was, despite her understanding of the way destiny and fate seemed to work.

"Maya, talk to me," he started.

Kai, Hannah, Kendrix, Leo and Damon took that as their cue to back off, leaving Maya to tend to Mike's injuries. "What do you want me to say?" she asked, moving back over to check the dressing on the wound to his side. "I'm hurt that you didn't tell me, however much I've always been for destiny and fate and what they bring us," she explained, her tone telling him her words were no less than the truth. Maya rarely skirted around an issue, a fact he both loved and disliked about her personality at times. "You have no idea how much I wanted..."

"As much as I wanted to be beside you," he finished, reaching out to cup her cheek. They normally weren't prone to public displays of affection, but this time Mike knew they both needed the contact. He was worried she'd be mad, but when she leaned into his hand his anxiety eased. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Maya rolled her eyes at him. "You're forgiven." Mike smiled and leaned close, waiting for her to do the same. When she leaned in, they shared a soft kiss.

"I WANT THE TRUTH!" Caroline's voice reverberated through the garden. "NOW TOMMY OLIVER!"

Everyone turned to see Kimberly's mother standing in front of Tommy and his parents, her body shaking with her anger. "Caroline, calm down," Elizabeth tried to reason with her.

"I will not!" Caroline hissed. "Your son has a lot of explaining to do. Who was that psychotic version of you and why did he steal my daughter?" she turned her attention back to the tuxedo clad man.

Tommy just sat in the chair between his parents, looking like an utter zombie. Having Kimberly so viciously ripped from him seconds before they were officially married had torn his heart to shreds. He still hadn't quite computed what was going on, only that she was gone and he hadn't been able to save her, just like before.

Just like before. It was all just like before. Kimberly ripped from him, ripped from them all, and there had been nothing they could do. It had been Zedd's doing the last time, and it seemed that ultimately, it had been not just Zedd this time, but his own dark side manifested that had taken her from him. Just like before.

The Rangers and their mentors could only look on, at a loss of how to proceed. Twin flashes of light suddenly announced the arrival of Ninjor and Dimitria, who had been at Rootcore and were now headed for their Rangers.

"Tommy, I WANT ANSWERS!" Caroline shrieked again.

Before anyone else could react, a voice spoke up. "I'm not going to stand here and watch her do this to him," Jen growled, striding forward to stop the insanity, knowing the rest of the Morphin and Zeo Rangers, along with Tommy's family, were too numb to stop Kimberly's insane mother.

Wes just let her go, even as Eric and Taylor shot him looks. "You want to hold her back, be my guest. I'm smart enough to know when my wife is so pissed off that I can feel it radiating like heat, that I should just stay out of the way."

All of the Rangers and guests stared in shock as Jen strode forward, coming to stand between Tommy and Caroline. "STOP!" Jen ordered, staring straight at Kimberly's mother.

"Excuse me?"

"I SAID STOP!" Jen repeated herself, this time with more venom in her voice. "Tommy isn't to blame and doing so is only going to piss the rest of us off. Do you really want to deal with sixty angry Power Rangers?"

"And just who the hell do you think you are?" Caroline spit back.

Jen stared at her, trying to determine whether or not to dignify that with a response but figured it'd probably diffuse not only the situation but her own temper. She didn't think Kim would appreciate her killing her mother before she came back. "Jennifer Scotts-Collins, Pink Time Force Ranger from the year 3007."

"What?" Kim's dad gasped as he moved forward.

"The majority of us, in case you hadn't noticed, are indeed Power Rangers. Your daughter was the first to wear my color," Jen told them.

Ken shook his head while Caroline looked on in shock. "That's impossible!"

Jen shook her head at her. "You really are in denial aren't you?"

By then, Jason, Zack and Billy had stepped forward. "No, it's not impossible," Zack started, drawing the attention of the parents.

"We were given our powers freshman year, a month or so before Tommy moved to town," Billy spoke up.

"Kimberly, Trini, Billy, Zack and I were the original five," Jason told her, reaching out to take her hands. "We were fifteen, we had super powers and were saving the world, and we couldn't tell you, any of you. Several weeks ago, every team from Mystic Force back to the originals, and two teams from the future, were brought out of retirement because a very powerful being managed to bring back past villains we'd beaten in hopes of taking over the entire universe."

"That's impossible! Jason Lee, quite lying! Your mother would be ashamed!" Caroline cried out, despite the visual evidence she'd had just an hour before. Her mind couldn't accept what her heart had always known.

"Caroline, I know this is a lot to digest," Elizabeth told her, genuinely sorry she had to find out the way she did. "But they aren't lying. Thomas and I figured it out when they were kids."

"All the disappearing, all the bruises, the constant presence of pink her wardrobe that only seemed to triple as the months went on," Ken murmured, reaching out to touch his hand to his ex-wife's back in support and comfort. "We saw, but we never accepted."

Caroline shook her head before turning into Ken for reassurance. "Our baby," she sobbed softly.

"Who was he?" Ken asked, his question directed at them all.

"My dark side," Tommy numbly responded. "The dark part of my soul that Rita managed to pull to the surface the day she made me the Green Ranger. It's not my clone; he's two hundred years in the past. That THING is my dark side, and I want to know how the HELL he got brought back!"

"The same way the Master brought back Koragg," Lianbow spoke even as he stepped into the circle that ringed around Tommy. Their eyes met, an understanding drifting between them. "He must have tapped into the dark manifestations of both of us."

"And what about Karone?" Aisha spoke up. Her body hurt, but worse, her heart throbbed for her two missing friends. "Was it just me, or was that Dark Spector?"

Tommy's gaze flashed to Andros and Zhane, who Ashley and Cassie were trying to calm down and console. "It's time to stop playing games."

The gathered group stared at Tommy like he'd grown a second head. Power seemed to pulse around him as he stood and then moved to head for his jeep. The others made to follow but Hayley stopped them. "Let us handle this," she spoke up, gesturing to Jason, Billy, Adam, Aisha, Rocky and herself. "The rest of you should probably start cleaning up."

Jen and Jack both stepped forward then, the last two of the five leaders who weren't incapacitated. "Go, we'll get Andros and Zhane occupied and get everyone rounded up," Jack told her.

The group of six quickly followed the White Ranger. Jason managed to reach him first, snatching the keys from his hand before he could open the door. "Jason, give me my keys," Tommy growled.

"Hell no; not until you're thinking clearly."

Aisha and Hayley screamed out in surprise while Billy, Rocky and Adam rushed forward to separate Tommy and Jason after Tommy swung around and punched his best friend in the face.

"FUCK!" Jason cussed, bending over to keep the blood from gushing out his nose and onto his suit.

Adam and Rocky held Tommy back while Billy tended to Jason. "What the hell were you thinking?" Aisha hissed at the White Ranger.

"He's not, that's the problem," Hayley muttered as she strode toward Tommy. "You know, I always knew you had the potential to be an asshole, now I know how big of one you can be."

"Fuck you, Hayley," he hissed at her, shaking off Rocky and Adam.

"No, thank you," Hayley dead panned. "Just because you're hurting is NO reason to take it out on us; we're all hurting right now."

Tommy whipped around to stare at her, his mouth opening only to be stopped by Aisha's angry voice. "If you even suggest she means less to us than she does to you, I will kick your ass myself. I will make you scream like a little girl until I've embarrassed the mighty White Ranger in front of the ENTIRE FREAKING WORLD!"

The two friends got into a staring match until Aisha saw the tears in his eyes and noticed the trembling in his body. The gaze was soon broken when Jason strode up to him, grabbed him by the lapels of his suit and hoisted him off the ground a good five inches. "I ought to kick your ass, you know that right?" Jason snarled into his face. "You didn't stop to think how the rest of us feel about her being gone, did you? That's my little sister, in case you've forgotten, and she happens to be family to every person standing here and a few who are back over there trying to calm down your wedding guests." His head jerked toward where everyone else was. "I've known you too long, Bro, to know how bad you're hurting right now, which is why I haven't kicked your ass, but hit me again, and I will not hold back."

That said, Jason all but tossed him aside and turned and strode away. "I'm leaving him in your capable hands," Hayley murmured to Aisha, before she turned to walk away, but not before she reached out and squeezed Billy's hand. The two shared a look and Billy gave a nod before they went their separate ways.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Rocky asked, shaking his head.

"The Tommy we know, the Tommy that Kimberly loves, would have never done what you just did," Adam quietly commented, causing the White Ranger to wince.

"You were right when you said it was time to stop playing games," Aisha interrupted. "But the question is, are you ready to follow your own advice?"

Tommy just stood there, head bowed, hands clenched at his sides. He felt ashamed, as he had never before, for what he'd just done. The dark side he'd worked so hard to get rid of, so hard to tap down when he realized he couldn't completely rid himself of it, had burst free and hurt his best friend, his brother in everything but blood. When it came to Kimberly, he'd always been an emotional wreck, and anyone who knew him, really knew him, knew how true that was, but it was no excuse for what he'd just done.

It took him a few moments to notice that Billy was standing an arm's length away from him, his palm coming to rest over Tommy's heart. His head snapped up and his eyes stared into Billy's as the Blue Ranger started to glow the brilliant blue of his Ranger color. He suddenly felt all of his senses open and felt the fear and uncertainty and the guilt radiating off Billy.

Understanding struck him like never before. "Billy, you're not to blame for what happened." The first words he'd uttered in five minutes had Billy shaking his head.

"I'm as guilty as you are," he murmured. "I was right there, and I couldn't get to her fast enough. Trini asked me to watch over her, like she always did me, and I failed."

Tommy reached out and laid his hand over Billy's heart in a position mimicking the Blue Ranger's. The two of them and Kim had become a unit, so long ago. It had happened long before Jason, Zack and Trini had left the team; it had been as natural as breathing for them. He and Billy, in their own rights, had been the outsiders, and she had been their heart and soul, the one who may not have always understood them but who had accepted them whole heartedly. She had been the glue to hold them together. He and Billy had been polar opposites, the certified genius and the martial arts loner, but it had been the perky, pink-loving, you-know-you-can't-resist-me Kimberly who had brought them both out of their shells. No, he knew now with certainty that he wasn't alone, but he felt that only Billy understood what he was feeling, because Billy was feeling it too, if in a slightly different way.

It was then that Tommy and Billy remembered that Rocky, Adam and Aisha were with them, but something was happening around them. The three other members of their team had circled around them, each of them lighting up with their Ranger color. And then the calm, reassuring presence draped over them like a favorite blanket. "Kim!" Aisha gasped softly, noticing the pink haze that was forming in the middle of the group, swirling into the image of a crane before it suddenly dissipated.

"We're going to find her," Adam softly announced, his voice more certain than ever before.

"And we're going to kick evil's ass in the process," Rocky responded, each of them smiling for the first time since Kim had disappeared.

"They have no idea what they've unleashed," Billy grinned.

4:30 P.M.
Saturday
March 17, 2007
The Pit
Briarwood, CA

She felt nauseous. Every three or four hours, someone would come in, hold her still, and allow Imperious to fill her with his dark energy. She had managed to throw all her mental blocks up to keep him out of her mind, but each time it was getting harder and harder to do so, and she felt everything she'd worked for since she'd become human start slipping away. "Nikki?" Ally's soft voice came, followed by cool hands touching her face and neck.

"I'm okay."

"No, you're not," Ransik responded, sitting next to her before he drew her into his arms and cradled her like he would have Nadira. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"Dizzy," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Every time it's a little worse, but I'm not done yet."

Nadira held a cup to her lips. "Drink this, it might help," she ordered softly, tipping the cup so Nikki could drink.

As the water slid down her throat, she let out a sigh of relief and felt her stomach settle and the ache in her head ease. "What have you found out?" she quietly asked Ransik, knowing he'd heard things while the girls had been caring for her unconscious form.

"The base practically emptied this morning, but they're all back now."

Nikki wracked her brain for a reason for that. "What day is it?" she suddenly asked in a frantic voice, doing the mental calculations. There was an important event coming, but with all the energy being taken and re-poured into her system, she'd lost track of the days they'd been captive.

"March 17th, by my last count," Ransik supplied.

"Oh no!"

"Why? What's wrong with the date?" Ally asked.

Swallowing, the former Queen of The Vampires raised her head and looked around at her three fellow captives before settling her gaze on Ally's face. "Today was supposed to be Tommy and Kimberly's wedding," she explained. "They're the Pink and White Morphin Rangers. I only remember it as important because Leelee, Maddy, Clare and Vida were all really excited about the prospect of a wedding in the midst of the chaos."

"Wait," Nadira started. "Didn't you say the First was the..."

"He's the reincarnation of the dark side of the White Ranger's soul, the one that was brought out during Tommy's days under Rita Repulsa's spell, his first days as the Green Ranger, the EVIL Green Ranger," Ransik supplied. "That explains what Zurgane meant by the two pretty pink packages."

Nikki's eyes focused on his face. "TWO?"

"That's what he said, more like muttered to himself," Ransik spoke. "He said the First and Dark Spector got what they'd gone for."

"Nikki, do you know what they were talking about?" Nadira wanted to know, though part of her had a sick feeling she knew exactly what the 'Two pink packages' were, though she hoped to God she was wrong.

The former Queen of the Vampires could only stare at Ransik, who knew exactly what she was thinking. "They've taken two Pink Rangers."

Nadira cried out at her father's words while Ally looked stricken. "Oh no."

5:00 P.M.
Reefside, CA

Cassie shook her head as she watched Ashley try to comfort both Zhane and Andros. The Silver Ranger sat next to her, holding her hand tightly while the Red Ranger stood a few feet away, ignoring his brother-in-law and closing his wife out with his self-imposed guilt. Ashley was doing her best to help them, going so far as to block out her own feelings in regards to Kim, and more specifically Karone.

The Pink Ranger felt her strength seep back into her when T.J.'s arm made its way across her shoulders and Carlos took her hand. "How are you holding up?" Carlos murmured.

"Worried; you guys okay?" she asked, reminding them of their injuries.

"Carlos took a good hit to the knee and my shoulder hurts. Other than that, I think we're okay," T.J. assured her.

Cassie's gaze shot to his. "Your shoulder wouldn't hurt so much if you'd remember I can fight my own battles."

T.J.'s expression darkened. She had a point – she was a Ranger and could fight as well as the rest of them, but when she'd been fighting Darkonda and had missed the Quatron coming at her, he'd reacted without thinking. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to see you with a sword sticking out of your back."

Carlos bit his lip to keep from smiling when Cassie whirled around to face T.J. "Like I want to see you get hurt instead?" she demanded. "Yes, that's just what I need on my already burdened conscience, thank you."

"Better me get hurt than you get killed! And how many damn times are we going to have to tell you what happened to Kendrix was not your fault!"

Carlos let Cassie's hand go when she yanked on it then poked a finger into T.J.'s chest. "What are you now, my Blue Knight?" her voice rose a little.

"Might as well be!" T.J. all but yelled.

"I don't need another knight! Been there done that and look where it got me! He didn't want me!"

Carlos winced as all color drained from T.J.'s face. "I'm sorry; I'm not Phantom, I'm somebody who actually loves you and doesn't want to see you hurt," T.J. huffed before walking away.

"Cass, let him go," Carlos warned when Cassie made to go after the Blue Ranger.

The Pink Ranger turned her eyes to his. "Did I miss something?" she quietly asked.

The Black Ranger wanted to say something but he wasn't sure how much he should say. "Cassie, T.J. didn't try to protect you because he doesn't think you're incapable of protecting yourself. He did it because he loves you, and he wants you safe and sound."

The pretty Asian's eyes narrowed in on her friends face. "Carlos?"

"Talk to him," he urged her. Nodding, Cassie leaned over and kissed his cheek before she went to find T.J.

Wearily, Kat and Tanya sank down on chairs and looked around, as if they were lost, dazed and seriously confused. Justin and Zack stood nearby, looking the same way, though Zack looked a little more pained than the rest of them. "This can't be happening," Kat uttered softly. "She can't be gone, not again, not like this."

No one said anything to the Pink Ranger's comment. The Zeo Rangers had no idea how to react, how to think or how to deal with what had happened. "Tommy's going to fall apart," Zack finally muttered. "If he hasn't already." His gaze went toward the direction of the parking lot.

Justin looked more confused by the comment. "Are we talking about the same Tommy? The one everyone's dubbed Mr. Legendary Ranger?"

Tanya and Kat shared a look, knowing Justin had only caught the tail end of their original mission to save Kim and Jason all those years ago. He had no idea what Tommy was like when he was worrying about a kidnapped Kimberly.

"Justin, you don't know what he's like when it comes to Kim. The one and only time you dealt with him worrying about her was the first time he saw her after they broke up," Zack started. "He wasn't at his best then. Ask Billy, Jason, Rocky, Adam, Aisha and Kat, or even Tanya. He looses it when she's in trouble, especially like this."

Justin shot Tanya and Kat looks and raised an eyebrow when they just nodded. "Jason!" Kat exclaimed when she saw her fiancé. She recoiled in shock when she saw his bloodied face and suit. "What happened?"

Jason just shook his head at her but Zack raised an eyebrow. "Looks like your face met Tommy's fist."

The Red Ranger just gave his childhood friend a look. "That about sums it up."

"What?" Tanya asked.

"He's lucky Billy calmed me down, or we'd still be beating on each other."

Justin winced when Kat hissed. "He had no reason to hit you!" she exclaimed. "Upset or not!"

Jason reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his lips. "If our positions were reversed, I'd have done the same thing," he told her honestly, watching her tears fall.

"What now?" Tanya interrupted.

"We regroup then we kick their asses. I think the time to act is just about here."

Zack nodded. "More training?"

Jason shook his head. "Yeah. I think it's time to start breaking out the powers." Justin, Tanya and Kat shared a look before they too nodded, letting Jason know they were behind him one hundred percent.

Bridge sighed and held onto Z a little tighter as the rest of the team waited for Jack and Anubis to come back to tell them what the teams were planning. "Are you okay?" Z asked, turning on his lap so she could stare into his face.

"My gloves are blocking most of it out," Bridge explained. "But I can still feel really strong feelings from Jason, Tommy, Andros, Zhane and surprisingly Billy."

The Yellow Ranger nodded and kissed his cheek before they turned their attention to Syd and Sky. Syd was sitting on a chair while Sky looked at the slice from Morganna's sword that went across her thigh from knee cap to hip. "Think she's okay?"

The Green Ranger nodded. "It's not deep, and Sky knows what he's doing. She'll be fine."

"Z?" Kendall's soft voice called out.

Springing up, Z looked over and saw her parents headed for her and Bridge. "Are you okay?" she asked, reaching out to take Kendall's hand.

"I'm fine," Kendall assured her. "Danny hasn't got a scratch on him."

Father and daughter shared a conspiratorial look; both knowing that the Ranger suits took the brunt of whatever battle they were in. "I know the feeling. Syd's lucky; she just got her leg sliced."

"I think the majority of us got lucky," Danny responded. "It could have been a lot worse than it was."

Kendall looked stricken by that while Bridge and Z nodded. "One or more of us could be dead," Z replied, holding tight to her mother's hand. She saw the look on Kendall's face. "Don't worry; we know what we're doing."

"Ninety five percent of the time," Bridge cracked, causing Danny to roll his eyes and Z to give him a bland look. "That's what all training is for, remember? Covers the other five percent."

"And here I thought Jack was supposed to be the comedian?" Max cracked as he walked up to stand beside Danny.

Bridge and Z both cracked up at that. "What now?" Z asked Max.

"Well, from the vibes rolling off that entire group," he gestured toward the Zeo and Space Rangers. "I'd say it's about time we got down to business. The bad guys made a big misstep if they think taking Kim and Karone was a smart move."

"We're going to get them back," Alyssa's lilting voice interrupted.

"And when we do, evil's going to cower in fear," Cole finished.

Kendall watched as the other Wild Force and SPD Rangers soon gathered around. Sky grinned, sliding his arm around Syd to support her. "You mess with one Ranger," Sky started.

"You mess with all of us," Taylor finished. "Let's get to work. We've got a lot of clean up to do, then we need to sit down and assess what the hell happened."

6:00 P.M.
The Pit
Briarwood, CA

Karone was beyond pissed. She was hooked up to some weird machine while Dark Spector and a group of Quatrons hovered in the back of the room and Darkonda kept staring at her. His attention was starting to creep her out. She'd never been overly fond of him to begin with, but now it was even worse. When the door opened, her attention shifted from Darkonda to the two entering the room.

"I still don't understand why you aren't using your mystical powers for this," Mondo spoke to Dark Spector. "You realize you had problems with the machine you implanted the last time, right?"

"Unfortunately, my powers aren't one hundred percent, yet," Dark Spector growled.

The former Pink Ranger grinned at that. If she got free, she knew Andros would find that tidbit of information interesting. The only problem now was getting free. The machine she was strapped to offered no give and she had no powers now beyond her telekinetic ones. The mere thought of her brother stopped her in her tracks though. He had to be flipping out. He and Zhane both had to be flipping out.

"Well, well, well, how nice to meet you, Astronema," Mondo grinned.

"My name is KARONE," she spit at him.

"This slip of a girl was the mighty Princess of Evil?" Broodwing all but snickered, staring at her, unimpressed.

"And she will be again, soon," Dark Spector grinned. "I'd watch myself, if I were you, Broodwing. She had a nasty temper and didn't suffer fools well, if I remember correctly."

"You don't say," Broodwing murmured. "We should head back, Mondo. The First wants a progress report on the satellite."

Mondo nodded and followed Broodwing out of the room, leaving Karone staring at Dark Spector and wondering just what the hell he had planned for her, though deep in her heart, she already knew – she just hoped her already guilty conscience could withstand another go as Astronema.

6:30 P.M.
Reefside, CA

The Mystic Force Rangers worked in dead silence as they helped pack up the chairs and throw away the debris left over from the battle. Clare and Udonna held the trash bags while Lianbow, Xander and Chip put trash in them. Vida, Daggeron and Nick were helping to stack the folding chairs together while Maddy and Leelee walked around where the altar had been.

Sniffling back tears, Leelee picked up the destroyed unity candle from the debris of what was left of the table it had rested on. Her attention shifted the minute she heard the quiet sobbing coming from behind her. Turning, her eyes landed on the Blue Mystic Ranger, who was on her knees, hands pushing aside pieces of table and decoration before they wrapped around something. Leelee's tears streaked down her face when she saw what Madison had uncovered – Kimberly's bouquet.

Before she could move, Leelee watched Nick kneel down next to his girlfriend and pull her into his arms, Madison's crying seemed to echo around them, turning the entire Mystic Force team's attention to her and Nick. "Maddy," he breathed, holding her close while she cried.

"It's not fair!" she cried, pushing back from him, her face scrunched up and red from her crying. "It was their dream and they ruined it! All she wanted was to get married to him! It's just not fair! How could the power let this happen to THEM of all people?"

Nick looked on helplessly as his beloved girlfriend cried out her heartbreak over what had happened to their friends. "Baby…"

"To top it off, they had to go and kidnap not only Kim, but Karone too! Hasn't she been through enough already!" the Blue Ranger asked, looking up at the sky above her as if she could see the Tribunal and those who were part of the Morphin Grid. "Haven't they given enough? Why do you have to let their dreams be ruined!"

Reaching out, Nick cupped her cheeks and turned her gaze to him. "Madison, listen to me." With trembling lips and swollen eyes, the Blue Ranger turned her attention to him and saw in his eyes the answers she not only wanted but needed. "We are going to get Kim and Karone back, and we are going to give Kim the wedding she wanted. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she whispered.

Nick didn't look offended at all by her comment. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then trust I'm telling you the absolute truth."

Tori sat next to Blake, her head on his shoulder. Dustin sat on the ground in front of her, leaning against her knee. Hunter and Cam stood beside them, each with their arms folded over their chests. Shane stood away from the group, Kanoi speaking quietly to the tense Red Ranger. All of them remained eerily quiet until Kira, Conner, Trent and Ethan approached.

"Well?" Tori asked, perking up when the four stopped in front of the Ninja Storm Rangers.

"Hayley's not talking," Kira started.

Ethan interrupted then. "Something happened between Dr. O and Jason."

Kanoi and Shane joined them then. "Can you blame him?" Shane asked. "He just had the love of his life ripped away in the middle of their wedding. It's not easy to go through."

"Shane," Kanoi spoke only his name, knowing the feelings the Red Wind Ninja harbored. "I know this brings back memories of Skyla."

"Yes, it does. Vexacus killed her, took her away from me."

The group gasped when Tori surged up from her spot and stalked over to Shane. "You seriously need to stop. Vexacus only sped up her death, Shane. You said so yourself, she came to Earth to find you because she was dying. Whether you like it or not, she would have died if he'd been chasing her or not." Shane looked at her, his face full of pain and betrayal. "Your obsession with making him pay, it's going to get not only yourself killed, but you're putting us in the line of fire too. Were you not paying attention to what she said to you when we got our powers back?"

"Tor…" Shane gasped, hurt.

"She said she'd see you again, that you'd be together again," Tori told him, reaching out to take his hand. "Call it woman's intuition, but I have the feeling if we can get through this fight, you're going to see her a lot sooner than you'd expect."

The group remained quiet after Tori's triad. "What now?" Hunter asked, turning to Kanoi for guidance.

The Ninja Master merely smiled at them, his expression serene. "We take our cues from the others for now," he told them. "First, we must regroup, assess the damages, and address any concerns and issues any of you have."

"I hate to interrupt, but isn't that Cassidy?" Dustin piped up, pointing to the van that had just pulled up.

Both teams swung around to stare at the parking lo. Jaws started dropping when Cassidy, Devin, and another guy walked across the parking lot, the two males carrying camera equipment. "Tell me she isn't going to shoot here," Trent uttered.

The three Dino Thunder males gasped when Kira dropped Trent's hand and stalked off toward Cassidy. "Kira!" Cassidy greeted, waving.

"Cassidy, take the camera crew and go back to the studio," the Yellow Ranger snarled.

The blonde haired newswoman jumped back at the intensity of her friend's words. "But we're here to interview Dr. Oliver…" Cassidy's words trailed off when she got a clear look at the carnage left. "What…"

"You know what happened," Kira spoke, this time a bit more in control. "We don't need a camera crew catching the results."

"Is everyone okay?" Cassidy asked, obviously concerned.

"No. Kim and Karone are missing."

Understanding dawned in Cassidy's eyes. "I still have a story to do, Kira."

The Yellow Ranger looked ready to argue until Devin directed his assistant to start setting up a few fee away. "Kira, we'll spin it so the Rangers are just looking for missing friends, promise."

"Do what you need to, but Dr. O isn't going to be happy if you go near him. My suggestion is steer very clear of him right now."

The pair nodded and headed for their assistant. "Ready?" Devin asked a few minutes later as Cassidy stepped in front of the camera.

"Go." With a deep breath, they started. "This is Cassidy Cornell reporting live from outside Reefside tonight. On a day that promised so much for the lives of two of Reefside's best teachers, Dr. Thomas Oliver and Olympic Gymnast and trainer Kimberly Hart, everything suddenly went wrong. As the two were preparing to take their vows, to unite their lives in holy matrimony, their wedding was suddenly interrupted. Actual events are still sketchy, but from what we can tell, the seemingly isolated incidents in Briarwood and Angel Grove are no longer so isolated. Evil has returned, and along with it, so too have the Power Rangers. When we learn more, we'll get the information to you. This is Cassidy Cornell, live from outside of Reefside."