TANYA

She hadn't told the kids what had happened to Aisha. Instead, she'd handled the police, who believed she'd died of a heart attack. That was how it looked. Tia hadn't left a single mark on her mother and Taylor hadn't fought back at all.

Tanya had cried with Maddie that night. She'd made sure Taylor and Tia were safe. She'd told Angie the truth, and Angie had stepped up to take care of Tye, Tessa, and Imani for the night. Now, however, it was time to talk to them.

She went for Tye first. That would be the hardest conversation to have, since Tye was nearly mute on a good day. To her surprise, she found Tye curled up on her bed, crying and rocking and sucking her thumb, something she only did when she was really upset.

"Tye?" Tanya called gently.

"Taylor..." Tye said softly. She began repeating his name, like she had when they believed he was dead.

"He's okay," Tanya promised.

"No... No, not okay..."

"He's safe, and he was healed." Tanya realized that, somehow, Tye already knew what had happened.

"Not safe. No one's safe."

"You're safe, Tye. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"No... Not safe... Not safe!"

Tanya wished she knew how to comfort the girl. "I promise you're safe here... And Taylor will be home soon."

Tye stopped speaking after that. Tanya pet her head a few times before leaving her alone. She'd learned that, sometimes, that was what Tye needed.

Tessa and Imani sat in their room playing. Tanya hated that she had to stop them. "Girls... We need to talk," she said gently.

"Tanya, where's Mama?" Imani asked. "I haven't seen her since yesterday... Or Tia, or Taylor."

Tanya's heart broke. "That's what we need to talk about... Something happened."

"Is Mama okay?" Tessa asked nervously.

"No, sweetheart... She's not."

Imani stood up then. "What happened? Did she get kidnapped again?" She asked.

"Was it my father?" Tessa asked softly.

"She wasn't kidnapped..." Tanya sighed. "Girls, your mom was very sick... And something happened, and she did something bad."

"To Taylor?" Imani asked in horror.

"How did you-?"

"She tried to hurt him before Thanksgiving. I saw it. Tia had to stop her." She looked like she might cry. "Is Taylor okay?"

"He's safe," Tanya promised. "He's at Adam's house healing."

"Mama hurt him?" Tessa asked in terror.

"She did, but he's okay. I promise."

"What happened to her? Mama would never hurt us! She never, ever hurts me or Tia, but she's so mean to Taylor... I don't get it," Imani said.

"What happened when your mom was kidnapped changed her, Mani. She was sick, and it made her do these bad things."

"Tanya... Where is she?" Tessa asked in a trembling voice.

"She's gone, sweetie... I'm so sorry. Your mom passed away."

"Passed away?" Tessa repeated.

"She's dead?" Imani asked in horror.

"Yes, Mani. I'm so sorry... I loved your mom so much... She was family to me."

Tessa started crying. Imani didn't. Instead, she asked, "Where's Tia?"

"Tia's with Taylor. She's okay."

Imani nodded. Somehow, Tanya knew the little girl understood exactly how and why her mother had died. She snuggled up in Tanya's arms next to Tessa and began softly crying, too.

"Aunt Tanya..." Tessa began. "Does this mean me, Tye, and Taylor have to go back to our father?" She looked completely terrified at the thought of that.

"Of course not! You're not going anywhere. Your mom put it in writing that I was acting as your guardian anyway. I'll fight to keep custody of you, " Tanya promised. This seemed to soothe the girl, but Tanya knew it might be an uphill battle. She could potentially lose custody of all of Aisha's kids, and Angie, too. The only reason she had custody of Angie was because her siblings lived with Tanya. If they were gone, social services might take her away. The only kid they couldn't take away was Maddie. Tanya was already attached to the children and she couldn't stand the idea of losing them, but she was realistic. She was a single mom with one biological child, a legal foster child, and five children she claimed were her nieces and nephew all living with her. With Aisha in the house, at least there had been two legal adults to care for all of those children, but now, Tanya was alone. To make matters even more complicated, she knew Aisha had another child who was staying with Adam. If Tanya didn't take her, she'd never get to know her siblings. That would make eight children under eighteen with one guardian. What court would agree to that? And if they refused, they would almost definitely separate the kids. Tanya couldn't let that happen. The siblings needed each other.

I need a lawyer, she thought. A damned good one. There was no way she was losing these kids.

Suddenly, Imani jumped up and ran to the front door. "Horsey!" She cried in excitement as she opened it. Tanya stared in shock at the white horse standing in her doorway. "It's okay, Winnie... You tried," Imani said.

"What the heck?" Tanya asked.

"This is Winnie, Tanya. She protects Taylor. She says she wanted to yesterday, but she's supposed to protect Mama's family, too, and... And Mama was the one hurting Taylor, and she wasn't sure what to do." Imani pet the horse and added, "You're still a good horse, Winnie. It's okay."

Tanya realized the horse might draw attention they didn't want. "Okay, not here, Mani. Take her to the backyard and you can talk to her there."

"She can stay?" Imani asked excitedly.

"I have a feeling we don't get a say." Tanya hoped Taylor wouldn't mind the visitor when he returned.

ZEDD

He awoke before Sage did. It was strange to suddenly feel again. Zedd knew he needed to face his demons if he ever hoped to function. He gently shifted so Sage could continue resting. Then, he began what he knew was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever have to do.

He went to Dimitri's room first. If there was any word he'd use to describe Dimitri, it would be strong, and right now, he needed strength. "Hello, old friend," Zedd said softly. He sat on Dimitri's bed and remembered what the room had looked like when he had been alive. The preservation spell on the farm had left things in tact, and it was almost easy to pretend Dimitri was still alive, but the pain in his heart reminded him it wasn't true. "I am so sorry for the way you met your end," he said. "Rita is, too, you know. Your blood being on her hands still haunts her. She didn't mean to hurt you. She lost control because she was scared, and you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She felt horrible about it afterward. I'm afraid she's quite out of her mind, but in her more rational moments, she occasionally speaks of you with deep regret, in a whisper... She was never fully evil, you know. She didn't give up her light by choice... It left room for a little of her light to remain, but it's not enough to stop her from doing evil things. I tried to take care of her... She may have drugged me into marrying her, but when that wore off, I stayed with her. For Morgana, mostly, but also because... I was lonely. Spending all that time doomed to be alone was painful, and although I couldn't love Rita... I cared about her. She was Morgana's daughter. She was Zordon's love... And she was the one person in this universe that Zell screwed over worse than me. So I tried... I'm sorry I couldn't save her for you guys." He sighed and stood, knowing he needed to talk to Morgana next.

He walked into her room. It didn't look as he had remembered. Although many of her belongings were still inside, such as ritual tools, the room had clearly been inhabited by someone else. Zedd knew Dimitri and Morgana had married while still on the run from Zell, and seeing as how they had descendants, they'd obviously had a child. He suspected Morgana had moved into Dimitri's room and they had given this one to their child. Still, he felt Morgana with him here.

Morgana had been the youngest of the Chosen. She'd barely been a few months older than Zordon. The amount of trauma she'd had to survive was comparable only to Zedd's childhood. He'd opened up to her and admitted the things his father had done to him, and because of that, she'd begun to tell him of her own trauma. He'd done his best to help her heal, although it was Dimitri who truly helped her move beyond her past. Zedd had been terribly attached to Morgana, coming to view her as a little sister. For most of his evil existence, he'd had a similar view of Rita, only she'd irritated him horribly. Only when she'd cast that spell to make him marry her had his view of Rita begun to change, and even then, he often viewed her as a pest he had some small affection for.

He patted Morgana's pillow as he said, "I miss you, sweet Morgana... And I want you to know that your daughter is not a lost cause. If I can be saved, we'll damn well find a way to save her, too." He kissed her pillow before leaving her room.

Quin's room was the next one he went into. The next room belonged to Caius. Zedd decided not to go inside. Caius was still alive and, in fact, still lived in the house sometimes, so that seemed like an invasion of privacy. He also decided not to go into Zordon's room, a place he'd once spent much of his time. Zordon may not have lived there in over ten thousand years, but he was still alive, and it felt wrong to cross that line.

He went into Quin's room and laughed. It was still as Quintus had left it, and the memories that flooded back were happy ones. Quin had always been full of life and laughter. He'd been the only person ballsy enough to play jokes on the likes of Dimitri and Zordon. He'd never taken life too seriously, even when Zell repeatedly tried to break him. Apparently, even if Quin's son had taken over the room after his father died, he'd kept it the same.

Zedd remembered holding the burned bundle of blankets and forcing himself to look inside expecting to see his friend's dead baby only to discover the boy had survived unharmed. It had been the last happy memory he possessed. Right after that, his father had poisoned him, and although he'd had a brief moment of happiness when Xia had convinced Zell to make him part of the Chosen, that had been tainted by the fact that it was a trap. That day, Zell had destroyed everything...

A book fell over and a piece of paper fell out. Zedd reached for it and realized it was a sketch he'd made of Quintus and Dimitri, as Quin made Dimitri crack a smile with one of his pranks. Zedd remembered watching Dimitri get covered in feathers as the prank succeeded. He found himself laughing at the memory. "I get it, Quin," he said. "I'll try to stop being so serious."

He went to Raven's room next. That was excessively difficult. "I spared your life," he began. "If I'd known it was only for that bastard to make a building collapse on top of you... Who am I kidding? I couldn't have harmed you, Raven. Even evil, I could have harmed you about as much as I could have harmed Xia... I might not have felt the attachments, but... I remembered it all. I knew who you were to me. I knocked Morgana out when Vile had her because I couldn't get her away from him, but I could spare her further trauma... And I had hoped if she was unconscious, he would not violate her. I was right. It worked. I protected her... I even told Xia she needed her... And I spared Dimitri because he was dying. Had you not gotten him out, he would have perished. I didn't have to hurt Zordon... Rita broke him that day. But I don't think I could have faced him... My brother... I didn't want to hurt him... His father did that enough. I didn't want to hurt any of you... I'm so sorry, Raven... I wanted so badly to save you. Your death was the hardest. Xia's was impossible, too, but at least she lived her life... A long, happy life. You were so young... "

He shook his head. "I met your descendant, Raven. She's a remarkable girl... I couldn't save you, but I swear with all that I have that I will protect that child. She's too innocent... Too pure of heart, and far too young... She's even younger than Morgana was. She is in more danger than any of them because she possesses the one gift he truly fears. She can give them hope in their darkest hour... And I refuse to let him do to her what he did to you." He felt it then... The familiar sensation of light filling his heart and soothing him. It was stronger than it had been with Tamira because he was good again. He knew Raven was with him. Perhaps they all were.

He allowed the light to soothe some of his emotional pain before walking back into the hallway. There was only one room left, but he wasn't ready for that yet. He couldn't face Xia yet. He was feeling everything too deeply, and he wasn't ready to feel that fully. "That's enough for now," he told himself.

He went to the kitchen. It had been modernized quite a bit, probably so Caius could live a slightly easier life, but it was still the same basic layout he knew well. Zedd had spent much of his time in the kitchen cooking for the Chosen. It soothed him, and it took some of the burden off of Zordon's shoulders. Besides, Quin had fallen in love with Zedd's cooking, and if he could do one small thing to make his friend happy, it was a good enough reason.

He began cooking, figuring Sage might be hungry. She came into the kitchen and looked surprised. "How do you feel?" She asked.

"There aren't words," Zedd replied.

"Lord Zedd? Speechless?" She teased him.

He cringed. "I think I'd prefer to stick to just Zedd, actually."

She smiled. "I had a feeling you might."

"The title was just the petty act of a boy mocking his father. I never wanted to be the Lord of anything, but I took the title he used when I stole his empire... I don't want it anymore. Rita can have it... Lord Zedd is dead and gone. I'd actually give anything to just be the stable boy again."

"Well, that's good to hear, but we're not done. The little bit of sleep I got recharged me... Now for the complicated part."

"That wasn't complicated?"

"I'm going to heal you, Zedd. I'm going to fix what the Zeo Crystal did to you."

"Sage... You've done so much already."

"Look, our parents absorbed the Zeo Crystal. That means that we all have part of it in us, because it was part of them. Two parts are in me and Thorn because both of our parents absorbed it. It burned you because you were evil, but you're good now... And I think it will let me heal you."

Zedd wasn't sure he could let himself believe it might work. Hope was a dangerous thing, and he hadn't been able to feel it in ages. Still, Sage had already proven she could do the impossible.

"What about the armor? It's melted into my muscle, my brain, my spine... When Caius helped me after I did this to myself, he said he couldn't remove it."

"I think I can... But it will be excruciating, Zedd. I need to put you to sleep first."

"No. I want to feel it. I need to feel it."

She looked like she wanted to argue, but she didn't, and he knew she understood. "I'm going to talk to Angie. I think she can help me with this." She walked off and Zedd wondered what her plan might be.

ANGIE

She was sitting on her bed when her phone rang. "Hey, Sage," she said, seeing the Caller ID.

"Angie... I did something crazy last night," Sage said.

"Okay... What was it?"

"I took your father to the Chosen's farm to try to free him from Zell's curse... And from being evil."

Angie hadn't been prepared for that. "Did it work?" She asked.

"Actually... Yes. Zedd's not evil anymore, Angie. He's good again."

"Are you sure?"

"He feels horrible about everything he put you and your siblings through... He told me he wants to drop the whole 'Lord' bit and just go by Zedd."

Angie was stunned. "He said that? Because he even made us call him either 'my Lord' or, occasionally, 'Father.' Dad was forbidden."

"He's not the monster you met, Angie. He never really was, but he was trapped by agreeing to become evil."

"So... You're saying he's truly good. Like, I don't have to help you guys destroy him? And he won't try to..." She didn't finish her sentence, shuddering at the memory of the day she'd finally run away from her parents and Merkhet.

"He won't hurt you, Angie. He hates himself for what he did."

She hated how badly she needed to believe that. A small part of Angie still clung to the hope that her parents would be able to love her. She knew her mother did, but she'd had to give up on her father when he tried to rape her as punishment for saving Aisha and the kids.

"There's more... I think I can heal him so he's not covered in burns anymore," Sage said.

Angie found herself not even slightly hesitant as she asked, "How can I help?" If her father was good, he deserved another chance, but he'd never get that if he still looked like the Lord Zedd the universe knew and feared.

"Can you reach out to Finster?"

Angie was surprised. "Sure, of course... He'll answer if I call, but why?"

"I want him to make a clay Zedd."

"Um... Why?"

"I'm going to use it as a focal point to remove the metal armor that's melted into his body. It's going to be painful for him, but if I enchant the clay figure, I think I can do it easier."

"You want a poppet? Save your energy. I'll enchant it. I can do that in my sleep."

"Are you sure?"

"The magic you want to do is going to require a lot of strength. Let me take this part off your plate."

"I know you have issues with your dad."

"I have issues with Lord Zedd... If he's not that guy anymore, I'm willing to give him a chance. Finster will do this for me."

"If he knows the reason-"

"He'll still do it. Finster knows how badly I wanted to be able to be with my parents. He'll help me if I ask."

"Okay. Thanks, Angie. Do you know how to get it to the farm?"

"I can ask Caius or Zordon."

"Great. Get it here as fast as you can."

"No problem." Angie hung up. She slipped out of the house and hurried to an area away from everyone else. Only there did she call, "Finster... I need your help."

The kindly older monster appeared looking concerned. "Angeline? Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine... I need you to do something without everyone else finding out."

"That should be easy. They're all fighting amongst themselves. Your father is missing, your mother locked herself in her room and won't come out, your grandfather and Tanner are clashing at every turn, Goldar and Scorpina spend most of their time in their bedroom together, and Merkhet is just frustrated with the lot of us."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course, my dear."

"My father isn't missing... He's good. His curse is broken."

"That is impossible... Only death-"

"I know, but somehow, she did it."

"Who? No, don't tell me. It is better I don't know."

"He needs help, Finster. Can you make me a clay replica of my father? Don't bring it to life, just create it. I have to get it to someone who can use it to help him... It needs all the details, down to his armor."

Finster smiled. "I haven't had a true, detailed creation in ages! I will include every bit of metal and every scar, my dear Angeline."

She hugged him, and he smiled again. "I have missed that," he admitted.

Within an hour, Finster had created the replica. Angie thanked him and took it to her room. She began to cast her spell, infusing the poppet with enough magic that Sage would easily be able to do the rest and connect the creation to her father.

Caius found her before she made it far. "I told Zordon where you're going. He is ready to teleport you," he said.

She arrived at the farm moments later. Angie was amazed by its quiet beauty. Part of her didn't want to leave, but she knew that until Sage was done with her spellwork, she needed to keep her distance.

Sage came toward her. She examined the poppet. "The detail on this is incredible!" She said. "Thank you, Angie."

"Thank Finster. I don't need to be thanked. He's my father." She aimed her wand at the poppet and decided the old spell should still do the trick, with a slight modification. "Make. My. Poppet. Grow!" She shouted. The poppet grew to her father's exact size.

"That's amazing," Sage said.

Angie laughed. "Guess I've still got it."

"I know it took a lot for you to do this for him."

"This is nothing. You're the one doing the hard work." With that, Angie left, knowing it was time to go.

SAGE

The poppet was easy to connect to Zedd. A single drop of his blood enchanted it. Sage began removing the armor slowly from the replica. As each piece was removed, Zedd screamed in utter agony. It broke her heart, but she knew she had to keep going. She couldn't grow his skin back until all of the metal was gone.

The helmet was tricky with Zedd's brain exposed. One wrong move could literally kill him or destroy his mind. She was extra careful as she began to remove it.

Zedd screamed louder than he had before. When he fell nearly silent, barely letting out a few whimpers, Sage was afraid she'd messed up.

"Are you still with me?" She asked. Zedd managed a slight nod. "You need a break."

"No," he whispered. He took a deep breath. "Keep going. I can take it."

Sage couldn't believe how strong he was. It was clear he was in enough pain that most would be begging for an end. "Zedd-"

"My... My father... Did worse. I can take it."

She touched his hand to comfort him briefly before she went back to it. Finally, a few minutes later, she was done. She carefully cleaned off the metal, knowing it was important to Zedd. When she handed it to him, he looked at her weakly. "Thank you," he whispered. "For not throwing it away."

"You wore it when you touched the Zeo Crystal as an act of defiance. You wanted the Chosen to know your heart was still with them. I know this is more than scrap metal to you." She paused. "Let's take a break for an hour, to give you a chance to recover and to get my energy back up. Then we'll regrow your skin."

"You sound so confident."

"I am." She kissed his cheek gently, careful not to hurt his raw, newly exposed muscles. Zedd's breathing was evening out. She knew he'd be okay. "The worst is over," she promised. "Regrowing the skin will hurt, but not as much... And there's a way to make it easier..."

Zedd stared at her. "Sage, no. I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. I'm offering."

He touched her cheek with such tenderness, she nearly melted. Zedd was so much gentler than she'd expected.

"You are too good to lower yourself to that," he said firmly.

"You're an incubus, Zedd. Nothing heals you faster than-"

"I don't mind the extra pain. After all of the pain I've inflicted upon everyone else, it's quite fitting I have to suffer."

"Zedd, I've already expended a lot of energy... And I was bleeding energy anyway... This would help me conserve some of my energy."

He hesitated. "Sage, I know what you have been through... I know how your son came to be. I do not want to traumatize you any more than you already are."

Sage knew he'd never believe she could handle this without a display. She kissed him, pulling him closer to her as she forced herself to do it. Quickly, she stopped feeling any fear. Zedd might still look like her old enemy, but he wasn't evil anymore, and he was actually a hell of a kisser.

"You're an incubus," she reminded him. "It's only traumatic if you make it that way... I trust you, Zedd."

Zedd stared at her before kissing her again. She was surprised by it, but she didn't mind. She knew the kiss wasn't romantic. They weren't going to become a couple or anything. She nearly laughed at the visual of trying to tell her father that Zedd was her new boyfriend. Instead, they were connecting on the deepest level two friends could connect. Even when she slept with him, it would be about healing him, not romance.

When he finally broke the kiss, Sage was breathless. Zedd wasn't much better. "I feel alive," he mumbled. "For the first time in so long..."

Sage had planned to give him space as she recharged, but instead, she stayed in his arms. She could tell it comforted him, and it kept her focused. She did do one thing before focusing purely on Zedd. She sent Zeke a text.

You can talk to Katie now. She could feel in her heart it was time for her cousin to know the truth, and she hoped it would help Zeke come back to the team. With that taken care of, she focused on the immediate task at hand. This wasn't going to be easy.

KATIE

She was surprised to get Zeke's text, but she rushed over to his house as soon as she did. She flung her arms around him as it hit her how much she'd missed him. "Are you okay? What the hell was so major my cousin said we couldn't talk to each other?" She demanded.

A tiny human ran toward them. "Hi!" She said. "I'm Lilly!"

"Wait, Lilly," Zeke said firmly. "This is my sister, Katie... She's a hugger. Lilly, what did I tell you about meeting Katie?"

"Ask first," Lilly said very seriously. She looked at Katie with big eyes and dimples and asked, "Can I have a hug, Katie?"

Katie laughed. "She's trained better than Mimic Force Emma!" She said, laughing harder. "Okay, Kid, come here." She wrapped the Bundle of Cuteness in a hug before releasing her.

"Lilly, Katie and I need to talk upstairs. Just go back to watching TV, okay?" Zeke asked.

Lilly nodded and hurried off. Zeke led Katie upstairs. "Katie... A lot happened while you were away," he began as he sat on his bed. Katie sat down beside him.

"Talk, Zeke... What was so bad that you gave your power coin to Troy?" She asked.

"I... I ran into my mother," Zeke began.

"What did the bitch do now? Do you want me to kick her ass?"

Zeke sighed. "It's bad, Katie... And you're going to be mad at me."

"Why?"

"I tried to kill myself."

Katie stared at him. "That's not funny, Zeke."

"I'm not joking, Katie. I tried to down three weeks of my ADHD meds... If Dad hadn't realized something was off, I wouldn't be here."

Katie was horrified. "Zeke... Why? Why would you...?" She couldn't even say the words.

"My mom only paid attention to me for one reason when I was a kid... And Tanner picked up on it when I tried to protect Maddie from him, and he used it... Stuck me in flashbacks and... And sent her to me. And... And she..." He shook his head. "I thought it would get easier to talk about this... I'm sorry."

"You don't have to say it."

"Lilly's not just my sister, Katie... Almost no one, including Lilly, knows this... But she's mine. And I found out after I tried to off myself. I did it because... It wasn't just my mom this time, and I realized she'd never love me even if I did what she wanted, and... And the guy... I never saw his face, and he's out there, Katie... He's still out there, and I'm fucking terrified all the time, and I'm trying to hold myself together, but I can't sometimes... I'm in therapy, and I'm trying, but they're still out there... She went on the run... And I... I just..."

Katie saw the first tear fall down his cheek. Zeke almost never cried. She automatically wiped the tear away gently with her index finger.

Zeke broke down. He buried his face in her shoulder and sobbed harder than he ever had before. Katie held him tight and whispered, "Shhh... It's okay, Zeke. Let this out. I'm here. And I'm not mad at you, I promise."

It took a while for Zeke to calm down. When he finally did, Katie continued to hold him as she asked, "Want me to kill her?"

He hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Please..."

"Don't worry, Zeke. Killing my friends' monsters is my specialty. Neither of those bastards will ever hurt you again." Zeke might not know who the man had been, but his mother did and Katie knew exactly how to make evil bitches talk. First, however, she was spending the night. Her friend needed her more than she needed to seek revenge to protect him. She texted Jayden and her father quickly to explain why she wouldn't be coming home before she curled up beside Zeke and held him for the rest of the night.

THORN

He was curled up with Caleb when he sensed something was off. Reluctantly, he released his boyfriend and went to investigate. What he found stunned him.

Liza, who'd been trying to adjust to her new surroundings, was sitting on the floor of the bedroom she currently occupied with blood everywhere. Thorn quickly realized her wrists were slit.

"Caleb, I need towels!" He shouted.

Caleb came running in with towels. He paled when he saw why they were necessary. "Call an ambulance," Thorn said as he began applying pressure to her wounds.

Caleb stared at her. "Thorn... I'm not sure that's Liza," he said.

"Of course it's Liza. Screw the ambulance... Social Services might take her away if we call one... I need my mom's supplies. I think I can patch her up."

"Thorn, listen to me-"

"She's bleeding out, Caleb. There's no time."

Caleb left to get the supplies. He returned with them. "Help me hold her," Thorn said as Liza struggled against him.

Caleb hesitated before getting closer. "Thorn, I... I don't think I can touch her right now."

"Why not?"

"Because that's not Liza... It's a spirit."

Thorn froze and stared at the unusual sorceress his sister had brought home. He drew a symbol of life on her forehead with his index finger and she screamed before going limp in his arms.

"Thorn! The blood," Caleb said urgently. He took Liza into his arms so Thorn could take care of her wounds.

Tia and Taylor stood in the doorway. "Let me help," Taylor said softly.

"Taylor-" Thorn began.

"I can heal her... At least enough to save her life."

Thorn nodded. "Okay."

Taylor knelt beside Liza. He began taking care of the worst of it. Thorn applied some of his mother's herbal remedy to help it along. Finally, Liza's eyes fluttered open. Taylor left the room without another word. "That bitch..." She mumbled.

"What happened?" Thorn asked.

"Aisha... The bitch tried to kill me." Liza seemed to realize Tia was standing there then. "Sorry," she added.

"She is not at rest," Tia said. "She won't be until we give her a proper funeral back in the Village... Excuse me." She left the room.

"I think they do funeral pyres in Aisha's village," Thorn said.

"Oooh, can I go? Because I want to see that bitch burn," Liza said.

Thorn was positive she meant that literally, and considering what had just happened, he could understand why she felt that way.

SAGE

She could hardly believe she was doing this. Sage knew it was the right way to go, but considering all she'd been through, sleeping with someone was a big step. Still, she knew it was the best way to fix him.

Zedd took things incredibly slow. He was careful not to hurt her as they progressed. He kept hesitating and trying to give her the option to change her mind, but Sage could feel it starting to work. She wasn't going to stop now.

It stunned her when Zedd's flesh began to visibly grow back. After a few minutes, it was clearly visible everywhere. His hair began growing back as well, and Sage found herself touching the long, dark strands. His skin was pale and unflawed, and as she studied his face, Sage realized how handsome Zedd had actually been before touching the Zeo Crystal. He was unrecognizable now that he was no longer the monster they'd all known.

Sage touched his face and smiled. "You're gorgeous," she told him honestly.

"It worked?" Zedd asked in disbelief.

"It worked," she confirmed.

"Do you want to stop?" Zedd asked.

She was too wrapped up in his energy now. She wasn't afraid, and she also wasn't ready to stop yet. "No," she told him. Sage kissed him and felt something strange flowing into her energy field.

When they finally stopped, Sage stared at him breathlessly. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Sage realized with shock that for the first time in too long, she didn't feel her energy ebbing away. She wasn"t bleeding it out. She wasn't going to fade into nothingness. She felt normal... Better than that, even. "I... My energy. It's... "

"I patched the hole in your energy field... Everything you were losing, the way you were killing yourself... I regenerated the energy, I cleansed your heart, and I patched the hole."

"What? How?"

"I'm an incubus, remember?" He smiled at her and Sage understood why Galaxia had instantly fallen for him. His light radiated from his eyes, especially when he smiled. She knew she wasn't falling for Zedd, but she could suddenly appreciate his appeal, especially since she was still so deeply connected to his soul.

"I didn't know an incubus could do that."

"Every incubus is different. Those who live in the dark can do a lot, but I was the first incubus to ever be good... It was unheard of before that... And I was the strongest of my line. In fact, according to the bastard I called a father, I was the strongest incubus to walk the Earth, period... And I've only gotten stronger over all this time. Taylor has similar power levels, but he's much younger, so he isn't quite as strong as I am... He's just stronger than every other incubus, like I was. So basically, any power an incubus might possess, we both have. The difference is, I know how to use them all. Taylor's still learning."

"Zedd... You saved my life. I was going to die."

"You saved mine first," he reminded her. He kissed her forehead. "It was the least I could do, my Angel."

"I'm no angel."

"You are to me."

"Do you want to see what you look like?"

He hesitated. "Tell me something first... Because I can't look for myself."

"What is it?"

"The scars on my face... Are they... Are they still there?"

He looked like a lost little boy as he asked her that, and it broke her heart. His father had traumatized him so thoroughly that even growing new skin left him convinced the wound would never heal. "No," she said gently. "They're gone, Zedd. Your skin is brand new, and the scars are gone." She kissed his cheek where they had once been, then ran his hand over it to prove this to him.

Zedd nodded. "Thank you for that," he said. He took a deep breath and pulled on some perfectly preserved clothing that was in his drawer. "It still fits," he said with a laugh. Then he walked in front of the mirror and looked at his reflection. He was shaking.

"Zedd? Are you okay?" Sage asked, wrapping the blanket around her body as she walked toward him.

"That's me..." He said in wonder.

"Yes. How old were you, Zedd? You look about nineteen."

"I was sixteen... Immortals usually continue to age until they reach some stage of adulthood unless a spell forbids it... That's why Caius is physically in his early thirties... But I assume the Zeo Crystal did so much damage, my body only aged for a short time." He shook his head and laughed. "More than ten thousand years and I'm still a teenager... How terribly cruel the universe can be!"

"Should I expect teen angst?" Sage teased him.

"Perhaps a bit... It would be worse if it were Zordon... He was the embodiment of... What's that word the kids use? Ah, yes... Emo."

Sage began laughing. "I cannot believe you just called Zordon emo!"

"Well, it's the truth..." He laughed with her. "He had every right to be, though. His father took everything from him and did everything he could to break him."

"You miss him," she realized.

"I do... I miss them all, but Zordon... We shared no blood, but we were brothers, Sage."

"You can see him soon... When you're ready."

"I don't know that I'll ever be ready... I put him through so much... I became the one thing he could never forgive, and I made it my mission to destroy him... But I would very much like to see him anyway, if for no other reason than to try to apologize."

"Zordon is nothing if not wise. He'll forgive you. I'm pretty sure Caius already has."

"Ah, Caius... I owe him so much. Even with me being evil, when I touched the Zeo Crystal, Caius took care of me. Zell would have left me suffering for eternity. Caius eased my pain, allowed me to breathe with alien technology he stole from Zell, and made sure the burns didn't get infected. He's an amazing man, and I never forgot his kindness."

"We will stay here for a couple more days, and then we'll go back to Angel Grove. You can stay at my house until you get on your feet."

"Your family cannot possibly be okay with that."

"They don't get a say. I trust you, Zedd. I know what's in your heart."

"Sage... Tomorrow, will you help me face the basement? I haven't been down there since that day, and I need to face it."

"Of course I will. I'm here to help you face whatever you need to." She could feel his fear. She squeezed his hand to soothe him.

"Thank you... I already faced most of the rooms... Except..."

"Galaxia's?" Sage guessed.

"I don't think I can do that... Not now that I can feel it."

"You'll get there in time." Sage yawned as exhaustion hit her.

Zedd pulled her closer. "Rest, my Angel," he said gently. "You've done more than enough for today."

Sage might have protested, but she fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

THE NEXT DAY.

BULK

He was used to life on the inside at this point. Bulk was practically running the joint! Okay, so maybe that wasn't true. Jail was full of creeps and scum, and even if those were totally his people, they didn't take well to child killers, especially big guys who picked on little girls who were orphans. Bulk might not be guilty, but no one believed him. To survive, he'd had to find himself a crew.

Mick was in for robbing banks and killing three people in the process. He was even bigger than Bulk and he scared the hell out of everyone. The guy might be scary, but he was fiercely loyal, and when Bulk saved him from a knife-wielding inmate trying to make a name for himself, Mick had immediately declared him a friend. With Mick at his side, Bulk had recruited two drug dealers, an arsonist, and a terrified kid named Joey that had been doomed to become someone's bitch. Joey wasn't fierce or scary or even remotely impressive, but he was eager, friendly, and desperately needed to be protected. He reminded Bulk of Skull as a teenager, and he'd quickly decided he couldn't just ignore the kid.

The crew gathered together now. Bulk noticed Joey had a black eye. "Who did it?" He demanded

"Smitty," Joey said. Why was there always a Smitty in every prison? Bulk had met quite a few over the years.

"Want me to kill him, Boss?" Mick asked. "I'm in for three life sentences anyway. What's one more?"

"Nobody would miss Smitty enough to give you life over it," Bulk said, "but no killing. That's not how we roll. Just kick his ass a little. Teach him to respect our boy."

A guard came over. "Bulkmeier, you've got a visitor," he said.

"My lawyer?" Bulk asked.

"Am I your fucking secretary? Just come with me." The guard said, practically dragging him away from his crew.

Bulk expected Skull or maybe his mother. His wife refused to see him. She had already sent the divorce papers, which he tried not to think about. She believed he was guilty, and that hurt more than Bulk cared to admit.

"Lieutenant Stone?" Bulk asked in surprise. "Is it time for a visit already?" He visited once a week, but Bulk was pretty sure it hadn't been a week yet... It was hard to tell in the Joint.

"Today is special," Lieutenant Stone replied. "Bulkmeier, I have to tell you something that may shock you... Maybe I'd better just show you... Come on in," he said to someone Bulk couldn't see.

When he finally saw the person, Bulk stared at him in confusion. "Billy?!" He asked before promptly fainting.

It took a minute for Bulk to come around. When he did, Billy was still there. "Are you okay, Farkas?" Lieutenant Stone asked with concern.

"You... You're here..." Bulk said in shock. "But how? I was there, Billy... I pulled Little Billy out of the rubble, but... But we couldn't find you... We looked everywhere... They said it was hopeless... That you blew up! How the hell are you here? Where were you?" Bulk demanded.

"Monsters, Bulk. This is Angel Grove," Billy said. "I was kidnapped... For three years."

"Jesus, Billy, it's good to see you!" Bulk shook his head. "It broke my damn heart to hear Little Billy crying out for you when I found him."

"Bulk, I wanted to thank you... For saving my son."

"You don't need to thank me. He's a good kid. I like him."

"He wouldn't have survived if you hadn't found him. You saved his life. That's a debt I can't repay. I'm going to help you, though. I know you didn't do this, Bulk. And as soon as I'm legally declared alive, I'll prove it. I promise you, I'm going to get you out of this."

Bulk knew if anyone could pull that off, it was Billy. "Thank you," he said. "But you don't owe me anything. Anyone would have done it."

"You were the only one of the neighbors who came to help... And you dug through rubble even after the paramedics gave up. Tommy told me everything. You're a hero, Bulk."

He liked hearing that, but he didn't feel very heroic stuck in jail for supposedly killing a kid. "You really think you can get me off?"

"I know I can. I have proof it was a monster. I just need to be legally alive to testify."

"You're standing right here. You're obviously alive."

"Yes, but I'm caught up in an endless web of red tape and paperwork."

"The Green Ranger spoke to the court on your behalf. They agreed to delay the trial until Billy can testify," Lieutenant Stone said.

"A Power Ranger stood up for me? Why?" Bulk asked in shock.

"Because this Ranger knows what you did for Josh and believes you are a genuinely good man," Billy said.

"Would they mind telling my wife that? She left me and she's taking the kids."

"Oh, Bulkmeier, I'm sorry," Lieutenant Stone said. "That's awful."

"Well, I can't make your wife take you back, but I can ask around and see if anyone can pull some strings to keep her from getting sole custody," Billy said.

"That would be more than enough... If Edith doesn't want me anymore, fine... But she can't steal my kids... They're my life," Bulk said honestly. He loved his kids more than anything in the world. Sure, he was a screw-up. He could admit that... But when it came to his kids, he was great with them. He'd never hit them or mistreated them, and they always had fun together. He was a decent father. He didn't deserve to lose his kids, and the idea broke his heart.

"Time's up!" The guard declared.

"We'll get you out as soon as we can, Bulk. I promise," Billy said.

"Until next time, Bulkmeier," Lieutenant Stone said.

"Billy..." Bulk said as they began to leave.

"Yes?" Billy asked, turning back around.

"I'm really glad you're alright."

"Thanks, Bulk. Me, too." As they left, Bulk felt the first slither of hope that he might actually get out of jail one day.

TAYLOR

He was back home. Taylor couldn't go into his room, so he was sitting on Tye's bed instead. He gently pet her as she curled up on him silently. He only shifted her when he heard voices in the hallway.

"Mama is not at rest," Tia said urgently. "We must give her the proper rites back home."

"Tia... That's complicated," Tanya replied.

"What's the big deal, Mom?" Maddie asked. "Things were complicated, but Aisha still deserves a funeral."

"Back in the village, they still use pyres at funerals, sweetheart," Tanya explained.

What the hell is a pyre? Taylor wondered.

"Pyres? As in...? Oh. Oh yeah, that's... Extreme," Maddie agreed.

Taylor had to know now. He walked into the hallway. "What's extreme?" He asked.

"Tia says your mother needs a traditional funeral... And in the village your mom lived in, they hold funeral pyres... They burn the body to release the spirit," Tanya explained gently.

"We have to watch Mama burn?" A tiny, terrified voice asked. Taylor realized Tessa and Imani had come into the hallway, but it was Tessa who had spoken.

"It's okay, Tessie," Imani said, hugging her. "Mama won't feel any pain. It helps the souls move on... It's good for her."

Tessa nodded, but Taylor knew she was scared. He pulled her into his arms. "Tanya... Do Tessa and Tye have to go? Because I'm not sure they can deal with this," he said.

"No one has to do anything they're not okay with," Tanya promised.

Taylor wondered if that meant he could skip it, too. The idea of watching his mother burn terrified him. He couldn't understand how it was supposed to help her... But if it did, shouldn't he be there? He looked at Tia and saw the pain in her eyes. Suddenly, he heard Sage's voice in his head. Be there for her, she whispered. Tia needs to remember why she did what she did.

He wanted to argue, but he knew Sage liked Tia a lot and was only trying to look out for her. Besides, he was the reason his mother was dead. He owed both her and Tia this much. He didn't ask to skip the funeral, and he tried to tell himself he'd be okay, but he wasn't so sure.

ZEDD

He'd faced the basement. It had been easier than he'd expected with Sage by his side. Now, however, he sat in Xia's room and had to force himself not to run. Sage had stayed with him for a bit, but he'd finally asked for privacy. This, he must face alone.

"My love..." He whispered. He shook his head. "Oh, Xia... Can you ever forgive me?"

He could feel her then. Zedd closed his eyes and openly began to weep. "I love you," he told her. "I truly love you again... I told you it would always be you."

Finally, she whispered in his head. I love you, too.

"Xia..." He whispered.

I'm here, Zedd. I've always been here.

You must hate me for all I've done, he thought.

No, my love... I could never hate you... I just never understood why... What could he have done to make you think this was your only choice?

He owed her the truth, so he gave it to her. After he explained, he said, "It was worth it, Xia... You were worth it."

Xia cried softly in his head. I wish you'd believed we could stop it together... But I understand now why you chose this life... And I love you even more for it, if that's possible.

He spent the rest of the night allowing himself to finally grieve all that he'd lost... Including Xia. The next day, he would force himself to leave the farm again, but today, he needed to try to process the worst of it.

THE NEXT DAY.

TAYLOR

He wasn't sure what to expect as Tia opened the portal to the village in Africa. Tye and Tessa were staying with Troy, mostly because Tye trusted Sage and knew Troy was her son. She was nervous around him, but she didn't panic, and that made the difference. Tessa was content to spend time with Luke since Troy brought them to his uncle's house where Jason's boys were still staying.

Tanya led the way. Tia had sent their mother's body ahead. Taylor stayed close to Angie. He knew she'd mostly come as moral support for him, and he was grateful. He couldn't really understand why Liza had come, but he suspected she just wanted to make sure the spirit who'd tried to kill her was gone. Maddie walked through next, and Tia walked through last holding Imani's hand.

He held it together pretty well as the person officiating the ceremony sang his mother's praises. He'd never met the nurturing caregiver who helped save their village as a child, but she sounded pretty awesome. Taylor wondered what had happened to her. Of course, he knew the answer... His father had kidnapped, raped, and tortured her and she'd lost her mind and, apparently, turned evil.

As the pyre was lit, Taylor stopped thinking about that. Instead, he watched in horror as the flames got closer and closer to her body. Panic began seizing him as he saw her start to burn. He couldn't breathe.

This is my fault, he thought. And then, he couldn't think at all. On the inside, he was screaming and begging himself to look away, but he couldn't do it. He just kept staring as his mother burned and tears streamed down his cheeks while he hyperventilated.

LIZA

"Someone, do something! The poor kid is hysterical!" Liza said in horror.

"We need to let him grieve," Tanya said.

"He's not grieving, he's panicking. Screw this." Liza walked over to the brother she'd never known she had. It was painful to watch him cry and she was overwhelmed with the need to comfort him. She turned him forcibly away from the sight of the pyre and held him tight. He sobbed in her arms, collapsing against her in his pain.

Liza noticed Maddie sending energy toward the pyre and knew she was making it burn faster. She appreciated that. After it was done, Liza released Taylor. Tia and Imani walked through the village as the people they'd grown up around comforted them. Maddie excitedly explored with her mother. Angie kept to herself, trying to look out for Taylor. Liza took the opportunity to try to connect to the magic of the land. It was different, and she liked it.

"Liza... Have you seen Taylor?" Angie asked nervously a while later.

"I thought he was with you," Liza said.

"Tanya asked me to watch Mani for a minute, and the next thing I knew, Taylor had vanished."

"I'll find him," Liza said. "He can hide from you guys, but he won't expect me to look for him." She immediately began searching for her brother. She might not know this new group of siblings, but she felt compelled to look out for them, especially Taylor. It was clear the boy had more emotional scars than anyone ever should.

She found Taylor fairly quickly. He stood near the remains of the pyre, clutching something in his hand. Liza realized it was a blade, and he was about to draw blood. "Don't," she said firmly, taking the blade from him. "Don't give that bitch the satisfaction."

Taylor looked at her and it was clear he didn't have the will to fight her. Defeated, he continued to stare at the pyre. "Tanya..." Liza said as she walked by. "We need to get him home. Either you all come with me, or I open a portal myself and bring him back."

"The new house should be ready," Tanya said. "The Rangers set it up and moved us in." With Tommy's help, Tanya had found a house to move into with the kids. It would have more room and it wouldn't have the horrible memories or the faint blood stains from where Taylor had nearly died. Tanya had also stepped up to take custody of Liza so she could be with her siblings. It was the lawyer Sage had contacted to help Liza, Sellie Klein, who had insisted on paying for the house. She worked for a huge corporation and did pro bono work to redeem her soul. Sellie worked with abused children and, upon finding out Tanya was caring for a large group of them, she'd taken on her case. After immediately falling in love with Imani, Sellie had insisted on buying them the house, calling it part of her legal strategy. Tanya was fighting hard to keep all of the siblings together, and Liza figured it might not be horrible, although she wasn't used to sharing her home with so many people. She was also a bit concerned that Tanya expected her to do some sort of chores. That was new for her.

"Let me take him... He's not doing well," Liza said. At best, Taylor was currently a shell of himself. At worst, he might actually be heading toward a full-blown catatonic state.

"We'll all go," Tanya said. "Maddie and Angie are exhausted, it's past Mani's bedtime, and I think Tia needs to get away from this place... It's only making her remember who your mom used to be, and it makes her question if she did the right thing. I'll gather the troops. Stay with Taylor."

Liza nodded. A few minutes later, Imani came toward her. A dog followed close behind her. "Rico wants me to get a dog," Imani told her. "Not him. He lives here... But a friend to make me less sad."

The dog rubbed its nose against Imani's arm. "Well, Rico, I guess we'll have to convince Tanya," Liza replied. She paused as the dog began communicating with her. Like everyone else who met little Imani, he was quite attached to her, and he wanted her to be happy. "I'll make it happen," she promised the kindly old dog.

"You can understand him?" Imani asked in shock.

"It runs in the family," Liza said with a smile. To her surprise, Imani flung her arms around her. She decided to indulge the little one and hugged her back.

"How do we get Auntie Tanya to agree?" Imani asked.

"Ask her today," Liza suggested. "There's no way she can tell your cute, dimpled face no when you're so sad."

"In that case... I'm asking for a kitty, too!" Imani said.

Liza laughed. "Oh, you're definitely my sister," she said.

The others finally joined them. Tia looked beyond exhausted and Liza felt bad for her. She might have no attachment to Aisha, but Tia had loved her fiercely. It was cruel that the universe had decided Tia had to be the one to stop her. Liza opened the portal so Tia didn't have to. Her only older sister looked at her and nodded to show her appreciation before stepping through.

The house was perfect. It was big and had rooms for everyone. Sage had even called and asked Troy and David to build a little stable for Winifred the horse, who seemed to have decided she lived wherever Taylor did. Taylor hadn't gone anywhere near her, and he'd freaked out when he saw Imani riding her, but he also hadn't tried to refuse to let the horse stay.

Liza headed to the basement. At Sage's suggestion, Tanya had agreed to turn it into the Sorcery Wing. Angie, Tia, and Liza each had a room down there. The rooms were unpainted, and Liza began using spells to try out different colors on her walls. Angie saw this and smiled before snapping her fingers. Instantly, her bedroom was a brilliant shade of purple.

"Nice," Liza said with a nod before trying out yet another shade of blue. It would be a while before she settled on one. "Are you going to do your room?" She asked Tia.

"That is not an appropriate use of my magic," Tia replied. "I am going to sleep." She closed her door.

"She's having a hard time," Angie said softly.

"She's kind of cold anyway from what I've seen. That girl's got baggage... But she's entitled," Liza said. "Want to be nice to the midgets?"

"What did you have in mind?"

Liza led her upstairs and headed to the room Imani and Tessa shared. They had their own rooms technically, but the two were close, and Tessa was too scared to sleep in her own room, so Tanya had set them up together.

"Do you girls like pink?" Liza asked.

"Yeah!" Imani replied.

"I guess," Tessa said. Tessa seemed to just go along with what other people wanted.

Liza nodded at Angie, who spelled the walls pink. Liza then splashed some rainbows onto the walls, along with clouds, and a unicorn by each of their beds. Finally, she bewitched the ceiling to look like the night sky. It glowed beautifully and she could see Tessa stare at it in wonder.

"Now you'll never be in the dark," she told them. "Should we get Taylor's room?" She asked Angie.

"It's painted. Sage asked Taylor what color he wanted. He likes blue, so he asked for that," Angie said.

"Cool. And Tye?"

"Tye doesn't communicate things like that... But we can ask her tomorrow. Let her rest tonight. She's probably with Taylor. She tends to know when he's upset and she just lays with him and lets him hold her."

"They're twins, right?"

"No. They were conceived a day apart. They were both aged to fifteen. I don't know why our father did that. They're close, though. When he was missing, the only thing Tye would say was his name."

Liza wondered if Zedd had intentionally aged them that way. She couldn't really guess, seeing as how she didn't know him, although she had to admit she was curious about him. She hoped she'd get a chance to learn more now that Sage had saved him.

THE NEXT NIGHT.

TAYLOR

Taylor hadn't spoken, eaten, or even moved much since the funeral. He was in such bad shape, Tye had held him instead of the other way around. Earlier in the day, Josh had come by. Taylor had cried in his arms silently, unable to find enough comfort in anything, even that. Finally, Josh had reluctantly left, obviously upset he couldn't help.

He hurt more than he could process. Taylor found himself doing exactly what he'd promised Caius he wouldn't. He tried not to give in and cut himself, but it was the only thing that provided the slightest bit of relief from the overwhelming emotions he was facing. Emotional pain this extreme was beyond his understanding, but physical pain made sense to him. In making him hurt himself, his mother had taught him a very dangerous coping mechanism.

Everyone else was asleep or not paying attention. Taylor snuck outside and walked into the backyard. Slowly, he walked toward his stalker.

"Hey," he said lamely, finding his voice now that his emotions had been expressed in another way. "Look... I know I haven't been very nice to you... I yell at you, and I tell you to go away, and I treat you like crap... But you keep coming back and I realized... I realized you're just trying to help me, but all I do is hurt you and I'm sorry... Because you're good, Winnie... You're just trying to protect me, and you're good, and I treat you like you're evil... And you don't deserve that... I did to you exactly what... What she did to me... And I'm sorry."

The horse rubbed her nose on his face. He began to pet her, shyly at first, and then he relaxed. There was no reason for him to fear that horse, and he vowed to be nicer to her.

Winifred seemed to be very happy with that. She continued to let Taylor pet her, and when he talked, he felt like she was truly listening. He knew he could tell her anything without fear of being judged, laughed at, or mistreated.

"It's all my fault, Winnie," he told her softly as he began to cry into her fur. "If I hadn't been born, none of this would have happened... But she couldn't love me... And she hurt me... And I was so scared, but still so desperate for her to love me..." He kept talking, pouring his heart out to the horse. He hadn't expected the act of confiding in her to be so comforting. "You'll keep my secrets, right?" He asked. "No telling Mani, or anyone else who can understand you, okay? Promise?" The horse rubbed her nose against his face in response and he took that as a binding agreement. He felt a little bit better by the end of the night.

RITA

She hadn't known what to think when she felt her connection to Zedd shatter. She knew their marriage was somehow null and void, and for a while, she'd feared he was dead. Maybe Zell had found him, removed the immortality curse, and killed him.

Her father had set her straight. "Lord Zedd no longer lives... He has betrayed us and turned good," he told her.

"Daddy, that's impossible," she argued. "Zedd can never be good again. It is his curse."

"The Green Ranger has found a way. The gloriously evil ruler has fallen, Rita. He is gone. Only Xylon's pest of a boy remains. He is a powerful incubus, but no longer on our side. He's a traitor."

"Impossible! Father would never turn good!" Tanner argued as he heard this.

"See for yourself," her father said. That was when he showed them a vision of Zedd with Sage. Rita didn't recognize him. "This is what he looked like before," her father explained.

"Xylon was right," Rita mumbled. "Zedd was handsome." She could hardly believe what she was seeing. Sage led Zedd off of a property she recognized. Her breath caught in her chest. "The farm..." She whispered. That place had been Zordon's home. It had also been the place where she'd lost everything... Her good, her innocence, her love, and her sanity. She knew then that it was true... Her husband was gone. Zedd had been saved, and she was truly alone.

"That traitor!" Tanner shouted. "I will destroy him for this! Father is weak! He was never fit to rule!"

"We finally agree on something," her father said.

"I will destroy him and take his place." Tanner looked at Rita and said, "I can help you, Rita. We can seek revenge together and rule over the empire."

"Touch me and I shall castrate you... And when I do that, it doesn't grow back no matter how strong you are," Rita said firmly. She knew Tanner was pure evil. She also knew he wasn't above trying to force himself on her, but she could handle him. He might have all of Zedd's darkness, but he wasn't as strong as his father. That strength had gone to Taylor, who Rita hadn't minded having around nearly as much as she minded Tanner. The younger boy had never even considered trying to harm her. In fact, he actively avoided her. Rita also found him amusingly snarky, which had endeared him to her more than the other children. She was indifferent toward the girls, if a bit resentful of their existence because of who their mother was, and she hated Tanner, but she'd nearly tolerated Taylor.

"Respect me, Woman! It is I who shall inherit this empire!" Tanner shouted.

Rita laughed at him. "Keep telling yourself that, Tanner. It's good to have fantasies."

"How dare you? I am Tanner, Son of Lord Zedd, and his empire is now mine to command!"

"You're forgetting something, Little Boy. I am Rita Repulsa, the daughter of Master Vile, the infamous space witch, the Empress of Evil, and I possess more power in my pinky than you do in your entire being! I rule this empire, not you, and I decide whether you get to continue to exist in it! Do not push your luck!"

Her father laughed. "That's my girl!" He declared with pride.

Rita smiled, but inside, she was hurting. Zedd was gone. Sure, she'd hated him at first and she'd only married him to get her power back, but over the years, it had been nice to have a companion. She knew Zedd could never love her, but he'd grown genuinely fond of her, and although she didn't feel for him what she felt for Zordon, she had come to love Zedd. It was nice not to be alone in the world... Now that was gone, all because the Green Ranger had done the impossible.

Suddenly, she saw Sage in her head. "Ugh... What do you want?" Rita demanded. "Come to steal someone else's husband? Goldar, maybe?"

"Rita..." Sage began. "I didn't think about what saving Zedd would do to your marriage."

"Too late now. I guess I'm free!"

"I'm sorry, Rita... Really," Sage said.

Rita was surprised. "Why do you care?"

"You're evil, yeah, but just like Zedd, you weren't always. Unlike him, you still hold a little of that good, deep down... And you're Angie's mother. If you get hurt, that hurts her. So I want to help. I'm back in Angel Grove. Will you let me get you somewhere safe?"

"Nowhere is safe. He's everywhere..."

"You mean Zell?"

"Yes! And he'll find me now... Zedd kept me safe, but I have no one now..."

"You have your father. I sent him to protect you under very strict terms... If he violates them, he'll be destroyed."

"He's not enough... He's not at his full power. Zell will destroy him."

"Then let me hide you somewhere... Just for a little while."

Rita wasn't sure if this was a trap, but what did she have to lose? "Okay," she agreed. "For now."

THE NEXT MORNING.

ANGIE

She had never been so nervous in her life. Angie walked into Sage's house and saw a young man sitting on the couch. He looked as nervous as she felt, and she knew that somehow, this was her father. Although he was white, he shared a few striking features with Taylor.

"Angeline..." He said gently.

"Angie," she corrected him cautiously. "...Father."

"You can call me dad if you prefer it," he said, stunning her.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Angie... If you want to, I'm okay with that."

Angie nodded. "So, I agreed to try to see you... But not alone." She motioned toward Thorn, who stood nearby, giving them just enough privacy to talk. The second her father tried anything, he'd be there.

"I don't blame you, Angie..." He sighed. "I am incredibly ashamed of the way I treated you... You have no idea how relieved I am that Taylor stopped me before it went even further."

Angie searched his eyes for a lie. There was no hint of one. "I grew up in foster care and group homes because you and Mom left me on the steps of an orphanage right after I was born. I don't even know for sure what my actual birthday is... On record, it's the day they found me, but the doctors said it could have been the day before."

"It's March sixth," he said, shocking her.

"What?"

"You were born on the sixth of March, sixteen years ago. You were lovely, really... You had all of Rita's best features... Beneath the makeup and that ridiculous hairstyle, your mother is actually quite beautiful. You look like her, but with softer features. The moment I placed you in her arms, she fell in love. I wish I could claim the same, but I was incapable of love... Still, I was quite impressed with you, and if I could have formed that sort of attachment, I would have. Instead, I just knew you were our salvation. Your older brother was an abomination. You, however, were incredible. I knew you were no mistake. I also knew you had to be sent to Earth if we were ever to escape. Your mother agreed, but not for the sake of our freedom... She wanted you to have a fighting chance, Angie... One you'd never have if you were stuck there with us. I sent you away to save us. Rita sent you away because she loved you that much."

Angie stared at him. "And now?" She asked. "Do you want me around now that I'm useless to you?"

"You could never be useless, Angie. I meant it when I said you were perfect... And I am incredibly proud of who you became in spite of having Rita and I as parents."

"You... You're proud of me? I betrayed you."

"And that took so much strength, Angie! You are remarkable. I understand if you never want anything to do with me... I don't deserve to have you in my life after what I did, but I want to make it right. I can finally feel, Angie, and I have nothing but love in my heart for you."

"Love?" She couldn't believe he'd said that word. He'd always acted like it was poisonous to him before.

"Yes, Angie. I love you. I love all of you... Well, except for Tanner. He's everything I hate... Everything my father was... Everything I was... Everything I never wanted to be. A true monster."

"You're not wrong." She looked at him. "It's hard for me to trust you... Growing up in the system meant I got hurt... A lot. And when Merkhet promised to reunite me with my parents, I wanted to believe you guys were just misunderstood... That you could save me... That you might actually love me... But then, you tried to... To..." She started to cry. Once she began, she couldn't stop. To her complete shock, her father pulled her into his arms. They didn't feel threatening. They were gentle and comforting, and Angie knew that this man and the one who'd tried to do horrible things to her were not the same person.

"I am so sorry, Angie... I couldn't care... I just felt rage... And I will never forgive myself for putting my own children through the same things my father put me through... But I love you, and if you need me, I am here. I swear to you..." He was sending soothing energy into her the same way Taylor tended to do.

Angie surprised herself when she willingly curled up on him. She allowed him to soothe her a bit more before she said, "You get one chance... Dad. That's it. If you show me you've really changed, we can be in each other's lives. If not... I'll hurt you in ways you didn't know I could."

"I believe that... And that's fair. Thank you, Angie. You have no idea what it means to me that you're giving me a second chance."

She nodded. "I should go," she said. "Thank you... For the hug."

"Anytime."

Angie left the house and headed home. She had no idea what would come of it, but for just this one moment, she finally had a father.

TAYLOR

He was sitting in the backyard with Winifred when Sage walked in. "Hey, Taylor," she said gently. "This is the last thing I expected to find you doing."

He shrugged. "I realized I was being unfair to her," Taylor replied.

"Maybe you should try riding her."

Taylor felt panic hit him. "No... No way. I'll pet her and feed her and all of that, but there's no way I'm riding her."

"You know she won't hurt you. What are you so afraid of?"

"If I were meant to be that high up, I'd have wings."

Sage looked surprised. "You're afraid of heights?"

"No... I just like having two feet on the ground."

"Taylor, it's nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of people are afraid of heights."

"Do a lot of people have that fear because they almost fell to their death when they were about two weeks old?"

"What happened?"

"I pissed my dad off... I don't even remember how... And he suspended me above this endless pit... My arms were bound above my head and I just dangled there for days... I was dying. My incubus side hadn't been fed, and I was weak, and I needed real food, too... And the ropes... The ropes almost gave..." He shuddered at the memory. He was violently trembling when Sage gently touched his arm.

"You're safe," she reminded him. "And the monster who did that to you is dead... Zedd's different now. He hates what he put you all through. He wants to make it right. I actually came here to try to explain that to Tye."

"I'm guessing she freaked."

"She started sucking her thumb and rocking. I backed off. She's confused... Your dad's supposed to be evil and cruel, but your mom was supposed to be good, and Tye can't understand how they switched roles... She thinks no one's good now. She needs time, but I think I can help her." She paused. "I'd heard you weren't talking."

"I wasn't... Not until I did something you won't like... But I had to. I can't freak out and break, or social services will take us away and I know what happened to Josh and Angie in the system... I refuse to be the reason it happens to anyone else in my family."

"What did you do?" He sighed and showed her his arm. "Oh, Taylor... You can't hurt yourself."

"I can't stop... It's the only thing that helps, Sage. I hurt all the time... But this makes it easier to deal with."

"I know you hurt, and I know you think this helps, but the pain comes back."

Taylor felt tears in his eyes and hated that he couldn't hide them. "I need help, Sage... I don't know how to do this."

"Then we'll get you help... Okay?"

"I think... I think I want to see my dad... Which is crazy and fucked-up, but he's the only one who might understand me..."

Sage gently took his hand. "Zedd wants to be here for you, Taylor. It's not crazy. You're still so new to existing... You need a parent, and that's okay. I can bring you to him if you want."

Taylor nodded. "Please," he said. He was scared, but he knew his father wouldn't hurt him. He'd shown him that much while he was still evil.

"Okay," Sage promised. "And I want you to try something... A team building exercise. We'll include the Rangers and the Chosen."

"I'm still not up to socializing much."

"This would be different... I want us to try a ropes course."

"What's that?"

"It involves heights... But it will help you conquer your fear, and you know none of us will let you fall."

"You want me to do something high up involving ropes? Sage, I can't. You know why."

"I know you can do this, Taylor. You just need to prove it to yourself."

He sighed. "Fine... For you."

"Come on. I'll bring you to see your father."

They headed to Sage's house, where his father was staying. Taylor stared in shock at his father. "Wow..." He mumbled. "You're a hell of a healer, Sage."

"Do you want me to stay?" Sage asked.

"No," Taylor said. "I know he won't hurt me."

Sage nodded and left them alone. "Taylor..." His father began.

"Don't," Taylor said. He looked into his father's eyes and asked the question he needed to ask. "Is it my fault?"

"No," his father replied firmly, somehow knowing what Taylor meant. "Not a single bit of this is your fault, Taylor. You didn't ask to be born."

Taylor nodded. He sighed and said, "I feel like it is... Like I screw things up... I hurt people."

"You hurt people to protect your mother and sisters. You hurt people because I made you... And I am so sorry, Taylor... I was especially cruel to you because..."

"Because I'm exactly like you?"

"No, my dear boy... You are so much better." He stepped closer to Taylor cautiously. When Taylor didn't run, he put a gentle hand on his back.

"I just wanted her to love me," Taylor whispered. He started to cry, unable to keep it in.

His father reacted by hugging him. Taylor's mind told him to stiffen or to run, but the hug was too comforting. He wasn't ashamed to cry in front of his father, and that was a first. Even when he cried in front of Josh, he hated himself for it.

"I am so sorry for everything I put you through... And for everything Aisha did to you... You didn't deserve any of it," his father said. Taylor was startled when a tear landed on his head and he realized his father was crying, too. Sage was right. This was not the monster who'd hurt him and everyone he cared about.

"Dad... I'm scared," Taylor admitted.

"Of me?" His father asked.

"Not as much as I should be, no... I'm scared of... Of this... All of it. Mom's dead... A maniac is after me and my friends just because we were born. I feel like I constantly have to prove I'm not evil... And I hurt... More than I can understand. Like, I had no idea it was possible to feel this shitty... I just want it to stop, and the only thing that stops it is this." He showed his father the cuts he'd made.

"Taylor..." His father sighed. "That's not a solution. You have to talk about what's going on in your head."

"To who? Who the hell would believe me or understand? And if they believed me, they might just be afraid of me... I don't want to be a monster... I'm just a teenager who was born a couple of months ago and nothing makes sense to me, but I'm trying... I'm trying really hard."

"You can talk to me," his father said almost shyly. "I owe you that... And I know your mother didn't love you, Taylor... But now that I'm me again, I do."

Taylor refused to admit how much hearing that meant to him. Instead, he asked, "If I talk to you, is it just between us?"

"Absolutely. I will be here for you if you let me. My father treated me as I used to treat all of you... But I refuse to be like him anymore. Please let me help. I understand you, Taylor. You and I share a bond I don't have with the others... You are my light."

"I'm your son."

"Yes... And you're also my hope, Taylor. From the moment you were born, I began to remember who I once was... And I firmly believe your existence is the only reason Sage was able to save me."

Taylor was suddenly exhausted. He let the last of his guard down, and the next thing he knew, he'd curled up on his father. He drifted off to sleep in his father's arms, finally releasing the last of what he'd been holding in.

BILLY

He got the phone call right after they finished dinner. "Sellie has been unbelievably helpful," Penny told him. "She pushed the paperwork through."

"Meaning what?" Billy asked. Penny had told him that coming back from the dead legally could take a few years. Sellie Klein, a hotshot lawyer that Sage had recently befriended and begun working with to help Liza with any and all legal issues, had offered to help. Sellie was known for never losing cases and she had so many connections she was able to get things done quickly.

"Meaning you're back, Billy!" Penny said excitedly. "You're alive!"

"Wait, so... So I can get custody of Josh back?"

"Yes. I've already got that paperwork in. You'll need to talk with social services, but as far as they know, you were kidnapped for three years and escaped, and you already passed the psychiatric evaluation I sent you for."

"They didn't question that?"

"It's Angel Grove. People get abducted by monsters every day. Lieutenant Stone backed up the claim, and your DNA proves you are who you say you are."

"And I can testify to free Bulk?"

"Absolutely. You can also buy a house or a car... You can drive a car... You're free to live your life, Billy. Congratulations!"

Billy thanked her before hanging up. "Dad? Is everything okay?" Josh asked.

"You look pale, Billy," Kimberly added with concern.

"Give me a break," Billy said. "I just came back from the dead."

Kimberly squealed and flung her arms around him. "It went through?" Josh asked.

"It went through," Billy confirmed.

"So... So you can file for custody?"

"My lawyer already did. And with both Penny and Sellie on our side, I'm confident custody will be restored to me."

Josh looked like he might cry. Billy pulled his son into his arms. "It's over, Josh," he promised. "We're going to be a family again."

He'd never felt so relieved before. Finally, he and Josh might actually be able to move forward with their lives. It was a step he'd been terrified they wouldn't be able to take.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sellie is a character I borrowed from my wrestling fanfiction. (The "evil corporation" she works for is actually the WWE, LOL.) On a related note, I would like to specifically mention that the character of Casey was introduced to me by my Muse, whose name on fanfiction.net is Aura Mackenzie. You should check out her fics. She also introduced me to a character who will be coming in soon, Lucy. I just wanted to give credit where credit is due and thank her for the constant inspiration. She was insanely awesome with helping me work out some of the details and plot points in this fic. Anyway, there's still more to come!