"I can't believe we're all back together," Jason said, glancing from one to the other of his friends. Himself, Zack, Kimberly, Aisha, his brother Kyle, Billy, and Trini. A team again, though he'd never served on a Ranger squadron that had Aisha or Kyle; indeed Kyle himself had never been a Ranger. But all the others, the other originals. . .it was just right that they all be back together again. "It's like a dream come true."

"With a fairly decent nightmare to come before it," Kyle said dryly, sipping at his smoothie some. Everyone but Aisha nodded who was there, she was the only one who hadn't been present during the debacle with the Avatar of Evil, the essence of hate and filth that had invaded the body of the new Avatar of Good, and brought about the new age of the Avatars.

"Well, at least that's over with now," the ever optimistic former Yellow Ranger and new Avatar of Magic reminded him. It hadn't taken her long to get back to Angel Grove after her ascension to the power, especially since with her powers she could do quite a few things that, in the words of Billy, defied science to the point of breaking it.

Billy and Trini were the only two of the Avatars who weren't with them at that moment, and no one had seen Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Kat, and Tanya all day. Of course, the reason for that was playing on the small TV Ernie kept in the Youth Center, as the Zeo Rangers trounced around one of Mondo's monsters.

I wonder if we're going to be needed to help? Jason thought, glancing over casually to see Zeo Ranger I taking a fairly nasty hit from the monster. Yeesh. Hope Kat's okay. He had no intentions of telling her, but he found the current Pink Ranger very attractive. It's probably just a holdover from your crush on Kim, he told himself logically. Remember, you thought she looked fantastic in pink spandex too. And even before that.

He glanced over at the Avatar of Water, who was watching the fight much more openly than he was, and looked about ten times more worried when Tommy hit the pavement rather hard. The two of them are going to make a great pair of parents one day, he thought to himself. Trying to get their minds off what was going on with the Rangers, he cleared his throat a little to get attention.

"Has anyone seen Trini and Billy?" he asked casually. Heads were shaken all around, and he frowned just for a moment. Luckily for his peace of mind, being the Avatar of Spirit gave him some advantages. He closed his eyes, reaching out quickly to touch two minds that pulsed with power like his own. The minute he realized what they were both thinking about, he pulled back, a blush on his cheeks. "Um.. .don't worry about them," he said. "They're fine. Just fine."

And more he would not say.

That was more or less what was going on in the park between Billy and Trini: nothing was being said. The two of them simply sat side by side on a small hilltop, looking at the park, the lake, anywhere but at each other.

"So, everyone has powers now," she said softly, trying to make something like conversation. Billy nodded; the vision he'd had just prior to their meeting with Aisha in Africa was still with him.

"Of some sort," he replied, looking up to see the battle with Mondo's monster had escalated to the point of using the Zords. "I'm going to need some help repairing Zeo Zord Three it looks like," he said clinically. "Rocky's taking some nasty hits there."

She nodded patiently. "I'll give you a hand," she suggested, a hint of fire dancing on the tip of one finger. "I'm pretty good as a welder these days."

Billy couldn't help but giggle a little. He had to admit he was guilty of using his powers for 'mundane' things, since they had no rules against doing it anymore, unlike when they were Rangers. He'd flown more places than he'd teleported or walked lately, and the other day when a batch of Cogs had attacked him, he hadn't had the slightest qualms about blowing them apart: literally.

"Thanks," he said, turning to face her as he spoke. She was turning to face him even as he did so, with the end result being the two of them were staring into each other's faces with less than a quarter inch between them.

Billy reacted almost out of sheer instinct; he moved back almost a foot, and flushed so red it was amazing he didn't light up the shadows. What in the world was that!? I didn't mean to get so close to her! I shouldn't have even come out here with her. ..but. . .

Trini flinched back just a little as Billy moved away from her. Wonderful. Just what I always wanted; to have Billy so nervous he's about ready to have a fatal heart attack. This guy faces down Cogs, Tengas, Putties, monsters, Rita, Zedd, the Dark Avatar, and who knows what else and doesn't blink an eye. I come within a second and a half of kissing him and he almost dies! A light frown formed between her eyebrows. Well, I'm not going to let this chance slip away like I did before I went to Switzerland.

"Billy," she said softly, turning to him and taking his hand in hers before he could move it away. "Ever since I saw you I have loved you, and it has only gotten stronger since we became Rangers. When I left for Switzerland, I thought I'd lost my chance at you forever. Richie was just a crush. You are my true love, and always will be. Whatever makes you happy, even if it's someone else, is what I want, and I just wanted you to know that."

The Avatar of Wind's eyes went wide as he heard that, and his hand clenched tightly around hers. Even as she had spoken, and the words had sank into his mind and heart, he had known something. Not only did she love him. . .he loved her. He slowly pulled her closer to him, looking in her eyes and ignoring the shyness that was threatening to overwhelm him. "I love you, Trini," he whispered, letting himself say the words for the very first time. "I will always love you, forever and always. When you went to Switzerland, I spent almost three days depressed because I thought I would never see you again, and when you came back it was a real dream come true. It is the greatest honor of my life to serve beside you, be it as Ranger or Avatar or Sunday school teacher. I love you, Trini Kwan, and will and have for all time."

Once again they moved closer together, their fingers interlacing tenderly. This time, however, they didn't move back when their lips drew together. This time, their lips met in a deep, true, passionate kiss that was hotter than Trini's hottest fire and fanned the flames of love higher than the most powerful wind Billy could conjure up.

Behind them, as the Zeo Rangers destroyed Mondo's latest monster, Adam chuckled a little as his scanners picked up the embrace. "Hey, look, guys," he grinned. "Trini and Billy finally got around to admitting it, it looks like!"

None of them could resist the voyeuristic thrill they got from peeking at their friends' kiss, until finally Tommy cleared his throat a little. "Come on, guys, we can grill them about their love life later," he smiled quietly as they teleported out and away. And that means they're not going to be grilling me on MINE!

In the Youth Center, all the Avatars suddenly stopped whatever it was they were doing, as a wave of purest love and desire swept over them all. Kyle's face turned beet red, Jason coughed hard, Kim wished with all her heart Tommy was there, Aisha flushed from her head to her feet, and Zack almost had heart failure with the intensity of it.

"You know, this connection all of us have could be a nuisance at times," the Avatar of Good muttered just loud enough for the others to hear it. His comment lacked a great deal of the bite it might have had if that link hadn't been what had contributed to his own saving from the Avatar of Evil, but everyone else seemed to agree.

"I know what you mean," Aisha whispered, glad she'd been able to stop her smoothie from falling right into Zack's lap. He's just about the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. Didn't get a chance to see much of him before he and Jason and Trini went to Switzerland. But now we're back on the team. . .well, a team at least. . .I wonder. . .

She didn't say anything, though. The young Avatar was still reeling somewhat from the new power pulsing through her entire body, and she wanted some time to recover. Maybe after that she'd do something about it. . .

Her eyes jerked up almost of their own will, and spied a sign on a wall. She smiled faintly. Maybe there is such a thing as destiny after all, she thought. Clearing her throat lightly, she caught the attention of everyone else. "Hey, look, guys! Ernie's having a dance here tomorrow night!"

Everyone looked around at the poster she was pointing at, and smiled. Kim quickly made a note to ask Tommy about it when he and the others got back in from their battle, which they should be at any moment. It had been a long time since they'd been to a dance together at Ernie's, and she had just the perfect dress in mind. ..

The two Avatars moved back just the tiniest bit, aware at some level the effect their emotions were having on their other teammates, and that the Rangers had hung around after the fight just a little bit too long. Trini smiled faintly.

"I've wanted to do that for a very long time," Billy whispered as he squeezed her hand gently. "Ever since I saw you, I think."

"I know," Trini smiled again, warmly. "I've always loved you, Billy."

He blushed just a little, then glanced up to the sky. Something was whispering in the back of his mind, and he looked back at her. "Trini," he said quietly. "You know how your powers work, right?"

"Yes," she looked a bit concerned at the change of topic. "I just know how to do things, like with our old powers."

"You've seen me change," he referred to his shapechanging to an eagle. "I know how to. ..if you want. ..make you one too, so we can fly together. .."

Trini's eyes widened with joy; her method of travel was far flashier than Billy's simple transformation into an avian form; she literally appeared and disappeared in flames. "To fly. . .," she whispered. She'd been afraid of heights once, but the flight to Switzerland had caused her to prove to herself that she was over that. "Yes, Billy. I'd like that."

The Avatar of Wind closed his eyes for a moment, calling up the power and shaping it to his desire, on both his form and hers. In a moment, two eagles stood where Trini and Billy had, one with warm blue eyes, the other with dark eyes. Side by side, they launched into the skies, winging their way over Angel Grove in a mating dance as old as time itself.

Below them, not seen by them or noticed in any way by anyone, two figures watched quietly. "They rejoice in their power and their love," one of them said quietly.

"As well they should," the other stated. "It is almost time for the others to join them."

"They have time," the first reminded his companion. "Not much, as we reckon it. But enough for love and peace, by their terms."

The second nodded, her eyes hadn't left the ones above. "And when it is time, they will be ready. They are the Power Rangers. They are the Avatars of Life. And together, they will stand against that which is to come."

There was silence for a time, then the first spoke again. "Will they win?"

"I don't know, my friend. I truly do not know."