The wreckage of another one of King Mondo's monsters littered the downtown area of Angel Grove, California. The civilians didn't notice the six streaks of colored light arch across the sky. Nor did they hear the argument between the Gold and Red Zeo Rangers.

"You should go to a doctor and have that checked out, bro." Gold said.

"NO! I'm fine!" Red edged away nervously. "Let's get back to the Power Chamber." He suggested.

The Rangers vanished from Angel Grove. Billy Cranston, the one time Blue Ranger sighed as his friends teleported in. They deMorphed the moment they rematerialized in the Power Chamber. Tommy had taken a serious blow to his side during the fight. Blood mixed with the Red of his shirt. Billy shook his head as the argument started up again. Jason, the Gold Zeo Ranger, wanted his leader and friend to go to the hospital while Tommy said that he was fine and didn't need to go to the hospital, thank you very much. Tommy had a serious phobia against doctors and hospitals. Jason wasn't in the mood to argue. He grabbed his friend and teleported out. The Rangers followed him. Billy sighed yet again and teleported home.

[THE CRANSTON HOME]

Billy flopped down on his bed and hugged his teddy bear, Einstein, tight. His father and step mother were out. "Looks like it's just you and me, Einey." Billy told his bear. "Well, it happened again." He buried his face into Einey's chest. "It was like I wasn't there. Oh, I know that they were worried because Tommy was hurt and fighting them about going to the doctor's, but still..." Billy wiped away the tears that started to fall. "I wish I knew if all my efforts were for naught. It's like I'm not there or something. Just because I don't have my Powers any more..." He bit his lip. "It's not bloody contagious!" He wailed. Einey laid in Billy's arms, offering silent comfort to the distraught genius. The teddy bear let Billy take out his anger and tears on him, waiting for the former Blue Ranger to fall asleep. No one would notice the teddy bear tears mixed in with Billy's.

[OLIVER HOUSE, SEVERAL HOURS LATER]

Tommy sulked in his room. He had gone to the doctor's and gotten twenty stitches in his side and a shot with a large needle. He was mad at Jason for sitting on him while the doctor worked on him. The Red Zeo Ranger also noticed the way Billy had been acting lately in the Power Chamber.

"I guess I have been neglecting him lately." Tommy mentioned to his white cat, Snowy. Snowy looked up at Tommy with one eye opened.

"Merroow." Snowy commented, then fell back asleep on Tommy's pillow.

"Thanks for listening." Tommy said wryly. He carefully got up from his bed and stiffly made his way to his desk. There he took out a sheet of his good paper and a fountain pen. The paper and pen had his initials on them and were of the highest quality. They had been a Christmas present from Kimberly over a year ago. He forced thoughts of Kimberly from his mind and concentrated on what he was writing. After half an hour of writing, he folded up the paper and slipped it into an matching envelope. He briefly wrote something on the front, then activated his communicator.

"Zordon, could you do me a small favor?" He asked when Zordon answered.

[THE CRANSTON HOUSE]

Billy was jerked out of his sound sleep by a flash of Red Light. "Tommy?" He murmured. He looked around. There was no one in his room. "Huh. Must have dreamed it." He commented to Einey. Just then, he saw the letter on his night stand. He reconized the mint green parchment. Written in Tommy's careful script was

"Billy Cranston" and at the bottom "(Teleporting sure beats paying thirty-two cents for a stamp! And, it's quicker too!=)"

Billy rolled his eyes. "Typical Tommy!" He couldn't help but laugh. Then, he opened the envelope. Inside was more mint green stationary. Billy carefully unfolded the elegant parchment. Tears started to fall out of his eyes as he read what Tommy had written.

"Billy,

I know that you've been feeling that we don't care about you or what you've done for the Rangers. Nothing could be farthest from the truth. Every night I thank what ever gods that are out there that you are a part of the Rangers. That's right, Billy. You are still an important part of the team.

Just because you no longer go out into battle isn't important to me. You've done soo much in the Power Chamber. I mean, who else could build the Zeo Zords, the Red Battle Zord, those awesome Zeo Jet Cycles (and you don't nag when my lead foot gets the better of me!:) and keep all of them running in tip top condition, despite the pounding they take in battle. I know we are not easy on those Zords! *sheepish grin* Why do you think that YOU are my second in command, instead of Adam or Rocky? I trust you and your judgement under fire. You've been a Ranger longer than any of us, Billy. Your Ranger "career" (for lack of a better word.) doesn't end just because you no longer wear a uniform or go into battle. I learned that when I lost my Powers.

Which brings me to another point, I know what it's like to loose Powers and I guess that seeing it happen to you, despite the circumstances being different, did bring back some bad memories. I'm sorry if I ignored you at first, but I had to......I dunno, I had to deal with it. It was like I was expecting to loose MY Powers again and I knew that I couldn't deal with that. Billy, you are far braver than I. I always left town and sulked when my Powers were gone. You've stayed and proven yourself again to be just as important to me and the rest of the team as just Billy Cranston as you were as the Blue Ranger. (Proud of me for not using your FULL name?;}

Please, Billy, don't ever think that we have stopped caring about you. We Rangers love you (that right, I used the word love.) very much and you are a member of the team we can not bare (bear?) to loose.

I must go now since Snowy is being bad and is trying to take my pen. Sorry if this last part is illegible, but Snowy's penmanship is awful!=)

Your Friend,
Tommy."

Billy wiped the tears from his eyes. "Look, Einey." He whispered to his teddy bear. Then, Billy folded up the letter as small as possible and stuffed it inside Einey. "You'll keep that safe for me, right Einey?" Then, Billy pulled out his table and started writing...