Part 8

"She's asleep." Leo said as he walked into the living room.

Kendrix was sitting on the couch deep in thought. She looked up at the sound of Leo's voice.

"That's good." Kendrix sighed. Leo sat next to her on the couch. His arm gently slipped behind her and pulled her into a hug. *Why does this feel so right? He hurt me! Then again I hurt him by leaving. Maybe, just maybe, we are meant for each other. Sadly we will never know.*

"Keni?" Leo's whispered against her ear. She smiled at the feel of his breath on her skin.

"Yes Leo?"

"Will you marry me?" Leo asked. Kendrix pulled away from him. Her brown eyes meet with emerald green eyes.

"Leo, how can you ask me that?" She had wanted to scream 'Yes!' but for some unknown reason that word did not fall from her lips. Leo looked hurt.

"I was going to ask you that before you left Keni." He lowered his head as he spoke. He stood from the couch and walked over to the mantle where a picture of himself and his beloved Kendrix sat. He reached behind the frame and pulled out a small velvet box. "I had bought this three days before you left here." Leo said walking back to Kendrix. He opened the box and handed it to Kendrix.

"Oh my! Leo!" Kendrix could barely speak as she set her eyes on the princess cut diamond set in platinum. She felt the tears well up as she looked from the ring to Leo. "Are you sure? I mean I won't..." She trailed off.

Leo smiled one of his million dollar smiles. Kendrix felt the butterflies in her stomach. His smiles always did that to her. "We can get married this weekend. After all it is Tuesday. Your friends aren't going home till next Monday so they can be here. I can get one of the judges to marry us. Maya can help you pick out a dress, or your friends Kat and Kim can help, which ever you like. I've got this all planned." Leo's grin widened.

Kendrix leapt off the couch and into Leo's arms. She kissed him passionately, not much unlike she used to six years ago. "Does that mean yes?" Leo teased.

"Of course it means yes. I love you. Always have, always will." Kendrix kissed him once again. Leo took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger.

"I knew that someday you would come home to me. This is where you belong Keni." Leo said as he kissed her. "I would rather be married to you for five minutes, than be married to anyone else for a life time."

As Leo went in for yet another kiss, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Leo looked annoyed as he let go of Kendrix and walked over to the door. "Maya! Damon!" Kendrix heard Leo call from the doorway. "what are you two doing here so late? Who's with the kids?"

"Chill man, Maya has something to tell you and Kendrix." Damon said defensively. "Jaron and Mikayla are with Jera."

"Well, come on in." Leo stepped aside to allow the two visitors into his small apartment. Kendrix had already resumed her spot on the couch. Damon sat in the recliner and Maya on the arm of the chair. Leo slid into the seat next to Kendrix.

"So what is it you have to tell us?" Leo questioned.

"I have a solution to our problem." Maya grinned. Kendrix cocked her head in interest. "I was speaking with the galactabeasts today and the wild cat informed me of an old ledged. Jera helped me to figure out what it was."

"Go on, you have my attention." Kendrix assured her.

"The legend says 'In order to save the kitten, five times the pink is needed. Together they must seek out the sword of savage intent.' Jera helped me to make sense of it. Kendrix you are the kitten. We need five pink rangers, I'm not sure if it mean five including you or five others. Also we need the savage sword." Kendrix cringed at the name of the sword. After a moment she let out a snort.

"What was that for Kendrix?" Damon asked. Kendrix laughed.

"The irony of it all. The savage sword is the cause of my 'death' and now it is the thing that can save my life." Kendrix explained.

"Well do you want to give it a shot?" Maya asked. Kendrix nodded.

"I'm willing to walk through fire right now." She replied as Leo took her hand.

"Great! Now we need some pink rangers. I know Cassie and Dana would help in a heartbeat."

"How about Karone?" Damon asked.

"I don't know if she'll work. Kendrix is the rightful pink ranger and they can't both use the power. We'll keep her in reserve just in case though." Maya replied. "No offense to Karone though."

"I know two more." Kendrix said. Damon and Maya looked confused. Leo already knew who she was talking about. “Kimberly and Katherine."

"Those two were rangers?” Damon remarked.

"Yes, Kimberly was the first pink ranger. Katherine took her place. Kat was also the pink zeo ranger and the original turbo ranger. She passed her powers onto Cassie. Although they don't know that I know Cassie."

"Wow, it's a small universe after all." Maya replied to which Damon, Kendrix, and Leo burst out laughing. "What? Did I say something?"

"I'll tell ya later babe." Damon said through his laughter.

"You better, I want to know what is so funny." Maya scolded Damon.

"Well, It's only 10:30. I'm sure Kim and Kat are still up. I'll give them a call. See if they can come over here." Leo's eyes widened. "What?"

"My place isn't big enough Keni." Leo explained. "We can wait till morning and met them at the park or something."

"Oh good plan." Kendrix replied. "We can contact the other girls in the morning too."

"Well, then Damon and I should be going to home then." Maya suggested as she and Damon stood. The phone suddenly rang. Leo went to answer it.

"Hello. Mike!... You where?!... That's great!... Call me as soon as you know... Sure I'll wake up... Great...Congrats Mike... Bye" Leo hung up the phone.

"What's going on Leo?" Kendrix asked.

"Tiffany went into labor. She hasn't delivered yet, but she's close." Leo said excitedly.

"That's great." Damon said.

"Poor Tiff." Maya replied. Kendrix nodded.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked.

"Try being in labor for more than two minutes. It's like going to hell and back again." Kendrix replied. "The end of it is great, you have your baby."

"Yeah I guess your right, Maya cried the whole time." Damon replied. Maya just glared.

"Well anyway, Mike said he would call me as soon as the baby is born. I can't wait to find out if it is a boy or a girl." Leo said excitedly.

"Man this day is looking up and up." Damon said. The others agreed.

"Well, I suppose that we should get going. Get some sleep you two. We'll be back in the morning to get hold of those women." Maya said taking Damon's hand.

"Sounds good. Good night Maya. Night Damon." Kendrix said as she gave Maya a light hug. Leo waved to them as they let themselves out of Leo's small apartment.

"Keni! You didn't even tell Maya about us!" Leo teased. Kendrix looked at him and smiled.

"I was too excited about what she was telling me to think about telling her. God, just think Leo, if this actually works..." She smiled even bigger.

"Does this mean that if this works you will stay here with me?" Leo asked. Kendrix nodded happily. Leo went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his forehead to hers. "I don’t' ever want to loose you again."

"I feel the same way." Kendrix said. She pressed her lips to his. Leo finally pulled away from her long enough to throw some blankets and pillows out on the floor. "You think I am going to sleep on the floor?"

"Well, Jessica is already asleep on the only bed. I guess you can sleep on the couch." Kendrix laughed. "What's so funny?"

"This is the couch I picked out. You don't have any idea what it is do you?"

"No." He watched as Kendrix pulled the cushions off and pulled on a bar. After a little bit of pulling Kendrix was sitting on a bed. "Why didn't I know that?" Leo scolded himself.

"We never had any need for it when we lived together."

"So, is it okay for me to share this make shift bed with you?" Kendrix smiled as she stood up and grabbed his hands. He pushed him onto the bed and kissed him passionately. "I take that as a yes."

"Take it however you like." Kendrix teased before kissing him again.

"Hmmm... Leo the phone." Kendrix said sleepily. Leo mumbled something that Kendrix was sure she didn't want to hear. He reached past her and grabbed the phone off the coffee table.

"Hello?...Mike! Hey!... A boy?!.... Congratulations Bro... So is he Mikey Jr.?... that a good name... yeah, we'll come see you tomorrow sometime... Yeah, see you tomorrow. Bye." Leo hung up the phone.

"Tiff had the baby?" Kendrix said without opening her eyes.

"Yeah baby boy."

"I heard that. What did they name him?"

"David Bernard Corbett."

"Bernard?"

"Tiff's dad's name"

"Ahhh, so they named him after the grandfathers." Kendrix said remembering that Leo's father was named David.

"Yup."

"We'll go see them tomorrow then?"

"Yeah that's what I told Mike."

"Jessica has always wanted a baby around. She couldn't wait for Tanya and Adam's baby to be born. They promised her that she could be the big sister to their baby. She was so excited."

"She wants a baby sister or brother huh?" Leo replied Kendrix simply nodded before letting out a yawn and drifting off the sleep again. *Yet another reason Jessica and Kendrix might stay in Angel Grove.* Leo thought before he himself too drifted off to sleep again.

Leo woke to the smell of bacon and eggs. "Mmmmm... what is that heavenly scent?" Leo asked without opening his eyes.

"Mommy's making breakfast." Jessica said sliding onto the bed next to her father. Leo opened his eyes to see his little girl staring at him. "Do you like scrambled eggs?"

"I love 'em" He replied before reached over and pulling his daughter to him. He kissed her forehead. The little girl laughed.

"Daddy you face is all scratchy." She giggled.

"Hmmm, I suppose I should go shave real quick." He sat up. Jessica moved to sit in his lap.

"Daddy?"

"Yes pumpkin?"

"Do you love me?" Leo looked down at the little girl. She looked so much like him.

"With all my heart baby." Leo responded. Jessica wrapped her little arms around his neck. She kissed his scratchy cheek.

"I love you too Daddy!"

"Honey, your eggs are ready." Kendrix called from the small kitchen. "Yours too Leo."

"Great!" both Leo and Jessica called as they got off the bed. They walked to the table together. Kendrix had set the table for three. There was bacon on a plate in the middle. Two plates had scrambled eggs and the third had over easy. A bottle of ketchup and a jar of salsa sat on the table too.

"Just the way I like breakfast." Leo said kissing Kendrix's cheek.

"Leo, honey, I think you need to shave." Kendrix teased as she sat down. Leo just grinned as he sat down too. He put some ketchup and salsa on his eggs and grabbed a few sliced of bacon. He was surprised to see Jessica ate her eggs the same way.

"You like your eggs just like me!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Well if there was ever any doubt to you being her father, her eating habits will chase that away." Kendrix laughed. "She likes a lot of strange things just like you."

"Really?" Leo grinned. "Hey Jess, do you like peanut butter and pickles on your sandwiches too?"

"Oh boy! That's my favorite!" Jessica replied. "Can we have that for lunch?"

"Yeah, I have lots of pickles and lots of peanut butter. We can go get some bread after breakfast."

"Mommy and I already got some bread." Jessica explained. Leo looked up at Kendrix.

"Jessica and I are used to being up between five and six everyday." Kendrix explained. "We were both up and went shopping. You didn't have anything." She said gesturing to the bacon.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to go shopping this week." Leo admitted as he scooped another mouthful of eggs into his mouth.

"Mommy, can you call me Jess like Daddy does?" Jessica asked. Kendrix looked right at Leo.

"We'll see."

"Okay." She replied shoveling the last of her eggs into her mouth. "Mommy, where is the dishwasher?"

"There isn't one here baby, can you rinse off your plate and leave it in the sink?"

"Yes Mommy."

"Just pull your chair over there and stand on it." Kendrix said. Leo stood.

"I can take your plate for you Jess."

"No, let her do it Leo." Kendrix cut in. Jessica looked between her parents not sure if she should pull the chair over the sink or leave the plate at the table.

"Keni, this is my place and I say that I can take Jess' plate for her. Go ahead and go watch some TV baby." Leo said. He took the plate from Jessica and walked over to the sink. Jessica looked up at her mother and scampered off to the living room before she could say anything. Kendrix took a deep breath in before she could yell at Leo. She calmly walked over to Leo at the sink.

"Leo, you can't change the way I have been parenting her. And please don't call her Jess. Her name is Jessica."

"Keni, she is a little kid. Don't force her to be a grown up. She needs to have a childhood."

"Leo, don't tell me how to be a parent. I have been doing a good job for almost six years." Kendrix replied angrily. "You've been a parent for what, twenty-four hours or so."

"In case you have forgotten, you didn't tell me a was a parent till about twenty-four hours ago." Leo turned to Kendrix quickly. His green eyes flaming.

"Well you chased me off!"

"I did not! You left of your own free will! I asked you to stay!"

"Stop Yelling!" Jessica cried. She was standing next to the table crying. Kendrix gave Leo a dirty glare and rushed to her daughters side.

"I'm so sorry Jessica. I didn't mean to yell."

"Do you two yell all the time? That's what you did yesterday at Uncle Mike's" Jessica pointed out still crying. Kendrix wiped the tears away from Jessica's emerald green eyes.

"No baby we don't always yell. We just.... We had a disagreement. You remember when I told you about being mad at someone?" Jessica nodded. "Daddy's and my disagreement was making both of mad. We didn't mean to yell. I'm sorry we scared you baby." Jessica nodded her head again and hugged her mother. "Now go watch TV, Daddy and I will say our sorry's and make up okay?"

"Okay." Jessica agreed and went back to the TV. Kendrix stood and looked at Leo.

"We really need to sit down and come to some agreements, but without Jessica being around." Kendrix suggested.

"She can go with Kai and Hannah or Maya and Damon." Leo suggested.

"I think maybe Jason and Tommy would be a better choice. She knows them better." Kendrix said.

"I thought we were all your friends here. Why wouldn't you trust them with Jessica."

"I didn't say I didn't trust them. Jessica doesn’t' know them, I do!" Kendrix shot back. "I just suggested Tommy and Jason because she has been around them since she was born. Besides I need Maya with me to explain things to Kat and Kim and the other girls."

"Fine, you win." Leo slumped down into a chair.

"Is everything a contest for you?" Kendrix nagged. Leo rolled his eyes.

"When did you become so uptight again. I thought we had loosened you up before you left again."

"I become so 'uptight' as you put it, when I become a single mother." Kendrix snapped. She had her back to Leo so he didn't see the look of regret on her face. She didn't like being so uptight or mean to Leo.

"Well, if you had told me in the first place you wouldn't have been a single mother."

"Leo, let's not start this." Kendrix said. She was trying not to cry, but Leo could hear it in her voice. He instantly felt bad and went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry Keni, I love you."

"I love you too, I am so sorry." Leo nuzzled the back of her neck.

"Hey, we should go see Mike and Tiff." Leo suggested. "Then we can go talk to Kat and Kim and try getting hold of Dana and Cassie." Kendrix nodded without saying anything. "I'll go shower real quick and shave. Then we can go." Leo reluctantly let go of Kendrix and went into the bathroom.

Kendrix sat down heavily in a chair. *Am I sure this is the right choice? Leo and I only fight right now... Knock it off Kendrix! It's only been two days. Just give it some time!*

"Mommy?" Jessica asked as she moved next to her mother. "Why do you and Daddy disagree so much?"

"We don't mean to baby, it's just... well we both have different ideas."

"Like what?"

"Mostly... well... Mostly about how to raise you."

"Mommy your doing a good job."

"Thank you baby."

"Why does Daddy think differently?"

"Honey, not everyone thinks the same. Daddy... he... Likes to be relaxed and fun. While Mommy... I like to have fun too, but I have rules that must be followed. Without the rules, life would be chaotic and messy."

"Oh okay Mommy. I promise next time I will wash my plate like you say even if Daddy says he'll do it for me." Kendrix smiled at the little girl.

"Okay honey, you know the rules. We'll just have to teach them to Daddy."

"Yeah that way he won't break them and then we can all have fun together."

"That's right." Kendrix replied. It was then that she remembered about Mike and Tiffany. "Jessica, guess what happened this morning?"

"I don't know, I was asleep."

"Aunt Tiffany had her baby."

"A baby!"

"Yes, a baby boy. Your cousin."

"Can I hold him? What's his name?"

"His name is David. We'll see about you holding him. He might be too little still, but you will get to hold him someday. I promise you, but most likely not today."

"So long as I can hold him someday. Mommy, do you think it will be alright if I touch David?"

"Yes baby, You can hold his hand if you like."

"Goody!"

Thirty minutes later Leo emerged from the bathroom. "Well I feel a million times better and I'm not all scratchy anymore." Leo replied walking back into the kitchen.

"Can we go see baby David now?" Jessica replied.

"Honey, we're going to go talk to Jason and the others first. I have to talk to Kat and Kimberly." Kendrix explained. Jessica's face brightened even more at the metion of Jason and Kat.

"Great let's get going." Jessica said taking hold of Kendrix and Leo's hands and leading them out the door.

"Ok, I guess she wants us to go." Leo whispered to Kendrix.