Okay, on second thought, maybe I was being a little too ecstatic about this. Kat thought as she looked at the apartment. It wasn’t abnormally dirty, but it was extremely dusty and there were cobwebs sticking to some of the ceiling fans.

“This is actually one of the quietest apartment buildings around, surprisingly enough.” said the landlord as he showed Kat around. “From what I know, they had actually placed a double layer of soundproof panels into the walls when they built it.”

“Well, that’s a relief.” Kat said as she then remembered back to her old apartment in London where she would at times be studying or sleeping and she would hear music blaring from another person’s apartment just across the hall.

“So where are you from, miss…?”

“Hillard, Katherine Hillard.”

“Miss Hillard?”

“Surrey Hill, Australia.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. I could tell that accent was familiar.”

Kat then walked over to the kitchen and saw that it was in pretty much the same dusty/cobweb condition that the living room was in. Curious she then walked to the sink and turned it on. Instead of regular water out came what looked like liquefied lead, or at least that’s what she thought it looked like.

Once she shut it off she then looked at the landlord.

“Well, at least it’s minerals.” he said.

“Just out of curiosity when did the last tenant live here?” Kat asked.

“About three years.” replied the landlord.

Well, I guess that explains it. Kat thought. Still, it looks pretty good for an apartment that hasn’t been vacated in a while.

“Oh yeah, here’s the cool part about this pad.” said the landlord as he then walked over and opened the terrace doors to show Kat the balcony.

“Out of all the rooms in this building, this is the one that has the best view. You can practically see almost all of downtown from here, the high school…all of a sudden you almost feel like Aladdin.”

Kat’s eyes just stayed open as she looked out the balcony and took in the sight. The landlord was right on, the view was pretty something.

Once she came back inside and closed the sliding door Kat then went into the one bedroom and checked it out.

“Another good thing about these pads is that they have oversized closets so you don’t have to worry too much about wondering where to put stuff.” the landlord said.

“That’s true.” Kat said as she then went from the bedroom to the bathroom and checked it out.

“So what do you think?” asked the landlord once Kat was done checking out the rooms.

“I’d say it’s not that bad of an apartment.” Kat replied. “Although I’m kind of afraid to ask, but…how much is it?”

“About $645.”

$645, huh? Kat then took a look at the cobwebs decorating the ceiling fans and then at the layers of dust and hairballs covering the floor. “Would it be all right if I made a few repairs?”

“Not at all.”

Kat then gave the apartment another once over, a small smile breaking across the corners of her mouth. “All right, I’ll take it. How soon can I move in?”

“As soon as the check clears.” replied the man. “I’ll get some extra keys made too.”

Kat then offered her hand, and the landlord shook it earnestly.

--

“Well Hayley, at least now you don’t have to worry about covering the window with a garbage bag.” Ethan said as he saw the new window glass in place of the broken one that Conner had been sent flying through.

“Well, if it had to stay like that any longer I probably would have taken a piece of paper and wrote, ‘The Red Ranger and a monster named Felectro were here.’” Hayley said as she walked over to a table to take some orders.

Ethan laughed as he made his way over to the table where Conner, Dr. Oliver, and Kira were sitting.

Trent then arrived carrying a tray with drinks. “Here you go guys.”

“Oh, thanks Trent.” Kira said.

“No problem.”

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m glad that little fiasco with Felectro is over.” Conner remarked as he reached for his smoothie.

“Amen to that.” Tommy said as he took a sip of his coffee. “Now all that’s left now is midterms.”

“Oh, come on doc, midterms?” Conner protested. “Thanksgiving just ended, and we just whupped yet another monster concoction of Mesogog’s, can’t we at least relax just a little?”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re going chicken just because of a test?” Ethan asked jokingly as he drank his Sierra Mist.

“No, but-”

“Conner, ask yourself this question.” Tommy advised. “What sounds more challenging: Facing off against two Felectros or taking a midterm?”

Conner just sighed and took another chug of his smoothie. He already knew the answer to that question without even having to say it.

“Conner, take it easy, man.” Trent said as he took a seat by Kira. “It’s only a smoothie.”

“I know, but seeing as how we all have midterms coming up, I may as well milk my free time as much as I can, even if it’s just drinking a smoothie.” Conner replied.

“Conner, we have two weeks. Don’t worry about it too much.” Ethan said.

“I know, I know.”

“Oh yeah, Trent, aren’t you still on duty?” Kira asked.

“I’ve got two minutes ‘till the end of my shift.” Trent replied as he smiled lightly. “Or so my watch says.”

Tommy smiled along with the rest of his students as he drank the last of his coffee.

“Be right back, guys.”

He then got up and went over to one of the garbage cans to throw away his coffee cup. As he turned around he didn’t notice the person approaching and almost ran into her.

“Oh! I’m so sorry.” Tommy apologized.

“It’s all right.” Kat said as she turned and recognized Tommy right away.

“Oh, hi Kat.”

“Hi, Tommy.” Katherine said, her spirits already lifting just by looking at him.

“So, um-did class already let out for the day?” Tommy asked.

“Yeah, for today, anyway.” Kat replied.

“Oh, that’s great.” Tommy said, feeling a little tongue-tied and not really sure what to say. “Oh yeah, do you want to…sit over…” he stammered a little bit. “Would you like to sit with me-I mean, us?”

Kat couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at Tommy’s slight awkwardness. “Sure.” She said as she followed him to the table where the rest of his students were.

“Hi guys.” Kat said as she approached the table.

“Oh, hi Katherine.” Kira said as the boys smiled and said “Hi” themselves.

Tommy then went to a nearby table, grabbed an unused chair and brought it over to their table so Kat could sit.

“So what’s up?” Kat asked.

“Oh, nothing much, just musing over our victory that we had a few days back and patiently awaiting the coming of the nightmare that is midterms.” Conner said.

“Oh, come on. Midterms aren’t as bad as they look.” Kat said.

“I know, but that still doesn’t make them any less of a pain in the neck though.” Conner mused.

“So Kat, is there anything I can get you?” Hayley asked as she walked up to the table.

“Oh, just some water.”

“Coming right up.” Hayley said as she went back to the counter.

“So how have things been for you so far?” Kira asked.

“Oh, not too bad, considering it’s only my second day on the job.” Kat replied. “Y’ know, I still can’t believe we were able to get all the decorations down.” She mused as she took a look around the café. On Sunday Tommy called her about how he and his students were going to go help Hayley take out the Thanksgiving decorations and if she would like to come. Since there was no class for Kat to teach, she said yes. Plus it gave her a reason to be with Tommy for most of that day anyway.

“Yeah, now all we have to do is just put the Christmas stuff up and we’ll be ready to rock jingle-bell style.” Ethan remarked.

Hayley then came back with a large cup of water with a lemon slice attached to the side. “Here you go.”

“Thanks Hayley.” Kat said. “Oh, by the way, thanks for looking up those apartments, you really didn’t have to.”

“Kat, believe me, it’s no problem.” Hayley said.

“So, were you able to find one?” Tommy asked.

“Yeah, I did.” Kat replied as she took a sip. “It’s the apartment complex down on Bullard Ave..”

“Oh, that’s not too bad.” Hayley said.

“No it’s not.” Kat agreed. “Although it could definitely use some work.”

“So when are you going to move in?” Ethan asked.

“Well, the landlord said I could as soon as the check cleared. Luckily though I already had the money so all I have to do now is get all my stuff from my hotel suite and pay the bill.”

“Would you like some help sprucing it up?” offered Tommy.

“Tommy, you don’t have to-” Kat began.

“Better yet, how about if all of us help?” Ethan asked.

“Now Ethan, you and the others don’t-”

“Dr. O,” Ethan then looked around so that no one else aside from himself, Kira, Trent, Conner, Hayley, Kat and Tommy were listening. “Now I know I’ve said this before, but just because we’re your students doesn’t mean we can’t help. Plus, just because Kat isn’t a Power Ranger anymore doesn’t mean she isn’t one of us. Hell, she became one of us the minute she got here.”

Tommy was about to protest some more, but then he remembered Ethan saying almost the same thing a few days ago when he and the others volunteered to help him clean out some paraphernalia, even though he told them that they didn’t have to.

“Besides, one person can’t clean up one apartment by herself.” Ethan said. “Well, she can, but it would take forever.”

“Well, I really appreciate you guys offering to help, and in a lot of ways I think I’m going to need all the help I can get with this.”

“Ah-ha! You see? All the more reason.” Ethan said.

“Well, we’re not going to do it now are we?” Conner asked.

“No, not right now.” Kat said. “I still have to get some paint, tools, and some other things, so…”

“Well, since we’re all going to do this, how about if we check out Kat’s apartment tomorrow, then as the week goes by we’ll get the things we need, and then over the weekend we’ll fix up the apartment?” Tommy suggested.

“Hey, sounds like a plan to me.” Kira said.

Trent smiled and nodded. “I’m in.”

Conner smiled. “Dude, you don’t need to ask.”

“Conner,” Tommy said sternly.

“Yeah, I know.” Conner said. “‘Don’t call me dude.’”

“Hayley?” Ethan asked.

“I’m in.” Hayley said.

“All right. Well, that settles it then.” Tommy said as he smiled a gentle smile at Kat, to which she couldn’t help but smile back to.

“Thanks, you guys.” Kat said. Thanks, Tommy.