"Why are you the only one left standing?"
"Because I wasn't standing alone."
--Profiler

Night had fallen. Light and music spilled from the windows of the Angel Grove Youth Center. A banner inside read "Welcome Home, Jason!" and a party was loudly in progress. All the teenagers of Angel Grove seemed to be there--all but one.

Billy Cranston sat under a tree in the far corner of the parking lot, his face turned away from the gaiety that pushed at him. He didn't move even when he heard footsteps moving slowly towards him.

"Hiding?" a light voice inquired.

Billy didn't budge. "Go back to the party, Katherine. I'm not fit for company right now."

He heard the rustle of clothing and closed his eyes as Kat settled herself in front of him. "Tough." Her Australian accent was thicker than usual. "I'll be company for both of us."

He groaned. "Kat...can't you just let me be depressed by myself?"

"Nope," she said cheerfully. He opened his eyes enough to glare at her. She looked at him consideringly for a moment, then reached out and placed a tentative hand on his foot. "You've been so sad, Billy. Even when you smile, it's not really a smile. Tell me why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

She sighed. "You're upset about Jason."

"Not Jason. Not exactly." He shuffled his feet, careful not to dislodge her hand. "He's one of my oldest friends. He's known me since I was--" *a geek,* he thought. A four-eyed nerd with a tendency to get stuffed in garbage cans. "--a kid," he finished quietly.

"I know. He and Tommy are telling stories in there. About the original Rangers."

Billy didn't respond. Kat worried her lips and stared at the inch of distance between her black canvas shoes and his tan hiking boots.

"I liked being a Power Ranger," he said abruptly. "I liked being able to do something, making an impact." He laughed shortly. "We were heroes! Little kids wanted to be like us, teenage girls wanted to know who we were..."

"It can be fun, can't it?"

Billy smiled. "Yeah. Makes up for the times when the monster of the week tries to blow you up."

They grinned at each other for a moment. Then Billy's eyes clouded again.

"What else?" Kat asked softly.

"It's just...before I was a Ranger, it was... I was nothing but this walking brain." He looked down at his strong, broad hands and clenched them into fists. "My body wasn't even a part of me. I resented it--I hated living in it. I couldn't get it to do anything, you know? No, I'm sure you wouldn't," he said before Kat could respond. "You've always been strong and beautiful and capable."

Kat had opened her mouth to protest. She closed it tightly, blushing.

Billy didn't even notice. "As the Blue Ranger, I was using my body and mind for the first time. I could drop-kick some putties, go back to my lab, and whip up a fun device to cream a monster." He chuckled.

"Sounds great."

"Yeah." He heaved a long sigh. "Yeah, it was."

Kat edged a little closer. "I can't imagine how painful it must have been for you when there were only five Zeo crystals."

He nodded silently.

"And then, when the Gold Ranger was offered to you..."

"...I thought it was my chance," he finished. "My chance to get back everything I'd lost." He made a sound of disgust and jumped to his feet.

Kat shied back at the explosion of movement. After a moment's hesitation, she climbed to her feet and followed him deeper into the ring of trees surrounding the Youth Center.

"Wait a minute, Billy!" she called as she caught up with him. "We're all sorry that you couldn't take the power. No matter how much we like Jason, you've been there for us through everything. I think we're almost as upset as you, but--Billy!" She realized mid-lecture that she was speaking to the back of his neck and reached for his shoulder. "Billy, you're the only one who thinks it's your fault."

He spun around to face her. Kat's heart twisted at the rage and pain in his eyes. "If I hadn't jumped in front of that control panel, I would be a Ranger right now. Don't you understand?"

At the ragged sound of his voice, something inside Kat just let go. "Yeah, I understand. I understand you're an idiot!" she snapped. The hand on his shoulder tightened. "If you hadn't jumped in front of that panel, someone else could have gotten hurt. You risked your life, Billy! This is a good thing. You're a hero, not an idiot!"

"But you just said I was..." Billy mumbled.

Kat came back to herself. "Um, yeah...well..." She detached her hand from his shoulder and backed off. "Um...you get the idea." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, it's not your fault, all right?" she finished in a rush.

Billy rested his hands on his hips and stared at her in amazement. "Okay," he said finally.

"Okay?"

"Okay..."He stumbled on the words. "Okay, I'll try not to think it's...my fault." Kat looked at him suspiciously. "Hey, it's the best I can do."

"Great!" she cried, for a moment sounding very much like Kim. But Kim would have squealed and thrown her arms around his neck; shy Katherine just smiled and laid her hand lightly on his arm.

Billy decided that, for once, there was nothing wrong with emulating Kim. He took a step forward and enfolded his friend in a gentle hug. "Thank you."

Kat's body stiffened. Just as Billy was about to pull away and apologize, she relaxed and reached out to hug him back. "Any time."

They stood like that for a long time. It might have been longer, but they jumped apart when voices rang across the parking lot.

"Billy! Hey, Bill!" That must be Jason.

"Katherine!" That was definitely Tommy.

"We're coming!" Kat called. She turned and hooked her hand easily through Billy's arm. "Come on. Ernie's got the radio playing, and I think you need to dance."

"A dance? Ah...Kat, I'm not that physical."

She actually winked at him. "I'll teach you."

--the end--

"Your strength is measured by how you confront your weaknesses."
--Picket Fences