Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #47: Parents, T)
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Fandom/: Power Rangers Time Force moving into S.P.D., multiple Rangers from each season
Characters/: Wes (Time Force), multiple Rangers from other teams (Literally too many to list)
Pairings/: Post - Wes/Eric, Rocky/Adam, Shane/Dustin, Hunter/Cam, Carter/Dana, Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, Carlos/Ronny, Jason/Taylor, Conner/Ethan, Justin/Rose, Tommy/Kimberly, Tyzonn/Mack, Cassie/OC, Nick/Maddison, Zack/Aisha, Trent/Kira, Post - Billy/Cestria. Future Ryan/Carter and Billy/Hayley. More couples will most likely be mentioned, but not shown.
prompt/: #47: Parents
Rating/: T (For non - graphic mentions of people having babies and being violent with one another)
Disclaimer/: I don't own the Power Rangers, but if Disney's hiring any new writers I volunteer.
Summary/: When Wes' life starts to fall apart, an accident gives him a chance at a fresh start in New Tech City, with Space Patrol Delta. But even a new life has its ups and downs - and weird friends. Meanwhile, Eric tries to move on.
Warnings/: A mentally handicapped person living in a medical facility, angst, male and female slash, non-cemented couples (In otherwords, pairings that will be separated), children created by scientific means, character death
Author's Notes/: Yet another prompt where it didn't go quite the way I planned. But I think it works. -Hides from rabid Eric/Wes fans-
"Why aren't you packed yet? I told you we were moving you out today." Vanessa demanded.
Wes let out a slow breath, fingering the morpher he'd refused to let them take away from him for some twisted reason he couldn't define. At last he turned to look at her. "Nes, are you sure about this?" he persisted. "I mean, I can't exactly contribute to the bills or anything. And - " He faltered. "I know things would be a little crowded now, with Eric there and all." Something he *still* didn't understand.
Somehow during the time he'd been ... gone, Vanessa's opinion of Eric had done a complete 180. She'd gone from trying to distract Wes from thinking about him and trying to keep them away from each other to ... well, giving Eric his place in her life.
He tried not to wince at the thought, but it was true. Eric was now living with Vanessa and Sky, in the room that used to be Vanessa's lab. He helped her with Sky, shared the cooking and the bills, and generally seemed to have made a working relationship with her. Even the way they talked to one another was filled with light teasing, and he'd never seen them actually argue even once.
Several times he had tried to make himself think of the way it might have gone if he *hadn't* woken up. Would he want Eric to be helping Vanessa with Sky, become friends with her and raise the son he'd always wanted them to have together? Would he want his friends to move on with their lives, stop mourning over him?
Of course he would.
But he was back, for lack of a better word. And that changed things. The comfortable relationship between Vanessa and Eric made him sick to his stomach in ways that he had a sinking feeling were related to jealousy, and he didn't particularly care to examine which one of them it was for. He didn't like the easy bond Sky and Eric seemed to have. He even hated that Zack had partially taken over his Squad, sharing duties with Tommy so he could remain a part of the Grunts.
"Wes?" Vanessa's voice was forcibly sweet, and he flinched instinctively.
"Yeah?" he asked warily.
"Get your crap and move your ass. Now."
He fought the urge to salute, forcing out a sigh instead. "Yes, ma'am," he muttered instead.
****
He looked around as he finished putting away the last of the clothing, gifts, and equipment he'd brought with him from S.P.D. He'd already felt his way around the room several times, even though he knew it wasn't necessary. The technology Cam had developed should be arriving soon, and while it wouldn't restore his natural eyesight, it was supposed to work similarly to echolocation, or bat radar. There'd been talk of perhaps getting him a seeing-eye dog as well, but he wasn't sure how he felt about that just yet.
Someone knocked on his door.
"It's open," he called distractedly, assuming it would be Vanessa.
"Hey."
He paused, and Eric continued quietly "You still willing to let me in?"
He fought to keep from clenching his fists. "I said you could, didn't I?"
He heard Eric sigh, and the door shut. "Mind if we both sit down?" Eric asked. "This could take awhile."
"Why's that?" he asked warily.
Eric sighed again, and he could almost picture him running a frustrated hand through his hair, or pinching his nose as he tried to keep his temper. "Just sit down, Wes."
He debated for a moment, not sure if he wanted to. But they couldn't live together if they didn't work something out at least, and that wasn't fair to Vanessa and Sky. With a sigh of his own, he felt for the edge of the bed and slowly sank down on it. "Okay. What do you want to say?"
There was a long moment of silence, and he knew Eric was counting to ten in his head. It was hard not to smile. Prodding at Eric's temper had always been one of his favorite, if not dangerous, hobbies.
Back in the days when it was just a game, anyway.
"This isn't about us anymore," Eric said finally. "We both agree that whatever was between us is over now. You can blame me all you want, but that's the way things are, right?"
"Right." He tried to pretend the thought didn't still hurt a little.
"But we still have Sky to think of. And Vanessa. So, for Sky's sake, I'm asking for a truce."
"A truce?" he echoed, frowning uncertainly. Since when did Eric truce over *anything*?
He could hear another soft sigh. "I love Sky, Wes," Eric said bluntly. "I've cared about him ever since I met him, but after the last couple of years, I love him like he was my own kid. I'm not going to leave him now and put him through anymore than he's already suffered. So for Sky, let's just agree to get along, no matter how much we can't stand each other."
Wes stared at him for several minutes, utterly stunned. Of all the things he'd expected Eric to want to talk about, expected him to say, this was one he'd never considered. Several thoughts whirled through his head at once.
Why couldn't you have told me this *before*, when I practically begged you to talk to me again?! All that time as Rangers when I asked you to work with me for the sake of someone else, and *now* you finally get it through your thick head that it's possible? When did Eric become so selfless?
"I never said I can't stand you," he heard himself say.
"You said - and I quote - 'get out of my life'," Eric mocked. "I figure there was some room for interpretation there."
Wes bowed his head, resting it between his knees as he grit his teeth. "I think we've had this conversation before," he muttered. "But last time, *I* was the one telling you there were more important things than what was going on between us, and you were the one who didn't want to hear it."
"And you were right," Eric returned easily.
Another awkward silence settled over them.
There were so many things that Wes *could* say, that he wanted to say. But he didn't know what he wanted now. Did he want Eric to forgive him for what had happened before, did he want them to be together?
No. He'd changed - they'd *both* changed too much for that. He didn't even know the man across from him.
Did he want to keep hating him, for taking what was his because it was what he would have wanted?
No. Hating Eric was exhausting, and he was tired of hate and anger. He was tired of fighting.
Did he want Eric out of his life completely?
The answer took longer to come to than most of the others had, but somehow it didn't surprise him. No, he didn't. Because even now, he still loved Eric, and he would *always* care about him on some level. Even before they'd been lovers, Eric had been one of the best friends he ever had.
He let out a long sigh, slowly lifting his head again at last. "Things can't be like they were between us," he said quietly. "Everything's changed now, and I don't know if we could have a relationship like that again. But ... " He took a deep breath. "I miss being friends, Eric. I miss knowing that you always had my back, and that I could count on you for anything. I won't pretend that I'm not still angry, or that I'm not - " Jealous, his mind whispered, "Uncomfortable around you. But ... I still care about you. Whether that's as a teammate or a friend, I don't know right now."
There was a long pause as Eric seemed to consider his words. "So does that fancy speech mean we can truce for Sky's sake?" Eric asked finally.
The corner of Wes' mouth twitched, and he was forced to ruefully admit to himself that some things about Eric would never change - like his directness and impatience. "It means I'll try not to fight with you for Sky's sake. But it also means that ... I want us to try and be friends again."
"That's a lot to ask," Eric muttered.
"I know." he said quietly.
"But that's about all I'm looking to get right now, isn't it?"
He blinked, startled. "What?"
"Nevermind," Eric sighed. A hand reached out to take his, squeezing it in a firm handshake. "So, we truce for Sky. I'm not promising we can be friends again. ... But I'll try."
A smile broke out over his face as he eagerly shook back. "That's all I ask. Truce," he added belatedly.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Wes' head snapped in the direction of the door, and Eric humphed. "What's up Brat?" the other man asked.
He could hear shuffling feet, and Sky muttered "I ... I, uh .... "
"Want to talk to your dad?" Eric prompted, a faint hint of warning in his tone.
Sky sighed. "You don't have to threaten me into it, but yeah." he grumbled.
"Good," Eric said simply. Wes felt him pat his shoulder, and the bed shifted as he got up. "You two should have a nice, long chat." He muttered something at Sky as he left, and Wes could just barely catch it.
"Be nice, Sky. He's hurting, too."
He swallowed uncomfortably. Since when did Eric care so much about not letting other people upset him?
Since when did Sky listen to Eric?
The silence between them lingered, and Wes struggled to find something to say. Should he apologize for not telling him the truth about Alex and Ben? Should he go for small talk again, try to learn more about him that way? Should he ask him about the helmet, or wanting to be a Ranger? Maybe he should ask him to sit down ...
"The last thing I remember was you telling me that everything would be okay, and the Power Rangers always get the bad guy," Sky spoke up, his voice painfully quiet. "And making Mom promise to get Chinese food for dinner. And then ... then they said you'd been hurt, and she told me they didn't know if you'd wake up, and I couldn't even go see you."
Wes was on his feet in an instant, somehow making his way straight to his son's side. He wrapped his arms around Sky, pushing aside the awkwardness and discomfort between them. That single crack in Sky's voice made it impossible not to hold him, tell him he was sorry. "Sky, I - "
He was cut off as Sky suddenly buried his face in his chest, clinging to him. He heard a faint sniffle from somewhere, and settled for holding his son with a quiet sigh. After a moment, he kissed the top of Sky's head. "I'm sorry I left you alone, Sky," he said softly. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. And I'm sorry you had to go through all that."
"It was like Bethie and Jaz all over again."
Wes paled. He hadn't made the comparison before, but now that Sky mentioned it ...
"Bethie said they'd be back with help, and I never saw them again," he choked out. "And then ... everyone kept saying you'd never wake up. But Eric wouldn't believe it; he always swore that you would when you were ready. He kept telling me it'd me okay, and I'd get to see you again. But after awhile, it was so hard to - "
"I'm sorry," Wes whispered back, waves of guilt sweeping through him. "Sky, I'm so, so sorry ... "
Sky sniffled again. "I keep thinking I'm dreaming," he muttered. "That I'll wake up one morning and you won't be here anymore. That it was just my imagination."
"I'll be here," he said fiercely. "I'm not letting anyone keep me away from you again, Sky. I promise."
Sky sighed quietly, but didn't answer. Instead they continued to cling to one another, reassuring themselves that Wes was alive, that Sky was safe.
I promise, Sky, Wes thought, silently vowing never to leave his son behind again.