Fractured Fates (S.P.D./inSpace Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt 15 ~ peace)
I woke up at six this morning after a strange dream involving Sam Winchester at a hospital trying to get in to see a doctor, a pair of twin shape-shifters, guns that didn't work, and Dean being the conscience for once. And I think I was Sam. Then ZhaneMuse decided he felt generous and I found myself writing. Which considering I haven't been able to write in a week, is a *very* good thing.
Let's just say I've been under a *lot* of stress lately. -_-;;
Title: Fractured Fates
Author: Tsukino Akume
Relationship: Zhane/Sky Tate, Jack Landors/Syd Drew
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, because I probably wouldn't have done this to it even if I did. This is all purplestripe66's fault.
Warning: Character with depression/health issues
Summary: When Andros put Zhane into cryogenic stasis, he didn't wake up until he was completely healed - twenty-four years later. Zhane finds a new team, and S.P.D. tries to deal with the aftermath.
List of 22: 15 ~ peace
Author's Notes: A surprising amount of thought and effort went into choosing the ice cream flavors of this fic. Like, more than went into the actual plot of the chapter. Even research. All flavors are taken from the Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream website.
For phantom_blue and purplestripe66, because they wanted Zhane, Syd, and ice cream. I don't think this is quite what you were asking for, but it's what came out.
His finger ran down the screen, tracing the image once again. He knew no one would have noticed when he'd taken it, let alone returned it. Despite what they might think, he *was* capable of being subtle. And he hadn't damaged it or anything. Just scanned it into the computer while no one was looking and saved the file to his personal hidden folder.
Kat probably knew it was there; not much got past her. Bridge, too. Maybe Boom ... he knew Boom was smarter than anyone realized. But they hadn't called him on it, and he wasn't going to say anything until they did.
He looked up at the knock on the door, quickly stuffing the PDA under his pillow and reclining against it with his arms behind his head. "It's open!" he called.
Z raised her eyebrows as she caught sight of him. "Hey. You okay?"
He blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"
She shrugged, moving to sit down at the end of his bed. "Oh, I don't know. Something about how freakishly quiet you were around the other Rangers today. Maybe the look on your face when Kat said she was sending them home. Or it could be the fact that you actually pick-pocketed Conner."
He frowned. "You saw that?" He must be losing his touch.
She smiled wryly. "Street kid, remember? I know the signs. You're good - but not *that* good." She shifted on the bed. "So what'd you take?" she asked casually, as if it didn't really matter to her.
He debated for a moment, then at last pulled out the PDA with a sigh. He offered it to her silently, waiting for her reaction.
She took it with another raise of her eyebrows, then smiled suddenly when she caught sight of the picture on the display. "Hey, wow! That's practically a piece of history. How many Reds are in this?"
He shrugged. "No idea. I don't know most of them."
Something about his tone made her pause, and her enthusiasm faded. She looked up with an expression that was almost sympathetic. "Which one is Andros?"
He leaned forward, tapping his finger over his best friend's face. Andros wasn't smiling as broadly as some of the others in the picture, but the relaxed, peaceful look was one Zhane had never seen on him. He wanted to say he looked good, but a streak of jealousy wouldn't let him.
Z studied the picture again, this time looking specifically at his old friend. "I like his hair," she remarked.
Zhane laughed, surprised. "Yeah. I did, too."
She looked at him for a moment, tilting her head. "Were you two like you and Sky?"
"Yes and no." He reclined back against his pillow again. "Depends on what you mean."
For some reason, that made her smile. "Okay, what *were* you like?" she teased gently.
He let out a long sigh. "Sky reminds me of him a lot," he admitted finally. "They were both driven, wanted to be the best. Born leaders. Stubborn. Acted like they didn't need anyone, even though they did. Somehow you just wanted to follow him, you know?"
He sighed again, and for a moment his eyes burned. "I could have loved him," he confessed quietly. "I mean, I did, but I could have loved him as more. He was my brother, but ... if he'd wanted it, I would have wanted more."
"He wasn't gay?"
He shrugged. "Honestly? It never came up. He was too busy with school, and then there was the war ... " he trailed off. Memories drifted idly through his mind, and he sighed softly. "We were more concerned with staying alive, staying *together*, than being anything more than that."
They were both distracted by the knock on the door. He glanced at Z. She shrugged lightly, and he smiled a little. "It's open!"
Syd walked in with a pleased smile, carrying a bag in front of her like it contained the most valuable jewels in the world. She blinked when she saw Z. "Oh, you're here. Good thing I brought extra."
"Extra what?" Z asked warily.
She sat down on Jack's bed, extracting her prize with a bright smile. "Ice cream!"
Zhane's eyes lit up. He hadn't had many opportunities to try Earth food, because he tended to chose Kerovian when he used the synthetron, but ice cream had been something he'd discovered once and immediately enjoyed. "Syd, you're wonderful," he told her happily, sitting up to reach for it.
She handed him the small container and a plastic spoon, looking pleased. "Of course I am. Z, you want Chocolate Fudge Brownie or Raspberry Chocolate Chunk?"
Z gave her a look. "You have chocolate and you're asking what I want?"
Zhane snickered as Syd rolled her eyes with a huff and handed Z her share. "How'd you know to bring ice cream?" he asked curiously, already digging in.
Syd switched her exasperated look to him. "Because I have eyes," she retorted. "Seriously, Zhane. I saw the look on your face when Kat said she was sending the Dino Rangers home. You needed chocolate."
He wondered idly why his chocolate had vanilla and caramel in it, but decided not to complain. Instead he poked his spoon at his ice cream carton a little. "Did you guys know S.P.D. has time travel technology?" he asked finally. It came out quieter than he'd meant it to.
Z shook her head, looking sympathetic again. "No."
Syd hesitated. "Yes," she confessed softly.
Her eyes met his as he looked up, and she fidgeted guiltily. "It's been mostly experimental," she explained. She hesitated again. "But, yeah ... I knew about it."
"Why didn't you say anything?" He wasn't angry, but his tone was flat.
She sighed, setting her ice cream down on Jack's bed. She stared at her hands for a moment before reaching up to brush her hair back out of her face. When she finally looked at him again, the guilty had turned into sorrow. "Because Kat asked us not to," she admitted.
The surge of anger came at last, and he shook his head. "So ... keeping me here was just for kicks? S.P.D. didn't have anything better to do with their time?" he demanded harshly. His fingers clenched around his ice cream container.
Z extracted it carefully from his hands, looking over at Syd. She said nothing, but her eyes had darkened.
"Zhane, no. It wasn't like that," Syd pleaded, reaching out to put her hand on his knee.
He moved back, glaring. He wasn't in the mood for placating. "Then what *was* it like? Cruger didn't *feel* like sending me back where I belong? It was too expensive? What?"
"History shows that there was no Silver Astro Ranger."
He looked to the door, where Sky watched him with a blank expression, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. Bridge was peering around him uncertainly, Jack looking hesitant as he placed a hand on the doorway. "Ice cream was supposed to be a peace offering?" he asked blandly, suddenly annoyed by the crowd.
"Actually, the ice cream was Syd's idea," Bridge spoke up hesitantly. “The ambush just sort of ... happened."
"All the data we have on the year 1998 shows five Astro Rangers, assisted by the Phantom Ranger," Sky informed him, as though he hadn't even heard. "The Silver Astro Ranger disappeared two years before they began protecting Earth. Kat couldn't send you back because you were never there."
Jack forced a smile. "So hey, that means you were meant to be here, right?"
Zhane stared down at his lap. Part of him wanted to be angry. He'd been lied to - or at least had things kept from him. He felt used, manipulated. He wanted to storm into Kat's office and scream at her, or hand Cruger his resignation. He wanted to prove he couldn't be forced into anything.
But another part of him noted absently that his ice cream was melting, and Sky had barely so much as blinked in the last two minutes.
He closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh. He let his anger go with it, and felt his shoulders relax. It was an old technique he'd learned from Andros, back when he'd finally managed to corner his friend into telling him how he kept his temper so well.
At last he looked up, raising his eyebrows at the trio still hesitating outside his door. "Are you guys coming in, or what? We have ice cream."
Jack brightened instantly. "Ice cream?" He made his way to join Syd on his bed, attempting a puppy-eyed look that made her laugh.
"Fine, I'll share, you glutton," she giggled.
Jack snorted. "You have ice cream, so I'll forgive you for that," he informed her, dragging her and her ice cream into his lap. She shrieked in surprise, wrinkling her nose at him when she'd settled.
Bridge sat across from Z, surveying the room with a frown. "I hope you have extra spoons, Syd," he remarked.
"Of course I do," Syd retorted, blushing slightly as Jack nuzzled her neck. "Knock it off! I'll share, okay?" she snapped at him, but she was grinning.
Jack whooped.
Bridge looked down at the spoon he was offered, then glanced around the room again. Z seemed to sense what he was trying to figure out, offering her ice cream with a sigh. "Don't think I'm always going to be this nice," she warned him.
"Don't worry, Z. I'd never assume that," Bridge promised solemnly. His eyes lit up as he looked down at the ice cream. "Ooh ... brownies."
Zhane looked up at Sky, who hadn't moved from the doorway. "I seem to be the only one eating this," he offered, pointing to his own ice cream. "I'm not sure what flavor it is, but it tastes good."
Sky hesitated for a moment, sighed, and moved to sit between him and Z. "This isn't exactly the healthiest team bonding exercise we've ever done," he muttered.
Syd rolled her eyes, passing him a spoon. "We're not bonding Sky, we're cheering up Zhane. Shut up and eat your ice cream."
"Yes, ma'am," he snarked back, mock saluting.
Zhane laughed, leaning against Sky's side to drop his head against his shoulder. He grinned up at Sky when he looked at him. "Never mess with the Pink Rangers. They *will* hurt you," he informed him seriously.
Sky humphed, reaching around him to retrieve the ice cream from his nightstand. His arm stayed around Zhane as he dug in with a spoon. Then he paused, frowning at the label.
"What?" Zhane asked.
Sky glanced at him, then eyed Syd. "You got him Vanilla Caramel Fudge?"
She smiled sweetly. "It's your favorite."
Sky snorted, and Zhane blinked in surprise. "Seriously?" he asked.
"Yeah," Sky admitted, shaking his head.
Zhane smiled. "Cool."
"Cool?" Jack repeated, grinning. "That's the first time I've heard you use Earth slang, Zhane."
He shrugged. "Gotta fit in sometime, right?" he drawled. He adjusted himself so that he was more leaning *on* Sky than against him, and located his spoon again. "I will say this for Earth: you guys aren't half bad with sweets," he admitted.
"Hey, Zhane," Z said suddenly. "Which one would you have chosen, if you could have?"
It took him a moment to catch up to what she was asking. When he did, he shot her a warm, lazy smile as the others gave them odd looks. "I already did."
Let's just say I've been under a *lot* of stress lately. -_-;;
Title: Fractured Fates
Author: Tsukino Akume
Relationship: Zhane/Sky Tate, Jack Landors/Syd Drew
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, because I probably wouldn't have done this to it even if I did. This is all purplestripe66's fault.
Warning: Character with depression/health issues
Summary: When Andros put Zhane into cryogenic stasis, he didn't wake up until he was completely healed - twenty-four years later. Zhane finds a new team, and S.P.D. tries to deal with the aftermath.
List of 22: 15 ~ peace
Author's Notes: A surprising amount of thought and effort went into choosing the ice cream flavors of this fic. Like, more than went into the actual plot of the chapter. Even research. All flavors are taken from the Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream website.
For phantom_blue and purplestripe66, because they wanted Zhane, Syd, and ice cream. I don't think this is quite what you were asking for, but it's what came out.
His finger ran down the screen, tracing the image once again. He knew no one would have noticed when he'd taken it, let alone returned it. Despite what they might think, he *was* capable of being subtle. And he hadn't damaged it or anything. Just scanned it into the computer while no one was looking and saved the file to his personal hidden folder.
Kat probably knew it was there; not much got past her. Bridge, too. Maybe Boom ... he knew Boom was smarter than anyone realized. But they hadn't called him on it, and he wasn't going to say anything until they did.
He looked up at the knock on the door, quickly stuffing the PDA under his pillow and reclining against it with his arms behind his head. "It's open!" he called.
Z raised her eyebrows as she caught sight of him. "Hey. You okay?"
He blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"
She shrugged, moving to sit down at the end of his bed. "Oh, I don't know. Something about how freakishly quiet you were around the other Rangers today. Maybe the look on your face when Kat said she was sending them home. Or it could be the fact that you actually pick-pocketed Conner."
He frowned. "You saw that?" He must be losing his touch.
She smiled wryly. "Street kid, remember? I know the signs. You're good - but not *that* good." She shifted on the bed. "So what'd you take?" she asked casually, as if it didn't really matter to her.
He debated for a moment, then at last pulled out the PDA with a sigh. He offered it to her silently, waiting for her reaction.
She took it with another raise of her eyebrows, then smiled suddenly when she caught sight of the picture on the display. "Hey, wow! That's practically a piece of history. How many Reds are in this?"
He shrugged. "No idea. I don't know most of them."
Something about his tone made her pause, and her enthusiasm faded. She looked up with an expression that was almost sympathetic. "Which one is Andros?"
He leaned forward, tapping his finger over his best friend's face. Andros wasn't smiling as broadly as some of the others in the picture, but the relaxed, peaceful look was one Zhane had never seen on him. He wanted to say he looked good, but a streak of jealousy wouldn't let him.
Z studied the picture again, this time looking specifically at his old friend. "I like his hair," she remarked.
Zhane laughed, surprised. "Yeah. I did, too."
She looked at him for a moment, tilting her head. "Were you two like you and Sky?"
"Yes and no." He reclined back against his pillow again. "Depends on what you mean."
For some reason, that made her smile. "Okay, what *were* you like?" she teased gently.
He let out a long sigh. "Sky reminds me of him a lot," he admitted finally. "They were both driven, wanted to be the best. Born leaders. Stubborn. Acted like they didn't need anyone, even though they did. Somehow you just wanted to follow him, you know?"
He sighed again, and for a moment his eyes burned. "I could have loved him," he confessed quietly. "I mean, I did, but I could have loved him as more. He was my brother, but ... if he'd wanted it, I would have wanted more."
"He wasn't gay?"
He shrugged. "Honestly? It never came up. He was too busy with school, and then there was the war ... " he trailed off. Memories drifted idly through his mind, and he sighed softly. "We were more concerned with staying alive, staying *together*, than being anything more than that."
They were both distracted by the knock on the door. He glanced at Z. She shrugged lightly, and he smiled a little. "It's open!"
Syd walked in with a pleased smile, carrying a bag in front of her like it contained the most valuable jewels in the world. She blinked when she saw Z. "Oh, you're here. Good thing I brought extra."
"Extra what?" Z asked warily.
She sat down on Jack's bed, extracting her prize with a bright smile. "Ice cream!"
Zhane's eyes lit up. He hadn't had many opportunities to try Earth food, because he tended to chose Kerovian when he used the synthetron, but ice cream had been something he'd discovered once and immediately enjoyed. "Syd, you're wonderful," he told her happily, sitting up to reach for it.
She handed him the small container and a plastic spoon, looking pleased. "Of course I am. Z, you want Chocolate Fudge Brownie or Raspberry Chocolate Chunk?"
Z gave her a look. "You have chocolate and you're asking what I want?"
Zhane snickered as Syd rolled her eyes with a huff and handed Z her share. "How'd you know to bring ice cream?" he asked curiously, already digging in.
Syd switched her exasperated look to him. "Because I have eyes," she retorted. "Seriously, Zhane. I saw the look on your face when Kat said she was sending the Dino Rangers home. You needed chocolate."
He wondered idly why his chocolate had vanilla and caramel in it, but decided not to complain. Instead he poked his spoon at his ice cream carton a little. "Did you guys know S.P.D. has time travel technology?" he asked finally. It came out quieter than he'd meant it to.
Z shook her head, looking sympathetic again. "No."
Syd hesitated. "Yes," she confessed softly.
Her eyes met his as he looked up, and she fidgeted guiltily. "It's been mostly experimental," she explained. She hesitated again. "But, yeah ... I knew about it."
"Why didn't you say anything?" He wasn't angry, but his tone was flat.
She sighed, setting her ice cream down on Jack's bed. She stared at her hands for a moment before reaching up to brush her hair back out of her face. When she finally looked at him again, the guilty had turned into sorrow. "Because Kat asked us not to," she admitted.
The surge of anger came at last, and he shook his head. "So ... keeping me here was just for kicks? S.P.D. didn't have anything better to do with their time?" he demanded harshly. His fingers clenched around his ice cream container.
Z extracted it carefully from his hands, looking over at Syd. She said nothing, but her eyes had darkened.
"Zhane, no. It wasn't like that," Syd pleaded, reaching out to put her hand on his knee.
He moved back, glaring. He wasn't in the mood for placating. "Then what *was* it like? Cruger didn't *feel* like sending me back where I belong? It was too expensive? What?"
"History shows that there was no Silver Astro Ranger."
He looked to the door, where Sky watched him with a blank expression, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. Bridge was peering around him uncertainly, Jack looking hesitant as he placed a hand on the doorway. "Ice cream was supposed to be a peace offering?" he asked blandly, suddenly annoyed by the crowd.
"Actually, the ice cream was Syd's idea," Bridge spoke up hesitantly. “The ambush just sort of ... happened."
"All the data we have on the year 1998 shows five Astro Rangers, assisted by the Phantom Ranger," Sky informed him, as though he hadn't even heard. "The Silver Astro Ranger disappeared two years before they began protecting Earth. Kat couldn't send you back because you were never there."
Jack forced a smile. "So hey, that means you were meant to be here, right?"
Zhane stared down at his lap. Part of him wanted to be angry. He'd been lied to - or at least had things kept from him. He felt used, manipulated. He wanted to storm into Kat's office and scream at her, or hand Cruger his resignation. He wanted to prove he couldn't be forced into anything.
But another part of him noted absently that his ice cream was melting, and Sky had barely so much as blinked in the last two minutes.
He closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh. He let his anger go with it, and felt his shoulders relax. It was an old technique he'd learned from Andros, back when he'd finally managed to corner his friend into telling him how he kept his temper so well.
At last he looked up, raising his eyebrows at the trio still hesitating outside his door. "Are you guys coming in, or what? We have ice cream."
Jack brightened instantly. "Ice cream?" He made his way to join Syd on his bed, attempting a puppy-eyed look that made her laugh.
"Fine, I'll share, you glutton," she giggled.
Jack snorted. "You have ice cream, so I'll forgive you for that," he informed her, dragging her and her ice cream into his lap. She shrieked in surprise, wrinkling her nose at him when she'd settled.
Bridge sat across from Z, surveying the room with a frown. "I hope you have extra spoons, Syd," he remarked.
"Of course I do," Syd retorted, blushing slightly as Jack nuzzled her neck. "Knock it off! I'll share, okay?" she snapped at him, but she was grinning.
Jack whooped.
Bridge looked down at the spoon he was offered, then glanced around the room again. Z seemed to sense what he was trying to figure out, offering her ice cream with a sigh. "Don't think I'm always going to be this nice," she warned him.
"Don't worry, Z. I'd never assume that," Bridge promised solemnly. His eyes lit up as he looked down at the ice cream. "Ooh ... brownies."
Zhane looked up at Sky, who hadn't moved from the doorway. "I seem to be the only one eating this," he offered, pointing to his own ice cream. "I'm not sure what flavor it is, but it tastes good."
Sky hesitated for a moment, sighed, and moved to sit between him and Z. "This isn't exactly the healthiest team bonding exercise we've ever done," he muttered.
Syd rolled her eyes, passing him a spoon. "We're not bonding Sky, we're cheering up Zhane. Shut up and eat your ice cream."
"Yes, ma'am," he snarked back, mock saluting.
Zhane laughed, leaning against Sky's side to drop his head against his shoulder. He grinned up at Sky when he looked at him. "Never mess with the Pink Rangers. They *will* hurt you," he informed him seriously.
Sky humphed, reaching around him to retrieve the ice cream from his nightstand. His arm stayed around Zhane as he dug in with a spoon. Then he paused, frowning at the label.
"What?" Zhane asked.
Sky glanced at him, then eyed Syd. "You got him Vanilla Caramel Fudge?"
She smiled sweetly. "It's your favorite."
Sky snorted, and Zhane blinked in surprise. "Seriously?" he asked.
"Yeah," Sky admitted, shaking his head.
Zhane smiled. "Cool."
"Cool?" Jack repeated, grinning. "That's the first time I've heard you use Earth slang, Zhane."
He shrugged. "Gotta fit in sometime, right?" he drawled. He adjusted himself so that he was more leaning *on* Sky than against him, and located his spoon again. "I will say this for Earth: you guys aren't half bad with sweets," he admitted.
"Hey, Zhane," Z said suddenly. "Which one would you have chosen, if you could have?"
It took him a moment to catch up to what she was asking. When he did, he shot her a warm, lazy smile as the others gave them odd looks. "I already did."