A Darker Shade of Red (Time Force/Power Rangers, T, Chapter 20: Realizations)
I have so many ideas for this story now. Unfortunately, none of them are for what's happening *right now*. >.<
I love you AlexMuse, but that's slightly less than helpful.
Fandom/: Power Rangers Time Force, slight crossover with S.P.D. (In Bright Skies universe)
Characters/: Alex
Pairings/: Alex/Jen, Lucas/Trip, Katie/OC, Wes/Eric
Rating/: T
Disclaimer/: Saban/Disney/Whoever sure didn't write *this* into the series. The plot comes purely from my own warped little mind, and the characters are merely borrowed from them for my own amusement. Lucky you.
Summary/: The legacy of Wesley Collins and Eric Myers didn't just affect the past - it affected the future. One thousand years after they became Rangers, one person is still struggling against the corruption of Time Force and the heritage he never wanted.
Warnings/: People used for scientific experimentation, corrupted Time Force, character with self-image issues
Author's Notes/: Wes is possibly a bit OOC in this chapter, but I plan to explain it later. And now, for those of you who hated Ben? Oops. ^_~
Love to BlackCrimsonLight for help with the cremation scene.
Standing near the edge of the Collin's estate, hidden in a grove of trees, Alex stared at the bonfire they'd prepared.
He wore one of Wes' shirts and a pair of Eric's jeans, because it had turned out on closer examination, he was actually slightly taller than Wes - only a few inches, but it had surprised him none the less. He'd also realized that Wes' jaw line was softer and rounder than his own. There were other differences, but it was so subtle you had to be looking them both directly in the face at the same time to see it.
His Time Force uniform lay on top of the woodpile, neatly folded.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Wes asked hesitantly.
Alex nodded slowly, still staring at his uniform. "I need to. I need ... " Closure? Release? He wasn't quite sure what it was he was looking for in doing this. "Something," he finished finally. "I just ... need to do this."
"Do you want me to leave?" Wes offered, still looking unsure.
To his own surprise, he found himself shaking his head.
Wes hesitated again, and a hand reached up to squeeze his shoulder in support. "Okay," he agreed softly.
He wasn't sure why he wanted Wes here, but hadn't called any of the others. Part of him wanted to be alone, but Wes ... even if he didn't know, couldn't know, something about his presence was reassuring. Maybe that was what had drawn the Rangers to him.
Closing his eyes briefly, Alex took a deep breath, and at last struck a match, crouching down to light the wood. He waited until he saw the flames slowly begin to lick upwards before striking another, moving around to a different side. He lit several places, at last moving back to his original position to watch the fire slowly build up.
Wes' hand settled back on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.
"I lost my brother today."
He felt Wes start beside him. He wasn't sure why he was talking at all, let alone to *Wes*, but he couldn't stop himself. "He's the only family I've ever had," he continued. "Just him and Trip - and never together. They didn't know each other," he explained. "I don't know if they'd even have gotten along. Ben was really jealous that I'd adopted Trip - he always had me all to himself."
He took a deep breath and felt something tighten in his chest. "Time Force isn't what you think it is, Wes," he said softly. "It's not even what *I* think it is. It's ... " He shook his head. "I lost my brother because of Time Force. I'm the one who pulled the trigger, but it never would have happened if we hadn't been taking sides. They made us who we are, but without them ... " He closed his eyes for a moment. "I probably wouldn't have been born without Time Force, but Ben would never have suffered if we hadn't been part of it."
He saw Wes swallow out of the corner of his eye.
"He was my little brother," he whispered, vision starting to blur. "And now he's gone, and I don't know what to do anymore."
He wasn't expecting the arm that went around his shoulders, squeezing tightly now. "I wish I could give you an answer, Alex," Wes said quietly, his voice filled with pained sympathy. "I wish I could tell you what comes next, or even what to do. I wish there was some way I could make this better."
"But you can't," he murmured. Nothing can make this better.
He didn't know how long they stood there, Wes' arm around him as they watched the fire burn. There should have been a sense of satisfaction from watching the Time Force symbol slowly burn away to nothing, but all he felt was numb. Burning his uniform, his last connection to Time Force besides his morpher, was a statement. He would *never* go back to Time Force. He didn't know what he was going to do with his life now, but he would never call himself a Time Force officer again.
There was no Time Force without Ben, and his brother's memory would haunt the halls forever.
"Alex ... " Wes ventured suddenly, his voice soft and uncertain. "I, um ... " He swallowed audibly, and Alex glanced at him. "When you were changing, I found this in one of your uniform pockets."
Alex stared down at the device being offered to him. "It's a datapad," he said blankly. "But I wasn't carrying - "
Ben walking out of an office, a datapad in one hand. He paused to glance down the line of cells, shaking his head with a look of disgust. His eyes widening as he saw Alex. "A ... "
"Ben ... " he breathed.
He snatched the datapad from Wes' hands, hastily bringing it out of sleep mode. It was password protected, and he entered the words 'Quantum Power' without stopping to think about it. The device beeped compliantly, and a list of files popped up.
Alex felt the color drain from his face. He selected one file, then another, skimming through their contents quickly. Each one he looked at was the same.
"Alex? What is it?" Wes asked urgently.
There was no way Ben could have dropped this. For it to be in his *pocket* it would have had to have been -
Slipped in while they were fighting.
"I'm doing what has to be done. Now get out. Your team is probably waiting."
"Don't worry about it, A. Just let me do my job. You worry about your team, and finding your girl. There's a lot you still need to learn."
"I'm sorry, A."
"A - Alex, you don't understand. This ... this isn't what it looks like."
"Keep your voice down."
"Of course I know that! Why do you think I'm even *here*!? You don't understand, Alex. You don't know anything. Haven't you even bothered looking for Jennifer like I told you to?"
"Obviously you haven't figured anything out yet, or else you wouldn't be asking me that!"
"Only because you're too *stupid* to get what's really important!"
"Just like old times, huh A?"
"Just like old times, huh A?"
"Just like old times, huh A?"
"Oh my - " Alex choked, doubled over, and stumbled to some bushes, retching violently. The words kept repeating through his head, over and over. "Just like old times, huh A?"
Hands caught his shoulders, supporting him and rubbing his back as he threw up. "Easy," a voice soothed. "Deep breaths, Alex. Just try to breathe, okay? Don't fight it."
Wes, he realized dimly. Wes is here. Why was his voice so comforting?
Eventually his stomach stopped spasming, leaving him shaking as he closed his eyes against the sudden headache. "Ben ... " he wheezed, coughing harshly.
"Easy, easy," Wes murmured again, and the hand continued to rub his back. "What about Ben? What did you figure out?"
"He's been trying to tell me something for weeks," he whispered. His throat hurt. "I *knew* he was trying to say something, but I couldn't ... I couldn't figure it out .... "
Facing off against his brother because they were told to, fighting because it was an order. But each night, they would swear that neither had meant it, taking care of each others' injuries. They had promised that no matter what they did during the day for the scientists, they were brothers first. That they were *always* on the same side.
How could I forget? he moaned silently. How could I ... Ben, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
He'd shot Ben ... when his brother was probably trying to save his life.
He didn't even realize he'd started crying until Wes hugged him, making soothing noises. He should have protested, should have pushed him away - he wasn't a child. But he couldn't find the strength to care.
His brother was gone, and is was all his fault.
****
Wes opened the door quietly, gesturing for Alex to go in first. Neither had said anything in hours, not even when they'd taken care of the remains of the fire. Alex was still reeling, and Wes seemed to understand that.
He wondered distantly if Wes had always been this kind, but he hadn't wanted to see it.
"Where have you two *been*?"
"Jen," Wes cut in, shaking his head. "Not now."
Her eyes roamed over them both for a moment before at last settling on Alex. She frowned, moving toward him with a look of concern. "Alex? What happened?" she asked worriedly.
He looked up at her, noting Lucas, Katie, and Trip had been waiting up for them as well. Reaching into his pocket, he removed the datapad and offered it to her silently.
She accepted it with another frown, skimming through the contents. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in her breath sharply. "Alex, this is ... " She looked up, worried and frantic all at once. "Where did you get this? *How* did you get this?" she demanded.
He swallowed. "Ben," he explained slowly, "Was spying on Time Force."
I love you AlexMuse, but that's slightly less than helpful.
Fandom/: Power Rangers Time Force, slight crossover with S.P.D. (In Bright Skies universe)
Characters/: Alex
Pairings/: Alex/Jen, Lucas/Trip, Katie/OC, Wes/Eric
Rating/: T
Disclaimer/: Saban/Disney/Whoever sure didn't write *this* into the series. The plot comes purely from my own warped little mind, and the characters are merely borrowed from them for my own amusement. Lucky you.
Summary/: The legacy of Wesley Collins and Eric Myers didn't just affect the past - it affected the future. One thousand years after they became Rangers, one person is still struggling against the corruption of Time Force and the heritage he never wanted.
Warnings/: People used for scientific experimentation, corrupted Time Force, character with self-image issues
Author's Notes/: Wes is possibly a bit OOC in this chapter, but I plan to explain it later. And now, for those of you who hated Ben? Oops. ^_~
Love to BlackCrimsonLight for help with the cremation scene.
Standing near the edge of the Collin's estate, hidden in a grove of trees, Alex stared at the bonfire they'd prepared.
He wore one of Wes' shirts and a pair of Eric's jeans, because it had turned out on closer examination, he was actually slightly taller than Wes - only a few inches, but it had surprised him none the less. He'd also realized that Wes' jaw line was softer and rounder than his own. There were other differences, but it was so subtle you had to be looking them both directly in the face at the same time to see it.
His Time Force uniform lay on top of the woodpile, neatly folded.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Wes asked hesitantly.
Alex nodded slowly, still staring at his uniform. "I need to. I need ... " Closure? Release? He wasn't quite sure what it was he was looking for in doing this. "Something," he finished finally. "I just ... need to do this."
"Do you want me to leave?" Wes offered, still looking unsure.
To his own surprise, he found himself shaking his head.
Wes hesitated again, and a hand reached up to squeeze his shoulder in support. "Okay," he agreed softly.
He wasn't sure why he wanted Wes here, but hadn't called any of the others. Part of him wanted to be alone, but Wes ... even if he didn't know, couldn't know, something about his presence was reassuring. Maybe that was what had drawn the Rangers to him.
Closing his eyes briefly, Alex took a deep breath, and at last struck a match, crouching down to light the wood. He waited until he saw the flames slowly begin to lick upwards before striking another, moving around to a different side. He lit several places, at last moving back to his original position to watch the fire slowly build up.
Wes' hand settled back on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.
"I lost my brother today."
He felt Wes start beside him. He wasn't sure why he was talking at all, let alone to *Wes*, but he couldn't stop himself. "He's the only family I've ever had," he continued. "Just him and Trip - and never together. They didn't know each other," he explained. "I don't know if they'd even have gotten along. Ben was really jealous that I'd adopted Trip - he always had me all to himself."
He took a deep breath and felt something tighten in his chest. "Time Force isn't what you think it is, Wes," he said softly. "It's not even what *I* think it is. It's ... " He shook his head. "I lost my brother because of Time Force. I'm the one who pulled the trigger, but it never would have happened if we hadn't been taking sides. They made us who we are, but without them ... " He closed his eyes for a moment. "I probably wouldn't have been born without Time Force, but Ben would never have suffered if we hadn't been part of it."
He saw Wes swallow out of the corner of his eye.
"He was my little brother," he whispered, vision starting to blur. "And now he's gone, and I don't know what to do anymore."
He wasn't expecting the arm that went around his shoulders, squeezing tightly now. "I wish I could give you an answer, Alex," Wes said quietly, his voice filled with pained sympathy. "I wish I could tell you what comes next, or even what to do. I wish there was some way I could make this better."
"But you can't," he murmured. Nothing can make this better.
He didn't know how long they stood there, Wes' arm around him as they watched the fire burn. There should have been a sense of satisfaction from watching the Time Force symbol slowly burn away to nothing, but all he felt was numb. Burning his uniform, his last connection to Time Force besides his morpher, was a statement. He would *never* go back to Time Force. He didn't know what he was going to do with his life now, but he would never call himself a Time Force officer again.
There was no Time Force without Ben, and his brother's memory would haunt the halls forever.
"Alex ... " Wes ventured suddenly, his voice soft and uncertain. "I, um ... " He swallowed audibly, and Alex glanced at him. "When you were changing, I found this in one of your uniform pockets."
Alex stared down at the device being offered to him. "It's a datapad," he said blankly. "But I wasn't carrying - "
Ben walking out of an office, a datapad in one hand. He paused to glance down the line of cells, shaking his head with a look of disgust. His eyes widening as he saw Alex. "A ... "
"Ben ... " he breathed.
He snatched the datapad from Wes' hands, hastily bringing it out of sleep mode. It was password protected, and he entered the words 'Quantum Power' without stopping to think about it. The device beeped compliantly, and a list of files popped up.
Alex felt the color drain from his face. He selected one file, then another, skimming through their contents quickly. Each one he looked at was the same.
"Alex? What is it?" Wes asked urgently.
There was no way Ben could have dropped this. For it to be in his *pocket* it would have had to have been -
Slipped in while they were fighting.
"I'm doing what has to be done. Now get out. Your team is probably waiting."
"Don't worry about it, A. Just let me do my job. You worry about your team, and finding your girl. There's a lot you still need to learn."
"I'm sorry, A."
"A - Alex, you don't understand. This ... this isn't what it looks like."
"Keep your voice down."
"Of course I know that! Why do you think I'm even *here*!? You don't understand, Alex. You don't know anything. Haven't you even bothered looking for Jennifer like I told you to?"
"Obviously you haven't figured anything out yet, or else you wouldn't be asking me that!"
"Only because you're too *stupid* to get what's really important!"
"Just like old times, huh A?"
"Just like old times, huh A?"
"Just like old times, huh A?"
"Oh my - " Alex choked, doubled over, and stumbled to some bushes, retching violently. The words kept repeating through his head, over and over. "Just like old times, huh A?"
Hands caught his shoulders, supporting him and rubbing his back as he threw up. "Easy," a voice soothed. "Deep breaths, Alex. Just try to breathe, okay? Don't fight it."
Wes, he realized dimly. Wes is here. Why was his voice so comforting?
Eventually his stomach stopped spasming, leaving him shaking as he closed his eyes against the sudden headache. "Ben ... " he wheezed, coughing harshly.
"Easy, easy," Wes murmured again, and the hand continued to rub his back. "What about Ben? What did you figure out?"
"He's been trying to tell me something for weeks," he whispered. His throat hurt. "I *knew* he was trying to say something, but I couldn't ... I couldn't figure it out .... "
Facing off against his brother because they were told to, fighting because it was an order. But each night, they would swear that neither had meant it, taking care of each others' injuries. They had promised that no matter what they did during the day for the scientists, they were brothers first. That they were *always* on the same side.
How could I forget? he moaned silently. How could I ... Ben, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
He'd shot Ben ... when his brother was probably trying to save his life.
He didn't even realize he'd started crying until Wes hugged him, making soothing noises. He should have protested, should have pushed him away - he wasn't a child. But he couldn't find the strength to care.
His brother was gone, and is was all his fault.
****
Wes opened the door quietly, gesturing for Alex to go in first. Neither had said anything in hours, not even when they'd taken care of the remains of the fire. Alex was still reeling, and Wes seemed to understand that.
He wondered distantly if Wes had always been this kind, but he hadn't wanted to see it.
"Where have you two *been*?"
"Jen," Wes cut in, shaking his head. "Not now."
Her eyes roamed over them both for a moment before at last settling on Alex. She frowned, moving toward him with a look of concern. "Alex? What happened?" she asked worriedly.
He looked up at her, noting Lucas, Katie, and Trip had been waiting up for them as well. Reaching into his pocket, he removed the datapad and offered it to her silently.
She accepted it with another frown, skimming through the contents. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in her breath sharply. "Alex, this is ... " She looked up, worried and frantic all at once. "Where did you get this? *How* did you get this?" she demanded.
He swallowed. "Ben," he explained slowly, "Was spying on Time Force."