Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #15: Villain (antagonist), T)
Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #15: Villain (antagonist), T)
Title/: Bright Skies
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/: #15: Villain (antagonist)
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.
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
Author's Notes/: This story exists for two reasons. One, because Eric needs a cat. Seriously. So I based his off one of mine, who really does act like this. She's a sweetie and I love her. And two, because Eric's side of the last chapter of Bright Skies needs to be told.
"E-Eric? Look, I ... I know ... it's been awhile. I just ... I have another son. I don't know if you ever read that letter I mailed you to try and explain ...
"Vanessa uh, she finally had the baby. It's a boy. I'd ... I'd really like for you to see him. Me. Um ... you still have my cell number. I haven't changed it, or anything. We're at New Tech City Medical Center, room 503. It's listed under Vanessa Tate. Please call me. I miss you."
It hadn't taken much to get in. The security in this place was disgustingly pathetic - he'd have to post a few guardians just in case. Wes probably wouldn't have thought of that yet.
He paused, shaking his head. He was doing it again. He seemed to have this instinctive need to protect Wes. It was stupid and pointless; Wes could take care of himself. And Wes wasn't his problem anymore.
His eyes swept through the baskets of squealers behind the window. Noisy brats. He still didn't get what Wes' obsession with them was.
The bassinette he was looking for was surprisingly right in front of him. Wrapped up in a blue blanket - he never understood the whole blue/pink thing - and a tiny ID bracelet. The kid was awake, but oddly not crying. He looked around with wide, blue eyes.
Wes' eyes.
His fist clenched. What the hell was he doing here? He had no reason to be checking up on some brat that came from Wes' one-night stand with his new girlfriend. One stupid voicemail, Wes trying to sound all pitiful and lonely, and he came -
He froze, staring at the name labeled on the bassinette. Skylar Ericson Tate.
"You know, naming them based on 'A' and 'B' is just stupid. What's the next one gonna be? 'C'?"
"Well, why not? What letter of the alphabet would you use? S?"
A long pause. "Don't laugh."
"Never."
"I ... I always liked the name Skyler." A look that dared him to tease.
"Skylar ... Y'know, I kinda like that, too. Let's name our next kid Skylar."
"Next? What do you mean, 'next'?!"
He reached out to touch the glass, staring down at the infant. Skylar. Wes had actually ... actually kept his promise. Even though it wasn't theirs, he had ....
"It was supposed to be a *joke* stupid," he growled under his breath, blinking harshly as his eyes felt wet. "You weren't supposed to actually name the kid that."
His fingers ran slowly down as he studied the middle name. Ericson: Eric's son. Well, if that wasn't a blatant invitation he didn't know *what* was. But then, Wes wasn't all that great with subtlety when he really wanted something.
A faint smile crept across his face. Wes really wanted something.
It was gone in an instant. Was *he* ready for this? Ready to forgive? After Wes had betrayed him, betrayed him in the most cruel and heartless way ... Could he really let that go, so that they could be together again?
"Later, kid," he murmured to the infant, turning from the window.
****
He returned home to find the stupid cat glaring at him from the window sill. He ignored her as he opened the door.
She retaliated by curling around his ankles and forcing him to stumble when he tried to head for the kitchen. She ran when he cursed, but he saw her back in the window a few minutes later, watching him again
Dumb cat. Why had he let the thing in the house, anyway? All it did was drive him crazy and try to get at the birds, which panicked the little things into near heart failure. It was a stray cat; not exactly helpless. Not his problem.
He made his coffee and sat down at the table with a heavy sigh.
Skylar Ericson Tate.
He swore, clenching a fist. After a minute he shook his head and buried his face in his hand.
Soft purring rumbled somewhere in front of him, and white fur rubbed under his nose.
He sighed again, sitting up to slowly stroke her back. "That's why you make me keep you around, isn't it?" he murmured.
She purred louder, rubbing against his hand and moving forward to nuzzle his chest.
He ran his fingers through her fur. "He was beautiful, Gracie. So tiny. Had his eyes, too. The way I wished they had." He stopped suddenly, shaking his head. "It's just a stupid, noisy squealer," he muttered to himself. "It's red and ugly and messy. Wes wants another one, fine by me."
She surprised him by pawing gently at his face.
He blinked, then let out another sigh. "Am I doing it again?"
She meowed softly.
He rubbed at his eyes, wiping away the tear streak with a thumb. "Five months ago he said he still loved me and he was sorry. Okay, so he was barely conscious and didn't even really know it was me, but he said it. Last week he calls me to say the kid he had with someone else was just born and he wants me to meet it, and he misses me. But I just ... " He closed his eyes briefly, then looked at her helplessly. "How am I supposed to forgive him? I thought ... I honestly thought we were going to make a family together. And he knew all along it would never happen? Did he just do it 'cause that future guy told him to? What if he was just going along with it because it wouldn't work out? I ... "
He groaned in frustration. In the year since he'd told Wes to get out and meant it, the seven months since Wes left for New Tech City and never looked back, he'd asked himself the same questions over and over. Why did Wes do it? Why didn't he warn him? Why didn't he try to stop it from happening? Had he ever really meant to have kids together? Or was he just using him for some DNA?
But the only answers lay with Wes, and he wasn't ready for that yet.
Seeing Wes lying so still and broken on that hospital bed five months ago, everything over the last few years had come rushing back through the veil of anger he'd been trying to cling to. All the great times they'd had together. Wes' mischievous grin whenever he teased, the way his eyes sorta sparkled when he was truly happy. All the romantic junk that came with being in a relationship.
All the hard times they'd come through together.
But he still couldn't forgive him. He still couldn't accept him after what had happened. It wasn't that he didn't want to; he missed Wes more than he could say. But every time he tried to look him in the eyes he'd see that guilt, and his anger would come surging forward again, leaving him wanting to strangle the other man.
After awhile he sighed, sitting back in his chair to regard the cat. "I must be losing my mind," he grumbled. "Sitting here alone, talking to a stupid cat about my ex."
Her ears went back and she meowed loudly.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll get you something to eat."
Then he cursed as once again, she tried to wrap herself around his ankles.