Fatherhood (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Power Rangers S.P.D. Crossover, Operation Overdrive Season

[tsukino_akume]

I *finally* managed to come up with a Five Things fic. I've been wanting to do one for ages, but for some reason couldn't think of anything. It was surprisingly fun, actually. I may do more of these.

... I need a Bridge Icon.

Title/: Fatherhood
Author/: Tsukino Akume
5 Things/: 5 Ways Adam Never Learned that Bridge was His Son
Fandom/: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Power Rangers S.P.D. Crossover, Operation Overdrive season (Bright Skies Universe AU)
Pairing/: Rocky/Adam, Sky/Bridge
Rating/: G
Summary/: Of all the ways Adam could have learned he had a son in the future, only one of them came true.
Warning/: Bounces between angst and total unrealistic fluff. And I totally don't care.
Spoilers/: For Bright Skies AU. Takes place during Once a Ranger episode.
Disclaimer/: If it was mine, one of these wouldn't be fanfiction.
Author's Note/: I've been trying to do a Five Things Prompt for practically forever, and this is the one that finally worked for me. It's not all exactly what I was planning at first, but it seems to work.

For the purposes of my universe (and this fic), Rocky and Adam had a huge fight over Adam going to help the Overdrive Rangers and weren't speaking at the time of the episode, which is part of why Adam was such a jerk throughout the whole thing (personal observation.) Don't like it? Don't have to read it. Do like it? Tell me!

Much love and adoration to phantom_blue and challon86 for running beta.

For Challon86 and BlackCrimsonLight, because they both need smiles. And the Carson Family is always worth smiling about. I love you both. And things *will* get better; I'm sure of it. ♥

Nightmare
It was the screaming that woke him.

Screaming was never a good way to wake up, whether it was your own or someone else's. It brought him out of a sound sleep in seconds, sitting upright in bed and reaching for the morpher under his pillow. His fist had already clenched around it, his mouth starting to form the words, before he actually registered where he was.

Hartford's mansion.

The Overdrive Rangers.

Thrax.

Bridge, who he now realized was the one screaming. There were other voices, presumably trying to calm the young man, but he found himself getting up anyway. Obviously whatever they were trying to do to help wasn't working, and no one would ever get any sleep at this rate.

The thought was unusually cold for him, and he paused briefly as guilt surged. It wasn't Bridge's fault he was having a nightmare. It wasn't anyone's fault. Consequences of being a Ranger; he knew that better than anyone.

He shook his head as he started moving again, shaking away the irritation of being woken up. He'd been out of the game too long, really. It was making him cranky and hard to deal with.

No. No, he wasn't too out of the loop to be here. That was what he'd said, and he was wrong.

He was wrong.

People had crowded around the door of the guest room a few doors down from his. Spencer looked annoyed and sleepy in a nightcap that reminded him disturbingly of Alpha 5, and he pushed away the mental image before he could start snickering. Andrew looked tired but concerned, while the Overdrive Rangers, minus Mack, peered inside worriedly. All five of them were wide awake, and Dax was even bouncing on his toes to try and see around Ronny and Rose. Will caught his arm just as he started to bounce higher, preventing him from going through the ceiling.

"Lemme through," he called out, sounding more gruff than he'd meant to. Somewhat to his surprise, the Rangers parted for him, Will giving him a wary look while Ronny shot him a brief, concerned glance. Apparently there was something to be said for age, after all.

Bridge was thrashing on the bed. Xander, Tori, and Kira had beaten him here, and all three of them were trying unsuccessfully to pin the Red Ranger down. Kira kept calling his name, trying to tell him it was all right, he was safe now. Mack had a hold of one of his hands, and for some reason was pulling off the glove.

"Everybody back off," Adam snapped instinctively. Xander frowned at him and Tori looked like she wanted to protest. Kira and Mack were still focused on Bridge. "I mean it," he said louder. "Everybody back. You're just making it worse."

First rule of Ranger Nightmares: never touch the person caught in it. It only made them panic more.

But then from what he'd learned, most of the others on his team hadn't been through as much trauma in their careers as he had. Bridge hadn't said anything about his own time as a Ranger, citing with a shrug and an innocent smile that he couldn't tell them about what hadn't happened yet.

Whatever Bridge hadn't wanted to say had to be bad for things to get *this* bad.

Xander and Tori moved away, while Kira hesitated, but obeyed after she looked at him again. "Mack. Let him go," he repeated firmly.

Mack frowned worriedly. "I'm just trying to - "

"I know," he interrupted, even though he really had no idea what exactly Mack thought he was doing. "But it's not working. Just let him go and get everybody back. You're scaring him."

The look of hurt that flashed across the younger Ranger's face made him wonder briefly just how old Mack actually *was*. He reminded him a little too much of Justin at times, back in the days when Justin still felt no one was taking him seriously enough. Back when they really *weren't* taking him seriously, because it was hard to look at someone that young and see a teammate instead of someone who needed to be protected.

He gave himself a mental shake as Mack finally moved back with an unhappy sigh, catching the glove the teen threw at him by reflex. His mind was wandering again. Definitely getting too old for these late-night wake-up calls.

He moved about two feet from the bed: close enough to talk quietly and still be heard, yet far enough away to keep from crowding the poor kid. He tried to remind himself that Bridge was an adult, a *Ranger*, but the sight of naked fear on his face as he struggled under his blankets made him look so much younger than he actually was. Bridge let out a pained, fearful noise, and Adam felt his heart clench in response. He'd always hated watching his teammates' nightmares.

"Bridge," he said quietly, firmly. "Wake up."

Bridge stilled. " ... Dad?" he whimpered.

He had to struggle not to raise his eyebrows. "Bridge, it's Adam," he said a little louder. "You're dreaming. Wake up."

Bridge rolled over to face him, his ungloved hand twitching slightly before clenching and unclenching. "M'sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't ... didn't mean to wake an'body. Had the dream 'gain."

"Which dream?" he asked quietly. He wasn't sure that Bridge was entirely awake yet, but experience had taught him that talking was a good sign.

"Bork. The room. The wall was closing, but ... Jack didn't get there in time."

Adam blinked.

"Bridgey went squish," Bridge continued, eyes still closed. He smiled faintly, but it looked pained. "No more Green Ranger. And then Commander Cruger and Commander Oliver made Dru the Green Ranger instead, and everyone was happy. Which doesn't make any sense because Dru's in a containment card in prison. And the Commanders wouldn't give a morpher to a convicted criminal right? I mean, unless it was an emergency or they had no choice or - "

"Bridge," he interrupted, trying to ignore the sudden pounding in his heart at the names Bridge had used, the way he'd felt his eyes widening in recognition against his will. "No one would just give away your morpher if you had died, and no one would be happy that you were gone. Your friends would be devastated. Your *family* would be devastated." He hoped they would be, anyway. Bridge hadn't exactly said anything about his family for him to really know.

Bridge's smile widened a little, looking more real. He was surprisingly cute when he smiled. In an 'how adorable are you' sort of way. "I know, Dad. I just don't know that when I'm dreaming, you know?"

He fought to hold in a groan. Apparently the kid wasn't as awake as he'd thought - and he really needed to stop thinking of him as 'the kid'. "Come on, Bridge. It's time to wake up," he said again.

Bridge's brow furrowed briefly, and he wrinkled up his nose in a way that was strangely familiar. "I *am* awake," he muttered, pausing to yawn. His eyes slid open, blinking for a moment, before coming to rest on Adam.

They abruptly went wide.

Bridge shot up straight, flushing. "D - um, Adam! I didn't - I mean, I, um ... I didn't realize it was um, you. I ... I, uh ... "

Adam tilted his head, folding his arms and raising his eyebrows. "You were having a nightmare," he informed him calmly. "You sure you're awake now?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I, uh ... sorry about that." Bridge glanced at the door, flushing even darker at the audience. "Sorry," he repeated awkwardly. "I didn't mean to wake anyone. I, uh ... sorry."

"You okay?" Kira asked, looking concerned.

"That must have been some nightmare, mate," Xander added. "We couldn't wake you for anything 'til Adam got here." He nodded toward Adam, who ignored the gesture.

"Yeah. I, uh." Bridge made a face, reaching up to run a hand over his hair. "Sorry about that. Just ... just some bad memories. I didn't mean to - "

"Relax, Bridge. It happens to the best of us," Tori assured him with a smile that didn't entirely match her eyes.

Adam eyed her briefly. Maybe there was more to Tori's past than he'd thought, too.

Bridge nodded, fidgeting slightly. "So, um ... "

There was an awkward pause.

"We should all get back to bed," Mack said quickly, giving everyone a brilliant smile. "I'm sure Bridge wants to get back to sleep. Good night, Bridge. I hope you sleep better," he added, already heading back to his own room.

Within moments, the others were all making their own excuses and well-wishes to Bridge as they shuffled back to their rooms. Adam waited, watching the way Bridge's smile never reached his eyes. The way his hands played absently with his blankets. The way he never glanced at Adam.

"Here," Adam said when they were finally alone, tossing the glove he was holding at him. "Mack pulled it off of you when they were trying to wake you. I'm not sure why."

Bridge caught it, glancing down at the glove with a frown. "Well, that explains - I mean, um ... thanks."

"No problem." He hesitated, glancing at the kid. "It's not a big deal, Bridge," he added more quietly. "We all have nightmares. It's part of being a Ranger. Some of us just get hit harder than others."

Bridge swallowed hard, giving a short nod. "Yeah," he said softly. "Thanks - thanks, uh, Adam."

"Anytime, kiddo." The word slipped out without meaning to, but he didn't miss the way Bridge flinched slightly when he said it. He shrugged it off, heading for the door.

He'd just closed his hand around the knob when something occurred to him.

Mack had taken Bridge's glove off. According to Bridge, he wore gloves to prevent himself from reading auras and emotions from the people around him. Sort of like visual mind-reading, he'd called it with a self-deprecating grin. Only through hands. It let him pick up on stuff about people they didn't always want him to know.

If that was true, then ... how could Bridge possibly mistake him for his father? Wouldn't he have recognized Adam's aura?

His breath caught as another thought occurred to him, and he could feel his hand clenching on the doorknob painfully tight.

What if ... what if Bridge *did* recognize his aura? What if he wasn't still half-asleep? What if ...

The nose wrinkling thing, he realized suddenly. Rocky did that.

"Bridge?" he heard a voice say. Was that him? It sounded so ... distant, and hoarse. "What year were you born?"

There was a pause.

"Um ... 2011. Why?"

He found himself doing the math in his head without thinking about it. Bridge had said he was from the year 2028, so ... "You're ... seventeen?"

" ... Yeah. Why do you ask?"

He turned around slowly.

Bridge was still sitting on the bed, tangled covers thrown down to his feet now. He was in the middle of strapping his glove back on, but he glanced up and blinked at Adam with an open, innocent expression. There was a hint of wariness in his eyes, buried so deep Adam wouldn't have even noticed it if he wasn't looking.

He knew that expression. Knew it better than he knew the sight of his own face in a mirror.

In a split-second decision, he took a chance.

He shrugged, leaning back against the door frame. "Just wondering how long I have to wait before I'm going to become a father," he said with deliberate casualty.

Bridge froze.

Barely a moment later, he was flashing Adam an amused grin. "How do you figure that one?"

Adam looked at him for a minute. His eyes roamed over the kid's face, studying the unfamiliar features in hopes of catching something else he recognized. There were hints - barely noticeable ones, but they were there. "Because you're your father's son, Bridge," he said quietly. "And I know Rocky is your father."

He was waiting for Bridge to argue with him again. To protest that he had it all wrong, that he was reading too much into things. He expected that.

He was *not* prepared for Bridge to slowly light up like a Christmas tree, scrambling out of bed and throwing himself at Adam in a bear hug that knocked them both back against the wall.

"You know," the kid breathed, sounding happier than he'd ever heard him. "You finally figured it out."

His hands moved out of their own free will, coming up to wrap around the body in front of him, one burying itself in the surprisingly soft short hair. "You got your hugging skills from Aisha, I see," he muttered, because he'd never met anyone else that could bruise ribs with a simple *hug*.

Bridge laughed quietly against his shoulder, still clinging tight. "I got my brains from you," he offered quietly. "At least, that's what everybody tells me."

"Since I'm not exactly sure who everybody is yet, I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not," he muttered back, even as he inwardly glowed.

"I think it is," Bridge insisted, snuggling closer, and that was all he needed to hear.

"Me, too," he whispered back.

Fight
"What are you wearing?"

Bridge turned, clearly startled, but Adam couldn't seem to take the ice out of his voice. "Um ... clothes?" he offered hesitantly. "I needed to raid somebody's closet, and you're the closest to me in size, and you'd already said it wasn't an issue so I didn't think that it - "

"Why," Adam cut in, barely suppressing a snarl. "Are you wearing *that* shirt?"

He'd tried, really he had, but from the moment he'd met him something about Bridge Carson had always set him on edge. The kid was hyperactive, overly cheerful, talked too much, *rarely* made sense, and had the attention span of a five-year-old on a sugar high. The way he talked, the way he moved, even his *fighting* style ... Something about it all was familiar, in ways that were painfully uncomfortable when you took into account that the kid was supposed to be from the future.

And now, he was wearing *Rocky's* shirt.

Things had been hard with Rocky over the last year. Between issues with the dojo, Rocky's family, and each other, Adam was starting to wonder how much longer things were going to last between them. And then Sentinel Knight had recruited him to help the Overdrive Rangers - and why *him* he still didn't know - and Rocky had *flipped*. The fight had ended in Rocky storming out as Adam threw some clothes in a bag. The shirt had been an accident, grabbed in with the rest. He'd found it after he arrived, and stared at it for several minutes before forcing himself to toss it aside.

And now Bridge was wearing it.

Bridge's expression had turned wary, his weight shifting subtly enough to suggest that he was seriously considering backing away. "It ... was red?" he said hesitantly, and something about the way he said it made it obviously a lie. "And I'm the Red Ranger ... ?"

Adam glared at him, folding his arms. "Nice try. Want to give me another one?"

Bridge paused, a strange expression coming across his face as he stared back. His fingers curled slightly in the end of the sleeves, and he almost seemed to shrink in on himself. "I ... " He stopped, sighing. "It smells like my dad," he said quietly. "And I guess I was just ... "

Adam could barely hear him. "Your ... dad?" he repeated numbly. "It ... your dad?"

His shirt smelled like Rocky. Bridge couldn't *possibly* mean ....

But Bridge was nodding slowly, looking miserable. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I was feeling a little homesick and when I saw his aura shadows on it I just had to pick it up and then it smelled like him and I just couldn't put it down and I didn't mean to upset you - "

"Rocky is your father," he whispered, and he could feel his heart breaking. "You're ... you're Rocky's ... from the future ... "

He didn't even realize he was backing away until Bridge caught his arm. "No, wait! You don't understand!" he pleaded desperately.

He shook his head, yanking free. "I ... I need to - "

"Dad, *please*! Listen to me!" Bridge cried.

Adam froze.

They both stayed were they were, Adam staring at the floor as he tried to process what was happening. Bridge had gone very quiet, fidgeting as he watched him nervously. Eventually he looked down, biting his lip and playing with the edge of his sleeve.

"You're ... " Adam's throat felt dry, and he forced himself to swallow. "What did you say?"

"I'm not supposed to repeat it." Bridge's voice was barely a whisper. "I wasn't supposed to say anything, but your aura was so red and blue and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea and then you weren't listening and I couldn't just say *nothing* - "

"Bridge," he interrupted again, softer this time. "Did you say what I think you said?" He forced himself to look up, to take in the tension in the teen's shoulders and the way he fidgeted again, still refusing to meet Adam's eyes. "Did you ... call me dad?"

Bridge nodded once, very slowly.

He stared at him, trying desperately to understand. Rocky's shirt smelled like Bridge's dad, but Bridge had called *him* dad, and Adam had never worn red in his life unless he was stealing one of Rocky's shirts, and never would if he had anything to say about it. "You don't look like either of us," he blurted without meaning to.

For some reason, that made Bridge smile. "My mom told me once that I look so much like both my dads, I don't really look like either of them." He peered up at him shyly, bangs falling across his forehead, and Adam fought the urge to brush them to one side.

A moment later he surrendered, and gently moved them anyway.

The smile Bridge gave him in return was blinding, and it was *Rocky's* smile.

Adam's breath caught in his throat. "You ... you really are," he breathed. An awkward chuckle escaped before he could stop it, and he realized he was smiling.

Bridge gave him another shy smile. "Hi," he said softly.

Adam ran his fingers through Bridge's hair again, marveling at how everything that had annoyed him about this kid five minutes ago seemed to melt away. He wasn't annoying; how could he have ever thought that? He was just being himself. Being Rocky's son. Because the more he looked at him, the more he thought about what he'd seen, the more he wondered how he could ever have missed it.

Or maybe the problem was that he *hadn't* missed it. The problem was that he'd assumed Bridge being Rocky's son meant he wasn't *their* son.

He'd never been so glad to be wrong.

He smiled back, feeling warm all of a sudden. "Hi," he returned just as softly.

Bridge hesitated, ducking his head and slightly scuffing his foot against the carpet, and how much more adorable could this kid - *his* kid - possibly be? "Is ... is it okay if I hug you?" Bridge asked hesitantly.

Adam opened his arms without even consciously thinking about it, and Bridge practically dove into them. The teen snuggled under his chin in a way that seemed automatic, letting out a contented sigh that made Adam smile. "You really are homesick, aren't you?" he asked quietly.

"Not anymore," Bridge murmured, arms tightening around him.

Author's Note/: For the purposes of the Bright Skies AU, Bridge never said he was the Blue Ranger, just Green and Red. He *did* say Sky was promoted, though.

Twenty Questions
"It's not fair," Tori protested. "How are we supposed to get to know you if we can't ask you anything?"

Bridge pondered for a moment. "Well ...I guess you could ask me a few questions," he said hesitantly. "But just a few. And I can't promise that I can answer all of them."

Kira rolled her eyes, but she seemed amused. "What's the point of asking if you can't answer?"

"Hey, you can learn a lot in a round of Twenty Questions, mate," Xander protested. "I say we go for it."

The girls looked up at Adam where he'd leaned a hip against the back of the couch the three of them were sitting on. He shrugged in response. "If Bridge is all right with it, I can't see why not," he agreed. Privately, he wondered what the big deal about the future was, and why the girls wanted to know so badly. Bridge was ... odd, and Adam was a little curious himself, but he didn't have the burning desire to get to know him the other three did.

"Okay, I'll go first," Kira said eagerly, sitting up straight. "What's your full name?"

"Bridge Taylor Carson," Bridge answered easily. He leaned back in the armchair he'd claimed, munching on a piece of toast.

"Wait, do follow up questions count?" Tori asked warily.

"Yes," Xander told her, rolling his eyes now. "Haven't you ever played Twenty Questions before?"

"Never needed to," she shot back. "Shane asks all the questions, and Dustin can't keep a secret to save his life."

Adam was the only one watching Bridge at the moment she'd said it, so only he noticed the way Bridge hid a smile behind another bite of his toast. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Why Bridge?" Tori wondered.

Bridge's smile widened into a grin, and this time he didn't bother to hide it. "My mother went into labor between continents. And my dad says it's because I'm the reason my family *is* a family, because they wouldn't have been a family without me."

"How old are you, mate?" Xander asked, looking curious.

For some reason, Bridge blinked, seeming startled by the question. "Seventeen."

Tori blinked back. "Seriously? You seem older."

He made a face at her, taking a bite of his toast and swallowing. "Next question, please."

He had manners, Adam noted. "Why all the toast?" he spoke up.

Bridge paused, so briefly it was almost unnoticeable, before at last staring at the toast in his hand. "My powers ... acted up a lot when I was a kid," he explained slowly, raising his hand and wiggling his fingers to demonstrate what 'powers' he was referring to. "My mom used to give me toast to calm me down, and I got hooked on it." He shrugged, offering a bright smile, and wiggled his fingers again. "It's buttery."

Adam's eyes narrowed slightly. Bridge was lying. It wasn't a complete lie, but something about the statement wasn't the whole truth. He wasn't sure how he knew, though; there was just something about the way Bridge acted that told him it wasn't.

Bridge reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite put his finger on who it was.

"So ... are you seeing someone?" Tori asked with a grin.

Bridge laughed abruptly, blushing. "Um ... yes, actually. I have a boyfriend."

Kira leaned forward, looking interested. "What's his name?"

"Sky." There was a soft, fond smile, and Adam found himself fighting back a smile of his own. Bridge was in love; it was all over his face.

"Sky ... " Xander was frowning. "Wait a sec, isn't that the bloke you said got promoted, and that's why you're the Red Ranger now?"

Adam glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows. Xander had actually understood all that?

Bridge looked startled. "You were actually listening to me?" he asked, somehow looking pleased and worried at the same time. Then he seemed to catch himself. "Um, yeah. That's Sky," he said quickly, flushing a little.

Kira smirked. "So you're dating your teammate."

"Of course," Bridge returned, snagging another piece of toast with a smile. "Rangers always end up dating other Rangers," he added almost absently, then froze. "Uh ... I mean, that's what I've heard," he finished awkwardly. He took a large bite of toast, chewing rapidly and avoiding their eyes.

"So does that mean I'll get a date with one of these lovely ladies?" Xander asked, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Bridge choked on his toast.

"Xander!" Tori scolded, jabbing her elbow into his ribs with a glare. "That doesn't count as a question," she added quickly.

Bridge coughed for a moment, reaching for the glass of milk he'd left on the coffee table in front of him. "Okay," he agreed just as fast, downing several gulps.

Adam watched him thoughtfully. Had that been a 'yes' or a 'no'?

"So, what's your favorite color?" Kira asked, ignoring Xander's pained grunt as she absently kicked him in the shin.

Bridge looked thoughtful. "Rainbow," he decided finally.

"That's not a color!" Tori protested.

"But if I like *all* colors, how am I supposed to pick just one?" Bridge asked innocently.

"Okay, so what's your favorite type of music?" Kira persisted, making a face at him. "And don't say all music!" she added quickly, waving a finger.

Bridge laughed. "Okay. Let me think about it." He paused, considering. "It's hard to say," he said finally. "Maybe classical. Something soothing." He stopped, something flickering across his face Adam couldn't read. "Actually ... I think I like Spanish Pop music best."

Adam straightened slightly, frowning. "Spanish Pop?" he repeated. That was kind of random, even for Bridge. He wasn't even Hispanic.

... Was he?

He looked Bridge over carefully. He had one of those faces that was hard to define, a blend of ... something. He'd thought he was white at first, but now that he was looking, he could see it.

"Do you have a favorite song?" Tori wanted to know, leaning forward to rest her chin in her hands as she watched him.

"Uh ... I don't know the name," Bridge confessed sheepishly. "But there's a lullaby my dad used to sing to me. He said Mama - um, my grandmother used to sing it to him and his brothers and sisters when they were little."

A sudden suspicion began to dawn on Adam. It couldn't be. He watched Bridge carefully, wondering. ... Could it?

"Favorite movie?" Xander piped up.

That got another sheepish grin. "You wouldn't have heard of it. It hasn't been produced yet."

Adam continued to study Bridge. He didn't look like ... But then, that didn't really mean anything did it?

Xander laughed. "Fair enough," he agreed ruefully. "Favorite animal then." He shot Bridge a playful, mischievous grin. "It's the minotaur, isn't it? I knew you've got good taste, mate."

Bridge laughed again, almost a giggle this time. "Sorry, but no. I don't really - " He stopped at Kira's scowl and hesitated. "Um ... I guess ... I like cats?" he offered. "And sheep?"

"Not what you like," Tori lectured, glaring at him playfully. "Which one's your *favorite*?"

Bridge hesitated again. "Well ... I'm not ... I try not to pick one," he admitted. "It sort of gets me stuck in the middle of a family argument that I like to stay out of."

"Come on, we won't tell," Tori coaxed.

Bridge bit his lip, ducking his head a little. "I like frogs," he confessed quietly. "It's ... it has to do with what I was told they represent once. I always thought it fit me better than the others would." His eyes flickered toward Adam and away again almost too quickly to be noticed.

Adam tried not to stare.

"Who's your favorite Power Ranger?" Kira asked, tilting her head. "I mean, is it someone we know, or have they not been chosen yet?"

There was a long pause as Bridge stared down at his toast. "Um ... it's ... someone you know," he mumbled, blushing brightly. "I ... I guess I always had a lot of respect for the Rangers who served under Zordon. They fought for a lot longer than the rest of us, and they - " He cut himself off abruptly, looking incredibly embarrassed. "They've done a lot for Earth."

Kira glanced up at Adam, but he barely noticed it out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, I know what you - " She paused. "Adam, are you *blushing*?" she asked, grinning.

Adam glanced at her and tried to scowl, but she just smirked back. "You are! That's so cute!" she crooned.

Bridge made an odd choking noise.

Tori leaned over to pat his arm, snickering. "I'm guessing Adam and Kira aren't one of those sets of Rangers who end up together, huh?" she teased.

The face Bridge made in response was priceless. "Uh, no. Thank goodness. No offense," he added in afterthought, glancing at Kira.

Adam felt his hand clench around the back of the couch as he stared at Bridge again in shock. I don't believe it ...

"So if you've been the Green Ranger and the Red Ranger, which one did you like being the best?" Xander wondered, tilting his head curiously.

"Ooh, that's a good one," Kira agreed with a grin. "And why was that color your favorite?"

Bridge frowned in thought, leaning his chin on his hand. "It's hard to say," he said after a moment. "I haven't really been Red long enough to really say if I like it or not. And Green ... different things have happened when I was each color, so it's hard to say which was better, really. I mean, I like being Red because it means - " He stopped, frowning deeper. "Well, it's important to me. But I've been the Green Ranger longest, and that's when my team became, well, a team."

Say Green, Adam urged him silently. If he was right, then he really wasn't being fair, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to be biased. And he wanted to be right.

Man, half an hour ago I thought the kid was odd, and now I want him to be ...

But Bridge wasn't odd. He was young. And he was kind of cute, in that odd way. And if Adam *was* right, then he knew why.

"I guess I'd have to say Green," Bridge decided finally.

Silently Adam cheered. He didn't feel the least bit guilty about it.

"Good choice, mate," Xander agreed with a grin.

"Okay, I've got another good one," Tori volunteered.

Bridge snagged another piece of toast, munching absently and swallowing. "Shoot," he told her.

"Who's your hero? It doesn't necessarily have to be a Ranger," she added. "Just the person you admire the most."

There was a long moment of silence as Bridge frowned again. "But ... my heroes *are* Rangers," he said finally. "There's so much that they've done ... " He trailed off, thinking again. "Well, I guess one of my heroes would be Sky's dad. He's been through so much, but he's never lost faith that things will get better. And he's always made time for all of us whenever we need him, no matter what." He set down his toast, resting his elbows on his knees and bracing his fists on either side of his chin. "But my main heroes would have to be my parents," he decided at last.

"Why your parents?" Kira asked softly.

Bridge smiled at her, but there was no happiness in it. "Well, for one because of what they do. They're really incredible people. But also because of - " He stopped to lift a hand, wiggling his fingers. "I wasn't exactly an easy kid to deal with, but they always made sure somebody was there for me. And when things got *really* bad, they actually split up to take me to get some help." His eyes were distant, and he looked sad. "I know it was really hard on my mom not being there, but they did it because they knew it was for the best."

Tori swallowed, biting her lip. "Do you have any siblings?" she asked tentatively

Bridge blinked, and the sudden smile on his face was bright and full of affection. "One," he answered. "I have a little sister."

Tori smiled back at him. "What's her name?"

Bridge hesitated for a second. "Gaia," he answered finally.

"Bridge and Gaia?" Surprisingly it was Xander who said it, smiling softly at the names. "Very nice."

Bridge flashed him a grin. "Glad you approve."

"Okay, here's a good one," Kira decided. "Where did you get your powers? Not the Ranger ones," she added. "Your ... the aura reading thing you do. Where did that come from?"

Bridge paused. "I can't answer that."

Kira frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I'm not allowed to know," Adam spoke up, watching Bridge carefully as he waited for confirmation. "Am I?"

Bridge slowly looked up at him, apprehension in his eyes. "I can't tell you that, either," he said softly. "And that's twenty."

Without thinking about it, Adam found himself moving closer, stopping in front of Bridge's chair. "What if you don't need to tell me?" he offered. "What if I guess?"

Bridge swallowed, looking very, very nervous. "You could do that," he agreed carefully. "But I might not be able to um, actually, officially confirm if you're right. Or not."

Adam crouched down in front of him, tilting his head as he studied the teen's face. At last he gave him a slow, lopsided smile. "You might not have to," he said finally. He paused, and then said it anyway because he had to know for sure. "You're my son. Aren't you, Bridge?"

Behind him, he heard Tori gasp.

Bridge stared back at him, biting his lip. The expression in his eyes was painfully vulnerable. "I can't answer that," he whispered.

Adam smiled.

Slip of the Tongue
It was a lazy afternoon, in general. Thrax hadn't shown any signs of attacking yet, and neither had anyone else. Most of Overdrive Rangers were gone now except for Mack, but Adam knew they'd be back. Once a Ranger after all, he reflected, glancing down at his bare wrist with a wry smile. He may not wear the old communicator anymore, but that didn't mean he couldn't feel its presence. And it definitely didn't mean there weren't other Rangers only a phone call away.

Some even less than that.

There were voices coming from the living room, where he'd left the others chatting as he stopped to help Andrew fix something. It sounded like Mack had finally gotten up the nerve to join them, which was a good sign. Brooding over being Powerless was normal, but never healthy. Adam wondered briefly which one of them had dragged him in there. Xander had the skills to talk him into it, but Tori and Kira were both pushy enough to physically drag him in. And Bridge may have just confused him into coming along.

He shook his head. Bridge was a strange kid. And something about him gave Adam the feeling that he was doing it on purpose. That there was something he wasn't telling them. It wasn't exactly that he didn't like Bridge, but knowing that one of his teammates was keeping secrets set him on edge. Too many years of knowing that secrets in a team only lead to trouble.

He frowned. Strange that Bridge didn't know that. He was a Red, after all. And very laidback for someone who should have been leading his team. He hadn't even blinked at deferring to Adam as their leader, citing that he had the most experience.

Huh.

"So what do you think?" he heard Tori ask down the hall.

"Nice," Kira returned.

"Very nice," Xander added. "Ow!"

"You look great, Tori," Mack promised, chuckling.

"Yeah, nice leaves," Bridge put in.

Adam froze.

"Excuse me?" Tori demanded, and through the angle of the doorway he could see her putting her hands on her hips as she glared.

Bridge held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "No, no, it's a compliment. Really," he promised. "You look good. Great, even. Spectacular."

"What in the world made you say something like that?" Mack asked, giving Bridge an odd look.

"Habit, I guess." Adam couldn't see Bridge's face from where he was, but the tone of his voice was sheepish. "It's just an old inside joke in my family. Something we say whenever someone asks how they look."

"Okay, I have got to hear the story behind this," Kira demanded.

Adam barely heard him. The world seemed to be closing in on him, and he leaned back against the wall for support. Inside joke? But that was ... How could Bridge *possibly* know ... ?

Distantly he heard Bridge sigh. "Well ... My dad was - " A pause. "Drugged once. Drunk. Kinda. He was really out of it. And he was ... in the infirmary, where they were trying figure out what was wrong with him. And he was sitting there while everyone was talking about how to fix him, and all of a sudden he looks at my aunt - well, she wasn't my aunt at the time, but she is now. Or, will be. But he looks at her and says 'Hey, nice leaves.'"

It was hard to breathe.

"My dad was - drugged once. Drunk. Kinda."

Turning into a plant.

"And he was ... in the infirmary - "

The Power Chamber.

"And all of a sudden he looks at my aunt - "

Kat. Rocky was looking at Kat.

"What did your aunt do?" Kira asked, sounding amused and exasperated at the same time.

Adam was still trying to breathe.

My dad ... My aunt ... Bridge is ... is ....

"Well, everyone just sort of turned to stare at him, and he said 'Your branches are really nice, too.' They never did figure out exactly what he meant," Bridge added thoughtfully.

"So your dad was hitting on his sister?" Mack looked confused.

"Huh? Oh! No, no no. My aunt isn't - um, we're not related. By blood, I mean. She's sort of an adoptive aunt? She's like a sister to my parents, but they were just friends then." Bridge paused again. "And she was dating my uncle at the time. My aunt - um, other aunt, said he and my dad were really mad at Dad when he said it, but since he wasn't exactly uh, coherent? They really couldn't be *too* mad at him."

And just like that, all the control Adam had managed to gain over himself was gone again.

Tori was giving Bridge an odd look. "Your dad was mad at himself?"

"Well, sure. But I actually meant Dad was mad at Dad. Not Dad mad at himself. Which he was, later."

"Just how many parents do you have, mate?" Xander asked, sounding like he was trying not to chuckle.

"Four?" Bridge offered. "My mom says I was a tribal baby."

"You know if any of us ever has kids, we're raising them all together, right?"

"How do you figure?"

"Well, we'll all have a part in their lives. They'll be our little tribal babies."

"You really think we'll be friends that long?"

"Are you kidding? We're gonna be friends *forever*."

And just like that, Adam's world clicked back into place.

"*Four* parents?" Mack was saying as Adam walked into the room. "Sounds like a nightmare. Every time you turn around, there's someone yelling or grounding you."

"Nah, it wasn't that bad," Bridge assured him, standing up to stretch. "It's kind of nice, really. Or it will be." Then he turned, catching sight of Adam, and froze. His eyes went almost comically wide.

Adam stared back at him.

For a moment, they just looked at each other. Adam took the time to catalogue the color of Bridge's skin, the slant of his eyes, the color of his hair. Now that he was looking for it, he could see bits of Rocky all over Bridge's face. He wondered what parts of Bridge came from Aisha. What parts came from *him*.

"I should - " Bridge gestured weakly behind him at nothing in particular, already starting to shift his weight uncomfortably. "I should, um - go. Somewhere ... not here. Uh ... yeah." He practically bolted for the door as everyone else stared after him.

Immediately seventeen years of experience helping Rocky wrangle his siblings - and later nieces and nephews - kicked in. "Freeze," Adam barked authoritively.

Bridge instantly stopped moving, one hand on the doorframe and his right foot hanging in mid-air.

Kira stepped closer, frowning at him. "Adam, what are you - "

He ignored her. There was only one thing in this room that mattered right now, and he had to make sure it didn't bolt out the door. "Bridge," he said, softer now.

Slowly, Bridge turned to look at him. There was fear in his eyes, even as he tried to offer a hesitant smile. "Y-yeah? Did you need something - um, Adam?"

Why hadn't he noticed how awkward it sounded when Bridge called him by name before? Why hadn't he noticed that Bridge rarely *said* his name to begin with?

Why hadn't he known the moment he saw him what was so obvious now?

Adam stepped towards him cautiously, holding out a hand in hopes the kid wouldn't make another run for it. "I think we need to talk, don't you?" he asked, keeping his voice soft and gentle.

Bridge swallowed. "I can't ... I can't um, tell you about the future," he pointed out.

"I don't want to know about the future," Adam corrected. "And I've already gotten Wes and Eric's 'corrupting the timeline' lecture. I just want to know about *you*."

There was an odd look on Bridge's face as he tilted his head in confusion. "Un - er, Eric has a corrupting the timeline lecture?"

"Bridge," Adam repeated quietly. This time, he smiled.

Another long pause, and at last Bridge offered a slow, shy smile back. "Okay, Dad," he said softly.

Adam ignored the gasps behind him, stepping closer and wrapping an arm around his son.

His son.

"Come on, kiddo," he murmured. "Let's find some place to talk."

Last Goodbye
"It is time," Sentinel Knight informed them solemnly.

Adam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Something about Sentinel Knight rubbed him the wrong way. He knew he was just doing what was necessary to protect the jewels, but even so, couldn't he give Bridge a few minutes to say goodbye? They wouldn't see him for another twenty-one years.

Geez, twenty-one years. He was old enough to be Bridge's father, and if being around all these people five years younger than him - or more - didn't make him feel ancient, *that* certainly did.

Not to say that he didn't like the kid. Bridge was a hard worker and a team player, who knew what it meant to back down and let others take the lead when it was necessary. He was a little weird, but he was a good Ranger. It was going to be odd to still be keeping in contact with Xander, Tori, and Kira, but not Bridge.

Bridge offered them all one of his bright smiles that always seemed hauntingly familiar for some reason. It seemed to be an opening for first Ronny and Rose to step toward him with warm smiles, then Mack, Tyzonn, Will, and Dax. He hugged each of them, despite the awkward look on Tyzonn's face and the uncomfortable one on Will's.

He hung on to Dax a little longer than the others, and Adam's eyes narrowed in suspicion as Bridge seemed a bit watery-eyed when he pulled away.

Andrew thanked him for his help and wished him well, and Bridge laughed as he dodged the offered hand for another hug instead.

He was awfully touchy-feely wasn't he, Adam mused. He never seemed uncomfortable with any of them either.

Spencer seemed just as uncomfortable at being hugged as the other three had, but Bridge didn't seem to care. Adam glanced at Tori instinctively just to make sure he wasn't the only one noticing this.

Judging by the frown on her face, he wasn't.

Then Bridge was turning to face the veteran Rangers. He hesitated for the briefest of seconds, just long enough to be noticeable. He offered them a smile, but it wasn't quite as bright as before. "Well ... "

Xander stepped forward, trapping the younger man in a tight hug before yanking him down into a noogie. Bridge laughed, not bothering to put up much of a resistance. Xander's grin made it obvious he'd been wanting to do this for awhile. "We'll miss you mate," he said sincerely as he finally let go, the grin softening into a warmer smile.

"Me, too," Bridge returned just as genuinely. For a moment, he looked like there was more he wanted to say, but he stopped himself.

How hard must it be, Adam wondered. Knowing what was going to happen, but not being able to tell anyone about it? Wanting to change the bad things, but not wanting to give up the good ones, either?

Bridge was a stronger man than he was.

Kira was next, reaching up to draw Bridge down into a hug. "Ooh, I can't wait until we get to see you again!" she sighed. "I'm actually looking forward to more of that BridgeTalk, so you'd better look me up when you get back, okay?"

The smile on Bridge's face tightened a little, and for a brief second Adam thought he saw pain in his eyes. "I will," he assured her solemnly. "I promise."

She smiled back at him, patting his arm and stepping aside to let Tori come through.

Tori tilted her head slightly, staring at Bridge for a moment. "I'm glad I got to meet you," she offered finally. "It's been fun working together."

"Yeah. Yeah, it has," Bridge agreed quietly, and the tears in his eyes were even more obvious now. "I ... I'll miss you, Tori."

She smiled, pulling him into a hug that lasted almost as long as the one with Dax had. Bridge didn't make any moves to pull away, resting his chin on her shoulder instead. Tori stayed where she was, reaching up to run a gentle hand over his hair and whisper in his ear. Bridge's arms tightened slightly, and they finally separated as she gave him a sad smile.

Adam felt his heart clench, and prayed it didn't mean what he thought it did.

"Bridge," Sentinel Knight spoke up. "We are running out of time. You need to go *now*."

Bridge turned hesitantly, glancing at him. "But - "

"Hey," Adam cut in. "Don't I get to say goodbye here?"

He moved forward before Sentinel Knight could protest again, offering the kid a smile and putting a hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly. "We'll see each other in a few years, right kiddo?"

He didn't know why he said it. While he thought of Bridge as a kid, he'd always been careful to treat him as an equal. Maybe it was the way Bridge had clung to them all as he said goodbye, or his expression when he said he told Tori he'd miss her.

Bridge's face crumpled.

The next thing he knew, he had an armful of kid, clinging to him so tightly it was hard to breathe. "I'm sorry," Bridge muttered against the side of his neck, and yeah, that wasn't awkward at all. "I'm sorry I never said anything. I should have, and I didn't, and now I wish I did. But if I say it now you'll just be mad, but if I never say it you'll be even *more* mad, and - "

"Bridge," he interrupted quietly, because everyone was staring at them and Sentinel Knight was starting to look twitchy. "I won't be mad. I promise. You can tell me anything," he added softly, and he didn't quite know why he said it, but it felt like the right thing to say.

Bridge shuddered, very, very slightly.

For a moment, Adam didn't think he was going to say anything. And then softly, barely more than a whisper, he heard it.

" ... I love you, Dad."

Later, he would recall that the Earth hadn't actually moved, time hadn't actually stopped - again - and no one and nothing had changed. The world hadn't closed down to include only the two of them. He *had* briefly forgotten to breathe, but it wasn't the full five minutes it felt like.

Questions ran through his mind, one after another. There were so many things he wanted to ask, to say. How could Bridge do this to him at the last minute? And how could Sentinel Knight - because he knew now, that was why he'd been in such a rush to send Bridge off - not give him the time to say any of it?

But there *wasn't* time. And in the time he had, there was only one thing he needed to say.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, squeezed tightly while trying not to break the kid in half, and whispered back "I love you too, kiddo."

Bridge clung to him for a moment longer, giving the slightest of nuzzles against his neck as he found himself running a hand over Bridge's hair just like Tori had and marveling at how soft it was. Then Bridge stepped back with a slight sniffle and watery eyes. "Tell - um, Rocky ... " He hesitated, and Adam knew instantly what he was being so careful *not* to say, "Tell Rocky and Aisha I said hi, would you?"

"You got it," he promised, even as his heart soared at the thought. Rocky was - they were -

Bridge smiled, slowly, but genuinely. It was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, and man, he knew that smile. For all the problems they'd been having recently, he'd never forget the smile Rocky gave when he was truly happy. "Everything will be okay," he said quietly. "I promise."

He couldn't help it. He didn't care if Sentinel Knight was watching, and that it would make it totally obvious he knew now. He reached out to cup Bridge's face, rubbing a thumb over the teen's cheek and giving him a faint, but warm smile. "It already is," he assured him.

He hadn't thought the kid's smile could get any brighter.

He was wrong.

He stepped closer to kiss Bridge's forehead, which earned him a face even as the kid grinned at him. "Get going," he told him, nodding to the waiting portal and Sentinel Knight, who was starting to look like steam would be blowing out his ears if he'd had any. "I'll be waiting on the other side."

Bridge laughed, turning toward the portal. "I hope not!"

Adam raised his eyebrows. "Why do I have a feeling we're going to be having a long talk in about twenty-one years?"

Bridge paused just in front of the portal, shooting another grin at him over his shoulder. "Hey, it's not my fault I take after my parents," he said with a wink, and stepped through.

Adam groaned softly, shaking his head even as he smiled. "I am so in for it," he muttered.

" ... Did I miss something?"

Mack's awkward question made him pause, looking up to see all the Overdrive Rangers and Andrew staring at him in complete confusion. Will and Spencer looked suspicious, while Xander seemed amused. Tori gave him a slight smile.

Kira rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously telling me you *just* now figured out that Bridge is your son?"

He started at her as everyone else - excluding Tori and Xander, he noted distantly - reacted with shock and surprise. "You knew?" He looked at the other two, eyes narrowing. "You *all* knew?"

"Well mate, there's the fact that he was always watching you - and not in the romantic sense, if y'know what I mean," Xander offered.

"He never called you by name," Tori pointed out. "Not even once."

Kira tossed her hair, shaking her head at him. "Not to mention he looks like you when he gets embarrassed. I've seen pictures from Dr. O from when you were a teenager, and yeah."

Adam shook his head slowly, making a mental note to raid Tommy's house with a bucket and a lighter in the very near future. "I - "

A very familiar tone was coming from his back pocket, making everyone else jump and check their wrists.

He smiled slowly, reaching for his cell and flipping it open. "This is Adam," he answered, even though he already knew who it was.

"Adam?" Rocky's voice was hesitant, uncertain but warm. "Sorry. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I ... I guess I just wanted to know how things are going. If you're okay."

His smile widened. "How 'bout I tell you all about it when I get home later?"

There was a pause.

When Rocky spoke again, he could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll get dinner started."

Author's Note/: Meaning of names Rocky and Adam almost chose for Bridge (for the curious), because I have an obsession with name meanings.

Aidan - Little Fire
Isaac - He Will Laugh
Kevin - Beautiful at Birth
Aaron - Mountain
Austin - Venerated (respected)

And the One Way He Did ...
"Bridge."

Adam looked up from the impossibly tiny baby in his arms, resisting the instinctive urge to hold him tighter for fear of breaking him. "What?" he asked softly, blinking. The baby wasn't completely asleep yet, but he was quiet, and Adam didn't want to disturb him.

"The baby," Rocky clarified from his perch on the side of Aisha's hospital bed. "I was thinking we should name him Bridge."

"I thought you two were still arguing over Aaron and Isaac," Aisha said with a frown. She still looked weak and tired, but at least she was finally able stay awake for more than an hour or two at a time.

"And Kevin and Austin," Adam corrected. "And Rocky likes Aidan."

"Aidan?" she repeated. "I like that."

"I *used* to like Aidan. And Aaron," Rocky interrupted impatiently. "But now that we've actually *seen* him, none of those names really fit. So I'm thinking we should name him Bridge."

"Why Bridge, man?" Zack spoke up from where he leaned against the doorway, watching over them all. He raised his eyebrows. "Don't you think that's a little cruel to name a kid after a piece of architecture?"

Rocky gave him a dirty look. "I'm not talking about naming him after that kind of bridge. It's more of the connection type of bridge."

" ... Which would be the meaning of the word 'bridge," Aisha pointed out dryly.

Rocky huffed. "I mean bridge in the link sense. You know, 'bridging the gap' and all that? Not in the literal way. In the people way."

"The bridging people way?" Zack gave him another weird look.

Something about this conversation was starting to bother Adam. And it wasn't the fact that Rocky wasn't making sense.

Rocky sighed. "Think about it. This baby is the reason we're all here in this room, right? Not just because we're all friends, but because we've all had a part in making him. Me and Adam provided the DNA, Aisha provided - uh, the important stuff - " He ignored Aisha's muffled snort, " And Zack ... man, you're the reason - " He cut off abruptly, swallowing hard and wrapping an arm around Aisha as he blinked rapidly for a moment. "You're the reason everyone made it. And all of us, together, made this baby."

Aisha blinked slowly for a moment, before at last giving a soft smile. "Yeah ... you're right. We did."

"Not to mention the whole trans-pacific thing," Zack pointed out with a grin. He paused, frowning. "So ... does this make him a Capricorn or a Sagittarius? I mean, he was technically born ... the day before we landed."

"Bridge," Adam said softly, tracing a gentle fingertip down the baby's face. The infant wrinkled his nose, blinking sleepy dark eyes at him. They should take pictures soon; his eyes probably wouldn't stay that color for long.

... And there was that feeling again.

"So did you two finally finish haggling out over whether it's Park-DeSantos or DeSantos-Park?" he heard Aisha ask, sounding amused.

He looked up, blinking at her, before turning to frown at Rocky. "You mean you didn't - "

"I thought *you* told her!" Rocky protested, hurriedly hushing himself as the baby made a noise.

"Told me what?" Aisha demanded suspiciously.

Adam was busy rocking the baby, murmuring softly to him under his breath to calm him, which meant Rocky was the only one able to explain.

He heard his husband sigh quietly. "Well ... we sort of ... See, we were talking about it a few weeks ago, and we finally decided that DeSantos-Park doesn't - "

"Park-DeSantos," Adam interrupted, melting as the baby yawned.

Rocky made a noise of frustration. "Whatever. *Anyway*, we decided that joining our names is kind of long and awkward, and it doesn't really fit. So we decided we're gonna give him Carson for a last name instead."

There was a pause.

"Why Carson?" Zack wondered.

"From our names," Rocky explained. "'a' and 'r' from Park, and 's', 'o' 'n' from DeSantos. The 'c' is ... " He paused again, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Well, since Aisha helped make him, we thought she should have part of his last name, too."

Adam glanced up at the sudden silence.

Aisha had gone very still. "Rocky ... " she whispered.

"That is, if it's okay with you," Adam offered quietly.

She turned to look at him, tears filling her eyes. "You guys ... I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," Rocky suggested.

She swatted him weakly on the arm, but she was already fighting a smile. "I ... I'm honored. But .. this is *your* son, not mine. I'm just the surrogate."

"Not true," Rocky said firmly. "Aisha, after everything you went through for us ... everything we've all gone through together .... "

"Bridge needs a mom, too," Adam put in, giving her another smile. "And he has one. It's you."

Then Aisha was trying not to cry, Rocky was demanding his turn to hold the baby, and Adam found himself forced to finally let go of his son - for a few minutes at least. It wasn't until then that he realized Zack had slipped out while they were distracted. He glanced around out the door and found him talking with the doctor further down the hall.

He shut the door quietly, turning to look at his husband, their best friend, and their son. "Guys ... " he said quietly.

They both looked up at him, and Rocky frowned in concern. "Adam? You okay?"

He shook his head. "I'm fine. It's just ... I was thinking. About a middle name."

Aisha raised her eyebrows. "Still fighting for Isaac?"

Adam sighed, shaking his head again even as Rocky started to scowl and opened his mouth to argue. "Not Isaac," he said firmly. "Taylor."

Aisha blinked. Rocky looked confused. "Taylor?" he repeated.

"For Zack," he explained.

And that was all he needed to say. Aisha's expression had already softened into a warm, loving smile, and Rocky was starting to grin. "Bridge Taylor Carson," Rocky said slowly, drawing out the name as he beamed down at the baby.

Something clicked, and Adam's world went white.

"Xander Bly. You can call me Xander."

"Tori Hanson."

"I'm Kira. Kira Ford."

"Adam Park."

A pause, and suddenly the kid who'd been staring at them all stepped forward with an embarrassed laugh. "Oh! Oh, right. Sorry. I'm Bridge. Bridge Carson."

Bridge. What a weird name, he thought distantly as he nodded in acknowledgement.

****

He came to his sense much later, stretched out on a cot in a darkened room. There was a hand running gently over his hair, and he didn't have to open his eyes to know who it was.

"You're finally awake," Rocky commented softly. The hand slipped from his head to grasp his fingers instead, squeezing gently.

He swallowed painfully. "Yeah," he rasped.

"The doctor thinks you finally collapsed from all the stress of the last couple days."

Stress? Was that seriously the best they could come up with?

He made a non-committal noise.

There was a pause.

"You ready to tell me what really happened?"

"I can't tell you about the future," Bridge explained, looking genuinely regretful. "See, if I tell you about something that's gonna happen, and you do something that changes that something, then other somethings might not happen. And even though it's good to want to change the bad somethings, it's actually a bad idea, because when you change the bad things you're still changing something, so you end up changing the good somethings, too. And I don't want to change the good somethings."

"I can't," he whispered finally. His chest ached, and his eyes burned as he fought back the urge to cry. Bridge ... if he'd only known ... man, if he'd known ....

I'm so sorry, Bridge, he thought desperately, remembering how awkward and rude he'd been around the young man. I'm so, so sorry.

Something brushed the corner of his eye, and he felt lips press against his. "Hey... " Rocky murmured softly. "It's okay, Adam. Everything's gonna be okay. You don't have to tell right now."

But it's not okay. I ... I hurt our son. I'm going to hurt him, and there's nothing I can do to stop myself because it's already done.

He forced himself to nod, opening his eyes at last to meet his husband's.

There must have been something in his expression, because Rocky stared at him for what seemed like forever. "Okay," he said again, quieter now. "But ... will you tell me someday? When you can?"

Adam swallowed hard.

"Yes," he whispered finally. "As soon as I can."

Rocky nodded, looking pained but understanding. He leaned down again, pressing his forehead against Adam's. "Okay," he murmured. "I love you, Adam."

There was a sharp stab of pain in his chest.

You shouldn't, he thought brokenly. Bridge ... You shouldn't.

"I love you, too," he breathed, heart aching.