Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #36: Destruction, T)
Crankin' out another one.
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/: #36: Destruction
Rating/: T (For non - graphic mentions of people having babies and being violent with one another)
Disclaimer/: I don't own the Power Rangers, but if Disney's hiring any new writers I volunteer.
Summary/: When Wes' life starts to fall apart, an accident gives him a chance at a fresh start in New Tech City, with Space Patrol Delta. But even a new life has its ups and downs - and weird friends. Meanwhile, Eric tries to move on.
Warnings/: A mentally handicapped person living in a medical facility, angst, male and female slash, non - cemented couples (In otherwords, pairings that will be separated), children created by scientific means
Author's Notes/: Okay, so the original plan was for this chapter to be entirely angsty. But certain Rangers refused to cooperate. -Glares at said group-
The name 'Dome of Lights' for the Aquitian Rangers' headquarters comes from my other story, Fade to Darkness.
The Red Time Force Ranger stared out across the Abyssal Sea from the skiver he'd borrowed. After a moment he reached up to remove his helmet, shaking his matted hair loose and looking out again through his own eyes. The view didn't improve.
According to the reports they'd generated so far, the amount of pollution in the oceans was devastating, but by some miracle hadn't completely ruined the planet's ecosystem - yet. It would take years to repair the damage, and even then things could never be the same. Four months of fighting had changed Aquitar forever.
It had changed his *team* forever.
He glanced down as his morpher beeped. "Time." he said shortly.
"It's Wind. You sulking again?"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not sulking. I'm scouting."
"Any sign of the bat under glass?"
He bit back a chuckle in spite of himself. "Stop listening to Mystic and Overdrive. They're bad influences." Then he sighed. "And no; looks like a clean getaway."
"Darn," she muttered with feeling. "You coming back down?"
He gave one last look to the bleak horizon of what had once been a beautiful, serene world. "Yeah. I'm on my way."
****
He removed his helmet once again as he entered the Dome of Lights, trying to run a hand through his hair. He immediately wished he hadn't. "Status?" he demanded.
"We're all clear," Justin told him, not even bothering to turn from the console he was at. He looked frustrated, just as they all were. "Absolutely no signs of any foreign entities left on the planet. Scanners register nine hundred forty-seven thousand seventy-three Aquitian life forms, six human, and one demi-human."
Wes tried not to flinch at the number. So many lives had been lost, and for *nothing*. They hadn't caught Grumm or any of his henchmen; they'd turned tail and run because they suddenly decided Aquitar didn't have enough mineral resources for them.
A hand squeezed his shoulder. "If you keep thinking of what we lost, you'll never remember what we saved," Dax reminded him solemnly.
He sighed and offered the other man a faint attempt at a smile. They'd all been affected by the last few months, but Dax was one of the most obvious. While he still had his moments of not getting the joke, he'd greatly matured, for lack of a better word. Now he was the first person Wes turned to for observations, as he had a tendency to notice things no one else did. He was quieter as well, just as they all were, but he'd also somehow learned to say just what they all needed to hear at exactly the right time.
The thought occurred to him that Dax had come to remind him of Delphine, and he tried to ignore the ache still left behind by the loss of three of the Rangers of Aquitar.
"If we are certain that our enemies have left us, then there is no need for us to require your services any longer," Tideus commented.
Wes looked at him in alarm. "But we can't just leave you like this!" he protested. "There's still so much to be done! And - "
"And Aquitar will find its own way to heal itself, as we have always done," Corcus told him quietly, looking weary. "We appreciate your assistance Rangers, and we respect what you have done for us. But there is little else that you can do here."
"We can help," Tori said stubbornly.
Tideus bowed slightly to her. "We are grateful to you, Tori. But you cannot remain on Aquitar indefinitely. You have your own families to return to, do you not?"
They all exchanged guilty looks. With everything that had been happening, they'd tried not to talk about their families back home too often in front of the Aquitians, but it was hard. Wes, Justin, and Zhane all had children to think of, while Tori was married and Chip had a serious girlfriend. Dax was the only one of them without a permanent family to go back to, until you counted his Ranger team.
Well, his old team, Wes amended silently to himself. While he knew that he would always consider the other Time Force Rangers to be his 'true' team, there was no doubt in his mind that the group in this room was his team as well. As ragtag and strangely assembled as they were, he wouldn't trade any of them for anything. They had saved his life more times than he could count, and he knew they were more than just friends now; they were family.
"Aquitar will survive," Tideus insisted. "We are wounded, but our people are strong. We will build our world up again, as we have done before."
"Are you saying you don't want our help?" Zhane asked quietly.
"Never," Corcus said firmly. "But you have done all you can for us at the moment. If we are in need of assistance again, rest assured we will call the six of you straight away."
Dax smiled at that, and Wes blinked as he caught on. Oh, he thought as a warm feeling settled over him. Not S.P.D. - they'll call *us*. We're the ones they trust. It was a flattering and comforting feeling.
He looked around at his team. Justin was still going over his scans, keeping only half his attention tuned to them. Chip had sat down to scroll through a data pad, leaning forward to rest his chin on his helmet as he held it in his lap. Zhane was leaning against a wall, watching their conversation. Dax remained at his side. Tori sat in a corner with the last remaining member of their team, who's assistance had become invaluable to them all.
They were all in standby mode: morphed with helmets removed. They were all tired and dirty, thanks to the water shortage caused by all the pollution. Everyone bore scars from battles they'd fought, and explosions they'd just barely survived.
They were ready to go home, he realized. More than ready.
He sighed, tucking his helmet under an arm as he drew a slow breath. "If you're sure," he murmured. He looked up again, and found more than one person had turned to look at him with faint hope in their eyes. "Let's pack up and go home, guys."
"Take me with you."
He blinked, turning to look at Nerina. "What?"
"Take me with you," the teen repeated quietly, her expression firm. Even with her dark hair hiding the scales on her face, he'd been told she looked a great deal like her mother. But he all he could see was her father every time she looked at him with those bright blue eyes. "I want to go to Earth."
The two Aquitian Rangers stiffed. "Nerina - " Tideus began.
"You are not yet of age," Corcus reminded her sternly. "Circumstances have unavoidably changed your upbringing from what it should have been, but that does not allow for - "
"My *father* is on Earth, Elder," Nerina interrupted him in a very un-Aquitian manner, narrowing her gaze. "He is ... he is the only family I have left." Her voice caught slightly, and Tori squeezed her shoulders comfortingly.
The two Rangers exchanged glances, and Wes fought the urge to remind them that Nerina was half Earthian, too. She had a right to see her father's home planet. "We have plenty of room in the shuttle." he spoke up, glancing at Nerina.
She shot him a grateful look.
"Billy would be thrilled to see her," Justin commented absently.
"There's plenty of room at S.P.D. Newtech," Chip offered, leaning over to shift his skirt.
Zhane smirked slightly. "S.P.D. has lots of programs to help her adjust to life on Earth."
"And we'll be with her every step of the way," Tori agreed quickly, rubbing the girl's arm soothingly.
Corcus gave them what Wes had come to interpret as the Aquitian version of an exasperated expression. "Be that as it may - "
"When it seems like everything is falling apart, sometimes all you need is a chance for a fresh start," Dax spoke up, gazing calmly at the Aquitians. "No matter how hard it is to let go."
They looked at one another again, and at last Tideus sighed. "If it was anyone but the six of you escorting the spawn of our departed friend, we would refuse you," he said quietly. "However, we have come to trust you all with something far more precious than our lives, and that is not a trust we give lightly."
Corcus looked at Nerina solemnly. "You are certain this is truly what you want?"
She stood, her chin firm. "I have never been more certain of anything in my short span of life." she informed him.
He nodded slowly. "May the Power protect you," he stated softly, bowing.
"And you," she returned.
Her expression was as solemn as both of the Aquitians before her, but Wes could see the tears in her eyes as they shone with happiness.
****
"Do you think Ashley will want her morpher back?" Chip spoke up as they finished loading their gear. He glanced down at himself with a frown.
Wes couldn't help a slight grin. "I thought you were getting used to the skirt, Mystic. You said you didn't mind it anymore."
He shrugged. "I don't. It's just - "
"Skirts are sexist?" Tori suggested behind them.
"You don't like the restricted leg movement?" Zhane teased.
"You don't want to be a symbol of why Rangers shouldn't use morphers that weren't designed specifically for their gender anymore?" Dax offered.
Justin pretended to pout. "He just doesn't want to share uniforms with me anymore, that's what it is."
Chip sighed, rolling his eyes. "No, I was thinking about proposing to Clare when we get back, and I'm not sure if Ashley will be willing to let me keep using her old Morpher if I'm going to be gone from S.P.D. for awhile."
Everyone froze, turning to stare at him in surprise. "That's great! Congratulations!" Tori gushed, throwing her arms around him and giving him a tight hug.
"Finally taking the plunge?" Zhane teased, reaching out to pat Chip's back. "Next thing you know, we'll be getting birth announcements."
"That's fantastic," Dax told him with a sincere grin.
Justin just gave him an amused look. "You don't even have a ring yet, do you?"
"Guys!" Wes called, raising his voice to catch their attention. "Leave the poor man alone!" He turned to give Chip a smile as he squeezed the other man's shoulder. "I'm happy for you. I hope she says yes."
"Thanks, everybody," Chip muttered, turning nearly as red as his hair.
"Are all Earthians are strange as all of you?" Nerina spoke up, looking curious.
Zhane laughed, turning to grin at her. "Hey! I resent that! I'm Kerovian, not Earthian."
"Astro, you've been living on Earth since 1998," Justin pointed out dryly. "It's been nineteen years; give it up. You're legally an Earthling now."
"No!" Zhane protested, backing away and brandishing a flat box. "I refuse to let you and your strange ways contaminate me! I'm Kerovian, Kerovian I tell you!"
Chip grabbed him from behind. "Earth cooties!" he laughed as Dax, Tori, and Justin cheered.
Zhane let out a girly shriek. "Noo!"
Wes smiled as he heard a faint, barely audible giggle from Nerina. "Okay guys, enough clowning around. Let's get this stored away and get *home*."
"Home ... " Tori sighed.
Dax and Chip exchanged glances. "Race you!" they cried in unison.
"Hey! You two break anything and you get to ride back to Earth in the cargo bay!" Wes shouted after them.
****
He sighed as he got out of the cab. It was late when the Commander and Tommy finally allowed them all to escape, and he hadn't wanted to bother anyone by asking for a ride. He probably should have just slept at S.P.D., but after so long away from home, the first thing he wanted was to see Sky and Vanessa. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep until he did.
He glanced at the clock as he slipped inside the door as quietly as possible and winced. They were both asleep by now, or close to. But he could check on them at least - reassure himself that they were both there, that they were still safe.
Vanessa was passed out over one of the desks in the room they'd set aside as her home lab, and the sight made him smile. He took a moment to just stand there, leaning in the doorway and watching her.
He still wasn't in love with her - not romantically anyway, and he doubted he ever would be. He'd had a lot of time to think about her and their relationship during the times he waited between attacks, or tried to sleep for the night. And he knew that he still thought of her as his best friend, closer than a sister. He loved her, but he could never marry her.
But even so, seeing her there, snoring softly over her diagrams, made him feel like he was finally home.
He leaned in, gently brushing her hair back out of her face. "Nes? It's time to go to bed."
She started to stir with a groan, and he smiled. "That's it, rise and shine," he teased. "You're suppose to sleep in your bed, not on the table. And you're drooling on your work again."
"Am not ... " she muttered sleepily. Then her eyes snapped open. "Wes?!"
He smiled at her warmly, reaching out to brush her hair back again. "Evening, sunshine."
He nearly fell over when she tacked him, and he pulled her tight against his chest with a contented sigh. "I'm home," he whispered. "I'm finally home."
"Thank god." Her voice was choked, and she turned to kiss his cheek several times before pulling away again. Her eyes searched his face frantically, her hand drifting up after a moment to tug on his hair. "You need a haircut," she whispered.
He nodded. "And tomorrow, when you're more coherent, I might actually let you come at my head with scissors. But not right now."
She made a face at him, only to laugh breathlessly the next moment. "God ... I don't think I could sleep anymore." She hugged him again. "It's good to have you home."
"Fantastic to *be* home," he said reverently. "Is Sky already in bed?"
She nodded, leaning against him with a sigh. "It's a school night," she reminded him.
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to wake him up. I just ... I wanna see him." He frowned, thinking of the other fathers who'd finally come home to their children tonight.
Or in one case, had their child come home to them.
"What is it?" Vanessa asked softly.
He sighed, kissing her temple. "Just thinking. Come on; I wanna see Sky."
Being as quiet as possible, he carefully eased open his son's bedroom door and peeked inside. And froze at the sight of the empty bed.
"Sky?" he whispered. He could feel his heart clenching in his chest. "Sky?!"
Vanessa caught his arm. "Wes, calm down! It's all right!" she hissed.
"All right?" he snapped back, whirling on her. "How is it all right?! Sky is - "
"In your room," she interrupted with a sigh. "He sneaks in there sometimes when he can't sleep."
He stared at her for a moment, his jaw working. "Oh," he managed finally, feeling stupid.
Vanessa just shook her head, giving him a fondly exasperated look. "Come on, you," she murmured, pulling him along.
Just as she'd promised, he found Sky curled up in the middle of his bed, clutching one of his pillows. He swallowed at the sight as his heart ached. He'd missed his son constantly, but something about *finally* being able to actually see him right in front of him made his eyes burn.
He blinked rapidly for a moment. Eventually he moved to slip out of his coat and kick off his shoes. He eased himself onto the bed, carefully wrapping his arms around Sky. Sky immediately turned towards him, snuggling against his chest, and he had to take another breath to calm himself down, trying to remember that it was real, that he was *here*, and not in a dream.
He reached out to catch Vanessa's wrist as she tried to head for the door, shaking his head and tugging her gently towards him. She sighed, giving him the exasperated look again, but at last climbed into the bed beside him, laying her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around the two most important people in his life, and thanked whatever was out there that he'd made it back to them.