Bright Skies (Multi - Season Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt #66: Friends, T)
It is *way* too early to be conscious. No decent person should be up before noon at the easliest. That should be a law.
And yet, here I am, 6:00am waiting for my ride to work, and writing. x.x
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/: #66: Friends
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, character death
Author's Notes/: I hadn't planned on this happening so soon, but then I realized Z is a lot smarter than anyone really gives her credit for. So, key emotional reunion. Hope you like. ^.^;;
"Penny for your thoughts?" Wes asked softly as he joined Z in the Squad Common Room. It was late; so late in fact, he almost hadn't seen her there. He'd been on his way out when he registered her slouched in a corner, staring off into space.
"Sorry. Due to inflation, they're twenty bucks a word now," she informed him, just a faint hint of her normal attitude in her tone.
He chuckled, even as he worried about what had the usually energetic teen so down. "How 'bout I owe you later, and you get what's off your chest now?" he offered.
She was silent for a long moment. "You know who I am, don't you?" she asked abruptly.
He gave her a confused look even as his chest tightened. "You're Z," he reminded her, forcing amusement at the question. "S.P.D. Yellow Ranger."
Something about the tension in her shoulders and posture as she looked up at him made the urge to lie fade away. Somehow he knew: she already knew the answer.
"Cruger said that our parents all worked for S.P.D.," she said quietly. "And you're Sky's dad, which would mean that you knew my parents. So you know who I really am."
He frowned. "Z, the only person who knows who you are, is *you*."
"I'm not asking for philosophical mumbo-jumbo, Sir," she said sharply. "I'm asking about my heritage."
He sighed. "First of all, we're not talking as Sergeant and Cadet right now, so drop the sir. You can call me Wes." He took a deep breath. "And yes. I know your parents. And I know that they're not dead, and they miss you very much."
"Why didn't anyone say so before?" she demanded. "If you've all known this whole time - "
"Because we didn't want to scare either of you away," he interrupted. "You were just getting used to the idea of being involved with S.P.D. - we didn't want to overwhelm you. And for the record, it was *my* idea not to say anything, so if you want to get mad at someone, make sure it's me."
"Do you know who Jack's parents are?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I do. But do you think he's ready to hear that yet? Or will he run?"
He could feel her temper subsiding. "No," she said at last. "He knows that he could ask, but he's not ready. He's still getting used to S.P.D."
"Are you sure *you* are?"
There was a long silence.
"Yes," she whispered at last. "I want to know who I was. Who I am."
He reached out to squeeze her hand at the pained tone. "Your name is Elizabeth Sage Stewart-Ortiz," he began softly. "You were born October 12, 2011, and your parents gave you both of their last names because they couldn't agree on which one you should have." He smiled when she giggled slightly. "Your parents are Justin Stewart and Rose Ortiz. Justin is part of the Morpher Project at S.P.D. Japan. He's the Blue Turbo Ranger, and one of my best friends. Rose works in the Tech Department there. She's Pink Overdrive, and you two are so alike it's uncanny. You have her attitude, her face, her smile ... "
"They sound really smart," she said softly.
"They are," he agreed. He nudged her gently with a smile. "And so are you. You memorized the S.P.D. handbook in *one* day. And believe me, I heard about it. Sky wouldn't stop complaining for hours."
She was silent for a moment, and he frowned. "What is it?"
"Syd said she grew up with Sky and Bridge," Z said pointedly.
He took another breath. "And so did you," he admitted. "But I asked them not to say anything to you, either."
"But if we all grew up together, why doesn't it seem like it? And why's Sky such a rude jerk all the time?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It has to do with ... what happened."
"What *did* happen?" she asked hesitantly. "I mean ... if we grew up together, why .... "
"No one abandoned you, so don't ever think that," he told her firmly, squeezing her hand again. It was important to him that she know that most of all, before anything else. "The five of you are all what we like to call Ranger Kids, which means that your parents were Power Rangers, too. And the four of you were being raised together, here in Newtech. All of us took turns taking care of you as a group, to make it easier on everyone."
"What about Jack?"
"Jack's family was part of S.P.D. Japan. You didn't meet him until just before Jason and Taylor's wedding." He smiled at the memory. "In fact, you got into a brawl with him. Well, everyone but Bridge - he was the one who stopped it."
"We did?" She sounded incredulous, but there was still a smile to her voice.
"You did," he confirmed. "Jack insulted Sky and said girls had cooties, so you jumped him and the other two followed. And five minutes after we broke it up, you were all bestest friends."
She laughed. "Are you kidding me?"
"Nope." He shook his head, grinning. "You guys were a handful - especially you and Sky."
She tilted her head in confusion. "Me and Sky?"
He sighed again, his grin fading. "You two were best friends," he told her gently. "You did everything together: got into fights, shared snacks, learned to do things. You were even suspended together."
"What'd we do?" Her voice was softer now, almost nostalgic.
He snorted. "Some kids were picking on Bridge. Sky decided a long time ago that he had to project Bridge, and you always backed Sky up. But the fight got out of hand, and you both got suspended for it."
"So ... if Sky was my best friend, why is he suck a jerk now?"
"I can't say for sure, because Sky doesn't talk to me about it," he warned, "But I think it's because he doesn't know how to deal with you."
"How to deal with me?" She sounded affronted.
"Hear me out," he requested. "You and Sky were best friends; you did everything together. But - " His voice caught in his throat, and he forced himself to breathe deeply for a moment. "Some of the Ranger Kids were kidnapped by a group of bounty hunters when you were seven years old. By the time we caught up with them, you and Jaz had gone for help. We never found you after that, no matter how hard we looked. Your parents transferred to S.P.D. Japan a few months later, because they couldn't handle the memories, and Jaz - I mean, Jack's family left Earth altogether.
"The other kids were pretty traumatized by what happened, Sky in particular," he explained carefully. "He was never the same after he lost you. And the way he's acting around you now, is almost the same way he treated me when I woke up after the battle where I lost my sight. He'd spent four years without me around, and now that I was suddenly back, he didn't know how to deal with me anymore. And I *think*, that's what he's been doing with you. He doesn't know how he should act around you right now."
"So he acts like a total moron?" she demanded.
He shrugged. "Hey, I never said Sky was the most emotionally adjusted person. He takes too much after Eric." He glanced at her. "Is there anything else you want to know?"
She was silent for a moment. "My parents. Do they ... do they still ... ?"
He raised his wrist before she could finish. "Time for Turbo," he requested quietly.
"What's up, Time? Something wrong?"
"Can you come up to Squad Common? Z would like to talk to you."
"Be there in a heartbeat."
"Thanks." It wasn't necessary, but he said it anyway.
He looked at Z again as he lowered his wrist. She had tensed, and was actually starting to fidget. "I ... I don't know if - " She hesitated. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for this."
He squeezed her hand. "All you have to do is say so, and I'll tell him nevermind," he told her gently. "Or if you want to, you can just meet him. You don't have to say anything."
She hesitated.
"Time? Z?" Justin paused in the doorway. "What's up?"
Z looked up, and Wes didn't have to see her face to know there were tears in her eyes.
Justin was in front of her in an instant. "Z? What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.
There was a long moment of silence.
"Daddy," Z choked out, launching herself at him without warning.
Justin caught her, staring at Wes in shock even as he squeezed her tightly.
Wes just smiled gently at him, and nodded.
Something about Justin seemed crumple around him, and suddenly he was hugging Z, kissing her hair and whispering into her ear. Z in turn sobbed, clinging to him and burying her face against his shoulder. It was beautiful, sweet, and sad to see them finally reunited after so long.
Wes quietly made his way to the door to give them their privacy.
Sky was outside, waiting for him. "Eric said you were still here," he said by way of explanation. He hesitated. "Is she ... ?"
"She'll be fine, Sky," he interrupted softly. He smiled. "She's finally home."
Sky nodded, looking at the floor for a moment. "Dad ... ? I - " He hesitated.
Wes pulled him into a hug. "I love you too, Sky," he murmured, smiling to himself as his son squeezed back just as tightly.
And yet, here I am, 6:00am waiting for my ride to work, and writing. x.x
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/: #66: Friends
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, character death
Author's Notes/: I hadn't planned on this happening so soon, but then I realized Z is a lot smarter than anyone really gives her credit for. So, key emotional reunion. Hope you like. ^.^;;
"Penny for your thoughts?" Wes asked softly as he joined Z in the Squad Common Room. It was late; so late in fact, he almost hadn't seen her there. He'd been on his way out when he registered her slouched in a corner, staring off into space.
"Sorry. Due to inflation, they're twenty bucks a word now," she informed him, just a faint hint of her normal attitude in her tone.
He chuckled, even as he worried about what had the usually energetic teen so down. "How 'bout I owe you later, and you get what's off your chest now?" he offered.
She was silent for a long moment. "You know who I am, don't you?" she asked abruptly.
He gave her a confused look even as his chest tightened. "You're Z," he reminded her, forcing amusement at the question. "S.P.D. Yellow Ranger."
Something about the tension in her shoulders and posture as she looked up at him made the urge to lie fade away. Somehow he knew: she already knew the answer.
"Cruger said that our parents all worked for S.P.D.," she said quietly. "And you're Sky's dad, which would mean that you knew my parents. So you know who I really am."
He frowned. "Z, the only person who knows who you are, is *you*."
"I'm not asking for philosophical mumbo-jumbo, Sir," she said sharply. "I'm asking about my heritage."
He sighed. "First of all, we're not talking as Sergeant and Cadet right now, so drop the sir. You can call me Wes." He took a deep breath. "And yes. I know your parents. And I know that they're not dead, and they miss you very much."
"Why didn't anyone say so before?" she demanded. "If you've all known this whole time - "
"Because we didn't want to scare either of you away," he interrupted. "You were just getting used to the idea of being involved with S.P.D. - we didn't want to overwhelm you. And for the record, it was *my* idea not to say anything, so if you want to get mad at someone, make sure it's me."
"Do you know who Jack's parents are?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I do. But do you think he's ready to hear that yet? Or will he run?"
He could feel her temper subsiding. "No," she said at last. "He knows that he could ask, but he's not ready. He's still getting used to S.P.D."
"Are you sure *you* are?"
There was a long silence.
"Yes," she whispered at last. "I want to know who I was. Who I am."
He reached out to squeeze her hand at the pained tone. "Your name is Elizabeth Sage Stewart-Ortiz," he began softly. "You were born October 12, 2011, and your parents gave you both of their last names because they couldn't agree on which one you should have." He smiled when she giggled slightly. "Your parents are Justin Stewart and Rose Ortiz. Justin is part of the Morpher Project at S.P.D. Japan. He's the Blue Turbo Ranger, and one of my best friends. Rose works in the Tech Department there. She's Pink Overdrive, and you two are so alike it's uncanny. You have her attitude, her face, her smile ... "
"They sound really smart," she said softly.
"They are," he agreed. He nudged her gently with a smile. "And so are you. You memorized the S.P.D. handbook in *one* day. And believe me, I heard about it. Sky wouldn't stop complaining for hours."
She was silent for a moment, and he frowned. "What is it?"
"Syd said she grew up with Sky and Bridge," Z said pointedly.
He took another breath. "And so did you," he admitted. "But I asked them not to say anything to you, either."
"But if we all grew up together, why doesn't it seem like it? And why's Sky such a rude jerk all the time?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It has to do with ... what happened."
"What *did* happen?" she asked hesitantly. "I mean ... if we grew up together, why .... "
"No one abandoned you, so don't ever think that," he told her firmly, squeezing her hand again. It was important to him that she know that most of all, before anything else. "The five of you are all what we like to call Ranger Kids, which means that your parents were Power Rangers, too. And the four of you were being raised together, here in Newtech. All of us took turns taking care of you as a group, to make it easier on everyone."
"What about Jack?"
"Jack's family was part of S.P.D. Japan. You didn't meet him until just before Jason and Taylor's wedding." He smiled at the memory. "In fact, you got into a brawl with him. Well, everyone but Bridge - he was the one who stopped it."
"We did?" She sounded incredulous, but there was still a smile to her voice.
"You did," he confirmed. "Jack insulted Sky and said girls had cooties, so you jumped him and the other two followed. And five minutes after we broke it up, you were all bestest friends."
She laughed. "Are you kidding me?"
"Nope." He shook his head, grinning. "You guys were a handful - especially you and Sky."
She tilted her head in confusion. "Me and Sky?"
He sighed again, his grin fading. "You two were best friends," he told her gently. "You did everything together: got into fights, shared snacks, learned to do things. You were even suspended together."
"What'd we do?" Her voice was softer now, almost nostalgic.
He snorted. "Some kids were picking on Bridge. Sky decided a long time ago that he had to project Bridge, and you always backed Sky up. But the fight got out of hand, and you both got suspended for it."
"So ... if Sky was my best friend, why is he suck a jerk now?"
"I can't say for sure, because Sky doesn't talk to me about it," he warned, "But I think it's because he doesn't know how to deal with you."
"How to deal with me?" She sounded affronted.
"Hear me out," he requested. "You and Sky were best friends; you did everything together. But - " His voice caught in his throat, and he forced himself to breathe deeply for a moment. "Some of the Ranger Kids were kidnapped by a group of bounty hunters when you were seven years old. By the time we caught up with them, you and Jaz had gone for help. We never found you after that, no matter how hard we looked. Your parents transferred to S.P.D. Japan a few months later, because they couldn't handle the memories, and Jaz - I mean, Jack's family left Earth altogether.
"The other kids were pretty traumatized by what happened, Sky in particular," he explained carefully. "He was never the same after he lost you. And the way he's acting around you now, is almost the same way he treated me when I woke up after the battle where I lost my sight. He'd spent four years without me around, and now that I was suddenly back, he didn't know how to deal with me anymore. And I *think*, that's what he's been doing with you. He doesn't know how he should act around you right now."
"So he acts like a total moron?" she demanded.
He shrugged. "Hey, I never said Sky was the most emotionally adjusted person. He takes too much after Eric." He glanced at her. "Is there anything else you want to know?"
She was silent for a moment. "My parents. Do they ... do they still ... ?"
He raised his wrist before she could finish. "Time for Turbo," he requested quietly.
"What's up, Time? Something wrong?"
"Can you come up to Squad Common? Z would like to talk to you."
"Be there in a heartbeat."
"Thanks." It wasn't necessary, but he said it anyway.
He looked at Z again as he lowered his wrist. She had tensed, and was actually starting to fidget. "I ... I don't know if - " She hesitated. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for this."
He squeezed her hand. "All you have to do is say so, and I'll tell him nevermind," he told her gently. "Or if you want to, you can just meet him. You don't have to say anything."
She hesitated.
"Time? Z?" Justin paused in the doorway. "What's up?"
Z looked up, and Wes didn't have to see her face to know there were tears in her eyes.
Justin was in front of her in an instant. "Z? What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.
There was a long moment of silence.
"Daddy," Z choked out, launching herself at him without warning.
Justin caught her, staring at Wes in shock even as he squeezed her tightly.
Wes just smiled gently at him, and nodded.
Something about Justin seemed crumple around him, and suddenly he was hugging Z, kissing her hair and whispering into her ear. Z in turn sobbed, clinging to him and burying her face against his shoulder. It was beautiful, sweet, and sad to see them finally reunited after so long.
Wes quietly made his way to the door to give them their privacy.
Sky was outside, waiting for him. "Eric said you were still here," he said by way of explanation. He hesitated. "Is she ... ?"
"She'll be fine, Sky," he interrupted softly. He smiled. "She's finally home."
Sky nodded, looking at the floor for a moment. "Dad ... ? I - " He hesitated.
Wes pulled him into a hug. "I love you too, Sky," he murmured, smiling to himself as his son squeezed back just as tightly.