A/N: Happy Labor Day Everyone! So, let's talk about Carter and Emma. Mainly, because his story will involve Carter and Emma. I love both of them! They are both adorable balls of sunshine! I got this idea last night and I have decided to share it with you all today. I always get the best ideas in my half asleep state. I hope you guys enjoy it and leave comments and kudos if you want.
As Luck Would Have It
You came on your own.
That's how you'll leave.
With hope in you hands.
And air to breathe.
- "An End Has A Start" by Editors -
"Emma, can I see you for a moment please?" Her photography professor asked her after she had dismissed the class for the day.
"Of course." Emma said as she made her way over to her professor's desk. Emma was in her last semester of college. Two months from now she would have her degree and she hoped she would be able to open her own photography studio in he next couple of years. She sat down across from her professor and waited for her to speak.
"Emma, I love your work. You're one of my better students, but in the four years I have been your professor I have only seen your photographs of nature. I know you want to open a photography studio in a few years and you will need to be able to work with human subjects." Her professor told her.
"I already knew that. I have experience with human subjects." Emma said to her professor. She pushed a strain of her dark brown hair behind her ear. She didn't like where this conversation was going.
"I haven't seen any proof of that and I would like to see a photo of a human subject as your project for the final exhibit of the year." Emma nodded her head and got up from her seat. She shouldn't have to prove herself as a photographer to anyone, but then again this woman would be giving out her final grade. She knew she would think of something. Emma said goodbye to her professor and decided to walk around campus before heading back to the off-campus apartment she shared with her best friend, Gia Moran.
She stopped at her favorite ice cream shop and bought herself a single scoop of strawberry ice cream. Emma had already taking her photograph for the final exhibit of the year. It had been this beautiful, bright pink, rose. The lighting had seemed to make it glow, but now she couldn't use it.
Emma watched the people walk by her and she thought about what the subject of her last project should be. Suddenly, it hit her as she saw two little boys playing in the park. They were dressed as Power Rangers. She could take a photo of a former Power Ranger in action. Of course they wouldn't be fighting as a Power Ranger, but they would be doing their everyday job. She finished her ice cream and began to walk home, feeling better than she had an hour ago.
She got home and found Gia had been waiting on the couch for her. "Where have you been?" He blond friend asked her as she walked into the living room. "I tried calling you, but there was no answer." Emma sat down on the couch beside her and began to explain what had happened with her photography professor. Gia nodded her head, but didn't interrupt while Emma talked.
"Where are you going to go for this little project Gia asked Emma once she had finished explaining.
"Well, I looked on my phone earlier, to see what city was closest and it turns out it's Mariner Bay. It's like an hour and a half drive from here. So, I was thinking of going in the morning and spending the day there, hoping I could get some good pictures of one of the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers in action." Emma explained to her best friend.
"Sounds like a good plan to me Emma, but what if you don't catch one of them in action?" Gia asked her, hoping Emma had a back up plan.
"I'll just go somewhere else the following weekend." Emma replied. She shrugged her shoulders and got up off the couch. She had a lot of stuff to do before she headed to Mariner Bay the following morning. She got all her equipment packed up and got to bed early, so she would be ready for the day ahead of her. Emma was excited to go to Mariner Bay. She had never been there before. She knew a lot about the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers. She had even met them during the last battle she had fought with her team, but she had never been to the city where they lived.
She got up early the next morning and got ready to go. After she finished breakfast she wrote a note for Gia and then left. She loaded her camera equipment into the car and hit the road. She arrived in Mariner Bay around lunch time. She decided to explore the city a little before she went to look for one of the former rangers.
Emma knew for a fact that Carter Grayson and Dana Mitchell still lived in Mariner Bay. They had both still worked for Lightspeed Rescue, but Dana had also become a doctor and Carter still worked as a firefighter. She walked around taking pictures of various things. She wanted to document her trip to Mariner Bay as much as possible.
But through her tour of Mariner Bay she found Carter Grayson at the scene of a building that was on fire. She stood as far away from the scene as she could and got her zoom lens out. She pointed the camera at Carter and began snapping away. She honestly couldn't believe her luck. This is exactly the kind of photo she had wanted to take. She took about ten pictures of Carter helping a little boy out of the burning building. She checked to see how the shots came out and saw that each of them was perfect. She had this assignment in the bag.
She put her equipment away and watched as Carter rushed the little boy over to his worried mother. He was a red ranger through and through. He would probably be a firefighter until the day he died. Red Rangers never seemed to know when to stop. Carter didn't need to stop yet, he was still young enough. But as she watched him it was apparent that the years were catching up to him. She wondered if Dana had to tell him to slow down? She wondered if she would have to do that with Troy in he future?
It didn't matter right now. She packed up her stuff and took one last look at Carter. He hadn't even noticed she was there, which was probably a good thing. It would have been bad it she took the focus away from his work. He was talking to one of the other firefighters. She turned and walked back to her car. She found it near the park where she had left it. She got in and silently thanked Carter for helping her out before she left Mariner Bay.
"Why are there pictures of Carter Grayson scattered all over your bed?" Troy asked as he walked into her room. She had finished developing the pictures she had taken of Carter the day before and now she had them on her bed, trying to decide which one to turn in for the exhibit.
"I am trying to decide what one I want to use for my final exhibit." She replied as Troy came over and examined the pictures himself.
After a few minutes of debating he picked up the first one and handed it to her. "This one is the best. You should use this one."
"Thanks Troy," She said as she smiled up at him. She had to admit he had a good eye for stuff like this.
"Come on let's go eat before the others come in here." He said as he offered her his hand. She took it and they both walked out to the dining room together to join their teammates for dinner.
The night of the final exhibit came and Emma was nervous. Her professor seemed pleased, but she hadn't said where the photo would be placed. Emma, Gia, and the boys entered the hall where it was being held and the first thing Emma saw was her photo front and center.
"I can't believe front and center!" Emma squealed as she walked over to it.
"I can it is an amazing picture of Carter." Gia told her best friend as she pulled her best friend in for a hug.
"Well, I have to agree with you about that," A man behind them said. "It's the best picture of me that I've ever seen."
Emma and Gia both turned around to see that Carter Grayson was standing there. He greeted them both a smile and a hug.
"How did you know about this?" Emma asked as she hugged him. She couldn't believe he was actually here. And she was ecstatic that he liked the photo she had taking of him.
"Troy told me about it." He answered as he pulled away from her. "I figured I better check it out for myself." He offered her his arm and she took it, blushing. And they began to walk around the exhibit.
"You are very talented, Emma," He told her as they walked around and looked at other pictures. "And I am happy I got to be your subject."
"You just happened to be there. That's why your photo go taken." She giggled as she told him the truth.
"I see how it is." He replied as he began to laugh himself. "I guess it could have been any of the other former Lightspeed Rescue rangers, but I am glad it was me."
They walked around for an hour longer. He told her how his former teammates were doing. Apparently, Dana was excepting her second child and Ryan was traveling the world like he did every once and awhile. She told him her plans for the picture and he was very supportive of the idea. Emma had to admit she was having a nice time talking to Carter.
That's why she felt sad when he told her he had to head home. He promised her he would come back and visit, just as long as she came to visit too. She agreed and they walked out together. They hugged each other one last time before hr got in his car and drove away. She stood on the curb until she could no longer see his car. She went back inside to enjoy the rest of the exhibit with her friends.