A/N: Originally written for the livejournal challenge community, 30kisses.
Title: Last Kiss
Author: LttleDvl
Fandom: Power Rangers SPD
Pairing: Z Delgado/Bridge Carson
Theme: #2 – news; letter
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own a bit of it; I just like to play around with the characters.
Summary: The life of a Ranger is not without risks. (warning: character death)
Word Count: 657
Z sat in her chair, fidgeting aimlessly. She almost wished she hadn't agreed to come. It had been years since she'd last seen her old teammates, and so much had changed since then.
She and Jack still kept in touch of course, but it amazed her at times that Syd would contact her old roommate. Sometimes it was a letter, on occasion, it was a phone call. In this particular case, it had been both. The former Pink Ranger wanted to make sure that Z was going to show.
Z was actually a bit thrilled to see Sky again; she hadn't seen him since he'd been promoted shortly prior to her own departure from S.P.D. It was seeing Bridge that had her wound tighter than a harp string.
She still wasn't quite sure how they'd managed to fall for each other back when they were kids, but it was some of the happiest times she could remember. It was the break-up that she couldn't handle. Z didn't know how that had really happened either. No, that wasn't quite true; she did know, she just didn't want to face it.
It had all made sense at the time; she was tired of living S.P.D.'s life, Bridge wasn't. So at the same time she called her career quits, she'd also called it quits for them as well. She knew that she'd broken his heart, but hers wasn't in very good shape either, though she pretended it was. Bridge, ever the caring one that he was, let her go with hardly a protest, telling her he wanted her to be happy no matter what. The truth was, it hadn't made her happy. The ensuing years were miserable without him.
Every time she'd hear a news report about the Rangers, her heart would race. She secretly dreaded those broadcasts; fearing that one day, it would be broadcasting the fall of the Red Ranger. That was the real reason she'd left; she knew she'd never be able to handle it if something ever happened to him.
It was only now that Z realized how stupid that had been. Instead of taking the risk and enjoying him while she could, she pushed him away. Instead of being happy together, they'd been miserable alone. She knew he'd never taken another girlfriend, Syd had told her as much. He had a fling or two here and there, but those had never gotten serious. Not like he had with her.
And now...now she could do nothing to fix it. She sat in silence as Sky finished his speech, his face a stony mask, betraying nothing of what he must be feeling inside.
Several rifles sounded, making her jump with every boom. She waited until the crowd began to disperse; quiet conversation and whispered words drifting on the gentle wind. Z thought the weather was all wrong; it shouldn't be sunny and bright, it should be dark and pouring down rain, a storm just like the one that raged in her heart.
She was only vaguely aware of Jack and Syd hugging her, muttering words of comfort that never fully registered. She waited until everyone had cleared away before finally getting up and making her way to Bridge's side. It wasn't right however; Bridge had never lain in a position other than a sprawl. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood at his side, wishing and hoping against hope that it was all somehow a bad dream. But nothing changed; she didn't come awake to find him peacefully sleeping at her side, nor did he awaken as her tears splashed on his cheek as she bent down to place the last kiss they would share on his lips.
She remained rooted to her spot until Syd came by, practically dragging the near unresponsive Z to the waiting car. Z had finally returned home to S.P.D., but it was only to leave her whole world and her whole life behind.