Converted Cataclysm, a power rangers fanfic

A/N: Another Song-Fic, One-shot. Dustin and Marah from PRNS. We only saw one interaction in an episode, 'All About Beevil', but in the season finale she did still have feelings for him. I think they would've been a great couple. This story is centered around the song, "The Story of Us" by Taylor Swift. I adjusted the story to my preference, and the song just serves as a backdrop. Meaning, it will not be at all like the video for the song.

A/N: I don't own the song or the characters mentioned here. I simply own the plot.

Summary- After the events of destroying Lothor, Dustin and Marah formed a relationship. A shocking betrayal ended them being a couple, and they hadn't spoken about it. A baby shower brings the two people together, can they still be a couple or will the hurt prevent the possibility? Takes place a couple of years after Ninja Storm.

Disastrous Debacle

Xxxxx

Tori's Baby Shower
Blake and Tori's House
Blue Bay Harbor, CA

As the baby shower for Tori, former Blue Wind Ninja ranger, was winding down, she smiled at all the gifts she was presented with. Her pronounced 8-month, very round belly sat upright. She could even rest a plate of food on her stomach, and she proudly ate. The scrumptious dessert brownie bites entered her mouth at a slightly, somewhat accelerated mediocre pace, and within ten minutes, she had already scarfed down fifteen of them. Something she knew she was going to regret after the birth of her future daughter, Dawn Isabella Hanson-Bradley.

"Babe!" Tori's husband, Blake Bradley, former Navy Blue Thunder Ninja ranger, called for. He gave his wife a warm smile, and he walked up to her. Placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, he also rubbed her voluptuous belly. He couldn't wait to be a father. "Shane, Cam, Hunter, and Dustin are gonna help me bring the gifts upstairs. Is there anything you need?" His naturally raspy voice formed the question.

A small frown graced Tori. "One more thing, or well person, but I guess she was busy." The disappointment laid evident. The former ranger referenced Marah, the niece of Lothor and former evil henchwoman. After the final battle with Lothor, Tori had become really great friends with the so-called fashionistas, Marah and Kapri. They were bridesmaids at her wedding from the year before, and they constantly hung out with one another. Marah did work for Tori. So of course she had invited the former villainess to her baby shower, but she had a clue as to why she wasn't there. Still, she expected for there to be time to place the drama to the side. She guessed not.

Blake rubbed her forearm to showcase his understanding, and, also, to comfort his doting wife. He didn't like to see her upset, but he had already talked to another person. There was sufficient reason that it was okay, not great, but okay for Marah to skip out. "We've talked about this already." He said the drama would elevate her blood pressure, and if one and not both of the parties pertaining to a dramatic confrontation were present, then it would be better than trying to play referee. Tori simply nodded. "Alright, the party should be over in another half an hour. She could still show up, and maybe we won't see the two around each other."

Tori had hope. "I don't get it. Kapri is here." Her brilliant blue eyes were attentive to Kapri's spot. She had found her rightful seat next to her uncle, Sensei Watanabe. Kapri's giggles floated to Tori.

"Remember though, she's still with her boyfriend, Shane, unlike Marah." He reminded her understandably. "Babe, it's going to be alright. I love you." He kissed her softly on the lips and got to work with the other former rangers.

Massaging her big belly, as a habit she's developed since her third month, Tori made her way towards her former enemy, mentor, her parents, Blake's parents and the other guests. She placed the sadness of Marah's absence to the back of her mind. Hopefully, her two friends would deal with their problem cordially.

An Hour Later…

The guests exited the elaborate baby shower, and the only guests left were ranger related. Swollen feet were a side effect of her pregnancy, so Tori immediately propped her feet up on a pillow- which was routinely put on the end of her recliner. Her body rested comfortably on the main part of the chair. Kapri happily handed her a diet coke, something that she would've never done in her evil days. Kapri has come a long way from her selfish, ruthless sidekick days. That's Shane had fallen in love with her.

Sensei Watanabe smiled at the unification present between his former rangers and his reformed nieces. Marah might not have been there physically… yet, but when she arrived he knew the unspoken problems would come to the forefront. He, also, would demand for no one else to interfere, but the two persons necessary. As if his thoughts were projected onto a screen, the doorbell loudly chimed throughout the downstairs.

The former guinea pig shuffled towards the door, he wasn't old, but he still wasn't the young dad, like when he first had Cam. Anxiously, he opened the door for his niece to enter. He had no doubt she would miss an event like this.

"Uncle!" The somewhat ditzy, still fashion-conscious Marah exclaimed loudly. She enveloped her wise uncle into a big, bear hug, while making sure Tori's baby gift was out of the way- preventing the item from getting caught in the cross fire of a hug was important. "Where's everyone? I didn't mean to be late, but you know something came up."

"There is no rush. Time is important, but arriving safely, in a timely manner is important as well." He cryptically informed his niece. Her mega-watt smile could brighten anyone's sorrowful day. "How are you doing?"

An eyebrow furrow was executed. "Uncle, I'm fine." She had no clue what he was speaking of, but then again, 75% of the time, she really didn't understand him. That stern look he gave her, one that exemplified he knew she was lying, could get his niece to open up. "Is he here?" She gave in.

Sensei simply nodded and walked off. He knew her lingering feelings.

Marah dreadfully walked to the living room. She placed a happy expression on her face, but the attempt was futile. In the proximity of Tori and Kapri, they instantly understood her sadness.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Kapri consoled her sister. Marah nodded. "Seriously, this problem will pass by."

Not trying to resort back to the time she had opened up to the former Yellow Wind Ninja during that Beevil debacle, she maintained her ground. Sadly, this was the best way she could muster. "He hates me. I know he still hates me." Nervousness plagued her, and she kept fidgeting with the gift bag as a lifeline, this would do for now.

Tori knew the problem was serious, but not this serious. "That occurred three months ago. I don't think he's still mad about it." Her former teammate hadn't brought up the incident between him and his ex-girlfriend, but then again the wounds were mediocrely stitched back together.

Marah absently nodded again, nerves goose-bumping her thin body.

The heavy footsteps, mimicking gallops of horses, were heard. Ten feet, rhythmically synced together, descended down the stairs. Caught in a conversation about the hottest female comic book, superhero, and video game fighting character, they didn't pay attention to the new body in the room. One of the men, the closest link, to the late arrival, loudly spoke about his favorite.

"Bro, it has got to be Superwoman. Did you see how she looked in that outfit? I had a fetish for stars after that. Let's just say." Dustin used to be the Yellow Ninja Storm ranger, and he used to date Marah. Their relationship went sour after he discovered her infidelity. He's tried to look past it, but he couldn't. That was the last straw and coincidently the one that broke the camel's back.

Sensei Watanabe stayed hidden, while Marah, Tori, and Kapri got suspiciously quiet all of a sudden.

The men ignored the presence of the women, not intentionally, but only because their topic was so important.

"What about Kitana?" Blake questioned in an amorous state. "There's gotta be something about blue, huh?" He referenced the color of the Mortal Kombat character's bathing suit-esque outfit. "Guess we got something in common."

Cam, Shane, Dustin, and Hunter rolled their eyes.

"Bro, I gotta disagree with you. Poison Ivy is the one." Hunter, Blake's adopted brother and past Crimson Thunder Ninja ranger, shook his head before thinking about his crush that entered his dreams during his adolescent years. "The look, her sick body, her red hair, I don't know there is something about her. The evil thing she had going on; I gotta admit I was in love with her."

Dustin's heart jerked at the reference of Hunter falling for another person, who was evil. Although Poison Ivy was a figment of Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Maldoff's imaginations, he made the connection to his personal life. Without thinking, his coldhearted termly retaliations were said. "Evil bitches!" He wasn't a man of cussing, but his experience regarded evil henchwomen as the devils. "Dude, don't fall for one. I can't believe I ever did." As if the women in the room were ghosts, he went on. "Shane, you're lucky. Kapri's been pretty faithful. She'd never do that to you, but her sister, she was pretty awful. She stomped on my heart, did a jig, and acted like I didn't matter."

Marah's heart swelled, and the lump precariously formed in her throat at the sound of his malicious words. A tiny whimper was released, and that caught the attention of Shane, Blake, Hunter, and Cam. Dustin, he had no will to quit. He continued.

"I loved her. I did nothing to her, but she did everything to me. Two-timing, backstabbing, bitch! Just like when she had used me. I feel bad for the next guy she gets with." Hurt and anger mixed together to form his facial appearance. Before speaking, he finally noticed his closest guy friends' maneuvering side to side hands. "What's going on?"

Cam administered his 'are you stupid?' look. A leeway was given, and he sighed. "Look behind you." He irately whispered. He could've clocked Dustin for talking about his cousin like that, but the regret would haunt Dustin more he figured.

Before turning around, the pit of his stomach filled with dread. He knew he was going to regret the words that had exited his mouth only moments ago. The 180 degree turn confirmed his thoughts. Barely a few inches away from him was those crystal blue eyes, her auburn waved hair, the smooth skin; all of that belonged to the woman he had fallen in love with. Right now, mixed emotions washed over him. He wanted to hurt her like she had hurt him, but seeing the moisture gathering in her eyes, he mentally kicked himself.

"Mar-…" Were the only words that exited his mouth before she hastily left the house. Dustin looked to his friends, and they were all thinking the same thing. He had overstepped a boundary. They walked away from him, and they followed Marah. Sensei Watanabe intervened, and his look conveyed a direction. Shane, Kapri, Blake, Tori, Cam, and Hunter stayed behind. They looked to Dustin's direction.

Dustin, not sure what to do, he followed his heart. He trailed Marah's footsteps.

Xxxxx

A Park not too far from Tori and Blake's Place.

I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us,
How we met and the sparks flew instantly,
People would say, "They're the lucky ones."

Running, she didn't know where she was going to stop, but she kept going. The effects of hurting Dustin still crushed both of them to this day.

Even when she was dressed in the atrocious garb with the bug eyes, the red, dress that resembled a sari and a black cover, their relationship was a little more decent than it was now. She remembered the first time they had met, and how he had saved her from the crosshairs of the revving motocross bikes. His compassionate, tawny colored eyes relayed a message all by themselves, and she felt safe, cared for even. From that point, she poured her heart out, feeling more empathetic than apathetic. Something an evil person shouldn't possess. The simple talk they had, after she revealed her true persona, he didn't judge her. He helped her. At the precise moment when he moved a piece of hair from her face, she felt something. Love, lust, a crush, she wasn't sure, but she felt it. Then she betrayed him and reflected to the side of evil. That began their story.

That was before Lothor was destroyed, so when the final battle took place, and her and Kapri chose to stay with their family- Cam and Sensei-, as fate would have it, Marah ended up in Dustin's class. Shortly after that, they started dating. There were the shy glances, the flirtatious talks, and of course the warm yet subtle touches, similar to their first meeting. She was happy to finally be with the 'totally cute guy'. She had to admit the resentment of how she used him to power up Beevil's 'battery pack' still remained. He comforted her by instilling the heartfelt words of their first encounter. That always brought a smile back on her face, and she believed she had met her future husband. The strong, former Power Ranger, who looked absolutely stunning in Yellow falling in love with his former enemy, sounded like a fairytale to her. Most of all, she was smitten.

The witnesses of their budding, intimate relationship- Cam, Hunter, Tori, Kapri, Shane, Blake, and Sensei Watanabe- were happy for them. They termed the couple the 'Ditzy Double'. They were in no means trying to be offensive, and Marah and Dustin were too in love to even care. It was a match made in heaven, in the spectators opinion, and they were waiting for the wedding invites.

Coming down from cloud 9, Marah sniffled as much as she could to hold back her sobs. She found three rocks, their uniform placements acted like a bench. She sat down and tried to regain her composure.

I used to know my place was a spot next to you,
Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat,
'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on.

"Marah!" Dustin yelled for his ex-girlfriend. Part of him still cared for her and that's why he was searching. "Marah!" He yelled again. He stood in an isolated spot, a few blocks from Blake and Tori's picket fenced house. He shook his head, wondering why he was even bothering.

As he turned around a corner, he saw her. There she was sitting on a rock, her body mildly shaking, and he understood her emotion. He approached her, but he held back. Was he bitter, wanting to abandon her like she did him for some guy, or was he still enthralled by her beauty? As if on a pavement slathered with glue, he stopped dead in his tracks, unsure of going to her. The empty rock, on either side of her, was tempting.

However, the deceit troubled him.

Oh, a simple complication,
Miscommunications lead to fall-out.
So many things that I wish you knew,
So many walls that I can't break through.

Dustin's presence alerted the used to be henchwoman. She gazed upon his direction.

No, she didn't think she would ever be a cheater, but the opportunity happened, and sadly she pounced on it.

Three months ago, at Blake's celebration party for his win at the National Motocross Championship, that's where it happened. Dustin wasn't able to come due to his pre-established engagement at another motocross event in a different state. Marah had become intoxicated and her friendliness landed her in a compromising situation. Before even getting his name, she made out with a random guy. None of their mutual friends stood by as witnesses, and by the time they had found out; their friend had retreated to a random part of the house; the consummation had already taken place. The loud moans and grunts echoed inside the expanse house. Helplessness quenched their bodies, and no one could bust into the door. Upon the guy's exit, Marah had learned of his name- Drew. He bid her a farewell with a kiss and commented on great her sex was. Marah crawled into a little ball and cried her blue eyes out over the runious choice.

Guilt ridden, she admitted to Dustin what she had done. He asked if she said no, and honestly, Marah replied with a no. Her drunken mistake could've been prevented, she had the mental compacity to stop it, but she didn't. Somewhere inside of her, Marah knew she would've cheated. Dustin was always busy with an activity. Whether it was ninja school related, Storm Chargers related, or motocross related, Marah didn't expect to have the discomfort of missing someone she fell in love with, often.

Through the cloudiness, she ogled her ex-boyfriend, and he reciprocated. There were no words exchanged, simply because their body language conveyed all that they needed. Regret filled hers, while anger still coursed in his. Both were dying to talk to one another, but where would they start and how would it end?

This was the opposite of how they were when they were together. Honestly, they were better off as enemies, when he was fighting against evil, and she was fighting against good.

Fuck the fairytale.

Next chapter.
How'd we end up this way?
See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy,
And you're doing your best to avoid me.
I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us,
How I was losing my mind when I saw you here,
But you held your pride like you should've held me.

She nervously fidgeted with the hem of her pink tunic. The suspense was killing her. She didn't get why he had followed her, if he clutched on to the saying, 'once a cheater always a cheater'. That's the last line he spit out before he ended their relationship. She knew he wasn't there to rekindle the romance they had.

So, she wasn't sure whether or not to come towards him, was he going to take a step back? Would she openly accept his apology for the hurtful words? Was that why he was there?

"He looks so cute." She quietly muttered to herself.

Given the opportunity to get back together, she would in a heartbeat. The glimmer of hope she had was masked by despair though. Honestly, Dustin was the most understanding guy she had been with. Her relationships were mostly involved with someone, who was evil, rather than a sweetheart. Dustin was a Power Ranger for goodness sake, the epitome of good. He showed this reformed henchwoman how a young lady should be treated. She pictured telling their daughters, a man can shower a woman with gifts and be loved indefinitely. After Dustin's long trips to the motocross events, he's bought her a pink shirt- across the bust was the location of the matches, a little token of appreciation for being an absent cheerleader. Sometimes she couldn't make it to his events because of helping with Tori's surf shop business. He's sent her roses, surprised her on several occasions taking her on 'just because dates', and even spent his spare time on grueling shopping missions. All because he loved her. That wasn't the only thing, he's made her laugh, he can make her smile at the drop of a hat, and she has a deeper bond with him. She lost her virginity to him. They were linked.

She messed that up, only because the loneliness had gotten to her.

"She's beautiful." Dustin softly and admiringly commented on his ex. He had to admit he was stubborn. She was the one for him. Looking down, he became conflicted.

Oh, I'm scared to see the ending,
Why are we pretending this is nothing?
I'd tell you I miss you but I don't know how,
I've never heard silence quite this loud.

The emotions got to them, and both looked away. Slowly, their heads ascended up, and the eye contact was initiated. The unspoken tension was there, even in the open area, there was so much tension, it felt like suffocation for the two.

Could he forget about the mistake? This was too much like the ranger days. How she used him to super charge Beevil, he felt the betrayal once more when she got with Drew. Yet, he did long for the interesting nights they had. He yearned for the extra body heat at night, and most of all he wanted her company. Still, he couldn't forget that her body was used by another guy, and she let that happen.

This is looking like a contest,
Of who can act like they care less,
But I liked it better when you were on my side.
The battle's in your hands now,
But I would lay my armor down
If you said you'd rather love than fight.
So many things that you wished I knew,
But the story of us might be ending soon.

Rallying all the courage each had and giving up the pointless staring contest, which was getting a little tiring and nothing accomplished, Dustin stepped forward, while Marah got off the rock. Tiny steps were advanced, and honestly, both felt like they trekking up the side of Mount Everest; the distance wasn't even that much, but they weren't sure how the other would react. More contemplations and expectations rattled their bodies, but their hearts weren't dismayed.

Marah hoped for reconciliation. Dustin wished for her to be okay. They stood in front of one another, enough distance for another person to squeeze between them.

"Hey." Dustin greeted nicely, but with a little deer caught in headlights kind of expression.

"Hi." A small voice was sounded, and Marah tried to look at him, but she didn't think the strength was there. The constant fighting was getting to her.

"I'm sorry for saying that horrible stuff about you. I should've known-…"

"That I was in the room, so you could say it behind my back?" She icily replied, mentally cursing herself for interjecting like that. Maybe that wasn't the best way to continue a conversation, and that beat the whole purpose of not fighting.

He sighed irritatingly. "Listen, I was just wondering how you were doing. My words were pretty harsh." He did admit, but he had to add an insult to the conversation. "Even though, they were true." He mumbled.

But she heard that comment. "Excuse me?" That highly offended her. "Dustin, I didn't have to tell you about the cheating. You could've found out on your own from someone else, but at least I had the courage to admit it. I wanted you to find out from me. I'm sorry I was lonely, and it happened. I take the full blame, and at least I didn't say the alcohol caused me to do it!" She defended.

Rolling his eyes, the former Yellow ranger shook his head too. "You don't get it! When that situation with Beevil happened, I trusted you. To me, you were good, and I wanted you to be on our side. That's why I helped you. Not only because I'm a good person, but because I thought you were sincere. You stabbed me in the back! When we got together, like together-together, I thought you the deceit was gone. It wasn't! If you were so unhappy, why didn't you wait until after we had broken up or something."

"Why is the Beevil thing still being brought up!" She yelled outright. "That was the fucking past, and I am nowhere like that now. I can't help, at that time, I decided to do that. It was my personal choice, but Dustin it will never happen again. Please believe me." Her voice was practically begging for leniency.

Pride could be a double edged sword, to other people it's okay, but this time, it would crush someone, and sadly it's Marah. "I can't." He responded to her plea assuredly. "Maybe another time or in another way, I could be with you, but right now, at this moment, I just can't do it. You hurt me again, and I don't trust you. Trust is important in relationships, and you've broken it." He witnessed the lip tremble, light body paroxysm, and the sorrow in her eyes. "I was just making sure you were okay." He gently placed his hand on her forearm. "Do you want me to walk with you back to the house?"

Visibly upset by his words, yet again, she maintained a brave front. She shook her head, knowing the closeness would cause her to casually brush up against him or a need to hold his hand. Even with his objecting answer, she tried to find an implication, a hint, and she tried to decipher that. Putting that to the back of her mind, she answered his question. "No, it's okay."

He didn't want to leave her, but he still followed her wishes. "Alright." He headed back to the residence of his former teammates.

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and we're not speaking,
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?
I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate when it all broke down,
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now, now, now.
And we're not speaking,
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?
I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate 'cause we're going down,
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.

Marah stood there alone, stunned by the most recent conversation between the two. Her blue eyes kept watching him until his body kept getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Subsequently, he was back at the house, and she stayed behind. The reason was necessary.

A few tears dropped down, and she was remorseful for the situation she had gotten them into. Her selfishness obstructed her intimate relationship with the former Ninja Storm ranger. They were so much better anteriorly. As of now, there was destruction. She regretted speaking to him, as it didn't make her or the situation any better. If anything, their story was a big catastrophe and demonstrated heartbreak. Dustin, still not over her mistake, was adamantly refusing her. Marah, sorry for what she had done, held the short end of the stick; one mistake couldn't be forgiven by the man that still held her heart. That killed her internally. Maybe in a few more months, they could still be civil with one another. That gave her some optimism, and that was encouraging enough.

She began walking back to Tori and Blake's home. As she was coming up the street, she saw a figure. Slightly rubbing her eyes, making sure to avoid smearing her eye makeup, she kept forging on. She wondered who that could be. As the figure became bigger and bigger, she finally understood who was there.

Dustin stood at the beginning of the 'Little Blue Bay Creek Manor', the name of the neighborhood of Blake and Tori, and he watched as his ex-girlfriend approached him. As he walked back after their talk, he finally realized he couldn't just end things like how they were. This tragedy was stoppable on his behalf. Marah stood a few feet away from him, and he extended his hand for her. The relief washed over her and her facial expression softened and the pain subsided.

Hand and hand, closely the two walked to the the area that housed the baby shower, and they spoke of how they were going to come out of this situation a stronger couple. Something Marah had been desperately wishing for.

Tragedies can have happy endings. The story of Dustin and Marah became a fairytale, and then there was a slight detour, but they were getting back on track.

The end.