Quantum Red Blues
By: PernDragonrider
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. Not making any money off of this; don't sue.
A/N: Warning: This story will eventually contain a slash relationship. If you don't like reading about a relationship between two men; then hit the back button on your browser right now. If you enjoy slash then read on and enjoy! The plot for this tale almost literally jumped into my brain while just relaxing and playing some music on my media player. The inspiration for this tale comes from an old tune by the Bay City Rollers, entitled "I Only Wanna Be With You". When the song started playing I got a quick flash of an unorthodox Ranger couple in my brain that just wouldn't leave. This is the result. Written for the Live Journal AWDT 2nd Birthday fic exchange. This one is for you XRachX. Enjoy!
Chapter One – Meeting"Wow! He's absolutely gorgeous. Well built, from what I can see under that baggy assed black jumpsuit he's wearing. The red beret is a nice touch too. What's he doing with the others? I thought this mission was only for us Reds? Oh shit, he is a red, that's why he's here. Didn't think there'd been a team, ever, with two Reds before. How the heck did they work out who was the leader? Glad we, I, never had to deal with that shit." The thoughts swirled in the head of one of the assembled Red Rangers as they prepared to liftoff from the NASADA base and head to the moon to stop the Machine Empire from resurrecting Serpenterra.
A few hours later the same person was thinking as he left the NASADA base with the others. "God, his moves are great and his body in his armor. Holy hell! All I wanted to do was to rip it off of him and then screw him or have him screw me senseless. Maybe I can connect with him when we hit that bar later tonight. Good damn thing I don't have to work for the next couple of days."
The group of eight left the base and they went to a local bar. The conversations at the bar were kept on an impersonal level. Disappointment hidden, the man having the thoughts talked and joked with his fellow red rangers as if nothing was wrong. Slowly all of the others left in pairs or singularly until it was just the disappointed one, the two red rangers from Silver Hills, and Andros.
"I think I'm going to head back to Silver Hills," Wes said as he stood up and looked around the small, out of the way place they'd decided to gather. "You coming, Eric?"
"Nah," Eric said with a frown in Wes' direction. "I'm gonna stay for a bit. I think Andros or Jason will see me home safely. Besides, I need a break and this is as good of an excuse as any."
"Stay, Wes." Jason said with a nod toward the stage. "There's going to be a great singer coming up in just about three minutes. You should hear her sing, she's got the voice of an angel." Jason's voice was wistful and Andros noticed the frown on Eric's face just before he spoke up.
"Maybe going home is a good thing." Eric grumbled under his breath, yet none of the others heard him.
"I don't know; Silver Hills isn't exactly close to Angel Grove." Wes hesitated and then sat back down. "Eric's right, we could use a break and we deserve one. So I'm taking it."
"You won't regret it, guys." Jason said with a small smile on his face. "Kim's been doing a gig here every other night for about two weeks now. The crowd loves her. I really kind of wish Tommy had stayed, but that's Tommy for ya. He never does what you want him too; well almost never anyway." Jason's tone had stayed neutral until he'd talked about Tommy and then it turned slightly bitter.
All four men stayed until the singer had taken the stage, Wes rose to leave until she'd opened her mouth and started singing. Eric watched as Wes turned around and then froze as he saw the petite brunette on the stage. "He's smitten." Eric whispered to Jason, who sat next to him.
"Well he's a hell of a lot better for her than Tommy would ever be." Jason commented acerbically. "I'd rather see her with a decent guy like Wes is than with the idiot Tommy became."
"Introduce them and see if the sparks fly, Jason." Eric commented with a slight smile. "Then maybe you and I can get to know each other a little better?"
"I'd like that, Eric Myers." Jason smiled and then gently touched Wes' shoulder. "Sit down, Wes. She'll come over to the table when she's done with her set. She always does."
"You know her?" Wes asked with a shocked look on his face as he sat heavily in his chair, his back to the others at the table. "Wow, Jason, she's a knock out. Where'd you meet her?"
"Same place I met Tommy." Jason replied with a smile for the stunned and speculative expression on the Time Force Red Ranger's face. "She was our Pink Ranger; but she's been like my little sister since I met her in first grade."
The four men sat together while Kimberly performed. Eric and Jason talked quietly while Andros and Wes were almost mesmerized by Kim's voice. When the set ended, Kimberly made her way over to the table and joined them. She gave a Jason a hug and sat next to him with smiles for the others at the table.
"Hey, Jase!" Kim gushed as she hugged his neck tightly. "How's my favorite red doing?"
"Doing good, Kimmy." Jason replied with a smile. "Just got done taking care of a little leftover business from high school; but other than that, just living."
Kim immediately stilled and looked at the four men at the table with a calculating expression on her face. "Leftover business from high school, huh? What kind of left over business takes four reds to handle, Jason?" Her tone was soft and only carried to the men at the table, but her expression held fear and fury in equal measure.
"More like ten reds, Kim." Jason said very quietly. "Serpenterra. Generals from the Machine Empire tried to resurrect that blasted thing. We stopped it, but just barely and if it hadn't been for Cole we'd have been toast. Our erstwhile leader didn't think we'd need zords for this thing so we went hand to hand until it lifted off."
"So introduce me, Jase." Kimberly said trying to cover her shudder at the mention of Serpenterra. "Can't keep all the good looking ones for yourself now, can you?"
Jason laughed at her teasing tone and without thinking changed the subject and introduced Kimberly to his fellow red rangers left at the table with him. "Andros, Red Astro Ranger. Wes Collins, Red Time Force Ranger, and Eric Myers, Quantum Time Force Ranger and the first second red ranger on a team."
Kim nodded her head and then moved to the other end of the table where she would be sitting between Andros and Wes. "Nice to meet all of you. So how many teams are they now, Jase and did Rocky make it or was Aisha too stubborn to let him go on this without her coming along too?"
"Rocky called me to go in his place, Kimmy." Jason said with a sad tone of voice. "Aisha went into labor that morning and he called for me to grab the morpher and go in his place. Yes I know the risks I took before you come down on me like a ton of bricks, little sister. I'm fine, just a little more fatigued that I'd be after hard day on the docks. Nothing a couple of days rest won't restore."
"You took too big of a chance, Jason." Kimberly said with a very stern tone that shocked the others at the table. "What you endured because of Trey and that business when we were scuba diving wasn't enough for you. You had to go and take Rocky's place didn't you? God, Jason, one of these days you're going kill yourself saving the rest of us."
Jason shrugged slightly and gave Kim a wry smile his tone was teasing yet filled with apology too. "They needed me, Kimmy. Took all ten of us to do the job and without Rocky or me… " Jason's voice trailed off and he looked away from the accusation in Kimberly's eyes.
"Without you there with us; we'd have been toast, Jason." Andros said seriously. "Kimberly, I know all about Jason's past problems, but he was perfectly safe. Morphing was the best thing for him; he's healed fully now. Consider it one last gift from the powers and leave it."
Kim huffed up to bite back an answer at Andros, but Wes derailed her anger with a softly spoken, "Would you care to dance with me?" Kim took a deep breath and then exhaled loudly. She shot Jason a look that said 'we'll talk about this some more later' and smiled up at Wes. "I'd love to dance, Wes."
Wes took Kimberly's hand and led her to the dance floor. He made sure to keep her back to the table that Eric, Jason, and Andros were still seated at and the look he tossed Eric's way made his purpose clear to his teammate. Wes wanted Jason out of there before he brought Kimberly back to the table.
"Jason." Eric sighed, in defeat because he knew Wes was right, but he wanted to get to know the first Red Power Ranger better. "Why don't you beat a strategic retreat while Wes has Kimberly occupied. Go home, rest, and relax, my friend."
"I've not runaway from anything Kimberly could say to me since I was in kindergarten and I don't intend to start now. Besides, if I do leave she'll just give me more grief later and bring Aisha, Kat, and Tanya in on it too. Plus she'll get Adam, Tommy, Billy, and Zack and Rocky on my case. Best I stop the tirade here. Rocky and Sha have enough on their plate with the new baby. They don't need Kimberly stirring up trouble with our friends and teammates too." Jason replied with a very stubborn tone yet his face held a smile of understanding too. "Oh and thank Wes for trying to run interference; but it won't work for long. Kimberly can be as stubborn as Tommy Oliver sometimes. Maybe that's why the two of them didn't work out in the long run. One couldn't out stubborn the other."
Eric laughed heartily and Jason was mesmerized by the way his smile lit up his brooding good looks. "Damn, if he had smiled like that when I met him I'd have jumped him right then and there. God why can't Andros, Wes, and Kimberly just leave? I want to get to know him and see if there's a chance he's into guys."
Jason's fascination with the Quantum Ranger wasn't lost on Andros and the Red Astro Ranger smiled to himself as he watched the two men jockey and bandy words without coming out and saying that they were interested in each other. "You would think that two Red Rangers could cut to the chase and just get together. Jeez, humans are really interesting to watch interacting like this. I'll have to have TJ or Carlos bring Zhane and I back to this place." Andros cleared his throat and smiled as Eric and Jason's head popped up to pin him with equal glares of annoyance. His voice was filled with teasing as he spoke to his counterparts. "Kim and Wes are headed back to the table. I thought you should know."
Jason's head spun and he saw Wes escorting Kimberly back to the table and the two were trading smiles and enjoying a laugh together. "What's so funny, Kimmy?" Jason asked smiling as his little sister sat down close to the Red Time Force Ranger and co-leader of the Silver Guardians.
Kimberly smiled at Jason and winked as her laughter-filled teasing voice floated over everyone at the table. "Wes almost choked when Jim and Mark got up and danced together. I thought he was going to swallow his tongue when they kissed."
"Oh, so they finally made the connection semi-official, huh?" Jason asked with an answering happy smile and a wink. "Didn't think they'd ever quit circling and actually get it together."
"Oh they got together rather spectacularly, Jase." Kim replied with a smile of delight at the shocked look on Wes' face. "You weren't here, had to work I think, and they came together for a very steamy dance right in the middle of my set. They were gone in two seconds after the song finished and nobody saw them for like three days. Wow, I had to stop to fan myself before I could finish my set for the night. Think half of the people in here were affected by the vibes those two were tossing off that night."
"Maybe it was a good thing I wasn't here then." Jason said with a wink in Kimberly's direction. "I'd have probably grabbed the first good looking thing I saw and dragged it outta here too."
"Yeah, right!" Kimberly said with a scoff and huff of laughter. "You're so danged cautious about who you get together with that I don't think even Tommy and Billy standing nude in front of you would get a rise out of you at all. Oh wait… dang it they did that on Zack's dare at the Christmas party last year. Crap, it didn't faze you at all did it? Sometimes, for a man that prefers men, you're way too choosey, Jason. How are you ever gonna find the 'one' if ya don't circulate and date, guy?"
Jason looked at the surprised expressions that graced Andros, Wes, and Eric's faces. He sighed and shot a glare at Kim; but his neither voice nor facial expression gave away the fact that he was annoyed as hell at her. "Think for a change, Kim. Seeing Tommy and Billy nude is nothing new to me. Why in the devil would that bother me. I've seen Billy in the buff since first grade and Tommy since he came to Angel Grove. The showers for gym class and at the Command Center didn't exactly allow for modesty. Hell Tommy took more cold showers for the first month after he joined us that I thought he'd wind up with hypothermia. He about swallowed his tongue when you and Tri stripped and just hopped into the showers with us guys. I date, Kim. I just don't see fit to advertise to the world that I'm hooked up with someone. Frankly I'm not comfortable with announcing to god and everyone that I'm with a guy all the time. Look how long it took Jim and Mark to quit trying to make the other jealous and just get together. Why in the fuck would I want to put myself through that type of hell? I don't." Without realizing it, Jason's annoyance and rising anger seeped into his voice as he spoke.
Eric cleared his throat and shot a look at Wes that spoke volumes to his partner. "I can understand that you like keeping your relationships private, Jason." Eric's voice was quiet and soothing to Jason's quickly fraying nerves with Kimberly crass comments about his preferences and lack of companionship. "I'm a private person too; much to the chagrin of my partner in the Guardians. He likes to flaunt his dates all over town where I prefer a quiet evening in. Maybe we should get together sometime and compare notes?"
Wes grabbed Kimberly's hand and practically hauled her, bodily, to the dance floor. "Let's go dance again, Kim. I love this song!" Wes blabbered as he pulled her from her chair and rushed to the back of the dance floor. Once there he took her into his arms and swayed to the music as they spun and each took turns watching the table they'd just left. "Sorry, but I think Eric was ready to start blasting things, Kimberly. Oh, Eric prefers men too and I have no problem with him hooking up with someone like Jason. Just don't match-make. They'll find their own way without interference. Eric is a lot more private than Jason seems to be. Make a good match if they'd quit feeling each other out with words and just get on with the courting." Kim giggled and they both gave up any pretense of dancing and just stood side-by-side watching the table.
Back at the table Andros was smiling from ear to ear as he excused himself and joined Wes and Kimberly lounging against the wall. "I think I'll go and cut in and dance some with Kimberly before Wes monopolizes the best looking gal in here tonight. Excuse me, guys." Andros quickly rose and walked to where Wes and Kim were standing. "Didn't think those two would ever quit hiding their attraction and just start flirting; for Red Rangers they're both a little slow aren't they?"
Kimberly squealed with laughter as Wes attempted to keep his own merriment over Andros' words in check. He sputtered with laughter, as he spoke first, "They're… not… slow… when… it's… needed… Andros"
Eric and Jason were both oblivious to the amusement they were providing to their companions. They both rose together and walked out the door without looking back at the three still laughing people on the dance floor.
"Well, that's find howdy-do." Kimberly said with a smirk as she, Wes, and Andros returned to the table together. "He's my ride home! Now what do I do?"
"I'll drive you home, Kimberly." Wes said seriously. "I have to take Andros back to the NASADA base anyway and Angel Grove isn't that much out of the way. You'll have to give me directions, but I think I can see you home safely." Wes' voice changes to a thoughtful tone as he continues. "Well, that is provided my partner and co-leader didn't take the SUV; if he did we're all three stuck out here until I can call one of the Guardians on duty and have him drive down here to pick us all up."
The three immediately stood up and walked out the door; Wes sighing in relief when the large black SUV was still parked in the lot. Kimberly looked around and then smiled as she saw that Jason's motorcycle was gone from the lot. "Looks like they took Jason's bike, Wes." She said with a smile.
Andros looked around and then frowned slightly as he turned to Wes. "Is your vehicle supposed to be moving when it's empty?" Andros asked in confusion.
Wes and Kimberly's heads both snapped around and Kimberly giggled even as Wes seemed to explode in anger. He stalked over to the SUV and jerked open the back passenger door. "Damn it, Eric! We just had the interior cleaned out!" He was reaching in for a body when a large very annoyed pair of raccoons darted past him with screeches of anger. "What the FUCK?!?!" Wes yelled in an angry surprised shout as the animals flew past him; one of them narrowly missing landing right into his arms. Wes jumped away from the car and then growled as he heard the distinctive sound of Eric's laughter coming from behind a stand of concealing trees. "ERIC!" Wes roared in anger and was answered with dual peals of male merriment coming from behind the trees. Jason and Eric walked out from behind the stand with Jason pushing his bike along beside him.
"Sorry, Wes." Jason said between bouts of near hysterical laughter. "Couldn't resist and after the day we had today. Needed that stress relief, badly." He turned to look down into Kimberly's smiling face. "Did you think I'd forget that I drive you home every night you play out here, Kimmy?" Wes stopped and then dissolved into laughter right along with Jason and Eric. Kimberly was still smiling and giggling too. Andros looked on in confusion, but just stayed away from the seemingly laughter afflicted humans he was with.
"Come on, Andros." Eric called as he opened the driver's door and jumped lithely inside. "Grab the front seat and we'll stick Wes with the mess those raccoons made of Jason's sandwich. Actually they didn't make a mess, Wes. Jason lured them in with it and then didn't leave it with them. They'll find it where we were watching over by the trees later on after they've calmed down some. You don't think I'd let YOU find me making out in the backseat of the SUV do you? I've got a reputation to uphold, buddy."
"I'm going to catch you, one day, Eric Myers." Wes said still laughing as he jumped into the backseat and smiled brightly. "Thanks for giving me your phone number, Kimberly. I will be calling you for a date. Just have to arrange for my next day off with my partner here." Wes smacked the back of Eric's head lightly and both men laughed as Andros climbed warily into the huge black SUV with them.
"Don't worry, Andros." Jason said with a smile. "They're both harmless, well harmless to fellow rangers anyway. Monsters and Zords, that's a different story. Take care guys and drive safe!" Jason waved one handed as he was still holding his motorcycle up with his other hand. He turned after the black vehicle had left the parking lot. "Ready to head home, Kim?"
Kim was still staring after the quickly disappearing SUV and Jason just smiled as he touched her on the shoulder and asked again, "Ready to head home, Kimmy?"
Kim startled slightly and then smiled at Jason. "Sure, Jase. Where's my helmet?"
Jason chuckled and then just nodded toward his right saddlebag. "In it's usual place, girlfriend. Come on lets get you back home so you can dream of nice Red Rangers taking you on a dream date."
Kim laughed at Jason's teasing tone even as she was removing and donning the extra helmet Jason always kept in his saddlebag. Jason tossed his right leg over the massive Harley and started the engine. Kimberly jumped on behind him and grabbed onto his waist as he engaged the clutch, downshifted into first gear, and then eased out on the clutch as he twisted the throttle and they moved quickly out of the parking lot and onto the highway that would lead them back to their homes in Angel Grove.
XXXXX End Chapter 1 XXXXX
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this installment of the tale. Enjoy and let me know how you liked it if you don't mind.