Retracing Footsteps

A/N: This is a little AU sort-a – and the purpose is to have you guessing stuff. Anyway it's a one shot I wrote in 15 minutes so go easy on me

"Omega to Nova – perps on the move"

"I read you Omega; I'll intercept the one with the Particle Blaster"

"It's too dangerous Nova! Way too dangerous!"

"Sorry, you're breaking up…crackle hiss"

"Stop messing around Nova!"

"Sam…I'll see you outside in five"

The blaster fire was forcing Sam to remember the Nova Ranger. He had to remember so much. She'd been connected to him since she arrived in the academy…

"What do you want?" she snorted

"I wanted to say hi"

"Fantastic…you've said it, leave me to my work" she snapped as she returned to the digital pad and pencil that drew images up on the screen before her. "I hate this!"

"Y'know…you're getting better at drawing stuff"

"Oh well now that I have your approval"

Sam waited behind her. The silence was kind of fun…

"What do you want?"

"Nothin…just wondering if you wanted to go and play…"she looked at him like he had three heads. "So…Maybe? Yeah?"

They'd been 12 years old at the time. She'd really hated him – he wasn't sure why. But things had changed. He shivered as he remembered her 16th birthday… it was weird, that had been the day he realized he'd always loved her – even if she had been a less then nice person on several occasions.

Okay so downright evil wasn't too far a stretch.

The blast nearly hit him. Sam focused. Nova in the past was only a little less important as Nova in the future. The future…it's funny how things change depending on how you're raised…

Sam kicked the shooter onto his back and cuffed him. "Nova! Nova! RESPOND!"

The shout from down the corridor got his attention. Sam sprinted onwards, he focused on his partner.

Three crates of weaponry, stolen by five thugs…four now…one with a Particle blaster. Sam braced himself.

"What is this supposed to be?" the 13 year old girl snorted

"A card"

"Oh joy, my life is complete…" she muttered as she glared holes in the paper. "Are you seriously expecting a thank you?"

"Um…I guess not"

"Then you won't be disappointed."

Sam growled. "I swear! If you're hurt Nova Ranger, you're dead meat!"

The two aliens aimed their weapons at him. He leapt high over them and landed on a crate, he back flipped off and snapped his legs out kicking them across the room. They scrambled up. He leapt at one, he stomped his feet into the alien's face and then flipped backwards – he drill kicked the other alien so hard that the shelf it hit splintered.

Two more left. A blast knocked the Omega ranger down. He scrambled to his feet to get his bearings – a split second decision to move saved him from a heavy blast. The blue skinned female alien fired blasts from her rifle.

Sam leapt and soared towards her, punching the blasts away in his fury. He grabbed her and threw her into a wall pausing to contain her before moving on. He sprinted down the last passage to the room of massive crates.

"Nova! Nova Ranger!"

"Sam! There's a bomb! Get out!"

Sam spun around. The Nova Ranger was struggling with a tentacle covered alien for control of a blaster. A shot went off and obliterated several crates. "SAM! GO!" she screamed.

"Not without you"

Nova used her weight and swung the blaster around to fire.

"Sorry Sam. I don't go for the heroic gestures"

"No M-"

The blast hit the ground near Sam. The shockwaves were perfect, the distance and power had been ideal – as usual The Nova Ranger was the one who displayed pure genius.

Sam was hurled through the window (none to gently but at least he wasn't a swirl of molecules). Sam landed with a grunt on a truck. The SPD were swarming around the warehouse…when it exploded.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Sam ran towards the burning building, two officers tried to restrain him but he shoved them off. He couldn't lose her…not after…everything…

"They're trapped in a corrupt version of the SPD containment physics, their molecules have been compressed by the energy waves and thus they have been reduced to a two dimensional status in which they are fixed in a time-paradox"

"So they're cardboard cut outs"

"All right Sam, let's go with the "My First ABC" telling of it then"

The shape strode from the fire, holding a card triumphantly.

"Power down!" Sam exclaimed as he rushed towards her. The Nova Ranger's suit vanished and she walked towards her partner in her uniform. "One arms thief charged, chucked and carded"

Sam swept her up in his arms. He planted kisses on her cheeks and mouth. "If you ever do that again…"

"Hey I knew the blaster shockwaves wouldn't hurt you I AM a genius, genius"

"I'm talking about making me worry, if I lost you I'd die"

"You have to cut back on the soap operas Sammy"

"You have to cut back on the action movies" he shrugged as he put his arm around her shoulders and led her towards their patrol car.

"I'll think about it" she mused. She looked around and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "I didn't want you to get hurt" she muttered as she got into the car.

Sam gave a goofy smile. "You like me"

"Don't read into it"

"You like me, you like me, you want to hold me, and kiss me, and love me, and-"

"You do realize I could shove you out as we cross the bridge"

"But you won't coz you like me"

"I don't like you!" she snapped. Her lips twitched and her cute accent came back full strength. "For some strange reason I find myself hopelessly enamored with you and your ridiculous, childish, attention seeking antics!"

"You love me!"

The jeep shrieked around a bend into the car park tunnel. "Don't get any ideas"

"You love me!" Sam exclaimed. "All it took was…10 years of knowing me, 8 years of training with me, 3 years of working with me and-"

"A partridge in a pear tree"

"Eight months of dating!"

"We went out they weren't dates"

"Hey we kissed goodnight"

"I kissed you to get you off my doorstep!"

"Ahem…You love me! You love me"

Sam's partner growled and climbed out of the jeep. He rushed after her towards the briefing room. "You love me" he whispered.

"Sam – go away"

"Come on, be my partner on the course!"

"Couldn't you just bring a sock puppet? They seem to interest you"

"Please, we could kick butt"

"FINE NOW GET OUT OF MY ROOM"

"Don't make me regret this Sam" warned Nova as they walked down the corridor.

"I wuv woo too sugar plum"

"Die screaming"

"You mean everything to me" Sam said, his voice gaining more and more sincerity as they words came.

"I hope you get vomited on by Piggy"

"I love you"

"Then large, rats –hungry, diseased, ugly, rats – will feast upon you"

"I want to marry you"

She froze. Sam had actually stunned the acid tongued girl who'd grown up so much… her eyes looked into his; she was prying around his mental aura for signs of sarcasm.

Nothing.

"I doubt we'll get leave"

"So that's a yes?"

"…" the Nova Ranger had finally met her match. In a question. "Why not?" she sighed. "But, keep it quiet, I don't want to see them exchanging money on bets – and I don't want those vapid girls asking who's making my dress, I'll design it myself…so just – shush"

"I'll keep it in as long as I possibly can, I'll use all my endurance" Sam babbled, his feet floating, his mind flickering between giggles and shock. "I promise" he swore as they entered the control room. "I'll keep it bottled up until it becomes too much"

"Rangers" Crueger nodded.

"I'M MARRYING MORA MORGANA XYSNIGISITHIANICA" bellowed Sam at the top of his lungs.

There was a brief silence.

In which Mora turned slowly to glare at her partner and fiancée and planted a firm roundhouse kick dead to his chest. He hit the wall with a grunt. "I said - quiet" she muttered. She kneeled beside him and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Though I appreciate the sentiment"

She rose and walked away.

"Brains, Beauty and a killer roundhouse kick…I am so lucky" sighed Sam. He winced. "Ow...My ribs…"

The End

Well? What did you thinks? What was the biggest hint? Do you want to know anything or should I explain anything in a sequel One Shot? Is this a little too far fetched?

Review me I crave it