Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. If you don't know who does, I'm sure you will one day ;)

Author's notes: A sweet fic that just came into mind--doesn't really involve any couples here. Heck, I won't even release the name of the mother of the little girl featured in the story. The father, of course, is Wes. You can fill in the "mother" with whomever you wish. Just thought I'd let you know, it's also a really short fic.
I think Wes'd make a great father one day--and this is just a moment to prove his love for his daughter. I might do another father/daughter one with Carter and his future daughter, but that might be awhile (unless I come up with something else again. Gosh, how these ideas love to snake their way into my head and never get out). Feedback always welcome.

For the Love of a Daughter
By: stargazer_1017

The sun was shining radiantly in the room and its rays caused Wes Collins to open his eyes. He blinked several times to adjust his eyes to the light and then smiled. Another beautiful day, he thought as he yawned and stretched on the bed. He instinctively moved his arm to the right and his arm dropped on the bed with a clunk.

There was no one sleeping in bed with him. Wes looked around the room, searching for his wife and heard the soft sounds of pans in the kitchen. He shook his head and got up from bed. Already making breakfast, he thought inwardly as he walked to the bathroom to freshen up.

He lost himself in the concentration of trying to get his brushing done when a baby's cry sounded from another room. Wes broke out of his thoughts and gargled quickly.

"Wes!" his wife called from the kitchen.

"I got it, sweetie, don't worry!" Wes called back, rushing from the bathroom and heading out of the room into the the crying child's room. He looked into the baby's cradle and lifted his daughter up, trying to soothe her.

"Good morning, Amanda," he greeted the little person whom he thanked the Creator for everyday. Both he and his wife felt truly blessed with the presence of their first daughter. "What's the matter, not really a morning person?" he cooed to her.
Amanda answered with a hiccup and some more crying. Wes chuckled softly. "Neither is your mother," he admitted to her. He started dancing around in little circles to gently rock the baby so that she would calm down.

He tried to tickle her hands with his index finger and she wrapped her small hand around it and started to calm down a bit. Wes gave her a kiss on her soft skin and looked at her and asked, "Do you know how you got your name?"

When the baby toyed with Wes' finger and pucked her lips together, he chuckled. "I know, I know, you're tired of hearing the story. Trust me, you won't stop hearing it until you're consciously able to remember it." He let his child rest on his shoulder and rubbed her gently on the back. "Your name comes from the brave, beautiful woman who risked her life for the world. To others, she seemed like a brutal warrior who stopped at nothing to attain peace and justice." He pulled Amanda from his shoulder and gazed at her lovingly. "But to me, she had always been the loving, caring, and most sensitive person to ever grace her presence on this earth."

Amanda gurggled and Wes laughed at her reaction. He gave her another kiss on the forehead and hugged his daughter tightly. Then he started dancing in small circles around the room again, trying to rock his daughter to sleep. When he had rotated to face the door, his wife was leaning against the door, watching him with a proud smile on her face. "You were telling her that story again, weren't you?" she asked.

Wes smiled back at her and replied, "It's a story I'm proud to tell her. You have done and seen so much in your life so far, more than anyone I know."

His wife walked up to him and kissed him. Resting her head on his arm, she said, "You know, Amanda's not old enough to remember your stories yet, Wes."

Wes shrugged and looked down at his pride and joy. "But she's growing up already. She's almost a year old now," he turned back to his wife, who was gazing at him, "and it was just yesterday. . .it was just like I brought you to the hospital yesterday."

Wes felt the comfort his wife provided him with when she put her arms around his back and placed her hand on their child. He relished in the fact that they were together, finally in peace. "One day, she'll grow up. She'll start going to school, she'll start riding a bike, she'll go to dances, have boyfriends, drive our cars, graduate. . ." Wes trailed off and rested his head on his love's head. "I feel like. . .like she's already walked out the door."

"Wes. . .she's about a year old, and she's still here," his wife assured him. "She'll be here for awhile."

"I just want to protect her, you know? From all that I've gone through. . .from all that we've gone through."

"And I know you will! Wes, you've been such a great father to her. . . I don't think Amanda or any other child that we'll have after her will ever find another one in the world just like you."

Wes turned to her and looked into her dark eyes. They shined at him and she smiled, causing him to smile too. When she was assured Wes was back to his cheerful self again, she gave him another kiss. "Now come on, let's have that Saturday family breakfast we've been trying to have for a long time now," she said, gently squeezing his shoulder.

Wes nodded. "I'm just going to set Amanda back in her crib and be right there," he assured her. His wife nodded. She bent down and gave her daughter a kiss and walked out of the room. Wes gently set Amanda back into her crib. She didn't appear to be cranky anymore and was now trying to give her father a proud, toothless grin.

Wes couldn't help but laugh at her attempt. One day, he knew the time would come when he had to let her wander into the world. Hopefully the world would embrace her with the openness and care that she was shown at home. It's not time yet and I'm not ready to let her go now, Wes thought inwardly as he bent down to give his daughter another kiss. He straightened and shot one last glance at his daughter before walking out the door. But when the time comes for her to crawl out into the real world, he thought with pride, I'll be there for her--just like I've always been.