Disclaimer: I still don't own the Power Rangers and I doubt all of the holiday cheer and good will towards men would keep Disney from suing me if I said that I did.
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I wrote this while being stranded in a blizzard. Actually the blizzard is still going but as long as my power doesn't go out I'll be fine…I can always eat the cat.
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T'was the night before Christmas and all through the base not a creature was stirring not even in space. The stockings were hung in the common room with care in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there…
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Z Delgado stared out the window into the cold December night. There was no snow, but there never was. Still that didn't mean that it wasn't still winter and her body shivered with the memory of just how frigid it could get out on the streets. Unconsciously she wrapped her arms around her chest protecting against the chill that didn't exist inside the ranger's common room as she watched the lights. The base was the largest building in the city and from her vantage point she could make out the Christmas tree that marked the center of downtown. It was brilliantly lit and helped to draw her attention away from the past that kept trying to sneak its way into the present.
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Quietly Sky Tate gathered up the presents from his closet and snuck out of his room hoping not to disturb the slumbering Green Ranger. Without a sound he made his way into the rangers common room and to the Christmas tree that they had set up there. He stopped suddenly when he saw that he was not alone in the room, the Yellow Ranger stood at one of the large bay windows, in a yellow nightgown, staring sullenly out into the night. She hadn't noticed him yet and Sky quickly debated whether to stay and deliver the presents as planned or run quickly from what was sure to be an emotional experience he was far from qualified to deal with. Unfortunately his decision was made for him when, in his retreat, he bumped into the tree causing one of the ornaments to fall and the Yellow Ranger to turn towards the noise.
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Z was startled by a noise behind her and when she turned what she found was the Blue Ranger frozen like a reindeer in headlights in his gray sweatpants and blue SPD hooded sweater. She couldn't help but smile at the expression on his face.
"My, my, it looks like someone was just caught red handed." She chuckled. "Trying to sneak a peak at your presents Cadet Tate?"
"No." Sky replied indigently. "I haven't done that since I was 10."
"Oh really?" Z smirked. It was always fun when Sky admitted he was as human as the rest of them. "So then what are you doing up at this late hour on Christmas Eve?"
"I could ask you the same thing." He raised his eyebrow at the Yellow Ranger and the smile left her face. Sky found himself sorry for that.
"I asked you first." She said quietly, watching him shift his weight nervously from left to right. His hand reached up and rubbed the back of his neck while his gaze shifted from her to a large bag Z had just noticed was laying at his feet.
"I know it's stupid and I know that Bridge is Jewish but he still likes to celebrate Christmas with us and him and Syd get all excited to wake up and see all the presents already under the tree."
"So you're up playing Santa?" her lips twitched into a grin that quickly spread across her face. Who knew that the famed ice prince of SPD would be willing to go to such lengths just to make his friends happy?
"I know like I said it's stupid but…I've been doing it for years now and…" he trailed off unsure of why he felt he needed to justify himself to her.
"Do they at least leave out milk and cookies for you?" she laughed relieving some of the tension she could see building behind those deep blue eyes.
"Yeah." His solemn features finally cracked into a small smile.
Unsure of what else to say Sky knelt down beside the tree and began unloading the presents from his bag. Z watched as he carefully set each one underneath the branches arranging them precisely, as was his nature. The silence continued until Sky remembered his earlier question.
"So what are you doing up this late? If I remember correctly you went to bed early stating that you were really freaking tired." He threw his gaze up in her direction and watched her cheeks turn a subtle shade of red.
"Nothing." She lied, turning her face away. Normally Sky would be content to leave it at that, but there was something about the way he had found her that told him she needed someone to talk to, and as much as he usually hated talking about his feelings or anyone else's he realized that he was the only one around. Biting the bullet he rose from his spot on the floor and approached her.
"Hey I told you why I was here so now it's your turn, spill."
Z's brown eyes searched the Blue Rangers face critically. It was unlike him to voluntarily ask anyone about what they were doing unless he thought it might be against some SPD regulation or another. Why he was now asking her and even looking concerned had her questioning what she knew about Sky the person, not just Sky the cadet. Giving him the benefit of the doubt she answered him.
"I was waiting up for Santa." She mumbled finding the upholstery of the couch suddenly very interesting.
"You were what?" he sputtered choking back a laugh. Sky was sure he hadn't heard her right. What self-respecting adult still believed in Santa?
"You heard me." She now glared at him defiantly. Her harsh tone had him taking a step back.
"You do know that Santa doesn't exist right?" his eyebrow arched and his arms crossed over his chest.
"Yes I know that Sky, okay? It's just…you wouldn't understand." Shaking her head Z returned to her spot at he window and resumed her search of the night skies.
Sky rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and, almost of their own accord, his legs carried him over to her. At first he only stood behind her watching the stars, barely visible among the lights of the city. His arms twitched towards her but he squelched the impulse and instead finally spoke up.
"Help me understand." He asked softly.
A few silent moments ended with a large sigh.
"Santa didn't come to where I lived. In fact I probably learned sooner than most that he didn't exist. Christmas wasn't a time of hanging stockings and presents by the fire. For us it was a time of figuring out how we were going to keep warm on the cold December nights and hoping that the cops wouldn't find our hidey holes and toss us back on the streets."
Sky stood in shocked silence. He knew that Jack and Z had come off the streets but he remained ignorant to just what kind of things one had to endure while living there.
"Aren't there shelters? Soup kitchens? The holiday spirit and kindness of strangers?"
Z turned on him her eyes filled with disgust.
"Your house had a white picket fence didn't it?" she asked accusingly. Sky stared at her unsure of what he had said wrong. Z could see the confusion on his face. Of course he would wonder about that. After all she was sure he was told that's where his tax dollars went, but the reality of the situation was far different.
"There aren't enough shelters in the city and yeah there's soup kitchens but only if you get there early and usually they don't have enough volunteers to deal with the multitude of people who do show up. And as for the kindness of strangers? As long as you have a red bucket and a bell they're more than willing to fish out some pocket change, but if you were to go up, dressed in rags, and ask that same person for money they pretend like you don't exist and go on with their cozy and warm existence. It's like it's easier to help the poor and unfortunate as long as you don't have to look them in the face while doing it." Z's voice practically dripped with contempt while her eyes reflected the lights of the city, gleaming with tears she learned long ago not to let shed.
Sky could feel his heart break for the girl standing before him. He gave into the urge and placed a hand on her shoulder. Instead of comfort he felt her body go rigid but he refused to let it go.
"That doesn't explain why you're waiting up for Santa tonight." He asked his voice still soft.
"I don't know. Maybe…I thought…" her voice trailed and at the same time Sky could feel her body shudder to hold back the tears.
"You thought that now that you weren't on the streets Santa might find you for once?" The Blue Ranger finally understood.
Z could only nod in response afraid that any more words might unleash the flood hiding behind her eyes. When Sky's hand moved from her shoulder to draw her into him she didn't resist instead indulging herself in the strength and comfort his arms provided.
The slowly changing lights from the tree illuminated Z's face in an array of holiday colors. Sky had never noticed before just how fragile the seemingly resilient Yellow Ranger could be. He found himself wanting to find everyone who had ever wronged her and beating them into a pulp for putting such a despondent expression on her face. Guiltily he realized if that were the case he would have to beat himself up for being such a jerk to her and Jack when they had first arrived.
"So did you have any Christmas traditions at all?" he asked suddenly wanting to know more about her.
"Well we had one…" she began still making no attempt to remove herself from his arms. "Every year because we didn't have presents to give we would all exchange a piece of clothing."
"Clothing?" Sky asked perplexed.
"Yeah. It was all any of us really had. So even though we couldn't buy anyone anything we could still go and say …Susan gave me this glove or Justin gave me this hat. It wasn't much but it helped to make us feel like we had done something for each other." A sad smile for a rare fond memory of the streets graced her face.
"I get it. It helped to know that something of yours was helping keep someone else warm." Z turned in his arms to smile up at him.
"Yeah." She whispered.
A new sensation rippled through the two teammates and Sky found himself hesitant of what to do next. Z saw the trepidation on his face and wondered if it mirrored her own. Abruptly they both pulled away with a nervous laugh. Sky headed back to the Christmas tree to unload the last of his presents.
"Well you know Santa doesn't come until everyone's asleep so you staying up for him is really just delaying his arrival." He called over his shoulder.
"I thought you didn't believe in Santa Mr. Tate." She challenged her normal demeanor returning.
"I thought I was Santa Ms. Delgado." Sky shot back while setting out the last present and gathering his bag. He walked over to the counter of the small kitchen and eyed the glass of milk and the small plate of cookies.
"Cookie?" he asked holding the plate out to her. Letting her have first pick he took the cookie that was left and bit into it thoughtfully.
"I think Bridge made the cookies this year." Sky commented now inspecting the cookie in his hand
"I think you're right." Z made a face at the strong buttery after taste. "They'll never know you didn't really eat it right?" the two regarded each other conspiratorially and nodded. The next bite belonged to the trashcan.
"So now what?" Z asked her new partner in crime.
"Now we go to bed because if I know Syd she'll have you up at 6 insisting that you both come and wake us up to go look at the tree." Sky chuckled. Z watched the smile that played upon a face that was normally so stern you thought back to the expression "if you keep making that face it will stick like that". Syd was right it looked good on him.
"It amazes me Sky that you of all people are willing to get up in the middle of the night and do this for your friends one of which doesn't even celebrate Christmas." She grinned widely at him and Sky felt an unfamiliar heat radiate in his cheeks.
"Well after my dad died that's when I pretty much stopped believing in Santa." Apparently it was his turn to share and for once he didn't mind. "But as I got older and my younger cousins were going on about Santa this and Santa that during the holidays, it made me think about what Santa really meant. Its innocence and the ability to believe that anything is possible, even a fat man and eight reindeer flying through the sky. So I asked if I could help be Santa and keep that innocence alive in my cousins, hopefully longer then it had had a chance in me. When I started at SPD I missed being able to do that for them so when Syd would go on about how her favorite part of Christmas was to wake up and find all the presents already under the tree, just like magic, that's when I started doing it for them." Sky was rubbing the back of his neck again and Z noticed that he seemed to do that a lot when he was nervous, although nervous was not an emotion she was used to seeing on the Blue Ranger.
"Does that mean you'll do it for me too?" Z asked shyly.
"I already have." Sky pointed at the tree and Z noticed not only her presents that she had wrapped for everyone else but presents that had her name on them too. "When I got Syd's presents she gave me all of yours as well." Sky explained sheepishly. Z could only stand and stare at the Christmas tree…her Christmas tree. Unexpectedly Sky came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Squeezing her gently he whispered to her,
"Merry Christmas Z."
He then placed a quick kiss in her hair before letting go and hurrying back to his room. Z watched the Blue Rangers retreat vaguely wondering what had just changed between her and Sky. Looking up at the clock she noted that in less than an hour he had altered everything she thought she had known about him. Shaking her head she made her way back to her own room and her snoring roommate.
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Six o'clock came and just as Sky had predicted Syd bounced over to the Yellow Rangers side of the room far to perky at far to early in the morning.
"Come ON Z!" the Pink Ranger huffed as she pulled on her unmoving roommates arm. "We gotta go get the boys before we can go look at the tree!" Z answered with a grunt and an attempt to pull her arm free from Syd's vice like grip.
"Z its Christmas! Let's GO!" with one final tug Z toppled to the floor of her room and stared angrily up at the pink princess.
"I'm up now are you happy?" Z growled.
"Yup! Now lets go get the boys." And with that she bounced out of the room while Z picked herself off the floor and adjusted her nightgown before following.
Once the guys had been roused from their beds in much the same fashion as Z (except Bridge, he was already working on Sky when the girls had gotten there.) The Rangers all gathered around the Christmas tree and started opening their presents. There were squeals of excitement (mostly from Syd) and laughter at Bridge's inventive gifts for them all (a toaster that also cooked eggs at the same time so that when your toast was done you would have an egg sandwich.) When they had opened all the presents each ranger gathered their gifts and took them to their rooms before breakfast. As the others dispersed Sky came around to Z trying to figure out just how she was going to carry everything at once.
"Hey I found one more present hiding under the tree." Sky sat down next to her on floor and handed her a package that was wrapped in the same blue wrapping paper Sky had used but the tag read " To: Z, From: Santa" Z stared disbelieving first at the man sitting next to her then at the present in her hands.
"Well are you going to open it?" Sky asked his hand back up at his neck. Z smiled wide and ripped at the wrapping paper. Inside Z found the blue SPD sweater that Sky had been wearing while playing Santa. It was just then that she noticed he had changed into one of his T-shirts.
"Sky…"she gasped.
"I just wanted to know that something I gave you was keeping you warm." He whispered.
In lieu of words Z cupped his face and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. The contact lasted seconds but Sky knew that warmth would stay with him all day.
"So who wants toast?" The Green Rangers words broke through the moment and had the two smiling at their teammate.
"You know what Bridge? I think I could do some toast." Sky grinned at his best friend.
"Really?" Bridge asked excitedly. Sky never wanted toast.
"Me too." Added Z. "Extra buttery." She wiggled her fingers in front of her mouth in an imitation of Bridges compulsive gesture. She then glanced at Sky and then at the trashcan that held their incriminating evidence from the night before and the two laughed.
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…And he said with a wave as he flew out of sight"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"
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A/N - well chalk another one up to my Sky/Z kick! And just so you know the toaster that Bridge gave everyone, you know the one that cooks your eggs too, IT'S REAL! I saw it at Wal-Mart and I had to find a way to fit it in somewhere. Don't believe me? Go check for yourself it's in the same aisle as all the other toasters.
On a totally unrelated note I want to extend a huge thanks and a large plate of extra buttery (double finger wiggle) toast to whoever nominated me in the What a Character Awards. Shifting Hearts is up for best SPD story and Green Sheep is up for best character story! You guys ROCK! THANKS!