I do not own.
Author's Note: Just a little Two-shot about Hayden and Flynn relationship. Takes place right after Hayden's Rescue Part II in RPM: The Last Stand.
"Try it now," Flynn called to Samantha as the Angel sat in her car. It was Kaylee's old one that would be passed down, if Flynn could ever get the engine running.
Samantha turned the keys and waited to hear the engine roar, but it just choked.
"No... again," she sighed, "Flynn, we're been at it for hours. I thought you said you were good at this."
"I am," Flynn told her, taking advantage of the hood being raised to look over at the girls' bedroom, where Hayden was sitting alone. He knew she wasn't asleep. She never fell asleep before midnight at least.
"Obviously not," Samantha laughed, stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut. She tossed the keys to Flynn, but he didn't even seem to notice, letting them fall on the ground. Sam frowned, bending over to pick up the keys. When she looked up at Flynn, she saw he was staring into the distance. She followed his gaze and her eyes landed on her bedroom door. "Oh... I get it."
"What?" Flynn asked, finally snapping back to reality. He pulled his head up, accidentally slamming the back on the hood of the car. He cursed under his breath, pulling away and looking up at Sam. She was trying to hold back a laugh.
"You're distracted," she smirked. "Is she five foot something, blonde and cute? Oh, and not me," Sam laughed, realising she had a lot in common with her sister.
"No... the door's paint is chipped," Flynn lied, trying to hid the truth from Sammy. He knew Mike wasn't going to be totally supportive if he admitted he had a huge crush on Hayden, and he also knew that older sisters were to fear when it came to dating the little sister.
"You can see that from here?" Sammy frowned playfully, looking at the door. "I didn't notice last night... then again, it was dark... but we're like... twenty feet away! You must have eagle eyes to see that. Actually how do you test how well an eagle sees, maybe science is flawed. I mean, it did just destroy the world. I know Dr. K is to blame but if it weren't for..."
"Do you ever shut up?" Flynn asked.
"Not until you admit you like my sister," Sam smirked. "Now, where was I... ah, yes; if it weren't for science and its progress..."
"Shut up, please," Flynn begged, "I'll tell you what's distracting me."
"You don't need to tell me," Sam laughed, "I already know. You just have to admit it's the truth."
"Alright... fine... I like her, okay?" Flynn frowned, going back to working on the car, but Sam grabbed his shoulders, pulling him back upright.
"Tell her," she smirked. This surprised Flynn. She was giving him the go ahead to make the moves on the sister she had only just been reunited with. She was definitely Kaylee's daughter: confusing as hell. "It can't hurt to try..."
"But..."
"Yours, in her room," Sammy laughed. She pushed Flynn towards the stairs leading to the room where Hayden was alone. "But... keep the pants on... I may be an easy-going possible-could-be-maybe-but-not-really-only-if-it-works sister in-law, but it's still my sister."
"I'll be sure to remember that," Flynn nodded. Samantha smiled at him, watching as he knocked on Hayden's door.
"Come in," the pink Ranger called. Flynn pushed the door open and smiled for the pink Ranger. She was lying on her bed, watching cartoons. "Oh, hey," she called when she spotted Flynn.
"Hey," Flynn nodded.
"Is it dinner time already?" Hayden asked. She reached over to Summer's end table and grabbed the watch. She glanced at the time, then frowned at Flynn.
"It's three o'clock."
"I know," Flynn shrugged. "I just... needed to talk."
"About what?" Hayden asked, turning off the TV and sitting with her legs crossed on the bed.
Flynn didn't know how to approach the subject without scaring Hayden. He decided on subtle, even if that wasn't his area of expertise.
"I was just wondering... Dr. K never calls us by our names... why do you think that is?"
"Well," Hayden started, looking up in thought, "my mom said it might be a way to protect herself against emotional distress. Maybe something happened in the past that caused her pain and she's afraid to relive it. I think my mom once mentioned Dr. K having two friends, but they were killed in the evacuations... I think she's afraid of losing people who are close to her."
Flynn just had to choose to fall in love with one of the Brooks. Why were they all so... not simple?
"Maybe she's on to something?" Flynn suggested, stepping back to lean against the wall. He didn't need rest, but he did need to find a way to hide his blush.
"Like what?" Hayden asked.
"Well, this job is dangerous... what if we lose a team-mate?"
"I don't plan on losing any of you," Hayden smirked.
"Neither do I, but I don't think you planned on living in a dome, either."
"I didn't... but... I guess... loving someone is complicated," Hayden frowned. Flynn looked up when she said the "L" word. "I mean, I've never called Mike or Summer by their Ranger names... but that's probably because they weren't Rangers a year ago."
So that's who she was talking about. Flynn sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"It would be weird to call your family by their Ranger names," he admitted.
Hayden nodded, "As for Scott, Dillon and Ziggy, their like my brothers... family. It would be weird if I called them Red, Black and Green."
"What about me?" Flynn asked. Maybe he wouldn't have to tell her how he felt. Maybe she would say it. She did leave his name out. Didn't that mean something?
Of course, it could mean she didn't like him as much as the others. Flynn knew that was a possibility. After all, he had an accent. It may have been pretty, but he was very much aware of how hard he could be to understand. Many times he had been asked to repeat himself, even when he spoke clearly.
"I love you too, Flynn," Hayden nodded. Flynn smiled. She loved him.
"Really?" Flynn asked, hoping he could push a little more out of her.
"Yeah," Hayden nodded. She looked down at her bed and started playing with the sheets, "I mean, I love you all. Mike, Summer and Kaylee may be my family, but we're all one big family."
"Oh..." Flynn sighed. "I guess it makes sense."
"Yahuh," Hayden smiled, nodding. "Dr. K's just traumatized. I'm sure she'll come to one day. Until then, I think it's best we just give her space."
"If you say so, Ranger Pink," Flynn smirked. Hayden laughed, grabbing her pillow and throwing it at him.
Flynn caught it and tossed it back before leaving her room. As the door shut behind him, he leaned against it, dropping to the ground and burying his head in his hands.
Samantha walked over to him, dropping down with him, "So?" she asked him.
"We're family," he sighed, looking up. "We're all one, big family to her..."
"That means..."
"Nothing's going to happen," Flynn got up and walked to the railing. He looked down at Summer who was playing pool with Ziggy. "It would be weird dating family."
"It could work," Sam argued. "It's a Brooks thing... we can make it work, just give it time."
Flynn smiled, squeezing Sam slightly to let her know he was going to be okay. He kissed the top of her head and walked off.
Inside her room, Hayden was hugging her pillow close to her chest as tears threaten to fall.
Did she really just do that?
She was so close. She had the chance to tell him how she felt, even if it was something easy like out of all the guys I'm closest with you, or something along those lines to let him know she felt differently for him.
Then again, the way he reacted to her calling him family most likely meant he felt like she was his sister.
Stupid Brooks genes, Hayden cursed, why are we so freaking confusing. At least if I told him I could get these feelings off my chest.
Hayden dropped back , hugging the pillow closer. She had screwed up greatly.
No, there was still time to fix this.
Hayden jumped off her bed, throwing the pillow to the side as she ran for the door. She opened it and looked out.
Flynn was standing by the railing, looking down as Sam was tucked under his arm. He was holding her close.
"It would be weird dating family," Flynn spoke. Both were unaware that Hayden was watching.
"It could work," Sam argued. "It's a Brooks thing... we can make it work, just give it time."
Hayden watched as Flynn smiled, squeezing Sam slightly and kissing the top of her head.
Hayden backed away as the door closed in front of her. She dropped back onto her bed, throwing her pillow across the room.
She missed her chance, if she ever had one.