Through Time and Space
"Cadet Carson to the Command Center," Dr. Manx's voice rang out over the intercom system. In the rec room at the opposite end of the base, Bridge Carson abandoned his pile of buttered taste and his girlfriend of a year and a half, Z Delgado. He scrambled to his feet and made his way to the Command Center.
"Yes, sir?" Bridge asked, saluting in the customary SPD way. Commander Cruger turned slowly to face the young man in the gray and red uniform.
"Bridge Carson, you are a fine ranger," Cruger said in his gravelly voice. "And because of that, you have been selected to go on a special mission to the Gamma Nebula. You will be escorting a group of notorious space aliens to SPD headquarters on Gamma Orion."
"But sir," Bridge said, "Sky is the best pilot at SPD. Wouldn't he be a better man for the job?" Bridge's confusion was quite clear on his face.
Cruger nodded slowly. "Yes, Cadet Tate is indeed an excellent pilot. But you, Bridge, are now preparing to step down as a ranger to get married. You will do the job and I am sure you will complete it admirably."
"Yes sir," Bridge replied. "When do I leave for this mission? Oh, and how long will I be gone? Can I take some toast in the ship with me?"
"You will leave tomorrow morning, Cadet. As for when you will be back, I am uncertain. The SPD commander on Gamma Orion wishes for you to teach a course there for a few weeks. You should go and pack now so that you might get a good night's sleep."
"Yes sir," Bridge repeated for the third time. He saluted once more and returned the rec room. There he found Syd yapping to Z about her wedding plans. Z looked as if she might lose it. Bridge smiled. "Hi guys."
Z glanced up at him, grateful for the distraction. "What did Cruger want, Bridge?" she asked, knowing by her boyfriend's face that something was wrong. Bridge sank down next to her.
Even Syd had stopped talking long enough to notice Bridge's troubled look. "Bridgey?" she questioned, concern for her friend clear in her eyes. "What's up?"
"Hey pinky, I'll handle this," Z interjected. Syd frowned, but the yellow ranger took no notice. Z reached for Bridge's gloved hand. "How about a walk, Bridge?" she asked softly. He nodded.
Once the two were outside of the academy, Bridge started to ramble. "So, I don't really know why Cruger is going to have me do this, but I have to go to Gamma Orion for a few weeks. I don't really want to, but I guess I have to because it's for the good of the galaxy and all…"
Z felt her face fall. "Oh. Well, it's just a few weeks, right? I mean, it's not like you're going to be relocated or anything. I'll miss you and everything, but the way you looked when we were inside I thought things were a lot more serious. Don't scare me like that anymore, OK?"
Bridge managed to smile weakly at her. "Sorry Z," he replied. He planted a kiss on her cheek. "I should pack, I guess. Ready to go back inside now?" Z nodded.
Two hours later, Bridge was still surrounded by opened suitcases and piles of blue and green clothing. What little red in his wardrobe had already been packed. He was so enthralled by what he was doing that he barely heard a knock at his bedroom door.
"Bridge?" Z's voice asked quietly. "Are you still awake?"
"Come in," Bridge called back as he tucked a pair of jeans into the suitcase. "I'm packing. I could use help, actually."
The metal doors slid open and Z came in, dressed for bed in a yellow tank top and black pajama bottoms. "Hi. I brought you some toast."
Bridge smiled at his girlfriend and took a piece off of the stack. "Thanks. It's really buttery." He wiggled his fingers, causing her to smile back.
"Oh Bridge," Z sighed a moment later. She joined him on the floor, piling spare SPD uniforms into the suitcase. "It's just a few weeks," she added, more to herself than to him.
"I'll miss you too, Z." He zipped the suitcase and added it to the pile by the door. "It'll be hard, I know, but we'll get by. I'll be home in time for Sky and Syd's wedding."
"I know, Bridge, but I just wish I could go with you or something. Or, better yet, that you didn't have to leave at all. You were the first person to really reach out to me at SPD. You made me feel welcome here, and even though the others are my friends now, I just don't want you gone." She mentally kicked herself for sounding so sappy, but the words had already come out of her mouth.
"And you never treated me like a freak, Z. We're both important to each other, OK, I understand." He placed a small peck on her temple and wound his arms around her, holding her as close as he could.
"You're not a freak, though," she murmured. Then she smiled and laughed. "You smell like butter," she informed him.
Bridge chuckled. "And you smell like Syd's perfume," he teased. Z groaned and wiggled away from him. She collapsed onto his bed.
"I can't help that she walks around in a cloud of the stuff all day long. How she and Sky ended up together I'll never understand."
Bridge joined her, taking off his jacket and spreading it over her bare shoulders. "I'm the psychic one and even I don't get it."
Z regarded him thoughtfully. "You sound different. You've really grown up since we've met. You're still…quirky, but there's maturity to you now. I'm not so sure how I feel about that."
"It comes with the red spandex," Bridge joked, causing her to crack yet another smile. He leaned in closer and kissed her, softly at first and then letting it deepen as she kissed back. And then Z's hand slipped up his back, warm on his skin. He pulled away. "Z?"
"It's all right. We've been together a long time now, Bridge." The hand on his back pressed him closer to her. "I'm totally sure. I promise." She leaned up and kissed him again.
The alarm clock went off at six the next morning. Z was still asleep beside him, dark hair hiding her face. He did not want to leave her here without saying good-bye at least, but she looked so peaceful. "I love you," he whispered. He rummaged through his nightstand drawer, finding the moon pendant he'd picked out for her. Bridge pressed it into her hand, kissed her cheek and left.
--
"No…no. It's not right, it can't be right," Z wailed, sinking to her knees. She didn't care that she sounded like a baby. "The report is wrong. It has to be wrong."
Sydney knelt beside her friend. "Z, it's OK. We're here for you. Me and Sky and Jack, we're your friends." The pink ranger hugged her friend close. Z was sobbing, something no one there had ever seen before.
"Sir," Sky said quietly, "I'll go and look for him. He and Z, they're supposed to be together. She needs Bridge, and he needs her."
"I'm afraid it's too difficult an area to navigate for all of our crafts, Sky. The whole place is filled with black holes. We can't lose you to them like we lost Bridge." Cruger was firm.
Z ran out of the Command Center with tears streaming down her face.
A/N: This is my first Bridge and Z centered story. How'd I do? I'm not so sure they're right, but I'm really looking forward to the plans I have for this story.