Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Author's Note: This is a take on A Christmas Carol. It is centered on Eric and involves characters from both Time Force and Wild Force. The characters are a combination of both from Power Rangers and A Christmas Carol. The story is from A Christmas Carol, with a few changes. I hope you enjoy it.

Ghost of Christmas Past

Eric slowly opened his eyes. He was silent for a few minutes, he could tell that someone was looking at him but he couldn't tell who. He really hoped that…whatever it was in the shape of Mr. Collins was not still there. Slowly he turned around and looked over at the chair. Sure enough there was someone there, but it wasn't Mr. Collins. A woman he had never seen before was standing by the chair smiling. She had brown hair and wore a white dress with flowers.

"Eric! You've awoken! I'm ever so glad."

"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"

"Why do you not remember what you were told just earlier in the evening?"

Eric thought back about what Mr. Collins had said and then sighed, "first ghost?"

"Yes! My name is Shayla and I shall be your guide, now please take my hand."

"What if I decide I don't want to?"

A slight frown appeared on her face before it changed back to a smile, "Let's start by getting out of bed."

"Look you're just some weird hallucination and I'd suggest you leave before I make you leave."

She giggled and then nodded, "Come on."

Eric sighed and threw off his covers so he could stand up, "Now what? Are you going to just lecture me about pointless things like Mr. Collins did?"

"I don't lecture."

And before Eric realized it Shayla had taken a hold of his hand and pulled him to the window. Eric tried to pull his hand out of Shayla's hand but before he could do so they were out the window. Terrified he looked to the ground only to see that it was getting further from him and things were getting a bit blurry. Looking over at the spirit who had somehow done this he saw her smiling at him.

"Isn't this fun?"

"No, I'd like my feet back on the ground if you don't mind."

She sighed, "Don't worry, we're almost there."

Eric looked down at her hand holding his, the last time someone had done that was…a long time ago. He shook his head of those thoughts he didn't need them. He didn't need her. Eric instead turned his thoughts as to how this could possibly be happening. There was no way a person could fly, but then again if Shayla was really a spirit…Eric stopped that thought, he perhaps shouldn't go too far into these thoughts.

They started slowing down and then finally his feet touched the ground again. Shayla looked around and clapped her hands, "Wonderful, we're here!"

"Where's here?" He looked around and saw a snow covered field with a low brick fence just a little ways. To his right there was a red bricked building that quite obviously was a school.

Shayla grabbed his hand, "I'm surprised you didn't realize right away. Come."

She pulled him inside and he saw that they were indeed in a school. They walked through the building where you could hear a pin drop and went into one of the classrooms. A man wearing dark blue and silver sat at the desk in the front obviously indicating that he was the teacher. His hair was black but there was some part in the front that looked lighter. There was something that seemed familiar about that, though he couldn't place it.

He heard a giggle and turned to Shayla, "What?"

She pointed to the teacher, "He's really cute!"

He rolled his eyes, "What am I doing here? Why did you bring me to a school?"

Shayla's smile left her face, "Eric do you not recognize where you are?"

Eric looked around the rest of the classroom and saw a small boy sitting in the very back. When the little boy looked up Eric realized that it was him. Looking around the room again he realized that he did recognize where he was. It was his old boarding school. He lived here for most of his childhood simply because his Father could not be bothered. He looked back up at the teacher and realized that it was Mr. Baliton.

He glared at the spirit, "Why am I here?"

"Just watch."

Before he could say anything else he heard some footsteps coming down the hall. He had a feeling he knew who was walking down the hall before the door opened and yet he kept hoping that he would be wrong. Another minute passed and then the door opened and the person he had wanted to see and yet dreaded at the same time stepped through the door.

Mr. Baliton stood up, "Ah, Lucas Myers. Please come in."

Lucas nodded and then looked at the back of the classroom at where the younger Eric sat.

Shayla touched Eric's shoulder, "Is that your brother?"

"Yes. He was my older brother, by quite a bit really, so we weren't in the same school. He actually went to school close to home so he could learn the business."

His brother walked over to the young Eric, "Hey, how are you?"

The young Eric looked at him confused, "What are you doing here?"

"Dad sent me to come and get you for Christmas."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he didn't want you to spend Christmas alone. Now come on, let's go pack."

He heard a sigh from Shayla, "Well, that was nice. Your Dad sent your brother to pick you up."

Eric looked at her, "Don't be ridiculous. My Father didn't care. Lucas is the one who got him to let me come home."

"But you have someone who loves to be with you. That's a good thing."

"Yeah…until he dies at Christmas the following year and after that no more Christmas's at home; Father didn't want me around because my Mother died in child birth and he blamed me. Then he loses Lucas, leaving him with me." Eric swallowed as he remembered the words he had heard from his Father more than one time, "Why couldn't I be left with someone I love?" He turned to Shayla, "I want to leave."

Shayla nodded without saying anything else and the school faded away.

He expected to be back in his bedroom within the safety of his house and so he was surprised when instead he appeared on a road covered in snow. He looked around at the houses and thought he had an idea as to where the spirit had brought him.

It was in that moment that they heard faint music coming from the large building that was across the street. Shayla looked over at him and grabbed his hand as she pulled him over, "It sounds like a party!"

As they got by the window he noticed that it was open, he and Shayla moved up right next to it. She started to move a bit to the beat. He looked inside hoping to understand why he was here.

The scene inside lifted his heart just a little. There were a few musicians playing the music. The whole place was brightly lit and there were couples dancing everywhere. Looking over he noticed Mr. Evans and his wife. Even though Mr. Evans was his first boss he had continued to ask Eric to call him Cole. Cole was always thinking of others, he was a happy person. He watched as Cole leaned over and kissed Alyssa, his wife, lightly on the cheek before getting up to dance.

Eric shook his head and continued scanning the room until he found the younger version on himself. He was standing by himself against the wall. He remembered that he had felt slightly annoyed because he had to go to the Christmas party and yet he was happy that he had been included. Besides Wes wouldn't have let him stay in their apartment by himself. He had insisted on Eric coming to the party.

Wes walked up to Eric and gestured towards the floor. Wes had insisted Eric find a young lady and go out on the dance floor, but Eric didn't dance. He had no desire to so he had pointed out another person who had looked to be lonely and Wes had disappeared. It was then that Eric remembered the part of this night he had long since buried.

He watched himself turn and start to head for the door only to run into a tall blonde woman. They both stared at the other person for a moment before she folded her arms and glared at him. He remembered the annoyance he had felt when she had told him he needed to apologize. He didn't see any sort of reason for it when they both had done so. He had said if she would apologize first then he would.

They had gotten into an argument with Wes coming and breaking them up. And he had to admit the relationship they had started from that moment wasn't the smoothest, but it was…he shook his head and pulled himself away from the cheerfulness that was coming out of the party, "I know where and when we are and I want to just leave."

Shayla's mouth dropped, "The party is only just getting on, surely you want to stay and watch for a bit longer?"

Eric looked at her and shook his head, "There was no point in coming here, no reasoning."

"It's just…you look happy with her."

Eric looked back in at the picture and saw that he and Taylor were standing by each other with Wes pointing to the dance floor. He knew what was going to happen next, neither wanted to dance and so therefore they convinced another woman to dance with Wes even though Wes wanted to dance with Jen. At that moment he and Taylor had been on the same side and things had gone in a good direction.

At least for a while.

"Fine. But let's go."

Shayla frowned but nodded and soon the scene disappeared and in its place was his office at the Silver Guardians. He looked over at her, "You brought me to work? I mean I'm fine I can do with some extra time in, especially since Christmas…" he trailed off as Taylor moved past him and stormed up the stairs. He knew where she was going and he didn't want to stay.

Shayla smiled, "Let's follow her!"

He scoffed, as if that was a good idea. "How about we leave now?"

Shaking her head she grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs following the blonde.

Eric wasn't interested in the events that were going to follow and yet he still found himself entering his office. The other Eric was sitting in his desk seat staring impassively at Taylor who had her arms folded.

"I really don't see how that's my problem at all." Eric said glancing down at his computer before looking up at Taylor.

Taylor rolled her eyes, "How can you not see that it's a problem. I admit that I'm fine with throwing myself into work, but what you're doing? It's ridiculous and childish."

"So now I'm being a child."

"It's one dinner. Just one. You can't drag yourself away from your desk to go and have dinner with my parents?"

"It's not as important as this is."

There was silence in the room as Eric watched Taylor's face. His other self just stared at the screen in front of him as though she really meant nothing to him. Eric shook his head; he knew why he had behaved as such. Taylor had wanted him to meet her parents at Christmas time. She had talked about family continuously and all it made him think of was his older brother that he lost all those years ago. So he decided to punish her and have her leave so he wouldn't have to deal with any of that. He still wasn't sure if he had wanted her to leave for good or just a little while, but either way didn't matter since she was gone completely.

He watched as Taylor stood straighter, "Fine, it makes no difference to me. Stay here behind your desk; go home to your empty house because that's all your life will be."

And with that Taylor turned and walked away. He hadn't seen her since that point which was a few years ago. He swallowed as he watched his younger self glance up half hoping that Taylor was still there. When she wasn't and didn't come back Eric remembered the hardening of his heart even more.

"That's so horrible. The last time you guys ever spoke to each other…" Shayla shook her head, "How could you not go after her?"

Eric shrugged, "What does it matter? She's gone."

"Did she die?"

He rolled his eyes, "No, she's just not coming back."

Shayla frowned, "Why did you drive her away? Weren't you happy?"

"I don't…Christmas…it's just…Christmas has never been well with me."

"A few bad things happen it doesn't make it the end."

"I don't see what's so special about Christmas anyways. So what if I don't care for the holiday."

"Eric, it's not just the holiday. It's the spirit that you're lacking. Don't you see that the way you deal with things and people now is not good? And in the long run it'll be even sadder."

"Not if you cut them out before."

"Having people around will help you."

Eric looked at the slightly younger version of himself and frowned, he didn't look happy at all. Then again Eric couldn't quite remember the last time a Christmas really made him happy after Lucas died that is.

"Can we leave?"

Shayla touched his shoulder and at first Eric thought it might be comfort but then everything around him disappeared.