A/N: Thank you, everyone, I had a blast writing this, and I'm happy to see all the reviews and hits I got. Without further adieu . . . the final chapter of Rose Gone Rogue
Chapter 10: Test of Faith
It had been a week since the battle against Rose and Flurious. Andrew had managed to keep the incident from the press with the help of an old friend. Mack stepped up to the receptionist and asked for the guess pass, flashing a polite smile at the young brunette manning the desk. She handed him the purple, laminated pass. The red ranger nodded and took it heading down the bleached, white walls.
A week prior
Flurious had just left, but not for the last time. The ring was nothing but a puddle of gold, completely useless; thus, no longer a threat to mankind. Andrew Hartford looked up from where he sat hunched over Rose, watching as the Silver Guardian SUVs pulled up. The doors swung open with such force and urgency they shook violently. Two men in red berets waltzed up to Mr. Hartford like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The older man slowly stood, eyeing the two men wearily.
"Mr. Andrew Hartford?" Asked a tall, dark haired man with defined features. "I'm Eric Meyers, my partner Wes Collins." He introduced another tall man with brown hair and a determined look.
"Yes."
"We got it from here. You have nothing to worry about." He declared then turned on his heel, and started barking commands to other silver guardians.
"My father says his hellos. And don't worry Mr. Hartford we will make sure none of this is leaked to the press, and more importantly, that the rangers are sought to immediately and taken care of. From one ranger to another." He smiled, putting a reassuring hand on the billionaire's shoulder. "We had our men take your resequencer to the hospital." He finished and abruptly left to start overseeing that everything was handled properly.
It wasn't how Andrew had planned it to end, but what was important was that his rangers would be all okay, right?
Present time
The heir to the Hartford wealth stopped and absently turned the corner, staring straight ahead. It had become habit, nothing that would cause him to actually think about it.
He stopped and stood in the doorway. The room was bare, the bed made, just waiting for its next patient. Dax was gone and Mack was relieved, too.
The blue ranger had been released from the hospital yesterday. He wasn't completely healed, but well enough to be allowed to come home . . . back to the mansion.
Mack took a deep breath and began to walk down the blindingly, white halls again. Nurses darted in and out so suddenly it startled the android each time.
It was amazing how fast and slow this week had gone by. Time stood still when he would enter the hospital. It was suffocating.
Tyzonn, much to the archeologist's relief was unharmed, as was Will. Ronny, Lori, Dax, and Rose were rushed to the hospital, and saw to by doctors hired by the Silver Guardians. They were "specialists".
Ronny was in constant company of Will, and was released two days later. While Lori was kept busy playing puzzles and games with Tyzonn 'til she was released the following day. The older Ortiz girl accepted Mr. Hartford's offer to stay at the mansion for as long as she wanted.
Dax had been in intensive care for about three days before being moved to another room. He was in a lot of discomfort when he finally came to. He had what doctors summed up as a seizure, most likely a result of fighting with Rose mentally, and a deep laceration across his chest that ran from the tip of his left shoulder to the tip of his right hip. It would probably never completely heal, leaving a scar as painful reminder.
Oddly, or strangely, Mack observed what appeared to be a blossoming, or potential relationship between Lori and Dax, leaving Mack feel carefree and happy. Why, he didn't quite know, but it made him feel at ease to know Dax and Rose weren't dating, just really good friends.
Rose, she – she was still in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Doctors told his "dad" she wouldn't be move out of ICU until she was conscious again. Even so, the doctor said that her IQ and brain function wouldn't be where it was prior to the incident. It would take a while 'til Rose was Rose again. She wouldn't be a vegetable, but her IQ wouldn't be at the incredibly high level it was. It would settle at healthy standard level until her brain started to heal itself, and of course with daily challenging, she would eventually be herself again. It hurt the red ranger to hear that, but he just took it with a grain of salt.
Things at the manor hadn't been the same. It was unsettlingly quiet, and none of them spent time together . . . it didn't feel right. The blue ranger was still having trouble getting around, even with Lori helping him, Ty was listless to say the least, and Will was ever so protective when it came to the outgoing yellow ranger, who was nothing but mellow as she waited for her bestfriend to come out of the coma she resided in at the moment.
Mack visited the pink ranger on a daily basis, from morning to night. He even stayed and slept there a couple of times. All the rangers visited, but Mack practically lived there, telling them that it was his duty to oversee everything. Not like he was believed, but the others just placated the red ranger.
Mr. Hartford had rebuilt his "son" within thirty-six hours. Better than new, he called it.
Mack pushed through the heavy double doors, casting a warm smile at the nurses manning their station. "Good morning, Mr. Hartford." Chirped one.
The overdrive ranger nodded, turning to go in her room. He was startled to see the doctor there, scribbling things onto a clipboard.
"Oh, hey Mack. How are you?" He greeted in a monotone, gruff voice.
"Good. How's Rose?"
"Well, not any worse . . ."
"But not any better." The young man filled in. The doctor gave a rough nod and left.
She had been in a coma since they fought. Her DNA back to "normal". She was so – so peaceful, and beautiful when sleeping.
Mack slid the chair over. Nothing had changed, the wound on her forehead was healing nicely that it no longer needed the bandage, but nothing else changed.
He watched her chest rise and drop in sync with the beeping of the heart monitor. She had IV needles in her arm, and oxygen tubes in her nose; she looked almost inhuman. He took her hand in his and squeezed gently, praying she would return the gesture. But she didn't. She was . . .lifeless . . . brain dead. Mack knew it, but blindly hoped that she would just snap out of it. The Hartford heir felt a cool trickle of water run down his cheek, ridden with guilt and angry at the world, he rested his head in his free hand, leaning on the bed railing. It was about the time he would start cursing the world for being cruel, swearing up and down that he would have his revenge on Flurious.
It hurt so much, how could he hurt so unforgivably bad if he wasn't real?
Mack heard foot steps down the hall, but refused to look away from Rose's motionless body.
"Hey, how's she doing?" Ronny whispered, like it was a secret. As if said too loud would shatter the petit ranger lying there. She didn't want an answer; she didn't need one, but felt like it needed to be asked anyway.
The others filed in, all gazing at their friend.
Before Mack could answer, the doctor came in. He cleared his throat getting everyone's attention. "I'm glad you'll here. I need to discuss something rather important. Miss Ortiz isn't getting any better – she's not any worse, but after extensive testing, I'm sad to say, but Rose . . ."
The android's eyes grew as he watched the doctor's mouth move up and down in slow motion. "Rose is brain dead." Each ranger just gaped at the man in the pressed white coat. Each one shutting down themselves. It couldn't be so. "I need to know if you want to continue to support her via life support or to cut the tie."
It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. The only answer the doctor received was the chiming of the heart monitor.
Several Days Later
The younger Hartford man watched Dax comfort his "friend" out of the hospital. Lori looked absolutely horrible, the actor's arms wrapped tightly around her. It had been decided . . . Rose was to be cut off of Life support tomorrow at three. Lori said it wouldn't be right to make Rose continue on. She was nothing but a shell. It was wrong. The last part rang in the overdrive commanding leader's ears. 'It was wrong, she says. That ain't all. Everything is wrong.' Mack decided to stay behind and be with her. No one objected to him staying, either.
He took his seat next to her and just sat numb to the core. The worst had happened.
The red ranger thought about how he failed, how he had failed Rose, his team, that he was the worse ranger in ranger history, and should have never accepted his father's offer to be the team leader.
His body yearned to sleep, but with the ill knowledge that for every minute that passed it would be a minute less Rose wouldn't be around, he couldn't. He watched the wall clock tic tock, like a race to the count down of when everything they worked to build came tumbling down in front of them.
Finally, around half past midnight Mack rested his head on the edge of her bed, his hand still in hers, and let sleep carry him away.
9 a.m. the next morning
He woke with a start and looked around, but was disappointed to see that his dream had not come true . . . Rose was still in a coma.
The young Hartford leaned back in his chair. "Why?" He asked, closing his eyes.
He sat there for four and half more hours. He blinked, and all his friends were in the room, spread around her bed paying their last respects. Will patted Mack's shoulder to join him to get some coffee in the cafeteria. He accepted. While the two men walked around, Will made small talk in all efforts to take the evident pain his friend was experiencing away, but failed miserably.
Mack returned not long after, looking more and more like a zombie. The others shuffled out to allow their leader one last time to talk to her.
"Hey, Rose. I'm – I'm so sorry." He sobbed. He looked at her indifferent face, and let the water works fall freely. He could hear the doctor talking to his father out in the hall. "Damn it!!" He shouted. When he got no response. "Please Rose, for me!" Again, no response. He jumped to his feet, out of breath and energy, and stared at her once more, then he turned to door to leave. Mack was sure everyone heard him, but didn't care.
The red ranger's hand gripped the door handle. "Mack? Why are you yelling?" Came the softest, weakest, and most vulnerable voice.
The red ranger whirled around almost tripping over his feet and raced over to her bed. "Rose you're awake!!" He cried.
Ronny, Will, Ty, Spencer, Dax, Mr. Hartford, and Lori all piled in, surrounding the groggy ranger.
The pink ranger's eyes were barely open, but she was able to say what she wanted. "Sorry . . . everyone." She groaned. Rose winced as her friends started celebrating, her head pounding with every scream. She felt like some one was banging drums in her head, not to mention how the absolute nausea she felt.
Everyone started screaming and shouting, accepting the apology, but more than anything hugging the awake, dazed pink ranger. Crying, and screams of pure happiness echoed in the hospital. No nurse or doctor stopped them, not like they could.
The red ranger watched the spectacle, tears still streaming, the doctor shuffling in and trying to control the group so he could properly check Rose out. Mack smiled down at the pink ranger, who was taking it all in, their eyes locking for a minute, she quickly returned the smile then was pulled into an overly exuberant hug by Ronny.
Mack let out a well needed sigh of relief, he knew.
He knew everything would be okay.
End Rose Gone Rogue
A/N: Thank you all, again. Don't forget to check out the epilogue and please leave a review.