The Return

Chapter Ten: Maybe the Dingo Ate Your Baby

By angellwings

Neither of them had said a word the entire trip to Sky's house, and once they reached it Sky stomped out of the car, slammed the door, and jerked Tammi's bag out of the back seat. He practically tore the door off getting it open.

This did not make Tammi want to apologize. What was he so upset about in the first place? It had started when she hugged Jack, but why? She hadn't done anything wrong so he had no reason to be angry. But he was, and he had been very rude to Jack. It was inexcusable.

When they arrived inside the house he mumbled an introduction between Tammi and Vivian Tate, threw Tammi's bag into her room, and then stalked off to shut himself up in his room. She glared after him. He had some nerve to be upset with her. She had done nothing wrong while he had done just about everything wrong.

Mrs. Tate walked Tammi to the guest room. She made polite conversation the whole way as if the fuming Sky Tate had never set foot in her house.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Sky?" She asked as she leaned against the door frame and watched Tammi unpack her grooming supplies.

"He was rude to me and to one of the other rangers right before we left. But other than that I have no idea, and no offense but sometimes your son can be a jerk." Tammi said in a huff.

"Believe me, dear, I know. I raised him after all." Mrs. Tate said with a grin, "Which one of the other rangers was it? It wasn't Jack Landors by any chance?"

"Of course, who else?" Tammi asked sarcastically.

"From what I understand you and Jack aren't exactly best friends either."

"Well, we sort of made amends over the last few days." She said with a smile, "He's not the complete moron I thought he was."

"What exactly happened? You wouldn't mind telling me the whole story would you?"

"Well, no. I mean there's not much to tell really. Sky drove up right after Jack gave me a Christmas present. We were hugging, and then Sky cocked an attitude. Jack left not long after that, and then he practically ordered me to get in the car . . . the ass. OOOPS, sorry I didn't mean to-" Tammi said with a grimace. She was talking trash about Sky . . . to his mother. Big no-no.

"No, it's okay, believe me when I say I've heard before. Besides I can tell you don't really mean it." She said with a comforting smile, and a light chuckle.

"Anyway, we haven't said a word to each other since." Tammi stated slightly flustered from her last sentence.

"I see . . ." and she really did too. The frustration she had seen on her son's face, and the story all fit. Her little boy was in love. Vivian Tate grinned wickedly.

"I'm going to go see if I can talk some sense in to him, it is very nice to meet you Tammi."

"From what I hear this isn't the first time you've met me." Tammi said cautiously.

"Your father told you about the card games then?" She asked with a reminiscent smile.

"No, my aunts did. They also said Sky and I used to be best friends . . . is that true?"

"Yes, very true. He protected you from Brandon's ridicule. Your brother used to be so mean to you, and Sky used to hate him for it. They're the same age you know. I originally brought Sky over to play with Brandon, but instead he became rather attached to you. It was quite adorable actually."

Tammi smiled brightly, "I certainly could have used him for the rest of my childhood then. Brandon kept picking on me until I joined up with SPD."

"You two would have made quite a team, I'm sure."

"I'm sorry you and my father had to stop playing cards." Tammi said gently as if trying to say something else. She was trying to express her condolences about Sky's father, but in a discreet way.

"So am I." Mrs. Tate said with a meaningful glance, "You're mother was quite the monster when it came to card games. Very competitive. She made every game very interesting."

"Dad always said I inherited her competitive side . . ."

"You've inherited your father's persuasive side too. In fact, I would say you are the perfect combination of both your parents."

"Really?" Tammi asked with a small smile, "No one ever compares me to dad. They always tell me how similar I am to mom, but never to dad."

"Well, you do look more like your mother, except the eyes. You have your father's eyes. They are a warm chocolate brown just like his. I think you are the only red head with brown eyes." She said fondly, "Well I should go speak to my son before he tears another whole in the wall."

"Good luck" Tammi said to her as she left the room. She immediately liked Sky's mother. She was so wonderful.

Tammi examined her appearance in the mirror. She had her hair back in it's usual tight bun. She pulled it up out of habit, and she wore no make up. She cocked her head to the side, and bit her bottom lip. Should she maybe fix up a little?

No, she doesn't need to. It's only Sky. After all, the guy has seen her nose when it was swollen and red, and her eyes all bloodshot. He doesn't care what she looks like. But still . . .

For some unknown reason she wanted to. She wanted to impress Sky and his family. She sighed and pulled down her bun. I guess I better get to work, she thought as she picked up her hairbrush and ran it through her hair.

"Sky, honey, can I come in?" Vivian called to the closed door.

The door cracked open, and Vivian walked in.

"Hey, mom." Sky said grumpily from his bed.

"Hey, sweetie, I just talked to Tammi. Want to tell me what's wrong?" She asked gently.

"There is nothing wrong, mom."

"Sky, I raised you, I think I know when something is bothering you."

He groaned in annoyance at her stern tone. She would never leave him alone now.

"It's about her isn't it?" She asked, "It's about Tammi. You like her."

"Mom, Tammi and I are just friends."

"That doesn't mean you don't wish you were more." She said with a grin. "Now it sounds to me like you're jealous of Jack, and from what I can tell you have no reason to be."

"How do you know? How do you know he's not going to grab her right out from under my nose?" Sky asked heatedly.

"You're just going to have to have faith and trust. And so what if he tries? You fight for her! You do not let him take her from you. You did enough of that when you were little. I don't see why you can't do that now."

"I did-what?" He said in a confused tone, "Mom, I only met Tammi a few months ago."

"No you didn't. I suppose you were too young to remember, but you and Tammi used to do almost everything together. In your five year old mind you were her protecter, and if she wasn't around then you couldn't protect her so she was always around. Not even the jaws of life could separate you two. Rocky tried to put Tammi in time out once while we were over and you kicked him. You kicked him hard too. You're father was so proud. I could tell it took all of his strength not to say 'that's my boy.' But seeing as how you had kicked his commanding officer he didn't think that was appropriate."

"I kicked Commander DeSantos?" Sky asked his mother in horror.

"Yes, well you were only five. The title Commander meant nothing to you then." She said with a chuckle, "You know Rhee and I predicted the two of you would end up together. You were so stuck to each other it seemed to be the natural conclusion."

"What happened?" Sky asked curiously.

"Your father and Rhee disappeared in battle, and Rocky and I thought it was two painful to be around each other. They were too many memories. You were heartbroken. Looking back it probably was the worst decision I ever made. Not only had you lost your father, but your best friend too." She said sadly, "I'm sorry Sky."

"Mom, you have nothing to be sorry for, I'm fine. See?" He said he stood up to hug her, "I'm here, and I've got Tammi back again. Somewhat."

"Yes, Tammi did seem to be hiding something when we spoke."

"It's probably about what happened on Grumm's ship. She still hasn't told anyone. I've stopped asking. It only makes her angry with me." Sky said as he ran a hand through his hair, "What am I going to do. I seriously messed up. I can't believe I went off on her and Jack over a stupid hug."

"Things will be fine. I think she has forgiven you already, for the most part. Just apologize, that's all you have to do." Vivian told him with a smile, as she left the room she thought back to Sky's words about Grumm, he knew something about what had happened. She wanted to get it out of him, but quickly decided against it. It wasn't her place. Tammi and Sky would sort that out on their own.

When she and Sky reached the living room it seemed that Sky's sister, Courtney, had gotten a hold of Tammi, and wouldn't let go. Her fiancé, Stephen, was sitting beside her on the couch as Courtney told Tammi in detail about all of the endearing characteristics of her husband-to-be.

"He can't even make toast, poor baby."

"Maybe the dingo ate your baby." Tammi said with a fake smile and an Australian accent. This better work. It had shut that lady up on Seinfeld. So maybe it would shut Sky's sister up as well.

"What?" She asked in confusion as Stephen put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

"Maybe the dingo ate your baby." She clarified speaking in a louder tone.

"Umm, right, Stephen let's go check on dessert . . ." Courtney said as she dragged her fiancé into the kitchen. Tammi smiled victoriously to her self as she watched her retreat. When she left she heard two people laughing hysterically behind her. She turned to see Sky and his mother clutching their sides in laughter.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but I just couldn't take it anymore!" Tammi cried desperately as Sky and Vivian calmed down.

"No really, it's okay. Someone would have done it sooner or later." Mrs. Tate said with a grin as she too went to the kitchen.

"Big fan of Seinfeld, I take it?" Sky asked with an arched eyebrow and a grin.

"No, but dad was."

"What has Kat told you about using the word 'was'?" Sky scolded her lightly.

"I know, until we find their bodies I'm not allowed to refer to anyone in the past tense, I got it already." She said with a hostile edge to her voice.

"Look, Tammi, about earlier . . . I'm sorry. You were right; I was a complete and utter jackass."

"I didn't make it any easier, did I?" She asked him apologetically.

"You never make anything easier." He said with a chuckle and a smirk.

"You know I am in a frame of mind to lock my self in my room for the rest of the weekend if you insult me one more time." She said with a playful glare.

"That won't happen because I won't let you." He told her his smirk never faltering.

"And how are you going to stop me?" She challenged him with a bored expression on her face.

"Like this." He said as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder and on to the couch.

She scoffed, "That will never work, I'm too quick for you."

"You weren't quick enough then."

"That's because I let you. I purposefully did not move."

"Uh huh."

"You don't believe me, then try again."

"Okay," he said as he reached for her. She immediately turned and ran the other direction, "Where do you think you're going?"

His hand finally grabbed her across the midsection and hoisted her on to his shoulder.

"Okay, alright, I'm not quite that quick." She admitted lamely before he could drop her on the couch again.

He smiled in satisfaction and put her back on the ground.

"Did you open your present?" She asked him as they both situated themselves on the couch.

"Considering you only gave it to me out of anger I was sort of scared to." He told her truthfully.

"Well, I'm not mad at you now, go and get it!" She told him excitedly.

"Okay, alright, calm down. I think you've been hanging out with Syd too much."

"Just go." She told him with a smile.

He walked down the hallway and grabbed the tall square box off of his bed, and then quickly made his way back to the living room.

He began unwrapping as he sat down. He couldn't help but stare at the shield shaped object in his hands.

"This is . . ."

"Your father's old morpher. I found it in a box of dad's stuff in his office. I don't think he would mind you having it."

He nodded, "Did you find your mother's?"

"Yeah, I did. I had a display case made for it and put it on the mantle. I have one at the base for you too. Thought you might want to put that beside of the picture on your nightstand." She told him with a soft smile.

"Thank you." He whispered to her as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Sky." She told him as they pulled a part. "So where's my present?"

He laughed at her change in mood, "In my room, but you don't get to open it until tomorrow."

"But that is cruel and unusual punishment, Schuyler Tate! This is my first real Christmas in five years. You don't really want to keep me in suspense do you?" She asked innocently with a slight pout.

"You really need to stop hanging out with Syd." He said with a chuckle, "Besides since this is 'your first real Christmas in five years', I thought you might want to do it properly."

"That is evil, you are evil." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And yet you are still my friend."

"I'm just paying you back for all those times you protected me from Brandon." She told him with a grin.

"What? You mean when we were younger? I protected you from your brother?" He asked in shock.

"Didn't your mother tell you?"

"She told me I protected you, but not who I protected you from."

"Yep, you kept Brandon from picking on me. So this friendship of ours is just payback." She told him with a wink.

"Well, what happened after we stopped being friends?" He asked her in curiosity.

"He continued to pick on me until I joined SPD, I guess, because that's about all I remember him doing for most of my life. He used to call me Dragon Breath, remember? I certainly could have used having you around." She told him with a grin. He smiled and nodded.

"So, what happened with you and Jack?" He asked carefully. He didn't want to seem jealous, but he really wanted to know.

"Well, we made a deal to try and be friends, that's all really." She said with a shrug. Oh, Sky don't hate me for lying to you, she thought to herself nervously.

"Oh, yeah? So what did you guys do?" He asked casually.

"Hung out, and . . ." She hesitated, pondering whether or not to tell him about the Christmas party. "Went to Dr. O's party."

"Wait, together?" He asked suspisciously.

"Well, yeah, I mean I didn't want to go alone, and well, he offered." She stated simply as if it were nothing.

"You wouldn't have been alone, Bridge and Michelle were there."

"Sky, repeat that sentence to yourself and then tell me what's wrong with it." She said with a grin.

"Well, I would have gone with you. All you had to do was ask me." He said as he felt the jealousy flaring back up. Don't go off, Sky, you blew it once. Don't do it again. He thought to himself as he tried to calm down.

"You were at your grandmother's." She said to him with a small smile.

"I would've found a way out of it."

"Sky would you listen to yourself? You would really ditch your grandmother for a lame Christmas party at a paleontologist's house? And even if you offered I wouldn't have let you. It's your grandmother for crying out loud." She told him with that same gentle smile.

"Alright, alright, I get it." He said. Maybe he was just looking too much into things. "So, how was it?"

"It was fine. Crowded, but boring as usual. Jack did help me get Michael off my back though. So, the party did have a useful purpose."

Sky didn't even want to know how that happened. It could only result in jealousy and anger. "Oh, I bet that's a relief for you, then."

"Yeah, a pretty big one."

Sky sighed gratefully as his mother came and told them dinner was ready.

Sky smiled as he watched Tammi's sleeping form. She had the comforter pulled all the way up to her chin. His mother had sent him to wake her for Christmas breakfast, and he was glad she did.

"Tammi," He called softly as he knelt down beside her bed.

"hmm?" She mumbled groggily.

"Breakfast is ready, time to get up."

She yawned, "Okay, I'm coming."

She reached her arms above her covers and stretched. She'd completely forgotten she was wearing a spaghetti strap tank top. The scars that ran down the length of her upper arms were blatantly shown to Sky. She froze as she caught sight of her arm in her peripheral vision.

"It's okay, Tammi. I've seen them before." He said from beside the bed.

"When?" she asked in a panic she had gone to extreme measures to cover them up. She made sure no one saw.

"After you arrived. The arm of your uniform was torn. I didn't say anything because I thought you might come around and talk to someone about it, but you never did."

"And I'm not going to."

"Tammi, you have to talk to someone about this." He said with obvious concern.

"No way, not gonna happen. I am not rehashing that again. I don't care how 'therapeutic' it's supposed to be." She said stubbornly.

"You can't let it eat you up, Tammi. Please, at least talk to me about it." He begged.

"I . . . Sky you don't want to know."

"Yes, I do, tell me." He said locking gazes with her. She hesitated, but eventually began to tell him.

"It was torture. They wanted inside information about SPD. How to infiltrate and take it down from the inside. I never told them anything. So, Mora gave me these." She said bitterly with a motion to her arm, "Grumm said it was practice for when she got to use pen and paper. They kept me seperate from the rest of B-squad. I never found out what happened to them."

"How did you escape?" Sky asked as he sat on the edge of the mattress, and attempted to drape a comforting arm around her shoulders. She winced and jerked away.

"Nothing personal, I don't like people touching them. It reminds me that they're there."

"I understand." Sky said with a nod as he kept his gaze on hers and withdrew his arm.

"I snapped, I couldn't take it anymore. They pulled me out of my cell for more 'questioning', and I bolted. It was a slaughter SPD Cadet Style. My father said that there is something inside all us ranger kids, a genetic flaw, that makes us loose control under extreme circumstances. The military studied all of us when I was about nine. They wanted to create the ultimate soldier. My father's hated the government ever since." She said sadly before she snapped back in to her tale, "Every emergency battle tactic I know was used against the Troobians. I had no weapons so it was strictly hand-to-hand combat and my flames. I made it to my old jet in Psycho Ranger mode, and flew home."

"I'm sorry, Tammi." Sky told her sympathetically, "If I ever get my hands on Grumm, I'll . . ."

"Walk away, and let Crugar take care of him." She interrupted.

"What?" He asked in shock.

"How do you think he got a hold of the original B-quad? We fought him, and lost. We let our anger get the best of us." She told him sternly, "Besides it's really Crugar's fight anyway. Grumm did destroy his entire race."

"But after all you went through; don't you want to take even a little chunk out of him?" Sky asked in disbelief.

"I want him destroyed, and away from me, but I don't need to be the one who destroys him." She said as she rested her head on Sky's shoulder, "I just want all of this to go away, and I want things back the way they were. I want my dad, my brother, and my team back."

Sky looked down at her a glimmer of hurt flashing across his eyes, "Do you consider us your team?"

She though about it for a few minutes, and considered her answer carefully, "Yeah, I do, but in a different capacity than my old squad. With you guys I'm a member of the team, and someone else is responsible for what happens to me. With them I'm the leader. I look out for and protect them, or at least I'm supposed to. With all of you I feel like a soldier not a babysitter."

"Sounds like we're the better deal then, huh?" He asked with a grin.

"Sometimes." She said with as the corners of her mouth turned upward.

"Come on you two, breakfast." Vivian said as she stopped at the door. Tammi quickly pulled the sheet around her arms to keep Mrs. Tate from seeing. She hated to admit it, but knowing that Sky knew made things feel a whole lot better. Relief swept over her, and smile came to her face.

"We're on our way." She said as Mrs. Tate walked off.

Sky took off his SPD sweatshirt and handed it to her, "Here, wear this."

She slipped it on and got out of bed, "Thanks Sky and I don't just mean for the sweatshirt."

With that she gave him a kiss on the cheek and left the room.

"You're welcome." He mumbled after her in shock.

After breakfast the Tate family, herself, and Stephen gathered around the Christmas tree. She sat down on the floor beside Sky, and across from Courtney.

"Oh, Courtney, by the way, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. I hope you didn't think I was being rude." She said with a smile.

"I just thought you were a little off your rocker, that's all. Until Stephen told me why you said it, and I'm sorry if I talked about it a little too much." She said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it." Tammi said with a chuckle.

"Okay, time to pass out the presents!" Sky's mother said jovially as she reached for the gifts placed neatly under the tree. By the time they were done Sky and Courtney had about eight boxes each, Mrs. Tate had about twelve, and Stephen and herself had three. She was surprised she even had that many. She felt bad for not having bought anything for Mrs. Tate or Courtney, but they assured her not to worry about it. Still, she planned on getting them something when she got home.

Sky and Courtney insisted Vivian open hers first which she gleefully did. As glad as Tammi was to be a part of this, it made her heart ache for her own family. She wanted to hear her brother's goofy and horrible jokes. She wanted to watch her father attempt to eat the entire Christmas Turkey by himself. She wanted to decorate the Christmas tree with her mother again. She shook her head.

She had to face the fact that those things may never happen again. She needed to enjoy the new family she had made for herself in New Tech City.

She was brought back to reality as Sky and Courtney tore into their presents. She watched them both with a smile, but watched Sky with particular interest. He seemed so different here. He was much more relaxed, and carefree. The rules and regulations went out the window when he was here. She wanted to see this side of him more often.

"Tammi," Courtney called, "You and Stephen get to open yours now."

"Oh right," she said as she reached for a present which was quickly stolen from her by Sky.

"This one is being saved for last." He told her with a grin.

"First you make me wait till this morning and now I have to open it last! That's just mean!"

"Yeah, well it's my house, my rules."

She stuck her tongue out at him, and reached for another present. It was from Courtney. It was a beautiful stained glass candle.

"Oh, wow, this is gorgeous, thanks Courtney." She said as she gave the young woman a small hug.

The next present was of course from Mrs. Tate. It was a strand of pearls.

"They were your mother's. They were my something borrowed at my wedding, but when the wedding was over she told me to keep them. I thought you might enjoy them. I never get a chance to wear them myself."

"Mrs. Tate, I can't take these . . . she gave them to you, I'm sure . . ."

"She would want you to have them. I know she would." Vivian interupted her with a warm smile.

"Thank you." She whispered as she gave her a tight hug.

"My pleasure, sweetie."

"Okay, my turn." Sky said anxiously as he handed her the present.

"I don't know, I might just save this one and open it later." She said with an evil smirk.

"Oh, come on . . . please, open it now." He said with mock irritation.

She laughed and began unwrapping it. Her eyes went wide, "No way . . ."

"I found it in my closet, I can only guess when and who I got it from."

It was her old teddy bear, the one she had been given at the hospital. It was dusty, but still just as she'd remembered it. The fur was chestnut brown, and it was wearing an orange bib with her initials on it. One of it's eyes and it's ears were missing from when Brandon had held it hostage over the garbage disposal, but it was still obviously a bear.

"I thought I had lost this thing. I can't believe it." She said in disbelief, "but if you just found out yesterday about the card games then how did you know it was mine?"

"Hard to explain really, it was just a feeling I had. I had this picture in my head of a little boy holding it over a garbage disposal and a little red-headed girl sobbing." He told her with a smirk, "And somehow, I knew it was you. But keep looking there's more."

She dug a little deeper in the box, and pulled out a picture frame. It was of the original SPD A-squad. Her mother and Sky's father were in their patrol uniforms along with the other rangers and her father who was in his Commander garb. They all looked so young, and happy. They were unaware of everything that was going to happen to them.

"As far as I can tell it was taken on SPD's inaugural day. They kind of remind you of us don't they?" He asked her with a small smile. She beamed at him.

"You're amazing you know that?" She asked him.

"I am pretty great aren't I?" He asked her with a grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"Why am I friends with you again?" She asked into his ear.

"You're in my debt for all those times, I saved yours and Chester's lives remember?" He asked as he referred to the bear.

"How did you know his name?" She asked as she pulled back.

"I don't know. I guess I haven't completely forgotten everything." He stated with a confused shrug.

"This was so great, thank you." She told him with a smile, "I don't think Christmas would have been this much fun with out you."

"I gotta say, I agree with you. This is the best Christmas I've had in a while, too." He told her seriously with a smile.

"Well, maybe it will be the first in a long line of Christmases together." She said hopefully with an assuring nod.

Definitely, Sky thought to him self as he watched her circle the room with a few more 'thank you's to his mother and his sister, If I have anything to say about it, it will be.

Chapter Ten is complete!

Thanks to Perndragonrider, Blue Eyed Dragon Girl, and garnetred for their faithful reviews! You guys always brighten my day! Thanks for reviewing!

Read and Review!

angellwings

BTW I need to retract something I put in author notes on an earlier chapter. I said Tammi was 21. I'm changing that. She's 20. and Sky is 21. I forgot that I had made them the same age in like chapter 3 or something, but they're not. to be honest I have never really thought of them as being the same age. I don't know why I put that. lol, well enjoy!