Hey everyone! I'm back! I had all intentions of posting chapter 11 in Florida; however, I did not have internet for a week and had to re-write this chapter over and over until I got what I liked.
In the next few chapters, we're going to have a few more bends thrown into the mix, and discover what Billy's letter really meant, the whereabouts of Madison, and what one Mystic Force Ranger does that almost jeopardizes their entire mission.
For this chapter, it's going to be centered on Jen and Wes's relationship, which will take a big flip flop as Jen reveals something she's been keeping hidden from both Dave and Wes.
Enjoy chapter 11!
A Kiss at Midnight: Priceless
A week; seven days; One-hundred sixty eight hours. To Jen, they were all equivalent ways of measuring how long she had been back in the past for. Kane had attacked a week ago, and during that same day she had came back to the Collins' mansion to find her friends and her son. Not to mention she had seen Wes again, too. That was probably going to be the hardest thing for her. How can you confront someone you said you loved and act like that emotion never happened? How could she act like she didn't love him? How could she convince herself that she didn't love him? All these questions swam through her head as she ran through the streets of Silver Hills, her morning jog like she had been doing every day since Dave was born.
If things were only simpler, she thought. If I could have been born one thousand years earlier all these issues wouldn't have come up. If I had never ran away from home and joined Time Force where would I be? If Ransik hadn't escaped Alex and I could have been happy together. If I had never met Wes…
If, she decided, was becoming a large factor in her life. It came before every action she did, it preceded any thought process. If only things could have been simpler, like turning the knob backward on a wrist watch. Isn't that like turning back time? The hour hands are moving backwards yet you remain in the same spot. Nothing changes, except the numbers the clock hands read off. Everything was where it was at, only the watch read a few hours behind. Was it possible that the same concept of simply turning back a wrist watch could be applied to time? If she could just turn back her watch would that mean she could stay in one time?
A fresh dew covered the grass as she ran through it, her sneakers slowly becoming damn due to the fresh coating of moisture. It was just after sunrise and already she could feel the humidity of the morning accompanying her on her daily morning jog. It was quiet around Silver Hills and with that, in combination with the dampness in the air, she felt comfortable. Rounding familiar corners and passing well known stores she crossed the street and entered the park- one of her favorite places in the city to jog around.
Rounding the northern edge of the lake Jen bit her lip as she pushed past a slowly developing cramp she felt in her left thigh. She had forgotten what lying on a hospital bed for almost four weeks did to the female body; it stiffened every possible muscle that ached whenever she tried to move it. Now that she was out and back into the game Jen knew she had to get back in shape. Her feet moved in rhythm with the chirping birds and the honking of early morning commuters on their way to work.
After finishing her personal tour she turned down Silver Hills Boulevard and quickened her place slightly. Running down the sidewalk she used to run down daily she slowed as she came to a stop in front of a large building that housed a clock face about six stories up. The clock tower held many memories for the Time Force Lieutenant, some of which she missed being around.
So much had happened since they left the past in 2002, so much she had left behind. A part of Jen wanted to stay in this time period. Things seemed so much simpler here. In a way, it seemed almost perfect. And yet… it had its imperfections, which is maybe Jen loved it here so much. There weren't faces that were watching her every move. Everyone in this city didn't know her, unlike at home. Jen would step outside and already she would be watched. Life as a Time Force Lieutenant wasn't as easy going as some officers make it out to be.
Continuing on her jog more thoughts began to come into step with her feet, with one thought poking out. Why was it that she was here again? After she returned she promised herself that she would never step foot in this city again, and yet here she was again jogging the same route she took on her mission to 2001. Sure, maybe the fact her son was almost captured and killed by a maniac- twice- may have something to do with it. Maybe it was knowing that Alex was now injured and was sleeping off his injuries. Or maybe it was because a certain Red Ranger kept a hold over her heart, still. Wouldn't she think that not seeing him after all these years, her feelings would dissipate? After all these years she could not shake him from her memories, no matter how hard she tried.
Jen stopped and rested on a bench that sat on the sidewalk. Sipping her water bottle slowly she tried to drown the fact she wanted to be here was here simply because Wes was. She would love to pick up their relationship where the left off, but she couldn't for several reasons she cared not discuss with herself. Wes already knew some things about her, but how much could she actually reveal? How much more about her did Wes want to know? How much of her haunted past did she want to remember?
She stood again, capped her drink and set off again to explore yet another familiar area of Silver Hills… the Collins' Mansion.
The days proceeding Kane's hard hitting attack, the mood around the Collins' mansion had lifted slightly with Jen's return, and Alex's recovery, which was getting better each day. A few days ago, the a few members of their formed team had to leave, compliments of working and needing to pay bills. Conner and Alyssa were being screamed at by the school district to come back to work. Kira had missed one show already and the media was all over it. She left three days ago to do some patching up. Xander, Chip and Nick left with the promise of an immediate call when they found Madison's whereabouts, which Jen had brought some information with her. Vida was needed back at school, considering she had missed two weeks worth of work and that, she decided, would be a pain to try and make up.
Wes was able to convince Tommy to stay and use the Silver Guardians' building as well as BioLab to complete any research he needed to. Although, for the past week, since Vida gave him the letter, Wes noticed he seemed a bit… off and upset, but the infamous Ranger wouldn't reveal what the letter said.
With the group departed, that left the Time Force Rangers, Dave, Taylor, Eric, and Wes's Dad alone in the house again; and after hearing stories of Jen's less than wonderful cooking Wes found himself and Dave one morning in the kitchen whipping up a batch of home made chocolate chip pancakes while Jen was out for her daily crack-of-dawn jog.
"Eggs, please," Wes asked as Dave stepped up on his stool and handed Wes the six eggs that sat in the paper towel. Wes cracked them expertly and the insides lobbed into the bowl. "Next, add water," he pushed to bowl over to where Dave had a measuring cup full and poured the water in. "Now, we take out mixture over and add in the pancake mix."
"When do we add the chocolate chips, Wes?" Dave asked as he started to stir the batter. Wes chuckled and opened the bag and handed it to him. Wes watched in awe as the boy poured in the chocolate chips, a delightful smile on his face.
"Hold up there, kiddo," Wes took the bag and poured the rest into an unused measuring cup. "Three quarters goes into the mix,"
Dave grinned. "What about the rest?"
Wes grinned as he grabbed a handful of chips and popped them into his mouth. "Dig in!"
A chuckle came from behind the two. "You know Jen would absolutely kill you if she saw you giving him chocolate at nine in the morning, Wes." Alan Collins said as he entered the kitchen in a shirt and sweatpants.
The Red Ranger put a smug grin across his face and looked at his father, who had arrived home two days ago from a month long "business trip" to London, England, to visit Wes's grandparents. "Oh I know she would, I'm doing it mainly just to annoy Jen," he looked at Dave and winked. "One of my favorite activities to do."
Eric's eyes appeared over the edge of the paper and he grinned. "Annoying Jen isn't his only activity he enjoys doing with her." Immediately from next to him, Taylor smacked him hard on the back of his head. Lucas, Trip and Katie stared at each other in awe and tried not to laugh at the shocked look on Wes's face. Dave opened his mouth to ask, but immediately Wes pushed to a different subject, his cheeks a flushed red.
"Besides, we're having fun, aren't we?"
Dave nodded in agreement. "Yup!" The back door opened and slammed shut as the floorboards creaked. "Hi Mom!" Dave called as Jen entered the kitchen and kissed her son hello.
"What are you two up to?" Jen asked as she saw Wes's cheeks were bright red. "And why are you so red, Wes? Cracking eggs too much exertion for you?"
Dave laughed as he opened his mouth. "Well Wes had said that he was baking with me because he knew you'd be annoyed at the fact he's giving me chocolate at nine in the morning. Then Eric said that annoying you wasn't the only thing-" Immediately Wes shushed him in hopes he hadn't already said too much.
"What?" Jen asked curiously and shook her head, pushing the subject off. Grabbing a paper towel and wetting it under the sink. She saw Wes's father sitting at the table sipping his coffee and nodded at him. "Morning, Mr. Collins," she greeted.
"Jen, how many times to I have to tell you," Collins chuckled, "Please, call me Alan. We're not strangers anymore." Jen patted his shoulder as the front door slammed shut.
"Wes, honey, I'm home!" Abby happily trotted into the kitchen and shoved in front of Dave. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder and tightly pressed her lips up against his. Dave grimaced at the sight, causing Eric and Wes's dad to start laughing. All the while Wes's eyes were glued to Jen's as she bit her lip and turned away.
"Abby," he said and pulled his lips away from hers and walked towards Jen, "I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine. Jen this is my girlfriend Abigail Johnson. Abby," he stepped closer to Jen, "This is Jennifer Scotts. She's part of our Time Force Ranger team."
Abby raised her eyebrow and stuck out her hand. "Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, Officer."
"Actually it's Lieutenant, if you will," Jen replied and shook her hand. "Back where I come from I'm also commonly known as 'Ms. Dave's Mom,' either one works. Nice to meet you."
The blonde turned just as Dave poured another batch of pancake mix into the pan. "He's yours?" Jen nodded. "Oh he's adorable. Wes, why can't you have a son that good looking?" Abby laughed and looked at Jen who smiled and forced a laugh. She exchanged a glance with Wes who immediately saw a feeling of uneasiness.
"Well, if you'll excuse me," Jen headed towards the stairs. "I have some work I need to get done before noon today."
Wes's grin faded as Jen walked quickly out of the kitchen and headed up the stairs. Something was bothering her; that he was sure of. She hadn't said pretty much anything to him since they talked on the balcony last week. Walking away from Abby's arms, she watched him curiously, as did Dave.
"Mr. Collins?" Dave asked innocently as the elderly man stood to help Dave cook the pancakes, "Did Wes and my mom," he bit his lip as he looked at his mother and Wes talking on the stairwell. Her body posture was different as she talked with him. Her face looked softer, and there was a glow in her eyes he hadn't seen before. "Did they ever like each other before? I mean not just like each other, you know, did they like like each other?"
The wrinkles in Collins' face separated as he sighed. "I'm not sure I'm the right person to answer that question, Dave. But- yes, there was a time when Jen and Wes had feelings for each other. One time years and years ago, before you were born. Let's finish up your pancakes before the batter coagulates." Dave looked back at them as Wes followed her upstairs.
It was a little past nine in the morning as Conner walked outside for his second period gym class and already the sun in Reefside was bright and warm; a nice greeting back from Silver Hills.
"Heads up, Coach!" one of the boys called as Conner turned his head around just as a soccer ball went screaming past his ear and he grinned. So eager to play, yet they knew nothing of what had happened within the past few days. It had been almost a week since this Kane character had attacked, and nearly two weeks since Conner had been in work. He told the school that he had an emergency he had to attend to. Grinding their teeth, he knew, they granted him the two weeks.
As the rest of the boys immerged from the locker room Conner found himself glancing down to his left wrist where his Dino Jem used to reside. He missed the days of fighting crime as the Red Ranger and jumped at the chance to help fight against Kane. But like Tommy had pointed out earlier, it was useless for him to sit around and wait. Not to mention he had to get back to work. After all, how much could a high school soccer coach do just sitting around and waiting? Before he left, he made both Tommy and Wes promise to contact him if Kane surfaced again, which he knew they would do.
After instructing the boys to head down to the field he grabbed his clip board and started down until he heard a voice behind him.
"Hey Conner!"
He turned around to see a familiar face waving a hand at him. Alyssa Enrile, the name came back to him, she was a fellow ex-ranger who was assisting with the mission. Conner waved back and rose a finger in the air, signifying to give him one minute. Alyssa nodded as she walked closer to where he stood. Sending the boys into action he turned to where the White Ranger stood.
"Hey there Alyssa, what are you doing here?" He asked curiously and raised his clip board to his face in order to block the sun.
Alyssa shrugged. "I teach at the elementary school over in Turtle Cove. Turns out a pipe burst yesterday during school and they closed it down for the next few days to fix the damn thing. They had to tear up the entire floor by my classroom. I heard from Cole you taught second period gym and decided to stop by and say hi." She paused again. "You haven't heard any news about Kane from Wes or Eric, have you?"
Conner shook his head. "Nothing. Frankly, it worries me. Mesogog did the same thing; lying dormant for a while then he attacked and hit us hard."
"Master Org did the same thing. But he never floored us the way Kane did."
"Tell me about it, I'm still sore in some spots." He glanced over the field and turned back to her. "So did your school district give you any guff about taking two weeks off?"
Alyssa shrugged. "They didn't understand why I needed two weeks off. I wasn't about ready to tell them I was one of the people helping in the fight against the madman in Silver Hills. But I figure, if Kane does this again, we may need to tell them exactly who we are."
"That we're Power Rangers?" Conner asked and Alyssa nodded. "I was afraid of that."
"To be honest, I'm not worried about it. I mean, the kids I teach each year get to hear about my experience as a Power Ranger. To my kids and to a bunch of old school officials, being a Power Ranger has two different meanings. I don't know if your board would be any different."
He shrugged and grinned. "Probably not. Well I need to get teaching before my boss gets any more pissed at me then he already is." Alyssa laughed and turned towards her car, waving good bye. "It was good seeing you again, Alyssa."
The White Ranger nodded. "You too, Conner. Stay safe." She continued her walk towards her car as she heard a whistle blow and Conner talking with his students.
After sitting down in her seat she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Cole's number in curiosity if the Red Ranger was interested in a mid morning breakfast run at a restaurant down the street from her apartment.
"Something's bothering you, isn't it?"
"Nothing's bothering me, don't worry about it."
"Yes, something is. Don't tell me it isn't; I know you well enough by now to know something is."
Jen rolled her eyes as she opened the door to her room and threw the towel down into her bed. It was just like him to inquire about it. Yes, something was bothering her and she wasn't about to tell Wes what it was. Walking over to her dresser she pulled out a fresh set of clothes and headed towards her bathroom, closing the door behind her.
"Jen I'm not leaving until you tell me what's on your mind." Wes sat down by the window in the chair. "I feel like I haven't talked to you in ages."
She opened the door and stuck her head out from behind it. "Ages?" she asked flatly. "I said hello to you this morning, I hardly think that constitutes as ages."
He rolled his eyes and held the door open. "You know what I mean, Jen."
"In that case you can wait ten minutes while I jump into the shower." She closed the door while Wes sat in her room looking at the pictures that were displayed on her side table.
Most of them were of Dave in either a baseball uniform or a few baby pictures. One was of her and Dave, when he was probably about four or five. However one picture he found curious. It was the five of them back during her mission to the year 2001. Another was of just her and Wes; it was the infamous Polaroid of when he pulled her away from the computer and kissed her on the cheek. He later found out that small kiss would lead to days of them, her soft lips against his.
Taking the picture in his hand he sunk down into the chair and stared at the picture. Jen had changed so much from her final days with him. Back then she was more liberal and easy-going. Nowadays she seemed a bit distant, much like when he first met her. What had changed between them the day she left?
"Wouldn't your girlfriend find it a bit odd that you're sitting in another woman's room, with the door closed, knowing that she is half naked?"
And sarcastic, Wes added to his mental notes. She's much more sarcastic. Jen closed the door as she walked out in a pair of sweatpants and a tight spaghetti strap top. Wes raised an eyebrow as he bit his lip, pondering a thought. He watched her curiously as she stood in front of the mirror and began to blow dry her hair.
"How come you and Alex never got married, Jen?" He finally asked as he continued to stare at the picture of him and Jen from all those years ago. "I kind of assumed that if you two had a kid together that you would have gotten married."
She turned off the blow drier and combed her hair back into a ponytail. "I did not expect to start up an old relationship when I returned home, let alone getting pregnant."
"But you did," Wes stepped closer to where she leaned up against the corner of her dresser. "So… why didn't you and Alex start up your old relationship together?"
Jen sighed and stepped closer to him, looked at him dead in the eye. "What are you really asking me, Wesley Collins?" In his silence she saw the question.
Wes drew in a deep breath, "I'm asking, if you still- if you have the same feelings you did when you left nine years ago."
"Wes, I'm twenty-eight years old, and a single mother trying to raise a growing boy on a salary of only seventy-thousand dollars a year. At the current moment, I don't have time for love," Jen said. "Does that answer your question?" She walked out of her room and headed back down the stairs to where her computer sat and a bunch of files rested. Wes watched her work, typing furiously at her laptop, when Dave walked over with a plate full of pancakes, syrup, bacon, a glass of orange juice and a triumphant glow on his face. Jen's hardened expression that she had with him suddenly melted away as her eyes lit up to see Dave's creation. She hugged him tightly in thanks as she took the plate and cup of orange juice as Dave announced it would be going back to clean up.
A mother's love for her son was nothing compared to the love she felt for any other man, Wes could see that immediately. The way she acted around them and conducted herself, the way she yelled at Wes and at Dave, and even the way he remembered she kissed him- they were all done with a different passion, yet they were called the same emotion- love.
"Does that answer my question," he echoed her quietly as he walked downstairs slowly, his eyes not moving from her. No, he decided, it didn't. He knew Jen would never admit she still loved him- that is if she did. There was one other thing he knew would answer his question… it went against everything he stood for, everything he believed in. But Wes had to know, he needed to, because if they were to get along and act normally around each other it was going to happen one way or the other.
"Wes, where did you go?" Abby asked as she entered the foyer and wrapped her arms around him, but he shook her off.
"Abby, I'm sorry and I know this is going to sound rude, but I need you to leave, until at least we can find Kane again. I… just need to figure some things out," Wes put his hands on her shoulders, "Please."
Her face twisted with confusion, "Why do I need to leave?"
Wes sighed. "I don't want you getting hurt, that's all."
"Getting hurt, meaning, by that Kane guy or by an ex lover who has come back from your past?" She questioned. When Wes did not answer she nodded, already knowing which the answer was. "Fine then. I'll give you a few days then I'll visit again. Until we meet again, good bye Wes." She pranced towards the door with an angry hop in her step and closed it hard behind her.
"Please tell me that was the official break up, Wes," Lucas asked as he exited the kitchen, a book in his hand. Wes glanced downward and walked into his office and shut the door a little.
Katie leaned up against door frame and chuckled. "I bet we'll be seeing her again real soon."
Trip poked his head out from behind her. "I hope not, she's a real…"
"Bitch?" Eric finished the Green Ranger's sentence as he placed his sunglasses on his head and headed towards the door with Taylor at his side. "It's about time he broke it off with her and her damned he-he-he! laugh," his voice rose as he imitated her and Taylor playfully hit his shoulder.
"Oh, and like you're any better?" She asked and said good bye to the Time Force Rangers as her and Eric exited the house with a promise to return later.
"Please, I'm about ready to lock them in a room myself until they finally admit they still love each other. Why is it that we can all see it, yet they're so blind to it?" Katie asked.
From up above them, Dave peered out from the railing, his mind swimming with only one thought- a relationship Jen had kept hidden from him. He curled up against the wall and whispered to himself, "Wes… and my mom… in love?"
After a long day of scanning and scouting, Kane was yet again no where to be found, which greatly annoyed Jen. Never in her career as a Time Force Officer did she have this much trouble finding a criminal, no matter how hidden the guy was. He could be hiding in the center of the Earth and she'd be able to track him down, but Kane wasn't appearing anywhere on her scanners.
Rubbing her eyes she sighed as she sat on bench in the backyard and stared off into the night sky, trying to make sense of the day's events. Why it that everything up till now had fit together? Each puzzle piece sat nicely with the others, yet now everything was breaking up. What had possessed her to push Wes off like she had done before? Why couldn't she just swallow her pride and all her fears and say those three small words to him? What was she afraid of in the first place?
"Couldn't sleep?" Jen craned her neck around to see Wes standing by the sliding glass doors, a soft grin on his cheeks. "Yea," he breathed lightly, "me neither. Sorry, I shouldn't have," he turned to leave, his hand on the door.
"No," Jen said quickly. "It's alright, Wes. Some company would be nice, actually." He released his hold on the handle and sat next to her, the wood on the bench creaked under his weight.
"Look, Jen, I just wanted to apologize for before. I was out of line-
Jen hushed him immediately. "Stop. You shop that right now. What I did, pushing you off and away, it was wrong. You asked something that I could have easily answered. In fact, everything that you have done and given me, I haven't been grateful enough for it, and I'm sorry." She paused. "I've just had a lot on my mind ever since I came back here."
Wes bit his lip. "Me too. I've been thinking about us, about what we had, and… if we maybe had any chance of picking up where we left off." he took her hand in his as his voice lowered, "I need to know-"
"If I still love you?" Jen asked and Wes held his breath, "What I said back in 2001 still stands true till this very day. Nothing has changed, Wes, nothing. I've always loved you."
He gently wrapped his fingers around her neck and leaned into her. "Jennifer," he whispered and met her half way, pressed his lips into hers. He felt her arms encircle him as he kissed her again, a kiss he waited eight years for again and his heart stopped at that moment. "I love you," he kissed her again and picked her up. Gently he laid her on the lounge chair. "God, Jen, I love you so much."
Jen's pulse soared as she felt Wes's hands on her body once more; her face, her back, her legs, her breasts, everything she gave him willingly once before. She moaned at the touch of his lips on her skin, caressing her with the gentlest touch love and lust could ever offer to a woman's body. For Wes, simply having her in his arms was enough to satisfy him. No other woman in the world ever made him feel this way, not one. He missed her to no end when she left, the smell of her hair when she awoke from beside him, and the warmth of her skin on a chilly spring night like this.
Jen couldn't help but smile to herself when she felt his fingers around the waistband of her pants, eagerly trying to untie them as she felt him pressing against inside of her legs. She whispered his name again as he gazed into her hazel eyes and kissed her just as lustfully as before. But in that sudden sparkle of his blue eyes she saw another face, one that resembled closely to another person sleeping soundly upstairs while they were outside catching up on old times.
"Wait," she muttered just before he could pull down her sweatpants. "Wes, we can't," Jen sat up and cursed her mind for saying no when her heart and body were both pleading for this.
"Why, Jen?" He asked as she stood up.
"Our son, Wes. I- we… have to look after Dave, Wes. I'm sorry." A simple tear ran down her cheek.
Wes took her hands in his again. "You and Alex can easily take care of-"
"I'm not talking about Alex, Wes," Jen whispered and closed her eyes. "I should have told you something a long time ago, Wes."
His eyebrows shrunk together in confusion, "Jen, what are you saying?"
She let out an unsteady breath. "I should have told you that when Dave was first born, I'm sorry. Dave isn't Alex's son… he's yours…"
