Save me from the Pain
Chapter 12. Freedom
Sky felt as though someone had sucked all of the air from his lungs. He couldn't breathe. Her eyes, her voice. She was here. She was alive. He fell to his knees. Without a second thought he threw his arms around her waist and pressed his face into her stomach. He felt her tense and step back.
"Please! Don't leave me again!" She froze and he drank in the feel and smell of her. She was alive. She was here.
Sydney tensed as he clung to her, her breath became shallow and her heart began pounding loudly in her ears. Flashbacks of John sinking his teeth into her stomach jumped across her vision and she tried to pull away. He begged her not too and her heart stopped. This was Sky, not John. Sky, her best friend, she loved him, he wouldn't hurt her. She stopped trying to flee.
The occupants of the room had heard the mysterious woman and had watched as Sky addressed her as Sydney, a fact that froze them in their seats. Sydney was dead. But when their red ranger collapsed to the floor and began begging the woman not to leave him like a small child Jack and Bridge pounced from their seats. The woman in the doorway looked nothing like their Sydney, she was thin, painfully so with dark circles underneath her eyes. Her brown hair hung down her back in a tangle, the clothes she wore drowned her body. She had heard them approach and now stared at them with startled blue eyes.
Bridge felt like he was going to throw up, he would recognise those eyes anywhere. He stepped forward but she startled and pulled herself from Sky's grip, flailing backwards into the corridor, her back impacting hard against the wall. He knew he was scaring her but he had to know. He had to be sure. Darting passed Sky who was kneeling on the floor, staring at the woman with tears streaming down his face, Bridge threw himself through the door and gently cupped the woman's face in his hands. She began to sob.
"Who are you?" The woman continued to cry as she tried to push herself into the wall.
"Please, I need to know who you are!" She stared straight into his eyes.
"Don't hurt my baby" Bridge was startled, both by her voice and the fact that he had missed the small bundle in her arms. He stepped back slightly but did not release her face, he spoke in a whisper, emotion causing his voice to crack.
"Please, tell me who you are" As though seeing him for the first time, a small smile graced the womans cracked lips.
"Bridgey?" The sob tore it's way through Bridge's mouth before he could stop it.
"Syd?" She nodded. Careful of the child, Bridge pulled her to him, encasing her in his arms. He felt her tense and heard her whimper and he began whispering comforting and soothing words into her hair. A thud from behind them startled the pair and both turned to look at Jack who had collapsed onto his knees next to Sky, both men wept openly.
Sydney raised a shaking hand to her mouth as she stared at the men she loved weeping so openly. Why were they so sad?
Bridge felt her begin to shake and he noticed how she had started to lean heavily on him. He began to guide her into the flat when she started to panic, her breaths coming short and fast.
"Syd, it's alright you are safe. I just want to get you inside so you can have a rest and some water" She began to shake her head violently. Her baby started to fuss.
"Alright you don't have to drink but your baby does. Come inside Syd" Bridge stepped away from her and backed into the flat, he would leave it up to her to enter or run but if she chose to flee he would follow. As he stepped back he noticed that Jack had been helped up and was now leaning against the wall, Ali tucked tightly into his side. He stepped behind Sky and grabbed his friend's arms, lifting him onto his feet. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his wife, frozen in her seat her hands covering her mouth. He longed to comfort her but he felt that if he moved out of Syd's sight she would run so he stood his ground, his eyes never leaving Syd's shaking frame.
Sydney didn't know what to do. She was free, she was home, she was standing outside Sky's door and yet her feet would not carry her forward. Her daughter began to fuss and she found herself humming instinctively. The humming seemed to not only calm her child but also her self. Ever so slowly she took a few steps forward. Before she knew it she was inside the flat. She did not stop humming. She heard the door behind her close and her heart began to beat faster.
She hummed louder. Placing herself so her back was against the wall she began to survey the room and it's occupants.
Bridge was stood behind a couch his face calm as he watched her, she traced her way down his body and her humming stalled in shock as she saw that he had his hands placed on the shoulders of a crying Z, her sister, her best friend. Next to Z on the couch was a brunette woman that she didn't recognise. She felt a surge of jealousy as she watched the stranger comfort her best friend.
She started humming again as she moved on to Jack who was leaning a few feet away on the same wall. His face was tear stained and his hand kept reaching for her then pulling away. Next to him was a woman that she didn't recognise but the two appeared to be close. She longed to take his hand and make his pain go away but she needed to make sure the room was safe first.
Slowly she turned to the last person in the room. He stood with his arms crossed tightly against his stomach and he fidgeted from one foot to the other. His eyes continued to stream but he made no move to stop them or remove the tears. Sky, her handsome, perfect Sky was stood in front of her. She had dreamed of this day for so long.
After ensuring that the room was safe she allowed herself relax slightly. She was home. Her torture was over, she was with her friends. The laughter broke free and she could not stop it or call it back. Her tiny battered frame shook with hysterical giggles which quickly turned into gut wrenching sobs. Her body began to sink to the floor and she found herself wrapped in Jack's arms.
"Syd?!"
"I'm free." The former red ranger crushed his lips to her forehead and rocked her gently.
"You're free Syd. You're home"
A/N Well this chapter wasn't planned to go up for another day or two but I was so amazed and heart warmed at the response to the last chapter that I just had to post again. I know it's quite short but the next chapter will have major Sky/ Syd loveliness so I hope you'll forgive me. I know that the boys reactions are OOC but their beloved princess just came back from the dead so I think a few tears are forgiveable! Let me know what you think! New chapter up tonight or tomorrow depending on how I feel after work! Thank you for all the love and support it truly does mean the world to me! xxx
