Taylor had one request. No alcohol at their reception. People (mostly Wes) asked them "what kind of wedding reception doesn't have alcohol?", but they didn't care.

Eric knew she had her reasons, and he knew what they were. She said it was because her uncle get killed by a drunk driver when he was 16, but Eric knew better. He knew that was only one reason.

There were two bigger reasons.

Taylor's older sister, Erin, being a recovering alcoholic was one of them. Eric knew she cared deeply for her sister and didn't want her to be around what she was trying to get away from. She didn't want that being the reason for what was left of her family not being there.

The other reason was her mom. Taylor had only been seven when she lost her mother to stage four liver cancer. Alyson Earhardt had never had a drink a day in her life. Because of that diagnosis, Taylor had grown up without a mother. Sure, her sister was a lot older, but she was dealing with her own issues and the fact that she'd just lost her mom.

Taylor had become close to her dad and brother because of this. That was, until her brother died in the line of duty in the Army.

It wasn't until they'd been dating for nearly a year that Eric realized she'd lost just as much as he had. His parents were alcoholics. So were his grandparents. It was a reoccurring theme within his family. His "fly girl" had taught him that it didn't have to be. He'd made his life better for himself, after all.

They were very alike in so many ways, sometimes he wondered how they'd both gotten there given their vastly different backgrounds. She came from a loving and caring family, but lost her mother and brother. He came from a hard life with drunks for parents who couldn't care less about him and his younger brother.

Somehow, they'd both ended up as hot-headed, stubborn Rangers who didn't like admitting it when they cared for people. Somehow, though, they'd admitted their love for each other.

Who knew all this would come from a speeding ticket?

Eric smiled softly at the memory. He could tell she was trouble from the moment he met her. If only he'd known who she was and who she would become to him.

His Soaring Eagle. His pilot. His wife.

They'd been through so much together already. They still had so much more to overcome.

He remembered the first time he'd seen her vulnerable. The first time he'd seen her cry.

It was when she was still a ranger, so her family still thought she was dead. He'd found out multiple things about her that day.

The first was that she and Alyssa had been friends since they were in middle school. Taylor had been a year ahead, but they'd gone to the same schools before Taylor graduated and joined the Air Force.

The second thing he learned was that she was very close with her late mother's father, Vincent Drew. So, when he died thinking she was dead, it broke her heart.

Given that they'd been friends for so long, Alyssa was invited the the funeral.

He happened to be visiting his grandmother's grave on her birthday, as he did every year, when he spotted Alyssa after the graveside service. He only remembered what she was wearing because he didn't recognize her at first as her outfit was so out of the ordinary. A black dress that went just past her knees with small white flowers on it and black heels. Her hair was curled, so it looked even shorter than it was, and she was wearing heavier makeup than usual. She wasn't wearing her vest.

She called out to him. He stopped walking, waiting for her to catch up. It took longer than usual due to her wearing heels in grass.

When she finally caught up she asked him what he was doing there.

"I could ask you the same thing," he answered.

Alyssa looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Taylor's grandpa died," she said quietly.

"Where is she?"

Alyssa pointed to the woods just outside the graveyard. "Her family thinks she's dead."

Eric opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a soft deep voice calling Alyssa's name.

The two turned around to see a tall man with gray hair walking towards them.

Alyssa smiled. "Samuel!"

The man smiled as he hugged her. "Thank you for coming."

"I wouldn't miss it."

"It was almost like Taylor was here, too," the man trailed off and spotted Eric standing there.

"Samuel," Alyssa started. "This is Eric Myers. He's a friend of mine. Eric, this is Samuel Earhardt."

This was the moment Eric met Taylor's dad.

"Nice to meet you, Eric," the older man put his hand out and Eric shook it.

"You, too, Mr. Earhardt."

"Please, call me Samuel," Samuel dropped his hand.

Eric nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said.

"Vince was a good man," he sighed softly. "The Alzheimer's was getting bad. He'd see Taylor everywhere," he paused. "And Alyson. And Michael."

"I'm sorry," Alyssa comforted. "I'm sure it was hard for you."

Samuel nodded. "Alyson was an only child. When she died, it was really hard on Vince. Since Taylor was so young and looked so much like her mom, he took to her even more than he already had. Then Michael died. When Taylor went missing nearly two years ago was when he got really bad." He sniffed. "He kept asking where 'Sugar Babe' was." He pulled out an envelope with 'Sugar Babe' scrolled across the top. "He wrote this for her on his deathbed." Samuel handed it to Alyssa. "I couldn't bear to read it and you were her best friend. She'd want you to have it."

Alyssa gingerly took it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Have you heard anything from Erin?" she then asked.

The man shook his head. "Not since Taylor went missing. She's been avoiding my calls. She's all I have left and wants nothing to do with me."

Alyssa hugged him again. "If you need anything, call me."

"Of course," he turned and left.

Eric turned to Alyssa. "I picked up that Alyson was Taylor's mom, but who are Michael and Erin?"

Alyssa started walking towards the forest and he fell into step beside her. "Erin is her older sister and Michael was her older brother. He died in the Army her Freshman year."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

He gestured to the envelope in her hand. "Are you giving that to her?"

She nodded.

As they walked in silence, Eric started to notice muffled sobs and sniffles.

He let the petite brunette go ahead of him, and she followed the sound and sat down next to a tree.

The next thing the Quantum ranger knew, he saw Taylor's arms wrap around her friend. Her hair was curled as well, but he couldn't see her face due to her having her head turned the other way. As she leaned over, he heard something that sounded like a notebook falling.

Eric watched as Alyssa returned the hug.

"He misses you, Taylor."

"I know," the girl paused. "But I can't go back. Not yet. Not until we finish off the Orgs."

The Noble Tiger ranger only nodded.

Taylor pulled away and caught sight of him. "Eric? What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood," he said as if they weren't in the woods outside a graveyard.

She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"My grandma was buried here," he caved. "Today's her birthday. She would've been 80."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa."

The blonde didn't say anything; she just looked away.

Alyssa took this time to give Taylor the envelope.

She wordlessly took it, opened it, and read it.

He watched her start to cry again.

Though he was curious, he didn't ask what it said.

She picked up the notebook that had fallen and wrote something down in it.

He gave into his curiosity. "What are you writing?"

Curiosity killed the cat, but it didn't kill him. This time.

She handed the notebook over.

Her cursive was a bit messy, but legible.

"My Paw Paw was a big 'ol man

He held the world and me in the palm of his hand

He held us all together

The family corner stone

His voice was deep just like his faith

He'd always call me, "Sugar Babe"

What I wouldn't give to hear "I love you" one more time

He loved to read John 3:16

Tapped along to hymns we'd sing

He left us so much more than earthly things

Sometimes when there's no answer

No reason for the pain

And I just can't wrap my head around the wire of things that come my way

I still believe you hold a place for us in Heaven

So even when my faith on earth is shaken

You're my safe haven

He said, "my home's not here, no I'm not bound

My hope is built on higher ground

And where I'm going, oh goodbye don't mean a thing

There's gonna be some things I miss

But don't forget God promises we'll be together on the other side""

Eric handed it back to Taylor who, in turn, handed it over to Alyssa who read it.

"Didn't know you were religious," he said.

"I grew up in church," she replied simply. Still without quite answering his almost unspoken question.

Alyssa gave Taylor back her notebook. "How much more do you have left?"

Taylor only shrugged. "Depends."

Alyssa seemed to notice Eric's confusion for she said, "Taylor used to write songs all the time. She's amazing."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I did."

He couldn't help but crack the tiniest smile at the banter between the two girls.

"Seriously, though," Alyssa said. "You're an amazing songwriter, Tay. Anyone who's heard your songs knows that."

"They only think that because you're the one singing them."

"Excuse me! I can't scare a grown man the way you do!"

"Can't never could," the blonde smirked softly.

"Scare a grown man?" Eric raised an eyebrow.

"I legitimately scared my older brother and dad one time because I was singing in the middle of the night."

"Some lullabies have really creepy lyrics."

Taylor nodded.

Seeing that the conversation at hand was going nowhere fast, Eric changed the subject.

"I've never seen you curl your hair," he looked at Taylor as he leaned against a tree across from her.

"My grandpa once asked my dad why I didn't curl it."

"And you decided to do it today?" She nodded. "Why don't you do it more often?"

"It takes a lot of work to look this good, Myers," she teased.

He let a small smirk escape. That was more like her.

"She doesn't want Max to see her in pin-curls," Alyssa smiled.

As if on cue, their growl phones went off.

"Speak of the devil," Taylor muttered.

Eric took that time to make his leave. "If you need anything," he was interrupted.

"Call the 'big boys'?" Taylor asked with a small smirk. He nodded with one of his own and left.

A day later, he and Wes were called to the NASADA spaceport by Andros for the Red only Serpentara mission.

They were in The Surf Spot with Cole, Leo, Jason, and Carter for dinner at Leo's request. As soon as Andros and T.J. had turned their phones back on, they were bombarded with messages saying that Ashley had gone into labor, so they left in T.J.'s red sports car immediately to try to make it to the hospital in time for Astro Red to meet his daughter.

While munching on fries, Cole's growl phone rang.

Needless to say, Taylor and Alyssa were not happy when Cole told them about flying is cycle into Serpentara's mouth. Eric thought Taylor was going to somehow appear inside of The Surf Spot and punch the Lion Ranger. It wouldn't be the first time, so he's heard.

Rather it be fortunate or unfortunate for him, Eric had to deal with the aftermath when Taylor called him a few minutes later.

Fortunate. This phone call lead to a date with her. That date lead to a relationship neither had expected. They'd gotten married and now had two beautiful girls together.

Sydney Drew looked just like Taylor's sister. So much so that Eric always teased Taylor about Syd not really being his. Or hers. Sod's curly blonde hair, big blue eyes, pink dresses, and happy attitude always set her apart from her parents, but when she got frustrated, there was no doubt who's child she was. She had definitely inherited their temper.

Eric had heard more of Taylor's songs by then, but none broke his heart like the one she wrote when Syd was a baby. Something had happened, doctors still weren't sure what, but their two month old daughter had ended up in the hospital. Both parents were more terrified than they'd ever been. In that time Taylor turned to writing and riding. Her song perfectly captured their emotions.

"An ache

So deep

That I

Can hardly breathe

This pain

Can't be imagined

Will it ever heal?

Ooh, ooh

Your hand

So small

Held a strand of my hair

So strong

All I could do

Was keep believing

Was that enough?

Is anyone there?

I wanna scream

Is this a dream?

How could this happen

Happen to me?

This isn't fair

This nightmare

This kind of torture

I just can't bear

I want You here

I want You here"

She'd sing it to him and he would nearly cry at the chorus. He could tell she was pouring her pain, heartache, and frustration into the song. He always ended up holding her as tears streamed down both their faces. They wanted their baby girl with them.

Syd was in the hospital for a month before a miraculous recovery. Again, no one knew what happened.

When Syd was three, Michaela Heaven was born. Michael was born on Taylor's brother's birthday, so she decided to name their youngest daughter after him. Evan Michael to Michaela Heaven. Both Alyssa and Wes thought they were insane when they were told the name.

"Who names their daughter "Michael Myers"?" they'd asked, but the new parents hadn't cared.

From the moment she was born, Michael looked just like him. The only difference was that her eyes were blue instead dark brown. Unlike Eric, Taylor, and Syd, though, Michael wasn't nearly as temperamental. Choosing to stay calm and, admittedly, creepy instead of lashing out when she got mad. She definitely lived up to her name in that regard.

She had always been Syd's polar opposite, in looks and in personality. Blonde hair vs black hair. Curly vs straight. Girly vs tomboyish. Pink vs red. Angry vs calm. Aggressive vs passive aggressive. Pastels vs darks. They were different, but never pitted against each other. They had one thing in common. Horses. They absolutely adored all the horses on the ranch Alan Collins had insisted on gifting Eric and Taylor after they got married, but mostly their own. Syd's a Friesian named "Thunder" and Michael's a gray Appendix named "Ghost". Taylor's was an old buckskin Quarter horse named "Lightnin'" and she'd somehow finally talked him into getting a black Tennessee Walker that Cole's and Alyssa's middle son, Bridge, named "TimeFire" for some reason and it stuck. Speaking of Bridge, why did Alyssa give them crap for the name they gave Michael when she named her son after an architectural structure and gave her next son the same name as her previous, "Bridgeden Carson" and "Carsen Chandler"? At least Wes and Jen named their son Skyler, which is a normal name! Though they did give him two middle names, "Wesley Tate". Whatever. At least Danny's and Kendall's daughter had a normal name, "Elizabeth Jasmine". And so did Max's and Vanessa's son, "Jackson Landon", before Vanessa and Jack died in the accident, at least.

That was a devastating day. When Eric and Taylor had to explain to Syd why the two-year-old couldn't see her friend anymore.

The funeral was the saddest thing he'd ever seen. Vanessa's was the only body found so, like Cole's and his parents', the casket for the three-year-old boy was empty. He held Taylor and Syd as close has he could that day, realizing how lucky and blessed he was to have them by his side. He watched as most of the other men did the same, holding their wives and children. Eric watched as Danny was either holding onto Kendall's waist, Z, or hugging Max. Even Taylor and Merrick, who were never much for physical affection like that, hugged the grieving husband and father. Max cried even more when Z, who was by far the closest to Jack, who had given her the nickname, decided that she wanted him to hold her. He clung to the not quite toddler. She had always been his sidekick, but after Jack's and Vanessa's deaths, she was even more so.

Eric hoped Taylor was faring better now than Max had been then.

A/N

The songs are "Safe Haven" by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family and "I Want You Here" by Plumb. I highly suggest you at least listen to the latter in order to help understand what was going on. You can hear the pain in her voice as Plumb sings it and that's how I imaging Taylor singing it.

I know this chapter was long, sad, and a little bit all over the place, but I think it fits well since Eric had just been beaten senseless. Again. The next chapter will get back to Astra and the gang.

Chapterly question: Who do you think Kira would've ended up with after Dino Thunder? Trent? Connor? Someone else? Both? No one?

As always, may the Power protect you.