Author's note: Add, you told me to post in chapters, now suffer. There's only a couple more anyway. I didn't realize I wasn't accepting anonymous reviews; I'll fix that, 'cos I do want them. Flames, constructive criticism, praise…any and all comments gratefully received. And no, Niki, Tara and Merrick are not romantically linked; it's not that I don't want them to be, but Merrick's far too good a guy to leave Shayla. I have written an AU for Merrick and Tara, but you'll have to wait a while.
Unexpected Ally Chapter 7: Problems
Watching Cole argue with no one was interesting at first, but it wore off quickly. The Lion Ranger was stubborn but he seemed to have met his match.
"We'll just carry you back to the Animarium.—I bet we could!—That's cheating.—We're done. Everyone's finishing.—All right." He looked around. "She'll be with us…"
"…Now." Tara finished, rising to her feet. Cole moved to help her but she ducked him. "Sorry, Cole, cramps. I need to walk them out a bit." She looked around, moving around the group. "It looks different out here."
"Worse?" Max asked.
"Not necessarily, Max. It's different…in the earth it's strains and fractures. Out here it's just…" she gestured helplessly and came up with "…mess."
"{You are not endearing yourself to the Silver Guardians.}" Merrick warned her. She threw him an exasperated look but didn't answer.
"Wes, will you want help with the reconstruction?" Taylor asked.
"Nope, the Guardians and the city teams'll handle it. Thanks, though."
"We'll head back to the Animarium, then." She looked at Merrick, who shook his head before she even asked. "Tara?"
"No, thank you. I believe I will go home…I have work tomorrow." The group split up, everyone going their own way.
Cole had gotten all of four blocks when he suddenly stopped so abruptly Danny walked into him from behind.
"Ow! Cole, what are you doing?"
"Something's wrong…wait here!" He sped back the way they'd come.
"Cole?!" Alyssa went after him. Taylor looked at Danny, who looked at Max. Max shrugged.
They followed Alyssa.
Wes and Eric were there when they found Cole; Eric was standing, talking into his headset, and Wes was hunkered in the middle of the road opposite Cole. Between them Tara was lying, but she was talking, so she couldn't have been badly hurt.
"What happened?" Taylor asked. Alyssa turned to them.
"Tara collapsed. Something about the balance of the earth being wrong?" she shrugged a little. "She doesn't seem to be hurt, just kind of woozy."
"No, Cole." Tara said calmly. "I am not going to the Animarium."
"You just collapsed in the middle of the street. We're not letting you away on your own." Cole said firmly.
"You don't understand." she muttered, frustrated.
"Look, I may not be three thousand years old, but you haven't even tried to explain this." Over her head, Wes mouthed Three thousand? Cole ignored him and went on. "Try us. We might surprise you."
Tara caught his arm and levered herself up. "That earthquake happened in a very bad place. There are fractures and strains running all over the place…if I don't get a handle on them California may drop into the sea in the next few weeks." She caught his eye and held it, ignoring Wes and Eric who were speaking over their heads, and the Rangers, who were gathered in a tight bunch behind Cole. "Once I start I can't stop until it's done. But I won't be responsive." He shook his head and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before going on. "I won't…see or hear what's happening out here. I won't be able to talk to you." He glanced at his morpher. Following his gaze, she shook her head. "Not even that way. It can't be done, Cole."
"Then come to the Animarium." Cole was ignoring the others as well, even Danny tugging at his sleeve.
Tara seemed about to say something, then she laughed and shook her head. "I can't do it from there, Cole. Animarium's not part of Earth. I really need to be on Earth…you know that." Cole sighed, raking his hands through his hair.
"We'll get you home," Wes offered, taking a step forward, "if that's what you want."
"Not on your own." Cole said firmly.
"Cole, I can't do this from the Animarium. There's no choice."
"We'll go with you." Alyssa offered.
"It's not bothering me, Alyssa." Tara retorted. "Come if you want. But I have to go now." Releasing her grip on Cole's arm, she managed half a dozen steps before her knees wobbled and she almost fell. Sighing, she turned back to Cole. "All right. I'm sorry for being rude, Cole. Please help me home." Cole bowed, eyes dancing with laughter.
"Certainly, Tara."
"Stop laughing at me, Cole."
"I'm not laughing at you!" he protested. "That would be very rude."
Tara appealed to Alyssa. "Alyssa, he's laughing at me!"
"Sorry, Tara. He's my team leader; I can't contradict him in front of the team. Bad for morale."
"Ah-hah! So you do think he's laughing at me!"
"I didn't say that."
"Cole, do you want a ride?" Wes asked, smiling broadly. They were as bad as Time Force had ever been.
"Yes thank you." Tara said quickly. Seeing Cole's look, she added, "I'm not walking to Turtle Cove, Cole, and if I go through the Animarium right now Earth's gonna erupt." Cole held up his hands in surrender.
"Fine, Tara. Whichever you want."
"Gee, thanks." Tara said dryly.
"We're ready, Tara." Wes offered.
"Thank you, Wes."
Wes, Cole and Tara piled into the car when it arrived; the others politely refused the lift and got ready to leave again.
"Who is she?" Eric asked Taylor.
"Tara? She's…a long story. Basically, she's sort of the personification of Earth, but it's a bit more complicated than that."
"More…? And why does she say everyone's name so much?" Taylor shrugged.
"It's just what she does. Look, there's a whole story that I'm not sure I should tell you, but she's one of the good guys. She's helped us before today." She frowned. "And she doesn't say everyone's name 'so much'. She hasn't said mine at all, I think. It's mostly Cole and Merrick."
"Now isn't that odd." Eric muttered, looking after the car.
Cole waved Wes off and turned to look at Tara. She was studying her house as though she'd never seen it before.
"Tara?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah, Cole."
"Now what?"
"Well, we could start by going inside." He laughed, catching her arm and drawing her forward.
"Yeah, we could. If the door wasn't locked."
"It's not locked. It just doesn't like you."
"Excuse me?" Tara laughed.
"Joking, Cole. Here." She fished a key out from under the mat and opened the door.
"That's where you hide your key?"
"That's where most people hide their keys, Cole. It's not really a hiding place." Cole followed her inside.
"Tell me something, Tara."
"Anything, Cole, as long as it's quick."
"Why are you helping us? I mean, why us and not any other team? Eric and Wes didn't know you…" Tara smiled faintly.
"Cole, I promise to answer that. But not right now, 'Kay? I need to get this done."
"What do I do?"
"Nothing. I'll do it. Just…" She smiled fondly at him. "Make yourself at home, and don't come looking for me."
"How long will you be?"
"I don't know…could be a couple of days. But most likely less than that."
"A couple of days?"
"Yes, Cole. This is complicated…it's not like Lego. I'll do it as quickly as I can, but I have to do it right. It's my responsibility."
`"Sure. I get that." He frowned, "But a couple of days?"
"Think of it like…a giant jigsaw that I have to put together with no edges, or corners, or picture, and the first place I put a piece down is where it stays no matter what." Cole was only getting more confused, and she shook her head again. "Sorry. Cole, I need to get this done. I'll explain after, OK?" He nodded finally, and she turned and left the room.
For the next day and a half the Rangers traded off, staying in or near her house as much as they possibly could. Every so often, tremors hit, both in Turtle Cove and in Silver Hills; they weren't serious, as a rule, causing only some minor property damage. Wes and Eric kept in touch, keeping the Rangers updated on the reconstruction in Silver Hills; Eric said, only half joking, that Tara was waiting for the worst possible times before loosing her tremors on them.
Merrick never came near the Rangers.