Wes, Jen, Tommy, Eric and Jason all walked out of the medical room. They found the space rangers not including Andros standing out in the hall waiting for them. Everyone had sad and grim looks on their faces; they all knew it wouldn't be long. Not a word was spoken as Zhane walked in followed by T.J., Carlos, Ashley and Cassie.
"Hey," said Coda smiling as the group walked over to him. He lay conformably on the medical bed, a few machine were plugged in around him. Everyone smiled the best they could.
"Hey, how…." Zhane couldn't bare to finish the sentence. Coda smiled lightly, he grabbed a hold of Zhanes hand, gripping it tight. Zhane looked up meeting the eyes of his old friend and leader.
"It's okay," Coda took a deep breath. He released his hand from Zhane, and reached over to the small table next to him. Where a folded piece of paper lay, Coda grabbed it and then placed it in Zhanes hand.
Zhane looked at him wondering what it was for. "When you get back to KO-35, give this letter to my parents," Coda licked his lips. "It explains a lot what happened, why I never contacted them. And also what happened between me and Tyra," said Coda sadly giving his last request to Zhane.
Zhane smiled, "Of course I will. I just wish things could have turned out different, I'm going to miss you" said Zhane.
"Hmm, well as you said I'm a ghost ranger, maybe I'll hunt you one day," laughed Coda. Zhane had to laugh to, everyone else did, but it didn't last long. Zhane bit his lips.
"Yeah maybe," he looks Coda in the eyes once more before slowly backing away. He looks one last time at Coda and then leaves the room. T.J. and the other surrounded him.
"So, I guess this is it then," said T.J. smiling lightly at Coda.
"Yes, I guess it is," he looks at T.J. carefully. "Promise me something," said Coda.
"Anything," said T.J.
"Promise me, you'll never let this become your life. That one day, you will just be able to get up and have a normal life, a family and job," said Coda sadly. T.J. put his head down; he knew what Coda meant he didn't want any of them to end up like he did.
"We, promise," said T.J... There was a moment of silence, Carlos looked down at Coda. Years ago, Coda saved them all big time along with a very young blue ranger.
"I just want to say thanks, for all those times you helped us. I just wish we could help you now," said Carlos sadly. Coda smiled lightly.
"But, you have," They looked at him with wide eyes wondering what he meant. "You taught me, what it means to be a team," said Coda softly. They all smiled, and deep down inside they all felt great inside. But on the outside they showed the pain and sadness they were feeling of losing a friend. Everyone could tell that Cassie wanted a moment alone with Coda. Slowly the three began to back away, but before they were gone. "Ashley," Coda called out to her.
Ashley looked over at him before she was about to head out. "Take care of Andros for me, he's going to need you," said Coda.
Ashley smiled, "I will, for the rest of my life," said Ashley, and then she slowly closed the door behind her.
Now it was just Coda and Cassie alone in the room together. "So this it what you really look like," said Cassie walking closer over to him Coda looked in her eyes, he always knew she had feelings for him. He smiled brightly at her, not wanting to hurt her anymore then she already was.
"Yeah, not much to look at," said Coda, his face scared up from battles years ago. But it didn't seem to mind Cassie at all, as if she was able to look through all that.
"No, you look just fine," she smiled at him. Coda smiled back, something about her seemed to have melted his frozen heart. Cassie's look began to change to certain sadness, seeing him lye there waiting for death to come. "Are you afraid?" asked Cassie looking him right into the eyes.
"To die?" Cassie shook her head yes. "That's a difficult question," he shied. "For so long I have been pushing people away, not wanting them to get close. I guess that is why I hid my identity for so long. it was just easier if I were to die in a battle no one would care if I was gone," silence, he looked her deeply in the eyes. "But then I meant you," said Coda looking into her pretty eyes.
Cassie smiled lightly; she had cared for him for so long. "And for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel so alone, like I had something to live for" said Coda.
"But, then what stopped you. You kept on leaving every time you showed up?" asked Cassie. Coda shied, why had he?
"I guess I was afraid. It had been so long, sense I cared for anyone. But then I lost her, along with my unborn child, because of my foolishness" said Coda sadly feeling so over whelmed with quilt.
"I'm sorry," said Cassie, Coda reached over placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't be," he looked her in the eyes kindly. "I just am sorry, I never told you who I really was when we first meant, maybe things would have been different" said Coda kindly.
"I guess we both have regrets," said Cassie sadly feeling the tear form in her eyes. Coda shook his head smiling back at her.
"No, don't ever have in regrets in your life. I want the best for you Cassie and I do pray that one day you will meet someone who will love you for all their life," he said, as he washed away her tears with his hand. Cassie tried to hold back her tears, she knew should would lose be losing the first man she ever loved.
Andros was in the weapon room, he held some type of lazier in his hand and in the other the red ruby. For the last hour he had been trying to put it back together but was having no success. The more time that past, the more Andros began hurting. Tears ran down his face, it wasn't working. He threw the broken pieces of the ruby across the table angrily. And when he could no longer stand it he dropped to the ground crying like a child.
Trey slowly walked over to the weeping red ranger. Andros could feel the shadow of him over his body. "How long?" he asked softly, already knowing who it was.
"Not long, he's been asking to see you," said Trey softly. Andros looked away from Trey ashamed. Why would Coda want to see him? They really weren't friends, or were they?
"I couldn't do it, I can't save him," said Andros sadly. Trey got down on his knees and then forced Andros to look at him.
"Do, not blame yourself Andros. You have done all you could for him and he knows that. It is time you let go of all that has happened, both of you have to let it all go and let it be," said Trey kindly. Andros lightly shook his head, he knew he needed to. For so long he had blamed himself for everything that had happened all of those years ago.
Zhane passed Andros, as Andros was on his way to the medical room. "Tyra was pregnant?" asked Zhane. Andros stopped and slowly turned around facing Zhane, the truth needed to be told.
"Yes, only her, Coda and I knew," said Andros sadly. Zhane bit his lip, for the first time he was beginning to understand why Andros had always blamed himself.
"You never sent the reports in. No once else knew did they?" asked Zhane. Andros put his head down, and then looked up at Zhane.
"No one else knew, I promised Tyra I wouldn't send in the reports to protect her," said Andros, he never had regretted protecting her. But part of always wondered what would have happened if he did send them in. Maybe she would still be alive along with her child. But he knew there was no way of ever knowing.
"So, that's why you always blamed yourself?" asked Zhane finally understanding..
"I guess it is, I've been angry for so long. That I had forgotten the real reason I had started to blame myself," said Andros sadly.
Zhane walked up to him placing his hand on his friends shoulder. "Don't tell me your going to start blaming yourself all over again," said Zhane smiling lightly. Andros gave a small smile to his friend.
"No, it's time I let go of the past. And let the future takes it course whatever that maybe," said Andros smiling. Zhane smiled Andros had finally forgiven himself for what happened ten years ago. They looked each other in the eyes once more and then Andros made his way down the hall into the medical room.
"I'm not too late, am I?" asked Andros as he walked in. Coda turned his head smiling, happy to know he got to see Andros for one last time.
"No, I couldn't leave. Not without saying goodbye to you," said Coda, he was feeling his strength giving away. It took everything Andros had to walk over to the bed where his old teammate lay, waiting for death to come to him. He could hear Coda heavy breath; he knew it wouldn't be long.
"I…I...I just wanted to tell you're sorry for everything," said Andros. Coda took a deep breath, Andros was always to modest even for his own good.
"No, I'm sorry. You were right about me, you always were," said Coda smiling. Andros smiled everything that had happened between them was all forgotten they were friends once again.
"When you get there, can you tell the others," Andros put his head down, he hated death even though he faced it every time he morphed. "Hi, from me"
"Of course, I'd be honored to" there was a moment of silence. Coda then looked directly at Andros. "Andros,"
Andros looked up looking Coda back in the eyes. "Don't forget what I said, about having a life with Ashley. You both deserve it, like I told the others. I don't want this to become your life, it's time you lived a real life. Don't let the program rule your life, it's time you had a life of your own." said Coda smiling he reached out his hand to Andros.
"I won't forget what you told me, and I'll never forget you," said Andros grabbing a hold of Coda's hand keeping his eyes locked with his.
"Were pretty good friends huh," said Coda softly. Andros gulped in, the time was coming.
"The best…" said Andros, and a few seconds later. Coda took one last breath, and slowly his eyes closed never to open again. Andros felt the tears rush down his face, he softly rested Codas arm back down. "Goodbye old friend," said Andros softly.
Wes and Jen were alone in their room together. Jen had been quite for some time now; Wes wasn't sure what was wrong with her. It was like she was pushing him away. He was sitting on the bed, looking at her back; she hadn't faced him for sometime now. "Jen is everything okay?" no answer, Wes took a deep breath. "Did something happen, before you travel back in time?" he asked. He then heard a whimper from Jen that had to be it something happened, but what.
Slowly Jen turned around facing him tears were in her eyes. "You love me right?" she cried. Wes looked at her oddly; he quickly got up looking her in the eyes.
"Of course I love you. What is it Jen? What's wrong?" he asked her. Jen bit her lips. How could she tell him? She slowly walked up to him putting her arms around him, holding on to him for dear life. Wes put his arms around her wanting to fix whatever was wrong, but something told him he wouldn't be able to.
"I will love you forever Wes, no matter what happens," she slowly pulled away, there faces only inch's apart. Wes didn't know what to think.
"Jen, I.I… don't..." Jen leaned forward kissing him softly, not wanting it to end. When the kiss ended she pressed her face against his, then she slowly back away, but before she got too far she put a note in his shirt pocket. Wes looked down at the note and then back at her. Not knowing what was going on, he tried to speak but nothing would come out. Jen began backing more and more away from him. She raised her morpher up under her chin.
"I love you," and just like that she was gone with a flash of light. Wes's heart began beating faster and faster.
"Jen, nooo, come back. I don't…I don't understand" he cried his world felt as though it had come crashing down.
Thunder echoed, outside. The rangers stood outside, watching as the body of the phantom ranger AKA Coda burnt, An honor and ritual on KO-35. Everyone was silent, not a word was spoken they all stood there watching. Andros and Ashley held each other in theirs arms. T.J. and Carlos both had their arms around Cassie, helping her through this.
Zhane and Trey stood by each other both with there hands behind their backs, both of them honoring the memory of their lost comrade. Tommy and Jason stood next to each other; Tommy would never forget what Coda told him. Tommy knew no mater how much evil he would come face to face with good would win. And no mater what happened Zordon would always be proud of him.
Eric stood next to Wes, who was a mess. Only hours ago had he lost the love of his life. Eric put his head down, for a moment and then looked back to the burning body. The fire coming very clear, it thunder again and rain began to pour. But the rangers still stood there, they would not leave. Not until it was over, they all owed Coda that, he had saved them all.
One more chapter left.