Chapter 2.  Day Dreams

It was after seven when Angela arrived in the infirmary to find Dana hard at work, filling out acquisition forms.  She wanted to be sure that when the fighting

came to pass they were ready.  It was one of the few reasons she was glad she was there.  At least as a member of the rangers support team she could do

her best to keep the new team well.  From her own experience that was half the battle.

"And Joel tells me I work too hard." The scientist murmured shaking her head.

"Nothing gets done if you don't work hard." Dana commented finishing her current slip.

"Well, you still have to eat." With that the scientist stole Dana's pen with a grin.

"Ok, ok, just let me." Dana switched off the intercom and got to her feat. She was surprised to find just how sore her back felt. It had to be all the hours

she'd been hunched over her paperwork. "Let's go."

*****

The galley was not very crowded so they grabbed their food and found a table near the back.  It was where they usually liked to sit anyway, a little away

from the throng yet still close enough to a door that if something came up they could move fast.  Not that the new galley was all that big to begin with,

there were only about twenty tables with four seats each.  Now as they sat down it seemed just right for their little group.

"So how are the new Zords coming?" Dana asked unwrapping her utensils.

"Not too bad," The scientist began choosing her words very carefully.  With how her friend had been acting lately she didn't know just how to even broach

the idea she had. "I just finished the last tests on the Neo med rescue. Say you wouldn't be up for trying it out, you know since you know pretty much

how it should work."

"I don't know, I have allot of work to do before we're really ready." Dana said as she added sugar to her tea.  After that last battle she really had never

wanted to fight again.  The whole thing had just been too close

"You know the prophecy says it will be another four months before the upheaval." Angela pointed out. "Besides you've been burying yourself in your work again."

"There's just a lot to do."  Dana  had a feeling that she'd end up testing the zord but still she hoped she might get out of it.

"Come on Dana, this is me you're talking to. I know you; before you were a ranger and I know when your upset you go into workaholic mode." Angela said taking

a sip of her coffee.

"True but I'm just trying to be sure things are ready." Dana said not wanting Angela to know just what was really bothering her.  She would tell the others

and then they'd spend too much precious time trying to help her deal when soon the world would once again be under attack.

"So did you ask her?" Joel asked sliding into a seat beside his wife.

"She says she's too busy."

"In the paperwork."

"What is this gang up on Dana day?" The doctor laughed.

"Not in the least. We're just a little worried; you've been acting funny for a while now." Angela said.

"First, I'm not on drugs, not drinking, not doing anything. I just have work to do."

"Well, I so need your help with the N.M.R. testing."

"Hey guys, did you tell her about next Sunday?" Ryan asked plopping into the seat on Dana's right.

"Their too busy giving me the third degree about my work ethic." Dana sighed.

"Right. Well after you left the meeting today we got to talking and we're going sailing on Sunday."

"Sailing?" Dana asked a golden brow arched in surprise. That was something they'd not done in years.  Not since her fathers death.  At the thought of William

Mitchell tears came to her eyes.

"Chad's idea." Her brother said seeing her reaction to the idea and knowing exactly what put that sad look in her blue eyes.

"You have to come, it'll be fun." The green clad pilot urged not noticing anything amiss.

"I don't know, I..."

"Hey guys." No one missed the way Dana got real quiet when Carter joined them.

"Tell you what," Ryan said looking from Dana to Carter. "If Carter comes you have to."

"Go where? Someone want to clue me in here." The head of Lightspeed rescue broke in confused.

"Sunday man," Joel reminded his old friend.

"Right." Picking up his fork, Carter looked to Dana. "You don't want to come?" He asked a little surprised.

"The lady Says she has too much work to do to be ready." Joel clued him in.

"The question is are you going?" Angela asked the young man.

"Yes." Carter said understanding the situation fully now.

"Well then," Dana started to get to her feet. "I better get back to work if I'm going to take Sunday off." She never got the chance to leave Ryan caught

her arm.

"You need to eat." He pushed her back into her seat.

"Ryan."

"You really need to slow down." Carter told her and that earned him the attention of 3 pair of eyes. "What?" He asked innocently.

"You're the king of work and you just told her to slow down."

"Well one of the things Captain Mitchell taught me was that work is good but so is play."

"Dad always said that didn't he." Dana smiled sadly at the memory of the time Carter found out that her father was the one to save him when he was little.

"There it is." Joel shouted and Dana jumped looking at Joel as if he'd lost it. "You just smiled." He grinned.

"I smile all the time." Dana said.

"Not lately." Carter spoke up and Dana blushed as again all eyes went to him.

"What?"

"You notice her smile." Angela commented one brow raised in question.

"I'm not oblivious to everything around me." The ex-fire fighter shrugged.

Dana took a bite of her sandwich and wished they'd just let her go, she hated the fact that Carter's noticing her smile sent her heart to racing. He was

a friend; it was stupid to wish he saw her as more than a ranger and doctor. After 3 years she should be over the crush she'd had on him from the start.

It was one of the reasons she was trying to stay clear of him. If she put more and more distance between them she could beat this thing. It had been one

of the factor's that had almost stopped her from taking this job with Lightspeed Rescue. She'd felt that fluttering in her belly at the mere thought. It

had been Ryan who'd convinced her. He'd said that ha still felt a little off kilter so she'd come. Now she was glad. It would be nice to work behind the

seams. She'd not be in the thick of it. No more watching her friends merely die.  She still had the nightmares about that last battle. They were always

the same, she watched as her father and friends were crushed in the Aquabase. She'd not felt it, but was made to watch. Then there was the part where she

watched Bansheera squeeze Carter to death. Washed him yelling for help, Watched blood squirting from his nose, mouth and ears, and being unable to help.

She never wanted to be in that kind of position, the dreams were bad enough. It was odd though that the one about Carter was the most reoccurring.

"Hello earth to Dana." Ryan was waving a hand in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry. I was just..."

"Day dreaming." Joel teased and she sighed and picked up her fork.

"Dana are you sure your ok?" Angela asked.

"Yeah I guess I've just got my mind on my work again." Dana shrugged.

From across the table Carter noticed that she was gazing at her tea cup as if it were the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. It was time they got to

the bottom of this.

"So what about testing med rescue?" Angela asked.

"Um, I..." She did look up then, and was startled to find him looking at her. His blue eyes were so deep, so intense...

Giving herself a mental shake Dana tried to remember the question's when did she day dream?  She was a doctor.

"Sure, when?"

"I was thinking first thing tomorrow. That way if I have to I can get the bugs out before it's needed in battle."

"Alright. I'll meet you in?"

"Lab 5." Angela said and Dana nodded finishing the last of her dinner.

"Heading back to the med center?" Carter asked and Dana nodded. "I'll walk with you." He offered. As they left the eatery Carter wondered how to blotch

the subject foremost on his mind.

"DANA, is everything ok?" He finally blurted and she glanced at him.

"Yes, everything's fine, why?"

"I don't know it just seams like your hiding from something."

"Carter, I'm a power ranger what would I have to hide from?" Dana asked puzzled.

"You've been working nonstop since you got here. I know there's allot to be done and that we may not have much time but Dana, everyone's worried."

"And I thought it was just Ryan." She sighed. "Maybe taking this job wasn't such a good idea." She muttered the last under her breath but he still heard.

"Dana?"

"I have to go, there's some paperwork..."

"Dana just stop." He said catching her arm. "I want to know what's going on."

"Carter, I..." Yanking on her arm Carter crushed his mouth down on hers. He felt the arms go around his neck and

"Hello earth to Carter!" The young man jumped when he realized Joel was waving a hand before his face. He realized that it had been a dream, a dumb day

dream.

"Well I have to get going." Dana said and Ryan got up.

"I'm heading back to OPS so I'll go with." The elder Mitchell sibling said and Carter watched as the pair left. Where had that come from? Kissing Dana?

 She was one of his best friends, or had been. Sudden images flashed through his mind. The time she'd come to recruit him, the time she'd thought her father

didn't trust her ranger skills, their first Christmas as a team. The little Coffee mug she'd given him, its picture of the gang, and the candy inside.

 It had been all of his favorites. The first magazine she'd been on as the glitz girl... Then the way she'd looked at him before he'd gone to save Ryan.

 She'd been so worried and how he'd wished she'd worry about him like that. From time

TBC