Chapter 17 Sunday Cruising
"There they are!" Kelsey called happily. CHAD turned from where he and Angela had been talking.
"Took you 2 long enough!" The young man clad in cut off jeans and a blue tank top called happily as he and Heath stood making some last minute adjustments to the muter.
"Sorry, we had a rather late night!" Carter called and out of the corner of his eye he saw Dana's face go a becoming crimson. Why hadn't he noticed just how beautiful a blush could be a long time again?
Ryan just looked them over. So the nightmare had fixed things? They looked ok again. He then watched as Carter climbed aboard and then reached back for her.
"Thanks." She told him and moved to her brother.
"You look bright eyed and bushy tiled." She loud enough for everyone to hear then added lower so only he'd hear.
"Listen I'm really sorry about before." She said and he shrugged.
"We are what we are." Was all he said as Carter joined them?
"Hey, Kelse do the honors?" Chad asked his wife and she moved to him and both past and present blue rangers stepped back.
"Alright!" She whooped and Joel shook his head.
"Looks like some things never change." The sky-cowboy laughed.
"Well then Holl you're normal." Brent called to the now yellow ranger who, Dana realized, was seated in a deck chair.
"Hey I'm very normal."
"Yeah for Billy the Kid."
"Ha ha ha."
"Yep the tradition lives on."
"Hey,"
"Hey."
"Listen, I wanted to thank you about all of this."
"Oh, hey, you might be a couple years older but we're friends."
"Yeah, yeah we are."
"Good now why don't we go have a little fun."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
*****
Talking, laughing, and listening to music they enjoyed themselves.
Carter could see that while still keeping herself a little aloof Dana was joining in. She and the other 2 women.
"Come on like you never thought a guy in high school was hot." Kelsey said to Angela.
"No, I was a little busy studying to notice them." The scientist.
"You know I didn't have time either but there was one guy." Dana admitted.
"Who?" Marie asked interestedly leaning in to hear better.
"You'll laugh." Dana blushed a little and Hollie looked at Marie
"No," Angela said with a little smirk.
"He was a guy on one of those teen shows." Dana confessed.
"What, saved by the bell?" Hollie asked and Dana shook her head.
"California Dreams." Dana said and waited for the laughter.
"I used to watch that on Saturday mornings." Kelsey smiled. "Matt was so cute."
"So which guy was it?" Angela asked the pink clad woman.
"Jake."
"Oooh Jake?" Marie squeaked. "Who would have thought?"
"What's wrong with Jake?" Angela asked.
"Nothing, the guy was really cute but he was the bad boy, you know, black leather jacket and killer singing voice." Marie grinned.
"Black leather?" Angela asked looking at Dana a little smirk on her lips.
"Don't forget the motorcycle." Hollie added helpfully and Dana blushed.
"Well, I always thought that it would be great to have a boyfriend who could fight, not a marshal artist but street fight, who could sing and do the sweetest things." Dana smiled wistfully and Kelsey smiled.
"I always thought Slater on Saved by the bell was a sweetie." The elder yellow clad woman smiled.
"I guess I really missed out didn't I." Angela sighed.
"Not really, I mean you got one of the most romantic guys around." Kelsey pointed out.
"Yeah remember when he thought your surprise was just for him?" Kelsey asked and Angela laughed.
"Or when he thought you wanted to have dinner with just him when your planned was to join all of us in the galley?" Dana said then her face took on a sad look.
"Hay what's wrong?" Angela asked and Dana looked away.
"Have you ever thought how much we're about to put the new team through?" The doctor asked morosely as she rose from her seat and walked to the side of the boat.
"Hello we're the new team and we're fine with it.' Hollie told them shrugging.
"Dana they know what they're getting into." Angela said quietly joining her. Slowly the other women followed suit.
"No, how can they?" Dana asked looking at the younger women. "They're just kids."
"Like we were." Kelsey said in understanding.
"Is that why you didn't want to work for Lightspeed?" Angela asked remembering the last day. She could still see Joel's hopeless expression, Dana pacing and the captain looking so dejected. She'd been able to find and take comfort in Joel and Kelsey with Chad but who had Dana had? Her father had been so lost, and Carter trying to save her brother. Reaching out she rested a hand on Dana's arm. Of course that had been hard." We got through it." She said and Kelsey agreed.
"Barely. Do you know I still have nightmares about those last few minutes? I just don't know how to watch that happen again." Dana confessed, she'd thought she was ready for this but last night watching Ryan's plight all over again…
"I used to." Kelsey admitted quietly.
Marie saw that this was troubling the doc and it struck her that the reason she'd probably got so upset last night probably had something to do with this. She also knew that with out the rangers they'd never have had a chance to be where they were now. There would be no more Mariner Bay, no more rangers and no more days like this, slow and easy.
"I know what you mean." Joel said joining the girls and bringing the new pink ranger back to the present.
"It was rough for a long time." the sky cowboy added thoughtfully.
"But that's why we're doing it." Chris said also joining them.
"We know what to expect and so maybe we can prepare them." Ryan said and Dana wondered if every past ranger melded so well with their replacements.
"I hope we can." She said and sighed when a pair of strong arms encircled her waste and pulled her back against a firm chest. She felt Carter's warmth seeping into her and chasing the sudden chill away. She remembered what he'd said the other night, the way he'd reasoned it all out. It was still so hard though, the nightmares had come back full tilt.
They were still standing around when a new song came on over the radio and Joel pulled his wife into the middle of the deck. As they began to dance Chad and Kelsey followed suit. To Dana's amusement Brian asked Marie as well and they were dancing. . Then there were just the others, standing around, not talking really.
"Want to dance?" Carter asked in Dana's ear and Dana shook her head.
"Carter if we all pair off Ryan will feel left out." she explained turning to look at her brother. True as that was she didn't want him to know the real truth, she had gotten out of it before, now if…
"Go on, I'm fine." Ryan called having obviously heard the conversation.
"I um..."
"Dana?"
"I, She began then went on after a minute." I UN have to go to the bathroom. With that she headed below deck before Carter could cache her arm.
"What was that all about?" Joel called and Carter frowned in puzzlement.
"'I'm not sure." With that he disappeared below the deck to go find the doctor.
She stood in the little bathroom looking at her reflection; she had to be crazy to date Carter. He'd never want to stay with her, she was so inept. She'd
No idea how to dance, or really do anything romantic. Maybe if she waited long enough they'd finish dancing.
The rap on the door had her nearly jumping out of her shoe.
"I'll be out in a sec." She said and forced herself to pull it together. She couldn't hide in here forever.
"Hey," Dana was surprised to find it was Carter.
"Hey, it's all yours." She said but when she tried to move passed him he caught her arm.
"Dana, is something wrong?" He asked taking in her face, she looked a little out of sorts, not upset but almost worried.
"No, why would something be wrong?"
"You ran away."
"I didn't I had to make use of the..."
"I've seen you run before, you were running, come on Dane talk to me." He said and she sighed. Well so much for finally being a couple.
"Look, there are things you don't know about me. Things you probably should but..." Her voice trailed off and she looked away.
He wondered where this had come from; she was always so confident, so matter-of-fact. What could be so bad she didn't want him to know? Gently he turned
Her back to face him.
"What?" He asked softly." Dana what ever it is I'm not going anywhere."
"I, well you know my father, he raised me great, don't forget that." She said quickly then when he nodded she went on. "The thing was he spent his time with instructing me in things I'd need to be a ranger and in medicine. There were a lot of things I never um..." She looked at her feet. "Carter, I can't dance." She blurted at last adding, "I can't cook except in survival kits and I can't curl my hair." Dana didn't look at him through any of the last and he felt his heart catch, she'd been afraid he'd not like her just for all of that? Then something else struck him that was why the other night she had claimed her feet hurt when he'd asked her to dance.
"Dana," Once again he lifted her face so she was looking up at him. "It's ok, I can cook, I like your hair just the way it is and dancing is optional, I can teach you though if you'd like to learn." He added with a little smile.
"You..."
"I care about you not what you can do." With that he kissed her nose.
"Your sure?" She couldn't help but ask.
"You bet." He said and kissed her in earnest this time.
"So want to learn?" He asked and she looked at him a little bemusedly. He just chuckled. "Dancing." Taking her left hand placing it on her shoulder, and holding her right in his. Then with his free hand on her lower back he began guiding her in a slow waltz.
"Um," she didn't want to break the moment but a thought occurred to her. "Shouldn't we go back up? The others will..."
"Miss us, your right." Still instead of moving he covered her lips with his own in a gentle kiss. It was innocent and as chased as it was still fire licked
Between them, ebbing raging and it was perfect.
"Lets go." She began to tug him topside.
***
"Hey there you 2 are!" Kelsey called and Carter nodded slightly as he pulled Dana to where the others still danced. She didn't object this time when he pulled her close and they began moving to the music.
"You know when we stopped being rangers I thought we'd stop being friends." Kelsey said a little while later as the group sat around munching on potato salad and cold fried chicken.
"I know." Joel leaned back in his seat.
"You really thought that?"
"I didn't." Joel said cockily.
"Was he always so cocky?" Hollie asked and Joel grinned while his wife rolled her eyes.
"Always.' Dana laughed.
"You know I think once your rangers there's always a part of you that is sealed to each other." Carter told his friends. He was relaxing in his seat beside Dana.
"Hey yeah that's another good thing about being a ranger." Chad smiled over at his wife, who returned it.
"I know I got my first and best friends thanks to the power." Ryan said and Dana was glad. She could still remember how difficult it had been for him. He'd tried so hard but things were just strained for a long time but now... She took a bite of her potato salad to try and get rid of the lump in her throat.
"So you think we're adjusting to each other well?" Chris asked and Joel nodded.
"You guys have already begun to pair into your fighting units."
"I know your almost like us." Joel said looking at his friends old and new.
"Yeah, But it's Hollie and Brent, Brian and Chris." Dana nodded.
"What about Us?" Marie asked frowning slightly.
"Heath's still looking for his nitch." Joel inputted. Then Marie saw the blue ranger nod.
"I'm good I guess but fighting not exactly my style." Heath admitted.
"And Marie's more into doing it herself." Ryan replied.
"Excuse me?" Marie asked a brow arching in question.
"He's right; you just do whatever is needed.' Brian nodded from beside her. Marie just made a face at him.
"Sounds kind of like someone else I know." Kelsey looked at Dana. "What? I fought like you guys."
"Yes wherever you were needed." Joel nodded.
"You get more done that way." The pink clad young woman smiled. This was turning out to be a very nice day after all.
"But I do remember one thing." Kelsey said thoughtfully.
"What's that?" Brent asked a brow arched in curiosity.
"Dana was always the first to worry if one of us got hurt." Shifting in her seat Kelsey took another sip of iced tea. "I'm a medic." Dana shrugged.
"There was one person you really worried about." Angela smirked from Dana to Carter then back.
"What's this?" Brent asked the scientist.
"Whenever we thought something had happened to Carter Dana would act like a girlfriend, running to him, when he was alright."
"That's right; man you sure got a lot of hugs." Chad shook his head in amusement.
Carter glanced over at the woman beside him and saw that her face was a bit pinker than it had been. In that sense the nightmares of the night before made perfect sense.
"Kelsey's right." Joel Nodded slowly. "You were always the first to run up when something happened." He grinned at her and she wanted to slip beneath the table.
"You were just as bad though." Angela smiled adding, "When she had to fight memoris watching Dana brought back your memory."
"That's what did it?" Kelsey asked a brow raised in surprise.
"Yes and you should have seen him when he went to help her. There was nothing that could have stopped him."
"So? I'm human. My best friend was in trouble. I didn't want her hurt."
"Sounds to me like you 2 were a little blind." Brian spoke up then a knowing smile on his handsome face.
"They say love is." Marie said and Chad and Kelsey exchanged looks in that old way of theirs.
"Not ours. I knew I loved Angie from that first time I saw her."
Marie shook her head, she could see they were embarrassing the doc but she thought that Carter should be the one to defend her.
"I um..." Dana tried to think of some other topic. She finished her tea then and had an excuse to leave. "I'll be back." With that she disappeared below deck.
"Do you guys have to embarrass her?" Carter asked after being sure Dana was gone.
"Huh?" Joel looked puzzled.
"You four have been together for a while now. We're just starting out and it's not exactly easy." He said grimly and Joel, Kelsey and Chad looked at their plates.
"Sorry," the latter couple said in unison.
"Right."
"You really do love my sister." Ryan said quietly and Carter looked over at him locking eyes with his friend.
"Yes." Was all he had to say?
"Good." with that the conversation dropped.
*****
Dana stood before the fridge and sighed. She'd known that this would not be easy, the comments but from her friends? Not that they were being cruel, still it was a bit disconcerting to have Carter would find out about her past over concern. If he didn't know she'd loved him back then it was because she didn't want him to. He'd think she was dumb for not saying something sooner.
Taking a deep breath she rinsed off her dishes, set them ' the rack and turned to go back on deck.
*****
"Dana tell Joel that he can't set off fireworks." Brian pleaded as she moved towards the table.
"Do you know how dangerous they are Joel?" The doctor in Dana asked as she took her seat once more.
"But it's the perfect end to the perfect day." He argued plaintively.
"And if you shoot out an eye I don't have my instruments to treat you here
"You guys are absolutely no fun." Joel muttered and Dana shrugged.
"We're not children anymore." Marie put in sounding like a doctor herself, making Dana smile.
"So what now?" Hollie asked draining her iced tea.
"There's this lagoon not far from here, we can catch a great show." Chad informed them and Kelsey nodded.
"It's really something." The ex-yellow ranger smiled.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Heath asked.
"We'll clear the table." Hollie offered and she Marie and Chris set to the task as Chad and Heath adjusted their coarse.
*****
Fifteen minutes later when they pulled into the little cove Joel was still sulking.
"Is it safe to swim here?" Brent asked Kelsey who nodded. Then the new green ranger silently walked up behind his predecessor and with Kelsey's help tossed him overboard.
"Hey!" He sputtered surfacing.
"If your going to sulk like a child, you can be treated like one." Kelsey called cheerfully.
"I never..."
"I want my fire works!" Hollie then began stamping her feet like a child in the throws of a temper tantrum.
"Just you wait!" Joel called seeing Ryan coming up behind her. Kelsey must have seen something in his face because she sidestepped last minute and Ryan went over the side.
"Ryan!" Dana ran to the side and watched for her brother surface. WHEN she didn't see him she kicked off her shoes and did a swan dive over the side.
"Dana!" Carter called even as she went. The leader of the current lightspeed unit could guess what Ryan was about and just hoped she'd not land on him.
Marie sighed and kicking off her shoes she was ready to go. She had a feeling it would turn into an all out water battle.
"Here we go." Brian joined her at the side and as one they were over the side.
As Carter and Angela stood by the railing watching, Dana surfaced, was dragged down then Ryan surfaced and was pulled down again.
"You were calling my husband childish?" Angela called to Hollie who was currently trying to clobber Joel.
"Hey sis?" Ryan began swimming up behind Dana. He locked his arm around her as if to dunk her. Her back had healed so there wasn't as much pain as once might have thought. No, the scabs had dissolved.
"WHAT?" She asked realizing what he was doing.
"Think that boyfriend of yours is a little too hot up there?" He asked towing her backwards. She caught his drift and fought back a grin.
"Lets do it." She said and was ready when ha dunked her.
*****
Carter watched her; she was lovely, her blonde hair dripping in her face. Her eyes spitting fierce as she dove in to chase Ryan. She was so amazing and to think he could have lost her. One thing was for sure he'd never let her go.
Captain Grayson was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he never knew what was going on until he felt the arm and was falling. He managed a breath before he felt the water close over him.
Dana watched him come up and the look on his face had her howling. He looked utter adorable, disorientated and as he wiped the hair from his face she continued to giggle.
"You?" He asked incredulously and she never saw him coming as he pounced after her.
"Carter no I..." She yelped as he grabbed her and kissed her hard and just as she was beginning to respond he dunked her.
Marie was too busy watching the scene she never felt anyone coming, she just fund herself pulled under.
"Why you!" She was then chasing after Brain who'd dunked her. Brian laughed as he dove beneath the surface, and then found himself being tickled, by two very quick hands as they surfaced.
"I'll teach you to dunk me you little…" Marie made a dive for him.
"Hey, don't give people the wrong idea." He said catching her about the waist.
"Brian!" She laughed and he grinned and jerked her close, pinning her hands between them.
Suddenly their laughter faded and the pair found themselves staring at one another.
***
"Hey look." Carter said stopping his fun with Dana to point to the new pink and red rangers.
"What…' Dana frowned at first then followed where he was indicating. "Oh." She smiled in realization.
"Yeah, looks familiar doesn't it?" Dana smiled and found herself in Carter's arms, pulled, back against him.
***
Red and pink romance must be in the air." Chad said to his wife as he swam up to doggie paddle beside her. Kelsey smiled as well.
"Hmm, I'd say."
***
"I umm..." Marie began but Brian's lips cut her off. She didn't mind, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him right back.
"Now I'd say that seals it."
"Hmm" Marie asked in a daze.
"This." He picked her up and then instead of dunking her he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the boat's ladder.
"Brian?" She asked both bewildered and concerned by this new behavior.
"I think we ought to talk." He said quietly and Marie felt pain well up, didn't had it just been a momentary laps? Would he ask her to forget the kiss?
"oh if your mad…' She began but his hand on her back was gentle as he urged her on.
"Just go on up."
"Ok." She did and waited for him to join her.
"Listen, I know we haven't known each other more than a few days but Marie there's this thing, I don't know what but…' Brain said moving to the opposite side of the deck. He looked out at the water out passed the trees lining the opening of the little cove.
"An attraction?" She asked wondering if that was all he felt, true she'd felt it first but since the fire she'd begun feeling something more.
"Yes, but there's something more than just that, a caring I guess." He admitted and she moved to stand beside him.
"Does it bother you?" She asked hoping against hope that it didn't.
"No, you?" He asked turning to gaze down at her slightly.
"No." She said slowly, now what was he going to say? Maybe he'd ask her out.
"Good." He said and she was more confused, he was pleased? Why was it she sucked at this inner person thing?
"You mean you like it?" She asked and he shrugged a little.
"I like you and I would like to get to know you." He said slowly and she thought she detected a hint of hopefulness in his tone.
"Oh, well then, I'd like that too." She said smiling up at him and he leaned to kiss her lightly.
The clapping started and the couple turned to find all but Carter and Dana there standing by the ladder.
"Ok, that's embarrassing." Marie muttered and he smiled and let her hide her face in his jacket.
"Sorry about this guys." Dana said joining the group. "We couldn't stop them all."
"It's ok." Brian said and Marie nodded lifting her head once more.
"Now we know how you must feel." Marie shook her head.
"That you do." Carter grinned.
"Hey guys it's starting!" Kelsey called and all turned to see the sun starting to sink.
"Woe, it really is something." Chris said smiling at the warm amber glow of the setting sun.
"Yep, we found this spot on our honeymoon cruise." Kelsey smiled as the sun slowly lowered even more.
"It's lovely." Hollie smiled gazing at the sky through the trees as the sky went from gold to a burnished copper.
"Yes it is." Chad agreed but he was looking at his wife and not the glorious transformations.
"I think you were wrong about the fireworks." Brian said from where he held Marie's hand.
"What? It would be perfect." Joel shot back.
"No, Brian's right." Carter said coming up behind Dana, slipping his arms around her middle and drawing her back against him. "This is the perfect end to the perfect day.
"Hmm." She smiled feeling his chest warm at her back. Then something hit her. They were all paired off, all but Ryan. She would have to do something about that.
TBC
***
Ok, what do you think? Yes it's a good bit of the original but well, it's what it is. Love it hate it? Are the new team living up to the old team? PLZ R&R and let me know.