Notes: Thank you to all of those who reviewed the first two chapters. I hope you all like this one.
Chapter 3 A presence from the present
"Let me guess, you're the second ghost?" Ryan asked sardonically and the phantom's masked face smiled slightly.
"Very astute, then you were always quite smart were u not Ryan Mitchell."
"Ok, cut the crap and let's get this over with." Ryan growled and the phantom looked at him long and hard.
"Very well, take my hand." In a flash he was standing in the snow, although he felt no chill. He looked around and then spotted the car. It was her little pink neon, and it was upside down and rammed into a snow bank.
"Dana…" He gasped and then they were closer, and he could see her, pinned in the driver's seat and her legs were crushed against the driver's consol, which had been smashed on impact.
Then it was as if they were inside the car and he could see her tears and the pain and fear in her blue eyes.
"I'm sorry Ryan, I'm so sorry." She wept as she began to shake.
Ryan knew she was gong into shock, he had seen the signs once after a demon battle. It had been Kelsey then; she'd broken her ankle in three places…
"No…" He gasped knowing from the place she was none would find her in time. His little sister would die, there like that. Unseen, forgotten. But maybe… "What's going to happen to her?"
"Look where she is, what do you think will happen?" The apparition said grimly and Ryan couldn't believe this was real, Dana was fine, and she'd never try and travel in that kind of snow. She was too smart for that, she was going to be a dammed doctor!
"She can't die like that." Was all he said aloud and then he heard it, the motor.
"Why? She is doing what you wanted." His host reminded him.
"I never wanted her dead." Ryan shook his head veomently.
"But you want her home no matter what the cost." The ghost said easily and Ryan felt ill, was he right? Had he been that selfish? Thinking back on his behavior he knew he had good reason, she'd ditched him.
"I don't want her to…" He said fighting the urge to blame his little sister; she didn't deserve this, no matter what.
"Ryan, I'm so sorry." She breathed and began to close her eyes when the passenger side window was kicked in.
"Dana…" the voice gasped and she turned her neck and could just stare through glittering eyes.
"Carter?" She breathed and Ryan spotted the hope in her earful blue orbs. Was it true? Would the young man save her? Would his little sister be ok after al?
"Yeah, it's me, just hang on…" Ryan watched Carter reaching for his cell phone. He placed the call to emergency rescue and then began clearing out the rest of the glass from the window.
"I…" Dana gasped and Ryan saw the sleepy look.
"Hypothermia?" He asked confused, she'd not been out there that long had she?
"I know your cold and I'm going to get you warm just…" Carter was saying and Ryan watched him opening the passenger door. He cursed when he saw her legs and Ryan silently agreed. When the door got stuck he winced and preyed his friend could save her. Then it was odd, like out of some weird movie Carter actually yanked the door off its hinges and flung it to one side.
"I can't move, I can't even feel my legs." She was sobbing even as he moved to looked inside better. He cursed again seeing her legs and Ryan shook his head, the guy could sure swear.
"How did he find her?" Ryan turned to his guide.
"Have you ever seen the show felicity?" The ghost asked riley.
"He followed her to…" Ryan had known Carter cared for his little sister but this…
"He loves her." The ghost nodded and Ryan looked again surprised how had he missed this?
"Oh…" Ryan mumbled to himself." He never even let on." Even as he made this realization they were in a new place.
"Jingle bells, Jingle bells..." Kelsey was singing to herself as she strung popcorn to put on the small tree in the corner.
"I thought she'd be with her grandmother. "Ryan said a little surprised. She could tell this was not the palatial mansion grandmother Winslow lived in. It was from all accounts a three room apartment, with a kitchen/living room, a bathroom and most likely a bedroom.
"Although much has changed between them Kelsey is still pretty much alone." The spirit told him.
"So…" Ryan felt a strange tug at his heart; she was all alone, just as he was… So, why hadn't he guessed? Why hadn't he cared? The thing was he was always so self engrossed he hadn't realized a dammed thing. Full of self recriminations he barely saw Kelsey reach for a picture on the end table and smile at it saying. When he did he noted it was one of the six of them at his birthday party. Heaven's he'd forgotten his father had taken that old thing.
Kelsey was now smiling wistfully as she spoke to it.
"Well, now I sent your gifts out." With that said she traced every face on the photograph.
"She mailed us all things?" Ryan felt his frown deepen, he'd not thought she'd really even thing about them all now. He figured that he was the only on lonely.
"Yes, she loves to shop for gifts." The spirit beside him said adding. "Especially for her friends."
"Oh," He had no clue what to say or think about that. He didn't have to think about it, the phone was then ringing.
"Hello?" She said cheerfully as she put the receiver to her ear.
"Kelsey hi, it's Chad." Another cheerfully voice replied and Ryan didn't even wonder how he could hear his other friend so well.
"Chad hi, how's everything?" Kelsey was asking adjusting the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could finish stringing the popcorn.
"Good, good, I just wanted to say happy holidays." The ex-blue ranger said and Kelsey glanced at the snapshot once more.
"Well, happy holidays to you to." She said but there were now tears in her pretty eyes. Why was it he'd never noticed just how pretty those dark eyes were?
No sooner had he thought this then the scene was changing and they were in what looked to be an efficiency apartment. The Asian young man was sitting at the table, eating what looked to be a turkey and mashed potato's TV dinner.
This was Chad? The guy had been shy but Ryan had thought even he would be spending the holidays with family. Didn't most people do that? He was really starting to wonder. Then when he realized that Chad was reading something he moved to stand behind the young man. There was a letter at his elbow.
"Dear Chad,
I know I said I'd try and come to the states for Christmas but with grandfather being so ill the doctor's do not advise me to leave. I am truly sorry. Perhaps I shall see you this summer if things are well.
Have a lovely holiday son and remember your father and I love you very much.
Heart to heart
Mom
"He's on his own." Ryan said stating the obvious.
"Yes, you see you are not the only one." The specter at his side nodded.
"But why doesn't he go to spend the holiday with Kelsey? Aren't they buddy buddy?" Ryan asked thoughtfully. If both were lonely why didn't they hang out together?
"Things are not always as you might think." His companion told him.
The scene changed once more and they were in the middle of a crowded house, guests old and young talked, laughed and generally had a good time. He frowned, where were they now? But there was only one last ranger left.
"Joel there you are. Joel I wanted you to meet my father."
"It's nice to meet you Mr. Fairweather." Joel shook the hand of the very tall, very old man.
"So you are the young buck our little fee fee is always going on about." The man might have looked young but Ryan could see he was very much alive. Then Ryan spotted Ms. Fairweather's brother Clark. He almost laughed to see the part time green ranger shrinking away from the other man.
So, Ryan thought, even the sky cowboy had nerves. That was good to know. It hit him that none of his friends were doing that he'd expected. Maybe things weren't always what they'd seemed.
"Is he ready?" A familiar voice asked and Ryan turned slowly to find the one person he'd not expected to see.
TBC
***
Well? What do you think? Have I put Ryan through enough? I know most of what ensued didn't actually happen to Ryan but I think thye'd be enough to start the true changes with in him. What do you think?