chapter9 Recovery
The hospital room was still as he sat there, looking at the face of his dreams, the pretty blonde with a heart as big as the sea. He still couldn't believe this happened; she'd nearly died because of him, because he'd not realized she loved him. If he'd only known he'd have told her… He would have been out with her not looking for her not worrying about her…
On the other side of the bed Ryan's emotions almost mirrored Carter's. The silver clad young man couldn't believe he'd not stopped her, not said something before his little sister went out with him. As his hand clutched her limp one he knew too it had been his doing in that if he'd not come back that little girl might not have been hurt and his little sister might not have had to pay for it.
In the corner Kelsey sat beside the still angry Chad. Honestly she didn't know what she'd done to upset him but she let him stew. It had been a very long night and maybe it had all just got to him. She was a little rough around the edges herself, after all Dana had nearly been killed. The pain that evoked was staggering and she got to her feet and headed from the room.
Chad was still furious with Kelsey for not having pulled her blaster on that creep. Didn't she realize he could have killed her? It was about the only thing that had ever truly shaken him up since becoming rangers. Now though he was having a truly hard time getting the image of that knife slashing into her arm. It both made him ill and infuriated him. He'd wanted for the first time in his life to kill another human being.
Ms. Fairweather sat across the room, against the wall and behind Carter. Both she and Captain Mitchell had meet them in the waiting room as the ambulance had brought the pink ranger in. She'd found Joel at her side, his face grave, for once not joking or hitting on her. No, now it was the bespectacled scientist who was beside him, holding onto his hand as they waited for their friend to wake up. Still she too saw the grief and fear in the Captain's eyes. They'd been like family since he'd been appointed head of lightspeed Rescue and to have both Dana hurt and this man who reminded her so much of her own father was horrible.
"Dana, we're all here." Carter murmured at last, his dark blue eyes intense on her pretty face as he spoke again. "Ryan's here and your father and al of us."
"he's right Dana, everything's ok now, Mark's finished hurting people." Ryan added and even as he spoke the titanium ranger stroked his little sister's hand, hoping she could feel it where ever she was and know he was with her, that he loved her no matter what. After all it wasn't her fault all of this had happened, no, it was all his fault.
"She'd never blame you." Carter said and Ryan glanced across the bed at the red lightspeed ranger. Carter was watching him instead of Dana and his features were thoughtful, his eyes shining with a knowing that spoke far beyond his 19 years.
When Carter had his full attention he went on saying.
"Dana does what she wants, no matter what happened in the past she wanted to go out open that date and your past or not she would have." Because I hurt her, he added silently.
Ryan didn't reply, a part of him knew the red ranger was right, that Dana was headstrong to a fault. the thing was he just kept thinking about that child, the whole reason for the attack tonight.
The two men talking near their fallen friend didn't see the others leave, Chad with a purposeful stride, Joel and Angela together or the Captain with tears in his eyes. .
***
Kelsey walked the halls of Mariner Bay General hospital, no real destination in mind. She just kept thinking over the events of that day of all that had led up to Dana's date with that would be killer. She'd been so upset about her feelings for carter and then they'd gotten the makeover.
It was funny how something so innocent could be tainted by a person hurting and angry. She'd known that, she'd been angry growing up. She'd never understood why her father had died or why her grandmother didn't like her. Now though as she walked Kelsey wasn't angry about any of that stuff, in fact for two years she'd not been like that, not since her mother's passing. Now her upset was for her best friend. What if Dana never woke up? What if she had more than a concussion? God forbid what if she died?
the tears were streaming unbidden down her cheeks now as she made her way out into the small garden chapel located in the hospital's courtyard. She then moved to a stone bench and knelt, preying for the first time in years.
She preyed for Dana, for that very disturbed young man who'd done this to her and for Chad. She'd never seen him so angry, it was actually very frightening to think of her very strong, very lethal friend out for blood. She preyed for the understanding of his reasons and for her own. Why did she have feelings for him? He was just so blind… Dana didn't know, maybe she was as hopeless as Dana? But then tonight Kelsey had seen how much Carter did for the pink ranger. Now if Dana would just wake up and see that for herself…
She was so wrapped up in hr prayers and thoughts that the yellow clad young lady didn't realize that anyone had joined her or that the blue ranger was kneeling beside her. At least not until she felt someone wiping away her tears.
Opening her eyes Kelsey was slightly surprised to find it was Chad. He looked somehow less fierce but somehow different, his dark eyes seemed somehow blank, as if there was some kind of a shudder she'd never before seen. Usually he looked like Chad but now he was more like Ryan, his jaw not harsh but stubborn, his mouth in a frown.
"Is there any news?" Kelsey asked
"Not yet." he said softly as if not to disturb the serenity of the garden chapel.
"Oh," Kelsey murmured and looked ahead wondering what he wanted, he'd not said much since telling her to shut up after the fight.
"I wanted to be sure you're alright." the blue clad young man said and she shrugged.
"I'm not the one lying upstairs in a bed; I'm not the one who is unconscious." She said softly.
"Dam it Kelsey you could have been!" the explosion so shocked the yellow ranger that she nearly jumped away. then she recalled that this was Chad, he'd never hurt her.
"Chad?"
"Do you know what could have happened when you were going hand to hand? you played with him, not thinking about what could have happened to you." He bit out and she felt strange, was he really so upset because she could have been hurt? Well, duh, a little voice in the back of her mind mocked, he's your friend.
"I didn't know he had the knife." She said looking at her hands, up at her arm where a fresh white bandage had replaced the blue of his shirt.
"It could have been worse, if it had been a few inches over?" He asked quietly and she once more looked up at her friend.
"I know I wasn't thinking straight but…" She never had the chance to say another word as he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her hard.
***
The odd sounds that met her ears as she surfaced from the void of unconsciousness didn't make much sense to the blonde in the narrow hospital bed. She could hear the voices, the concern in them but couldn't speak, her mouth was so dry.
"I'm so…" that was Carter? Carter Grayson? Why was he there? Where was there?
"She's coming out of it." And that was Ryan? That was her big brother, and he was alive and so was she…
"Ryan?" She croaked even as nothing came out. Carter must have been watching for another hand took hers and she knew it was his, could smell him. "Carter?" She tried to say even as the pink ranger attempted to open her heavy lids.
"That's it Dana, just take it easy, your safe now." Carter urged her softy and she managed to slit her eyes for a second. Then she realized something else, she had to be medicated for this feeling, for her mind to feel so fuzzy. But then even as she thought this she felt the throbbing, the pain all about her.
"It…" there it was, her voice, it was so weak…
***
Relief flooded Carter as the eyes tried to open as he heard Dana's soft groan. It was happening, she was waking up. Now he just hoped she would still be his Dana, his best friend, the woman he loved.
"Joel get the doctor." Ryan called as he too watched the girl waking. He was happy but still a little worried, was she ok?
"My head hurts." Dana garbled weakly.
"I know, but your gonna be ok, your going to be just find." Carter said softly and there was a little laugh in his deep voice.
***
Kelsey could only stare up at him, her breath coming in gasps as she saw the emotions now raging in his dark eyes.
Chad had never been as scared as he had tonight, when he sent her after that guy. Not that she couldn't handle someone but gees they didn't know how far the guy would go to get his vengeance. It had been what had had him pounding him to pulp when Joel had finished the fight off. He'd seen the blood and lost it.
Losing it was not something the blue ranger had ever really done, there had never really been a cause, not even fighting the demons. Yet when he'd seen that monster stab her…
"Chad?" Kelsey finally managed to ask.
"Yeah?"
"Why?" She asked her heart and soul gleaming hopefully in her glistening eyes.
"Because I love you and I'm not going to pretend I don't."
"You…" Kelsey couldn't believe what he'd just said. He loved her? She didn't think just leaned up and kissed him not roughly but with al of the love she'd felt for him for so long.
***
"Everyone talks about the power rangers but you're just a bunch of fakes! You can't even help kids!"
Mark's words came back to Dana even as she heard the footsteps retreating down the hall. Was he right? Had he been right? She'd not been able to save herself. One minor distraction and she'd wound up with a nasty concussion. Was it any wonder Carter didn't care for her as she had for him? As she did…
"It wasn't your fault." The voice had Dana looking towards the door. Her brother stood there holding a large pink guerilla with a silver bow about its neck.
"Ryan?" She asked. She'd thought they'd all gone. Whatwas he doing back?
"I know that look, the one I wore after trying to ruhn from what I am." he said coming further into the room. "Dana, no matter what Mark said you know that stuff happens that we can't control."
"but what if he's right? What if we're fakes? What if…" Although she'd been given something for the head ache the blonde felt no bleariness. She felt just fine. what if your trading sides was all that kept the city together?"
"Dana, we're only human, we do what we have to." there was such tenderness in his blue eyes and in that deep voice. It was funny but hearing this from him, the one who'd learned this lesson first hand seemed to help. She used a hand to motion him into the chair beside her and he complied wordlessly.
"I guess. So you taking up collecting stuffed animals?"
"Um," Ryan blushed a red that almost rivaled Carter's morphed costume. "I got it of you." He said then handing the toy over to Dana.
"he's very cute," Dana smiled at him and it was then that she felt the dizziness kicking in. "Ryan?"
"Yeah?" He was leaning close, eyes gentle.
"Stay till I fall asleep?" She implored her even as her eyes drifted closed.
"I will." He murmured smiling gently even as Dana's eyes closed completely.
TBC
***
And there, I finally added a little Chad and Kelsey to the mix. What do you think? Please let me know. I sooo love reviews.