Chapter 16 Coming together PT. 3
hopes and fears
The war was on, that was the thought that was going through Carter's mind as he watched the battle commencing on the screen before him in rescue ops. It had been two days since they'd begun prepping the zords. N own they were all fitted out and the first way of attack was underway. He thought of his one concern, his family. He knew that Dana and the twins were resting but what if the base was destroyed like last time? Carter didn't think he could live if his family were lost. True he was a strong man but such is the way of love, his wife had become such a part of him that she and his children were all he cared about. He had been thinking of sending Dana and the kids to somewhere safe but he knew if they didn't defeat the SAR there would be no where safe to hide.
"It's coming along." Dana said joining her husband then to take in the battle.
'Shouldn't you be resting?" Carter asked looking down at her and Dana shrugged.
"I've been resting for three days I need to move around beside s the twins are fine on their own, Kelsey's with them."
"Oh, good." He said and when she took his hand and began to lead him from the room Carter frowned down at her.
"Dana I should be watching things."
"Chad's got the floor.' The blonde smiled up at him knowingly. It still amazed him how quick her brain could work. When she thought of him she took care of everything. The last time she'd come for him had his knees weak. She'd nearly died that day with the twins. God, if she had? Without warning Carter pulled Dana close and kissed her hard.
Dana didn't mind wrapping her arms about his neck and kissing him right back. True the twins had been born three days ago but it still didn't seem real sometimes. After all so much of their lives was this fight against the SAR. The one time pink lightspeed ranger hoped that after this was done they could have a normal life. She would understand if Carter wanted to stick in this world of danger and technology but it would not be easy now. Before when they had just had themselves to think of it hadn't seemed like this but now there was so much more at stake.
"You know what I was thinking?" Carter asked when he lifted his head from hers.
'Hmm?" The blue eyed angel asked gazing up at him wistfully.
"I think that after this is over we should get out of the business, maybe leave on one of the space colonies and try for a normal life." Carter suggested and Dana blinked uncertain if she'd heard her husband correctly.
"Did you just say…?"
"I think I've had enough defense and offense." He said adding. "I'm not saying the world should be defenseless but there are others who can do this. Maybe it's time to just be an everyday family, you know barbeques and preschool."]
"Thank God.' She said and the relief in Dana's eyes had Carter smiling at her. God how he loved her, she always did what was right for them, or sense they'd gotten married.
***
Light raider:
The ship was on auto, they were heading back to the assembly destination where they'd meet up with Leo and the galaxy rangers so they could take back Mirinoi. They'd also be joined by the Karovian squad as the Aquition rangers and the triforians were helping take back earth.
For the moment there was only prep work to do and since Devon and Heath were on that and Sarah was double checking the medical bay's supplies he finally had time to himself.
"You know some scars take longer to heal." Cassie said taking a seat across from the ruby starspeed ranger and Ryan glanced up her. She looked tired but somehow thoughtful.
"You love her don't you?" The question slightly surprised him, how had this new comer seen that? With how they'd been acting since just after her arrival he'd have thought she'd thought they were acting like enemies.
"Do you?" Cassie asked pulling Ryan from his musings and he wondered what she was thinking.
Other than the grim look on Cassie's face there no indication of her thoughts. "Even if you don't say it, it's obvious whenever you look at her." She said knowingly adding. "And she feels the same way about you."
Ryan wondered why it was everyone kept telling him what he was feeling. Wasn't this his life? Why did they all try and put in their two cents? Wasn't that what had caused the strain between them to begin with?
"Looks can say allot more than words." Cassie shrugged as if it was obvious. Getting up to go grab them some coffee.
"Like with Carter and Dana." Cassie said smiling. "They didn't say things at first, at least that's what Kelsey, said when I did her hair a while back." Cassie added then as if only realizing she'd gone off on a tangent she added. "They loved each other since they'd first met and yet it took them two years to fess up."
"Anyway, you and Hollie are good together, she's wild and you're strict. I can see the love between you ad that you're fighting it, and yes
Don't know what has you so scared of your feelings but I know that if there's a problem between the 2 of you you can't let it fester. Relationships that do are doomed from the start." She said and he knew it was not merely an observation. He wondered if that had happened to this Asian young lady. Either way he knew she was right. The thing was how could he fix what he'd done? He wasn't even sure she wanted him to anymore. Hollie had been avoiding him so completely lately. Not that he could blame her, he'd not handled Eldon's observation well. How had she ended up there at that time anyway?
"Sometimes things aren't so easy." He said aloud and got up and stalked to the wall unit.
"With love things work out." Cassie replied as someone entered the room.
Ryan turned to find it was only her mate and knew she'd been talking about this man and another. Perhaps she was right.
"Just remember that scars take not only time but love to heal." Eldon said and with that he and Cassie left Ryan there with his thoughts.
"Ryan, Come in Dam it!" Carter fairly shouted snapping the titanium ranger's attention to his communicator.
"Mitchell here."
"What the hell are you doing?" Carter demanded and Ryan scowled.
"My job." He shot back.
"Is that why your sister is standing on a ledge demorphed with a burn on her back and holding a little girl while you stand around?" Carter growled transforming Ryan's scowl into a frown.
"What are you talking about?"
"Look up." Carter barked and the worry masked by anger struck Ryan and he was looking. At the top of the building Ryan could see Hollie coming out a window, then the girl heading for a drain pipe. He could see she was unmorphed but duh, Ryan
Had forgotten they'd not done the power passing. Still what was she doing? Then he saw the reason for Carter's ire and shuddered. Both Hollie and Dana
Were seconds away from sudden death? He'd hate to be Carter, so far away and then it hit him, Hollie was moving, edging towards Dana and the child she held in her arms. He too saw the young man coming out of a window and waiting. Brian would be there soon.
God, she'd been so brave, Ryan thought looking into the now cold coffee Cassie had blue ranger him. How had he forgotten about that or how she took charge when things were going badly?
"Ok, take her to hyper warp." Ryan announced but Hollie shook her head.
"We can't." When she said that all eyes but Joe's went to hers. "We're not clear enough."
"Just do it." Ryan ordered in annoyance. He was in charge here.
"No." Hollie argued looking him right in the eye.
"I gave you a…" Ryan was cut off when he was thrown backward by a blast.
"More trouble on the rise." Devon announced and Hollie smirked.
"Five bogies!" Heath called and noticed Hollie was doing something on her control panel.
"Line up lasers, then when they shift fire plasma cannon!" Ryan called to the opal starspeed ranger. He glanced at the gold starspeed ranger but she was doing something on her consol.
"They got us in lock!" Ryan heard Devon calling and Ryan glanced at him then at the screen and cursed.
"Not if I can help it." Hollie muttered and typing in commands.
"Hollie damn it what are you doing!?" Ryan shouted at the gold ranger as the ship dove.
"Taking them to school!" Devon grinned as he adjusted their angle.
Ryan felt his lips smiled at the memory of how she'd defended her action after that little episode. It struck him that was one of the things he truly loved about Hollie; she did her thing and dealt with the consequences. It was as he'd done back when he'd first been a ranger. He had even gone so far as to disobey his father when the rangers needed him. Yes, they were very much alike. He knew what Carter's sister would say, she'd cal them kindred souls. Ryan just thought that maybe they were both insane. Perhaps that was why he had been so annoyed at the idea that he loved her, things would never be settled. He'd never have a life like Carter and Dana. It wouldn't even be like Chad and Kelsey's because they were both reckless. True he'd learned to tamp that down but he had his moments and even understood Hollie's need for retribution. That need she had scared him, she could get herself killed and not blink, if he cared though it would kill him to lose her. Still what choice did he have?
***
Astro megaship:
Sitting there on the side of the bed Leo watched his wife sleep. He still couldn't believe she'd talked him into letting her come with them. This would be dangerous enough for the rest of them but she was very pregnant. He could still remember her major reason for coming.
"If I lose you I don't want to have the baby." Yes he knew it was selfish but he loved her too and couldn't stand the thought that if he did let her stay on KO-35 they could get attacked and she could die anyway. Leo didn't know what to do anymore but he knew he loved Kendrix and would die to keep her and their little one safe .
***
Light raider:
As Hollie lay there huddled at the bottom of her bunk she could hear the sound of footsteps beyond her door but didn't bother to get up, she couldn't. Since she'd stalked out of the galley two days ago she'd just felt so ill. How had she let herself care about such a creep? True he was right, they didn't need this new complication but God, why had she heard him say it? Did fate really have in for her? First her parents, then the dreams and now the only one she'd ever come close to loving not wanting to love her? She knew that some people would say at least he loved her but if it had to hurt so much…
Dam it how had he gotten in to her heart anyway? She wondered as the sobs silently racked her body. She'd always been so careful, not being mean but keeping everyone at arms length. Now though that hadn't worked and he didn't want her.
Slowly the sound of knocking faded as did her sobs and Hollie fell into a deep sleep.
Hollie held tight to her mommy's hand, she couldn't believe it; they were really going to the zoo. The six year old was practically jumping out of her shoes.
"Mommy can we see the panda?" She asked in her high sing song voice as they crossed the street.
'We'll see honey." Colleen marsh replied smiling down at her little girl.
The sound of the screams had the pedestrians scattering, screaming and all out panicking even before they saw the monster.
Hollie felt the pain when someone shoved her mommy out of the way and she herself hit her shoulder off of a parking meter.
She was so scared, where was her daddy? She could feel her mommy's hand but where was he?
"Daddy!"
"I'm here Honey!" Called peter marsh as he fought to reach his daughter even as the ground began to shake.
"We have to hurry!" HER MOMMY WAS SHOUTING AND Hollie was scared, she couldn't get eaten.
"Peter up there!" Hollie heard her mommy shouting and they were just shoving Hollie into an alley when her mommy screamed and then Hollie watched as a
Car landed on her mommy.
"No!!!"
"Hollie you have to run down the ally as fast as you can, run until you can't run anymore ok?"
"But daddy what about…" there were tears stinging her eyes, what was he gonna do?
Just then there was a sound of flesh hitting flesh and she moved to look passed her daddy.
"Daddy the power rangers…"
"Hollie no you have to go and keep…"
The hands were shaking her and she felt them, the strength and something else, safety. As her eyes flew open she found the silver ones at her level, concern glowing in them.
"Ryan? What's…?' But she didn't have a chance to finish before his lips were on hers, his arms about her in a crushing embrace.
At the contact of his lips against hers Hollie's eyelids drifted closed. In spite of their current situation There was a tenderness, a passion yet untapped and something familiar.
God, when he'd heard her crying from the hall he'd thought he'd go crazy but when she quieted he'd thought maybe she was alright again. Still he'd listened and then there had been the cries and he'd known what had happened. She'd lost herself in dreams, nightmares. God, how had he let her alone now? God, how could he have let his mission in the way of everything.
Hollie didn't know how she knew his feelings or thoughts but just then with his mouth devouring hers hotly she did and wanted to cry again, for what she didn't know but she knew he was just as mixed up as she was.
"Don't shut me out again." Ryan said when he finally lifted his head from the kiss. Hollie was still against him and didn't move but to say.
"You said you didn't want the comp…' He was shaking his head to cut her off.
"It's not exactly easy for me to deal with emotions.' Ryan said slowly adding. "When you came in phantom ranger had just made the observation that I had um…' How could he explain this to her with out sounding like an idiot?
"Look Ryan it's ok, I know you don't want there to be anything between us. I can deal with that.'
"Hollie, that's not it. I don't do well with changes, I'd just been confronted with the fact that I love you and I wasn't sure how to deal with it." Ryan admitted wearily.
"Oh…" that had her legs going to jelly, it was a good thing that she was still on her bed.
"Like that would ever happen pathetic ranger.' The voice snarled and Hollie found it was not Ryan she was with but the Somet general, the man she'd saved Marie from over two and a half months ago.
"I killed you."
"Did you loser?" The evil villain mocked looking at himself as if to see if he were really there. "It looks to me like that was the dream and this is your truth." He said and Hollie found herself no longer in her quarters aboard the light raider but in looked to be some sort of medieval dungeon. Her wrists and ankles were bound and she found she was alone, no longer with the Somet warrior. Well she was not alone the bodies of her parents broken on the floor. Her mother as she remembered her was now smashed into a bloody pancake and her father.
"No!"
TBC
***
there we go chapter 16 I just have one question, is anyone still reading this? I haven't gotten any reviews in like three chapters,. I know everyone has lives but if there is anyone out there I'd really like to know. Ok, sorry if that sounds a little frustrating but I've got a bad headache and I don't know wonder if this is going anywhere.
Either way hope you liked this chapter and the next will be out soon.