"Don't you think Wes has had enough pain without you broadcasting his loss
in the evening paper?" Eric growled grabbing the reporter by the collar.
"But sir" He stammered.
Wes stormed off toward the edge of the veranda staring off into the garden his shoulders tense and rising and falling with the deepness of his breath. Dana rushed to his side.
"You reporters have no common sense at all." Carter said glaring at him.
"This man's life, the life of his family, and the lives of his children have been shattered and all you can think about is making money off the story. If he had been any other Joe Shmoe off of the street instead of the son of the great Anthony Collins of Bio-Lab, you would have left him alone." Alex seethed.
"Not to mention breaking into his home on the day that he buried his wife." Eric added.
"Please it's not like that at all. My job is on the line and my wife is pregnant. If I don't get this story I'm going to be fired."
"You should be arrested for trespassing." Eric said shaking his head. "Myers here." He said into his walkie talkie "I have a trespasser we need removed from the premises."
"Sir please I need to feed my family." The reporter begged
"And Wes has to protect his." Eric said getting ready to take the reporter to the armed escort waiting inside the French doors to the balcony.
"Wait." Wes said quietly turning and walking toward the frightened young man.
"What is it Wes?" Carter asked removing Eric's tight grip on the reporter's collar.
"When you write the story make sure you tell them how much Jen loved and cared for her children and her family." He said slowly and evenly.
"Thank you sir. I'll never forget this." The reporter said backing away from the angry stares of the other rangers.
"When you write the story you tell everyone what a beautiful person she was. If you don't I know who you are and what paper you work for. Mr. Collins would be glad to buy it and shut it down." Eric warned his glare burning through the reporter.
"Y-yes sir, I'll make sure I do."
Wes walked slowly toward the edge of the balcony again. He stared out at the small white headstone that adorned the grave Jen was buried in. Alex approached him. "Wes," he began
"Why are you here?" Wes said cutting him off.
"I wanted to come and tell you face to face how truly sorry I am. Jen was a great warrior and an even greater person, I'm really going to miss her."
"You're sorry. Alex that's really funny. You and the others knew Jen was dying and you had the technology to save her, but you didn't. I'm having a hard time believing that you are sorry about any of this. Your command never wanted her here they wanted Ariel and as long as Jen was living they could never take her from us. Now that she's gone you think you have a clear path to taking her. Well, let me inform you Alex, Ariel isn't going anywhere as long as I'm living." Wes said bitterly.
"And me." Eric said stepping up behind him.
"Count us in too." Carter and Dana said coming up next to Wes.
"Tell your command they will never have either of Jen's children. There are rangers here waiting for the challenge and we will protect them with our very lives." Wes finished coolly.
"That's not why I'm here." Alex said shaking his head. "Wes I know you're hurting, I am too. I know you won't accept her death, but it was her destiny. I can't go against regulations. If I were to interfere in the weaving of the fabric of time, it's an offense punishable only by death."
"Screw your regulations!" Wes cried out angrily. "Jen risked her life for you more than once. Dammit Alex if you loved her why didn't you risk your life for her? You let her DIE Alex!"
Wes stormed off into the house leaving a stricken Alex behind him staring at him slack jawed and shaken.
"Alex, we all know." Dana began putting a hand on his shoulder.
"No, please don't. Wes is right. I should have done anything and everything in my power to save her and I didn't because I was afraid. I was selfish and a coward." He turned to the others. "I'm sorry, I should never have come here."
Dana and the others watched as Alex descended the wrought iron spiral staircase that led to the gardens below.
"Do you have a feeling he knows something?" Carter asked coming to stand next to Dana.
"Yeah, and he isn't about to tell us." Eric answered cynically. "I'm sure he could be persuaded."
"Eric. No, not yet. It is not the time for anger." She said watching Alex make his way through the garden. "It's a time for sorrow and healing. Tomorrow is another day and I don't think that Alex is leaving."
"But sir" He stammered.
Wes stormed off toward the edge of the veranda staring off into the garden his shoulders tense and rising and falling with the deepness of his breath. Dana rushed to his side.
"You reporters have no common sense at all." Carter said glaring at him.
"This man's life, the life of his family, and the lives of his children have been shattered and all you can think about is making money off the story. If he had been any other Joe Shmoe off of the street instead of the son of the great Anthony Collins of Bio-Lab, you would have left him alone." Alex seethed.
"Not to mention breaking into his home on the day that he buried his wife." Eric added.
"Please it's not like that at all. My job is on the line and my wife is pregnant. If I don't get this story I'm going to be fired."
"You should be arrested for trespassing." Eric said shaking his head. "Myers here." He said into his walkie talkie "I have a trespasser we need removed from the premises."
"Sir please I need to feed my family." The reporter begged
"And Wes has to protect his." Eric said getting ready to take the reporter to the armed escort waiting inside the French doors to the balcony.
"Wait." Wes said quietly turning and walking toward the frightened young man.
"What is it Wes?" Carter asked removing Eric's tight grip on the reporter's collar.
"When you write the story make sure you tell them how much Jen loved and cared for her children and her family." He said slowly and evenly.
"Thank you sir. I'll never forget this." The reporter said backing away from the angry stares of the other rangers.
"When you write the story you tell everyone what a beautiful person she was. If you don't I know who you are and what paper you work for. Mr. Collins would be glad to buy it and shut it down." Eric warned his glare burning through the reporter.
"Y-yes sir, I'll make sure I do."
Wes walked slowly toward the edge of the balcony again. He stared out at the small white headstone that adorned the grave Jen was buried in. Alex approached him. "Wes," he began
"Why are you here?" Wes said cutting him off.
"I wanted to come and tell you face to face how truly sorry I am. Jen was a great warrior and an even greater person, I'm really going to miss her."
"You're sorry. Alex that's really funny. You and the others knew Jen was dying and you had the technology to save her, but you didn't. I'm having a hard time believing that you are sorry about any of this. Your command never wanted her here they wanted Ariel and as long as Jen was living they could never take her from us. Now that she's gone you think you have a clear path to taking her. Well, let me inform you Alex, Ariel isn't going anywhere as long as I'm living." Wes said bitterly.
"And me." Eric said stepping up behind him.
"Count us in too." Carter and Dana said coming up next to Wes.
"Tell your command they will never have either of Jen's children. There are rangers here waiting for the challenge and we will protect them with our very lives." Wes finished coolly.
"That's not why I'm here." Alex said shaking his head. "Wes I know you're hurting, I am too. I know you won't accept her death, but it was her destiny. I can't go against regulations. If I were to interfere in the weaving of the fabric of time, it's an offense punishable only by death."
"Screw your regulations!" Wes cried out angrily. "Jen risked her life for you more than once. Dammit Alex if you loved her why didn't you risk your life for her? You let her DIE Alex!"
Wes stormed off into the house leaving a stricken Alex behind him staring at him slack jawed and shaken.
"Alex, we all know." Dana began putting a hand on his shoulder.
"No, please don't. Wes is right. I should have done anything and everything in my power to save her and I didn't because I was afraid. I was selfish and a coward." He turned to the others. "I'm sorry, I should never have come here."
Dana and the others watched as Alex descended the wrought iron spiral staircase that led to the gardens below.
"Do you have a feeling he knows something?" Carter asked coming to stand next to Dana.
"Yeah, and he isn't about to tell us." Eric answered cynically. "I'm sure he could be persuaded."
"Eric. No, not yet. It is not the time for anger." She said watching Alex make his way through the garden. "It's a time for sorrow and healing. Tomorrow is another day and I don't think that Alex is leaving."