Note: The next part is longer.
Another Time, Another Place
by Smittysgirl
He looked around the quad outside Channel 3's downtown offices and frowned again. They had an assignment for Mr. Cornier they needed to get done by Friday. His internship aside, her job hung in the balance.
Devin couldn't imagine what would have distracted the typically career oriented Cassidy so totally. Save, of course, aiding in Ranger duties. That seemed unlikely, as Dr. T hadn't paged him.
He might not be able to fight alongside the Red, Yellow, or Blue Rangers, but Devin hoped Dr. Smith ranked him higher on the food chain than Cassidy.
At least he hoped so. He wasn't too sure, no matter how nice Dr. Smith was.
"Oh, man," he said, looking about again. He wondered if he should call her on her cell, or if he'd get yelled at for that.
He sighed. Better Cass yelling at him than being unhappy. He pulled out his cell and autodialed her. The line rang for nearly a minute before Devin clicked off in frustration. Either she'd disabled call waiting in the last two days or the phone wasn't on.
He wondered what was going on. Wondered if she'd scheduled something without him knowing. Since they were kids, she'd never hidden what she was going to do.
He shook his head, and wished he had Kira's number or a way to get in touch. If he didn't, they would be dead soon. Figuratively speaking.
Trying the next best thing, he punched in Dr. Smith's direct line to Dino Ops. That took only a couple of seconds. White noise filled the earpiece of his cell phone. Somewhere in the distance he could hear a man answering.
"tty here," it repeated.
"Dr. T, like, is something going on? I can't raise Cass on her cell."
"vin, he-" came the voice again. The sound tapered off, and the older man became audible. "Sorry. I'm actually on the ATV, you're being routed through my bracelet. What's up?"
"I can't raise Cass on her cell, is something wrong?" Devin asked. "Why are you on the ATV? Do I need to be somewhere?"
"Something's the matter with Trent," Dr. T said simply. "I'm pursuing. Nothing is the matter that I'm aware of, though nobody's minding the base at the moment. Is there something you'd like me to do? I could swing by her house. I'm out by her housing development."
"Um... well, Cass was at Kira's," Devin said. "And, um, what's wrong with Trent?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Dr. Smith sighed. "I'll fill you guys in when I know more. Do you want me to page Kira on her morpher?"
"If you could, and if it's okay, Dr. T," Devin said. "I'm kinda worried."
"Don't worry, I'll page Kira and make sure Cass gives you a call. Dr. T out."
Devin breathed a sigh of relief, laying back on the concrete outcropping surrounding the fountain. It might have been silly, but he felt immensely better for knowing he had someone like the Black Ranger to turn to.
Devin knew he wasn't a decisive or strong-willed person. How he'd held his own this many years with both Cassidy and his father was beyond him. But this Ranger stuff, the possibility that someone not checking in meant they were being turned into a mutant, or kidnapped by aliens, or emissary to a race of sentient planets... He'd have gone batty without Dr. T there.
He checked his equipment once again and waited for Cass to call him.
The shrill chime of Kira's dino bracelet jerked both girls upright. Cass didn't remember falling asleep on the bed herself, but she must have. The younger girl stood no chance of dragging her back to bed.
"Kira here," Kira said automatically, her hair a mess. Bed hair, Cass realized somehow.
"This is Dr. T. Is Cassidy there? Devin's a little worried."
Their eyes met. Cass, awkwardly, broke the glance. Kira's gaze returned to the morpher. "Yeah, she's here. I'll get her."
She tapped off the comm line for a few seconds, hitting the call button again and raising her wrist to Cassidy.
"Dr. T?" Cass asked uncertainly. "What's wrong with Devin?"
"Apparently you both had an appointment this morning. He was afraid you'd gotten in Mesogog's crosshairs again." The fuzz around Cass' brain dissolved like a splash of cold water.
She could hear the older Ranger mutter something. "Girls, I'm going to have to let you go. I have a situation on this end. I'll call if stuff gets hairy. Dr. T out."
Cass lookied at Kira, then frantically dug in her bag for her Zire. She punched past the protection and looked at her schedule. "Damn."
Reaching further into the purse, she produced her cell phone. Dead. No battery. Of course not, she'd meant to charge it after Conner's little episode and got sidetracked for the next sixteen hours.
"Argh," she said. Kira slid behind her, softly leaning against Cass' back and holding her reassuringly.
"Kira, I gotta go," she said, jumping up and trying to get everything together.
"You could, um," she stammered, chewing her lip. "You could call him and cancel. I'd really..."
"This isn't a date, this is an assignment," Cass said. "Oh, I will be so dead. Can I use your phone?"
Kira nodded. Clearly Cassidy's choice of words had cut the smaller girl in a way she hadn't intended, and Cass kicked herself for it.
Grabbing Kira's phone, she quickly punched in Devin's cell and fed him a cockamamie line about investigating pre-native american cultures in Reefside. She promised to be there within thirty minutes, which - given trafic this time of day - was being very unrealistic.
"Sorry, Kira," she apologized, trying to struggle into her clothes. She wouldn't look like the usual beautiful Cassidy Cornell, but she'd rather that than lose her job at Channel 3. Besides, Devin worried enough without her.
Kira embraced her again from behind, and Cassidy tried to ignore how warm and inviting the lithe form felt. Just like the bed she hadn't intended to sleep in.
"I, um... last night... you really showed me what friendship was. Nobody's held me. Nobody's told me they care without asking anything of me. I..." Kira stammered.
Cass wanted to kick herself, and quickly finished getting the rest of her clothes back on. "Kira, I'm not going to leave you. We're friends, right? Last night was wonderful, and nothing has to change. IÊ just have an obligation for Mr. Cornier I need to take care of before Friday. I'll see you later today, I promise."
Kira nodded, her deep hazel eyes conveying a wealth of emotion that Cass couldn't even begin to decipher - and didn't know if she wanted to.
Cassidy looked over herself, grabbed her bag, and hurried out the door, fleeing towards Devin and their appointment.
to be continued.