Chapter 11 A Day like none other
The feel of safety and warmth was the first thing Dana recognized as the haze of sleep receded. She lifted her nose and sniffed the air. It was probably morning; she could smell dampness, like dew. There was also a hint of sulfur, then the familiar scent of the man whose arms she lay cradled in.
"Morning there." Carter's deep voice said softly and she felt the little smile cross his face. Even early in the morning the man sounded so incredible.
"Morning to you too," she said and moved so her lips could meet his. Even with morning breath the kiss was sweet like a chocolate kiss.
"How long have you been up?" She asked realizing that he must have been up for a while he was always an early riser.
"Hmm, have been for a little while." He murmured brushing her lips again relishing these few minutes when it was just them.
"And you didn't wake me? It has to be getting…" she began to push against his chest. He just caught her hands and again kissed her.
"I think you earned some extra rest with your little feet last night." He said readjusting her so her head lay on his chest.
"Oh I um…" She felt so good there, like she'd been looking for the right bed and had found heaven instead.
"You saved all of us with your new power, Dana you have more than any of us could have even dreamed of and…" this time she was the one to kiss him.
The shouting had them breaking apart and both frowning.
"What the…" Carter began and she cut him off.
"Come on we should go check it out." And she was up and pulling him to his feet as well.
"Yeah just…"
***
"Hey, how do you feel?" Kelsey opened her eyes at the sound of the now familiar voice. Ryan was still there, holding her close.
"I'll live, is Dana up?" She managed to push herself off of his lap.
"No, she's still out. How's the ankle?" Ryan asked and she moved it slightly.
"A little sore, I'm glad even without our morphers we still have the power in us, the healings really great."
"Yeah," Ryan didn't exactly think so, otherwise Dana wouldn't have had to have so much medical attention or reconstructive surgery to her face.
"Hey you ok?" She asked a little worried, he'd not said much after the attack last night just tried to splint her ankle for her.
"Hmm? Oh yea, just thinking." He said with a little nod.
"Care to share?" Kelsey asked and he shrugged.
"I don't know, I guess it's kind of dumb..." He said as if wanted to say something but at the same time didn't. She just rested a hand on his shoulder and waited.
"Come on Ry you listen to my dumb ideas." She said when a few minutes passed with not a word from her new friend.
"I know but, I just keep thinking that if I'd just been there I should been with her, if I'd just thought to spend time with her…" he looked into the dying embers of last nights fire wishing for all he was worth he could go back and fix this. If he could just save Dana…
"You know," She began afraid he'd not want to hear what she'd been thinking but knowing that it was something he had to hear. "I know it's horrible to say but I think in a way this was meant to happen." She felt him stiffen beneath her hand even before she'd gotten the last out.
"How can you say that?" Ryan exploded jumping up from his seat his silver eyes blazing with fury at the very thought.
"I knew I shouldn't have said anything." She muttered half to herself. She'd thought maybe he'd be ready to hear the truth she'd come to last night but…
"Your damn right you shouldn't that's a horrible thing to…" He growled breaking his fire stick in two and flung it away.
"She's right." Chad spoke up then bringing Ryan's furious gaze to bore into him accusingly on him.
"Excuse me?" He demanded in a low growl.
"I said Kel has a point, if not for the attack we'd not have this chance to defeat the queen." Chad said knowing the other boy had been through a lot but that he needed to face this.
"And you think that it's ok for my sister to be handicapped for the rest of her life just so the damned demons can be…" Ryan shouted at the top of his lungs his rage stronger than his worry for Dana at the moment.
"Man she's trying to sleep." Joel broke casting a glance in the direction of his other two friends.
"And then there's you, Mr. I can't get a girl unless…" Ryan began lowering his voice only a decibel or two.
"Ryan what's wrong?" A soft voice called and all eyes shifted to the pair standing a few feet from them.
"Dana?" He asked his face changing slightly at the sight of her, she looked ok. Her blonde hair a little matted but other than that there was really no sign that she'd blown up a brigade of shadow warriors.
"Hey are you ok?" Kelsey asked and Dana nodded.
***
"I was what's going on?" Dana asked and she could feel Carter to her right and knew it was very true.
"Shouldn't you be using your cane?" Ryan asked and she shook her head.
"I'm fine, will someone tell me why there's so much shouting over here?" She said and took a few steps forward focusing on the camp and then on her brother's voice.
"Yeah guys, what's going on?" Carter spoke up too looking over his team.
"Nothing." Ryan muttered angrily and stalked off.
"Ryan wait…' Dana started off after him but Joel was there grabbing her arm.
"Let him go, he just needs to be alone a little while." He told her and she knew he was probably right, she'd heard most of the shouting match and could even understand it from Kelsey's point of view but she wanted to help Ryan, but how?
For a minute there was only silence and then Dana pulled free, she knew what she had to do. She and Ryan really did need to talk, there were things he had to know.
"I think I need to talk to him." She said and Carter nodded to his friends. He knew that it was time. If this didn't happened now there might not be another chance.
"Alright we'll take care of breakfast." Chad said and Dana smiled in his direction as she headed off after her brother.
"Kel want to open the packets?" Carter asked the still injured girl.
"Sure." She said sounding a little disheartened. Carter just smiled at her knowingly.
***
Ryan felt like kicking something but there was nothing to kick. Instead he kicked at the sand and felt a little satisfied as it went flying.
"What did that sand ever do to you?" A voice asked and he whirled to find his sister coming his way.
"Dana you shouldn't be wondering around out here alone."
"Well," she paused as if thinking. "I'm not really alone am I your out here."
"Dane, you know what I mean."
"Look Ryan I know you blame yourself for what happened. So does Carter but he's dealing. The thing is he knows something you don't."
"He does?"
"Yes, Ryan I think I was looking for trouble." She told him and Ryan frowned.
"Why?"
"Guilt," she said simply then added. "Ry I lived when you could have died. Then you were taken by the demons, all because Dad saved me."
Ryan knew that he'd said that to her before but to bear it from her mouth was so out of place.
"Dana, you were 4 years old what could you have done?"
"Been the one to fall." Her words hit him like a shot to the gut. Did she really feel that way? Sure he'd said those very things to her once upon a time but...
"Dana, I know that's not true, you should too." He said fervently, didn't she know that?
"Ryan, I used to have nasty dreams of watching you falling. I know it's not right because I couldn't see you from how Dad was holding me but..."
"It was the guilt." He said knowingly, in fact he did know. He'd been having the same kind of dreams about her attack every since it had happened. He didn't exactly know what to do so he moved to her and put his arms around her in gesture of both comfort and understanding.
***
Dana wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as tight as she could. It was funny but she needed this as much as he did. She needed to feel him there, to know that he was really alright and that he didn't blame her anymore than she blamed him for what had happened.
"What happened to me, Ryan it was my own doing, not yours or Dad's. I made the decision to go to the park alone. I wanted that time to myself."
"Dana, why didn't you say anything be…" the rock hit Ryan from behind and Dana was moving, slinging a wall of sand around him where he now lay so their attacker couldn't get to him.
"Ryan can you hear me?" She called silently, waiting even as she tried to send a separate message to Carter.
"Carter!"
***
"Here." Kelsey handed the red clad young man a packet of dehydrated eggs.
"Thank…" The scream had him breaking off his sentence and shouting to the others.
"What's going on?" Chad called coming back from their wood gathering mission.
"Dana is in trouble!" Carter shouted as he was running off. The men were right behind him. Kelsey moved to follow but Joel called back to her to wait there, that she'd be safer.
***
The sight that met Joel's eyes had him staring at what was happening. Flying shadow things were swooping low over a sand box. Not just a box, but one as tall as Dana and as long as a body. He felt sick. What had happened?
***
Carter was lifting rocks to hurl them when there was a high pitched whistling sound. He had to resist placing his hands over his ears even as the creatures evaporated. Chad and Joel were with him as he ran to the sand box.
"Dana, Dana you can stop it now!" He shouted and hoped she could hear through the protection she'd created.
"She'll hear you better if you speak with your mind." A female voice called and Carter turned to look at the figure who'd come to their rescue.
"Who are you?" Joel was asking but she wasn't listening as she closed her eyes.
***
Dana felt so dizzy and she didn't know how much longer she could keep this all going on. She'd thought she'd fully recuperated from last night but she must not have. She tried to reach Ryan's head but nausea welled up.
"You can let down the wall, their gone." A strange voice said and Dana had an odd feeling she could trust the voice. Within seconds she was dropping the walls.
"Dana!" She felt the arms about her even as others were running and then there were voices and she was a little nauseous.
"Ryan…' she gasped even as darkness closed in around her.
"I'm ok," The world had finally stopped revolving. He was pushing into a sitting position even as Carter was helping Dana to sit as well.
"I'm alright," Dana was saying and she was, she was a little tired but she felt much better than she had while she was doing the protection.
"Are you sure?" Carter was asking as Kelsey joined them.
"Would someone like to fill me in on what just happened?" She asked and then was moving to Ryan's side.
"Another shadow attack." Chad said and Ryan was frowning as Kelsey checked the back of his head.
"Dana?" Kelsey asked confused.
"I protected us."
"So I see but how? There were no rocks and…"
"She made a sand fortress." The stranger spoke up once more and Dana paused a moment. That was the person who'd communicated with her in the midst of the fight.
"Who are you?" Carter asked finally turning his full attention on the new comer.
"I am Dulcea Master Warrior of the planet fetos and you are those sent by the counsel I presume?"
"The counsel?" Joel frowned in confusion wasn't it the old rangers who'd decided they should come.
"Yes." Carter said stepping forward a wary hand extended in greeting.
Dulcea looked the young earthling over. He was strong, tall and she could see the leader of the group. The blonde girl who moved up beside him had to be the girl Talon had spoken of. She was the strongest of the team. She could see that. She would only grow stronger on this trip. Dulcea just hoped she was ready for this. She noted also how the red clad boy was just as willing to protect her. That was the thought that fled her mind when the ancient warrior felt her eyes drawn to the male in blue.
***
Chad couldn't take his eyes off of the creature. She was tall, slender and dressed in the oddest costume he'd ever seen. It funny though he had the feeling He'd met his match; she just radiated such an aura of quiet confidence and wisdom.
***
"We're looking for the great power, can you help us?" The girl in yellow broke in; Dulcea looked her over and knew not just by her yellow shirt but by her aura that she was the yellow ranger. There was just that way the wind called from her back and the look in her eyes, daring the world to challenge her. Then her eyes went to the young male in green, he looked like an upstart, one who would do anything for attention. She just hoped the others were Right about him. Although it was her job she still didn't like to see people die. When she heard the final member of the group clear his throat and step before the pink clad girl she knew this was the brother. He looked good, a strong warrior and incorrigible sorcerer, one with a fire blazing in his silver eyes. He'd be the most likely to brave the odds. Maybe if they could face the truth and trust one another fully they'd make it.
"I will do what I can to assist you but we'll have to leave now. We want to reach the temple before dark." She said and with nods the group headed off.
***
Three hours later Dana began to wonder if they'd ever reach this place, she was tired, her feet hurt and she had a killer head ache. She thought of saying something to the others but that would just slow them up. She didn't want to do that. They had to hurry; it was probably already getting dark. Beside her she felt Carter's silent strength and it made her feel a little better. He was not complaining and she knew he was used to jogging a few miles a day But not like this. This was not over flat terrain, they went and down hills, over boulders and under rocky overhangs. Carter was also being his typical Leader self, checking on everyone and just being really great. She wished she could do that, it had once been her job but…
"How long's it been bothering you?"
"What?" She asked surprised by his speaking. He'd just asked if they needed a break.
"Your head." He asked and Dana gave him a wan smile.
"Not long, how'd you guess?"
"You have this little frown mark right," he brushed a finger over a spot on her forehead.
"Oh," what could she say to that?
"Here." He said and she found even as they walked he pressed two little pills into her hand. She smiled, then he pressed the canteen into her other hand.
She didn't say a word until she'd downed the medicine and took a drink of the cool water.
"What would I ever do without you?"
"You'll never have to find out."
"Hey is everything alright?" Chad asked joining the pair.
"Yeah, just a little residual effect from this morning." She told him and he nodded, then remembering that she couldn't see the gesture he said aloud.
"That's good, you should probably have rested."
"But we don't have time so I'm making due." She smiled and he looked to Carter.
"You know, I have to admit your doing much better than I would in your situation."
"Actually I think that unless we experience a situation we really can't know how we'll react." she said and wondered if he even knew what she felt, if any of them could even imagine it. Ok, the headache was thinking for her again, that was not good.
"Alright, we just have to make it up the mountain and we'll be there." Came Dulsea's voice from ahead of the three.
"Great," Joel muttered joining them, his face wan, eyes just as unsettled As Carter's and Chad's. Dana heard the exhaustion in the sky cowboy's voice and knew by the stillness in the other two men that they were all feeling the same. She was tired but she knew if they were to get through the next few days they'd have to have heart.
"Come on you guys, it's not that bad, and look at all we've already made it through. A mountain should be a walk in the park." She said and tapping into her extra senses she located each of them. Reaching out she took Chad's hand, put it in Joel's and then took Joel's other and also Carter's.
"Dana what are you doing?" Joel frowned and she just shifted her cane. Then used her new power to mentally fold it.
"Dana I don't know what you're thinking but…"
"We're off to see the Wizard!" She started to sing loudly and Chad and Joel exchanged looks. Carter was trying to control his laughter, Leave it to Dana to do something like this.
***
"What?" Ryan asked when Kelsey stopped only about fifty feet up the mountainside.
"Check it out." She said and he looked to where she was pointing. The scene just had him frowning.
"I don't get it, what are they…' He began but hen she put her finger over his lips so he'd hear.
"The wonderful wizard of OZ!" When Ryan just continued to look confused she remembered he'd never seen the children's movie.
"It's a long story but do you see what she is doing?"
"Making them sing?"
"She's making them lighten up. Look at Joel and Chad, their both laughing and Carter looks like he can barely stand upright."
Ryan did see the mirth then and realized that somehow she'd given them more energy, from singing? Ok things just kept getting weirder. It struck him that Kelsey was acting like herself, she was sill limping but she was not letting it stop her or holding that morning against him. She'd been fine ever since they'd gotten attacked. He took in again just how lucky he was to have her as a friend. She was spunky, understanding and nonjudgmental. He knew he had something he should have said to her earlier and turned to do so.
Kelsey had turned to watch Ryan's reaction and was standing so close that when he turned he almost knocked her backwards. She felt a shock when his arm shot out to brace her. It was electricity went through her.
"I um…" He began trying to figure what had just passed through him; it had been as wild as the power when he morphed. The feeling was so wild that she didn't think, she just leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Ryan was stunned but he felt as if he'd die if he pulled away. This just felt so right. Wrapping his arms about her waist and drew her flush against him, feeling her warmth and the spark growing. Chapter 21 Transformations
***
Carter glanced over at Dana and saw the bloom of roses in her cheeks. Heavens she was lovely, her golden hair blowing in the wind. He thought she'd never looked healthier, even before the attack.
It was Joel who tapped him on the shoulder and the other man fallowed his gaze. The view that met his eyes made Carter laugh, Ryan and Kelsey were occupied in a passionate lip lock. Who would have thought that the loner and the wild one would hook up?
"What?" Dana asked and Carter took a deep breath.
"Guess who are um making out?"
"What?"
"Kelsey and Ryan are kissing." Chad smiled seeing the tablo as well.
"You're kidding?" Dana felt a hope with in her she'd not known was missing before. Maybe Ryan would find his happiness here as well. She truly hopes so."
"Nope, they're standing about fifty feet up the path and kissing like there's no tomorrow." Joel told her and the hope burst free.
"Yes!" Dana pumped a fist into the air.
"Uh, Dana, am I missing something here?" Joel asked and she started forward, they'd waited enough time, and it would take a little time for them to reach the others, so that would take long enough.
"Kel finally found her match and my brother has someone who is his complete equal in everything."
"Oh, that makes sense." Chad smiled. There had been a time when he'd thought maybe they'd end up together but Dana was right, Kelsey and Ryan were perfect for one another.
***
When they finally broke apart both were gasping for breath. Kelsey gazed up into his eyes and wondered what he was thinking; did he think she was crazy?
Did he think she was too bold? But then he'd kissed her right back…
Ryan didn't have time to think as he spotted the group coming their way, his sister in the lead. She looked very happy and the others were also smiling.
It struck him that they'd probably seen that kiss and he wondered if Dana would object to him dating her best girlfriend. He hoped not, he really did like Kelsey now that he thought about it. Not hat he'd not before but it was just that he hadn't realized there was such chemistry between them. Not that he'd really had that much experience with chemistry, Vypra being the only female around. He had just been repulsed by her, she was so venomous…
Looking back at Kelsey he knew this was right, she was good and kind and understood him better than anyone ever had.
"Come on," Ryan said and shifting his arm about her he silently let her know things had definitely changed.
"Alright, let's get going, we still have a ways to go before we reach wherever we're going." Carter announced not saying a word about what they'd witnessed.
Ryan met his eyes and then he nodded.
"Hey Kel!" Dana called happily.
"Hmm?" The yellow clad girl asked half dazedly.
"Good for you two."
"Dana?" Ryan was a little surprised.
"What? I can't be happy for two of the best people?" She asked in a mock insulted tone.
"Yes I guess."
"You best not hurt her though, I know where you live." Dana grinned and they were off once more.
TBC