Hey everyone, just wanted you all to know that it might be sometime until I update. There are a lot of problems going on back at home, and I'm unble to be of any help because I'm away at film school unti Nov. 2.
Wes sat at his desk working on his computer when his father walked in. Mr. Collin's didn't fail to notice that Wes hadn't even looked away from the computer to acknowledge him. It had been like this for the past few weeks, Wes working nonstop, not taking a break for anything.
"Wesley, why don't you let me finish up the paperwork today, you should go out have some fun," Collins encouraged, as he placed his hand on top of the stack of files on his son's desk.
"No, that's okay Dad, I don't mind," replied Wes moving the stack of files closer to him.
Collins sighed heavily bowing his head down. While he wanted Wes to take on more responsibility this was not what he had in mind. Ever since Wes had broken off the wedding, he had buried himself in work, taking on more cases and projects than he should. Collins had hoped that this was only going to be temporarily. That Wes was working himself to death to take his mind off of things. But now Collins had a feeling there was more to it. He truly believed Wes was doing all he could so he wouldn't get involved with anyone and so he wouldn't think about Jen, and what his life could have been like had she stayed.
It was hard for him to watch his son suffer. No parent should have to see their own child suffer so much, and Wes was suffering far more then he led anyone to believe.
Wes looked up, still feeling his father's shadow looming over him. "Is there something you need, Dad? I have a lot of work I need to take care of."
"Wes, this isn't healthy, you need to start going out again, have some fun like you used to."
Wes shot a cold distant look to his father. "Last I checked you thought I was having too much fun, now you're having a problem with me working too much. What do you want, Dad?" yelled Wes, feeling his frustration grow. He had been so tense lately it was only a manner of time until he would blow.
"Wes-" before Collins could finish, the office door opened.
"Great! What is this, Interrupt Wes Day?" grumbled Wes as he tossed his pen onto his desk, knowing he wasn't going to be able to get any work done now.
"Nice to see you too, Wes," Eric commented as he walked into the office with Tommy following behind him.
"Doesn't anyone understand I have a lot of work to do," Wes hadn't even noticed Tommy standing right next to Eric.
Tommy just shook his head. He had thought that maybe Eric had only been exaggerating, but clearly Eric had been right. Wes wasn't himself, now he could see why Eric had been concerned. "Man, things sure have changed since the last time I saw you two. You were the sensible one and Eric was the hardass, now it seems you two have switched places," remarked Tommy, recalling when he first met Wes and Eric two years ago. Wes was the easygoing kindhearted guy and Eric was hardheaded and stubborn.
Wes locked eyes with Tommy, at first he didn't recognize the guy, but then it came to him. "Tommy? What are you doing here?"
It was about an hour later when Tommy finished explaining everything to Wes and Eric about what was going on. But there was little he could tell them. All he could tell them was that a mutant that called himself Janixsaur, a half dinosaur-demon showed up out of the blue joining forces with Mesogog, claiming he was from the future. How far in the future, they weren't sure. Janixsaur, from what Tommy could tell them, was a powerful and very smart opponent. He and his teammates had not been able to even put a scratch on the mutant. That is when Tommy knew he had to get help, so he drove the four and half hours from Reefside to Silver Hills seeking Wes and Eric's help.
Eric stood in front of his safe in his office unlocking the combination. Once he finished, he opened up the safe and inside he saw something he thought he would never have to use again, his morpher. He reached in and took it out and for a moment just stared at it. It seemed so long ago.
"Looks like the quantum ranger is back in action," announced Eric. Maybe for the last time Eric put his morpher back around his wrist.
Elsewhere, Wes was in his room sitting on his bed staring at his morpher. He thought the day he and Eric had put away their morphers would be the last time he would ever see or have to use it, but now all that had changed. Reefside was in need of their help.
Wes then began to wonder - why had he and Eric put away their morphers in the first place? What had been their reason? He used to tell himself it was because there was no need for them. There were no monsters, mutants or robots creating havoc in the city, only common criminals. No, that hadn't been the reason, it had been Eric's way of saying it's time to move on and forget about those who have come and gone.
Wes sighed heavily as he turned his head towards the desk next to his bed. On the desk he saw the oval shaped badge, which had lost its shine, and next to it a half burnt polaroid picture of four people. His friends from the future and the woman he would always love.
"Jen." Wes closed his eyes as a memory came over him.
She had told him once that perhaps she could change her destiny too, but things don't always work out the way you want them to. Sometimes there are parts of your destiny that you have no control over. And they both had to learn that the hard way.
They stood on the beach facing each other in sadness, it had only been a year ago since they had done the same thing, but this time it was different. This time they each knew how the other felt, which made this time much harder than the first. A reality that they didn't want to face, didn't want to accept, but had no other choice.
Wes took Jen's hands into his own staring right into her face, watching as small tears rolled down her cheek. He loved her more than anything in all the world and he would have given anything in the world to make it possible for her to stay... But there was nothing he or she could do to make that possible. This was one battle they could not win, would never win.
"I don't want to lose you, not again."
"I know. I don't want to lose you either, but I can't stay, no matter how much I want to."
Wes did his best to hold back his tears, but even he wasn't strong enough to stop his heart from breaking into a million pieces. "I want you to know I will always love you Jen, nothing will ever change that."
"I'll always love you too Wes." Jen turned her head towards the time ship where the others were waiting for her. "I have to go," she said brokenheartedly.
Wes gulped in heavily, nodding his head softly. He began to lean towards her, but she pulled away.
She could see the hurt in his eyes and felt the pain he was feeling; as much as she wanted the kiss, she knew it would only make things harder. "Please don't. It's already hard enough as it is."
Wes nodded his head, not answering. He then put his arms around her, holding her close to his heart, not ever wanting to let her go. Jen wrapped her arms around him tightly, and for a short moment they held each other, both of them wishing that this moment could just be frozen in time and never end.
Jen slowly pulled away, crying heavily. "Goodbye Wes. I'm sorry."
Brokenhearted and filled with pain and sorrow, Wes watched as she left him behind once again and probably for the last time. "Goodbye..." he cried softly.
The memory faded away leaving Wes in tears. Why did it have to hurt so much? Why had they fallen in love, only to be torn apart, because they lived in two different time periods?
He heard a knock on his door. He dried his eyes quickly, not wanting whoever it was to see him crying. Things were bad enough without everyone worrying and hovering over him like he was a child. "Come in."
The door opened and Eric peered into the room. "You ready? Tommy's waiting for us outside."
Wes didn't answer at first. He just sat on his bed with his head down. Eric wasn't even sure if Wes had heard him. He walked around the bed over to his friend. Eric could tell that Wes had been crying, even though Wes did all he could do to hide it. "Wes, maybe you should stay here. I can handle it."
"WHAT!" Wes, angry, stood up and faced Eric. "You think that I can't handle it, don't you?" he yelled.
"You haven't exactly been yourself, ever since-"
"Ever since what, that I broke off the wedding with Lisa?" Wes's anger and frustration continued to grow.
Eric turned away for a moment, he took a deep breath. "All I'm trying to say is I'm worried about you and so is your father. Look at yourself Wes, this isn't you."
Wes could feel himself steam up and although he heard every word Eric said to him, it wasn't sinking in. "Well maybe this wouldn't have happened if you and my father would have kept your big mouths shut, if it hadn't been for you two I would be married now!"
For the past couple of weeks Eric had been doing everything he could do to keep his cool, but now he had had just about enough of Wes's behavior. He got right into his face. "I never said you shouldn't marry her, so don't turn this around on me or your father!"
Wes smirked. "You could have fooled me, because I was clearly sure that was what both of you meant."
"You know damn well that is not what we meant!"
"Yeah! Well then please, tell me what you meant," replied Wes, acting all childish.
That did it. Eric grabbed Wes by his shirt collar and slammed him up against the wall. "You can't even see it can you? What you've become? What would Jen say if she saw you acting like this? She wouldn't even recognize you!"
Wes angrily shoved Eric off of him. "Leave her out of this!" Wes grabbed his suitcase and bolted towards the door. He briefly looked over his shoulder. "I'll see you and Tommy in Reefside. I'll be taking my motorcycle."
Eric watched as Wes stormed out of his room. "Damn!" Eric punched the wall with his fist, knowing he had let his anger get the best of him.