HI EVERYONE! I'M GLAD THAT MOST OF YOU LIKE THE LAST CHAPTER. THIS STORY HAS 20 CHAPTERS IN TOTAL, AND THE SECOND PART IS ALMOST FINISHED!
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK THIS STORY ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE AND THAT IT'S CLICHE CAN STOP READING IT. WHILE I DO ENJOY SUGGESTIONS, TELLING ME THAT MY STORY HAS NO REAL FEELING IS NOT VERY NICE.
I HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE READING THIS ENJOY THE REST. PLEASE R&R!
One Month Later…
"Do you, Wesley Alan Collins, take Jennifer Marie Scotts to be your wife?"
Wes looked at Jen. "You bet I do," he said. That caused some light laughter from the crowd and Jen just smirked.
The minister then looked to Jen. "Do you Jennifer Marie Scotts, take Wesley Alan Collins to be your husband?"
Jen looked at Wes, and caught Eric behind him mouthing 'No!' Eric looked over Jen's shoulder and saw Taylor shooting him a death glare. Eric stopped and smiled at Jen, and she continued.
"I do," she said smiling. The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur for Eric. He couldn't believe that it was finally happening… Taylor was wearing a dress.
Sure the wedding was an added bonus, but all he could think about was how gorgeous she looked standing behind Jen as her maid of honor.
Wes had asked him to be the best man, and as much as he hated wearing a tux, he was more than happy to stand up for his best friend.
The crowd was filled with several friends from their from their ranger days… Tommy was there alone, while Jason was there with Kat who looked amazing for having twins only a month earlier. Cole, Alyssa, Danny, Max, and even Merrick and Shayla were there, as well as Carter and Dana. TJ was with his fiancé, Cassie Chan, and Andros was there with Ashley on his arm.
Eric snapped back to attention when Wes and Jen kissed and headed down the isle. Taylor walked over to him in her floor length champagne colored dress and he offered her his arm.
Taylor took it and they followed the newlyweds.
Later, Wes had arranged for all the former rangers to be seated at the same table.
"Who knew all these people would be here!" Max said.
"I bet Wes doesn't even know half of them," Eric put in. Taylor lightly smacked his arm.
"Oh come on," she said. "I'm sure he at least knows… some of them."
"You would think that wouldn't you?" Eric challenged to her.
Kat just grinned. "So, how long have you two been married?" she asked. Eric nearly choked on his drink.
"Us?" he said motioning between him and Taylor. "Married?" he asked shocked.
"We're not married," Taylor said. Kat blushed a little.
"I'm sorry… it's just that you both act like you are," she said. Jason slipped an arm around her.
"Why not?" came a somewhat inaudible question. Taylor glared at Max who was trying to cover his comment.
Taylor squirmed a little. She and Eric acted like they were married? Where did that come from?
Tommy saw both she and Eric's discomfort. "So, Jase how are my favorite niece and nephew?" he asked. Taylor and Eric both breathed a little easier when the conversation turned to the assorted ranger offspring.
Jason and Kat seemed to be bursting with pride at the mention of their children. Kat talked mostly to Ashley about her newborns, Austin and Zoë, while Ashley gave her some advice on her own kids.
Eric was sweating a little and decided to get some air. Taylor saw him leave and decided to follow him.
The wedding reception was in the Collins' backyard, so finding him shouldn't be too hard.
Looking around she saw the solitary figure sitting on a stone bench. He seemed to be saying something to himself…
Eric sat and put his head in his hands. 'Do I really want to do this?' he thought to himself. 'If Kat was serious, then maybe this'll work out.'
"Hey," Taylor said as she sat next to him. Eric's head snapped up at hearing her voice. Was it just her, or did he seem… nervous?
"Hi," he said as he looked at her. She was easily the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. Not just tonight, but everyday that he saw her. They had been together now for nearly eight months, and he knew he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life… but was it too soon?
"Hello? Earth to Eric? You in there?" she asked gently. She took his face in her palm. "Where'd you go? You were a million miles away just then."
Eric touched her hand with his and brought it to his lips. "I'm fine. I just needed some air."
Taylor smiled weakly at him. She had something she had wanted to talk to him about, and after what Kat had said… it got her wondering how he would feel after she told him what she had to do.
"There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about, and I guess now's as good a time as ever," she said.
"I don't like where this is going," he said jokingly. Taylor didn't smile though.
"You know we defeated the last of the Orgs?" Eric nodded. "Well, since we're through being rangers… we need to go back to our everyday lives."
It was then that Eric understood. "Meaning you need to go back to the Force," he said softly. He knew this was coming eventually. "So you're going back to Seabrook," he stated.
Seabrook was the next town over from Turtle Cove. On some maps it was so close that people actually thought it was one city. It wasn't that far away from Silver Hills, but neither one of them wanted to be parted.
Taylor nodded her head. "Yeah… meaning that I have to move back on base for a little while. Until I finish out my contract."
The two of them stayed there in silence for a while before Eric spoke. "Do you want to go back?"
"In a way, but then again I want to be here with my friends… with you. I know that sounded totally corny, but-"
Eric leaned over and kissed her gently. "It's not corny. I actually think you're developing a soft spot for me." Taylor grinned and kissed him again.
"And I think you're starting to sound like Wes," she said grinning. Eric groaned.
"Anything but that," he said as he leaned his forehead against hers. "When would you have to leave?"
"As soon as I can. I'd be surprised if they haven't already considered me a deserter."
"If you have any problems, I'll just put in a call and tell them you were working undercover for us."
"You'd do that?" she asked.
"Of course I would. I'd rather have you home with me, but I know you want to finish what you started."
Taylor smiled and kissed his forehead. Eric got to his feet and helped her to stand. "Come on. They probably think we ran away," he said. He took her hand and led her back inside…
A week had passed and Eric was sitting in his office when a cadet came running in. "There's trouble in Turtle Cove. The TCPD needs backup. Something about an island dropping out of the sky. There's a monster on the loose," he said breathlessly.
"Get the troops together and head out immediately," he ordered. The cadet did as he was told. His heart was pounding. The Animarium… Taylor… he grabbed his things and ran.
In Turtle Cove, the Wildforce rangers were facing their worst foe yet… Master Org himself.
The rain poured down and Taylor felt every ounce of her strength slowly slipping away. Their zord crystals had been destroyed and it seemed as though they were defeated. She had cried then… it was like a part of her had been torn out and shattered.
Her mind was swimming as she stood with her teammates on the rooftop over looking their once beautiful city. The dismal sight was enough to make her want to cry. Her eagle zord was gone, but she knew they couldn't give up.
One by one they called on their ancient animals in a desperate attempt to stand up to the powerful Org.
In the distance Taylor could see flashing lights and thought of Eric… she had to get through this. She couldn't let this thing defeat her and destroy those she cared about most in the world.
Then, out of the darkness came a light, or rather six lights… their zords came back! ALL of them.
Within a matter of moments, the forces of the earth destroyed Master Org once and for all. The rangers all cheered as they saw the heart disintegrate, and saw the Animarium go back to its rightful place in the sky.
Taylor took her team down to the ground to make sure everyone was alright. She saw a red beret out of the corner of her eye and her heart stopped.
"Eric!" she called.
Eric heard his name and turned. Taylor was dripping wet and he instantly wanted to hold her.
He ran to her and she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around him. They clung to each other as if for dear life.
Cole saw the happy scene and turned to see Alyssa crying. "It's over," she said. Cole took her in his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried tears of joy as he comforted her.
Eric kissed Taylor's cheek and saw the state she was in. "Are you ok? There's an ambulance over there," he said. Taylor just hung onto him and he welcomed her weight in his arms.
"I'm fine… now," she said as he looked at him. Eric saw tears in her eyes and kissed her gently. Everything was finally over…
"Marry me," he said. Taylor looked at him and smiled wide. It may have been a little sooner than expected, but she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
"What, no ring?" she asked as she let more tears flow. She lowered her legs to the ground and looked into his eyes.
"I'm serious Taylor." He pushed her wet hair back and she saw the truth and almost desperation in his eyes.
"Yes," she said without hesitation. "Yes!"
Eric picked her up and spun her in the air, kissing her on the lips. The world was safe for now, and a whole new world was being created…