Disclaimer: The usual. Don't own anything you recognize.

Note: The idea of Sky being the child of Wes and Jen did not originate with me. It originated with white time ranger in her excellent fic - A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words. She has graciously consented to let me borrow it for this piece. Thanks!

KINGS AND VAGABONDS

By Etcetera Kit

I keep recalling how life used to be
Now and then I wonder - have we changed?
With your hand in mine, oh, the moments shine!
Like the pictures in a storybook, we will turn the pages
Sharing pieces of the memories
I care for you now, as I did then at our beginning
Our beginning

Chapter One: Our Beginning I

Year 2003

Crugger's people from SPD were coming. Wesley Collins let out a shaky breath and held the small body of his son closely. Sky was awake, but he was being quiet, his blue eyes wide and frightened at the panic of his parents. It shouldn't have come to this. Sky was only three! Six months… he, Jen and Sky had been able to be a family for six months and now Crugger was threatening to ruin it all.

He and Jen had thought that Sky would be safe. His birth certificate showed that he had been born in 2000, well before the experiments that went awry and altered people's DNA happened. They should have known that it would only be a matter of time before Crugger and the rest of the SPD people realized that Sky had been conceived in 2002. Their son had been conceived after that disaster with the mutorgs. Jen went back to 3001 and then came forward again to 2000 to monitor mutant activity. When Time Force realized she was pregnant and learned who the father was, she was ordered to stay in 2000. Wes had taken a time ship to see Sky's birth, but they were all reunited when he was two and a half. He and Jen had married and, for all intents and purposes, he forgot that the experiments in 2001 had altered his DNA.

No one was sure what those alterations meant for the children born of those parents. All Wes knew was that someone was coming to take his son away. Crugger had made noises about it being safer for the children, but Wes couldn't see how ripping Sky away from his family would be better. It didn't matter what might happen to Sky. All that mattered was that he and Jen would love him no matter what. Jen had received permission from Time Force to remain with Wes until Sky turned twenty-one. They had a future together.

Well, he would be damned if Crugger was just going to take his son away from him and put him with total strangers. It helped that Eric was still a Silver Guardian and had listened in on the radio waves, informing them that this was coming.

Jen came out of Sky's bedroom, a small duffel bag filled with his clothes and other things that she deemed essential. She had his train blanket and teddy bear under one arm. Sky reached out in a sleepy, lethargic way to grab his teddy bear.

"What's going on?" Sky muttered, his small voice muted from sleep and emotion.

"You're going away with Uncle Eric," Wes murmured. "It's going to be all right."

"Un'ca Eric?"

"Yes," Jen replied, gently smoothing down the sleep-tousled hair of their son. Sky took after Wes in more ways than one. He had dark blonde hair that was still baby-fine. He also had blue eyes. Jen gently kissed his forehead.

A lump lodged in the back of Wes' throat. He didn't want to send his son away, but it had to be done. Knowing that Sky was with Eric would be better than not having any idea where Sky was. Schuyler Alan Collins… the son he had dreamed of having, who was now being ripped away from him in this cruel twist of fate.

"Wes?"

He turned at Eric's soft call from the darkened entry hall at the huge Collins' mansion. He held Sky a little tighter, knowing that their separation was imminent. They went down the stairs to see Eric.

"The car's still running," Eric said softly. "We've got to get as much of a head start as we can."

Wes was still amazed that Eric agreed to this, the fact that he was Sky's godfather aside. Jen handed Eric the duffel bag and the blanket, along with Sky's favorite cup that she had pulled from a table upstairs. Eric took the items, a look of fierce determination on his face. Wes gently kissed Sky's forehead, holding the small body close before handing him to Jen. She was crying, her tears mixing with Sky's hair as she kissed him and hugged him.

"We'll always love you," she whispered.

Eric gently took Sky and nodded to both of them, before going out to the car. They followed, watching as Eric settled Sky into the car seat that Phillips had put in his car. Sky looked too tired to care about where he was and fell asleep almost immediately. Wes tried to swallow the lump and fight the tears. This wouldn't be for long. Hopefully, Sky would be able to come home.

He and Jen each took turns hugging Eric. "Thank you," he whispered.

Soon enough, the Quantum Ranger had gotten into his car and was driving off into the night with their only child.

Wes and Jen held each other and cried.

Year 2005

He was tired of running. That's all he had done for the past two years. Run. God, he wanted to settle down someplace before it was time for Sky to start school, since he knew that school would be hell if they kept moving every few months. It was almost inevitable that the moment they stopped running someone from SPD would find them. The last thing that he wanted to happen was to have Sky taken away. Wes and Jen had put their faith in him to keep Sky safe and he was going to do that.

Eric Myers sighed as he unpacked a box of dishes, setting the mismatched plates and cups in one of the cupboards. Sky was in his bedroom, deciding how he wanted to organize his books and toys on the milk crates that had become his shelves. It was the eighth house they had lived in for the past two years. Three months seemed to be the maximum amount of time they could stay put. But Newtech City was small and not on any maps yet. It might take longer for someone to track them here.

Sky was supposed to start school in the fall. It was June. Eric wasn't sure that they would be able to stay here long enough for that to happen. Oh, he would start school in the next town, but… moving had become distasteful to both of them. They could stay, but he wasn't sure what would happen if they were found. He hadn't talked to Wes and Jen in months because that was how they were found in the last place.

"Eric, what is this junk?"

He turned slightly at the sound of Taylor Earhardt's voice. He hadn't heard from her in close to three years, but had been shocked to learn that she was stationed in a town not far from Newtech City. She had offered to come over and help them unpack. It was nice to actually have a friendly face in a new town. He and Taylor had had their differences in the past, but managed to get along relatively well.

"Junk drawer," he replied, glancing at the odd assortment of cookie cutters, cheese graters, peelers and other odd assorted kitchen utensils. He pointed to a large drawer next to the stove. "Put it in there."

Taylor shook her head and began emptying the contents of the box into the drawer. "I don't see how you keep on the move like you do."

"Trust me, I don't want to."

"What's it like for Sky?"

Eric didn't answer, just let his gaze go to the kitchen window. It had been hell for Sky. The boy had been relatively happy—a normal hyperactive kid two years ago when he had been with his parents. Now, he was withdrawn and quiet, almost like he expected things to fail before they even began. Eric didn't want it to be like that. Sky was too young to understand what would happen if the people from SPD found them. Crugger had some strange reasoning regarding keeping the kids with their parents. Although, as far as he knew, the children of the others involved in those experiments were still with their parents.

"I know why you do it though," Taylor said softly. "Cole and Alyssa are afraid of losing Elizabeth sometime soon."

Alyssa had been involved with the last of the experiments in late 2001 as part of a college project. The Evans' had one daughter—a little girl named Elizabeth who was just past two. There were others. Carter and Dana Grayson had three kids that had been born after the experiments. Mike and Maya Corbett had one child and lived on Mirinoi. Eric had no doubt that all of them would be hunted down. It made him wonder what Crugger was waiting for. A false sense of security, perhaps? Wes and Jen had gone to such extreme measures to hide Sky that he felt the others might do the same.

"I'd be betraying Wes and Jen if I let something happen to him."

Taylor was silent, but she moved closer to him and gently rested her head on his shoulder, her arm going around his waist. He was grateful for the physical contact. "I hope things work here," she whispered.

The doorbell rang, letting out an ear-piercing shrill chime.

"I've got to get that fixed," Eric muttered.

"I'll get it," Taylor said. "It's probably your new neighbors, coming over with some cookies."

"In your dreams."

He went back to unpacking the dishes as Taylor went to the door. "Eric?" she asked. He looked up and his heart froze at the sight of the two people he had been running from for the past two years. Anubis Crugger and Katherine Manx… How the hell did they find them here? He had been so careful, covered his trail… Eric immediately thought of Sky who was in his room with nothing to prevent him from being taken.

Crugger held up a hand. "Please, Eric, don't worry. We're here to strike a bargain with you."

He felt his fists clench. "I don't make bargains with kidnappers."

The big blue dog sighed. "I realize that our methods must seem suspect to you, but I'm not here to take Sky away from you." He paused. "You've done an admirable job hiding yourselves for the past two years, but it's time for you to stop."

"What are you talking about?" Eric cut his eyes to Taylor. She was edging towards the back of the house, towards Sky's bedroom. If she was there to stop something… he cut his eyes back to Crugger and Manx.

Manx set a file folder on the cluttered kitchen table. "Sky can't know his real parents or roots," she said softly. "But we're willing to let you keep him. These are the official adoption papers. The conditions of the adoption are simple. You cannot tell him about his real parents or roots or contact any of them. He can't see them. Second, his last name needs to be changed to reflect neither you nor his parents."

"Why should I agree to any of this?"

"It's what is best for Sky. We don't want to uproot him since he's been with you for two years. You two need to stop running and settle down. He just cannot know about his family." Manx held a pen out to him.

"Why?" Eric asked. "Why are you doing this?"

"You don't see what I do," Crugger said.

"If I refuse this?"

"We take Sky and put him in a foster home. You would never see him again."

And Wes and Jen would never see him again… Eric felt like someone else was guiding his hand as he signed the papers. He didn't want to lose Sky—that would be far worse than all of them losing him forever. Wes was one of his closest friends. Manx handed him a copy of the papers, the new birth certificate… Eric looked at the name on it. Schuyler Alan Tate… at least he still had some part of his old life left.

Crugger and Manx left without another word. Eric sank down into one of the chairs, not knowing if his burden had lifted or doubled.

"Dad?"

He turned to see Sky coming out of his bedroom with Taylor. Sky had started calling him 'dad' of his own accord about a year and a half ago. Eric had done nothing to stop it, figuring that it was best for blending in and something that a little therapy could cure in the future. Now, it looked like Eric really was his father.

"Sky," he said softly, opening his arms to the boy. Sky climbed up into his lap, snuggling close to him. "I've adopted you," he whispered. "I'm your father now."

"Okay," Sky replied, his blue eyes wide and not quite understanding. "Are we going to stay here for a long time?"

"As long as we can," he promised.

Sky fell silent, just leaning into the embrace. Eric closed his eyes, smoothing down the slightly ruffled blonde hair. Sky was just a little kid who didn't really remember his real parents and now, he never would. His heart broke when he realized that Sky would have no idea who Wes or Jen were. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He was vaguely aware of Taylor putting her arms around both of them.

Life had been so wonderful for a while… where had that gone?

Year 2006

The reports from the others had been trickling in for the past week. First, Carter and Dana reported that someone had tried to abduct their children from the school playground, but the twins had notified a teacher. Second, someone other than Cole or Alyssa tried to pick Elizabeth up at daycare. Sky was long since lost to his parents.

Maya Corbett cradled the sleeping body of her son against her chest as she rocked them back and forth in the afternoon sunlight on Mirinoi. She and Mike had wanted a child for so long… there had been a point where they almost gave up all hope. They had lived on Mirinoi for two years and then went back to Earth because Mike had been involved in some experiments going on. They had come back to Mirinoi and, a year later, conceived their son. After almost four years of marriage, Bridge finally came into their lives.

She gently smoothed Bridge's hair down as he clutched his stuffed dinosaur to his chest with one arm and sucked on the thumb of his free hand. He was still just a baby—his third birthday had been only days ago. Crugger and Manx had said something years ago about their children, since Mike had been involved in the experiments, having genetic mutations. Maya had never dreamed that that comment would mean taking their children away from them. Crugger was from a planet Maya was unfamiliar with and she didn't know what special abilities he had, but she didn't think it was ever good to take children from parents that loved them.

As gently as possible, she tightened her grip on Bridge. There was no way she going to give anyone her son without a fight.

"Maya!"

She turned at the sound of Mike's voice. "What is it?"

Her husband came onto the back porch, a panicked expression on his normally calm face. "They're here!"

"Who?"

"Crugger and Manx."

Maya involuntarily had a sharp intake of breath. No… those were the two people that were going to take Bridge away from them. Mike was already inside their house, putting things from Bridge's room into a duffel bag. Maya stood up, holding Bridge close.

"Mommy?" he asked, tears evident behind the word.

"Shhh," she whispered to him. "It's okay."

"We have to hide him," Mike was saying. "If we take him to the village and let Jara hide him somewhere with the villagers. They can disguise him and keep him safe so that Crugger and Manx stop looking for him."

Mike put the duffel bag over Maya's shoulder and handed her Bridge's dinosaur blanket. Maya quickly wrapped Bridge in the blanket. He was still holding his dinosaur and looked close to tears at the panicked state of his parents. He had always been attuned to their emotions and this was upsetting him.

"Take him to the village," Mike said. "I'll hold them off here."

"Daddy?" Bridge started to cry softly. Mike leaned forward and gently kissed his son's forehead.

"I love you, Bridge," he whispered. He gave Maya a quick but firm kiss on the lips. "Go!" he whispered. "They're not going to get our son."

Maya nodded and took off through the back door. There was a rough path through the woods behind their house that led to the village. If she could make it to the village, then Jara and the others would help her. Bridge was half Mirinite. The people of Mirinoi protected their own. There had to be a way.

Bridge was still crying as she moved along the rough dirt path. Maya gently whispered to him and tried to calm him down. He was normally a good-natured baby, hardly ever cried except for when she or Mike was upset about something. He picked up on particularly strong emotions, something that Mirinites did. Maya knew that he was scared. This was out of his routine and what he expected. Bridge equated routine with security and non-routine with chaos and fear.

"It's all right," she tried to sooth him. She began to hum a song that Jara sang to her when she was little. Bridge's cries died down to plaintive sniffling.

The path became a little more solid and the trees thinned. The distant smoke and voices from the village began to filter into her consciousness. Almost there… she began to run as fast as she could, holding Bridge tightly.

"Jara!" she called as she ran into the village. "Jara!"

The old man, elder for the tribe, moved towards her. "Maya," he said with some surprise. "And little Bridge. What's happening?"

"I can't explain now," she said breathlessly. "I need you to take Bridge and hide him. Someone wants to take him."

Jara's ancient blue eyes filled with concern. "Of course," he said, reaching out to take Bridge who immediately began to fuss. "No one will find him."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that."

The pair turned to see Manx walking into the center of the village. Maya held Bridge tight to her, his little arms locked around her neck. "You can't have my son," she hissed, backing away. The villagers closed ranks beside her and behind her.

Jara moved towards Manx. "What is the meaning of this?"

Manx pointed to Bridge, now sobbing into Maya's neck. "That boy has to be removed from his parents for his own good."

Jara shook his head. "Maya and Mike are good parents. How is it better for Bridge to be away from them?"

The odd cat-woman moved forward. Maya cried out, holding Bridge near. The male warriors of the village stepped forward. "I have no quarrel with you," Manx told the men. "But if you do not move, then I will be forced to cut your throats."

"The boy and his mother are Mirinites," the head warrior said. "If you want them, then you had better be prepared to destroy the entire village."

"Move," the cat hissed.

"We do not fear death," the warrior replied.

Manx leapt forward, like a real cat, unsheathing vicious claws from her hands. "You will die then," she growled.

"My soul is prepared. How's yours?"

Her claws sang in front of his face, leaving three deep scratches in their wake. He pushed her off. She leapt forward again, this time landing in front of Maya. She sheathed her claws and began to tug Bridge away from her. "No!" Maya screamed.

One last tug and fear of hurting Bridge was enough for the cat to get what she wanted. She leapt away from Maya with Bridge in her arms. The little boy was crying hysterically now, holding his dinosaur with one arm and reaching out for Maya with the other.

The warriors closed in on her, but it wasn't enough. The cat was faster than all of them as she sped back towards Terra Venture. She ran after them, not caring about the speed and still carrying Bridge's things and his blanket. Kai was stationed on guard as she caught a glimpse of Manx leaping into the City Dome. "Kai!" she screamed. "Help me!"

Kai didn't think twice. He took off after the woman. Maya ran, but came to a dead halt in front of the shuttle bay. Crugger walked up to her and took the duffel bag and blanket. "Thank you," he muttered before walking off. The shuttle doors slammed shut. Her feet were frozen.

Bridge was still screaming and those cries were the only thing she heard as the pair made off with her only child.

To Be Continued...

Author's Note: The initial response to this knocked my socks off! Most things will be clarified or explained in future chapters. Also, I think I should note now (lest I forget in future chapters) that Jack will appear in this story but he will be a minor character - he has no powers nor does he become the Red Ranger (as you can probably gather from the prologue). I cannot promise regular updates with this piece. Yeah - I also borrowed a line from Indiana Jones. If you can identify it, give yourself a cookie... now, reviewer responses:

angelbaby03usa - I plan on writing more to this piece, although I cannot promise regular updates. Thanks for reviewing!

Arrowned - Thanks for the compliments! For me, I had some technical dilemmas with including Jack to a large degree. (That, and I think the dynaic between Sky and Conner would be hysterical.) Glad you like it!

BloomingViolets - Thanks:)

Brandon B - I have nothing against Jack. In fact, I think he is one of the more likable characters on SPD. I ran into problems trying to include him in this story. (The original draft of the story didn't include Z either.) First, he has to have former rangers as his biological parents and there were no cannon (or remotely fannon) couples I could use that would be believable. (Since, it's doubtful that Jack is bi-racial.) Second, if I had included Jack, then I couldn't bring back Conner. In conclusion, I like Jack, but couldn't bring him full-force into this piece. Thanks for reviewing!

cheerleader chic - Conner and Z? Wow, I'm getting quite a few couple requests. Pairings will reveal themselves as the story goes on. I'm glad you like the story so far.

Feline-Feral - It's just bad form for me to have two stories on the go. I'm just a neat nick and want things orderly and finished. I'm glad you're liking this piece so far!

fenestrae - I would love to do a recap of where all the other DT rangers ended up, but it's not part of this piece. Glad you like it so far!

jedi4jesus19 - Thanks! Glad you like it!

Jenna Summers - Thanks! As for Kira making a reappearance, only time will tell. :)

LucyE - Kira and Conner romance? As I've said before, only time will tell. Thanks for reviewing!

Mae - Thanks! I want to continue with this piece.

MagCat - It doesn't really matter who Conner's ex-wife was (is.) Jack will make an appearance in this piece, but as a minor character. As for other former rangers showing up, only time will tell. :) Thanks for reviewing!

Titanium Gold - Drama? Me? I see what you mean. I'm glad you like it so far!