Disclaimer: Someone wanna sell me some witty disclaimers? But then I'll have to put a disclaimer for the disclaimer…

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone that reviews, particularly those folks who come back with them chapter after chapter! I love reading your comments :-)

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The only sound in the room was that of bristles being pulled through long blonde hair already thoroughly untangled. She sat cross-legged and pajama-clad on her bed, a faraway look in her eyes that said she saw nothing for the moment but the thoughts in her head. Even when the bedroom door slid open, it couldn't be said that her reverie was completely broken.

"Hey." Bridge stood on the threshold, also dressed in nightclothes and looking a little hesitant when he saw her pensive expression. He gave a tentative wave. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." She straightened up a little and tried to put on a more welcoming face.

He shuffled into the room and perched on the end of her bed, holding out a small but thick yellow envelope.

"I had the pictures I took at your party printed," he said. "I know you like collecting actual photographs."

His thoughtfulness cheered her a little, and she accepted the envelope with a warm and grateful smile. "Thank you, Bridge."

"No problem. You're coming to Movie Night tonight, aren't you?" He sounded hopeful.

Movie Nights were an event planned every so often by a bored cadet. A projector and screen were set up in the largest of the dormitory rec lounges, and cadets of all levels could go and relax with a flick and whatever snacks were provided.

She didn't really feel like going, but Z had already left, and the alternative of spending the evening alone in her room with her thoughts was even less appealing.

"Yeah, I'm going," she replied, but resumed brushing her hair, slowly and meticulously. "I'll be there in a little bit."

The Green Ranger's expression lit up, obviously glad she was going, but perhaps a bit overly so. "We'll save you a seat."

"Thanks." She forced a smile, hoping to get rid of him though she knew she couldn't hide her true emotions from him. It was possible he wanted her to attend Movie Night so she wouldn't be sitting alone with her moody feelings. But then again, Bridge was the biggest movie buff amongst the Rangers, and a genuine advocate of Movie Nights.

After he left, she set down her hairbrush and picked up the yellow envelope, pulling open the clasp and shaking the stack of photos into her palm. They were matte, which she preferred over the normal glossy finish, but she didn't know how the Green Ranger could have known that. Fond memories of the surprise party sparked in her mind as she browsed through the photos, improving her mood even further.

The first dozen or so were "scenery" shots of the celebration—the gazebo, the giant banner, the picnic table stacked with all her presents, and her beautiful birthday cake while it was still whole. There were also several shots of the guests mingling, all so varied that she imagined the camera must have been passed along to several handlers. Her favorite, which brought a genuine smile to her face, was an up-close self-portrait by Jack, who grinned rakishly at the camera while holding up the cupcake he'd given her like it was a golden apple.

Someone had snapped a few pictures of the Rangers playing Frisbee. While most were distance shots, there was one memorable one of Z mid-somersault and upside-down in the air, her skirt flared out like a giant yellow fan. Sydney set that one aside along with the picture of Jack, knowing both were one hundred percent collage material.

The next two photos made her pause. Both were of herself and Sky, the severity of first his scathing glare and then hers completely undermined by the frosting they had smeared on each other. He was grinning in the second picture, even as she shot daggers at him with her eyes. He was grinning the same way he did when he'd dumped water on her head, a moment she'd never forgotten.

Sky looked like a dork whenever he grinned. His more typical stern expression probably made other female hearts flutter, but she, being his teammate, saw entirely too much of it. Like precious metals and gemstones, she loved his smiles because they were so rare.

A slow, quiet sigh of longing filled the silence as she gazed at the photo a minute longer, then set it aside, facedown. It would be an old, treasured memory one day—or collateral for blackmail.

He had lied to her. She had seen their schedules earlier that day, and he did not have a shift in the coming weekend. At first she'd been confused; Sky didn't make mistakes like that when it came to work. But he also wasn't a very good liar. At worst, he just wouldn't say anything at all instead of saying something untrue.

Or so she'd thought.

There was very likely a simple answer for the miscommunication, but her mind wasn't being very reasonable these days when it came to Sky-related affairs. The sensible thing to do would be to just ask him again, about the weekend, about everything. Confront him with her feelings, and when she had her answer, if she had to, she could take it out on Krybots in the simulator. Or in battle, whichever were unlucky enough to meet her first.

x-x-x-x-x

As promised, the other Rangers had saved her a seat, sort of. They obligingly crammed in closer together on the couch they occupied to make a space for her at one end, and Sydney neatly tucked herself into it. Beside her, Jack made a show of leaning back in his seat, putting his arms around both her and Z.

"There is no better place for a man to be," he said with a suave smile, "than between two pretty ladies."

Pink and Yellow Rangers rolled their eyes at each other behind his head and gave him a mutual shove. He removed his arm from around Z, and she leaned in closer towards Bridge, who sat at the other end of the couch.

Sydney glanced at the screen briefly before leaning in towards Jack to ask in a whisper, "What are we watching?"

"Something about killer spiders invading a small island," he whispered back, and her nose immediately wrinkled in disgust.

"Ew!"

Her reaction just made him chuckle, and from somewhere he procured a small, rectangular box of candy. "Hot Tamale?"

She accepted one piece before the box was passed back down the couch. Then she shucked off her slippers and tucked up her feet as she tried to nestle herself comfortably into her seat. Peanuts the Elephant squeaked when she hugged him to her chest.

The first half of the movie passed with minimal arachnid appearances, but when the creatures really started to surface in swarms, Sydney found herself peeping out at the screen from behind her stuffed elephant. Her friends were snickering at her, and Jack kept teasing her by walking his fingers across the back of her neck and on her shoulders. She grew used to it, but he wouldn't quit until she swatted his hand and leaned away from him in her seat, pointedly ignoring him.

She heard his quiet laughter, and then watched as he got up and left the room. She figured it had something to do with the now empty two liter bottle of soda that sat by his feet, and took the opportunity to stretch out a little. Unfortunately, she happened to glance up at the same moment a huge spider dropped down into the frame of the movie, its grotesque black shape filling up most of the screen. Several cadets in the room yelped in surprise, including Sydney, who quickly pressed Peanuts against her face again.

"Chill, Syd. It's just a spider," Z chided, despite the fact that she too had started at the spider's appearance.

Jack returned, and Sydney pressed herself against the armrest to let him squeeze back into his place between her and Z.

"Yeah. And they help eat all the other bugs that might be crawling around," Bridge offered.

"Spiders are creepy, disgusting, unwanted house pests with too many legs to help them get away," she grumbled, her words muffled by the elephant on her face. Her friends laughed at her, but a pair of hands took her shoulders consolingly and gently pulled her back against the couch anyway.

"You guys are awful," she sniffed into Peanuts' soft, worn fur. Jack rubbed her shoulder amiably in truce, and she let herself settle back against his arm.

The screams coming from the movie told her that there must still be scenes of rampant spider attack going on, so she continued to peep out from behind her elephant. There were just way too many spider swarms for her liking. At one point, Jack started twiddling with a lock of her hair, creating a tingling sensation on her head that at the moment felt too much like bugs creeping around up there.

"Cut it out!" she hissed, slapping at his hand. She'd thought her friends were done ribbing her, but apparently not. The offending hand retreated.

Movie Night so wasn't worth this, she groused mentally, but she had to admit, she was enjoying their company a lot more than she would have enjoyed being alone tonight, however unforgiving they were being about her fear of spiders. I'm so glad I brought Peanuts.

"Outta my seat, Tate," said Jack suddenly.

She froze. That didn't make any sense. At least, not any kind of sense she wanted to realize.

Calmly she untucked herself and sat up, turning around in an unassuming manner even as her hands clenched in a death grip on poor Peanuts. She was met with a faintly amused but mostly bewildered gaze from Sky...who was sitting beside her. Jack was behind the couch, heading towards the other end to perch on the armrest next to Bridge.

"I didn't know you were so touchy about your hair," said the Blue Ranger. "But then again, you do spend three hours every morning rearranging it."

Her mind was torn between being embarrassed, angry, or indignant in addition to being shocked. She had to settle for a secondary response, one that gave in to her frustration—she punched Sky in the shoulder. He winced, and had to hold up his hands to stop her from digging in with another one.

"What was that for?" he demanded, looking genuinely annoyed now.

"Because you deserved it!" was all she could come up with. She had no identifiable reason why.

Then she noticed the splint on the middle finger of his left hand. "What happened to your hand?"

"Project," he muttered.

Someone in the movie let out a bloodcurdling scream.

He abruptly rose to his feet. "Which I have to get back to."

"Sky—"

He wouldn't know you thought he was someone else.

Two steps out the door, he actually paused and glanced back at her.

Stay, she mouthed silently to him.

He hesitated, then shook his head and disappeared from the door frame.

Rejection had never been so blue.