Disclaimer: I don't own PowerRangers or any of their character nor do I own the song "Ghost of You" by My Chemical Romance. I don't do this for money, I do it out of love!
Alright people! I know what you're thinking: "What happened to the song fic?" …. Well… that is assuming you have read this before. If not than I can tell you that you didn't miss much! In fact! You are much better off because this is a much better version of the story! You see, I wrote a song fic for the song "Ghost of you" by My Chemical Romance doing an AU cross with PR:SPD. I had based it on the WWII theme of the music video (which I loved! Ergo, the WWII/PR songfic!) ANYways! I was reading the reviews and rereading the story along with the now cut romance scene at the beginning (which was between Syd and Sky) I had originally included it because it went with the song (and there was a romance in the music video at the beginning) but I realized that writing romance is just not my thing! I love to read it, I'm just not that good at writing it, probably because I don't enjoy writing it the way I do with the Bridge/Sky friendships, which is the focus of the story anyways. Someone pointed out to me that the subplots just weren't that necessary I thank them for that because they were right! Ergo snip snip! I also have changed the very fact that this is a song fic! The song just wasn't visual enough to be a guide for the plot, which is fine! It still makes great inspiration because it allows the imagination to wander a bit more!
SO! In reference to the plot, I thought the whole WWII theme of the song was really cool and with SPD being so military like I thought it'd be really cool to do an AU mixing WWII and SPD. All I really did was steal the characters from SPD which is the really why I watch the show. (The writers did a really good job with them this year!) They don't have any of their powers, it's just their characters in this situation. It's mostly focused on the boys, being the soldiers and all! (I was trying to stay true to the time period!) ANYways! I hope you like it! Enjoy!
Ghost Of You
"…If I fall…down
At the end of the world
Or the last thing I see
You are
Never coming home
Never coming home…
And all the things that you never ever told me
And all the smiles that are ever gonna haunt me
Never coming home
Never coming home
Could I? Should I?
And all the wounds that are ever gonna scar me
For all the ghosts that are never gonna..."
"Ghost of you" by My Chemical RomanceBridge stood excitedly beside Sky as their armored boat sped towards the beach they were about to attack. It was his first battle and he was beginning to get very nervous. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, fidgeting with his rifle. He looked around the stuffy room, surveying their large squad, uncomfortably squished together in the tin can that was supposed to be a boat. Many of the other soldiers were fidgeting nervously like himself, while others were too busy getting sea sick to notice. A small few, more experienced soldiers seemed unfazed by the dangers they were about to face. Captain Jack Landors, their squad leader was one of them. He had a casual smile plastered across his face as he chatted jokingly with one of his fellow team mates. They had learned early on in their training though, that once things got serious, so did Jack. Sky didn't like him very much at first… well… actually, he still didn't like him, but in their time together he had at least come to respect him. Even he couldn't deny that Jack was a good leader. He was just a little unorthodox at times.
Bridge looked up at his friend Sky. He looked stern and determined, ready for battle. He looked like a soldier, but Bridge knew better. Years of being friends with Sky had taught him that although Sky came off as this stern perfect soldier type, he felt things very deeply. He also knew that while Sky appeared to be looking towards the battle front, he was actually lost in his own thoughts. He was thinking of his dad. Sky's father had been a soldier all his life and had died in the service when Sky was only 8. It had been a hard few years for his mother and him. He had had to grow up a lot faster than most people, become the responsible one. He had to be the rock, steady and strong. His family did, of course, manage to get back up on their feet eventually but those hard times had had an affect on Sky. He still felt like he had to be strong all the time and it was difficult at times for Bridge to get him to come out of his shell. What Bridge had always thought was strange though, was that he never resented his dad for leaving them. Just the opposite, he was always so proud of him because he had died saving others. It was why Sky had joined up, to follow in his father's footsteps. Not towards the whole dying thing but towards being a hero. There was nothing Sky wanted more.
Bridge was certainly glad Sky was here with him. Sky was one of his oldest and best friends, despite their very opposite personalities. They had some strange connection that most people just couldn't understand, one of the friendships that start when you're six years old and just continue on as you both grow up into two very different people. You get to the point where you don't even know why you're friends anymore, you just are; you're like family. That was the best way to describe it. You cared just because you did, no questions asked. Sky just always looked out for him, seeing him as a younger brother. He was always loyal and he never hesitated to defend him if he thought his friends were in trouble. Knowing this always made Bridge feel a little bit safer, not by much, but it helped.
"Alright guys!" Jack barked, "Three minutes 'til go time! Suit up! It's time to take this beach and send those Nazi bastards running!" Jack continued shouting commands as each of the soldiers started preparing themselves for their charge into battle.
Sky began shaking out his legs, trying to get his blood pumping before they headed out. His face was a mask of stone, as all his thoughts turned to the battle ahead. Bridge followed suit, stretching his neck and shoulders, attempting to loosen up a bit after standing for so long. He fidgeted with his gun nervously, attempting to emulate Sky's look of determination. His eyes unfortunately, gave him away.
"Sky?" Bridge said as they got into formation in front of the boat doors. His voice quivered with fear as he turned to his friend for reassurance.
"Yeah buddy?" Sky looked down at his friend, his heart melting as he saw the look of fear in his friend's eyes. "Hey," Sky said putting his arm around his friend's shoulders and giving him a squeeze, "Don't worry, okay? You can do this. We can do this. I've got your back out there. We handle this! You're stronger than you know, Bridge. When we get out there just stick by me and we'll get through this, okay?"
Bridge looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity of his friend's words. He could tell Sky wanted to believe his words as much as Bridge did. And while he didn't believe everything Sky was saying he still managed to give a small smile and a determined nod as he turned to face the doors. "Okay…"
&&&&&&&&&&&&
"CHARGE!"
A battle cry ensued as all the soldiers rushed out the back of the armored boat into the freezing waters of the beach. Immediately several soldiers were shot down as the rest continued to push forward. The scene they saw before them was terrifying. In the water, scattered across the shore were wooden X's covered with barb wire. Similar ones littered the beach. Coils of barb wire were strategically placed along the beach, blocking their attempts at progressing forward. Some of the soldiers had set up sand bag wall as temporary cover for the attacking soldiers. In the high grounds of the beach large metal pill boxes were continuously firing at them, mowing down the line of soldiers as they rushed from the boats.
The minute they touched the water Sky grabbed Bridge pulling him down low. They watched as several their team mates were shot, falling and turning the water red with their freshly spilled blood. Bridge looked around wide eyed as he saw several soldiers crying in pain as they became tangled up in the barbwire, while the waves pushed them forward. Bodies were already being strewn across the beach as various squads attempted to take the tiny patch of sand. Ahead of them Jack had managed to make it out of the boat unharmed and was leading them forward as well to join the other squads in their attempt.
"Come on!" Sky shouted as he pulled Bridge forward. They stayed low, trying to avoid the barbed wire as they were pushed forward by the swell of the ocean. All around them bullets whizzed by, some barely missing them, but many managing to take down their fellow squad members. Some of the medics on their team attempted to aid the fallen, but many were already dead, or unsavable in their current circumstances.
Bridge and Sky finally made it out of the water and began making a mad sprint forward, attempting to make it to one of the first cover areas with out getting shot. Sky tripped, falling face first into the sand. Bridge stumbled too, turning back to his fallen friends, looking terrified. Sky spat out dirt as he pushed himself to his elbows, shoving Bridge forward. "Keep going!"
Bridge dashed forward, as Sky scrambled to his feet, following his friend. Suddenly, and explosion went off near Sky, throwing him to the side. He blinked a few times before crawling for cover behind a near by sand bag. Bridge, who had gained quite a lead on Sky stumbled forward from the explosion behind him. He stopped suddenly, looking back to realize that Sky was no longer behind him. "Sky?" Disoriented, he searched around frantically for his friend, fearing the worst. "SKY!"
Sky heard his name being called and looked over the edge of the sandbags to see a dazed looking Bridge calling his name.
"SKY!"
"BRIDGE! GET DOWN!" Sky screamed.
"Sky?" Bridge replied faintly hearing his name being called, above all the gun fire. Suddenly, an explosion went off near sending him flying back. To his misfortune, he landed partially in one of the many nests of barbed wire. His arm became entangled in the razor spikes, cutting into his skin. He cried out pain, attempting to free himself, but only making his situation worse by further entangling himself the nest of wire.
"BRIDGE!" Sky screamed. He watched in horror as his friend struggled to free himself while all around him soldiers were being shot down. Tears of pain and frustration were streaming down Bridge's face and he pulled painfully at the wire. "Somebody help me! Sky! Help!"
"BRIDGE!" Sky yelled, "Just hold on! I'm coming!" Sky tensely grabbed his rifle taking one last breath preparing to plunge back into the crossfire. Jack, who had also taken cover yanked Sky back down just as he prepared to leap over.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack barked.
"I have to get Bridge! He's hurt!"
Jack peered over the edge of the bags to see the still struggling Bridge. "Are you insane! He's too far into the open! They're going gun you down before you ever make it!"
"I have to save him!" Sky screamed attempting to leap over again, only to be pulled back by Jack.
"No! You're not going to make it! You can't save him Sky! I'm sorry! But you can't! Now stay down! That's an order!"
Sky's eyes glistened as he looked back and forth, from Bridge to Jack. He looked at Jack, fury building in his eyes as he debated what to do.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Bridge was still trying to pull himself free, getting more and more desperate as the bodies began to pile up around him. He could only stare in horror as he watched them slowly dying, some desperately trying to crawl on, others crying out for their mothers or whatever god they thought could save them. He could hear their screams, even above the sounds of all the constant gunfire. He didn't want to die. Not like this. He still had so much to do, so much to see. More than anything he just wanted to go home and be back with his family and his two best friends. He wished he had never joined up. Why the hell had he been so stupid to think that this would be some sort of an adventure? He certainly didn't feel heroic, he just felt afraid.
Another explosion near him shook him from his daze as he was hit with a spray of sand. He painfully pulled at the wire which was now quite tangled in his clothes and flesh, and in the process was cutting his hands quite deeply. "SKY!" He called out once more, praying that his friend would save him. Sky had always been there to look out for him. He always protected him like an older brother, and now he needed him more than ever.
Suddenly, Bridge cried out in pain, convulsing as he gripped his leg. Searing pain grasped him as blood began to stain his now ragged uniform. He had been shot. Horror then stuck him as he realized, he was going to die out here, and no one was going to come and save him.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"BRIGDE!" Sky screamed as he shoved Jack away and leapt over the barrier. He raced forward, rifle in hand, staying low. Leaping to the ground he covered his head as another explosion sent dirt flying everywhere. He began to crawl forward, pushing his way past the corpses, ignoring the blood soaked sand he was covered in. All he saw was Bridge, and all he knew was he couldn't let him die out there. He needed to save him. He might die in the process, but he had to try.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Bullets continued to whiz past his head, growing more frequent as he drew closer to Bridge. He rolled behind a barb wire wooden cross as one of the pill boxes sent a spray of bullets across where he had been. "BRIDGE! Hand on! I'm coming!" Sky yelled peering around the corner of the cross.
Sky then rushed forward, furiously crawling up to his friend. "Bridge," Sky gasped in horror as he reached his friend. He was still alive but he was bleeding so badly. He grabbed onto him, carefully pulling the wire.
"Sky!" Bridge gasped, tears of relief streaming down his face. He cringed in pain as Sky pulled out the sharp barbs.
"I'm here Bridge," Sky replied shakily, terrified at the prospect of losing his friend. Sky ducked as he heard a shot fly close by their heads. "We have to move! Come on!" he said trying to drag Bridge along.
"Ahh!" Bridge cried out in pain, "My leg!" He gripped his thigh as Sky noticed the large amount of blood coming through his pants.
"I know it hurts Bridge, but we have to move!" he said, trying to pull Bridge along.
"I CAN'T!" he cried, crippled with pain.
"We can't stay here! You have to try!"
"I can't! I'm so tired Sky! It hurts too much…" Bridge's voice started to fade and eyes started to flutter as he began to lose consciousness from the blood loss.
"BRIDGE!"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sky's father had always told that a man will never truly know his limits until he's forced to surpass them. Never had words applied more than they did today.
Sky had been running on pure adrenaline when making his way to Bridge, but now that he had reached him, he was losing energy fast. His muscles screamed for relief as he dragged his friend across the field. Every part of his body just begged for him to lie down and never get up again, but he couldn't. He had to keep moving. He couldn't stop now.
He was going too slowly dragging Bridge the way he was, so he heaved his friend over his shoulder, his arms nearly buckling under the new weight. "Just hang in there Bridge."
"Sky…"
Sky continued crawling but more and more bullets were flying their way. It seemed one of the pill boxes had decided to target them particularly. Sky quickly dragged Bridge and himself behind one of the wooden crosses and dropped him down to check his wounds. It was bad. The bullet had hit an artery and Bridge was getting more and more pale. Sky tore open one of his packs of bandages with his teeth to try to at least stop the bleeding while he searched around desperately for the nearest medic, but none could be found.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
Sky covered his head as a spray of bullets sent wood chips flying, tearing apart their flimsy shelter. "Shit!" Sky cried in frustration. For once in his life he didn't know what to do. They couldn't stay here, but he couldn't get away fast enough carrying Bridge, and with the pill box targeting them, no medic could get to where they were. They were trapped. Sky sighed as he looked down at his hands that were now covered in Bridges blood. He tried to press harder on the wound but bleeding just wouldn't stop. That's when it hit him, his earth shattering revelation that broke his heart at the very thought of it. It was that he, Sky Tate, the most determined person they knew, who everyone (including himself) had thought could do anything, was completely helpless to save his friend. No matter how much he wanted it or how hard he tried, he couldn't save his best friend. It was the one fight he couldn't win. He was going to lose this, and nothing short of a miracle could save Bridge now. "What am I gonna do?" he asked himself, a tear rolling his cheek.
"Sky…" Bridge said, his eyes half open and his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah Bridge?" he replied wiping the tears from his face with a dirty hand.
"I'm cold Sky…"
Still pressing down on the wound with one hand, he took Bridges hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's okay. I'm here buddy." Sky tried to hide the trembling in his voice.
"Sky? Can you tell my mom… tell her… tell her I love her… and tell my dad… I tried to be brave…" Bridges voice was getting weaker.
"Hey! Bridge!" Sky said giving Bridge a little shake, "don't you fall asleep on me, okay? Now listen to me, you're going to tell your folks those things yourself! You just have to hang in there until I can get you outta' here! I need you man… you're my best friend… my brother." Sky blinked a few times feeling more tears coming, "I can't do this without you. I wouldn't even have gotten as far as I had with out you here."
"You…" Bridge's breathing was getting ragged. "You would've… been okay…"
"Are you kidding me?" Sky chuckled softly. "I would have killed Jack, our squad leader, on the very first day of training if you hadn't been there. No Bridge, I needed you. I was never any good at dealing with people. But you, you always made it seem so easy…you could just talk to people… you always knew how to make people smile… you were never self conscious. You were just you and people accepted you for that. I could never be like that…"
"Sky…" Bridge said looking sadly on his friend, wanting to say something, but for once not being able to find the words.
"That's why you gotta' hold –
BOOM!
Sky shielded his face as dirt sprayed everywhere. He cautiously peered around the edge to see the pill box, flaming, and brigade of soldiers rushing forward. Jack had apparently managed to get a grenade through the slit of the box and take out the soldiers inside.
"Whoa!" That was all Sky could manage to say as he stared wide eyed at the scene. He turned back to Bridge. "Hey Bridge, looks like we're gonna' be okay... Bridge?"
Silence.
"Bridge?" Sky gave his friend a small shake. "Hey! Wake up! Come on Bridge, wake up!" Tears began to stream freely down Sky's face as he continued shake his friend. "Bridge! BRIDGE! WAKE UP!" Sky finally stopped shaking him and let go. He wasn't going to wake up. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn't going to wake up. He tried, but in the end, he couldn't save him. "Bridge… no." Sky buried his face in his friends uniform as he sobbed, too grieved to care what other might think. All saw, all he heard, was the silence of his best friend's unbeating heart.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Cheers rose up as the allied soldiers began to secure the beach. They had won the battle. Jack couldn't help but smile at their small victory, for he had led them to it. Knowing this and seeing what they had overcome and accomplished gave him a feeling of pride that he so rarely got to enjoy in this time of war. That feeling quickly faded though as he scanned the scene that surrounded them. While he had led them to victory, it had been at a price. He had lost more men today than he had in any other of his missions, and as a leader, that was more of a failure than a victory.
Jack turned to one of the men who had a radio strapped to his pack. "You, Cadet, radio General Cruger. Tell him we've taken the ground and are securing as we speak. Tell them also to send in one of the carriers. We've got some seriously wounded soldiers here who need to be transported to a hospital at one of our more secure bases."
The soldier gave a short nod as he turned to get to work on the transmission. Jack left him to this and began wandering the beach. Several other soldiers were doing the same thing. It was one of the more difficult things they had to do after a battle. They had to sort through the dead, collect their dog tags, and search for survivors. Many of the wounded were already being tended to by the medics, but it seemed there were more wounded and dead soldiers than there were healthy ones. It was a grim thought, but it was the truth.
Beside one of the wooden crosses Jack saw a hunched over figure the thought he recognized. "Sky?"
Sky lifted his head from Bridges uniform sitting back on his heels, but he didn't look up. "I guess you were right, huh? All that, and I still couldn't save him."
"Listen, Sky…" Jack tried put his hand on Sky's should but it was quickly shrugged off. "Hey. I was watching that whole thing too, and sure looked like you did from where I was standing."
"What are you talking about Jack?" Sky replied annoyedly. Why wouldn't he just go away and leave him alone. He didn't need this right now and the last person he wanted to talk to about this was Jack. "He's dead Jack." He had an undertone of anger as he said those words; anger at Jack for bothering him, and anger at himself for failing. "I failed him. I couldn't save him. I couldn't get to him in time. And now he's dead."
"You're wrong," Jack said sternly, turning Sky by the shoulders so he had no choice but to look him in the eyes. Sky's intense blue eyes were now red and sadder than Jack had ever seen them. They looked defeated, and the only intensity came from his annoyance at Jack. "Listen to me man, you did save him. He was caught in middle of the most unprotected and dangerous part of battle front and you got him out of there. I've never met anyone who would have been crazy enough to try to save their friend from somewhere like where he was! Hell, most people wouldn't go that far to save their own mother! But you did it. You saved him. Him getting hurt couldn't of been avoided. That wasn't your fault. Those things just happen in war. But you did save him Sky. You did."
Sky raised an eyebrow at Jack which made him laugh. He hadn't expected something like this from Jack, and it meant more to him than he would ever admit. "Thanks Jack."
"No problem. Hell, as much as I hate to admit it, I should be thanking you. If you two hadn't drawn their fire I wouldn't have been able to take out the pill box. We might not of won today if it weren't for you two. You should be proud."
"I already am, but I'll tell his parents that."
Jack gave him a solemn nod and reached over to Bridge, removing his dog tags. Looking between the two friends, he placed the tags in Sky's hand, and then stood up. "Come on. We've still got a lot of work left to do before D.C. gets here."
"Sure. I'll be there in a minute." Jack nodded and walked off, leaving Sky alone again with Bridge's body. Sky looked at the motionless figure that was once his energetic young friend. "I'll make sure you get home buddy. I promised you that, and I'm keeping that promise. I'll take you all the way, and make sure your folks know what you did. I was with you all the way over and I'm going to take you all the way back. I won't let some nameless messenger boy send them the news. They deserve more than that and I'm going to make sure they're at least told by someone who gave a damn about whether you lived or died. I promise." And with that Sky stood up. Giving one final sigh he reached down and pulled a blanket over the body of one of the best friends he had ever had.
"Good bye."
The End
So there ya go! I hope you enjoyed it! I certainly enjoyed writing it! Sorry for killing off Bridge (I'll miss that little guy!) but the song is far too depressing for this fic to have a happy ending!
ANYWays! Please review! I LOVE critisism! It helps me improve! I also don't mind flames! If you REALLY hate it that much then I WANT to know what I'm doing wrong. Just please review! I'd rather get a bad review than none at all!
Thanks!