SPD The End: Bridge & Z
By: Pink-Green-White-4ever
Last Revised: January 7, 2006
Summary: In response to the challenge on spdrangers of livejournal, Z and Bridge deal with the changes in the team and in their lives
Ships: minor Jack/Ally
Rating: T
AN: Thanks to Chrissy for getting me involved!
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Z looked startled when she passed the common room and saw Bridge curled on one of the couches, a picture in his lap. Normally, she wouldn't think anything of it. It was the sad, 'I've just been crying' look on Bridge's face that did her in.
"Bridge, what's wrong?" Z carefully asked, moving to sit next to her blue teammate.
Without a word, Bridge handed Z the picture he was looking at. Z was surprised again to see it was one of the formal pictures Cruger had insisted up on after their S.W.A.T. Training mission with General Silverback.
"God, we look so young in that picture. Hard to believe it's only been a couple of months since it was taken."
Bridge just nodded and took the picture back. As he stared at it, Z saw a fresh round of tears well in his eyes. She would have never figured Bridge to be one to cry like this, considering how often he had to deal with other people's emotions, but she supposed that even he needed a release every now and then. A large part of her hurt to see him like this, so she swallowed hard and tried to coax whatever was wrong out of him.
"Bridge?"
"I miss the way things were," he croaked, sniffling as he struggled to express himself. "I miss Jack, I miss seeing Sky in blue, I miss wearing green, I miss having a whole family, instead of a fractured one like what I had growing up."
Z smiled sadly at him. When she'd first come to the academy, she and Jack had both commented how the trio they joined had seemed like they all had perfect lives. That idea had been destroyed as they'd gotten closer to their friends. Sky's father had been killed in the line of duty, Sydney's parents barely interacted with her unless they wanted something from her or needed her for their image, and Bridge's family had been fractured by his mother not being able to accept his powers and his father resenting him for his mother leaving.
Reaching up, Z used her thumbs to wipe away his tears. "I miss that too. But Bridge, I've learned one very important thing."
"What's that?" Bridge asked, looking up at her with hope in his eyes.
"Even though we're not together all of the time, even though each of us will eventually follow our dreams away from SPD, there's a part of us that will always remain with the others."
Bridge seemed to take Z's words into deep consideration even as he turned his eyes back to the picture he held. "Does it feel like you've lost part of yourself."
Z nodded. "I can barely remember a time before Jack was with me. He's always looked out for me, made sure I was safe. To not have him here, its an adjustment I have to make. Its easier then it would have been a year ago, because I know he's following his dreams, and I have Syd, Sky, the Commander, Kat, Boom, and YOU to fill the void."
Bridge couldn't help but to blush at the emphasis Z made when talking about him. Shaking his head, Bridge grinned. "Did you, by chance, see Syd and Sky in the gym earlier?"
Z laughed hysterically before moving closer to Bridge and leaning against his shoulder. "Syd's better for him then I'd be. We may have been attracted to each other, but we're too alike to make a go of it."
The Blue Ranger looked hurt until Z continued her train of thought. "Besides, I've got my eyes on someone else."
Grinning, Bridge slipped an arm around her shoulders. "It's gonna be ok, isn't it Z?" he questioned softly, sounding so much like a little boy.
"You bet," Z yawned. Learning up, she pecked a quick kiss to Bridge's lips before settling her head on his shoulder and dozing off, the Blue Ranger's head coming to rest on hers as his crying jag caught up with him.