Beautiful 6
Sky tried to compose himself before he reached the girls' door. He went to knock but it was already slightly open. He peeked in and was startled at the sight before him. Sydney was perched on her bed, running her hairbrush through her golden locks slowly as she gazed out the window. She looked stunning.
Sky was immediately startled at the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him as he stood outside her door. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. Gone was the arrogant princess he thought he knew, replaced by the fragile sensitive caring person that she really was.
He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice when the others past by him in the hall. 'He's going to stand there all day.' Bridge thought and sought to give his buddy a hand. Or a push.
The green ranger knocked the blue ranger off balance as he fell through the door, trying not to fall and surprising the pink ranger as well. Her hairbrush clattered to the floor as she jumped at the sudden intrusion.
"Sky." She stated simply, stopping his retreat. " Oh, hey Syd." He replied casually, wanting to get out of there as fast as possible. She waited for him to continue.
"I thought you might need a lift." Sky offered to her, before she could ask him why he was there. "Seeing as I left your chair back in the dining hall and all." He apologized, his face turning a nice shade of pink. Sydney thought it adorable.
"Sure." She smiled up at him, laughing as he knelt before her and offered his back to give her a piggyback ride. Her small arms wound themselves tightly around his neck, her face buried in his neck as his arms locked around each of her legs, being extra careful as he held her cast. "Don't drop me." She warned only half-joking, her breath tickling the unshaved hairs on his chin.
"Never Syd." He promised completely serious. He felt protective of her, and realized he would do anything for her at anytime.
The short trek to the dining hall was filled with contemplative silence. Sky helped Syd into a seat and offered to get her breakfast. 'He's not as mean as I once thought' Sydney couldn't help but think. The blue ranger was certainly going out of his way to be extra helpful and kind.
In the next few weeks, Sydney was almost completely healed and ready for action. Her teammates had stuck by her through her therapy and heartache, and she opened up to them as their friendship grew. Her cast was gone and the only remnant of her injuries was a slight limp that would eventually disappear as she regained her strength.
Glad to be rid of the wheelchair, she ventured out to the gardens to think. She tucked her head to her knees, wrapping her arms around them as she gazed out into the beautiful flowers surrounding her. Sydney loved the outdoors. It made her feel free and alive. Most of her life she spent trapped indoors, being forced into a mold that was not her. Oh, she had believed that she was a princess but she was never happy. She was beginning to make her own mold as she tried to determine exactly who Sydney Drew really was.
Since regaining her love for music, Sydney was torn. She had doubts about where her life was taking her. Should she stay at the academy or should she go back to the music career she had left behind?
Sky watched her from his window, hating the sorrow he still saw on her face, wishing he could erase it. He couldn't believe he didn't recognize her pain all the years that been training together. It was so clear and evident to him now.
"This is something she needs to figure out for herself." Jack said, coming up behind the blue ranger to gaze at their teammate and friend.
"I know." He sighed. "I want to tell her how beautiful she is and how amazing she is." He found himself confiding to the red ranger. Jack wasn't surprised at his admission. He had seen it coming in the last few weeks. Sky and Syd had been spending a lot of time together, and most times it was Sky who had initiated it. He was no psychologist, but he could see how well they fit together. Syd had a tendency to make Sky loosen up and enjoy life; while Sky helped her to see who she could be by believing in her.
"She's tired of people telling her who she is. She'll be ready to hear it from us and you when she accepts it herself." The red ranger advised wisely. "Just be there for her."
"I don't want her to go." Sky admitted sadly, realizing how much that was true. He had become a different man since spending time with Sydney. He was afraid he would go back to the no-nonsense workaholic he had been before. Now he found himself having more fun. Like a few nights before she had conned him into going to the arcade. And she had won him a pink unicorn, which he proudly displayed on his dresser next to a picture of them.
"None of us do." Jack agreed wholeheartedly. "But it's Sydney's choice." He said as he left the blue ranger to his thoughts.
"Face it Tate." Sky admonished himself harshly. "Why would she want to be with you anyway? It's not like you cared about her at all, not as a teammate and certainly not as a friend, until a few weeks ago." With a sigh he pulled himself away from the window. Not knowing what else to do, he fell into his old habit of reading the SPD manual and went to join the others in the common room.
"Cadet Drew, you have visitors in the Civilian Lounge." Kat's voice carried outside, breaking Sydney's peaceful solitude. Curious the pink ranger wasted little time hurrying inside.
"Nick. Isabella." Sydney stuttered as her former manager and vocal coach stood before her.
"I heard you were writing music again." Nick began slowly. "It was good, but a bit depressing don't you think Bella?" He turned to the vocal coach.
" Yes. Something a bit more Lindsay Lohan style like I think. Something you can play in the clubs." She murmured. "She's in desperate need of a hair stylist, and she's a bit pale…" She commented as she gazed at Sydney's appearance.
"But pale is in now, Bella." Nick disagreed. "She looks fragile, people will respond to her that way." The manager remarked as the two bickered around Sydney.
"Hello!" Sydney shouted, tired of their comments like she wasn't even here. "I'm right here. I can hear you." She cried out in disbelief at their rudeness. Her shouting caught the attention of the other four rangers who were sitting in the common room. They ventured out to see what was going on.
"Of course you are Sydney." She placated the distraught girl. "We've got our work cut out for us." Isabella decided with a shake of her head.
"Wait." She shouted again, confused at their sudden appearance and all their ramblings. "Why are you here?" She demanded, her hands on her hips and a glare in her cool blue eyes.
Her teammates recognized that look of anger. You could only push Sydney so far before she erupted. "Go Syd." Jack whispered to encourage her.
"Eric sent me here to offer you a deal to come back to Pop Jive records." Nick presented. Sydney was stunned, but she was unmoved.
"I appreciate you coming all the way out here, but the answer is no." Syd apologized as graciously as she could, as she turned to leave.
"Sydney, you can't be serious. No one turns down an offer from Eric Snow." Isabella declared forcefully. "What are you going to do?" She asked disdainfully. "Stay here?" The French woman said in disgust. "You're throwing away all your talent just so you can play power ranger?" Isabella laughed.
"What a snob." Z commented as they watched the interaction between Syd and the two strangers. Sky couldn't stay outside any longer and allow them to berate Sydney.
"Sydney's a great power ranger." Sky Tate shouted as he stormed in to her defense. He wouldn't stand for them tearing her down. Bridge, Z, and Jack followed his lead. She looked up in pleased amazement to see her teammates defending her. A spark of fight returned to her eyes at their support.
"Yeah, we need Sydney." Bridge offered truthfully.
"She doesn't want to leave." Z added, crossing her arms, daring them to argue with her.
"Humph." Isabella snorted. "How nice." "Now Sydney, you've had your fun; now its time to return to New York." She commanded her rudely. Jack was ready to step in on Sydney's behalf. No one talked to his friend like that. Luckily he didn't need to intervene, Sydney had had enough.
Isabella's comment startled Sydney out of her disbelief and into anger. "You can't, and won't tell me what to do." Her blue eyes stared straight back into Isabella's cool green ones. "I've made up my mind." Syd declared quietly, effectively ending the conversation. "I think you should go." She directed, pointing to the nearest exit. Nick and Isabella left without further argument, both hating to tell Eric that his best talent was not coming; all the while giving each other glares about whose fault it was.
Sydney felt like she had been hit with a tornado. 'Did that really happen?' She wondered in shock. 'My career is over.' She realized with a sinking sadness as she watched them leave.
Sydney looked like a lost little girl. Bridge waved his hand behind the pink ranger. Drained. Defeated. Confused. Torn. Bridge sighed, realizing there was yet another obstacle in the pink ranger's way. 'Hadn't she gone through enough?' He wondered compassionately. Sky hated the defeated look on her face and desperately wanted to hold her until she was back to her old self again.
"Let her go." Bridge advised Sky and the other rangers. They reluctantly agreed and went back to the common room. But the good-natured feelings of earlier were gone replaced by a sadness that was overwhelming.
Sydney was gone all afternoon and didn't show up for dinner. Sky ran through the events of the day and was so churned up he didn't feel like eating dinner either. He needed to clear the air with Syd. Excusing himself, he quickly set off to find the pink ranger.
"I'm sorry Syd." Sky apologized as he approached the tiny blonde on the roof. "For what?" Sydney asked confused as he sat down next to her.
"For ruining your chances to go back to being a singer. I know you love music." Sky said guiltily.
"But I love being a power ranger too." Sydney commented, turning to look at him. Sky didn't believe her. Sydney placed her small hand over his big one, the action causing him to look at her. "I'll always love music, but right now I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be." She said confidently.
"Besides, I should be thanking you for defending me. You didn't have to do that." She admitted quietly.
"I wanted to." Sky corrected her, surprising Sydney with his honesty. She looked at him at the sincerity in his eyes and she was taken aback. She had never had anyone look at her the way Sky Tate was looking at her now. She knew it was time to share with him the song she had been struggling to write. "Will you come with me to the music room? I want to play you a song." She asked shyly. He agreed without hesitation, offering her a hand up. He didn't release it until she was sitting at the piano.
I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me
Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
And be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful
Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory?
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful
Sydney looked up from the piano to look at the boy sitting on the other side of the piano. She didn't hesitate to put her feelings into words and share them with him.
You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful
Sky was speechless "That was incredible Syd." He whispered in amazement.
"Sky, I don't know what I would have done without you. I don't think I could have made it." She choked out as the tears ran down her cheeks. He opened his arms and she willingly ran into them, accepting his comfort. "I'll never forget the day you came in to my room…" Sydney whispered with a smile.
"Me either." Sky agreed, remembering that day as the one where they both acknowledged their growing feelings for each other.
Sydney was flipping through some old magazines that had herself on the cover. She groaned as she realized she would never wear those dresses again. 'Or be on a magazine cover again.' She thought somberly. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, trying to decide if she had changed since then.
"I didn't have as many bruises as I do now." She observed with a sigh. She grimaced at the black eye she received from that morning's training. She still wasn't ready for full on combat yet, her reflexes still slow and she was easily fatigued. She hadn't moved quickly enough away from Bridge's kick.
"You're not the same person." Sky's voice interrupted her staring into the mirror. "You are beautiful just the way you are."
"What?" Sydney stammered, finding herself overwhelmed by his statement. And startled at his sudden appearance.
"I know you've probably heard it a billion times, but I mean it Sydney." Sky told her as he sat next to her on her bed. It's not just your looks but it's who you are as well." He gently took the mirror from her hands and placed it on her nightstand. She refused to look at him, too shocked at his admission. Sky gently turned her to face him so she could see that he meant what he said. As she looked up at him, there was silence. Slowly, Sky pressed his lips unto Syd's.
"I believe you." Sydney declared softly as she kissed him back.
"I'll always be here for you." Sky confessed truthfully. "We all will." He added. "Come on, its cold out. The others are worried about you." He coaxed her inside from her favorite spot, once again grabbing her small hand in his larger one.
"Syd." Z jumped off the couch at her arrival. "Are you okay?" She asked cautiously, not wanting to upset the pink ranger further. Jack and Bridge looked up in anticipation of her answer.
"I'm fine." She reassured them with a smile.
"Are you going to stay?" Bridge wondered anxiously. Sydney paused to prolong the suspense. "Of course." She declared with a giggle. "You guys need me." She boasted playfully as she collapsed on the couch next to Bridge and Jack.
"For the first and only time I'll say this, You're right Syd." Jack teased her affectionately. Z watched their interaction and smiled. "She's going to be fine." The yellow ranger offered to the blue ranger.
"We all will." Sky amended truthfully as he guided her to the group and the five teammates, and now friends spent the rest of the night laughing and playing games.