Disclaimer: I own nothing except Ink and Alice.
Author Notes: Contains scenes from Time Force episode 'Destiny Defeated'. Shout-outs at the end, enjoy!
DESTINY
The sight of the unusual shape of the huge yellow Time Ship parked on the beach made Eric gape. It wasn't like any of the planes or space ships he'd ever seen, even the ship the Space Rangers used years ago he'd seen detailed on the news countless times. This one wasn't sleek or streamlined but bulky and clumsy-looking. Alice grinned at his expression.
"Never seen a Time Ship before?" she asked as the SUV came to a sharp stop.
"What's a Time Ship?" Eric replied, unable to tear his eyes from the immense craft.
"It's how Alex got here," murmured Wes. "How the others got here in the first place before they crashed it."
"And now it is how Alex is leaving," added Ink with a gesture towards the beach.
Sure enough a white suited figure was making its way towards four familiar people on the sand. Eric squinted in astonishment at Alex.
"He looks just like you!" he said to Wes.
"My descendant," muttered Wes ruefully. "And Jen's fiancé."
"Tough breaks."
"He's all she's ever wanted," replied Wes as he climbed out of the SUV. "He saved my father's life, I owe him a lot."
"Your unquenchable faith in the goodness of life is what makes you such a good leader Red Ranger."
Wes turned to find Ink beside him, with Alice not far behind. Her expression was gentle and pain free yet she suddenly seemed very small. With a shimmering wave of purple magic, the purple cloth was secure over her face, covering everything from the eyes down. She looked just the way she had the first time he'd met her all that time ago. He hadn't seen her wear the cloak or the cloth since then.
"What do the symbols on your cloak mean?" Wes asked, his eyes trailing over it.
"They are the symbols of each Ranger team; past, present and future," replied Ink solemnly.
Wes looked at the cloak more closely and managed to decipher the thick gold scrawlings to something more legible. He saw dinosaurs, shapes, the Time Force logo and the arrows that adorned their Ranger helmets and others that he couldn't even comprehend. He lifted his head to smile at Ink and found her staring straight back at him.
"You are the one meant be the Time Force Red Ranger, not Alex. The Power passed through him to you," she said quietly.
Her words filled him with reassurance again. Ink turned to Eric who still sat in the driver's seat.
"I know you will not join us Quantum Ranger. I for one am glad you have returned to the place you were meant to be," she announced to her charge.
"I'm not running the company anymore, Eric," Wes added. "Dad doesn't expect me to take it over one day either. He knows my place is with the Rangers, I'll never be your boss again."
This drew a small smile from Eric. Everything seemed to be slotting into place and a feeling he supposed was contentment came over him.
Happy, Eric? Eric felt the amusement in Ink's thought.
Working on it"I would like to speak to Alex also Red Ranger," Ink decided, turning to Wes as though her brief exchange with Eric had never happened. "Lead the way."
"Thanks for everything Eric!" called Wes over his shoulder as he began running towards the Time Ship.
"You've made a friend," declared Alice with needling delight.
Eric scowled at the smiling blonde and felt Ink's laughter as it shook through him. Though he couldn't tell by looking at her, she was more than happy and grateful to be back near him.
Thank you for allowing me to live Eric.
She nodded at him and began to walk away, her hands tucked into the folds of her cloak. Alice offered him a smirk and walked quickly away after her sister. Eric felt somewhat at a loss as he watched all the figures draw towards each other on the sand. Something he wasn't part and though he didn't want it, some small part of him urged him to walk off behind the sisters. He shook his head. He couldn't do that, not now after resisting everything for such a long time but he knew he didn't want to be alone anymore either.
Want some company tonight?
Yes Eric, I would like that. I assume we should meet at your house.
It's all I can afford.
I shall go with the Time Force Rangers first to their Clock Tower and then Alice and I shall come to your house afterwards.
That's fine for me.
He felt Ink smile as she walked away and found himself mirroring the expression as he started the van. His own little dysfunctional family, what every superhero needed.
"You're knee deep in it now Myers," he muttered to himself, catching sight of the Quantum Morpher strapped to his wrist as he reversed the van away. "No way out of this shit now."
The funny thing was, he didn't think he actually wanted a way out of it.
"I don't know what to say," Alex admitted as he came to stop in front of Jen.
Jen managed a weak smile, her eyes full of unshed tears. Alex had said goodbye to the others and was now trying to summon the words to say goodbye to his fiancé in front of her team-mates. She found herself aching for some time alone with him so that they could talk everything out; their separate lives, his concealment of his survival, her own feelings for his ancestor. But she knew Alex wouldn't permit it. He was strictly business first. She couldn't even see his eyes as he'd hidden them behind scanner shades.
"Don't say anything," she replied at last. "I know you were just doing what was right."
Alex smiled and wrapped her in a deep hug. Jen squeezed her eyes shut and clung onto him, revelling in the actual feel and texture of him. For so long she'd thought he was gone forever. Now he was back, in the flesh but still far away in the future where he'd be waiting for her when her mission was done. An odd doubt entered her mind, after all this time did she want him to be the one waiting for her? All too quickly, Alex pulled away and Jen found herself wanting to touch him more.
"Alex! Alex, wait!"
The Rangers turned to see Wes running towards them frantically. He was in his normal unmorphed clothing and looking refreshingly happy. Jen felt her heart skip at the sight of him. No matter how long she'd loved Alex for, she felt something special for Wes too. Then she noticed that behind him strode two more welcome figures at a more leisurely pace. Ink and Alice walked as though they hadn't been away at all. It was a relief to see Ink walking without help or limping. Wes ran past them all until he stopped breathless in front of Alex. For once, his descendant didn't regard him with superiority but waited patiently for him to speak.
"It was you wasn't it? You saved my father," Wes stated.
Alex didn't reply but simply smiled in return as he nodded. Jen smiled back. Alex wasn't totally cold.
"Now wasn't that playing with destiny?" teased Wes with a knowing smile.
"We all make our own destiny," corrected Alex. "You taught me that."
He turned to go again but this time it was Ink who stopped him with the quiet sound of his name. Alex pulled his shades clear from his face and watched with confusion as she stepped into the circle and stood before him. Jen noticed how she'd donned her facemask and cloak again, her unofficial uniform to those she didn't trust or know.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Alex Collins," she announced. "You are needed back in the future where you can help lead this team of Rangers."
"Thank you, Ink is it?" he asked hesitantly. "Jennifer tells me you're a spiritual guardian for the Quantum Ranger."
"That is correct."
"So why don't you show up in the history banks? It records everything that's happened in the past."
"Some things are best left unsaid for the future to wonder about," Ink replied with a smile in her voice. "My sisters, associates and I do our best as we were first charged. People will never know about some of us and we like it that way. The timeline is a fragile thing as it is."
Alex nodded seeming to understand. He reached out a black gloved hand and enveloped Ink's delicate one in a firm handshake. She smiled warmly back at him while Alice treated him to a surly nod. With a final look around, Alex strode into his Time Ship and with a huge amount of exhaust and rumbling engines; the craft took off into the wide blue time portal that had been generated for it. Those left behind held their hands in front of their faces to protect themselves from the back draft except for Ink and Alice who stood perfectly still, an oasis of calm in a sandy storm. Jen watched with a tiny smile, feeling part of herself leave with her fiancé. Somehow she knew she'd made her choice.
"Goodbye Alex," she thought silently as his ship disappeared.
There was an almost awkward silence as the sand died down and the figures on the beach all turned to look at each other. It was like coming out of a dream, not quite believing what you can see in front of you. No one was sure what to say. Wes offered his team mates an uncertain smile.
"Hey guys, I guess I'm back," he said lightly.
Smiles erupted on Katie and Trip's faces as they suddenly leapt forward and jumped on their Red Ranger for hugs. Wes disappeared under a bundle of yellow and green clothing with a surprised but happy yell. Jen watched with a fond smile.
"And you Pink Ranger? Are you glad to have your leader back?" Ink questioned softly under the noisy cover of the other Rangers frantically greeting their returning leader.
Jen lifted her smile to the Quantum Keeper. Ink smiled back.
"You know," Jen whispered quietly as Lucas and Wes greeted each other with a firm handshake and brief hug.
"But I will not say a word," finished Ink. "It is entirely your own choice. As you know, it is better to remain quiet about many things in this world which do not concern you."
Silence cloaked the trio as a moment of pure understanding passed between Jen and Ink.
"Thanks for coming back Ink," Jen said sincerely. "We did miss you and I'm sorry for all those things I said about you and Alex and……"
"Hush now my child! You said what was in your heart and for that I am grateful. Your feelings will swamp you on occasion and when they involve the people you care for most in this world then your actions are always excused. At least to me. Alice may take more convincing."
Alice lifted her chin with a stubborn look on her face as Jen turned her head towards the Protector.
"I should have dealt with you when I had the chance in the Clock Tower," Alice said clearly, staring directly at Jen. "But I know you have a purpose on this path and I won't jeopardise the future. Unfortunately my feelings are developing to include this team as my friends."
"I believe she means that as a compliment," spoke up Ink with an amused glance at her sister who had crossed her arms and looked every inch the angry teenager. "She forgets her age sometimes. This is no way for a several eons old Protector to behave."
"Several eons? You don't have an exact number?" asked Jen as the other Rangers gathered in a group around them to join in.
"It's rude to know that!" exclaimed Alice with no small dose of horror. "You can settle for knowing that I'm the youngest of our sisters as I was the last created and that's it!"
"It's great to have you guys back," piped up Trip happily as Katie looped a maternal arm around him.
"Thank you Green Ranger. It is wonderful to be back among you again," replied Ink with a slight bow from the waist up to him. "I trust you are pleased to have your Red Ranger back with you?"
"Anything's better than Alex," muttered Lucas not too quietly.
"He didn't mean that in a bad way Jen….." tried Katie.
"It's ok Katie, I know he was a pain," assured Jen, shooting a covert uncomfortable look at her engagement ring. "He knew he had to give his Morpher to Wes, I guess it was supposed to be this way."
She turned to Wes who took a tiny step forward. They looked at each other, so much unsaid between them and so much potential there. Jen realised her heart had sped up as she gazed at the man before her. He was so unlike the man she had promised to marry but the feelings she had for him were beginning to become something similar and maybe even something stronger. She smiled a warm smile.
"It's good to have you back Wes," she said at last, offering a hand to him with pink painted nails.
"It's good to be back," he answered, shaking her hand firmly.
For a second, the group stood still together. Each person was touching another in some way and there were irrepressible smiles on each face, even Alice looked a little cheerful.
"Do you have time to come back to the Clock Tower Ink?" asked Katie eagerly at last.
"I have an hour at least before I leave to visit Eric," the Quantum Keeper replied. "Would you like my company? You must be tired from the battle."
"We're always tired from some sort of battle," interjected Lucas unexpectedly. "There are good side-effects of having the Power with us. It heals us pretty quickly. We don't need as much sleep as ordinary people."
"We'd like you to come with us," added Trip his eyes beseeching. "We've really missed having you around. Things just didn't seem right without you and Alice."
"And Wes," cut in Katie hurriedly.
"And Wes, maybe" agreed Trip, earning himself a look from Wes which meant he'd better run.
Laughing, the Green Ranger ran off across the beach with Wes trailing rapidly behind him, shouting all sorts of impossible threats. Lucas shook his head and began marching after them with a laughing Katie at his side. Only Jen, Ink and Alice were left standing still on the sand.
"Would you like my company Pink Ranger?" asked Ink.
Jen let her thoughts wash over her. Things were right now, Trip had hit on it perfectly. Life felt pretty complete despite the constant mutant threat. Having this evening without the Quantum Keeper and her Protector would be wrong in all senses.
"Yes Ink, I would," Jen replied softly.
Ink smiled and nudged her sister in an inescapably human gesture.
"Forgive and forget sister," she reprimanded, the stern tone softened by the smile that accompanied it.
"If you think its right," replied Alice grudgingly.
"And because you know that quarrels among Protectors and their Rangers are not advised?"
"That as well," Alice turned her head sharply to take in Jen. "You're forgiven for yelling at and threatening my sister. Do it again and I might not forgive you."
"Alice……."
"It's all I can offer Ink."
"Then I will take that."
"Thank you Alice," said Jen suddenly. "And for the record, I am sorry about what I did but it doesn't change the way I felt at the time."
"We know," assured Ink. "Now we should get going. The others will wonder where we have gotten to."
Alice gave a deep bow from the waist up that Jen guessed must be some kind of Eltariangesture and Ink gave a formal nod back, indicating for Jen to walk beside her. Slowly the two fell into step and began their way across the sand, Alice a couple of respectful paces behind them. For the moment, it didn't matter that mutants threatened Silver Hills and the future's existence. It just mattered that for this day, no matter how short this peace was, the team was back together.
AUTHOR SHOUT OUTS
White Time Ranger: Hey there buddy, I reviewed your 'Time Code' story! It's a marvellous piece of work as usual and gives me hope that there are other Time Force fans out there. I love Ink and Alice too; when this fic is finally finished I'll explain where they came from. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and mega thanks for your kind words in reviewing 'Undeniable'!
Silver Rider: LOL, I promise I'll update as soon as I possibly can dude! The muses are not always cooperative and I am in the final year of university which means I'm snowed under with impossible work so updates will only be when I have time. Glad you like what I write and hope you continue to enjoy it!
MagCat: I'm glad u liked the Eric/Ink chat, it was hard to write! I don't think I wrote that Ink was going to be someone else's guardian tho it is an interesting idea! As for Eric/Taylor, they are one of my fave pairings- ) Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter too!