Disclaimer: Own nothing, except Ink and Alice who I created myself.

Ranger References: Scenes from 'The End of Time Parts 1 & 2' are used in this chapter as well as references to events in 'A Calm before the Storm'. Thanks for the reviews guys, u rock! Author shout-outs at the end, hope u enjoy :- )

A CHOICE

Eric stared at the open briefcase on his boss's desk. After defeating Maxax, he'd returned immediately to the Silver Guardian headquarters to report in all that had transpired. Mr Collins had pushed the briefcase with the Trizirium Crystals in over to him, not even bothering to look up from his paperwork as he asked Eric to take the case to Wes.

"Sir….?" Mr Collins looked up at Eric's uncertain voice. "Sorry to question you but I thought you were starting a mass production of these crystals?"

Mr Collins sighed, capped his pen and sat back. A thoughtful look overcame his face.

"Eric, I want you to be honest with me. Did you know that the other Time Force Rangers are from the future?" he asked, his eyes keenly observing Eric's face.

Eric's mind raced, was this some kind of test? His face remained impassively blank but inside he fought to work out the right response. What response did his boss want to hear?

Honesty is always the best policy, Quantum Ranger

Not when talking to your boss.

It may surprise you.

Mr Collins was waiting and Eric felt an inner anger at Ink's guidance. What else could he say? Mr Collins would know if he was lying and since he seemed to know anyway……..

"Yes sir, I did," Eric replied at last, knowing that any other response would be futile.

"And why didn't you see fit to tell me?"

"I didn't think it would affect the way we protected the city, sir. The Power Rangers, no matter where they're from, help the Guardians do a better job and save us money by insuring less fatalities through their help," answered Eric. "Also, I was asked to keep a confidence. The Rangers believed that they wouldn't be able to do their job if people knew where they actually came from due to the publicity that would result from it. Outside of the Rangers, I am the only person to know and I take that responsibility seriously."

He felt Ink smile broadly and inwardly grimaced.

Don't say a word, Ink.

As you wish.

Mr Collins looked at Eric carefully, meshing his hands together in front of him on the desk. Eric shifted uncomfortably under his boss's hard gaze.

"Wesley came to talk to me earlier today," Eric jerked his head up at the abrupt change of topic. "He told me about the other Rangers and asked me not to manufacture the crystals, saying that the timeline would be affected. What do you know about this, Eric?"

"I have it on good authority that the manufacture of the crystals will affect the future," relayed Eric. "They have been used by one of Ransik's robotic henchman to power his robots and having a mass production of the crystals a hundred years ahead of when they should be created I'm told would be disastrous for the future."

Mr Collins nodded briskly and pushed the briefcase towards Eric again, a smile playing across his face.

"That's what Wesley told me. Now that I've heard it from you as well, my decision is final. Take this briefcase to the Clock Tower and give it to my son. I'm sure he'll know what to do with it," Mr Collins said, uncapping his pen to continue with his work and bowing his head in a gesture Eric knew meant he was dismissed but Eric stayed put.

"Mr Collins, I have a question, sir," he said finally, gaining his boss's attention again.

"Go ahead, Eric."

"You said that now you've heard it from me your decision's final. Why?"

"You may not believe this, Eric but things have been changing at Bio-Lab since my stay in hospital and that change includes me. I know how hard you work at this job and believe it or not, your opinion matters a lot to me. You have no ulterior motive. You know exactly what's going on here, sometimes even more than I do and you always give me an honest answer," Mr Collins explained. "Wesley's opinion personally and your opinion professionally are the ones I trust the most. Just don't tell my board of directors that."

Eric cracked a smile as his confidence inwardly soared. His opinion mattered as much as the boss's son. He was valued and his hard work hadn't gone unnoticed. Now that the Trizirium crystals were safely not going to be reproduced, things really were looking up.

"Thank you, sir," he answered. "I'm glad to help."

"I know, Eric. Wesley has told me about your changes as well, I'm pleased that the two of you are closer than you used to be," smiled Mr Collins. "Now you're dismissed."

Giving a smart salute, Eric snapped the briefcase shut and marched from the room with it tucked under his arm.

Things had been murky in Ink's mind ever since Eric had contacted her about the Trizirium Crystals and even now as she heard him downstairs, presenting Wes with a case of sample crystals which were once going to be the genesis of a mass production which could have permanently disrupted the timeline if left unchecked for too long, the timeline remained unclear. She squinted out of the window, focusing hard on the hazy horizon for some clarity. Nothing. Alice was seated next to her, a pensive expression on her face as she watched her sister. She could sense her discontent and knew there was nothing she could do but offer her presence.

"Nothing yet?" asked Alice quietly so that the Rangers, crowded around their holoscreen equipment, wouldn't hear her.

"Nothing," confirmed Ink unhappily. "Things could turn out very dark for the people of Silver Hills, our Ranger team and possibly the whole future of this planet but Ransik's destruction could be at hand. I cannot see the future anymore."

"I thought that if the crystals were stopped from being manufactured then maybe things would be clearer," continued Alice with a sigh.

"So did I, sister. Things are cloaked; I'm being prevented from seeing the immediate future."

Dread pooled in Ink's heart. She could feel that things were reaching their peak here in Silver Hills. Frax had broken away from Ransik and was producing robots for the Rangers to stop from destroying and enslaving the city which meant Ransik's lack of mutants was no reason to celebrate anymore. Eric's growth as a Ranger was progressing well; even Mr Collins was noticing it. If only she could see the future, maybe she could know how to guide her Rangers and stop the feeling of foreboding building inside of her.

"Ink! Alice! Come join us here," called Trip as he emerged at the top of stairs with Wes in tow.

With a barely disguised start, Ink swept to her feet and wandered over to observe the holoscreen with Alice firmly beside her. A transmission of Alex popped up on the screen and Jen smiled at her fiancé. The foreboding inside of Ink didn't go away.

"Rangers, your mission is nearly finished. Only Frax and Ranik remain," Alex reported, pacing the control room he inhabited in the year 3000.

"We know, then we get to go home, right?" asked Trip, bubbling with excitement at the thought of his proper true home.

"No, Trip," answered Alex seriously, causing the feeling to grow in Ink's stomach. "Details are unclear. According to the history banks, there's a massive attack on the city."

Pictures flickered onto the screen as the Rangers watched in horror. The sky was blood red and lighting forked as time portals swirled high above, sucking skyscrapers into oblivion. On each of the Rangers' faces, there were matching expressions of anger, fear and dread. Suddenly with startling clarity, paths appeared in Ink's mind, causing her to fall back into Alice's prepared arms with shock.

"Ink!" exclaimed Katie distressed as tears rolled freely down her cheeks caused by the horrific images Alex was sending them. "Ink, are you ok? What's wrong with her, Alice?"

"She's getting images of the future," replied Alice, cradling her sister's form in her strong arms. "They're finally becoming clear to her. She's had a shock, that's all."

"None of you survive to make it back," continued Alex, oblivious to the chaos in the Clock Tower.

"What do you mean, we don't survive to make it back?" demanded Jen, leaning on the table as terror and anger filled her at Alex's words.

"There must be a way to stop it," said Katie. "What if we….."

"Katie, the attack can't be stopped," interrupted Alex briskly. "But there is one way to escape."

Wes looked up hopefully. The visions of the city he lived in, the place he called home, being consumed by vortexes and succumbing to flames had shaken him badly. Any shred of hope available he was willing to cling to and make work.

"I'm going to send a Time Ship back. The four of you will return to the year 3000 immediately," ordered Alex.

"The four of us?" asked Trip confused.

Slowly the Rangers turned to face their leader who looked back helplessly. Alex could only mean leaving Wes in his own time, stranding him to the destruction they'd seen detailed on-screen only a moment before.

"But what about Wes?" asked Lucas urgently.

"Unfortunately he's not from the year 3000, he must stay in his own time," replied Alex, traces of sorrow colouring his words. "I suggest you prepare to return. You must leave before the time hole begins to open and Wes?"

Wes looked up and found himself staring at a mirror image of his own face full of seriousness and sadness.

"I'm sorry, there's no other way. Ask Ink."

Before Wes could say anything, Alex ended the transmission and the Rangers stared back at Wes. Slowly Ink got back to her feet as Alice held tightly to one of her arms to keep her steady.

"What do you know, Ink?" asked Jen briskly, seizing the opportunity Alex had pointed out. "Tell us everything you can."

"Things are clearer now, Pink Ranger. Before all I saw was confusion but thanks to Alex's images from the future the future seems clearer and the paths have been revealed to me. I am afraid that Alex speaks the truth," Ink sighed, squeezing her eyes shut at the images blossoming in her mind. "The only way I see clear is for you to return to your time and for Wes to remain here."

"The history banks can be wrong," snapped Trip uncharacteristically. "They were wrong before about Wes having to give up his Morpher and Mr Collins dying. They don't have you and Alice in! They can be wrong."

"We can stay and fight," added Katie, looping her arm through Trip clearly showing her support of his words. "Who cares what the history banks say? We know we can defeat Frax and Ransik, as a team we're unstoppable."

"Guys, if Ink says it's the only way," said Wes softly, breaking through the fiery words. "Then it could be the only way. I don't want you to leave me and I don't want to fight off this threat without you but I'll have Eric and I'll have Alice and Ink. If Ink thinks you should go then maybe you should."

"Not everything is clear, Rangers," spoke up Ink, her eyes shining. "Not everything is dark either. The darkest path is not for you to stay here and fight, it is one that will bring hurt, injury and possible great loss but it will not bring total darkness. Going back home to the year 3000 is the safest way."

"Since when did we take the safest way?" asked Lucas rhetorically. "We've defeated destiny before, who says we can't do it again?"

"It's the safest way?" Wes asked Ink seriously.

"It is the way which will prevent the most loss and hurt," replied Ink carefully. "Staying here could result in what you saw on the screen. It could mean a heartbreaking amount of loss for everyone in this city, you all could die by remaining here. You would save the city but the personal loss would be greater than I can measure or see. I do not know what the ultimate consequence of each of these paths will be."

Wes looked at his friends; Lucas, tall and arrogant, so concerned with how he looked but with a softer emotional side he kept cloaked in bravado. Trip, childlike and talented, able to fix and modify anything electrical. Katie, physically the strongest and with the biggest heart, always wanting to protect her friends. Jen, his Jen, the one he'd grown to love the most and unable to express it to. There was so much he could say about her; beautiful, brave, loyal, determined. She'd given him a purpose when she'd handed him the Red Chrono-Morpher and he knew that if this all ended soon, that would affect the rest of his life. He owed them all so much. He didn't want to see them die. Though he tore his heart, he knew what the right decision was.

"You guys need to go back. It's the right thing to do," he said decidedly. "I'm going out."

Before anyone could say anything, Wes walked off down the stairs. Ink gazed at the Rangers; Jen looked heartbroken while the others appeared overwhelmed by sadness. Alice squeezed her arm tightly. There was nothing they could do. This was the path that made the most sense but it hurt everyone involved. Staying behind meant saving the city and the future but dying while going meant leaving Wes behind to save the city and the future himself. Ink hoped that Eric was ready and willing to aid his old friend in this fight, for everyone's sake.

AUTHOR SHOUT-OUTS

White Time Ranger: LOL that is a cool teacher to let you read fic in class! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and thanks for the suggestions, Mr Collins discovering Jen is from the future in that way would have been funny but I wanted to stick to the episode for that talk – I think it works better it being just Wes and his dad. Thanks again for your loyal support and hope you enjoy this chapter as well :- )

TF Princess: Thanks for your kind review! I guess the last chapter was pretty slow but I felt I needed to lay some kind of ground work. After all the last three episodes of Time Force were pretty dramatic and I hope this comes across in the following chapters. They have been the toughest chapters to write out of all of them. Hope you find this chapter a little faster. :- )