Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Alice and Ink who I created myself.

Ranger References: Contains scenes from 'The End of Time Part 3' which I have altered slightly to fit my story and Alice and Ink's presence as usual. Weaponry used by Alice is from Space. The title is a tweaking of the infamous 'Back to the Future' trilogy, probably the greatest films ever about time travel!. Much thanks as always to my fantastic reviewers, you guys rock and keep my faith in fandom alive! Enjoy!

BACK FROM THE FUTURE

Eric wasn't sure when he blacked out. He could remember Ink and Mr Collins talking quietly about the best place to take him to. That had pissed him off; them talking like he wasn't there at all. But before he could tell them that, his world had faded dramatically to black and he'd found that the pain eased as the darkness became all he could see. He'd decided that he'd let the darkness win if it meant the pain disappearing, even for just five minutes. That shot from the Cyclobot had done a lot of damage and he knew it had to be serious if he felt this bad; he had a very high tolerance for pain.

I know you are awake, Eric Ink's voice was warm and vaguely amused. It is safe to open your eyes, the lights are suitably dim.

I'm not a child! Eric stopped, realising that was exactly what he sounded like so finished his thought oozing with frustration and a mental growl.

Slowly he opened his eyes and found that he could see without having to squint. From the clean white walls he could make out and the stomach-lurchingly familiar smell, he knew instantly that he was in a hospital room. Ink stood beside him and Eric was surprised to see Mr Collins sat in a chair nearby, his gaze fixed out of the window though by his distant expression, his mind was somewhere else completely.

"How long have I been in here?" Eric's voice was scratchy and rough.

"Not long, just a few hours," replied Ink reassuringly, placing her hands on his nearest arm lightly. "You need rest, my Quantum Ranger. After you collapsed, Alan and I brought you here and the doctors took good care of you."

"I don't need to be in a hospital, Ink," Eric muttered, shifting uncomfortably. "I was just a little scratched and bruised, that's all. I need to get up and go help Wes."

"You have two cracked ribs, severe bruising in several areas, a deep cut on your left arm which required stitches and welts on your hands," Ink replied calmly. "The doctors have ordered you to rest for at least 24 hours before getting up again."

Eric tried sitting up but as he did, his head spun and nausea welled up his stomach, causing him to lie back down immediately. Ok, so he couldn't get up. He'd have to stay here until he could stand up on his own without feeling like he was going to black out. He hated staying in hospitals. They were for sick people, old people, people about to die. He wasn't ready for that yet. If he was ill, he saw the Silver Guardian medic and then self-treated himself as he continued work. He hated missing out on even an hour of his allotted work hours. It meant he missed out on precious money.

Ink's expression was full of compassion and she radiated warmth, making it hard for Eric to be angry at her. His discomfort was easy for her to pick up on, spiked with surliness at what he felt was unnecessary attention. Ink lowered her expression, her lips fixed in a warm smile and began smoothing his covers down. The gesture was familiar and as he watched her, Eric realised it reminded him of his mother. A bundle of sad, happy, nostalgic feelings tumbled from inside of him, causing Ink to look up.

She will know you are still alive, Eric.

I haven't seen her since I started training for the Guardians. She probably thinks I died in this battle.

A parent knows when their children are still alive. There was a pause, a slight pain to her thoughts before she continued. Zordon always knew if one of us fell in battle. As we knew when he died.

Pain licked at the edges of her words. Eric wasn't sure how to respond. Ink's past was open to questions to him and though what he'd heard before was unbelievable, Eric knew it was true from the honesty and lack of alterior motive he'd felt in her words. An intergalactic space wizard had created her and each of her many sisters to be guardians, protectors and mentors for the generations of Power Rangers he knew would be needed one day. They rarely talked about Zordon's demise.

I'm sorry it sounded inadequate but it was all he could think of to say. He could feel she understood and her hand briefly clasped his as she finished rearranging his covers. He found he was more comfortable. Her father had disappeared from her life just as his had though as far as he knew, his was still alive somewhere. Still hurts?

It always will. He gave me life and selflessly gave his own up to free this universe of all the evil which had marred it for so long. His magic could not reach other galaxies so the Power Rangers are still needed to protect the many planets. He created us for purposes which only now we are fulfilling. We have been waiting forever and more of my family wait for a time ahead yet to come. He never thought of himself, only of the universes he had pledged to protect and the Rangers he hand-picked himself to be their protectors. I am proud to be his daughter and to be part of his legacy.

Ink straightened herself and looked deliberately from Alan, lost in thoughts no doubt concerning his absent son, to Eric lying in the bed. Pride shone from within her.

This was my purpose, Quantum Ranger and soon it will be at an end.

A different kind of sickening pain swirled uncomfortably in Eric's tender gut.

When this is all over, are you gonna leave?

When this battle has been won, then yes I will. I will return to my home. You will not need me; you will have other concerns which do not involve your Ranger Powers. But that is sometime in the near future. For now, you must rest. If you do not, they will make your stay here a lot longer.

She knew him better than most people did. Eric found himself smiling ruefully, trying to remember what his life was like before his Guardian's intervention. The Power still flowed inside of him and a small part of him wondered if Mr Collins would still let him be the Silver Guardians Commander when the Quantum Powers weren't needed anymore.

You will be fine without me here. You were before.

I wasn't doing so hot and you know it

I was not created to stay with you forever, Eric, just as Alice is not with Ryan forever. She helped him lose his guilt and become part of humanity. I have almost fulfilled my purpose here. I gave you the nudge you needed to make the changes to reach your full potential. If this path is followed correctly, then all I was awakened for will be completed.

Ink smiled and sat down on a chair that had been dragged close to the bed.

"The other Rangers have travelled back to assist the Red Ranger. Their combination of Powers will be enough to bring Ransik in. You need to rest, Quantum Ranger."

Eric opened his mouth to retort about not feeling tired but instead yawned and realised she was right. He was no use to anyone if he kept feeling as run down and shit as he did now.

The world is in safe hands. You are allowed time off. Her thoughts were laughing and Eric found himself smiling as he closed his eyes, falling again into the comforting quiet darkness.

Cyclobots surrounded Wes and Alice. Wes had morphed and Alice's battle gear shone fiercely in the bright sunlight. She had a Chrono Blaster in each hand while Wes held the Quantum Defender in Blade mode. The odds were overwhelmingly against them but Wes knew they were the city's only hope. He heard Alice's feet shift on the ground. It was time.

They launched themselves into the Cyclobots. Blaster fire lanced through the gold robots as Alice turned in circles, continually firing the Blasters and kicking any Bots that got too close to her. Wes hit a high kick with a yell, swiping at three Bots with the Defender and then kicking backwards.

"Spiral Sabre!" Alice yelled, causing the Blasters to disappear and a large weapon which appeared to be some kind of silver drill appeared in her hands.

As electricity lanced out from the weapon and fried any Bots in Alice's firing range, Wes desperately looked around. There were Bots are far as he could see and high above the city, Doomtron stared down. Wes could feel helplessness bubbling up inside of him. He couldn't call the Zords which made defeating the giant robot just about impossible. He could see Alice, seeming to spin endlessly as she slashed out at anything within reach and causing Bots to fall back in waves but still more were coming. She wasn't going to give up, no matter what the odds.

Then he heard a loud stamp and he looked up to see a small section of the Bots aiming their Sabres at him. Alice was too entangled with swarms of Bots who were effectively cutting her off from the action. Wes knew he'd have to call on his Battle Fire Armour or just judge when and where to duck out to when the firing began. He didn't want it to end like this but could feel something inside of him weakening; fighting without the others was completely disheartening.

There was a deafening crash and an enormous flash of light in the sky. Before Wes could wonder what it was, the light revealed a familiar rainbow Time Portal and from it emerged the Time Force Megazord in Jet Mode.

"What…?" Wes gasped out, pointing up at the sky.

Alice looked up from where she'd been thrown onto the ground by the Bots and grinned.

"They're back!" she yelled, leaping to her feet. "Astro Axe!"

With the smaller lighter blue-coloured axe, she began tearing into the Cyclobots with more vigour than before. Wes continued to gape at the sky, his brain trying to process what he was seeing combined with what he knew. He had sent the others back to where they belonged; in the future but now they were back? It had to be them; no one else could pilot the Megazord. Wes's head was beginning to hurt.

The Jet flew in circles, creating a huge powerful cyclone which dragged the enormous Doomtron into the air and then crashing down to the ground where it lay still. Cyclobots were still swarming the streets and Wes could hear Alice still fighting.

"No way!" he exclaimed, his brain still unable to comprehend what it saw.

"When you're done being a target, do you think you could fight?" Alice yelled as a Bot kicked her in the stomach and brought its Sabre down onto her back hard.

Wes opened his mouth to yell back but up ahead, smoke billowed from where the MegaZord must have landed and four brightly coloured figures strode determinedly towards him. Wes found himself smiling despite the situation and the fractured future they thought they knew. His friends had come back to help him. As Cyclobots flooded into his view, he could hear the other Rangers yelling as they fought off the massive amount of robots which had been gunning for him since they'd discovered he was the only one left. It was comforting and he found himself attacking with new strength, safe in the knowledge that he and Alice (who he spotted tearing through Bots at a furious rate nearby) weren't alone in this anymore.

The battle was over. Wes hadn't thought he'd live through it. Alex's damning evidence had told him that much as well as the looks on the others' faces when they'd been told they'd have to leave him behind. They'd known what that meant. But he was alive. With the assistance of four members of his team and a Titanium Protector, they'd managed to blast away the enormous army of Cyclobots Ransik had sent to destroy him.

"They came back to help you," Alice was beside him, clutching at her left arm. "They're supposed to die if they stay and they still came back. You've got something very special here."

"I know," he murmured.

He could see them, walking towards him from where they'd finished off the last of the Bots. He wondered what they'd say, were they angry about him sealing them into the Time Ship and sending them back to save their lives? He knew he was about to find out. Wes swallowed hard.

"Power Down."

His armour melted away and next to him, he heard Alice's battle gear fall away from her in shards. Instantly she stumbled, obviously weakened from her long hard stint in the battle. When he turned concerned towards her, she waved off his offers of help.

"I've been through battles before, Red Ranger. I can handle a minor injury. This is what Protectors do," she nodded away from them. "They need you more than I do."

Wes lifted his head just in time to see the others' Ranger suits disappear in a glow of green data and his friends materialised, still walking towards him. They all wore their Time Force uniforms, just like the first time he'd met them and they all had the same expressions on their faces; impassive and serious. Wes wondered briefly if he was about to get yelled at, feeling his heart beginning to hammer hard in his chest.

The others reached him and formed a loose but intimidating circle around him. Jen stood in front of him; Wes forced himself to look at her face. She was still achingly beautiful to him. Her hair was tied tightly back in a ponytail and she looked strong and determined. He thought he'd never see her again; sending her away and shattering his own heart in the process. Now she was here and there was something different about her which he couldn't pinpoint but it made his heart leap.

He was aware of everyone else as well. Katie, Lucas, Trip. They'd all come back and having them here, so close to him, made him feel strong. They were a team again. Even without Eric there (who hadn't really been a proper member of the team since he detested the whole 'working together' thing but despite his protests had been working with them), they were a proper team. He could still sense Alice beside him and as he turned his head slightly, he caught sight of her wide grin.

"Guys……." He trailed off, overwhelmed with happiness, fear and joy. "You came back."

"You didn't think you could get rid of us that easily, did you?" Lucas asked lightly, a smirk on his face.

"I thought we agreed to stick together!" added Katie.

"Yeah but…."

The simple act of Jen putting a hand on his shoulder halted his words. He looked back at her and saw her smile, rendering him completely unable to start any new sentences.

"Look, Wes, you're not the only one who can choose your own destiny. We all can," she announced, squeezing his shoulder slightly.

"And we choose to stay and fight," finished Trip firmly.

One look around the circle confirmed Trip's words. Wes felt a strength he thought had been sapped out of him when the Time Ship had left surge through him. He'd been fighting to save the city, fuelled by a passion that stemmed from being the only Ranger left to fight, determined to save the place he'd grown up in and deeply loved. He'd been pouring everything into fighting because if he hadn't, he'd have had to think about what life was going to be like without the people who had come to mean so much to him. For the moment, he was safe from those ravaging clawing thoughts. For the moment, they were back with him and that was all he needed to know for now. He pulled Trip towards him in a one-armed hug, leaving his arm around the Green Ranger's shoulders and clasped hands briefly with Lucas with his free hand.

"So you decided to come back," said Alice, breaking the silence. "What did Alex think?"

"He let us," Jen replied, her eyes staying on Wes's face. They were focused and he could almost swear he could see tears gathering but she blinked and they disappeared. She was happy to see him. It made him smile. "He told us to take the MegaZord in Jet Mode; it's the safest way to get through a Portal back here."

"We decided to do what we thought was right," exclaimed Katie. "Not what other people told us was."

"Besides, you couldn't do this alone," added Lucas, crossing his arms with a grin.

"He wasn't alone," reminded Alice sharply but with laughing eyes. "Ink asked me to protect him."

"Where is Ink?" asked Trip suddenly worried.

"Eric got badly hurt and she decided to stay with him. He took a shot from a Cyclobot meant for me and my Dad," replied Wes, his voice soft as the full weight of what Eric had done hit him.

"You've got his Quantum Morpher," exclaimed Jen, grasping his wrist in astonishment.

"He gave it to me. He said his Quantum Defender can neutralise the crystals," Wes's expression became serious, reminded of the situation his friends had come back to save and his thoughts which had been swirling with a small idea. "I may know how we can save the city."

AUTHOR NOTES

Cmar: Thanks as always for your honest and useful review! As you can see, it was my plan to explore Eric's recovery process as it wasn't shown on the show. I'm thrilled you thought I got the breakdown of Jen and Alex's relationship right as that was tough to get down. Thanks as always for reading and being such a superb reviewer. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Blooming Violets: I'm glad Eric trusting his Morpher to Wes brought you warm fuzzy feelings, it does the same to me when I watch that bit. I'm so glad I have the finale on VHS! I'm flattered by your comment that you could imagine Jen and Alex's interaction, their's is a complex tough relationship to write so I'm glad it came out right in your eyes. Enjoy this chapter! By the way, your fic 'Pink Surprise' always makes me smile tho I find Jake chillind and frightening, I hope he gets what he deserves

White Time Ranger: blushes I'm thrilled you think I have Wes and Eric down pat, Eric is incredibly tough to write without making him sound like a complete bastard! Also glad the chapter title was spot on, sometimes they're the hardest thing to come up with. Your reviews, no matter how short, always manage to bring a smile to my face! Thanks for your amazing loyalty. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

MagCat: Great to have you back reviewing! Yep the Axe is from Zack Taylor of the Mighty Morphin Rangers, well spotted! Thanks for the compliments on Ink and Alice's interactions with Eric, I'm glad I got it right! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Sreym: Thanks so much for the mega lovely compliments. I wanted to get Jen and Alex's reactions just right and I'm thrilled you think I did. It's hard to make Alex a sympathetic character but I hope I managed to show the man that Jen loved! As you can see from this chapter, Eric is certainly being squeezed in more. Just a few more chapters to go now, thanks for sticking with me! Hope you liked this chapter!