Chapter 4: Struggling

Two weeks had passed and Taylor still kept her promise about visiting Eric everyday. However, Ben was doing everything in his power to get his daughter to see somebody else.

One day, Taylor was sitting by Eric's bed holding his hand. She looked into his handsome face with a sigh. "We haven't caught the guys in that gang yet, but I promise you that I will," she murmured. She sighed as she ran circles on his hand with her thumb. "The one time I'll never forget is when I first looked at you. You made me so angry that you gave me that speeding ticket. Then you ticked me off even more practically saying that you don't need us," she whispered.

(Flashback)

"Alyssa, you're not going to believe my new car, it's a amazing!" Taylor announced. She was talking on her growl phone while speeding down the road. As she drove, she saw a black truck come up behind her with it's lights coming on. "Oh, no! Alyssa, I've gotta go," she groaned. She took off her seatbelt and leaned her head back as she waited for the officer to come over.

"Do you have any idea about how fast you were going, ma'am?" He asked.

"I'm sorry, officer, it's just that..." she trailed off.

"Mm-hmm, drivers' liscenes please."

Taylor handed him her wallet. "Thank you," he told her. She looked up at him. She couldn't see his face. His hat and sunglasses were in the way of seeing him. He handed her the ticket and she drove off.

(After the Fight)

"Looks like we got here just in time," Max announced. The two Rangers that just de-morphed looked at them. Taylor recognized one of them.

"What are you guys doing here?" He demanded.

"I recognize him from somewhere. HEY! You're the one who gave me the ticket this morning!" She reminded.

She walked over to him with anger showing in her face. "We just helped you. The least you can do is say thanks," she snapped. The guy looked at her with a glare. Before she knew it, Cole was holding her back.

"Come on guys, we're all Rangers here right, Taylor? Right?" Danny asked.

"All right, all right. Why don't you leave fighting mutants to the big boys?" He suggested.

"Mutants? You mean orgs?" Max asked.

"Orgs?" The two men asked.

Taylor watched the guy with anger showing in her face. "Listen guys, we have to go. Thanks for you help," the other man stated. Cole shook hands with him and Taylor watched as he had to drag the other guy away.

"'Leave the fighting to the big boy.' Who does he think he is?" She mumbled.

(Back on the Animarium)

"Something about those orgs was different. And why did those other Rangers call them 'mutants'?" Alyssa questioned. Taylor was leaning against the wall with her back faced towards the others. She was thinking about how much she couldn't stand him.

"You met other Power Rangers? Well, were they nice?" Princess Shayla asked.

Everyone else was telling the Princess that they were. Taylor spun around and looked at them. "No!" She snapped. She turned her back to them again.

"Taylor especially like the Quantum Ranger, yeah," Max teased.

Taylor looked at Max in disgust and walked away.

(End Flashbacks)

Taylor smiled at the memories. "Max was right, I did like the Quantum Ranger. Actually, I'm in love with the Quantum Ranger. I love you, Eric," she whispered. She kissed the top of his hand and looked at him. "When you get out of this, we'll move on with our lives. I want to take the next step in our relationship, Eric. I want to get married and have children. I never thought those words would be coming out of my mouth, but it's true. You're the reason why I wake up in the morning. You're the reason why I want to keep living on with my life. Dad doesn't understand. He just thinks of you as another disaster You're not a disaster, Eric. You're the love of my life. You're my soul mate. The one person I know I'm truly destined to be with," she explained. She then pulled out her necklace and looked back at him. "I'm never going to take this necklace off. I'll always treasure it," she whispered.

Tina was listening to her daughter. She smiled when she listened to her think about the first time she met Eric. Except, she didn't hear the part of him being the Quantum Ranger and her being the Yellow Ranger. She just came in on the speeding ticket part. She knew that her daughter made the perfect choice. Eric was the one person she truly belonged with. She always dreamt about her daughter growing up, getting married, and having children. She couldn't wait to see that day. Tina prayed that Eric would come out of his coma and make her daughter happy again.

When Taylor got home, she saw her father sitting on the couch looking through her high school year book. "Dad, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Have you spoken to Jimmy lately?" He asked.

"Yeah, he's married with two kids," Taylor replied.

"What about Lenny?"
"He's engaged."

She was watching her dad check off guys she rejected. "Dad, I don't want another boyfriend. I'm going to marry Eric once he gets out of his coma," she informed. Ben's head shot up at the word of marriage and Eric.

"You'll do no such thing," he objected.

"Dad, I'm not eight-years-old anymore. I'm a grown woman. I want to marry Eric."

"No, you won't. I won't allow it."

"You have no right to stop me from marrying him."

"Taylor, sweet heart. You're in denial, he's not coming out of his coma."

"I have faith that he will come out of his coma."

She went upstairs and Tina watched her. "Ben, you have to understand that Taylor doesn't want to date Joseph, Jimmy, or Lenny. She wants to be with Eric. She'll stay right by his side next to that hospital bed for the rest of her life if he never wakes up," she insisted.

"I won't let that happen. I'm not going to let my daughter throw her life away for some Silver Guardian," he mumbled.

"BenjaminHarrison Earhardt, open your eyes and look at Taylor. She's not our eight-year-old baby anymore. She's twenty-three and she's deeply in love with Eric."

She walked away leaving Ben there in shock.