Wes, Jen, Eric and all other characters from Power Rangers belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.
Gaby, Chris, and Proteus are mine.

Rated T: mild language, violence, sexual references, and danger to a child.

A/N: The end of the story - thanks to all for reading and reviewing. I said I would interweave my two Time Force fic series with SPD and each other, and this is part of it. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Reviews are always appreciated - but please, please, try not to spoil the very ending!

Tapestry

Naming of Names

- - -

"Are you sure he's okay?" Gaby asked anxiously.

From her seat on a sofa in the Collins living room, baby on her lap with Wes on one side and Alan Collins on the other, Jen smiled at Gaby and Eric and nodded. "Yes, we're very sure," she said.

"We had him checked out by our pediatrician and at the hospital clinic," Wes added. "They said his development has been delayed a little, but he'll catch up fast."

"Oh, good." Gaby bent closer, making a face at the baby, who stared back wide-eyed and stuffed a few fingers in his mouth. "Whoosa cutie? Whoosa cutie? You are! Yes you are!" she cooed.

"Oh, geez," Eric muttered. "I hope you're not going to act like this when we have kids."

"I can't help it if I like babies." She straightened and turned a surprised and puzzled face to him. "And what do you mean, when we have kids?"

"I'm just saying... Maybe. Someday. If we get married, I mean."

She stared for a moment, raising a brow quizzically. "Hm. If that's a proposal, it sucks."

"Um. Well. We can talk about it later." He turned back to Wes, Jen, and Mr. Collins, who all appeared to have become completely engrossed by the baby. "So... I guess the little rug-rat's been keeping you up at night now?"

"Yeah." Jen looked down with a fond smile. "He wakes up crying for a feeding three or four times a night. Plus every time I try to take a nap. And that's not counting every time he needs to be changed."

"I can tell by the suitcases you're both packing under your eyes."

"Eric!" Gaby poked him.

"Believe me, every scream is music to our ears," Wes said with a grin.

Mr. Collins laughed. "You'll get tired of it soon, believe me. But if he's a screamer now, maybe that means he'll grow up to be a strong, silent type."

"Maybe." Jen looked up at her father-in-law, smiling. "Anyway... We thought tonight would be a good time to tell you what we decided to name him."

"About time," Eric said.

"You've got a name?" Mr. Collins said eagerly.

"Yes," Wes said. "We're planning to get started on amending his birth certificate tomorrow, and make it legal."

"Good, I didn't want my grandson going through life named 'Junior'. Well, go on. What is it?"

"Well..." Wes grinned as they all watched anxiously. "We picked your father's name, Dad. And Jen's grandfather's, on her mother's side."

"Yes." Jen looked down again proudly at their son's sleeping face. "Meet Schuyler Tate Collins."

- - -

They 'met' on the beach outside Silver City this time, under a twilit sky, the endless wash of the waves as background, the ocean breeze soft and cool on their faces. Trip stood with his bare feet sinking into wet sand at the edge of the water and watched her approach, brushing unruly green hair out of her eyes.

"Hi, Trip," she said.

"Hi, Trix." Slowly, they began to walk down the beach together. "I'm glad you decided to use the enhancer again."

"Yeah. And you. We're still thinking alike, right?" She smiled.

"Did you guys get home safely?"

"No problems. Saw Wendy and Jon for a few minutes, too. The baby's great."

"We contacted Wes and Jen. They named their baby. Schuyler-"

"Tate, right? Yes, Wendy and Jon's daughter is named Schyla."

"Parallels, again."

"Parallels." Trix looked at him. "Have you seen any changes in the timeline in your world? Any signs of Proteus, or Chris?"

"No. How about you?"

"Nothing. He didn't transfer back to our world, and apparently he left yours."

"We were afraid Chris being gone would affect history - but I guess it was meant to happen, since there was never a Proteus in our dimension."

"Fate, maybe? Destiny?"

"Maybe." Trip sighed. "According to our readings, they were... disintegrated. Dispersed. And transmitted through the dimensional portal."

"To where?"

"We don't know. Some other universe. Maybe one that's very different from ours. Or maybe very similar."

"Did your instruments say whether he survived?"

"No." He stopped to gaze out over the ocean, to where the sun was setting in a haze of dusky reds and pinks. "But I think he did, maybe not in any form we'd recognize, but as - something alive. I have a feeling he's still around, somewhere, waiting to find his final destiny."

"So do I." Trix stood at his side. After a few moments, he heard her voice, soft and thoughtful. "So many dimensions. All separate, and yet they touch, weave together, and affect each other."

"Like ours have."

"Yes. And now both of our dimensions have affected another one. Let's hope, wherever Proteus and Chris ended up, whatever they've become, that there's someone there who can stop them."

Trip smiled. "Another team of Rangers, maybe?"

"It's possible." Trix turned to face him. "Is this the last time we'll see each other, do you think?"

"If you ever need me, or I need you..."

"We're just a dream away."

- - -

He/she drifted in the cold and emptiness of space, formless, bodiless, at first. Slowly, life and awareness formed as the scattered parts of what he/she had once been found each other and rejoined into a new and stronger being, with no resemblance to its former body. Slowly, very slowly, thoughts began to stir. Sensations. Images. And memories.

He/she reached out across the infinite sea of space, searching for life, for home, for anything familiar and for everything that had been lost. There were planets all around, but none was the world he/she had once known. And none would be, for he/she sensed this was not the universe of Proteus nor the universe of Chris Tutto, but somewhere else. Somewhere different from both.

More time passed. He/she grew stronger, and reached again, farther this time. There were lives out there, strange minds, strange worlds... farther... there was a familiar touch, human minds. Earth. So far away. But no matter.

Someday he/she would return and claim a new body, a better one than the mere, weak human vessels of before. Someday there would be revenge on those who had dared to defeat him/her. Someday... and for now, the destruction of their counterparts in this dimension and of all who called themselves by the name of Power Rangers would have to be sufficient.

Another reach, another search. The universe was filled with an infinite variety of life. So many, all different. Some would follow. Some would serve. Some would resist. Some would fight. In the distance, he/she found one who stirred at the mental touch, a creature savage, brutal, and ambitious enough to be of use, yet ready to offer slavish loyalty in return for promised power.

"Who are you?" the creature asked.

A moment passed without an answer. He/she was no longer Proteus and no longer Chris Tutto, but something new, something much greater than the individual parts which had once lived on a now-distant planet.

I am both. I am all. I am everything.

I am Omni.

- End -