Eric was on his way to Newtech City, when he felt drawn to a place he had never been able to face. He had never been able to bring himself to come here. Not even once. Hayley had tried a number of times, but every time he turned her down. But now after bringing back here and everything that's been going on with Sky. He felt like it was time became here.
"Hey. Sorry it took me so long to get here," he laughed slightly as his eyes fell onto Wes's headstone. "Traffic was hell, what can I say."
Eric knelt down in front of the grave stone that read Wesley A. Collins, March 7th 1978- October 7th 2007. It had taken him seven years, but he had finally made it. "Better late than never, right?" He said finding himself feeling guilty that it had taken him so long. It shouldn't have taken him this long. He should have been here sonner. He should have done a lot of things. "I'm sorry, Wes," he sighed. "I'm sorry for a lot of things." He bowed his head down and leaned his back against the stone. "I've been doing that a lot lately, but you probably knew that." Thinking of the last seven years, his blow out with Cruger, him nearly single handlly destroying his marriage and messing things up with Sky. There were a lot of things he wasn't proud of.
"God, it's finally happened. I turned into you." He laughed and half looked up to the sky. "I bet you think this is funny." He ran his hand over his face. "That kid of yours; man, he's tough. He reminds me of Jen and your dad, although Hayley swears he's a lot like me." He bowed his head down. "I don't know, maybe she's right." And for the next few minutes Eric continued to talk to Wes, as if he were sitting right next to him, telling him things he wished he could have told him face to face.
And that's when it happened. When Eric finally let the guilt go that he had been carrying for the last seven years.
"This isn't looking good, Eric. We should retreat and call for backup," announced Wes. MIrloc was just too powerful for them to handle on their own. Mike and the others had been right. Mirloc had more power than they ever dreamed of. They just weren't prepared.
"If you think you can't handle it, then leave, but I'm going to finish this," stated Eric. He was going to keep on fighting until he had taken his last breath. "Now either move aside or help me."
"I'm not going anywhere without you, we're in this together," exclaimed Wes. There was no way he would ever leave Eric alone to face this kind of threat. "For better or for worse." Wes got into a fighting stance and whipped off the sweat that was dripping down his face.
"Oh how cute, too bad your loyalty won't save you," mocked Mirloc.
"Shut your mouth and fight!" yelled Eric.
MIrloc laughed at the two. "Come and get me."
Wes turned to Eric. "Ready when you are, partner."
"You sure about this. Wes? You can go if you want, and I wouldn't think of you any different."
Wes gripped Eric's shoulder and smiled. "The only way I'm leaving is if we go together. So come on, lets show this freak what teamwork is all about."
He had blamed himself, thinking that if he had gone along with what Wes first said that just maybe things would have worked out differently. They could ave rejoined with the others come up with a different strategy. He had even blamed himself for his friendship with Wes, that if they hadn't been as good friends, that maybe Wes wouldn't have felt the need to stick with him. But he knew that wasn't truth, that wasn't who Wes was. He would have stuck by him even if he treated him like crap. It wasn't now he finally realized that he had done everything he could have done. It had never been his fault, or Wes's fault, or even Alex's. It had been MIrllcs; he was the one who was responsible for taking Wes away from them all. And as Eric let go of his guilt, he felt a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt free.
The meeting with the lawyer had gone well, and it didn't surprise Hayley at all how Alec had set up everything and how Sky fit into it all. Although Sky had made it clear he didn't want to run the company, not that they didn't need to worry about that now. After all he was still just a kid, perhaps when he was older and wiser he would change his mind. Until then the company would be in good hands with the two men Alec had left in charge of it. Two men he knew he could trust.
She looked out the window as she was doing the dishes, watching Sky with the girls, chasing around with them and Trip not too far behind. The girls had taken so well to him, especially Megan. She wished that Sky would come back with them, the girls could use a big brother, but she knew Sky had his heart set on other things, to follow in his father's footsteps.
"It's good to see Master Sky smile again," announced Philips as he joined Hayley in the kitchen.
"Yeah, it is." She turned and smiled. "I just can't believe that it's been so long." She hadn't meant to stay away for so long, but unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way. Things happen.
"It's all right. The important thing is you're here now."
Eric walked into the SPD Academy. He barely recognized it, a lot had changed since he was last there. The building was bigger; there were officer,s cadets and scientists all over the place. It didn't even look like the place where he had once worked.
"Commander Myers?" asked a young man wearing a black and red uniform, with a morpher around his wrist, as he walked up to Eric.
Eric stared at the young man for a moment. "Dashel?" It was Dash, one of the cadets he had trained and chosen to be an A squad ranger. He was all grown up.
"Yeah." Dash walked up to him and shook his former commander's hand. "Man, it's great to see you. It's been a long time." Dash had always admired the man before him. He always wanted to thank him for everything he had done for him, training him, seeing something in him. He wouldn't be where he was today if not for the man before him.
"Yeah. It has been." Eric smiled faintly. It seemed strange now seeing him now. After he had left the Academy he had lost contact with Dash and the others. He had read up on them, learned about all the good they had done. All the lives they had saved. It made him feel a sense of pride. "I've read about you and the others in the paper. You guys have done a lot of good."
"Well we had good teachers." Dash smiled knowing he and his team owned everything to Commanders Collins and Myers, who taught them what it means to be a Ranger.
Eric smiled faintly, almost feeling guilty that he didn't deserve that comment. He had pretty much up and left them without a single word. They all deserved better then that. It was hard enough for them to lose Wes, but him abandoning them in the prime of their training... He should of handled things differently. "So…How've you been? You must be about thirty-one now."
"I'm doing great," Dash exclaimed happily. "The team and I are in the process of training cadets for the next couple years, and eventually select those who will take our places." It seem surreal that to being running into the Commander who trained him to be a Ranger just as he othere's were in the process of doing the same. It was like everything had come full circle.
"Oh yeah. They any good?"
"Better than good. In fact, it looks like SPD will be getting their first female leader, of course it's not official yet, but it's looking likely. She's one of the best out of all the A squad cadets." There were a little over a hundred cadets looking to make it passed the next stage, but she was definitely a front runner.
"That's great." Eric found himself looking back on days when he and Wes had been training the cadets and officer; and now years later, the very ones he had trained were doing the same. It seemed just like yesterday he had named Dash and the others to Ranger squad. "So, you married or anything?"
"Yeah, five years," Dash answered happily. "How are you and your wife doing, and your daughter, she must be seven now."
"We're all doing fine. Thanks," Eric replied as the two caught up on the last seven years. "I've gotten two more rugrats now; a girl and a boy."
"Good for you." Dash pulled out his wallet. "I got three too, but they came kind of as a package deal." He then showed Eric a picture of his triplet, two year old boy. "That's Dashel Jr., Darrin, and Dylan."
"Quite a handful."
"Yeah, they are, but they're pretty good kids." He put his wallet back in his pocket. "So, you here to see anyone?"
"I'm here to see Commander Cruger, I need to discuss something with him."
"Well, he's probably in the Command Center," answered Dash. He was more then a little curious why Eric would be here to see Cruger. Given that Eric had left on bad terms with Cruger. "If you don't mind, what do you need to discuss with him? Are you coming back to SPD?"
"No," answered with a faint smile seeing the slight disappointment in Dash's eyes. "It's more to do with asking him to allow early enrolment for Schuyler Tate."
"Schuyler?" There was only one Schuyler that Dash could think of. "Commander Collins son?"
"Yeah, that'd be him."
"I heard about his grandfather's passing. I feel bad for the kid. He's had a hard life," he sighed heavily. He still can remember facing Sky that day and giving him Wes's helment. That moment still haunts him. No one wants to have to be the one to tell a little kid their dad wasn't going to be coming home.
"Yeah, he has," Eric sighed.
"Well, I should be going," he announced checking the time and knew he was a little late for drills. "I hope everything goes well with Commander Cruger."
"Thanks."
"Catch you later, Commander Myers," he exclaimed as he saluted him.
"You don't have to call me that. I haven't been your Commander for a long time."
Dash smiled. "I know." He then started down the hall.
"Dash!" Eric called after him. "Commander Cruger made the right choice when he made you leader; it would have been my choice." And it was the truth, both Wes and him believed that Dash would make a great leader.
Dash didn't answer, just gave a wave and smile and went on his way.
"Commander Cruger, Mr. Myers is here to see you," announced the cadet.
"Send him in, cadet." The cadet nodded his head and a second later Eric entered into the Command Center. "Eric Myers, it's been a long time."
"Yes sir, it has. Almost seven years now." Eric shook the old dog's hand firmly.
"Yes, it has been that long, hasn't it," answered Cruger. It seemed hard to believe that it's been that long. "How's your family?"
"They're good, all healthy."
Cruger nodded his head. "Last I knew you had one child, a daughter, Megan. Do you have any more?" He knew a lot could happen in seven years and perhaps he was trying to mend their broken relationship. Their last conversation hadn't gone so well.
"Yes, I have another daughter, Erin, she's five. And my son, Wesley, he's eight months."
"I see. And your wife?"
"She's good."
"Good." More awkward silence. The last time they had talked had ended on bad terms, which had resulted in Eric leaving SPD and Silver Hills altogether. "I heard about Alec Collins' passing. I'm sorry; I know he was like a father to you. He will be missed."
"Yeah. He was a good guy, one of the best."
Cruger knew that Eric hadn't come to catch up on old times. There had to be a reason and he had some idea as to what it was. He was almost suspecting it. "I take it this isn't a social visit, by your manner you seem to have something on your mind."
"Yes. I did come here for a reason."
"Go on."
"I'm here on behalf of Schuyler Tate, Alec Collins' grandson and Wesley Collins' son. He's asking to be permitted to enter the academy early."
"You know regulations state that you must be fifteen or older to be permitted into the academy," he answered firmly.
"Yes, I realize that-"
"But in Mr. Tate's case, perhaps an exception can be made. Have him here Monday at 0500 hours. We'll have a room ready for him."
"Thank you, sir." Eric shook his hand once more before heading towards the exit when he heard Cruger call out his name. He stopped, but didn't turn around. He didn't want to be here any longer then he needed to.
"It was good to see you again; give my regards to your wife," said Cruger.
"I'll do that." Maybe he had been wrong about Cruger. In some ways they were alike; both had run away from their pasts and both were dealing with it in their own way. But he had faced his past - how long before Cruger would face his own? Would the powerful warrior that had once been in Cruger live again? Would he pick up the sword again and join his officers and cadets in battle?
It was late when he arrived back at the Collins mansion. Everyone was asleep in bed, except for Hayley who was lying in the guest room waiting for Eric to return back from his trip to Newtech City.
"How'd it go?" she asked when he walked into the room.
"It went. We'll be dropping him off on Monday," he said as he changed out of his clothes and lay down on the bed with her.
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do, Eric?" she asked her voice full of concern, as she gently took his hand.
"He'll be fine," Eric assured her, as he pulled her closer into his arms. "After all, the military did me some good."
"Yeah, but you were four years older than Sky is." She leaned closer to him and lay her head on his shoulder. "He's still just a kid.."
"Yeah," he answered softly, but knew that Sky wasn't just any kid. He was the son of two Rangers, he had a special ability and has spent every waking moment training. "How'd things go today with the lawyer?"
"Good. Alec left most everything from the house to the company to Sky to do with as he pleases when he's twenty-five."
"Who's in charge of the company until then?" Eric asked knowing someone was going to have to run things at Bio-Lab.
"A couple of people, Dr. Zaskin," she pausd for a moment looking into his eyes. "And you."
"Me?" He looked at her blankly. That couldn't be right. Why would Alec have left the company in his charge? It didn't make any sense to him, not after everything that had happened. "You're serious."
"You sound surprised."
"I guess…I just never thought he'd leave part of the company to me." It never even crossed his mind.
Hayley smiled and kissed him gently on the cheek. "You were like a son to him; he wanted someone he could trust. And you and Michael fit that profile." She leaned over and turned off the lamp. "It's really a shame that Sky wont be staying with us. The girls seem quite taken with him."
"The girls are quite taken with any guy that lets them use them as a jungle gym," laughed Eric.
"You know what this means, don't you?"
"What? I'll be driving a few days out of the week to check up on the company," yawned Eric as he settled into his pillow.
"Well, that… but we will be taking someone back with us to Reefside."
"Who?" And just as he said that, Trip jumped on top of the bed, taking up whatever room was left. "Aw, shit!" exclaimed Eric. "We lose one stubborn arrogant teenager, and get a dog that's as big as a horse."